bear to make a difference

Spent the weekend in Denver attending the Bear to Make a Difference gala. It has been amazing to watch the event grow over the years. Here is last year's blog post after the event. This year the attendance was so high they had to add on an extra tent space outside. It was, as usual, a lovely evening filled with love, remembrance, hope, community, and powerful energy. Everyone there wanting to make a difference. And, just like last year, I have come home more INSPIRED than ever, and ready to work on making a difference in my community. Luckily, I am in a better position this year than last, as I have recently accepted to be a board member of the local non-profit Equality Action Now. An amazing group of hard working individuals with so much energy, love, and commitment. This is all very new for me, so I am enjoying learning the ins and outs of a non-profit and the role of 'board member.'

This year's "make a difference award" went to

Jennifer Beals

She was really cute up there - and her speech was great!

zeina + dom + my hot date for the evening... ernie!

On my way home, I flew into the new SMF terminal, which is pretty amazing...

I loved this hanging piece

+ this mosaic 

and below... Equality Action Now's board of directors:

♥

happy birthday harvey !

“I cannot prevent anyone from getting angry, or mad, or frustrated. I can only hope that they’ll turn that anger and frustration and madness into something positive, so that two, three, four, five hundred will step forward, so the gay doctors will come out, the gay lawyers, the gay judges, gay bankers, gay architects … I hope that every professional gay will say ‘enough’, come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help.” Harvey Milk, 1978

Last week, the lovely Corine totally surprised me with an invite to be her date to the local Harvey Milk Celebration.  It must have been my lucky day... an evening with Corine, who I just do not get to see enough of, and a free pass to an awesome event honoring a true hero.  It was held at the California Museum on O Street.  The evening included a free bar, a performance by the men's choir, powerful speeches, including special guests Stuart Milk (Harvey's nephew) and Bruce Cohn (Producer of Milk).  There were some other celebrity types hanging out that night as well, like Daniela Sea from the L Word, who shares a mutual friend with Corine, so we actually got to chat a bit with her.  

Celebrations continue on tomorrow.  Locally, there will be a celebration at the Capitol: 

Harvey Milk Day Rally and March – Saturday, May 22, 2010 – California State Capitol – West Steps – 4-6pm

“All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.”        

                                                                                                                                         Harvey Milk

How will you celebrate Harvey Milk Day ?!?