Rebecca Prozan is in the running for Harvey Milk's old city supervisor seat Photo: Natasha Khoruzhenko

by Kelvin Lynch, Examiner.com
Published: September 12, 2010

There is a scene in the Oscar-winning movie Milk in which Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) brings a lesbian named Anne Kronenberg onto his campaign team after several failed races to get things organized and take things to the next level.  The result was his first win and the groundbreaking achievement of becoming the first openly gay man in American history to hold public office.  Like Harvey himself, Kronenberg had an uncanny knack for getting things done, and for easing some of the social and political barriers between gay men and lesbians.

Enter Rebecca Prozan, a candidate who is running for Milk’s old City Supervisor seat in San Francisco’s upcoming election in November.  Prozan is like Anne Kronenberg in many ways – she even worked with Kronenberg to plan the 20th anniversary of Milk’s assassination at the hands of fellow City Supervisor Dan White.

Prozan is incredibly passionate about what she does.  She’s been active in grassroots politics for most of her life, a quality she credits to her parents.  Anyone who has ever worked with Prozan, heard her speak, or simply met her briefly in person will tell you she’s a master of organization and motivating others to act.  She is no stranger to hard work, and, like Kronenberg, she also wants to break down the social barriers that still exist between gay men and women in the Castro district, or Disctrict 8 as it is known locally. If she wins, she will be the first female in history, gay or straight, to hold that storied office.

Prozan, a veteran attorney, has received endorsements from Bevan Dufty, the man who has held the seat for the past eight years, city District Attorney Kamala Harris, former Harvey Milk Club presidents Jeff Sheehy and Bob Dockendorff, LGBT rights trailblazer Phyllis Lyon, State Senator Leland Yee, and State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, among others, and has a virtual army of supporters, including the renowned Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club.  Prozan has been active in national politics as well, as a member of the Democratic National Committee’s Change Commission, on whose behalf she was quoted in Newsweek.  For a complete list of Prozan’s accomplishments, endorsements and supporters (too numerous to republish here), please visit her campaign website.

But is Prozan qualified to fill Harvey Milk’s shoes?  When asked if she knew who Milk was as a child growing up in the Bay Area, Prozan replied, “Believe it or not, I did not learn about Harvey until high school.  However, his legacy paved the way for the election of openly gay officials like former San Mateo Supervisor Tom Nolan, whose career I watched with great interest in the 1980′s.  Tom served as a significant role model for me on how to live truthfully and how to serve people.”  She continues, “While I was a student at U.C. Santa Cruz, I was fortunate enough to meet John Laird, one of the state’s first openly gay mayors, and we formed a lifelong friendship.  Like Tom, John also taught me what it’s like to hold public office and have the public’s trust.”

Prozan adds, “I have been lucky enough to work on campaigns with people who advised and served Harvey Milk, including Jim Rivaldo, Dick Pabich, Dan Nicoletta, and, of course, Kronenberg.  “I realize Harvey’s seat carries tremendous meaning, and I am ready to take on that role.  What would I say to Harvey Milk if he were alive today?  Thank you.  Because without you, we wouldn’t be here.”

“As former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown’s special liaison to the LGBT community, and as a former legislative aide to Bevan Dufty,” says Prozan, “I am intimately familiar with the neighborhoods and needs of the city. The proof is in the pudding -  Prozan earned a reputation in District 8 for being responsive and effective.  When MUNI (the city’s major public transportation system) was late, or a major development affected a particular block, a recreation center didn’t open on time, or garbage was dumped on the street, Prozan worked to ensure things were handled professionally, appropriately, and in a timely manner.  No problem was too big or too small.

What does she make of national politics during a time in which President Obama’s poll numbers are at an all-time low, and fringe groups like the Tea Party are receiving substantial media attention?  Prozan says, “If given the opportunity, I would tell President Obama to immediately get rid of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT), the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and fight to pass an all-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).”  However, she acknowledges that “right now, the number one issue is the economy.  No matter what part of the country you are in, including San Francisco, people and families are having to do more with less.  I would change the country by rescinding tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and find ways to support working families on a fixed income.  I would make child care more affordable so that parents don’t have to choose between working and raising a family.”

And what of the Tea Party movement?  “Whenever there is a change in power,” she says, “there will always be a group of people who will do anything to hold onto whatever power they have.  The Tea Party is a good example of that.  These are extremists who are not willing to accept a changing country and a changing society. I do think the Tea Party is a threat to gay rights. I do, however, have faith that a majority of American people see through the Tea Party’s extremist views. Democrats cannot take the midterm elections for granted. We cannot afford to lose seats and we need to prove that we can organize our voter base in between presidential elections.”

The fight for marriage equality has affected Prozan and her partner of several years in a very personal way.  “I’ve been a part of three commitment ceremonies, all to the same woman,” she says.  “The first was then-Mayor Brown’s domestic partner events, which I helped to create, then our first legal marriage in 2004, which was annulled by the California Supreme Court, then our final, bona fide legal marriage in 2008 during the small legal window created by the California Supreme Court before the passage of Prop 8.  My heart goes out to those unable to experience this fundamental right, and I look forward to the day where the right to marry is extended to all.”

And speaking of DADT, how does Prozan view the surveys currently being sent to military personnel and their families?  “It feels like a horrible trap to me,” she says.  “How can the Defense Department ‘survey’ military families on how to improve services when they do not permit a segment of those families from participating?  On one hand, persons are not supposed to ‘tell’ their orientation when asked, and then a survey is supposed to ‘ask’ their thoughts on how the military affects families. It’s outrageous. I’m not sure if DADT will be repealed this year, but hope it will. What I’d say to the soldiers is: hang tight, it’s going to end soon. We’re with you every step of the way.”

As for the Perry v. Schwarzenegger  Prop 8 case making its way through the federal courts, Prozan says, “The ruling has significant meaning for me and for every person who has tried to live their lives as equals. I have concerns about allowing couples to get married now because I’m concerned about the legal and tax consequences. I don’t want people to have a false sense of security. As someone whose marriage has been annulled by the court system, I would prefer finality before allowing people to get married again. It seems to me that the standing issue is the strongest legal issue [on appeal]. If the letter of the law is followed, the standing issue will prevail and gay marriage will be legal again in California.”

Prozan faces some stiff competition in what is regarded as the toughest Supervisor race in San Francisco.  The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (SFDCCC) recently endorsed Rafael Mandelman (Prozan was their second choice).  Mandelman, interestingly enough, is the current Vice-Chair of the SFDCCC.  Prozan’s other competition comes from fellow attorney Scott Wiener.  Wiener is former Chairman of the SFDCCC, and still holds a seat on the commission, although the group does not endorse him for District 8 Supervisor.

When asked what she would do when she wins this race, Prozan replied in characteristic form, “Breathe, take a nap, spend some time with my wife, and start getting things done!”

To learn more:

• Visit the Rebecca Prozan official campaign website
• Connect with Rebecca on her official Facebook page and Twitter
• Visit the fun Gay Men for Rebecca Prozan page on Facebook
• Buy some awesome Team Prozan Gear to show your support, and wear it to the Folsom and Castro Street Fairs
• Watch videos of Rebecca’s campaign events on YouTube, and feel free to add your own testimonial!

District 8 candidate Rebecca Prozan, center, organized a Carrotmob at Bernie's coffee shop to help the business become more energy efficient.

Candidates for public office are increasingly using a new tactic to reach voters: charitable fundraising events. The strategy not only engages potential supporters who otherwise are turned off by politics, but it can also help a candidate demonstrate what they plan to do if elected.

Perhaps President Barack Obama kick-started this growing political phenomenon with his call for a day of service prior to his inauguration where he asked supporters to volunteer in their communities. During the recent confab in San Francisco for LGBT elected and appointed officials, pitching in at a local soup kitchen was built into the official program for the first time.

Charitable giving seems to be in the zeitgeist these days as the recession has led to increased demand for assistance and those out of work are volunteering as they hunt for new jobs. The advent of Facebook has made it easy to organize people around doing good work in one’s own community, from feeding the homeless to helping clean up parkland.

Of course the LGBT community has a long history of doing charitable work for gay and AIDS-related nonprofits, largely out of the necessity to account for the lack of government funding and societal support. What is new is LGBT candidates so closely associating their campaigns with public causes.

Two days prior to officially entering the District 8 supervisor race, Rebecca Prozan organized a Carrotmob event at Noe Valley coffee shop Bernie’s. Essentially a one-day buycott blitz, Prozan asked supporters to purchase a drink at the locally owned business during a specified time. The business owner, in turn, agreed to spend 40 percent of the profits on making the store energy efficient.

In three short hours, we increased the number of sales seven times and more than quadrupled profits. In fact, Bernie made more in those three hours than she usually does in an entire Sunday,” Prozan wrote to her campaign backers in an e-mail following the event. “Essentially, the Bernie’s Carrotmob event was a small exercise in what we can achieve when we work together.”

Asked recently why she connected the event to the official start of her supervisor campaign, Prozan said it offered her a way to demonstrate why she is running for public office.

“Because this campaign is bigger than just me. It is more about what we can do together as a community when we unite behind something positive,” she said. “The fact we can make people know they are buying their latte for a reason, well, translate that to what we can do with our public parks, our public schools, and all the other issues that plague our city.”

Prozan, who was a major local backer of Obama’s campaign, said she learned from the president that past tactics for reaching voters are now outdated.

“One thing the president taught us is the old ways of communicating are not necessarily working,” she said. “We have to find new ways to communicate with people and connect with people. This was our way of trying to do that.”

Other candidates have also gotten the message. At his campaign holiday party earlier this month, District 8 supervisor candidate Scott Wiener raised $300 toward building a new children’s play area in Duboce Park for middle school aged children.

“One of the issues important to me as part of this campaign and as a candidate for supervisor is to ensure safe recreational opportunities for people of all ages, including children. This is a good example of that,” said Wiener. “Any political campaign should not only work to elect a candidate but should also work to engage people in their communities. This, for example, was a good opportunity for people who support me to also learn about a great project in the community and to support that project financially.”

Debra Walker, an out lesbian running for supervisor in District 6, has taken the more traditional approach candidates use for charitable giving by buying tables at fundraising dinners for various nonprofits and political clubs.

“All of us are doing that kind of thing,” she said. “It is nice because it doesn’t just take on a political tone. It sort of spreads it out to different communities.”

Groups hosting fundraisers are also taking advantage of next year’s political battles to draw attention to their causes. The PTA at Alvarado Elementary School in Noe Valley is reaching out to the candidates to help raise money to upgrade the computers students use.

All four of the major District 8 candidates – who are all openly gay or lesbian – have been invited to take part in what is being called the Tech Search Party by sponsoring a team of four at a cost of $50. So far Wiener, Prozan, and Rafael Mandelman have agreed to take part in the February 6 event. One candidate running for the District 10 seat, Steven Moss , has also signed up to participate.

“It is a fundraiser, we will take money from anybody,” joked parent Tim Smith, adding that anyone who wants to sign up can do so at http://www.techsearchparty.com. “It occurred to me this is an opportunity for the candidates. All of them preach about the importance of education so this gives them something to do about it and get to know the parents a little better.”

Mandelman has set a goal of raising $1,000. He said candidates should be expected to pitch in for worthy causes while on the campaign trail.

“I think it is the kind of thing if someone is setting himself or herself up for supervisor it is a reasonable expectation of the community that you will try to help with this sort of thing,” he said. “I would be surprised if candidates didn’t do this. We are supposed to be champions for local schools, small business, and nonprofits; that is part of what we are signing up for.”

New gay charitable group forms

Outside of the political realm, a new group has formed for LGBT people looking to volunteer for non-gay specific causes. The venture is called Gay for Good and the first outing of the new year is planned for Saturday, January 16, when the group will lend a hand at the San Francisco Zoo.

Luke Klipp, Michael Westrick, and Don Spradlin are organizing the group. It is modeled after a similar group in Los Angeles that was begun over a year ago and has upwards of 1,300 members.

The San Francisco chapter has nearly 200 members on its Facebook group. It held its first mobilization November 7 when it helped clean up Ocean Beach.

It is the social service version of the popular roving A-List parties, where gay men descend on a straight bar or lounge each Wednesday night throughout the city.

“This is a way of going out into the broader community and engaging people outside our typical circles, if you will, and making a difference in the broader community outside of the Castro,” said Klipp.

Projects are planned for the third Saturday of each month.

“It is good for LGBT people to be out there making a visible difference. We just don’t care about helping ourselves; we want to help other people as well,” said Klipp.

Source: The Bay Area Reporter