Publisher’s Note

Amplifying

LGBTQ Voices

THE PATH TO FREEDOM begins with a single statement. Then by a single act. Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani advocate and activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate said “When the world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” African-American poet, memoirist and civil rights advocate and activist, Maya Angelou said “I learned a long time ago the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side, be an advocate for myself and others like me.” Political activist for the LGBTQ+ community and the rst openly gay person to be elected into politic o ce, Harvey Milk said “Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.”

Milk called for the LGBTQ+ community to take action so that they are included in decision-making. We must each do our part. By doing so, we all move forward together. The choice is not an easy one. Often, we are occupied just trying to get by. American Baptist minister and activist who has become the iconic representation of the American civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive sel shness.”

I have had to make that choice. I was employed as the managing editor of another publication when I was asked to run for Director of Public Relations of Ocala Pride Inc., in my hometown of Ocala, Fla. in November 2019. I was aware the organization had struggled in the past, and that any advancements would be an uphill challenge. Initially I did not want to invest my time, yet I knew that my experience would be a valuable asset to the group. I had served as the chairman of the Hispanic Business Council in Ocala for two consecutive terms from 2010 to 2012. I served on the restructuring committee prior so that the group could function more e ciently. I learned these skills serving as a board member for S.A.L.S.A (Spanish and Latin Student Association) when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester, and as a founding father of La Alianza (legal group) at Howard University School of Law. The group needed me, so I agreed to run. The election was easy. What followed was work. After a year of service, I left the board in Nov 2020 to focus more intently on my startup publication, Embrace Magazine, which had its own set of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet LGBTQ+ service work called for me again, this time to serve as a board member of the newly reformed NLGJA (National Lesbian & Gay Journalism Association) South Florida Chapter. An important function of the group is to “advocate for fair and objective coverage of LGBTQ+ issues.” Given my role as the publisher of a LGBTQ+ magazine with almost two decades of journalism experience, I felt compelled to serve. In doing so, my experiences assisting these LGBTQ+ organizations have helped me grow as I go. I am grateful for the opportunity presented to me.

Indian activist and leader of the Indian Independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi said “The best way to nd yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” May we all take heed of those words. May we nd our way through the chaos by clearing the path for the fallen and the downtrodden in need of assistance.

John Sotomayor Publisher and Editor-in-Chief john@sotomayormedia.com

John Sotomayor

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief