Exchange PRIDE Invites Associates to Participate in Dallas Pride Festival and Parade
For the fifth year, members of Exchange special emphasis program Exchange PRIDE (People Respecting Individuality, Diversity & Equality) will participate in Dallas Pride, the city’s biggest annual Pride event, which takes place June 1-2 at Dallas’ Fair Park.
On June 1, the Exchange will have a booth at the festival, where associates will hand out Exchange branded items and inform attendees about Veterans shopping privileges, ApplyMyExchange.com, the MILITARY STAR card and other Exchange benefits.
Dallas-Fort Worth Exchange associates will also participate in the Dallas Pride Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade on June 2 in Fair Park. Any associate, retiree, associate’s family or friend who is able to attend and show their support for the Exchange is welcome to join PRIDE during the parade, which starts at 2 p.m.
Any associates who plan to walk in the parade should try to arrive before noon. Golf carts will be available for associates who have issues with walking. Water and snacks will be available for associates who join the parade.
“The festival and parade are fun events that celebrate inclusion and equality,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Dr. Patrick Oldenburgh Jr., PRIDE’s executive champion. “These are family events, and all are welcome. The Exchange has an inclusive culture, and participating in Dallas Pride and in Pride Month is a way of honoring the Exchange team’s diverse backgrounds and perspectives.”
You can view photos from previous festivals and parades here.
The festival and the month of June celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their allies, creating an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome to attend.
The Dallas Pride Music Festival will take place 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on June 1 at the Dallas’ Fair Park. The festival will feature food and about two dozen performing acts across three stages. Tickets are $10 for ages 13-64 and $8 for 65 and over. Children 12 and under are free. Advance tickets ($10 plus fees) are available here.
The Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade is scheduled from 2 to 4:30 p.m. o June 2, and will feature more than 150 entries.Admission to the parade is free, but Fair Park parking is $10. For more information, go here.
This marks the fifth time that the Exchange has had a standalone presence at the festival and parade. In 2018, about 30 associates walked with the Human Rights Campaign, but in 2019, the Exchange registered its own spot. More than 40 associates from headquarters and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth staffed a booth and/or marched in the parade.
In 2020 and 2021, the festival and parade were canceled because of COVID concerns, but it returned in 2022 and Exchange associates have participated ever since.
In addition to the festival and the parade, PRIDE has planned a lunch-and-learn scheduled for June. Speaker, topic and date are to be announced.
To learn more about PRIDE and other Exchange special emphasis programs, visit the Exchange HUB here. If you’d like to join a special emphasis program, click here.
