Rev. Dr. Harold Marrero is the new executive director of Pridelines and recently admitted the organization needs a lot of work and repair during an appearance on The FayWhat?! Show.
The youth focused LGBTQ organization in Miami-Dade has been through some turbulent times over the past couple of years.
Despite their recent challenges Marrero believes Pridelines is worth saving. He said the group was fundamental in his journey of growing up LGBTQ in Miami.
While not going into specific issues, he acknowledges fast action is needed. “[I have] the opportunity to not just try and understand what happened before and to put procedures in place to ensure that never happens again.”
Edward Summers left abruptly last spring, amid questions of financial discrepancies. There was also a disastrous gala where longtime icon Lady Bunny was honored despite making disparaging remarks against the LGBTQ community’s biggest political supporters. While she avoided politics at the event, she did go after local queens, including one who broke down, cried, and left the event.
Marrero says the repair work is underway. “We’ve cleaned a lot of that stuff up. We’ve hired a team that’s helped us make sense of what was gossip and what is real.”
OutSFL has asked Pridelines multiple times since April 2025, to address rumors and they have ignored requests.
When asked point-blank if money was misused and if charges had been filed, Marrero said he either doesn’t know or can’t say, suggesting that inquiries and investigations continue.
He says leadership is undergoing an overhaul.
“We have a new board. We have some members that have been there through it. But we are in the process of redeveloping the board,” he said. “We’re working collaboratively, not just to ensure there are checks and balances, but true oversight and good communication,” and that the goal is to “protect the organization from bad actors.”
He seems to be alluding to recent leadership when he says, “We have to verify, double verify. Check people’s backgrounds. Don’t just believe someone who comes in with a title.”
Without naming names, FayWhat?! said what a lot of people are thinking, “In a short period of time those people did a lot of damage, unnecessarily.”
The Road Ahead
The group has contracted and is only operating out of a space at the visitors’ center in Miami Beach. Marrero says one goal is to establish a presence in existing queer-welcoming centers to meet clients where they are.
The lack of fanfare around his appointment suggests Marrero wants to forego bluster and put in the work first. Marrero has a long history of working in and with South Florida’s non-profit and faith communities.
