It has been 33 years since San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk was shot and killed in his office in San Francisco City Hall, along with then Mayor George Moscone. Harvey was elected in 1976, to represent the Castro District, and in 2 years he helped focus and change San Francisco and California politics. Most famously, in 1978 he fought against the Briggs Initiative. The Briggs Initiative would have made it mandatory to fire any gay teachers or any public officials who supported gay rights. The initiative went on to pick up opposition from then Governor Jerry Brown, President Jimmy Carter and future President, and former Governor, Ronald Reagan. The latter opposing the Briggs Initiative because it may infringe upon individual rights. In a year where gay rights in the US lost ground, the Briggs Initiative lost by more than a million votes in the state of California.

And what few remember is how much Harvey fought for the individual neighborhoods in San Francisco. He felt each neighborhood was its own community. And should offer the same services and opportunities. He fought against closing an elementary school, even though the majority of his district were gay men without any children. He helped pass an ordinance that required dog owners to pick up after their dogs. He was a small business owner who fought tooth and nail to help Mom and Pop's in San Francisco thrive. Pot holes filled, stop signs put up, cross walks re-painted. He encouraged other Supervisors to do the same.

But perhaps most famously, Harvey Milk was known for a single quote. "If a bullet should ever enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door." Unfortunately it was 5 bullets that were put into Harvey Milk, but those 5 bullets united a City and made it a tireless fighter for Civil Rights. A fight that continues to this day.

Still, I like to remember a different quote of Mr. Milk's. It was a speech he gave in 1978, when he was fighting the Briggs Initiative and debating John Briggs up and down the state of California. It was his "Hope" speech. It is a speech that can be adapted for every minority group. Everyone who has ever faced some measure of persecution, ridicule, abuse or bigotry.

Thank you, Mr. Milk.