Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic

Michael Weakley

KJZZ partners with the Arizona Republic to bring you the Arizona Storytellers series. We record the live events and share them with you on the radio. In Phoenix, the storytellers sometimes share stories about our community or the life events that have shaped them in general. Megan Finnerty is the creator of the series. 

Michael Weakley grew up poor in a tiny town. As an adult, he moved to Phoenix to become a community leader.

A few years ago, his grandmother died and left him an inheritance. Shortly after, his sister took her own life. He decided to leave Phoenix with his partner to escape his grief.

Michael Weakley now works as a gay youth advocate in Portland.

You can hear more stories like this at our next night of live storytelling.

→ Hear More Arizona Storytellers