The White House has released a list of 10 openly LGBT public officials it will honor Wednesday as “Harvey Milk Champions of Change.” The event falls on Harvey Milk Day, which commemorates the civil rights leader’s birthday. (Watch LIVE here at 3:00 pm EDT.)
“These are LGBT leaders who have demonstrated a strong commitment to both equality and public service,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund and Institute. “They are citizen legislators, executives and appointees who serve honestly, openly and proudly. We congratulate and salute each of them for this high honor.”
The 2013 Harvey Milk Champions of Change are:
- Simone Bell – Georgia State Representative, Atlanta, GA
- Angie Buhl O’Donnell – South Dakota State Senator, Sioux Falls, SD
- Karen Clark – Minnesota State Representative, South Minneapolis, MN
- Michael A. Gin – Mayor of Redondo Beach, Redondo Beach, CA
- Kim Coco Iwamoto – Hawaii State Civil Rights Commissioner, Honolulu, HI
- John Laird – California Secretary of Natural Resources, Santa Cruz, CA
- Ricardo Lara – California State Senator, Long Beach, CA
- Kim Painter – Johnson Country Recorder, Iowa City, IA
- Chris Seelbach – Cincinnati City Council Member, Cincinnati, OH
- Pat Steadman – Colorado State Senator, Denver, CO
