Dallas council members, LGBT Task Force honor community leaders at 15th annual Pride and Excellence Awards

City of Dallas Council Member Omar Narvaez opened the 15th annual Pride and Excellence Awards in June, calling the event "about honoring excellence and recognizing those who help move our city forward." The ceremony, hosted by the City of Dallas LGBT Task Force, honored individual leaders, businesses and nonprofits that serve the city's LGBTQ+ community.

Narvaez introduced a land acknowledgment read by an event speaker that named the Caddo, Wichita, Cherokee, Kickapoo, Tawakoni, Comanche and Kiowa and also recognized the contributions of African American ancestors to the Dallas–Fort Worth economy. "We thank our native ancestors for taking care of this land we occupy, and we honor their history by elevating their stories and wisdom," the reader said.

Council Member Chad West, who described himself as a father, veteran and longtime advocate, framed the awards as a reminder of both progress and ongoing threats to LGBTQ+ protections: "Even when you take a few steps forward, there will be people who try to take you a few steps back," he said, urging continued visibility and organizing.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua, speaking on behalf of City Manager Kim Tolbert, noted Dallas earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index and praised the city's longrunning LGBTQ liaison program. Bazaldua also cited local fundraising, saying the city's black‑tie dinner has raised "more than $30 million" for local LGBTQ nonprofits.

Awards announced included the 2025 Pride and Excellence recipient for Outstanding Leadership and Community Impact (Kelly Drake); Arts and Culture (Ruth Thunderhawk); Business (Michelle Carpenter); Health and Human Services (the Senior Source, an organization); and Public Service (Marissa Gonzales of the Dallas County Health Department). Narvaez said Gonzales helped lead vaccination and testing outreach during COVID and mpox, and added that "her funding unfortunately got cut," a funding change he described as complicating future outreach.

A special Legacy of Leadership award recognized David Taffett for decades of LGBTQ journalism and broadcasting, including reporting for the Dallas Voice and cohosting Lambda Weekly. The Kirk Myers Hill Pioneer and Pride Award went to Odessa "OJ" Jenkins, founder of a women's professional tackle‑football league; Jenkins was en route to an away championship game and a family member accepted the award on her behalf.

Narvaez announced that Council Member Chad West and councilwoman‑elect Laura Cadena will serve as co‑chairs of the City of Dallas LGBT Task Force going forward. The program concluded with photos and a transition to music.

There were no formal votes or council actions recorded on the agenda during the ceremony.

What's next: the task force will continue to operate under the new co‑chairs; the city indicated a press release about the awardees would be distributed immediately after the event.