Cleve Jones and Dustin Lance Black at the Governor's Ball

[mitchtv]

Coachella Valley resident and human rights activist Cleve Jones, portrayed by Emile Hirsch in "Milk," was thrilled that his friend Sean Penn won Best Actor on Sunday at the Oscars - but the award had an even deeper significance, he said.

"There's no question, I'm so proud of Sean," said Jones, on his way to a post Oscars celebration Sunday night. "Tonight the movement (towards equal rights) was significantly advanced. There is a strategy. There is a way to move forward."

Jones said he hopes to use the momentum of the film to work for equal rights legislation on the federal level that would afford gays the same rights as straights - similar to the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Jones was a real-life protege of Harvey Milk, the nation's first openly gay man elected to major office. Penn portrayed Milk in the film, and Jones attended the Oscar ceremony in Los Angeles.
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[bluedawg12]

1. I saw him interviewed it was a wonderful moment as history

came full circle from such a tragic story.