SAN DIEGO — American civil rights and labor activist Dolores Huerta received a lifetime achievement honor at the 16th annual San Diego Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast on Friday.
The 94-year-old activism icon received the Lifetime Achievement award during the annual breakfast in Mission Valley along with other award winners including LGBT activist and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Dustin Lance Black.
Huerta’s legacy of activism began in the 1950s and is recognized as one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century.
She co-founded the United Farm Workers Association and founded the National Farm Workers Association with César Chávez.
In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Huerta the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Black, a screenwriter and director, will receive the Legacy Award at Friday’s breakfast. In 2009, Black won an Academy Award for his film Milk, which took home the award for Best Screenplay.
The annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast recognizes leaders and trailblazers on the local and national levels in the LGBT community.
Harvey Milk’s legacy in San Diego years started before the politician and veteran moved to San Francisco.
Milk lived in San Diego before moving to San Francisco and has credited San Diego for sparking his love for California. After leaving San Diego, Milk moved to San Francisco and became a groundbreaking activist, politician and the first openly gay elected official in United States history.
Each year San Diego honors his legacy with Harvey Milk Day on May 22.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Harvey Milk Foundation, San Diego AIDS Memorial, Historic Hillcrest Banners and GLBTQ Historic Task Force
Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast
- Friday, May 24
- 7:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.
- Marriott Mission Valley
- 8757 Rio San Diego Drive
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