St. Petersburg recognizes Harvey Milk Day

(Above screenshot from Facebook)

ST. PETERSBURG | Mayor Rick Kriseman has issued a proclamation recognizing May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in St. Petersburg.

Harvey Milk Day is celebrated annually on the civil rights activist’s birthday. It honors his legacy and share his message of inclusion and hope. He would have been 90 years old this year.

“Here in St. Petersburg we like to talk about how brightly the sun shines on us, and one of the reasons it shines as bright as it does is because of the incredible diversity that is St. Petersburg,” Kriseman shared in a video. “One of those communities that creates the diversity and helps us be the special place that we are is the LGBTQ community, and so I have a very special proclamation I’d like to read.”

Kriseman subsequently read the proclamation, recognizing that St. Petersburg hosts a number of LGBTQ organizations and events throughout the year – including Come OUT St Pete (COSP), which helped lead the effort. He also referenced Equality Florida and St Pete Pride, which announced the cancellation of its 2020 festivities May 21 in response to COVID-19.

The video was first circulated by COSP, which shared they were “PROUD to have led the effort to get this Harvey Milk Day Proclamation made by City of St. Petersburg, Florida Mayor Rick Kriseman. Thank you to all out and proud elected officials and their families.”

Watch:

You can view the proclamation and read its full text below:

WHEREAS, Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22 in memory of Harvey Milk, a San Francisco City Councilman and gay rights activist assassinated in 1978; and

WHEREAS, St. Petersburg is recognized Worldwide as a welcoming City to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Allied (LGBTQA+) persons; and

WHEREAS, St. Petersburg hosts many LGBTQ+ organizations and events throughout the year, including St. Pete Pride, Come OUT St Pete, and Equality Florida; and

WHEREAS, LGBTQ+ persons have proudly served our City on City Council and other prominent positions throughout St. Pete.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Kriseman, Mayor of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, do hereby proclaim May 22, 2020 to be HARVEY MILK DAY in St. Petersburg.

“The Come OUT St Pete Board of directors wished to show our appreciation for local LGBTQ political leaders and allies by bringing back the Harvey Milk Day Mix & Mingle,” COSP subsequently shared with Watermark. “With the COVID-19 restrictions in place, we worked with Mayor Kriseman’s office to create the proclamation for this year and plan an event for next year! Our local LGBTQ and allied leaders, and their families, continue to follow the lead of Harvey Milk.”

COSP also shared St. Petersburg LGBTQ liaison Jim Nixon‘s sentiment. He and the organization noted that Harvey Milk Day cannot be celebrated without recognizing Tampa Bay’s LGBTQ elected officials – including St. Petersburg City Councilmember Darden Rice, Largo Commissioner Michael Smith, State Rep. Jennifer Webb, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and more:

Planning for COSP 2020 has begun, though organizers note some events may be postponed in response to the COVID-19. It is currently scheduled for Oct. 17 with events beginning Oct. 11 in celebration of National Coming Out Day.

For more information about Harvey Milk Foundation, visit MilkFoundation.org. For more information about COSP, visit ComeOUTSaintPete.org.

For the latest updates about COVID-19 and its impact on the LGBTQ communities in Tampa Bay and Central Florida, view Watermark’s frequently updated coverage here.