Next-Generation LGBTQ Dallas Leaders to Take the Stage at the Rose Room

DALLAS - EntSun -- The Dallas Way presents Outrageous Oral: Dallas LGBTQ Leaders in the Making on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rose Room at S4 (doors open at 6:00 p.m.), bringing together four emerging voices whose work is helping shape the future of LGBTQ life in Dallas and featuring speakers Christopher Walker, Haley Ablon, Vinnie DeLuna, and Javier Enriquez.

Dallas LGBTQ Leaders in the Making explores how the next generation of leaders is advancing community in Dallas through advocacy, public health, law, Pride organizing, and inclusive social spaces. Together, these panelists exemplify how the next generation is carrying on the rich history of service, civic engagement, and institution-building in LGBTQ Dallas.

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"Dallas has always moved forward because people were willing to step up, speak out, and build something better," said Steve Atkinson, president of The Dallas Way. "These four leaders represent the energy, commitment, and imagination that continue to move our community forward."

Atkinson added, "Outrageous Oral has always been about preserving the voices that shape Dallas. This program reminds us that history is not only something we remember, but something still being made."

The featured panelists bring distinct but connected perspectives. Walker's work in community engagement and public health, Ablon's leadership in the legal profession, DeLuna's role in Pride visibility and celebration, and Enriquez's advocacy and community-building efforts each reflect the many ways LGBTQ leadership is taking shape across Dallas today.

Part of The Dallas Way's longstanding Outrageous Oral series, the event continues the organization's mission to preserve and share the stories, struggles, and achievements of Dallas's LGBTQ community. The Dallas Way gathers, organizes, stores, and presents the LGBTQ history of Dallas through archives, oral histories, and public programs.