Celebrating the life and legacy of Harvey Milk

Celebrating the life and legacy of Harvey Milk
By Sophia Scherr

Today we celebrate and remember the life of San Francisco LGBTQ+ advocate and icon, Harvey Milk. One of our city’s most revered politicians, Milk's legacy as the first openly gay San Francisco supervisor and elected official in California helped in breaking down discriminatory barriers and usher LGBTQ+ politicians in government positions. Milk also advocated for equitable transportation, as he rode Muni exclusively since he did not own a car. He was a firm believer that affordable mobility was important in creating a thriving and livable city.

Below is Harvey Milk with Curtis E. Green, General Manager of the Municipal Railway promoting Muni’s “Fast Pass”. Mr. Green was a barrier-breaking figure in his own right, by becoming the first African American appointed to Muni's top position from his beginnings with the Agency as a bus operator. With his 1974 appointment, Green also became the first African American to serve as top executive for a major city transportation agency nationwide.

As we commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Muni Metro, Castro Station and Harvey Milk Plaza, we’re excited to bring improvements to the plaza as part of the Castro Station Accessibility Improvement Project. These much-needed improvements include a new glass elevator in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and an additional second elevator will be added to provide continuous access to the station.

We take a moment to recognize and thank trailblazers like Harvey Milk and others - who fought against systematic oppression, discrimination and bigotry. Let’s take inspiration from Milk and others to continue this hard and important work. We can all be changemakers and make San Francisco and the communities we all live in more inclusive.

Published May 22, 2020 at 04:27PM
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