Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black on Wednesday
endorsed Christine Quinn's campaign for mayor of New York City in a
new video.
In the nearly 2-minute video, Black, who won an Oscar for writing
the screenplay to Milk, the 2008 film starring Sean Penn as
slain gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, says Quinn, who
is openly gay, is an inspiration to all groups who have faced
discrimination.
“New York City for so long has been a destination for young
people who were not accepted in their hometowns,” Black said.
“Those are gay and lesbian people, but a lot of kids who come from
places who don't accept people of diversity or people who are a bit
different. And they come to New York and Christine Quinn has said
she's going to dedicate herself to making sure no young person has to
spend the night on the street. You've already survived life back
home. You've made the bold move to come to a city to try and live
your own life. And to do it your own way. And almost every New
Yorker knows what that means. And here is a woman who's going to be
mayor and saying we're going to make a home for you here. And we're
going to make sure you're safe and you're okay and we don't have
homeless youth on the streets of New York City.”
“Whenever you have someone from a people who have been
discriminated against and you watch them do the hard work and have
that steely resolve, that strength to rise to the top. And to prove
herself effective. I think that's inspiration to so many other
people. Not just people from the LGBT community, not just women, but
any group that has been discriminated against,” he added.
After leading Democratic mayoral primary polls for months, Quinn
came in third in a recent poll.
“You know, you don't end up the first openly gay and woman
speaker of the City Council 'cause you're the frontrunner,” she
told BuzzFeed.com.
“I got that position – won it – as the underdog. And I'm
going to fight over the next 10 days and get into the runoff because
New Yorkers deserve a fighter as mayor.”
(Related: George
Takei endorses Christine Quinn for NYC mayor in new video.)