By now many of you have heard that Miik Martorell, President of Pride Fort Lauderdale, has stepped down from his position. Since Miik has given so much of his time, money and energy to our beloved South Florida LGBTQ+ community I thought it appropriate to sit down with him for this exclusive HOTspots interview. Before I continue, I must give full disclosure that Miik and I have been close personal friends for over 25 years.
How and when did you get involved with Pride Fort Lauderdale?
Somewhere around 2003, I was asked to DJ and provide printing through my printing company, Planet Printer. In 2013, I got more involved and became a volunteer. I loved being a part of it so much that I volunteered again the next year.
When did you get on the executive board and when did you become president?
I was voted to the board as the treasurer in 2015, and in 2016, I became the president and have been ever since.
What have you implemented since you were president?
I started the Pride Tour, which my company has underwritten. This allowed our team to promote and volunteer at Prides all over America. I have personally volunteered at 85 Prides around the world demonstrating that our community stands in solidarity with fellow Prides. In addition, under my tenure we moved Pride to the beach, and had the first parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach. We also implemented the state’s first trans pride. In addition, we hosted our first regional conference for InterPride, The International Association of Pride Organizers.
How did the Pride Tour get created?
We were looking for a way to help promote Pride Fort Lauderdale to other cities, so this was a natural fit. I was able to pay for all the flights with frequent flyer miles and Shawn Manning was able to get incredible deals on hotels, so this made it easier for me to cover the costs.
What are some of your best memories of Pride Fort Lauderdale?
The first year we made it to the beach, 2017, I remember just looking at the incredible site of all the attendees who had flocked to the beach. I looked over at Shawn, and just started to cry. It was so rewarding to see all of the hard work payoff.
You have decided to step off the board, may we ask why?
This past summer, my business took a dive losing nearly $50,000 in three months. This was the largest loss we have ever seen in nearly 20 years in business. I realized that I cannot dedicate the time needed to Pride and must step down. I just can’t afford to lose everything I worked most of my life for, so I have to put all my focus on my business.
Even though you are not on the board anymore, will you be involved with Pride Fort Lauderdale at all?
Yes, I don’t want to leave Pride. Planet Printer will still sponsor and provide office and some storage space to Pride. I will offer my help wherever I can.
What does the future hold for you?
Hopefully stabilizing my business and seeing more success. We are already doing much better this month with one of our biggest months ever, but it will take a while to recover from those losses we saw this summer. I probably will still visit other Prides and volunteer at them. I will definitely volunteer at Miami Beach Pride this year, like I have over the past 7 years.
After the interview, I decided to ask, the Executive Director of Pride Fort Lauderdale, Ernie “Pineapple” Yuen, his thoughts on Miik Stepping down and he said:
“Miik has always been a very generous supporter of Pride Fort Lauderdale but always chose to remain quiet about his involvement. Here are some of the examples of his involvement that stand out for me:
Sole sponsor of Pride Tour since his start as President – covered all participants travel and hotel expense, even covering meals. Pride Tours main focus- promoting Florida and Pride Fort Lauderdale. Working with sister Prides, volunteering and learning and seeing what other Prides do. A great resource for meeting sponsors, engaging with staff and pride board members, building lifelong friendships.
Planet Printer – Pride Office and Workshop Space – giving Pride Fort Lauderdale’s Board and Staff a home, a great meeting space with other organizations and sponsors. A unique marketing bonus with resources and creative space and full use of Plant Printer’s print shop.
Co-Creator and Sponsor of Pride Clack Fans and Build a T Shirt Program allowing Pride Fort Lauderdale the ability to fundraise and add revenue to the general fund for our Annual Pride Festival.
His commitment and love for Pride shines here in the State of Florida, throughout all 50 States and Internationally?”
For those of you who want to thank my friend Miik for all his hard work for our community, you can send him a message on Facebook, or if you have printing, get in touch with his company, Planet Printer at (954) 212-1444.
