We will join thousands of others on Sunday May 19 in the Castro to recognize and remember Harvey Milk, the gay civil rights leader who called the neighborhood home, and who would have celebrated his 83rd birthday on May 22 which is officially recognized as a “day of special significance” in California – Harvey Milk Day.
The Castro will celebrate Harvey Milk day a little early on Sunday May 19 with speeches and a reenactment of Harvey’s famous and stirring “You’ve Gotta Give Them Hope” speech in 1977. The celebrations will formally begin at 1PM in Jane Warner Plaza at the corner of Castro Street and Market Street, adjacent to Harvey Milk Plaza itself where he would circulate petitions, campaign for office and, as depicted in the “Milk” movie, would rally supporters with speeches while standing on box.
The SF Lesbian / Gay Freedom band will begin the festivities followed with introductions of Harvey’s friends, community leaders and elected officials in attendance by Supervisor Scott Wiener. A number of Harvey’s friends are anticipated to be in attendance including Anne Kronenberg, Harvey’s campaign manager in 1977, Daniel Nicoletta, who worked in Harvey’s camera shop on Castro Street and took many famous photo’s of Harvey, and Wayne Friday, a political columnist who covered Harvey’s career and became a close friend.
Five local performers will then provide a stirring reenactment of the “Hope” speech including Courtney Walsh and Aaron Wimmer of the New Conservatory Theatre, Randall Mann a local poet, Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and: Andrea Shorter a local political activist.
The crowd will then walk the two short blocks South on Castro Street to gather at Harvey’s former camera shop at 575 Castro, where the Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will perform a blessing ceremony and community leaders and friends will say a few words.
Castro Community On Patrol is proud to be a part of this Harvey Milk Day Castro celebration and we will be on hand to help the SFPD and SF MUNI to keep everyone safe while allowing buses and traffic on Castro Street to travel as smoothly as possible. If you would like to volunteer as a safety monitor for the event, we will partner you with a CCOP Patroller. Simply send us an e-mail (Training@CastroPatrol.org) expressing your interest as a volunteer safety monitor for Harvey Milk Day and we’ll get back to you with details.
We hope to see thousands of you in Jane Warner Plaza on Sunday May 19 to celebrate with us!