Our voice is making a difference!
Milk Club Tabling for #TeamCampos
With ballots out and only a few weeks to go, we need all hands on deck! The latest polls show that the margins are RAZOR THIN, and every door we knock on makes a difference! Join your fellow Milk Club members on April 3, between 10am to 4pm, to table for #TeamCampos! You can meet us at 18th Street and Castro Street and sign up for a shift with your fellow peers and queers!
Got Questions? Send them by March 31st!
Yes, it's that time again! With the June elections coming up, the Milk Club Political Action Committee (PAC) is collecting questions for June candidates. We need to have members' questions submitted to the PAC by the end of day March 31-- that's next Thursday!
Please send all questions to [email protected]!
We're Springing Into Action: New Endorsement & March Events
We're here to recruit you!
Let's keep up the fight with #TeamCampos!
Congratulations to David Campos and his team for advancing to the runoff election! We are continuing our work to send David to Sacramento, especially given the steadfast alignment of corporate interests against his historic and 100% Corporate Free campaign. We hope you will join us THIS SUNDAY or at one of the many events in the queue:
Sunday, March 13 @ 10 AM
Join ☀️ Milk Club ☀️ & SFYD at Douglass Playground
bit.ly/Milk-SFYD-Campos
Find more events at bit.ly/campos-events
Vote James Coleman for State Assembly!
We are thrilled to announce that our club overwhelmingly voted to endorse James for State Assembly, AD-21. James, who is LGBTQ+, was raised by working-class parents and will fight to win the generational battle on climate change, build affordable housing across California, and stand up for working families. He believes that our government must work for everyone — not just the wealthy and well-connected. Excited to send James to Sacramento? Get involved today at james4california.com
Chesa Boudin Anti-Recall Field Program Kick-Off & Mobilization
Saturday, March 5th @ Noon | Alamo Square Park
With the June election coming up in a few months, District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s Anti-Recall Campaign is hosting our official campaign kickoff rally & field launch on Saturday, March 5th at Alamo Square Park (on the corner of Hayes St & Pierce St)! This event will be a chance for our community to stand together as we introduce our campaign to the city. Come by to meet Chesa, hear from our exciting lineup of speakers comprising community leaders & elected officials, and be part of this extraordinary launch event with other supporters! Following the program, volunteers will be dropping off literature.
The program will start promptly, so please arrive before noon. RSVP here. If you have any questions or ADA accommodation requests, don't hesitate to reach out to Alvin Lee.
Milk PAC Meeting
Tuesday, March 8 @ 7pm | Zoom & Milk SF
Join the Milk Club's Political Action Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, March 8, at 7pm. The Milk PAC will be hosting a panel discussion on War: America’s Role in Ukraine and Beyond (And How SF Can Help). Speakers will be announced closer to the date of the meeting, so keep an eye on our social media! This will be a hybrid meeting, in person at Milk SF (302 Valencia St) and online via Zoom. Register to attend online @ bit.ly/milkpac.
Feel free to email [email protected] with any questions!
Milk Comms Committee Meeting
Monday, March 14 @ 7pm | Zoom
Join the Communications Committee of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club on Monday, March 14 at 7pm on Zoom. The meeting will be virtual and will be an opportunity to discuss projects, contribute to content, and propose future comms projects. Register to attend online at bit.ly/milkclubcomms
Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
General Membership Meeting
Tuesday, March 15 @ 7pm | Zoom & Milk SF
Please join us at our March General Membership Meeting, in person at 302 Valencia and via Zoom. The agenda will be finalized in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out! All in-person attendees must show proof of vaccination to enter and wear a mask throughout the event. If you are unvaccinated, have any symptoms of COVID-19, or are uncomfortable meeting in person, we invite you to register and join us on Zoom. Attending either in person or on Zoom counts towards member voting eligibility requirements, and remote attendees are able to speak and vote on items just as in-person attendees can.
You can register at bit.ly/milkmeeting.
Back to HIV Rally
Monday, March 21 @ 11am | SF City Hall
Please join the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, San Francisco Principles 2020, the HIV Advocacy Network, and Ward 86 at the steps of San Francisco City Hall on Monday, March 21, 2022, at 11am, to urge the City to make the fight against HIV a priority. 37.7 million people worldwide living with HIV means HIV/AIDS is STILL a Fucking Plague, and Silence STILL Equals Death!
While San Francisco has been a beacon of hope for the HIV Community for many decades, in the last couple of years, the City has failed the HIV Community.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, we have seen the following alarming trends:
- HIV testing is down by 44% from 2019.
- Rates of viral suppression have dropped from 75% to 70%.
- Among homeless persons living with HIV, only 20% have reached viral suppression, a decrease from 50% in 2019.
- PrEP use has decreased, leading to potential new HIV transmissions.
- During times of lockdowns, clinic visits decreased, interrupting testing and early detection and treatment.
- The City's long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS still lack adequate access to deeply affordable housing, harm reduction, mental health care, social housing, and economic assistance.
2021 marked the 40th year of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. 40 years with no cure and no vaccine. As we enter the 41st year of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the City of San Francisco MUST recommit to treating HIV/AIDS as an urgent public health issue and must recommit funds to make up for recent losses. RSVP here.
Want to get more involved in the fight for the HIV community? Join the HIV Caucus virtually on Friday, March 18, from 3pm to 4pm. Register here. Reach out to [email protected] with any questions!
Milk Happy Hour: We're here to recruit you!
Tuesday, March 22 @ 6pm | Propagation, 895 Post St
Join us on Tuesday, March 22, 6PM, at queer-owned Propagation (895 Post Street), for our first Happy Hour of the year! The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club will host a happy hour every month to give old friends a chance to say hello and new friends a chance to get to know the Club. New to the city? Have questions? Come on down-- new and prospective members are highly encouraged to join! RSVP at bit.ly/milkhh
☀️🥛 Milk 💘 Campos TOMORROW ☀️🥛 Plus PAC updates! 📋
This is it!
Join your fellow Milk Club members for the last stretch of mobilizations and Get Out the Vote efforts for our endorsed AD-17 candidate, David Campos, before the February 15th primary. This election will be decided by voter turnout— can we count on you to be there? RSVP for any and all remaining days to Get Out the Vote at bit.ly/camposGOTV
Reach out to [email protected] with any questions!
Updates from the February 8 PAC Meeting
The Political Action Committee (PAC) of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club met on Tuesday, February 8, and heard from candidates for the Assembly District 21 race, among many other things! Here is a summary of the actions they took:
- Made a motion to endorse James Coleman for AD-21!
- Expressed support for advocacy to ensure that the Redistricting Task Force maintains the Transgender and Leather Cultural Districts within District 6 borders during the current San Francisco redistricting.
- Expressed support for writing a letter to the USF President / Provost in support of the part-time faculty during their ongoing contract negotiations
- Expressed support for AB 587, which (a) strengthens requirements for social media company terms of service with regard to the company’s actions toward infringing users and content and (b) increases the frequency of and transparency in the company’s reporting to the government regarding its policies for infringements.
- Expressed support for writing a letter to the Mayor advocating for the following with regard to the City College Board of Trustees appointment, in this order:
- The appointee should have a personal connection to the College
- The Mayor should consult with City College students and educators on the appointee
- Encourage that the appointee should be LGBTQ
Missed the meeting? Not to worry, the PAC Chair will report back during our general membership meeting!
General Membership Meeting
Join the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club for our February General Membership Meeting, in person at 302 Valencia and on Zoom at bit.ly/milkmeeting! We'll be joined by Dr. Grant Colfax, the Director of Health for the City and County of San Francisco, to learn about the City's shift towards managing COVID-19 as an endemic, and what this means.
We'll also be joined by Gary McCoy, the Policy and Public Affairs Director of HealthRIGHT 360, to discuss the new Linkage Center in the Tenderloin and the critical services it provides in the face of our overdose crisis. And that's not all — we'll also be voting to early endorse in the Assembly District 21 race, and to elect new at-large officers to our Executive Board!
This is a hybrid meeting and will take place both in-person and on Zoom. All in-person attendees must show proof of vaccination to enter and wear a mask throughout the event. If you are unvaccinated, have any symptoms of Covid-19, or are uncomfortable meeting in person, we invite you to register and join us on Zoom at bit.ly/milkmeeting. Attending either in person or on Zoom counts towards member voting eligibility requirements, and remote attendees are able to speak and vote on items just as in-person attendees can.
Fabulous February Opportunities
In addition to marking Lunar New Year and Black History Month, February is jam-packed with events, happenings, and opportunities to plug in at every turn. Below are a few upcoming opportunities that Milk Club is excited about!
9 More Days to Mobilize for David Campos!
Join your fellow Milk Club members for the last stretch of mobilizations and Get Out the Vote efforts for our endorsed AD-17 candidate, David Campos, before the February 15th primary. This is the home stretch for this election, so let's make sure to end on a strong note!
Register here (Sunday Fundraiser), here (Monday Rally), and here (volunteer/GOTV).
February 2022 Milk PAC Meeting
Join our Political Action Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, February 8, at 7pm. This will be a hybrid meeting, in person at Milk-SF (302 Valencia St) and online via Zoom. Register to attend online at bit.ly/milkpac.
For our second meeting of 2022, the PAC will hear from candidates for Assembly District 21 and vote on a recommendation in the race, and then we'll hear an update from the California Nurses Association (CNA) about what happened to CalCare this past week. We'll also hear an update from the Campos campaign, and an update about SF redistricting.
Join us an hour earlier at 6pm for a Campos phone bank we're cohosting with the San Francisco Young Democrats. We'll be meeting both in person at Milk-SF and online via Zoom at bit.ly/campospb. Please register via Zoom when you know you can make it so that the campaign will have a headcount. There will be online training at 6pm, but if you'd like written instructions, please email [email protected].
HIV Caucus
The HIV Caucus General meeting takes place virtually on the third Friday of every month from 3pm to 4pm. Register here.
In addition, the HIV Caucus has formed a subcommittee to plan its BACK TO HIV Action with Dr. Monica Gandhi. Viral suppression and testing rates are declining in San Francisco while STDs are on the rise. Stop by our subcommittee meeting and help us frame our message and hold the City accountable. The subcommittee meets every Friday from 2pm to 3pm via Zoom. Register here.
Reach out to [email protected] with any questions!
February General Membership Meeting
Please save the date for our next General Membership meeting, which will now take place on Tuesday, February 22 from 7pm to 9pm. This will be a hybrid meeting in order to accommodate as many of our members as possible! Just meet us at Milk-SF (302 Valencia Street) or via Zoom.
You can register at bit.ly/milkmeeting.
How do you due(s)?
Now is the time to renew your Club Membership. If not, it will automatically be suspended or possibly expire entirely at the conclusion of our February 22nd General Membership Meeting.
Do not let this happen to you! Renew now at milkclub.org/join and stay with us in the fight this new year. And remember that your dues will cover you all the way into February 2023!
Our New Milk E-Board!
In addition, the following people were elected to serve on the 2022 Milk Club Executive Board:
And finally, the following people were nominated by the President to serve on the 2022 Executive Board At-Large:
Seat 1: Sophia Andary
The At-Large nominations will be voted on for approval at the February General Membership Meeting.
Our Upcoming Board Elections
Here is the Milk Club's full list of endorsements for the election on February 15th:
State Assembly Member, District 17: David Campos
Measure A (Recalling School Board Member Alison Collins): no position
Measure B (Recalling School Board Member Gabriela Lopez): No
Measure C (Recalling School Board Member Faauuga Moliga): No
SF Assessor-Recorder: Joaquin Torres
Join the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club for our January General Membership Meeting at 7pm on Tuesday.
The Membership will elect our new 2022 Executive Board. And with up to four local elections in 2022, it is a critical time for our Club. So be sure to attend and make your voice heard in deciding our new leadership team.
You can view all our board nominees at www.milkclub.org/board. If you would like to nominate someone, email their name, email address, and the specific board position to [email protected].
The Milk Club will also be joined by Jane Kim, the incoming State Director for the California Working Families Party, to learn more about WFP and their launch throughout the Bay Area and California.
Don't miss it on Zoom at bit.ly/milkmeeting.
This is a remote-only meeting and will take place exclusively on Zoom. We have moved our meeting entirely online due to the surge of the Omicron variant and hope to be together again in-person soon.
Thank you to everyone who attended last night's "Back to HIV" January PAC Meeting with Dr. Monica Gandhi. If you missed it, you can watch it here.
The PAC also voted to support the following:
1) A motion that the Milk Club sponsor an upcoming action at City Hall urging the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and the Department of Public Health to make HIV a priority in SF. (Stay tuned for more details.)
2) A motion to oppose any budget supplemental to increase police staffing, and any efforts to criminalize drug users; and to support the expedition of a service linkage center and safe consumption site, and related hiring of mental health professionals.
3) A motion to support non-police responses to 911 calls about mental health emergencies, and allowing dispatchers to contact alternative responses.
Nominations to our 2022 Milk Club Executive Board
All of the nominees listed below have accepted their nominations. (Nominations have been updated daily here.)
President or Co-Presidents
Edward Wright (he/him)
Vice President of Membership
Raya Steier (they/them)
Vice President of Political Action
1) Reid Coggins (he/him)
2) Nomvula O’Meara (she/they)
Vice President of Events and Fundraising
Jeffrey Kwong (he/him)
Vice President of Communications
Melissa Hernandez (she/they)
Treasurer
Jerry Fenske (he/him)
Membership Officer, Seat #1
1) Alvin Lee (he/they)
2) JConr B Ortega (we/our/us)
Membership Officer, Seat #2
Akeylah Hernandez (they/them)
Political Action Officer, Seat #1
Jackie Thornhill (she/her)
Political Action Officer, Seat #2
Zahra Hajee (she/her)
Events and Fundraising Officer, Seat #1
Katherine Usher (she/her)
Events and Fundraising Officer, Seat #2
Michael Rouppet (he/him)
Communications Officer
Seamus McGeever (he/him)
Recorder
Kurtis Wu (he/him)
Your Milk Club Membership will lapse or totally expire on Tuesday, February 15th. So renew now!
2022 is a brand new year. Got Milk?
Now is the time to renew your Club Membership. If not, it will automatically be suspended or possibly expire entirely at the conclusion of our February 15th General Membership Meeting.
Do not let this happen to you! Renew now at www.milkclub.org/join and stay with us in the fight this new year.
And remember that your dues will cover you all the way into February 2023!
Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Milk January General Membership Meeting:
Executive Board Election
Tuesday, January 18th I 7-9pm
Zoom Event Details here.
Facebook Event Details here.
Milk Club HIV Caucus Meeting
Friday, January 21st I 3-4pm
Zoom Events Details here.
To Your Queer Mental Health, and Elders
Saturday, January 22nd I 11am-1pm
Zoom Events Details here.
Facebook Event Details here.
The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
http://www.milkclub.org
Join or renew your Membership today!
http://www.milkclub.org/join
Executive Board Elections
Thank you to everyone who attended our joint General Membership and Political Action Committee meeting last month.
Our Members voted to:
1) Endorse Joaquín Torres for San Francisco Assessor-Recorder.
2) Oppose the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
3) Take no position on the recall of Board of Education Commissioner Alison Collins. (No position on Measure A.)
4) Oppose the recall of Board of Education President Gabriela López. (No on Measure B.)
5) Oppose the recall of Board of Education Vice President Faauuga Moliga. (No on Measure C.)
6) Amend our Club's bylaws to make changes to our Executive Board and committee structure.
Nominations to our 2022 Milk Club Executive Board are now open!
To nominate someone for the 2022 Executive Board, email the candidate's name, email address, and seat of your nominee to [email protected].
Remember that Members of the Milk Club may nominate themselves for board seats.
All of the nominees listed below have accepted their nominations. (Nominations are updated daily here.)
President or Co-Presidents
Edward Wright (he/him)
Vice President of Membership
Raya Steier (they/them)
Vice President of Political Action
Reid Coggins (he/him)
Vice President of Events and Fundraising
Jeffrey Kwong (he/him)
Vice President of Communications
Melissa Hernandez (she/they)
Treasurer
Jerry Fenske (he/him)
Membership Officer, Seat #1
1) Alvin Lee (he/they)
2) JConr B Ortega (we/our/us)
Membership Officer, Seat #2
Akeylah Hernandez (they/them)
Political Action Officer, Seat #1
Jackie Thornhill (she/her)
Political Action Officer, Seat #2
Zahra Hajee (she/her)
Events and Fundraising Officer, Seat #1
Katherine Usher (she/her)
Events and Fundraising Officer, Seat #2
Michael Rouppet (he/him)
Communications Officer
Seamus McGeever (he/him)
Recorder
Kurtis Wu (he/him)
Your Milk Club Membership will lapse or totally expire on Tuesday, February 15th. So renew now!
2022 is a brand new year. Got Milk?
Now is the time to renew your Club Membership. If not, it will automatically be suspended or possibly expire entirely at the conclusion of our February 15th General Membership Meeting.
Do not let this happen to you! Renew now at www.milkclub.org/join and stay with us in the fight this new year.
And remember that your dues will cover you all the way into February 2023!
Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Milk January General Membership Meeting:
Executive Board Elections
Tuesday, January 18th I 7-9pm
(Stay Tuned for Details.)
Milk Club HIV Caucus Meeting
Friday, January 21st I 3-4pm
Zoom Events Details here.
The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
http://www.milkclub.org
Join or renew your Membership today!
http://www.milkclub.org/join
December PAC & General Membership Meeting
Our members voted to:
Also, nominations to the Milk Executive Board for 2022 are now open. If you would like to make a nomination, please email us at [email protected]. Once accepted, the nominations are posted daily to https://www.milkclub.org/eboard_2021.
WE'RE HERE TO RECRUIT YOU!
The Milk Club is unapologetically progressive and proudly queer. Since 1976, we build power with and for all of the “Us’s” — San Francisco’s most vulnerable communities — to be free from scarcity, oppression, and machine politics.
Also, if you join or renew your Membership today, it will cover ALL OF 2022!
Get involved: www.milkclub.org
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @harveymilkclub
Our Milk-Moscone Vigil
The Membership voted:
1) To support the Local 39 strike against Kaiser Permanente and to support the actions organized by Kaiser workers across the state.
2) To support the Milk Club becoming an affiliate of Healthy California Now, a statewide coalition that is dedicated to establishing a single-payer, Medicare-For-All system across the state.
3) To oppose the exclusion of Bernal Heights, Bayview and Visitation Valley from the soon-to-be redrawn Assembly District 17.
4) To support Supervisor Dean Preston's Emergency Housing Acquisition Program.
5) To support Supervisor Rafael Mandelman's proposal to allow new bars to operate in the Castro District.
6) To support suspending the cannabis tax for another year.
7) To support holding an endorsement vote for SF Assessor-Recorder at our December General Meeting.
8) To support holding an endorsement vote for the recall elections for SF District Attorney Chesa Boudin and School Board Members Alison Collins Gabriela Lopez, Faauuga Moliga, and Alison Collins at our December General Meeting.
9) To support holding a vote for a bylaw change restructuring the Milk Club Executive Board at our December General Meeting.
10) And the Membership voted to officially endorse Alex Lee for AD 25.
Photo: Bob McLeod / 1977 S.F. Examiner, during the signing of the City's Gay Rights Ordinance.
The Milk Club is unapologetically progressive and proudly queer. Since 1976, we have built power with and for all of the “Us’s” — San Francisco’s most vulnerable communities — in order to be free from scarcity, oppression, and machine politics.
Please join or renew your Harvey Milk Club Membership by clicking here. Stay with us in the fight!
Also, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any questions regarding your Membership.
And stay involved by going to our website: www.milkclub.org. And join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by searching for our handle @harveymilkclub.