"When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life, it gave me the hope to one day live my life openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married." -- Dustin Lance Black, accepting an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, February 22

One speech can change the lives of millions.

For Dustin Lance Black and millions of gays and lesbians, it was Harvey Milk's "Hope" speech and the life of the man who gave it.

And, for millions of people watching the Academy Awards last night, it was Dustin Lance Black's Oscar acceptance speech, channeling the spirit of Milk with a universal message of hope and determination in the aftermath of the passage of Prop 8.

Last night, Black and Sean Penn won Academy Awards for their wonderful work in the creation of "Milk" -- the film chronicling the life and times of Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in American history. Cleve Jones, who worked with Milk in the 1970's and pushed for many years to get this beautiful film made, smiled proudly from the audience.

If you have not seen Dustin Lance Black's short, but moving acceptance speech -- broadcast to over 30 million Americans Sunday night -- please take a moment to watch it now. Then sign our note of congratulations to Dustin, Sean, and Cleve and thank them for their life-changing film. If you feel so inspired, please write a short note letting them know how "Milk" has touched your life:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ThankYouForMilk

As Dustin put it backstage in an interview after his acceptance speech, he felt that this appearance on the Oscar stage was an opportunity to "pay it forward" to millions of people -- especially teenagers living in fear of what might happen if they come out:

"For me, the whole thing was always to... pay it forward. You know, Harvey gave me his story... Oh, I'm going to cry [pauses to compose himself]... Harvey gave me his story and it saved my life. And I just thought it's time to pass it on... The only thing I really knew I wanted to say was to tell those kids out there that they're going to be alright."

They are going to be OK, but only if we all follow in the footsteps of Harvey Milk and continue fighting for equality for all Americans.
 

You can help Dustin Lance Black pay it forward now by sending this email to your friends and family -- especially the people who most need to watch his inspiring acceptance speech. Then sign our congratulatory note to Dustin, Sean Penn, and Cleve Jones and consider adding a few words of your own about what "Milk" means to you:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ThankYouForMilk

Thank you for sharing this momentous speech with the people you care about the most and giving them the opportunity to share it with their loved ones as well.

Rick Jacobs
Chair

P.S. In addition to being the driving forces behind making "Milk" a reality, Dustin Lance Black and Cleve Jones were both active in working to defeat Prop 8 before the election. And they were both in the streets in the aftermath of Prop 8's passage, protesting the enshrinement of discrimination into California's state constitution. Cleve also gave the keynote speech at the first Camp Courage in Los Angeles and plans to attend the Fresno training on March 7-8.

Please thank Dustin and Cleve now for bringing Harvey Milk's life to millions of people and for their ongoing activism in the movement to restore marriage equality to California:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ThankYouForMilk

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