Stephanie Romero, Chris Forbrich, George Page, Michelle Meyers, Elizabeth Schleigh, Christopher Sauder, Gayl Newton, Lauryn Farris, Misha Ortiz.

HRC visits Congressman Rodriguez’ office
By George Page, QSanAntonio.com, November 20, 2009

A group of activists from the San Antonio Chapter of the Human Rights Campaign and their allies visited Rep. Ciro Rodriguez's Northside office on November 17 to ask for his support for H 3017 the fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

Rep. Rodriguez and Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz from Corpus Christi are the only two Texas Democratic Congressman who have not signed on to this bill.

The group included HRC Governors Elizabeth Schleigh and George Page, Steering Committee members Lauryn Farris, Gayl Newton, Christopher Forbrich and HRC member Michelle Meyers. Also in attendance were: Christopher Sauder a professor from UTSA; Misha Ortiz, a community activist from Rodriguez’ district; and Peter, a straight ally.

The group met with Stephanie Romero a staff person from the Congressman's office. Romero listened to stories of how anti-gay job discrimination has affected the GLBT community. Peter, the straight ally, said he wanted to see discrimination go away. He said that the majority cannot stay silent on this issue and he supported an inclusive ENDA.

Farris explained that most Fortune 500 companies and Fortune 100 companies have inclusive provisions yet the US Government still practices discrimination in the work place. As the President of the San Antonio Gender Association, she understands from so many how discrimination affects job retention and hiring.

Romero also listened to stories about the fear of coming out at work due to fear of being fired. Some said that being open about their sexual orientation prevented them from getting a promotion even when they were more qualified than other candidates.

One woman recounted how she let the hiring manager know she was gay and when she went back she was denied the job because it would cause a "hardship" for the rest of the department.

The meeting wrapped up with the group asking Romero to convey their concerns to Congressman Rodriguez and to urge him to support ENDA.

HRC Gala and Silent Auction, November 7, 2009, Westin Hotel
All photos copyright Antonia Padilla

Click here for additional photos.

Pegasus owner to be honored by HRC
QSanAntonio.com, October 24, 2009

Mauro Garza, owner of the Pegasus Bar, has been chosen by the local chapter of the Human Rights Campaign to receive a Community Service Award which will be presented to him at the group’s Gala Dinner on November 7.

Garza has lived in San Antonio for the past 21 years. He received a Masters of Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio and was an Adjunct Faculty member at San Antonio College for seven years.

Garza’s career includes serving as the President of Southwest Analytical Concepts, where he provided technical assistance to various government agencies in the areas of evaluation, assessments and surveys. He also served as Director of Grants and Contracts Management at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research.

He also worked for the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse developing Councils on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for the State of Texas and was Nationally Certified as a trainer for the National Institutes on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

Garza’s firm, M. Garza Enterprises, Inc., purchased the Pegasus Night Club which has supported numerous community-based organizations through fundraisers that are held there on a weekly basis.

Garza’s contributions include the Alamo City Council of Clubs, San Antonio AIDS Foundation, Texas Gay Rodeo Association, the Royal Sovereign and Imperial Court of the Alamo Empire, Bears of San Antonio, PrideFest SA, San Antonio Diablos, Gay Pride SA and others.

According to information provided by the local HRC chapter, it is estimated that this year alone, Garza has contributed over $100,000 to various community organizations.

Marsha Warren (right) with her partner Michele Burnett at the 2008 HRC Gala Dinner and Silent Auction. (Photo by QSanAntonio.com)

Marsha Warren to be honored by HRC
QSanAntonio.com, September 16, 2009

The San Antonio chapter of the Human Rights Campaign this week chose activist Marsha Warren to receive the Chuck Jordan Community Service Award on November 7 at their annual gala dinner.

"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 efforts and varied broad involvement within the San Antonio GLBT Community," said local HRC Governor George Page.

The award, which is given annually, is named after San Antonio activist Chuck Jordan who passed away in 1997. 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.

Warren is currently a member of the Metropolitan Community Churches, Board of Administration and serves the denomination as its Treasurer. She also serves as Board member and Treasurer of MCC San Antonio, Equality Texas and Equality Texas Foundation.

Warren’s affiliations include being 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 and Treasurer of PrideFest.

Warren was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has one sister. 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, Warren 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, Warren 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.

In describing her vision for the community Warren said: "I envision a world where everyone is welcome 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."

The HRC Gala and Silent Auction is on November 7 at the downtown Westin Hotel. Tickets are available at SanAntonio.HRC.org/dinner.

HRC Diversity Officer to speak at gala dinner
QSanAntonio.com, October 15, 2009

Cuc Vu, the Chief Diversity Officer for the Human Rights Campaign, will be back in San Antonio for the second year in a row to address the group’s gala dinner slated for November 7.

Vu’s job at HRC is a first for a GLBT organization. In this capacity she has launched a new HRC Women’s Initiative, convened a Diversity & Inclusion Council supported by leaders from both the corporate, non-profit and community sectors, and initiated a ground-breaking program called Equality Forward that engaged 5,000 GLBT people of color in partnership with more than 100 organizations.

She is now exploring the creation of a first-ever training program to develop a new cadre of GLBT people of color grassroots organizers with the language and cultural competency to bridge the GLBT and people of color communities.

Vu spent 10 years working in the labor movement at the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) as an advocate for women, immigrants and workers. At SEIU, she worked alongside Eliseo Medina and led the union’s immigrant rights work, helping to establish SEIU as the leading union on immigrant rights issues, according to the Washington Post.

Her interest in the immigrant community includes being a founding member and President of the Mi Familia Vota Education Fund and a founding board member of the Civic Participation Campaign, two national nonprofits focused on increasing the civic participation of immigrants in the U.S. Vu has also served on the boards of several organizations, including the National Immigration Forum and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Born in Saigon, Viet Nam, Vu grew up in Olympia, Washington, and currently resides in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of Pomona College and Columbia University, and is a graduate of the Rockwood Leadership Program. In 2003, Pomona College presented Vu with the "Inspirational Young Alumni" award in recognition of her social justice work in diverse communities.

Lauryn Farris, Kerry Farris, Elizabeth Schleigh, Beth Walter, Cynthia Benton, Poppy Whiteley, Eric Alva, Darrell Parsons.

Dr. James Goral, George Page, Mark Walker and Tom DiNapoli.

San Antonians attend HRC Gala in D.C.
Photos by Lauryn Farris, QSanAntonio.com, October 15, 2009

HRC Governors Elizabeth Schleigh and George Page, SAGA representatives Ruby Krebs and Julia DeGrace, and HRC member Anna Castro paid a visit to the San Antonio office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.

HRC members visit Sen. Hutchison’s San Antonio office
QSanAntonio.com, September 10, 2009

Members from the local chapter of the Human Rights Campaign paid a visit to the San Antonio office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) on September 8 to make an appeal for her support of GLBT legislation in Congress.

The visit was made as part of HRC’s national "No Excuses" campaign, an effort to meet with as many Representatives and Senators to discuss upcoming legislation. The HRC group met with Jessie Hereford, the Senator’s Regional Director and State Outreach Director.

HRC Governors Elizabeth Schleigh and George Page along with Steering Committee member Eric Alva, HRC member Anna Castro and San Antonio Gender Association representatives Julie DeGrace and Ruby Krebs attended the meeting.

Among the topics discussed at the meeting were the enactment of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell", the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, and support of the Uniting Americans Family Act for US citizens with foreign same sex partners. The group also touched on the need for early treatment for HIV/AIDS and domestic partnership benefits for US Government employees.

"We directly asked for the Senator to become the lead sponsor on the Defense of Marriage Act since there is not one yet in the Senate or the House. We also asked for her ‘yes’ votes on the rest of our requests," says Page. "Mr. Hereford said that he would give the Senator our stories and the information that we gave him."

In August, representatives of HRC San Antonio visited the offices Congressman Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) and Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), and are scheduled to see Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz (D-TX) in Corpus Christi on September 15. Page said that the offices of Senator John Cornyn's (R-TX) and Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) did not return HRC’s phone calls requesting meetings with them.

Photos -- LOL tops 200 attendees
QSanAntonio.com, August 21, 2009

The monthly Ladies on the Loose party sponsored by HRC is growing ever more popular. The party on August 28 at Aldaco's in Sunset Station boasted an attendance of over 200 people. There was dancing, a prize raffle and an appearance by retired Marine Sergeant Eric Alva who urged attendees to purchase tickets for the HRC Gala in November.

HRC Obama's First 100 Days Party at Luther's Cafe, April 30, 2009

HRC marks Obama's first 100 days with a party
Photos by Antonia Padilla, QSanAntonio.com, May 2, 2009

The Human Rights Campaign of San Antonio's Federal Club marked the first 100 days of Barack Obama's presidency with a celebration at Luther's Cafe on North Main Avenue. The event was one of about 30 HRC was holding around the country. Local Federal Club members Darrell Parsons and Gayl Newton welcomed about 50 people to the event. The two speakers also detailed the president's recent accomplishments and their hopes for future legislation that will advance the rights of GLBT voters.