Daniel James via Unsplash
Dallas’ Mayor and City Council members celebrated the 2024 Pride in Excellence Awards Reception on Wednesday, June 5, in honor of Pride Month. The event, which featured speeches from Council Member Omar Narvaez, State Representative HD 100 Venton Jones, and the City’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, presented awards to LGBTQIA+ leaders in civic engagement, business, public service, philanthropy, and arts and culture.
The awards were given to community leaders who made significant contributions to their respective fields. Among the recipients was Gary Sanchez, Director of Public Affairs at Visit Dallas, who received the Adam Medrano Excellence in Leadership Award. Sanchez, a native of Laredo, Texas, has over 15 years of experience in public relations and marketing. His role at Visit Dallas involves fostering relationships with stakeholders and community partners, as well as leading the organization’s government affairs, and advocating for policies to keep Texas an inclusive destination for all.
The Kirk Myers-Hill Pioneer in PRIDE Award was given to Tamara Stephany, Chief Executive Officer of Abounding Prosperity, Inc. Stephany leads a non-profit organization that addresses social, economic, and health disparities among Black Americans, particularly marginalized communities. She has over two decades of experience in healthcare and has served medically underserved populations.
The Shindig, a food park in East Dallas, was awarded for Outstanding Leadership in Business. Run by Kam and Teri De Leon, the park has revitalized the area by providing a location for community gatherings and forging partnerships with small businesses.
Jeff Strater, an advocate for social justice and civic engagement, received an award for Outstanding Leadership in Civic Engagement. Strater has been elected to the State Democratic Executive Committee six times, making him one of the longest-serving LGBTQIA+ members in the history of the Texas Democratic Party. He’s also an Assistant Director of Global Innovation Strategic Programs and Marketing at EY.
The Outstanding Leadership in Arts and Culture was posthumously awarded to Jesse Tafalla and also awarded to Pedro Perez II, founder and director of Alegre Ballet Folklórico. The Outstanding Leadership in Health and Human Services Award was given to Jalenzski Brown, who works with the primary LGBT and AIDS service organization in North Texas.
Judge Katie Sprinkle received the Outstanding Leadership in Public Service Award. Lastly, the award for Outstanding Leadership in Philanthropy was given to Keith Pomykal, a generous sponsor of various charitable organizations.
Read More About This
Read More Texas News
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
This story was generated in part by AI and edited by The Courier DFW staff.
READ MORE: Queer doulas make childbirth safer for Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ people, but barriers remain
