Voices of Hope sound at the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast

Sergio Garcia
·4 min read

Close to 1,000 energized and inspired guests, including 350 high school students, came together on May 11, at the Palm Springs Convention Center for the 10th annual Harvey Milk Coachella Valley Diversity Breakfast.

The event honors Milk's life and work, which embodies the rise of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. It is the nation's largest gathering honoring Milk's legacy. Attendees represented diverse communities, including an ever-increasing legion of LGBTQ+ allies and activists. Proceeds from the event benefit our youth through school clubs and other related programs and events.

This year's Leadership Award was given to Andy Linsky, who was recognized for his work with DAP Health and the Human Rights Campaign. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker received the Legacy Award. She currently serves as president and CEO of The Victory Fund, which works to achieve equality by increasing the number of LGBTQ+ elected officials. The Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus was also on hand to provide entertainment.

Ron deHarte, founding chair of the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast Coalition, addresses the crowd on May 11, 2022.
Ron deHarte, founding chair of the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast Coalition, addresses the crowd on May 11, 2022.

Attendees included Riverside County 4th District Supervisor V. Manny Perez, Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton, Cathedral City Mayor Ernesto Gutierrez and La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans.

Ron deHarte, founding chair of the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast Coalition, said: "This celebration brings together hundreds of students from throughout Coachella Valley and beyond to share the history of Harvey Milk. It is inspirational and empowering. I'm thankful for the community's attention to this event and for the wise investment guests are making in our youth."

In his remarks, breakfast coalition member Jeff Hocker said: "We are stronger together. To drive equality forward, we need to ensure that elected leaders represent our collective voices in the halls of justice and power."

Will Rollins, Democratic candidate for Congress in California's 41st District, addressed just that. "Too often I hear that LGBTQ+ Americans should stop complaining, because we've achieved so much and have equal rights," he said. "And I get frustrated and alarmed. There is still support for employment discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, for banning the word 'gay' in schools and for excluding transgender service members from the military. We need people to fight … like Harvey Milk did … against those who would strip us of our hard-earned rights. We need visible members of the LGBTQ+ community to show our youth that they are not alone."

Will Rollins, Brian Rix, Bruce Bauer, Colin Wright, Gabriel Dima-Smith, Mary Sue Allen, Sue Burnside and Andrea Dima-Smith attend the 10th annual Harvey Milk Coachella Valley Diversity Breakfast on May 11, 2022.
Will Rollins, Brian Rix, Bruce Bauer, Colin Wright, Gabriel Dima-Smith, Mary Sue Allen, Sue Burnside and Andrea Dima-Smith attend the 10th annual Harvey Milk Coachella Valley Diversity Breakfast on May 11, 2022.

Ellen Wolf, also a coalition member, serves on the Leadership Committee of "Gay for Good Palm Springs," which enlisted 35 volunteers for the event. "The breakfast is an opportunity to share Harvey's legacy with students that are active in their school's Gay-Straight Alliances," she said. "We hope it helps them to develop personal pride and ownership of who they are as LGBTQ+ individuals and sets an example for how we can work together," Wolf said.

Midway through the event, students took to the stage, carrying flags from nations that still oppress the LGBTQ+ community.

Bruce Bauer, who serves on the board of directors for the Transgender Health and Wellness Center, called the students' presence "the most heartfelt aspect of the breakfast ... It was incredibly touching, seeing the young generation there. They were present, proud and unabashed about their identities."

Creating those opportunities for future generations is made possible by young leaders like Roman Lopez-Mojarres, a social justice advocate and fellow at the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. Lopez-Mojarres said, "I was once afraid of change, but now, at 20, I realize that change can be an amazing thing."

Representatives from Palm Springs Unified School District were in attendance. PSUSD has asserted their commitment to creating "safe learning spaces where all students are welcomed, included, and respected. Every student, every day."

Jeff Hocker and Ellen Wolf address the crowd at the 10th annual Harvey Milk Coachella Valley Diversity Breakfast on May 11, 2022.
Jeff Hocker and Ellen Wolf address the crowd at the 10th annual Harvey Milk Coachella Valley Diversity Breakfast on May 11, 2022.

Representatives from KGAY 106.5 were also there. "Much like Harvey's message, music inspires the LGBTQ+ fight for equality. Many of the uplifting songs KGAY plays convey those universal themes, no matter who you are or who you love," said Eric Ornelas, KGAY on-air host and Safe Schools Desert Cities board president." Safe Schools spearheaded many aspects of students' participation in the breakfast.

Quoting Harvey Milk, Middleton said: "Unless you open the walls of dialogue, you can never reach to change people's opinions."

"Harvey brought joy and inspiration to the fight for equality, but he always delivered his message with opportunity and a smile," Middleton said. "He knew that people who may not agree with you when you start speaking can come to agree with you by the time you're finished."

The Harvey Milk Coachella Valley Diversity Breakfast gave many that opportunity. To have their voices heard.

Sergio Garcia lives in Palm Springs and enjoys writing about the good people that do great things for our community. Contact him at sergio071364@aol.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Voices of Hope sound at the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast