Florida Agenda Exclusive

After five years on the Board of Pride South Florida, Marc Hansen has resigned.

Citing personal and family health issues, Hansen announced his resignation on Monday, April 28. The Florida Agenda received the following statement from Hansen himself just before print.

“After over five years on the Board of Pride South Florida and many years as a volunteer, I have resigned. This decision was not made easily, but is due to my own personal health issues and also because my mother had a massive stroke on March 1, 2014, the day of Pride Fort Lauderdale, and I have been traveling back and forth to my parents’ home in Maryland, in between my own medical procedures.

While volunteering for this organization I have placed a lot of love, energy, time, passion, and belief in the work. I was giving back to the community.

Trusting that in some ways we were inspiring people. The time and dedication I gave for this organization and its mission was because I believed in the LGBT community of Broward County.

Being a leader for organizations like Pride South Florida comes with some praise and a lot of critics, but I and many others know that what I was trying to do was the best I could.

I became a leader in the community because I wanted to do good. Those that wish to push the hate probably do so only because they seem to have lost any love or compassion for our community so tearing people down gives them power, or at least they think so.

Fort Lauderdale is very different from what it was when I moved here in 1990, and it’s the volunteers that have helped make it into what it has become.

Volunteers, people that gave of themselves freely; without charge or expectation of payment. They gave their time, efforts, skills and knowledge for the betterment of our community. People like Dana Manchester, Nicki Adams, Chuck Nicholls, Jodi & Bradford of the Quilt and so very many others.

It wasn’t about making a salary, it is about our community and our fight to just be equal. We gave and worked because we wanted to help. We might have upset people along the way I know, but it wasn’t done with hatred or with the intention of hurting someone. It can happen during the passion while in the process of trying to complete the job. I know I never set out to hurt anyone, and if I did, I am honestly sorry.

I wish all the best to the Board of Pride South Florida, and their endeavors. I am not leaving the area, but I do need to take time to take care of myself and my family.

I have a loving and caring partner and home here which I would never give up.”

Photo by Big Dewitte