10th AnnuaL Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast returns after 2 year pandemic pause
The 10th Annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast welcomed more than a thousand people. The event, held at the Palm Springs Convention Center Wednesday morning, made its return to the desert after the pandemic put it on hold for two years.
The breakfast honors the memory of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, and his legacy of fighting for LGBTQ+ rights.
The event is designed to strengthen coalitions among the many diverse community organizations that work toward equality in the Coachella Valley.
RIGHT NOW: The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus kicks off the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast. The breakfast honors the memory of civil rights activist Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in CA. The event is sold out with 1000+ guests.@KESQ pic.twitter.com/G2zKvLUvUk
— Marian Bouchot KESQ (@MarianKESQ) May 11, 2022
This year's event hosted 350 kids a part of the Safe Schools Desert Cities, which is a local non-profit empowering valley LGBTQ plus youth and, their allies. All the money raised will go to the organization.
Coachella Valley High School senior Natalie Villanueva spoke at the event.
"I just want to be a great role model, the best role model," said Villanueva. "I'm raising awareness. I'm talking for everyone, every trans girl out there that is scared to speak on how they feel or what they're going through."
She shared her story of being the first and only transgender girl at her school in front of the biggest crowd in the event's 10-year history.
Andy Linsky received the Harvey B. Milk Leadership Award. Linsky has served on the Desert AIDS Project (now DAP Health) Board of Directors from 1990 to 2014 and was president from 1998 to 2002. He was also a board member for the Human Rights Campaign from 2002 to 2017 and is continuing service on the HRC Emeritus Council, which started in 2019.
Former City of Houston Mayor Annise Parker was this year's recipient of the Harvey B. Milk Legacy Award. Parker currently serves as the President & CEO of Victory Fund. She served six years as a Houston City Council member, six years as City Controller, and six years as Mayor of the city.
"We need to make sure that being LGBT is not something that is traumatic, or leaves scar tissue," said Parker.
She is one of only two women to have been elected mayor and is the only person in Houston history to have held the offices of council member, controller, and mayor. She was the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city.
The communications chair for the event, Jeff Hocker said donations will help give scholarships to youth.
"Because anybody who comes to the event is empowered, and they come away and they say, 'What can I do to help equality for all people?' That's what it's all about," said Hocker. "These are the leaders of tomorrow. These are the people who are walking away saying, 'I want to be a mayor, I want to be the president.'"
Hocker said he hopes to build building a future where everyone is welcome.
"So if you are out there and you're struggling to share your stories, do it, and don't let anyone tell you you can't," said Villanueva.
The Gay 4 Good volunteer group helped make the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast happen. They are always looking for volunteers. Click HERE to join the group.
