‘I turned everything around.’ After tough start, he found a way to help LGBTQ communities
At 16, Mike Martorell became known for helping coordinate a student reading program at Southridge High School in South Miami-Dade.
“It’s gotten people’s attention,” he told the Miami Herald in 1989 of “Lotto Read,” in which Southridge students won prizes — including school credits and Miami Heat tickets — for completing any book.
Few knew that Martorell himself was at-risk of dropping out.
“I was considered a person not to make it,” he recalls. “My grades weren’t great. But I turned everything around in those years. I found something that interested me. I was told you always had to work hard.”
Hard work and plenty of heart paid off. In high school, Martorell learned graphic arts and TV production. When he graduated in 1990, he received a Silver Knight honorable mention in the vocational-technical category.
And three decades later, Martorell — now known professionally in South Florida’s queer community as DJ Miik, president of Pride Fort Lauderdale — has received a Humanitarian Award from Unity Coalition|Coalición Unida, the area’s oldest Hispanic LGBTQ organization.
“He’s a proud openly gay Cuban American, which most people don’t know,” said Unity Coalition President Herb Sosa, adding that the group honored Martorell for “his unselfish generosity, his consistent desire to help others.”
“A life well served, so far, of giving back to others and trying to elevate our community through actions.”
Martorell came out to his divorced parents at age 18. Shortly after, he contracted HIV.
“Telling my parents, both of them, that I was positive, was hard. When I told my dad, it was the first time I heard him cry. That was really hard. [Having HIV] was like a death sentence then. ... Thankfully, 30 years later, I’m still alive.”
In his 20s, Martorell studied music at Miami Dade College and held lots of jobs including AMC Theatres projectionist, Champs Sports store manager and Best Buy South Florida media manager.
“I found myself really attracted to dance music,” recalled Martorell, who learned the music business from a Twist South Beach nightclub DJ named Bugie. “He guided me along my journey.”
Working in area nightclubs, Martorell met people who needed printing. Soon, he combined two of his passions: music and graphic arts.
Sixteen years ago, Martorell opened Planet Printer in Hollywood. Since then, he has donated printing to many LGBTQ organizations, including Miami Beach Pride.
As a volunteer for then-struggling Pride South Florida (now Pride Fort Lauderdale), Martorell paid some outstanding bills from his own pocket.
In 2016, he became Pride Fort Lauderdale president. Martorell also serves on several committees of InterPride, an international association of pride organizers from around the world.
“He has a genuine love for community and creating that festival or place that brings everyone together, even if it’s just for a weekend,” said Ashley Mayfaire, treasurer of Pride Fort Lauderdale and co-founder of TransSOCIAL, a South Florida group to increase transgender visibility.
Mayfaire and husband Morgan, a Cuban-American trans man who is TransSOCIAL’s executive director, met Martorell at the 2017 Pride Fort Lauderdale.
“The pride board gave us a booth. They felt like there was not enough trans representation,” Ashley Mayfaire said. “We enjoyed the experience so much, we felt so welcome, Morgan and I created Trans Pride Fort Lauderdale. It’s actually a festival within the festival.”
Pride Fort Lauderdale in 2019 awarded $16,000 in community grants, including four programs serving the trans community, three of which are focused on trans youth.
Last April, Pride Fort Lauderdale was scheduled to host Pride of the Americas representing more than 50 nations. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau to reschedule it until fall 2021.
A South Florida Pride Collective including Martorell’s group raised more than $15,000 in May to help LGBTQ community members affected by COVID-19. Pride Fort Lauderdale raised enough money to distribute 150 bags of groceries and personal hygiene products.
In August, Martorell’s printing company donated hundreds of customized masks to two dozen South Florida drag queens, that they in turn could sell for $10 each.
“One drag queen has sold about 100 masks. That’s about a thousand bucks,” said Martorell, 48.
“It’s financially challenging for all of us. Even for me with my business,” he said. “I really like to help, whatever it is. I want to be that person adding to the world, not taking from it. When I can go somewhere and make a difference, it makes me proud, it makes me happy. Isn’t that what life’s all about? Being happy? All you have to do is try.”
Contact information
Pride Fort Lauderdale: https://pridefortlauderdale.org; 754-222-2234
Unity Coalition: https://www.unitycoalition.org; 786-271-6982
Journalist Steve Rothaus covered LGBTQ issues for 22 years at the Miami Herald
