HRC San Antonio Announces the 2009 Chuck Jordan Community Service Award Winner

The San Antonio Steering Committee for the Human Rights Campaign announces the recipient of this year’s Chuck Jordan Community Service Award is community activist; Marsha Warren. In a unanimous vote, the HRC San Antonio Steering Committee believed that Marsha was the perfect choice for this year’s selection, due to her tireless and broad involvement within the San Antonio LGBT Community. Marsha will receive her honor at the November 7, 2009 Annual Gala at the Westin Hotel-downtown. Tickets are available at http://sanantonio.hrc.org/dinner

About Marsha:
Marsha Warren is a member of the Metropolitan Community Churches, Board of Administration and serves the denomination as its Treasurer. Before becoming a member of the Board of Administration, Marsha was the first and only person who was neither a District Coordinator nor an Elder to serve as a member of the MCC General Council Finance Team. She also serves as Board member and Treasurer of MCC of San Antonio, Equality Texas and Equality Texas Foundation.

Marsha was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has one sister. Marsha and her sister were raised by their aunt and uncle, with their four children, in a three-room apartment that had no hot water. In spite of the early obstacles, she has gone on to accomplish much success in her life. She enrolled in the U.S. Army and, while stationed at Fort McPherson, earned the honor of being the first person to go before the promotion board and receive a perfect score!

When she left the military, Marsha pursued a career helping people as a Social Worker. She attended St. Leo College in Florida, where she graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Business Administration and Human Resources Management. After working for several years with the Georgia State Department of Human Resources, she moved to San Antonio, Texas, and enrolled in the University of Texas where she earned a degree in Accounting. She subsequently passed the Certified Public Accountants exam on her first attempt. Since 1986, Marsha has been helping people through her employment with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). An expert in individual, non-profit, church, and corporate federal income tax rules, she currently serves as a Financial Products Specialist for the IRS, which involves providing tax advice to Fortune 500 companies.

Marsha is a founding member of Circle of One Social and Charity Club. A grass root organization, which raised funds to help various nonprofit groups in San Antonio from 1990 to 1994. She joined MCC of San Antonio in 1998 and has served as Chair of the Fund-Raising Committee, Chair of the Finance Committee, Treasurer for Women’s Ministry and church representative to the local Pride Day planning committee. She has served as the former Chair, 2 years, and Treasurer, 4 years, of Pridefest.

She has served as the Chair, 2 years, and Treasurer 3 years of Unity Foundation. She served for more than four years as the Treasurer of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. She is a member of MCC Churches Founder’s Circle and Legacy League.

In addition to her work Marsha has also donated her time for the Internal Revenue Service (USA) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program for fifteen years. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the People of African Descent award for Leading with Distinction Award, the PAD Conference Appreciation Award, the UFMCC Appreciation Award, The MCCSA Marsha Morris Award for Lay Leadership, the Gay San Antonio Lambda Award, the San Antonio Pridefest Community Service Award (Private Citizen and Honorary Grand Marshall), and the Preferred Distinction Community Service Award for Education, and numerous IRS Employee Performance Award.

Marsha’s Vision for the Community:
“I envision a world where everyone is welcomed and appreciated. Where my partner and I will not be the "Lesbians" or "Black women" but the friends. Where the golden rule is not just a rule that we aspire to; but what we live out in our lives. I know some would say that sounds like utopia. I say it is heaven on earth.” – Marsha Warren

About Chuck Jordan and the Award:
Chuck Jordan was a pioneer gay rights activist in San Antonio and Texas. In 1986 Chuck was one of the first members of the Alamo Business Council and in 1989 was the co-founder of the San Antonio Black Tie Dinner. He served two years as the co-chair of the dinner in 1990 and 1991. He started the first of the HRC Federal Club efforts in San Antonio His activism spread to the National level when in 1991 he helped establish the The Human Right's Campaign's National Board of Governors and served for two years as a National Governor for HRC. In 1990 Chuck served on the Board of the former San Antonio Lesbian Gay Assembly and hosted fundraising events for the Lesbian and Gay Rights lobby of Texas. He also served on the Board o the San Antonio AIDS Foundation and the Ryan White Title 1 Planning Committee. In 1995 Chuck received the San Antonio Black Tie Dinner Award for being an "active advocate of tolerance and acceptance among people...who has given freely of his time and energy to promote the ideals of the gay and lesbian community. He has been an effective advocate for the gay and lesbian rights through his involvement in local and national organizations." Chuck was the “backbone” of many groups in San Antonio and his financial and volunteer efforts were the beginning of GLBT organized causes. Chuck Jordan Passed away on July 2, 1997 at the age of 44. His energy, spirit, generosity, and optimism is still remembered and missed in San Antonio and across Texas to this day. In his spirit and memory the San Antonio HRC Steering Committee established The Chuck Jordan Community Service Award in 2004, to be given annually to a deserving member of the community.

For additional information, please feel free to contact HRC Board of Governor, Darrell Parsons at 210-324-4900.