Michael Monroe knows what it is like to be down and out.
“When I first moved to Miami, I was down bad. I was dealing with depression, substance abuse, and zero self-esteem,” he said.
Monroe credits Nathan Smith, owner of Nathan’s Beach Club, for pulling him out of despair. The bar owner offered him a job when he needed it most.
“Nathan created a space where I didn’t have to fake it. It was the first time in a long time I felt like I could just be me. Between that and being surrounded by our loud, messy, beautiful community, it helped me heal much of what I was battling with my queer identity, my body, my career,” he said. “Two years later, I’m still very much a work in progress, but I’m proud, and I show up for myself. That’s what being out and proud means to me: not pretending to have it all together, just being real and refusing to disappear.”
Last year, Monroe launched a concert series called Soundwave at Palace during Latin Music Week, showcasing five queer artists.
“That’s what it was all about,” he said. “Visibility and representation.”
Over the years, Monroe has also collaborated with organizations including Contrast Magazine, MDM Media Relations, Pridelines, and Out My Closet — a mobile pop-up shop serving unhoused and under-resourced LGBTQ+ youth.
He also has a message for anyone feeling angry or hopeless:
“You’re not alone. Now is the time to get louder,” he said. “That includes standing up, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it costs you.”
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