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For five years, Marks worked with the Grady Health System before joining AID Atlanta as its Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer. He also helped build AID Atlanta into the largest AIDS service organization in the Southeast, all while performing in and hosting over 2,100 pageants, special events and shows over the past 14 years.
Today Jim/Bubba is the CFO and Director of Operations of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which moved to Atlanta from San Francisco in 2001. He also serves as the Board of Director of PALS (Pets Are Loving Support) and Beauty AID, while hosting Nickiemoto's “Drag-A-Maki” weekly cabaret show and PALS Bingo.
In her own words:
I grew up in Savannah, Georgia and spent almost 10 years on Hilton Head Island after graduating from college. In early 1989, after years of internal struggles and identity issues, I decided I had to make a move in order to find myself. Because I wanted to move to a bigger city, I chose Atlanta. I wanted to remain in the South... and I loved the Atlanta Braves!
My first summer in Atlanta, I was a member of the Armory softball team. Team members dared me to perform in drag for the first time, so I took them up on the challenge. That’s when “Bubba D. Licious” was born. My alter-ego quickly became a campy, comedic hit among the cast of the Armorettes who were better known as “The Camp Drag Queens of the South”.
Every Sunday at the Armory we performed comedy shows to packed rooms of the gay men and women of our city. During this time, we received a wonderful amount of generosity and support from the Atlanta community as we raised money for HIV, AIDS, and other community causes. This tradition proudly continues.
The gay community in Atlanta has grown to become one of the largest in this country. Almost every young person who comes out in the South moves to Atlanta or at least visits frequently. The diversity of our community reaches all, and I am thrilled to have been a resident and fundraiser in such a great city.
Visit our city often and enjoy. Whatever your pleasure, there’s nothing like a little South in your mouth!
Love & lashes,
- Bubba D. Licious
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