The Tucson Jewish Community Center will host “A Conversation with Stuart Milk,”co-founder and board president of the Harvey Milk Foundation, on Sunday, Oct.13 at 6 p.m.
Milk was instrumental in steering a bill through the California legislature in 2009 to make May 22 a state holiday honoring his uncle Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person elected to public office in California. Harvey had served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for less than a year when he was assassinated on Nov. 27, 1978.
On the annual Harvey Milk Day students in every school throughout California learn about his uncle’s struggle for civil rights, Milk told the AJP. Harvey Milk was commemorated in the acclaimed 2008 film, “Milk,” starring Sean Penn. Also that year, Milk accepted on behalf of his uncle the highest civilian honor in the United States, the Medal of Freedom, from President Barack Obama.
Milk, as an openly gay LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) leader, has given major public addresses before parliaments and legislative bodies, lectured at leading universities, in faith communities, in Fortune 500 board rooms and at public rallies across the world. He has led collaborative national and international congresses on minority inclusion, diversity education, and workplace acceptance.
“There’s a real parallel between the LGBT community and the Jewish community,” says Milk. “The neo-Nazis [and others] have a blueprint to divide those communities. My uncle Harvey was a coalition builder.”
Milk has more than 20 years’ experience as a consultant in economic growth and youth social programs. He has been featured on MSNBC, the BBC, and Huffington Post live. This year, Milk gave the keynote address at the White House for President Obama’s first annual Harvey Milk Champion Awards.
“When you’re a minority group the price of justice and equality
doesn’t stop,” says Milk. “It requires vigilance. The Jewish community probably recognizes that more than any other minority in human history.”
For more information, call 299-3000 or visit www.milkfoundation. org.
