Dallas Southern Pride President Ahmad Goree
Dallas Southern Pride’s annual Juneteenth Unity Celebration offers a jam-packed weekend, including a Sunday brunch honoring the late Kirk Myers-Hill
MELISSA WHITLER | Dallas Voice Intern
editor@dallasvoice.com
Over this weekend, Dallas Southern Pride hosts its huge annual Juneteenth Unity Celebration. The festivities have already begun, as academic researchers, including some from Yale, gathered June 14 to discuss the topic of men who have sex with men. Presentations included information on HIV and STI prevention.
Then today (Friday, June 16) is the Health Equity Forum at the Crowne Plaza, with keynote speakers Dr. Laron Nelson and state Rep. Venton Jones.
KenTheMan
The weekend-long party officially kicks off tonight with a welcome reception at Thrive Night Club, 1015 Elm St., followed by “Houston and New Orleans Invade Dallas,” hosted by friends Nishia Da Diva and Brandon Anthony and also at Thrive.
The biggest event of weekend, the Juneteenth Unity Festival and Pool Party, happens Saturday, June 17, from 5-10 p.m. at the Samuell Grand Park and Aquatic Center, 3201 Samuell Blvd. It includes performances by Supahbadd and KenTheMan, countless vendors, food trucks, voter registration by Black Voters Matter Fund, testing for tickets and much more. This, organizers say, is an event you do not want to miss.
Saturday night finishes off with the Deviant Glow Party happening from 11 p.m.-4 a.m. at the host hotel, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1015 Elm St.
The Kirk Myers Signature Brunch and Pool Party has been a highlight of the DSP Juneteenth Unity celebrations for several years, as Myers-Hill celebrated his birthday with the event. But this weekend’s brunch will be the first since Kirk Myers-Hill, DSP’s president for 10 years, passed away unexpectedly earlier this year.
Current DSP President Ahmad Goree said he is continuing the tradition of celebrating Myers-Hill’s birthday with the brunch as a way to celebrate Myers-Hill’s legacy and to pass the torch along. DSP’s nonprofit partner, Abounding Prosperity, was founded by Myers-Hill, and that agency continues to offer support and services primarily to the South Dallas community.
Supahbadd
The brunch will take place at the Crowne Plaza from noon-4 p.m.
Sunday closes out the weekend with The Climax Sunset party at 7 p.m. at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, 300 N. Houston St. That party will include a cash bar, a DJ, and dancing.
DSP offers one final Juneteenth event this year in partnership with the Dallas NAACP Youth Council. It takes place on Tuesday, June 20, and will be an educational program hosted at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum.
With such a packed weekend and more than 10,000 people expected to attend, it’s no wonder that Goree is feeling almost overwhelmed.
Having stepped in as president only about two months ago, Goree said this he was feeling a little hesitant about it all. But he said seeing the amount of support he has received from the community has made him really optimistic and excited.
Even though it has been a lot of work, Goree feels more comfortable and confident in continuing on with DSP. He is especially excited about all of the new sponsors who signed on this year, including Coca-Cola, and the continuing support of returning sponsors.
Goree said that Myers-Hill was one of his mentors, so it is important to him to keep his mentor’s legacy alive and make Myers-Hill proud. And he is ready to get to it and enjoy all the celebrations planned for this week.
