The Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club will be celebrating its 40th anniversary tonight, August 11th, at the SOMArts Cultural Center (934 Brannan St.) The annual dinner and “gayla” expects to draw about 300 attendees, including local LGBTQ politicians, community activists and organizers.
The club, originally called the San Francisco Gay Democratic Club, was founded in 1976 by Harvey Milk and a group of activists, with the goal of electing openly gay candidates to office. It was renamed the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club after Milk was assassinated in 1978.
Peter Gallotta, the club's president, said that the 40th anniversary is a “momentous occasion.”
“We really see ourselves as carrying on Harvey Milk's legacy,” he said. “For decades, we have attempted to catapult queer and progressive candidates to public office—and have succeeded in many ways. We also look at economic and racial justice, and how that intersects with what we are fighting for as an LGBT community.”
Gallotta stressed the club's engagement with voters on candidates, ballot measures and issues that matter to the LGBT community.
"40 years is a milestone that’s worth making a big to-do about," he continued. "It’s a moment for us to reflect on the club’s legacy and contribution, but also to look into the future. It was important in 1976, but it is still important today, and tomorrow. Even though we are seeing so much change in the city, and we have lost so many residents to evictions, displacement, the affordability crisis—longtime residents. We are dealing with major income inequality. There are so many issues that make us as a club more relevant and important than ever."
Tonight's event, from 6:30-9:30pm, will begin with a VIP reception and cocktail hour. The keynote speaker is Bao Nguyen, mayor of Garden Grove, CA. Honorees include San Francisco Supervisor David Campos and Roma Guy, a social activist and policy leader on homelessness.
The event at the SOMArts Cultural Center will also include an installation display of past campaign newsletters, fliers, photos, and posters, that chronicle the club’s history over the past four decades. VIP ticket holders also get access to SOMArts' current exhibit, “The Black Woman Is God.”
The club will host an after-party at The Stud, beginning at 10pm. Gallotta expressed concern over the club’s recent near-closure, but he's relieved that it will remain open.
“It’s so great that we will continue to have that bar as a community space, and we are really excited to head over there after there to show our love and support for them,” he said.
For more information, including ticket information and the full list of honorees, visit the Eventbrite page.
