San Francisco officials consider naming piece of SFO after Harvey Milk

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Officials at city hall met today for a discussion about naming a piece of the San Francisco Airport in Harvey Milk's honor.

When the idea first came up, the idea was to name the entire airport after Milk.

Most travelers at SFO said they know of Harvey Milk, who galvanized the gay rights movement in the 1970's, and became the first openly gay man elected to public office.

RELATED: US Navy Secretary to name ship after Harvey Milk.

Travelers were on board with the idea of just naming a portion of the travel hub after the former San Francisco Supervisor. "I think it'd be fine to name a terminal. Probably not the airport," one traveler said.

Alex Walker says the movie inspired him to join the Harvey Milk Democratic Club. Now, the committee is trying to ensure milk's name has a lasting place. "Before the movie 'Milk' a few years ago, I think a lot of people had forgotten who Harvey was," Walker said.

Among those helping decide how Milk will be honored are members from the Chamber of Commerce, a former airport director, and even the voice of the San Francisco Giants. "This is my first entry into public service like this," Giants announcer Renel Brooks said.

The challenge for designers will be crafting a space that's open and inviting to the community, without also inviting the sorts of uses that neighbors would rather not see.

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