San Diego’s Mayor, Jerry Sanders and his daughter Lisa will be among four San Diegans who will be honored on Thursday, July 15 by the International Harvey B. Milk Foundation in a 2010 Pride kickoff event. State Senator Christine Kehoe, the first openly gay candidate to be elected in San Diego, along with the Chairman of the San Diego Port Authority and co-Chair of the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast of San Diego County and City Commissioner Robert Gleason will also be honored with the prestigious “Milk Honors” to be presented by Harvey Milk’s openly gay nephew, turned, global activist, Stuart Milk. Milk will also be in San Diego on July 17th as the Grand Marshal of the 2010 San Diego Pride Parade. Mayor Sanders, whom is Republican, made national headlines when he not only came out and revealed his support of Marriage Equality, but spoke at rallies and testified along with his daughter Lisa in federal court. Since then, Lisa Sanders has become a recognized state-wide advocate for GLBT equality, working with her father to further push for equality, especially in light of the push to overturn the Prop 8 decision, as well as the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy which prevent GLBT troops from serving openly. Senator Kehoe, while serving in the State Assembly, also was elected Speaker Pro Temp of the Assembly, becoming the first woman and San Diegan to hold this position in over 100 years. Senator Kehoe was also the first elected chair of the LGBT Legislative Caucus in Sacramento. Commissioner Gleason, whom is married and has two children, is Chair of the Center’s LGBT Leadership Council. The July 15th event is a fundraiser for the Harvey B. Milk Foundation with the event being held at 1041 Cypress Ave. between 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Only two other Californians have been recipients of the prestigious “Milk Honors,” Senator Mark Leno whom authored the Harvey Milk Day bill and the Speaker of the State Assembly, John Perez. 7th grader Natalie Jones of San Diego was also honored in San Francisco in this year’s first Milk Day with a “Milk Youth Award.” She made headlines of her own last year when she was told she could not share her PowerPoint presentation on the life of Harvey Milk with her sixth grade class in fulfillment of a class project.

“Mayor Sanders, Lisa Sanders, Senator Kehoe and Commissioner Gleason, with their activism for social change and full equality for all Americans are continuing the legacy of Harvey Milk,” stated Stuart Milk, founder of the Milk Foundation. The community, as well as friends are invited to attend this event with a minimum donation of $75 being asked. For further information, call 619-692-1967 or 619-300-1232.