88R33254 BK-D
By: Neave Criado H.R. No. 2459
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Celebrating its 40th year, Dallas Pride is taking
place on June 3 and 4, 2023, and this occasion provides a fitting
opportunity to reflect on the central role the event has played in
the rich history of the city's LGBTQ+ community; and
WHEREAS, In 1972, just three years after the Stonewall Riots
in New York City became the catalyst for the worldwide gay rights
movement, Dallas's first gay pride parade took place in the city's
downtown; around 300 participants marched through the streets, and
the gathering drew approximately 3,000 attendees; and
WHEREAS, The inaugural parade was a strong show of unity for
the city's emerging LGBTQ+ community, but despite its success, a
second event didn't take place until 1980, when ad hoc committees of
local leaders and merchants began staging the parade in the Oak Lawn
neighborhood; in 1982, the newly established Dallas Tavern Guild
took charge of the event, naming it the Texas Freedom Parade; a key
figure in the growth of the gathering was Alan Ross, the guild's
longtime executive director, and the parade was first named in his
honor in 1991; Mr. Ross passed away in 1995; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, the event has maintained a
joyful, high-spirited atmosphere where individuality is embraced
and people from all walks of life are welcomed, though more somber
reflections have been part of the experience as well; as the AIDS
crisis deepened in the mid-1980s, the Tavern Guild began dedicating
the parade to members of the organization who had died of the
disease during the previous year, and the 2001 gathering included a
tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that had taken
place less than two weeks before; and
WHEREAS, The parade has frequently served as a means to
commemorate important court rulings and other developments that
have signaled progress in the quest for diversity and
inclusiveness; moreover, an increasing number of elected officials
and candidates have made appearances at Dallas Pride in recent
decades, reflecting a growing awareness of the importance of the
LGBTQ+ community in civic affairs; since 2019, Dallas Pride has
taken place at Fair Park, and it now encompasses two days of
activities, with a festival augmenting the parade; and
WHEREAS, Dallas Pride has grown and evolved alongside the
LGBTQ+ community's decades-long struggle for equality and
acceptance, and the event is indeed deserving of special
recognition as it marks this 40-year milestone in its history; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate Dallas Pride 2023 and extend to all
those in attendance sincere best wishes for a meaningful and
memorable experience.