K U R T B A R R I E website
K U R T B A R R I E
ABOUT
KURT BARRIE
BORN: April 1966
Residence: Palm Springs
CAREER Political Consulting & campaign management for over
20 years
Passion: ART/ POLITICS
Interests: Volunteer work, traveling, activism, art, cultural exploration,
Places Lived: San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, CA, Honolulu & Kaneohi HI, Chicago illinois, Houston Texas, Kingman Arizona
BACKGROUND
As a lifelong Democratic Party Activist, Kurt Barrie has dedicated his life to empowering others, his leadership has helped grow the Democratic Party,
inspire new activist, while organizing election strategies and winning
campaigns for Gay & Lesbian Candidates, as well as advancing the
representation of minorities in government.
In 1977 an openly gay candidate for Supervisor (Harvey Milk) in San Francisco made History when he was elected to the City and County Board. Harvey Milk was assasinated a year later along with SF Mayor George Moscone in the famously controversial "Twinkie Defensive" This event was a horrific reminder of the homophobic America in the late 70's and early 80.s that Barrie remembers. More importantly a past that created Barries future later on.
In 1989 Barrie was hired legislative aide by SF Supervisor Harry Britt. Britt was appointed by Mayor Dianne Feinstein (who is one of California's leading Senators now) to fullfill the remaining portion of Milks term after hisMurder in 1978
Harvey Milk's death was something that really shook Barrie to the core, "It made me open my eye's to the world, and gave me clarity in deciding what direction i would go in for the rest of my life" said Barrie in an interview with author Phyllis Burke, who published several top selling books including FAMILY VALUES, a book about two moms and the adoption of their son in a historical backdrop that chronicled the gay Rights movement of the 80's and 90's in the Bay Area. Barrie's activism made him a subject in the book that Burke felt part of the story. San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt hired Barrie to work in his office & this was something Kurt believed was a destiny. Barrie received a crash course in the legislative process, and quickly learned the power of the press. During the day he met with constituents, reviewed legislative ideas, responded to mail and attended committees, community groups, forums and events. But in his free time, usually late at night he read letters sent to Harvey Milk by constituents and voters, which were left behind after Milk's death.Barrie says he read thousands of letters supporting Milk and his historic election victory, and hate mail by those who didn't like a gay being elected. He read everyone of them knowing they would soon be shipped to the Historical society and Gay and Lesbian Preservation Efforts.
"Harvey Milks mission I understood , and this once in a lifetime opportunity for me came at a great cost, Milk's life. I made his mission mine, and it has been ever since" said Barrie in the Bay Area Reporter interview "the opportunity is one that changed my life dramatically in ways I could not explain, other than to say it was when my eyes opened for the first time and I understood what direction I was going in for the first time in my life"
Barrie has lobbied in Washington for Ryan White Care funds, worked with Celebrities like Cindy Crawford, Richard Gere, Margaret Cho, Grace Jones, & Elizebeth Taylor over the years on Gay Rights, AIDS FUNDING, Womens Rights & the environment. Barrie has organized Protests, Marches, and Actions with, Jessie Jackson, Rosa Parks, Deloris Huerta and other Civil Rights activist, but he also organized protest against the war in Kosovo,war in iraq and against President Bush. A member of ACT UP and Queer Nation Barrie helped organize against homophobia in Hollywood by shutting down production of the movie Basic Instinct starring Michael Douglas and Sharon stone. Barrie was instrumental in putting together a meeting with Paul Verhoven, and Esterhaus to talk about criticism of the homophobic plot with the writer and Producer. The writer decided he would make changes after this meeting touched him but the Producer refused to incorporate them. The Producer made 250 citizen arrests which detained activist including Barrie for several hours before charges were dropped. Days later the activists served the films Producer for illegally having innocenmt bystanders detained, which was during a protest block party the group held on the street the Movie was being filmed on the last night shutting it down again. The movie depicted a knife wielding lesbian killer starring Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas in a film following a long string of other movies coming out of Hollywood that portrayed negative anti-gay characters that help to perpetuate false stereotypes and encourage homophobic attitudes towards gays. Hundreds of protesters were organized each night to help shut down production of the film costing the Producer millions. Barrie and others secured a schedule of production of the film early on , and secured a copy of the script surprising representatives from Carolco, and the film. In an lengthy interview by Phyllis Burke of Michael Douglas the stress level was evident as the interview became argumentative when Burke cornered Douglas with a barrage of questions relating to the script, which was supposed to be under wraps and instead was now widely distributed. It was later revealed that the activist convinced the writer Joe Esterhaus to meet with them, then they met with Paul Verhoven who was producing the movie, they went back to Esterhaus who felt he was being thrown under the bus, publicly stated he would be willing to change the script but he also provided the activist with the entire script in his own protest against company reps.
Barrie went on to work for SF Mayor Frank M Jordan as a Special Assistant, and liaison to the Gay Community. The Mayor appointed Kurt to be his liaison to the Board of Supervisors, and later appointed him to be the Interim Homeless Coordinator for the City & County of SF. Barrie worked with Jordan to declare a State of Emergency for Needle Exchange, in a never before tried effort. Mayor Jordan was a former Police Chief for SF, who advocated for needle Exchange Programs regardless the Police Officers Association actively were opposed to the idea, Mayor Jordan became the Chair of the Conference of U.S. Mayors where he continued to advocate for Needle Exchange Programs, encouraging other mayor's to go back home and Declare a State of Emergency as SF did, to get around Federal laws and to save lives.
In addition Barrie worked on many historic campaigns over the years including the first Domestic Partners Initiatives ever passed by the voters (Yes on K 1989). He prevented the repeal of Domestic Partners the following year by the religious fanatic's who purposely waited until they could have the repeal letter K confusing voters since they voted Yes on K in 89 if they supported Domestic Partners, now a year later you had to vote No on K if you supported DP. Regardless of this confusing tactic Barrie was part of a coalition that made history again with the Historic Lavendar Sweep Election in 1990 that they not only won the fight to keep Domestic Partners, but they elected two openly gay women to the City Council, an openly gay man to School Board, and an openly Gay man to the College Board which was added to the Lesbian Superior Court Judge that was also added that year.
Barrie worked on other successful campaigns that included Carole Migden for SF Supervisor, Willie Brown for Mayor, Senate Campaigns of Barbara Boxer & Dianne Feinstien, Migden for Assembly, Senator Marks Campaign, AB101 Statewide Initiative, as well as Palm Springs Historic election of 3 openly gay candidates Ginny Foat, Steve Pougnet & Ron Oden to the Palm Springs City Council giving gay Democrats their first majority on the Board. Openly gay Candidate Ron Oden became the Cities first black Mayor, and first openly Gay Mayor in that 2003 election. Barrie was hired to take over the organization and strategy of the Palm Springs Save Our Mountains Campaign which again Barrie led to victory spending a fraction of what the opposition did, Barrie leveled the playing field with hundreds of volunteers, a constant barrage of media & news generating efforts and being vocally on the offense right up to the minute the polls closed.
Barrie's Campaign record of success is 100 percent. He has won every campaign he was hired to run or played a significant role in over the 20 years he has been creating strategies for candidates that had little or no representation before.
Barrie founded the Palm Springs Democratic Club, served as Vice President of the Harvey Milk Democratic Club and has been a Democratic Party Organizer, Activist and leader for over 20 years.
Barrie was elected to the Riverside County Central Committee for a two year term.
He has been actively involved in the Democratic Party structure, and served on the influential Deserts regional 80th Assembly Committee, Barrie was elected to represent support for Presidential Candidate Howard Dean at the National Democratic Convention winning one of two seats available
Barrie's activism has coined him the name " Chief antagonist" by a local paper after he organized large protests against visiting President George Bush here in the California Desert, Barrie "is an effective organizer & activist "said Assembly Consultant Jean Harris adding "he is the kind of activist you want on your team, because he doesn't lose"
Barrie worked with community leaders to force San Francisco to address Police Misconduct, eventually creating the Office of Citizen Complaints which now reviews cases of police wrongdoing, tracking problem Police and proposing policy and police process changes, and recommending punishment, firing, leave and other forms of consequences for rogue cops. The program has dramatically reduced Police wrongdoing, and has increased public trust.
Barrie sat on the Presidents, State of Health Panel and helped create the Nations first Housing For People With Aids , HOPWA effort, and worked to put Gay Counseling Programs in schools and to incorporate positive gay history subject matter into the curriculum which previously ignored the existence of Gays and lesbians altogether.
Kurt Barrie has been the subject of a handful of books including the book "Gay By the Bay" which is a who's who of gay activist, including a timeline of significant moments In the Gay Rights Movement, the book is featured in the Jim Hormel Gay & Lesbian Collection in the SF LIBRARY.
Barrie is also in Phyllis Burkes book "Family Values" chronicling activism in SF during the early 80's and 90's.
Barrie continues his Political work and activism, and writes a blog on political issues, often writing guest pieces for local Newspapers and is committed to agitating conservatives, promoting liberal Democratic ideals, better representation for gays & Lesbians as well as other minorities in government and elective office. Pushing for advancement on important human rights struggles, environmental progress, economic fairness, affordable housing issues, and increased educational opportunities for college bound young adults.
Most importantly continuing to annoy conservatives views and being vocal about the deifferences between Dems and Reps and why our plan for America is better.