B O O K

The memoir begins with my leaving my conservative hometown of Riverside, CA, where I knew
I could never be out as a gay person. After high school graduation, I made my way to San Jose
State University, becoming part of the gay diaspora, transported to a town where no one knew
me and where I had to create a new identity by myself. I majored in political science and worked
for numerous elected officials, eventually going to Washington, D.C. to become the press
secretary for a local congressman. Although out to friends but not to others due to the heightened
homophobia at the time, I had my world change in 1984 when, back in San Jose, I read a
newspaper editorial by a member of the state assembly who wrote that gay people deserved no
social, legal, or political legitimacy.
 
I was angry that an elected official believed I had forfeited my civil rights simply because I was
gay. Putting the paper down, I said to myself: “Ken, if you don’t fight for your rights to be a part
of this community, then no one else will.” I responded with an editorial of my own the following
week, refuting his position. Thus began my almost 40 years of activism for LGBTQ+ rights.
 
The second chapter discusses how in 1980 the Religious Right took over politics in San Jose and
Santa Clara County. Two gay anti-discrimination ordinances had been passed by the county and
the city, but referendums followed, the Religious Right descended, and the ordinances were
defeated by a two-thirds vote, thus killing any nascent queer movement. All seemed lost.
 
Chapters three and four serve as a manifesto on how to gain political power. I tell stories about
how the queer community was confronted by numerous acts of homophobia and violence and
what our strategy was to combat it. I recount how only one elected official showed up at the first
fundraising dinner sponsored by the LGBTQ+ political group I co-founded. Now, up to 150
elected officials or candidates attend. Also discussed are the tragedy of the AIDS epidemic and
the struggle to get services for the thousands of people infected by the virus.
 
Chapters five, six, and seven focus on my political career. This will be of interest to any queer
person thinking of running for office. I begin by discussing my community college race and the
strategy I used to win. This victory was followed by my 1996 race for the state assembly. I
describe in detail how a homophobic mail piece was sent against me (“If you put your family
first, watch out for Ken Yeager. He’s an ultraliberal who fights for his agenda, not yours.”) and
the backlash it created against the candidate who paid for it. I lost that race, coming in second.
The homophobic candidate came in third.
 
As discussed in chapter 8, homophobia was again front and center in my 2000 successful race for
the San Jose City Council four years later. My opponents’ supporters drove around and knocked
on the doors of homes with my lawn sign, asking if they knew I was gay. Most signs remained,

but some were removed. A graphic homophobic cartoon was mailed at the last minute. I fought
back as hard as I could. This time, thankfully, I was able to counter the attacks better and won.
The ninth chapter reinforces the value of electing LGBTQ+ people to office. I discuss the
LGBTQ+ policies and health issues I worked on when I was elected to the County Board of
Supervisors in 2006. I chronicle the creation of the ground-breaking Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs,
the first such county office in the nation devoted solely to improving the overall social,
economic, and mental health of the local queer community. I believe the Office serves as a
model for other counties to emulate throughout the country.
Chapter ten tells the story of how I was able to pass eight other important pieces of legislation,
ranging from health clinics for African Americans and transgender people, to banning toys in so-
called Happy Meals, to establishing nutritional standards for the 6 million meals the County
serves in a year. The purpose of these two chapters is to demonstrate to anyone thinking of
running for office what it takes to be a successful legislator. They also reinforce my belief that it
isn’t enough for LGBTQ+ people to get elected; it’s what they accomplish that is most
important.
The 11 th chapter is the namesake of the book and provides a roadmap and inspiration for
LGBTQ+ people to run for office at the local level. At a time when there are such physical and
legislative attacks on queer people, it is all the more important that our voices are heard. We
must be present in the halls of power if we are to have an influence on our government. Based on
all I learned from my numerous campaigns over 26 years, I share with would-be candidates a
“How to” guide on how to prepare and mount a winning campaign.
The process of telling the story of the progression of LGBTQ+ people from political outcasts to
integral community members in the heart of Silicon Valley is the focus of Chapter 12. I set out to
tell this tale in 2019 when term limits ended my tenure on the County Board of Supervisors.
After becoming the executive director of the BAYMEC Community Foundation, I began a
history project called Queer Silicon Valley. This led to the creation of a comprehensive website,
a museum exhibit, a documentary, and ultimately this book. The local queer community has
given me so much—friendships, a purpose, a career—that I wanted a way to repay and thank
everyone. That is why the final chapter is called A Love Letter to My Community.