Ahmad Goree

Ahmad Goree, former director of public affairs for Dallas Southern Pride has been named chief operations officer and director of engagement for the organization, effective immediately. Dallas Southern Pride is the organization that puts on the DFW LGBTQ community’s annual Juneteenth weekend celebration each June.

Goree succeeds the late Kirk Myers-Hill, who was president of Dallas Southern Pride. Myers-Hill, founder of Abounding Prosperity Inc., passed away unexpectedly on April 4.

Goree has worked side-by-side with Myers-Hill for several years in the Dallas Southern Pride organization, and he “brings a wealth of experience and expertise to help the organization build on its past successes and achieve even greater impact in the future,” noted a press release announcing his new position. Goree has been DSP’s director of public affairs since 2016, helping connect the organization to local, state and federal officials and bringing in sponsors such as the Dallas Mavericks, Hilton, VisitDallas, AT&T and others.

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

“We are deeply saddened by the untimely death of Kirk Myers-Hill, our colleague and friend. While we mourn his passing, we are committed to honoring his memory through our continued work to promote equality and justice for all,” Goree said. “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.”

DSP also announced today that the Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration will take still take place June 15-20, with the Crowne Plaza as the official host hotel offering special rates for Juneteenth Unity Weekend attendees. Sponsorship opportunities remain open, and businesses, organizations and individuals are invited to partner with DSP in supporting the event which “promotes diversity, inclusion, and social justice in our community.”

Watch for a lineup of events to be announced soon.

“An idea birthed by … Myers-Hill, the Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration is the official annual celebration for Black communities to come together and celebrate their contributions to both American and Black culture, liberation and community,” today’s press release saidl “The Juneteenth Unity Weekend Celebration is a family-oriented celebration with events and programming for the entire community.  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 made a positive impact in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex by unifying the community, celebrating freedom, providing a safe space for community gathering and infusing millions of dollars into the local economy,” the press release continues. “Recent years brought thousands of visitors to the Metroplex and sold-out host and overflow hotels. Ticket sales more than doubled for the 2022 event and generated more than $3.7 million dollars for local businesses, impacting consumer sales across multiple industries including airlines, hotels, ground transportation, food, and clothing.

“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 percent 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.

“Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a collaborative celebration made possible by the support of the many companies and organizations that share the collective vision for this impactful event that advances the entire Black family and social justice movements and celebrates unity and peace. 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 offsets the cost of essential services to Black and Brown communities, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ communities and their families in the DFW metroplex.”

For more information on how to become a sponsor, visit the Dallas Southern Pride website.

— Tammye Nash