For the first time ever, the city of Berkeley will have a float at the SF Pride Parade. One of the organizers is Berkeley Councilmember Kriss Worthington, our Person of the Week. He and our friends in Berkeley have been championing gay rights for ages. Berkeley, for example, was the first City Council in the United States to endorse marriage equality, celebrate National Coming Out Day, and provide LGBT training for all police.

Due to such efforts and his prominence as an effective progressive leader, Worthington has been called “the most dangerous man in Berkeley.” On the other hand, Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America Newspapers, said, “Kriss Worthington has been standing up for working people and social justice ever since I first met him in the 1970’s, when he was a volunteer for the United Farm Workers.”

Worthington spent the first 11 years of his life as a foster child, living in foster homes and later, spending time on the streets as a homeless youth. Those challenging years gave him both compassion and courage to help members of society who are less fortunate.

In addition to addressing LGBT issues, he has worked with social justice groups to gain governmental support for issues including peace, environment, labor, civil rights, education, consumer, disability, seniors, immigrants, students, tenants, women’s, healthcare, affordable housing, fair trade and many more. He helped to enact the following model ordinances: Zero Waste, Living Wage, Equal Benefits and Precautionary Principle.

We therefore hope that you will all be prepared to give an extra loud cheer to Worthington and the rest of his and his colleagues’ contingent at the Pride Parade this year. Welcome, Berkeley!!!