Dallas Pride, to be held downtown this year for the first time, announced the grand marshals of the Pride parade — The Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison and Dallas City Council Member Chad West. The parade takes place on Main Street on Saturday, June 6 at 7 p.m.
Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison serves as the senior pastor of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Oak Lawn. She has 30 years of ministry experience, but may be best known for standing up to Gov. Greg Abbott and his order to remove the rainbow crosswalks on Cedar Springs Road by painting the steps to her church in rainbow colors.
In addition to her pastoral leadership, Rachel is the founder of Safe Spaces Lebanon, a nonprofit supporting refugee children and families. Her ministry extends beyond the local church as she advocates for migrants, asylum seekers, and those at the margins.
Her work has been recognized with honors such as the Profiles in Leadership Award from SMU and the Peacemaker of the Year Award from the Dallas Peace and Justice Center.
She was also named Dallas Voice 2025 Person of the Year.
Council Member Chad West proudly serves District 1 on the Dallas City Council, representing North Oak Cliff, where he has lived for nearly 20 years. First elected in 2019 and reelected in 2021, 2023, and 2025, he is now serving his fourth and final term.
Originally from southern Illinois, he chose Dallas for its entrepreneurial energy and welcoming LGBTQ+ community, and has built both his life and career in a city he believes should be inclusive and full of opportunity for everyone. He served as a U.S. Army officer with deployments in Europe, and later earned his law degree with honors from Texas Tech University.
In Dallas, he launched a boutique law practice and later developed small businesses across North and Central Texas, while raising his two children, Victoria and Preston.
Before joining the City Council, West served on the Dallas City Plan Commission, where he helped shape policies like inclusionary zoning and accessory dwelling units to expand housing access.
On the Council, he continues to champion walkable neighborhoods, housing affordability, parks and trails, and long-term planning that reflects the diversity of Dallas residents, including LGBTQ+ families. His work is grounded in the belief that every child and every neighbor, regardless of background or identity, deserves the same chance to thrive.
— David Taffet