Michael Weakley

Echo Hall of Fame 2011 Michael Weakley

Michael Weakly In five years with 1n10, Micheal Weakley has seen changes in the youth services agency. When he started, it was a two-person operation with about 35 people attending a weekly program. Now 1n10 has 11 staffers and interns serving up to 350 youth at programs offered five days a week at four locations around the Valley. The organization also has a drop-in house and annual gay camp. Weakley was recently promoted to deputy director, a job that includes management of staff, programs, grants and training.

BACKGROUND:: Weakley, 34, grew up in Southside, Tenn. He left home at age 17 for Nashville, followed by two years of partying that landed him in rehab by age 20. "I realized I wanted more," he said. He moved to Dallas and then Phoenix, where he worked for AIDS Project Arizona as a program coordinator. He returned to Tennessee, then studied in Sweden as part of his degree in public relations and international studies before coming back to Phoenix.

ACHEIVEMENTS:: "Six years ago, no one knew I existed," Weakley said. Now he acknowledges that he's the face of 1n10. He has frequent speaking engagements, and more often is asked to do training outside "the gay world." He recently worked with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the YMCA in an effort to match LGBT youth with LGBT mentors. "If you have an organization that serves youth, you have gay youth," he said. He's also working with high schools in Mesa and noted that a Phoenix high school that asked him to leave campus three years ago recently invited him to participate in Suicide Prevention Week presentation. Weakley was Echo Magazine's Man of the Year in 2009.

FUTURE:: Weakley said he's working toward being a motivational speaker and an advocate for self-empowerment.

PHILSOPHY:: Weakley said he gets his inspiration from Jesus Christ, Buddha and Dolly Parton. "You've got to accept people, be patient with people and love people. Those three people represent those ideas to me," he said.