Pride Media, publisher of Out and the Advocate, has announced a new leadership with the appointment of several editors. The announcement follows the departure on a single day in December of Out Editor Phillip Picardi, Advocate Editor Zach Stafford, and Pride Media interim CEO Orlando Reece.
NBC News reported that their departure was the result of financial difficulties at the publications, whose Pride Media parent is owned by Oreva Capital. Pride Media has been the subject of a lawsuit filed on behalf of 25 freelancers who claim they are owed more than $40,000 for stories they wrote for the Pride Media publications.
CEO Diane Anderson-Minshall will serve as executive editorial director of Out, the Advocate, and Plus, Pride, and Out Traveler, overseeing 15 editors, three social media experts, and five creative arts staffers who each work across the brands.
David Artavia and Tracy E. Gilchrist have been named editors in chief of the Advocate. Artavia most recently has been serving as managing editor for the Advocate and Plus magazines. An announcement of the appointments from Pride Media says Artavia “is an award-winning journalist whose recent reporting has ignited dialogue about #MeToo and sexual assault among gay and bi men as well as access to health care among LGBTQ people and those living with chronic health conditions.
“Also Latinx, Artavia continues to do work that pressures public officials to reach out to marginalized communities Prior to the Advocate, Artavia was head writer for GayGuys.com and the popular gay blog Gayety.co. He was named one of Folio Magazine’s 2019 Rising Stars.”
“The Advocate quite literally saved my life growing up,” said Artavia. “In today’s political climate, where the rights of LGBTQ people are constantly under threat and scrutiny, there has never been a more important time to preserve our stories. Our jobs as journalists have never been more vital as we are the watchdogs and protectors of truth. I’m very much looking forward to continue uplifting the voices of the marginalized and bringing visibility to our ever-changing, colorful landscape of thought leaders, activists, and game-changers.”
Gilchrist, who has been with Pride Media (previously Here Media) for 12 years, was The Advocate’s first feminism editor, writing about the intersections of women and LGBTQ equality and pop culture. Prior to that she was deputy editor of Pride.com and, for nearly a decade, editor in chief of SheWired, Here Media’s premier site for queer women.
In addition to her writing, Gilchrist created and cohosted the Advocate’s podcast, the 50-plus-year-old brand’s first podcast. A frequent Hollywood moderator (for panels including The Favourite, Booksmart, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Good Trouble, Tales of the City, and Euphoria), Gilchrist recently hosted Showtime’s official The L Word: Generation Q “pink carpet” livestream. Her work has been published in Us, Curve, and Stanford Social Innovation Review.
“As a reader of the Advocate since I bought my first copy at the LGBTQ-owned Reader’s Feast Bookstore and Café in Hartford, Conn., circa 1990,” said Gilchrist, “I’ve had firsthand knowledge of its power, importance, and reach. I’ve since dedicated my career to writing for several different LGBTQ media brands and for amplifying queer stories and storytellers. At a time when the relevance of queer media is continually in question, it is my honor to help carry forth The Advocate brand. Although it is a virtual queer space, its existence as a destination for queer people is as important as our Pride festivals, community centers, and remaining clubs and bars.”
Richard Pérez-Feria has been named Out’s new editor in chief. A gay Latinx man, Pérez-Feria is an award-winning New York-based journalist who is currently editor in chief and CEO of Saratoga Living. He began his career at Esquire before moving on to 7 Days. Early in his career, Pérez-Feria was the founding editor in chief of Poz, the National Magazine Award-winning publication for people living with HIV. He later was editor in chief at Time Inc.’s People en Español, the country’s largest magazine for Latinx and Spanish-speaking readers. He’s also been editor in chief for numerous magazines and websites, including Elliman, 7×7, Vegas Inc., HudsonMOD, Celebrity Style, Gym, Music Choice, Shape’s Fit Hollywood, Burn!, Teen Celebrity, TennisMatch, Brash, PersonalMD, NowItCounts, and, most recently, PuraPhy and Saratoga Living.
“It’s not very often one can say that they’ve landed their dream gig,” said Pérez-Feria, who is a five-time GLAAD Media Award winner and the first recipient of GLAAD’s Visibilidad Award. “Yet here we are. What an incredible privilege I have in joining this unstoppable team and strong, vital brand.”
Mikelle Street, formerly Out’s senior editor, has been named digital director of the magazine. An expert in pop culture, queer subcultures, fashion, people of color, and the intersections therein, Street was previously a style editor for Maxim. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, GQ, Esquire, Allure, Vice, Elle, Harper’s, and more.
Other staff changes announced this week:
- Raine Bascos, creative director of The Advocate and Plus, has been named executive creative director and Michael Lombardo named associate creative director, for all brands. Out’s former visuals editor, Nic Bloise, has been named photo director while associate editor Desirée Guerrero has become associate editor and interactive art associate.
- Neal Broverman was named digital editor in chief of Advocate.com and editor in chief of Plus magazine (Pride’s award-winning health magazine). Neal previously served as executive editor of The Advocate.
- Jacob Anderson-Minshall will become editor in chief of OutTraveler.com as well as production editor of Out, Plus, and The Advocate. A disabled queer transgender editor and writer, Jacob has most recently served as the deputy editor of The Advocate and Plus magazines and has worked with Pride’s branded partnerships team (with clients including Greater Fort Lauderdale, Marriott, and Gilead).
- Trudy Ring will become senior politics editor of The Advocate (she was previously copy chief) and Donald Padgett will become an assistant editor (he was previously assistant to the editor). Raffy Ermac will continue as editor in chief of Pride.com with Taylor Henderson as deputy editor. The Advocate’s senior editor Daniel Reynolds will now have that title across all brands.
