Remembering Harvey Milk's Legacy Today is Harvey Milk Day.
Before Harvey Milk’s assassination in 1978, the newly elected
public official delivered this powerful message to a group in
California: “Without hope, not only gays, but those who are
blacks, the Asians, the disabled, the seniors, the us’s: without
hope the us’s give up. I know that you can’t live on hope alone,
but without it, life is not worth living. And you, and you, and
you, and you have got to give them hope.” Today, the political
and social activist is remembered for his contributions to
transform the world into a more inclusive, affirming environment
for all people. As the first openly gay person to serve in an
elected position, Milk’s 1977 ascent into public office has been
instrumental in paving the way for LGBT people to authentically
wield roles of power, consciousness, and change. Sadly, Milk’s
life was cut short at age 48 when he was assassinated. Though he
served less than a full year in public office (as a member of
San Francisco’s Boa