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Jim Rivaldo (April 15, 1947–October 17, 2007) was an American political consultant. A gay man, he worked with Harvey Milk to establish the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club. He was a consultant and graphic designer for Milk's 1977 campaign for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He worked with Dick Pabich on political campaigns. He consulted Kamala Harris's 2003 campaign for San Francisco District Attorney.

Early life

Jim Rivaldo was born on April 15, 1947. He was born and raised in Rochester, New York. He had an older brother, Joseph, and a sister, Jane. According to Joseph, he became interested in reading the news as a child. In high school, he was the student body president. He attended Harvard University, graduating in 1969. He wrote for The Harvard Lampoon for four years. He moved to San Francisco in December 1971.

Career

Rivaldo befriended Harvey Milk in the early 1970s. Rivaldo, Milk, and others founded the San Francisco Gay Democratic Club (now the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club). Rivaldo and Dick Pabich worked on Milk's successful campaign for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Rivaldo designed a popular campaign sign with the words "Milk Supervisor/5". In 1978, he designed brochures opposing the Briggs Initiative, which would have banned homosexual teachers in public schools. Milk appointed him to San Francisco's coastal commission, making Rivaldo California's first openly gay commissioner. When Milk was assassinated at San Francisco City Hall, Rivaldo was the last person to talk to him.

According to Rivaldo, he designed the world's first brochure on safe sex around 1982.

Rivaldo and Pabich founded a company that consulted California political campaigns in the 1980s and 1990s. Rivaldo worked on all of Michael Hennessey's campaigns for San Francisco Sheriff from 1979 until Rivaldo's death. He managed Dennis Herrera's 2001 campaign for City Attorney of San Francisco. Herrera, an underdog candidate, won after a runoff. He worked on Kamala Harris's first campaign, running for District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003. Harris credited him for winning the election. Other campaigns he consulted included Ella Hill Hutch, Bevan Dufty, and Sophie Maxwell.

On September 25, 2007, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors gave a commendation to Rivaldo and, posthumously, Dick Pabich. The board said the two "were instrumental in electing a new kind of politician—openly and proudly gay with roots in progressive neighborhood activism. To far less fanfare, Jim helped elect every San Francisco African-American candidate in the 1970s and 1980s." Rivaldo spoke at the ceremony, saying his biggest pride was working with Milk.

Personal life and death

Rivaldo was known as the "Mister Rogers of the gay liberation movement" for his gentle demeanor. He made little money compared to other campaign managers. He lived in the Western Addition district of San Francisco for a long time. At the time of his death, he lived on Bush Street.

Rivaldo had AIDS, hepatitis C, liver cancer, and diabetes. The AIDS Housing Alliance provided him an apartment and a caretaker. After a year of declining health, he died of liver cancer on the afternoon of October 16, 2007. He died at his home with family members present. A public memorial was held on November 15.

Legacy

Writing for The Bay Area Reporter, Shum Preston, an associate of Rivaldo, called him a "great gay genius lost to history". He was a portrayed as a minor character in the biopic Milk.

References

1. ^ Wildermuth, John (October 18, 2007). "Jim Rivaldo - political consultant brought Harvey Milk to office". SFGate. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
2. ^ Laird, Cynthia (October 17, 2007). "Political strategist Jim Rivaldo dies". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
3. ^ Preston, Shum (August 10, 2016). "The gay genius who gave us Milk and Harris". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
4. Kane, Christopher (June 4, 2024). "Vice President Kamala Harris details what's at stake in November". Washington Blade. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
5. "Memorial Tonight at 6 p.m. for Jim Rivaldo". SF Weekly. November 15, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2024.

• American campaign managers
• LGBT rights activists from California
• Activists from San Francisco
• American graphic designers
• 1947 births
• 2007 deaths
• 20th-century American LGBTQ people
• LGBTQ people from San Francisco
• Harvey Milk
• Kamala Harris