Dallas Southern Pride Names New COO, Director of Engagement in the Runup to Juneteenth Unity Weekend

Dallas Southern Pride, a premier organization hosting pride events throughout the Dallas area, announced that Ahmad Goree, its former director of public affairs, will assume the role of chief operations officer and director of engagement.

Goree succeeds the late Kirk Myers-Hill, who was president of Dallas Southern Pride. Myers-Hill died in April.

“We are deeply saddened by the untimely death of Kirk Myers-Hill, our colleague and friend. While we mourn his passing, we’re committed to honoring his memory through our continued work to promote equality and justice for all,” Goree said in a statement. “I am honored to help carry out and lead the important work that my mentor and our former leader started. Dallas Southern Pride has an important role to play in making sure Dallas is creating spaces that are equitable while also generating an economic impact every year.”

Dallas Southern Pride said that Goree brings a wealth of experience and expertise to help it build on its past successes and achieve even greater impact in the future.

Goree has served as DSP’s director of public affairs since 2016. He has connected the organization to local, state, and federal officials and brought in sponsors such as the Dallas Mavericks, Hilton, VisitDallas, AT&T, and others.

Among his accolades, Goree was named a Dallas Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree and Public Relations Society 40 under 40 in 2022. In 2021, he was recognized as the Mayor of Dallas’ LGBT Taskforce Leader of the Year, LGBT Chamber of Commerce Community Leader of the Year, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leader, and Fort Worth Business Press Emerging Leader.

Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration June 15-20

In honor of advancing Myers-Hill’s legacy, Dallas Southern Pride also announced that the Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration will be held June 15-20, with the Crowne Plaza as the official host hotel. Sponsorship opportunities remain open, the organization said.

Businesses, organizations, and individuals can partner with the organization to support these important initiatives and promoting diversity, inclusion, and social justice in the community, Dallas Southern Pride said. A lineup of events will be announced soon.

Myers-Hill conceived the idea of the Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration, the official annual celebration for Black communities to come together and celebrate their contributions to both American and Black culture, liberation, and community.

The Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration offers family-oriented events for the entire community. It’s been a staple in the city of Dallas during Pride Month since 2008.

The 2023 Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration also establishes the celebration becoming the new official Black Pride Weekend.

Since its inception, Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration has helped unify the community, celebrated freedom, provided a safe space for community gathering, and infused millions of dollars into the local economy, the organization said.

Marking other historic moments

Dallas Southern Pride said the event and leadership team also created other historic moments for the city of Dallas. As a result, the HIV positivity rate dropped below 10% for the first time in the event’s history among more than 200 attendees tested; the Dallas Police Department held a recruitment drive prioritizing LGBTQ+ applicants; the Dallas skyline was lighted in the Juneteenth and Black Pride colors, and The Dallas Southern Pride Official Pride flag was debuted and flown at the Sheraton Market Center.

Sponsors for 2023 include Gilead Sciences, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, and Abounding Prosperity Inc.

A portion of the proceeds from Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration will be used to support the free health and wellness programs of its partner agencies, which offset the cost of essential services to Black and Brown communities, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ communities and their families in the DFW area.