About the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza
Our mission is to reimagine Harvey Milk Plaza as a welcoming, vibrant space that honors Harvey's life and legacy, celebrates his enduring importance to the LGBTQ+ community, and inspires by acting as a beacon of hope to marginalized communities worldwide.
The Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza organization was formed in 2016, in response to SFMTA plans to install an elevator in the culturally sensitive Harvey Milk Plaza. FHMP was aware of the conversation about changes to the plaza that had been ongoing for over 25 years, and sought greater community involvement in the redesign effort that was funded initially by a gift from The Lawrence & Junko Cushman Foundation. Since its inception, the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza (FHMP) has worked to see that the community's aspirations for the plaza are realized during the work planned at the site. FHMP is proud to have endorsement from the following community organizations:
Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club
Castro Community Benefit District
Castro LGBTQ Cultural District
Castro Merchants
Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association
Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association
Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
FHMP is comprised of a Board of Directors supported by an Advisory Committee of experts and an Honorary Committee of community leaders and supporters.
The Board of Directors is an all-volunteer working board that guides the organization by setting the goals and providing overall direction for the organization. In 2020, the Board of Directors created an executive director position to spearhead efforts to achieve organizational objectives.
The Advisory Committee is a group of subject-matter experts who stepped in with necessary guidance and advice as needed. The members of our Honorary Committee are committed to our mission and function as advocates for the organization and its projects. The Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza organization is also supported by a network of community friends and partners.
All along, this has been a grassroots effort focused on a single intersection in San Francisco, but aware of Harvey’s impact on people all over the world. The Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza always welcomes messages, thoughts, ideas, or greetings from individuals and organizations who are moved by the Project and wish to communicate.
The Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza is fiscally sponsored by the San Francisco Parks Alliance, a 501(c)3 organization that creates and activates parks and public spaces across our city.
If you like, you may reach us by sending us an email. Or stay connected by signing up to receive occasional newsletters with updates on the Project.
Board of Directors
2020 – Present
Andrea Aiello, Castro/Upper Market CBD, FHMP Co-chair
Taylor Jordan, Public Affairs, Land Use Advisor, Musician, FHMP Co-chair
Alan Billingsley, Real Estate, Urban Economist, FHMP Treasurer
Rob Evans, Educator, FHMP Board Member
Sister Tilda NexTime, Mistress of Propaganda (and Former Abbess) of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, FHMP Board Member
Amber Shipley, Community Engagement, Communications, FHMP Board Member
Christopher Vasquez, Non-profit Communications, FHMP Board Member
Brian Springfield, Executive Director
Honorary Committee
Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award Winning Screenwriter
Carmen Chu, City Administrator, City and County of San Francisco
Bevan Dufty, Board of Directors, BART
Rob Epstein, Academy Award Winning Director, Writer & Producer
Elaine Forbes, Executive Director, Port of San Francisco
Joshua Grannell aka “Peaches Christ”, Entertainer, Filmmaker, Event Producer
Cleve Jones, Activist & Community Leader
Anne Kronenberg, Activist
Honey Mahogany, Activist, Politician, Entertainer
Juanita MORE!, Activist, Entertainer, and Community Organizer
Danny Nicoletta, Photographer & Artist
Sister Roma, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Donna Sachet, LGBT Activist and Entertainer
Jeff Sheehy, Former SF Supervisor - District 8
Tom Temprano, Policy Director, Equality California
Gary Virginia, Past President, SF Pride
Scott Wiener, CA State Senator
Advisory Committee
Jim Chappell, Urban Planning, former Executive Director at SPUR
Dan Frattin, Land Use Law
Serge Gay Jr., Artist/Activist, former FHMP Board Member
Ashley Langworthy, Public Space/Placemaking
Terry Micheau, Construction Project Management
Our Founding Friends
This group of individuals stepped up with generous support during a critical early phase for the Project, and thus ensured that the movement to honor Harvey Milk and celebrate the movement could move forward. With deep gratitude, the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza share their names here.
Platinum Lead Supporting Friends
Annette Tracy & Anne Dorman
Ignatius Bau & John Bare and Friends of Silver and Blue
Gold Supporting Friends
Alan Billingsley & John Podolsky
A. Sparks & Sierra Loya
Claudine Cheng
Dustin Lance Black
Jeff Tumlin
Kathleen Hurley, Anne Lowry, & Lois Leynse
Marsha Gale & Liz Hoadley
Rob Evans & Terry Micheau
Teddy Fang & Tony Thompson
Silver Supporting Friends
AJ Shepard & Anthony Chiu, MD
Adam D. Blum & Gary M. Lang
Annette Billingsley & Terry Bergmann
Alex Lemberg & Kevin Cureton
Andrea Aiello & Chris Coppola
Bonnie McGregor
David Black
David Hale
Geoffrey Kulik & Galen Workman
Herbert Jeong & Pierre Smit
Jake Zalewski & Brandon Miller
James Shay & Steven Correll
Jim Chappell
Joseph Grubb, in memory of Peter Lake Bellinger
Lighthouse Public Affairs
Mark Tao
Martha Ehrenfeld & Carla McKay
Mike Foley
Ned Moran & Kevin Rillera
Robert H. Beadle
Romwald T. Connolly & Desmond Morgan
Ron Wong & Michael Tekulsky
Serge Gay Jr. & Michael Piscitelli
Stephen Engblom & Lance Relicke
William Neil Baird, in memory of John Francis Kennedy
Founding Steering Committee
2016-2019
Andrea Aiello, Castro/Upper Market CBD, FHMP President
Brian Springfield, Castro Merchants, FHMP Vice President
Robin Abad, SF Planning Department, FHMP Secretary
Daniel Bergerac, President - Castro Merchants, FHMP Steering Committee
John Dennis, Landscape Architect ASLA, LEED, FHMP Steering Committee
Gregg Cassin, Activist & Visionary, FHMP Steering Committee
Brian Gougherty, Castro/Upper Market CBD, FHMP Steering Committee
Marvin Miller, Oakland LGBTQ+ Community Center, FHMP Steering Committee
Reinhardt Muir, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, FHMP Steering Committee
Dawn Shalhoup, Entrepreneur & PR Executive, FHMP Steering Committee
Mark Briggs, Graphic Designer, FHMP Steering Committee
Author and activist Cleve Jones, who stood with Milk at rallies in the same location over 40 years ago, expressed his enthusiasm, stating “Harvey understood that the LGBT community was part of something larger, and creating something special here will inspire others to carry on the global movement for peace and social justice. I commend Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza for their transparency; I encourage everyone to participate in these community meetings and help create a plaza that inspires generations to come!"
“Community engagement is what helped get Harvey elected to office, and it’s fitting for the community be so engaged in this tribute to his legacy. I want to thank the Friends of the Harvey Milk Plaza and the Castro CBD for their continued efforts to create a plaza that works with our public transit systems, serves as a community gathering space, and celebrates the legacy of Harvey’s work,” said California State Senator, Scott Wiener.
“Thank you to those engaged in this thoughtful community process, facilitated by the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza and Castro CBD. Now is the time to honor Harvey’s legacy, while those who knew and loved him are still with us to help ensure a fitting memorial,” said Rafael Mandelman, SF Supervisor - District 8.
Dr. Tim Seelig, Artistic Director, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, “The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus' first performance was at the candlelight vigil for Harvey Milk. In many ways we feel he passed the baton on to many of us, including the chorus. Since that time, almost 40 years ago, we have been inspired almost daily by the man who was Harvey. We have gathered all over town to celebrate his life. But there is no location befitting his world-wide legacy. We need a place where people from all over the globe can visit as they continue to gain inspiration from his life and, most of all, his message.”
Carmen Chu, City Administrator, City and County of San Francisco, “This project is about honoring our City’s rich history through investments in our public spaces – it celebrates champions like Harvey Milk who fought for inclusion and justice, values that make San Francisco a beacon for the world.”
Partners
The Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza are working to appropriately celebrate Harvey Milk's legacy and his contribution to the LGBT civil rights movement in the plaza that bears his name in San Francisco. Partners are those who share our desire to see Harvey Milk honored at this location.
