My Proudest Moment as an LGBTQ Postal Employee
Proudest Moment
Being a part of the team that organized the Harvey Milk stamp unveiling during LGBTQ Pride Month in June 2014 for the Newark, NJ Main Post Office was one of the proudest moments of my postal career as an LGBTQ employee. It originally began as an idea I had to display the rainbow flag in the lobby in June 2013 to recognize LGBTQ Pride Month. I asked the Postmaster about it and he said that due to postal regulations we were not allowed to display the pride flag, but instead suggested having an event to honor pride month. So the Postmaster and I formed a committee to plan for an event. After some research, I discovered that a stamp honoring gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk was scheduled for release in 2014, so at my suggestion we began to organize our event as an unveiling of the Harvey Milk stamp at our facility.
Harvey Milk was an early pioneer, champion and advocate for gay rights. Milk’s achievements as an openly gay man and member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors gave hope and confidence to the LGBTQ community, and his story continues to inspire today. He was a visionary who believed that government should not only represent all citizens, but also provide needed community services and ensure equality for all. That’s why, when the Postal Service honored Harvey Milk with a forever stamp, I knew I had to be a part of making sure it was recognized and celebrated for the important historic moment that it was.
Part of our preparation included making sure that service talks were distributed district-wide via e-mail to recognize LGBTQ month and encourage management to give service talks regarding zero tolerance, bullying, and harassment. We also prepared a special cancellation for stamps purchased at our event. The ornate lobby of the Main Post Office in Newark, NJ provided an excellent setting for our celebration, and included three speakers from the Northern NJ District. Other guests from local LGBTQ organizations were also involved. The Harvey Milk stamp was unveiled with applause, cheers, and many people capturing the moment on their cameras. Overall the event was a success, and it made me feel so proud that the Postmaster supported my idea and recognized LGBTQ Pride Month.
After the Harvey Milk stamp was issued, I continued to promote the stamp to family, friends, and local and national LGBTQ organizations. As a result of my direct influence, over 1000 Harvey Milk stamps were purchased, generating over $490.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, the issuance of this stamp reaffirmed to me the Postal Service’s commitment to the core values of diversity, equality and inclusion. I am so glad that the Postal Service decided to honor him (and many other LGBTQ people) on a U.S. postage stamp, and being a part of the stamp unveiling ceremony made me proud to be an employee of such a great organization.
AUTHOR NAME: Gregory Huff
AUTHOR CITY, STATE: Newark, NJ
