PACE is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance equality in Northwest Louisiana so that the LGBTQ+ community can lead open, honest, responsible, and safe lives at home and in the workplace.
We Believe
In a world where all people are free to express their gender identity and sexual orientation with pride.
☘️ March Social 🎲
Game night is calling! Join PACE for an afternoon of fun, laughter, and connection at our March Social.
📅 Saturday, March 21, 2026
⏰ 4:00–7:00 PM
📍 Lyon’s Pride Roastery
3809 Youree Dr.
Bring a favorite game to share with new and old friends.
We’ll have refreshments and snacks ready for you! 🍪☕
Come for the games, stay for the community. 🍀✨
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🏆 Gary McCollister Awarded 2025 PACE Paragon Award 🌈
Adrienne Critcher, one of PACE’s founders, had the pleasure of presenting the PACE Paragon Award to Gary McCollister at the OUTnorthLa Film Festival presented by PACE Reception, in recognition of his longtime activism on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.
Gary is a Northwestern State University graduate and has worked in accounting for various companies in Shreveport since 1981. He has a long history of advocacy work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community through his tireless service with PACE, The Philadelphia Center, and the Pink Party:
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He was an original sponsor and president for 14 years of the Pink Party, where he transformed it from a purely social gathering into a successful fundraiser, raising over $175,000 for local nonprofits including The Philadelphia Center, Easter Seals, PACE, and the LACG (LA Assoc. on Compulsive Gambling) Suicide Line.
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He is the accountant for The Philadelphia Center and received their Paul Weiss Award in 2021 for his extensive community service.
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He was a 2005 charter member of PACE, served as treasurer for 19 of PACE’s 21 years, and has chaired the film festival for 5 years, including the past 3 years. In fact, there’s hardly any aspect of PACE that Gary hasn’t been involved in—he has truly been the glue holding things together.
As everyone who knows Gary also knows, he is a connector—a master at building relationships with a wide range of people—and he uses those connections to do so much good in our community.
With grateful hearts, PACE honors Gary with this award for all he has done for all of us.
🎬 Now Streaming on YouTube! 🎬
We’re thrilled to announce that Closet2Pride is now available on YouTube! 🏳️🌈✨
Created by local filmmakers Robert Darrow and David Hylan, this powerful documentary tells the story of the LGBTQ+ community in Shreveport — from the struggles of coming out in a conservative environment to the inspiring fight for equality and acceptance. 💪🏽💖 Featuring heartfelt interviews, rare archival footage, and personal stories, Closet2Pride: Memoirs of Shreveport honors the resilience and courage of our community, past and present. 🌈🏳️⚧️
🎥 Don’t miss this important piece of local history!
🚨 New Page Alert! 🚨
Learn about the key challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in Louisiana on our new “Take Action” page, listed at the top of the menu bar (or under the three-line menu icon on mobile). 🌈
Stay informed and take action with ready-to-use letter templates you can personalize and email to legislators. Each letter includes a simple copy/paste list of email addresses for easy sending. You can also find all of the templates under “Take Action” in the menu bar. Let’s raise our voices for change! 💪
