Gary was born on March 8th, 1949, in the hospital in the Hillcrest section of San Diego, CA.
MARCH 8, 1949
Don age 12 Gary age one month
Gary’s Brother
Gary’s mom, a single mother of two boys, moved her family to her hometown of Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City, Mo
2 years old
Teenager
Gary spoke to the student body on behalf of Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater in 1964, during a mock election they were having at his school. He was not even registered to vote yet. The major issue for him was civil rights. Goldwater had voted against the Civil Rights of 1964. Lyndon Johnson signed the legislation. Barry Goldwater was the most conservative candidate ever imagined in 1964. Today he would be considered too liberal for the Republican Party.
Lyndon Johnson
Gary attended Westport High, and served as the editor of high school newspaper. He wrote about school bonds and funding for education, his first experience with public school issues.
Westport High
He cast his very first ballot in favor of local school bonds.
First Ballot
Gary attended Central Methodist College (now University) in Fayette, Missouri. While at Central, he joined several of the clubs on campus, including a religious club where members would discuss the social issues of the day. He met Rev. Vann Anderson, a Methodist minister and the chaplain of a gay rights organization (the Phoenix Society in Kansas City) when Vann came to Gary’s religious group to talk about gay people. He said they were our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, ditch diggers, doctors, and, yes, even ministers.
First involvement in LGBT issues 1968
As soon as he had an opportunity Gary visited the Phoenix House. There, he met Ron Bentley. It wasn’t love at first sight, but that would come later, the more he got to know him. Since Gary was away at college, they wrote letters to keep each other informed about what was happening in each other lives. Ron was the editor of Phoenix magazine (a publication of the Phoenix Society), and lived in an apartment above the Phoenix House, all while serving in the Air Force. Ron would publish under the name Chris Gordon to prevent the military from finding out he was gay. Fake names were common place among gay activists in those days.
Kansas City Mo Gay Community Center 1968
Gay Rights Activist while in service
SGT Ron Bentley
Mr. Bentley would die of AIDS in 1994
Ron and Gary 25th year celebration
RON AND GARY MOVE TO SAN FRANCISCO 1970
SAN FRANCISCO 1970GARY INTERVIEWED WITH SF PHONE COMPANY 1970 They refused to hire him because he was gay
SF PHONE COMPANY
RON AND GARY SUPPORTING SHIRLEY CHISHOLM 1972
SIR WAS THE LARGEST GAY ORGANIZATION IN COUNTRY AT THE TIME. GARY SERVED ON THEIR BOARD.
Society for Individual Rights
In spite of numerous endorsements, he did not win.
1ST GAY MAN TO RUN FOR SF COUNTY COMMITTEE
FOUNDING MEMBER AND PAST PRESIDENT
Before same sex marriage was legal, Ron and Gary saw an attorney, who recommended one adopt the other. Sounded crazy at the time.
ADOPTION
RON AND GARY MOVE TO SACRAMENTO 1976
SACRAMENTO
Would have prohibited LGBT individuals and their supporters from being employed by public school districts. Gary was Sacramento Campaign Manager to defeat this measure. It was defeated statewide.
BRIGGS INITIATIVE 1978
He was appointed to the committee in 1979. He served as chair for about ten years in 1980s
GARY SERVED ON SACRAMENTO’S COUNTY COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRATS
Sept 8, 1981 Gary became chair of Sacramento Democratic Party where he served for about 10 years.
SACRAMENTO DEMO PARTY 1981
Gary served on the Human Rights / Fair Housing Commission in Sacramento.
FIRST GAY MAN TO SERVE ON A SACRAMENTO COMMISSION
He ran for Sacramento City Council. He came in 3rd and did not make it to the run off.
SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL
When Lloyd Connelly resigned from Sacramento City Council, Gary sought to be appointed. He needed 5 votes, but only received 3.
GARY ATTEMPTED TO BE SEATED ON SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL
1987 defeating two incumbents with homophobic campaign against him.
GARY BECAME 1ST LGBT TO BE ELECTED IN SACRAMENTO COUNTYDELEGATE TO NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION
1992 BILL CLINTON
Gary supported Bill Clinton for president
People First
Sworn in by Sacramento Mayor Anne Rudin and City Councilperson Lyla Ferris
GARY WON RE-ELECTION TO ROBLA SCHOOL BOARD 1992
Gary formed the River City Democratic Club
River City Democratic ClubWHEN RON STARTED TO GET SICK, SETA WOULD NOT ALLOW GARY TO TAKE SICK LEAVE. Then they remembered the adoption. Gary got sick leave for his “father”
SICK LEAVE
Ron died in 1994 of AIDs
When Rush Limbaugh was just a local talk show host, Gary found out, in spite of all of his conservative views, he was not even registered to vote.
RUSH: NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE
RE-ELECTION TO ROBLA SCHOOL BOARD 1996
Only agenda: What is in the best interest for our children
For the childrenGAY STUDENTS AT MCGEORGE LAW SCHOOL FILED CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT Against phone company for not hiring and firing LGBT individuals. Gary won back wages.
CLASS ACTION
Some endorsements include: Congressman Vic Fazio, Supervisor Roger Dickinson, & Teachers
Endorsements
He came in last and Gary was top vote getter
DENNIS SAMSEL RAN AGAINST GARY 1996
RE-ELECTED TO ROBLA BOARD 1996
AFTER ABOUT 20 YEARS, HE RESIGNS TO MOVE TO ROSEVILLE
GARY MOVES TO ROSEVILLE
Gary defeated one incumbent to win a seat on the Roseville City School Board in 2008. He was re-elected in 2012 and 2016.
ELECTED TO ROSEVILLE CITY SCHOOL BOARD 2008
Gary Miller has an agenda: What is in the best interest of the children of Roseville?
2012 RE-ELECTION
FORMER ASSEMBLY PERSON MARIKO YAMADA SWEARS GARY IN 2012
With the help of teachers, friends, organized labor and Democratic Party
GARY WON RE-ELECTION IN 2016
REPUBLICANS CLAIM GARY WAS DESTROYING OUR VALUES
Gary Wins Again
Gary has been involved with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) for decades
MEMBER, SOCIETY OF FRIENDS QUAKERS
After organizing the employees at SETA, Gary served as President of Local 146 AFSCME. The Agency refused to negotiate domestic partner benefits until they were forced to legally.
https://www.afscme.org/blog/25-year-school-board-member-honored
ORGANIZED THE EMPLOYEES AT THE SACRAMENTO EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING AGENCY
Mike taught special education for over 30 years before retirement.
GARY MET MIKE IN 2002
Gary was defeated for re-election to the Roseville City School Board in 2020