Shaun Vadella
Storytellers
David Archuleta
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Ever since publicly coming out in 2021, singer-songwriter David Archuleta, who first made a name for himself on American Idol season 7 in 2008, has been steadily becoming the exact type of out queer pop star that we’re still in need of — and one that we’ll happily always have a “Crush” on, to borrow a song title.
“I want to help build the bridge between the world I grew up in and loved with where I’m at in the queer community and what I love about life today,” Archuleta, once a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says about what’s on the horizon for his life and career after a banner year that included competing on The Masked Singer, performing live shows again, and releasing new singles.
“I want to show that queer people are happy and thrive,” he continues. “I want to make it visible for people to see from my old world, because I never saw that when I was in that old world, and I know a lot of others can’t really either. I want to create that visibility so others like me from that culture I grew up in know they can thrive, be themselves, and feel joy and have a new vigor for life.”
Now, ready for the next steps, Archuleta is ready to surround himself with those who believe in and see him for who he is. “Stepping up in my career has made me realize I need to grow and find more people to help me take the steps moving up, and it’s not always easy to find those people who align with your vision to tell your story and help you connect with the public, but I feel I’ve gotten a great start.” @davidarchie
Raffy Ermac
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and the editor in chief of Out.com.
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and the editor in chief of Out.com.
Photo by Brendan Fay
Randy Wicker
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Photo by Brendan Fay
Over the last 65 years, LGBTQ+ advocate, journalist, and archivist Randy Wicker has achieved many firsts. In 1962 he organized a radio broadcast that caused the Federal Communications Commission to rule that homosexuality was a legitimate topic for on-air discussion. In 1964 Wicker organized the first public demonstration for gay civil rights in the United States, which took place in front of the U.S. Army Induction Center in New York City. Also in 1964, he was the first out gay person to participate in a live television show when he answered calls on The Les Crane Show.
“I’ve always been a truth-telling journalist willing to confront power and champion unpopular causes,” says Wicker. “That is what motivated me to join the New York Mattachine Society in 1958 and be the first self-identified homosexual to speak out on radio in 1962.”
Now 85 years old, Wicker shows no signs of slowing down. This year Wicker launched a petition to remove the statue of Gen. Phil Sheridan from Stonewall National Park — because of Sheridan’s massacre of Indigenous people. He also served as a grand marshal at this year’s NYC Pride March.
Recently, he donated his archives to the National LGBTQ+ Archives. “My archives are titled ‘The Randy Wicker & Marsha P. Johnson’ archives since Marsha P. Johnson lived with me for over a decade and was the house mother of my extended gay family,” says Wicker. “Twenty-five years of my Christmas letters contain many stories about her.”
Though much progress has been made thanks to Wicker’s work, he is adamant that the fight continues, especially in other parts of the world. He notes that “genocidal hatred and religious intolerance” run rampant in many societies. “We must help LGBTQ+ people overseas improve their circumstances!” @randolfewicker