As a way to say happy birthday to Harvey Milk, and raise awareness of the important contributions of the LGBTQ+ community, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education plans to raise the Progress Pride flag through the months of May and June and encourages schools across the state to do the same.  

On May 2nd, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education held its 2nd annual flag-raising event.

Faris Sabbah, Superintendent of the Santa Cruz County educational office, said that the purpose of this event was “in hopes that schools and classrooms across the county of Santa Cruz and the state can listen in and then use the recording as an opportunity to talk about the important contributions of the LGBTQ history and in particular Harvey Milk.” 

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to hold public office in California when he was elected in 1977. He sat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors where he helped advocate for the rights of those in the LGBTQ+ community and was influential in getting the country’s first gay rights ordinance.

Milk would later be assassinated in 1978 at San Francisco’s city hall by Dan White, a former Board of Supervisors member, who was upset about not being reappointed to the city board.

 Sabbah praised Milk for his activism and listed off more elected officials that are a part of the LBGTQ+ community, like Senator John Laird, who was one of the first openly gay mayors when he was elected in Santa Cruz in 1983, and city council member Adam Spickler, who became the first openly trans man to be elected as a member of the Cabrillo College Board. 

Sabbah then introduced various speakers, one being Tashi Lienan, a junior at Santa Cruz High School, who talked about what raising the pride flag meant to them and their peers. 

“The rainbow flag is a remarkable symbol,” said Lienan, “seeing rainbows flying anywhere, the houses in our neighborhoods, in schools, and here at our county office, it’s the sign of safety.” 

In an interview with Celeste Gutierrez, student leadership and engagement coordinator, she stressed the importance of using a person’s correct pronouns and spoke on the struggles the LGBTQ+ youth go through and how someone can be a supportive ally. 

“LGBTQ+ youth have some of the highest rates of depression among teens. To be a supportive ally, people need to be non-judgemental, because a lot of these students are scared of being judged and shamed.”

She also explained how purposely misgendering a person makes students feel unheard, and she said that she hopes to start getting all educators to get on board with calling the students their preferred pronouns. 

On June 5th, the educational office plans on having a section at the downtown Santa Cruz pride event. Gutierrez said that she and Sabbah hope to work with the queer and trans youth counsel and will focus on planning activities at their booth targeting pre-teens and young adults.