This Way Out’s Associate Producer Lucia Chappelle, who co-founded the only internationally-distributed LGBTQ weekly radio program with Coordinating Producer Greg Gordon, was honored at Founders Metropolitan Community Church (FMCC) on April 22, 2018. This Way Out is celebrating 30 years on the air this month. The presentation was given by FMCC Board Vice-Moderator Dean Coffey, Board Member Roger Owens, and LGBTQ audio archivist Brian DeShazor, who has been coordinating 30th Anniversary events.
Lucia has been involved in FMCC since 1972, and first began doing queer radio with Greg in 1975. Both of them were among the anchors for the live radio broadcast of the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979.
Metropolitan Community Church was founded in Los Angeles in 1968 by the Rev. Troy Perry to serve LGBTQ people, nine months before Stonewall and long before the advent of “open and affirming” churches and synagogues. Nearing its 50th anniversary, MCC has become an international movement, arguably the largest LGBTQ organization in the world.