By Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine Staff

For nearly a decade, Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine has amplified the stories of Southern Nevada’s LGBTQIA+ community, spotlighting artists, entertainers, advocates, resources, and the everyday heroes who shape our culture. Now, Las Vegas PRIDE is taking that mission from the page to the mic with the launch of the Las Vegas PRIDE Podcast.

Spearheaded by newly crowned Mr. Las Vegas PRIDE 2026, Meliton Kleiner-Lai, and co-hosted by Las Vegas PRIDE Program Director Megan Sanchez, the podcast is poised to become a vibrant new platform for connection, conversation, and community storytelling.

A Natural Next Step

According to Sanchez, the idea was an easy “yes” from the start.

“Our newest Mr. Las Vegas PRIDE, Meliton Kleiner-Lai, proposed kickstarting a podcast,” she shares. “It felt like a perfect way to get more connected by providing another platform to share our stories.”

Meliton Kleiner-Lai and Megan Sanchez

At its core, the podcast expands the longstanding mission of Las Vegas PRIDE: to share stories and amplify LGBTQIA+ voices. While the magazine has carried that torch for nine years, the podcast offers something different: real-time dialogue, laughter, vulnerability, and the kind of organic conversation that can only happen when people sit down face-to-face.

“The Podcast is a natural next step,” Sanchez explains. “It allows us to amplify the stories within our community and connect on a deeper level.”

Broadcasting Diversity

Success for the first year? In one word: diversity.

“We want to broadcast diversity,” Sanchez says. “A year from now, we hope our catalog of episodes showcases every letter in LGBTQIA+ and its allies.”

That commitment means intentionally inviting voices that have historically been underrepresented in Southern Nevada media: Black, Latino, Lesbian, Trans men and women, kink communities, and alternative lifestyles. And not just one representative voice from each group.

“One individual doesn’t define a community,” she emphasizes. “We want multiple perspectives.”

Meliton echoes that vision, noting that true representation helps break down stigma and erase boundaries. By creating a platform where every voice is equally valued, what he describes as a space where tone and perspective are equally represented, the podcast aims to help different segments of the community better understand one another.

“So much stigma comes from not being exposed to real-life stories,” Sanchez adds. “If we create safe spaces to ‘go there,’ no matter the topic, we can move closer to a culture of diversity and acceptance.”

Humor, Heart, and Honest Dialogue

Listeners can expect a show that reflects the complexity of the community itself: a mix of humor and seriousness, celebration and advocacy.

“We understand we live in strange times,” Meliton says. “There’s a lot of political drama surrounding us. So we would like to create a space where we can discuss these events while having fun with them.”

No two episodes will be the same. Some may be lighthearted and playful. Others may go deep into challenging conversations. The philosophy is simple: follow the guest.

“We go where the conversation leads us,” he explains. “We try not to overregulate. We are here for our community, and whatever our guest would like to talk about is where the conversation will go.”

The set itself reflects that warmth and flexibility. The newly created studio was designed to feel less like a production set and more like “a couple of friends hanging out.” The goal? Make every guest feel like they’re at home, safe, authentic, and open.

A Uniquely “Viva Las Vegas” Platform

What makes this podcast distinctly Las Vegas?

“Most of our guests will be local people,” Meliton says. “We are focusing on local LGBTQIA+ individuals’ experiences and stories and how they affect their everyday lives. This makes our podcast ‘Viva Las Vegas.’”

In the lead-up to PRIDE weekend, the hosts hope to spotlight local entertainers and artists featured at Las Vegas PRIDE, giving audiences a deeper understanding of their craft and purpose before they hit the stage.

Future plans already include expanded video content, conversations with board members about where Las Vegas PRIDE is headed, and even special segments featuring Mrs. Las Vegas PRIDE. And yes, the possibility of live recordings, town halls, and event tie-ins is absolutely on the table.

“We’re just getting started,” Sanchez says. “But we already see so many possibilities.”

A Partnership Built on Perspective

Part of what makes the podcast dynamic is the contrast between its hosts.

Their diverse perspectives, as a gay man and a straight woman, as an immigrant and a born-and-raised Las Vegan, as a current college student and a UNLV alum, as Mr. Las Vegas PRIDE 2026 and the organization’s Program Director, create a balanced, thoughtful dialogue that mirrors the broader community.

Sanchez is candid about her role.

“As a married, cis, white, straight female, on the outside I seem to be the last to be prepared for conversations championing our LGBTQIA+ community,” she says. “But I’m a passionate believer that when it comes to rights, any less for one of us is less for all of us.”

Having volunteered with Las Vegas PRIDE for a decade before stepping into her full-time role, she understands both the heart of the organization and the importance of allyship rooted in listening.

For Meliton, the podcast is deeply personal.

When he first moved to Las Vegas, he knew little about PRIDE or the local LGBTQIA+ community. Each conversation he had became a lesson; eye-opening, affirming, and transformative.

“I wanted to ask the questions I had before,” he says, “and the questions the community still has; and give a platform for those questions to be answered.”

A Time Capsule of Resiliency

If the Las Vegas PRIDE Podcast becomes a time capsule of the community in 2026 and beyond, the hosts hope it captures two things: resiliency and connection.

“I hope it captures the resiliency of our community that I see every day,” Sanchez says. “And I hope it captures the amazing sense of community that so many say Las Vegas lacks.”

For Meliton, PRIDE at this chapter of his life means “family, acceptance, and the future.”

“We are here for all of you, no matter how you identify,” he says. “If you see us at any event, feel free to stop by and talk with us. I promise we don’t bite.”

Join the Conversation

The first episodes, initially recorded as a trial run, were so special that they inspired the creation of a full studio. By the time you’re reading this, those early conversations may already be live on YouTube and streaming platforms.

Community members interested in getting involved as guests, collaborators, or supporters are encouraged to email [email protected].

Whether you’re tuning in for inspiration, information, or simply to “have a ball” along the way, one thing is clear: the Las Vegas PRIDE Podcast isn’t just another show. It’s an invitation.

An invitation to listen.
An invitation to share.
An invitation to belong.

This article was originally published in the 2026 Women & LGBTQIA+ Visibility Issue of Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine, and can be read in its original format here.