June 23, 2026

Greetings!

Pride Is a Commitment, Not Just a Celebration

It’s Pride Month, and our Chief Community Impact Officer, Robert Salcido Jr., recently joined Progress Texas on their Happy Hour podcast to discuss what it takes to build and sustain LGBTQ+ communities across Texas.

Pride is more than a parade it’s a movement. And movements require resources.

In this conversation, Robert shares why investing in LGBTQ+ community centers and grassroots organizations is more critical than ever amid ongoing attacks on queer and trans Texans. He also highlights innovative efforts expanding community support, addressing HIV stigma and healthcare access, and strengthening the organizations doing the work on the ground every day.

As Robert shared during the episode:

“Pride Month reminds me that progress has always been powered by community. The parades and festivals are important because visibility is important, but Pride has always been rooted in community. At Texas Pride Community Foundation, we believe philanthropy is most powerful when it strengthens the people already doing the work. Pride isn’t just a celebration—it’s a commitment to each other. Not just during the month of June, but all year long, for years to come, and for generations to come.” —Robert Salcido Jr., Chief Community Impact Officer, Texas Pride Community Foundation

Listen to the full Progress Texas Happy Hour podcast with Tatum Owens here.

Building a Legacy of Hope in Texas: David Perkins' Commitment to Future Generations

When David Perkins thinks about legacy, he keeps it simple.

"I want to do things that will make it easier for the people that come after me."

It's a philosophy that has guided his life, his career, and now his philanthropy.

A successful psychotherapist who has spent much of his adult life in New York City, David recently made a significant commitment to the future of LGBTQ+ Texans by including Texas Pride Community Foundation in his estate plans. His planned gift will eventually establish an endowment focused on supporting LGBTQ+ communities in North Texas, particularly in Sherman, Texas, the small town where he grew up.

For David, this commitment is deeply personal.

Raised in a religious family in Sherman, he remembers what it felt like to be a young gay person without resources, support, or visible community.

"I felt very isolated," he recalled.

While David ultimately found opportunity, acceptance, and community elsewhere, he never forgot the challenges he experienced growing up in Texas. Today, he sees a stark contrast between the resources available in places like New York and those available in many Texas communities.

"New York has a lot more resources and a much more progressive political environment," David says. "Texas needs the resources."

That belief led him to Texas Pride Community Foundation and to organizations like Grayson Pride, which serves LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Grayson County.

"He is very grateful that Texas Pride Community Foundation exists and that organizations like Grayson Pride exist in small little Sherman, Texas."

David's support extends far beyond his estate plans managed by Texas Pride. In addition to making annual contributions to Texas Pride Community Foundation's general fund, he has personally funded 100 percent of the lease for Grayson Pride's physical space for the past two years, helping ensure that LGBTQ+ community members in the region have a safe and welcoming place to gather, connect, and access resources.

His commitment reflects a broader belief that philanthropy should meet people where they are and support communities that often have the fewest resources available to them.

That perspective was shaped by David's own experiences after moving to New York. There, he found connection and support through the city's LGBTQ community center, participating in programs, social groups, and a community that helped him build meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging.

Those experiences left a lasting impression.

When David learned that Sherman had a growing LGBTQ+ community center and organizations working to create the kinds of opportunities and support systems that had been so meaningful in his own life, he immediately recognized a tangible way to give back.

"I knew it was a specific way I could be helpful."

His hope is that other LGBTQ+ people especially those who may no longer live in Texas but still feel connected to the communities that shaped them will consider doing the same.

"I would encourage other folks who don't live in Texas to invest in the LGBTQ community in Texas."

Through his planned gift, annual giving, and direct support of local organizations, David is helping create a future where LGBTQ Texans in small towns and rural communities have access to the resources, support, and community he once lacked.

That is the legacy he hopes to leave behind—not recognition or accolades, but opportunity.

A future where the next generation finds community sooner, feels less isolated, and knows they belong.

And because of David's generosity and vision, that future is already taking shape.

Four Years Strong With Southwest Airlines

We’re proud to recognize our Corporate Airline Partner, Southwest Airlines, for renewing its sponsorship for a fourth year, helping Texas Pride Community Foundation extend its reach and impact in LGBTQ+ communities across Texas.

2026 Community Impact Grant Cycle Now Open

Reminder: Texas Pride Community Foundation's 2026 Community Impact Grant cycle is officially opened through August 1, 2026.

Detailed information about eligibility requirements, funding priorities, our information session slide deck, and sample application can be found on our website.

Questions: please email Robert Salcido, Jr., Chief Community Impact Officer

Building Our Next Chapter Together

Questions? Ideas? Comments? We are all ears. 

Write to us at info@TexasPrideCF.org.