Stoli Launches Harvey Milk Limited Edition Bottle to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Harvey Milk

Stoli Vodka announced today the launch of the Stoli Harvey Milk Limited Edition bottle. Designed to celebrate the life and legacy of Harvey Milk, the Stoli Harvey Milk Limited Edition bottle continues Stoli’s long-time history supporting the LGBTQ community and commemorates the 40th anniversary of Milk taking office in 1978 as the first openly gay elected official in California. Each bottle is individually numbered and the bottle’s label was inspired by a mural by Paraguayan artist Oz Montania featuring the famed Milk quote, “Hope will never be silent.” The initiative will help raise funds for the Florida-based Harvey Milk Foundation.

Stoli is unveiling the limited-edition bottle today, May 22, also known as Harvey Milk Day, with a kick-off event at San Francisco’s The Café, where Montania will unveil a new Harvey Milk mural inspired by his original mural at an LGBT community center in Paraguay. The event will feature remarks by Global LGBTQ rights campaigner Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk's nephew and the co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, who will speak about the impact his uncle has had on equality and freedom across the globe.

The limited edition bottle is a part of Stoli’s “Raising the Bar” program, the brand platform dedicated to the LGBTQ equality movement. “Raising the Bar” celebrates individuals and organizations central to advancing diversity and originality within the LGBTQ community. This reinforces Stoli’s recently launched “Loud and Clear” global advertising campaign, created to encourage people to find what drives them and celebrate their bold and authentic selves.

The Harvey Milk Foundation inspires individuals, communities and organizations to carry on Harvey’s values in a timeless vision for a better, more inclusive world. Stoli has worked with the Harvey Milk Foundation for years and is donating to the nonprofit to support its award-winning work towards global equality and acceptance. Proudly produced and bottled at the historic Latvijas Balzams, the donations from the Stoli Vodka Harvey Milk Limited Edition Bottle will help support Harvey Milk Foundation’s LGBTQ programming in Eastern Europe and the Baltic nations.

“We are excited to take our partnership with Stoli to a higher level this year as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of my uncle's historic 11 months of public service,” said Stuart Milk, Global LGBT advocate and co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation. “The Stoli Harvey Milk Limited Edition Bottle recognizes our history and commemorates who helped lead us forward towards visibility, a visibility that will be enhanced by this wonderful tribute from a creative and passionate brand."

“Stoli has a long-time history of championing the LGBTQ community and giving back through a variety of philanthropic initiatives,” said Stoli LGBT National Brand Ambassador, Patrik Gallineaux. “We couldn’t be more excited to continue our partnership with the Harvey Milk Foundation and honor one of the most important activists in the community.”

To learn how you can join Stoli in supporting global equality and acceptance, please visit Milkfoundation.org and HeroesRaisingTheBar.com.

Harvey Milk Day 2010

Harvey Milk Day in California will be commemorated for the very first time this year. Introduced into legislation by State Senator Mark Leno, events in San Francisco abound.  Although details of the commemorative breakfast, Castro St.Festival, and evening event, all Saturday, May 22, are not yet complete, watch this space for information about a variety of ways to celebrate the life of this incredible LGBT pioneer, icon and martyr.

Harvey Milk Day is official

Harvey Milk Day will be observed on May 22 in California's public schools, after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill recognizing the late LGBT-rights pioneer.

Schwarzenegger also gave his stamp of approval to a measure to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the state and a bill to provide additional funding for LGBT-focused domestic-violence programs.

Harvey Milk's gay nephew calls for Harvey Milk Day

Stuart Milk (pictured), the out nephew of LGBT-rights pioneer Harvey Milk, in a guest blog post for The Bilerico Project calls on California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign into law a bill that would create a Harvey Milk Day in public schools.

Schwarzenegger, who vetoed a similar bill last year, is inducting Harvey Milk into the California Hall of Fame.

The latter, Stuart Milk writes, "is an important symbol that truly needs to be backed up by an annual day offering the opportunity for education and celebration of the diversity that makes California great."

Arnie wants to hear from you about Harvey Milk Day

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is apparently looking for input on the Harvey Milk Day bill.

Give a call to 916-445-2841 to voice your support or hit him up on Twitter at twitter.com/Schwarzenegger.

Thanks to Good Vibrations for the information and link.

Reconsidering Harvey Milk Day?

Out California state Sen. Mark Leno is among lawmakers and advocates citing the awarding of a Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Harvey Milk as reason for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to reconsider his decision opposing a day honoring the LGBT-rights pioneer in public schools. Schwarzenegger, saying that Milk should be recognized only in his native San Francisco, last year vetoed a measure that would have designated May 22 as Harvey Milk Day.

Happy Harvey Milk Day!

A bill that would establish Harvey Milk Day passed the California Senate today, with one Republican switching his vote to "yes" after voting "no" last year. Sen. Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria said he changed his mind when he realized that the bill allows individual schools to decide how to present information about Milk's career to students.

You can learn more about Harvey Milk by watching the excellent documentary 'The Times of Harvey Millk' for free at Hulu.