© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kansas City performer KC Sunshine reflects on 'dream come true' year as Mr. Gay America 2022

A man wearing a yellow T-shirt smiles while talking at a microphone inside a radio studio. He is wearing a sparkly brooch that reads "Mr. GA 2022."
Carlos Moreno
/
KCUR 89.3
Kansas City native Aniseto Herrera-Lyell might be better known by his stage name, KC Sunshine, under which he performs as a Michael Jackson impersonator.

To some, Aniseto Herrera-Lyell is a fourth-grade teacher. To others, he's KC Sunshine, a performer known for his Michael Jackson impersonation. But to the whole country, he's Mr. Gay America 2022. Herrera-Lyell won the title in October.

In the nine months since Aniseto Herrera-Lyell was named Mr. Gay America 2022, he's spent nearly every weekend traveling the country as a performer and advocate.

He says serving as an ambassador for the LGBTQ+ community while legislators are targeting gay and trans people has made him more conscious of the way the community is represented.

"I think a lot of times people might just see the club scene and the bar scene, which is a big part of our culture and our community in the LGBTQ world," Herrera-Lyell told KCUR. "But there's also so much beauty and diversity."

  • Aniseto Herrera-Lyell (also known as KC Sunshine), Mr. Gay America 2022
Stay Connected
As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
In an era defined by the unprecedented, one thing remains certain: Kansas Citians’ passion for their hometown. As an Up To Date producer, I construct daily conversations to keep our city connected. My work analyzes big challenges and celebrates achievements to help you see your town in a new way. Email me at hallejackson@kcur.org.
No matter what happens in Washington D.C., Kansas City needs KCUR. And KCUR needs you.

Our ability to report local news — accurate, independent and paywall-free — depends on you. Donate now to support fact-based news.