LBCC: LBCC Raises Pride Flag In Honor Of Harvey Milk Day

Press release from Long Beach City College:

May 20, 2021

During a ceremony today, May 20, Long Beach City College
celebrated Harvey Milk Day by raising the Pride flag for the
first time in College history. The Pride flags at the Pacific
Coast Campus and Liberal Arts Campus will remain until the end of
June, which is the month nationally recognized as Pride Month.

“To raise the Pride flag at LBCC is an opportunity for us to
highlight an extraordinary leader — Harvey Milk — and to bring to
light his story and his fight for equality,” said Long Beach
Community College District Board of Trustee President Uduak-Joe
Ntuk. “We want to make sure that we provide a safe space for all
of our students to feel welcome and succeed academically.”

Every year, California celebrates on May 22 in memory of Harvey
Milk, a prominent gay activist. He worked to end discrimination
against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community,
including his fight against the Briggs Initiative which banned
gays and lesbians from working in California schools. He was the
first openly gay man elected to public office in the country as a
member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in the late
1970s. Sadly, he had been serving as a Supervisor for only 11
months when he was assassinated.

“This flag is more than just a symbol,” said Long Beach Community
College District Interim Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Muñoz.
“It’s a visual sign to show that the LBCC community recognizes
and includes all of our LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. And
as an openly gay man, this is a day that I personally celebrate
as I would not be here working for an educational institution
without the work of Harvey Milk.”

LBCC continues to find ways to better serve LBCC’s LGBTQ+
students including:

Photo Captions:

Group photo (left to right): Long Beach Community College
District Board of Trustees Member Sunny Zia; LBCCD Board of
Trustees Vice President Herlinda Chico; LBCCD Interim
Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Muñoz; LBCC student Kirk
Wilson; and LBCCD Board of Trustees President Uduak-Joe Ntuk.

Vice President Chico (left) and President Ntuk (right) raise the
Pride flag at Long Beach City College’s Pacific Coast Campus.

This press release was produced by Long Beach City College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.