When was the first time you saw the giant rainbow flag towering over Market and Castro Streets? For me, I remember it vividly. I was 17 years old, recently out, and exploring San Francisco and the Castro on my own for the very first time. This LGBTQ+ pride flag is a symbol of the queer liberation movement and anchors the Castro District, welcoming residents and visitors alike to Harvey Milk Plaza, the busy transit hub in the middle of this iconic neighborhood.
Harvey Milk understood that what happens in the Castro gives hope to people all over the world. He understood the importance of symbolism and visibility. And yet, although the plaza has been at the heart of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community for decades, the space named for Harvey is completely underwhelming and nearly devoid of anything that reminds you of his legacy. It functions as a transit station and impromptu gathering spot, but the current plaza is not yet a fitting memorial to Harvey, nor to his message of hope and inclusivity – a message that remains as timely today as it was then. The patchwork attempts to honor Harvey haven’t captured the public’s imagination for how he and his message should be represented in the Castro.
Led by a small but dedicated group of volunteers, the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza was created in 2016 to realize the potential of this space: a memorial to Harvey Milk with an updated design that honors his life and legacy, celebrates his enduring importance to the LGBTQ+ community, and inspires all by acting as a beacon of hope for marginalized communities everywhere.
Intersectionality matters – we share heartbreak at upticks in antitransgender violence and disproportionate numbers of homeless LGBTQ+ youth. We are aiming to memorialize our past and represent our community’s continuing values. To combat the glaring inequities, we aim to carry principles of inclusivity, visibility, and representation as a framework for design.
To help bring the vision to reality, Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza is back in action, guided by that spirit of hope that Harvey sparked in each of us. We are working with local design firm SWA to create designs informed by past and present community feedback. We are excited to present draft designs to the public for review during Pride Month later in June.
Those who have been following the FHMP-led project since 2016 know that we did not arrive at an approved design during our 2017 design competition. While we learned a lot about community hopes and priorities, and even more about ensuring a public process of transparency, the previous designs did not meet the public’s desire to adequately honor Harvey and celebrate his message of hope and inclusivity.
We are realistic about the challenges of this renewed design process and are committed to:
Focus on Honoring Harvey Milk’s Legacy. The Memorial will carry Harvey’s message of hope, inclusivity, activism and greater social justice.
Uplift public safety. Harvey fought hard to support strong and safe neighborhoods. From daily users to international tourists, everyone who is in the space should feel welcome and safe, whatever the final design may be.
All means all. Homelessness is a LGBTQ+ issue. As the FHMP team addresses community concerns around unhoused people at Harvey Milk Plaza, we will fulfill Harvey’s call to embrace inclusivity: the space should feel safe to the public and inviting for all who use it. We look forward to working closely with the Mayor’s Office on Homelessness and other advocates to balance needs for the space in a radically compassionate way.
Honor voices from neighbors. We’re striving for a collaborative design process that listens to the people who will be most impacted on a daily basis.
Maintain station usability while upgrades are happening. We want people to get where they need to go throughout the process and beyond without being unduly hindered.
We hope you will join us to create something new and more enduring – something unconventional, thought-provoking, and dynamic. Visit harveymilkplaza.org/hopeandaction to learn more and get involved.
Next time you notice the giant rainbow flag at Harvey Milk Plaza, I hope you join me in feeling admiration for the legacy of our LGBTQ+ predecessors, pride in all that our community has accomplished, and hope for a next generation that is more welcoming and inclusive of others. But, as is sometimes the case, hope is not enough – now, it’s time for action!