Best Local Influencer: Chris Devonte Cavanaugh
Better known as @chrisinthebigd across TikTok and Instagram, Cavanaugh shines with an infectious passion for exploring the city of Dallas. Cavanaugh offers up his thoughts and opinions on all things Dallas, from area events to queer community spotlights off the beaten path.
His knack for snappy video content is quickly establishing this creator as a genuine voice promoting parts of life in Dallas — both seen and unseen. @ChrisInTheBigD @TheDevontee
Editor’s Choice, Best Local Community Ally:
Kevin Miller
Every year when Readers Voice Awards time rolls around, there is one specific award in one specific category that we can be almost certain we know who will win: Friendliest Bar Staff is going to go to the staff at The Round-Up Saloon. Why is that, though?
They say that a business’ attitude and atmosphere and environment tends to depend largely on the attitude and atmosphere created at the top of the company food chain. In other words, a good boss leads to happy employees, and happy employees treat customers well.
That shines a very bright light on the Round-Up’s owner/operator Kevin Miller.
While the Round-Up’s regulars probably already know this, a lot of people likely don’t realize that Miller is not LGBTQ+. He’s a straight man, married to a lovely woman, April, with whom he has two sons. So how did he end up owning and operating one of the most iconic queer country-western bars in the country? Well, that goes back to his two dads.
Kevin Miller is the son of Gary Miller and Alan Pierce, the longtime owners of the Round-Up who both spent years as businessmen, community leaders and activists in the LGBTQ+ community. But being the previous owners’ son doesn’t mean Kevin Miller was just handed the keys to his dads’ two-stepping empire. He worked his way up the ladder.
Kevin Miller started his adult work life as an administrator in the healthcare field. But in 2000, he set that aside to go to work as a bartender at The Round-Up. And the next 17 years gave him plenty of time to learn the ropes, so that when his fathers decided to retire, they could hand the business to him, knowing it would be in good — and very capable — hands.
But Kevin Miller doesn’t just invest his time and focus in his own business. He is active and productive member of the LGBTQ+ community without being an LGBTQ+ person himself.
He has been president of the Cedar Springs Merchants Association since the organization reorganized and relaunched last year. He has also been active in Dallas Pride, and has worked closely with other local Pride organizations — Pride in Dallas, Texas Latino Pride.
That’s not even mentioning all the many community organizations that turn to Kevin Miller and The Round-Up when they need somewhere to hold a fundraising event.
It would be one thing for a straight man to come into this community with the goal of making money off the people here. Kevin Miller could easily have done just that. Instead, he has stepped forward to support this community in every way he can. His fathers left him in charge of their legend and their legacy. And he hasn’t let them down.
That’s why we named Kevin Miller Editor’s Choice — Best Local Community Ally in the 2026 Readers Voice Awards.
— Tammye Nash
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Best in Metro
Best Local Nonprofit
Cathedral of Hope UCC
5910 Cedar Springs Road
CathedralOfHope.com
214-351-1901
Best LGBTQ+ Fundraiser/Event
BearDance
BearDance.org
Best Local Community Role Model
DeeJay Johannessen, CEO
HELP Center for LGBTQ+ Health
HELPCenterTx.org
817-332-7722
Best Activist/Organizer
The Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison, senior pastor
Oak Lawn United Methodist Church
3014 Oak Lawn Ave.
OLUMC.org
214-521-5197
Best Volunteer Opportunity
Cathedral of Hope UCC
5910 Cedar Springs Road
CathedralOfHope.com
214-351-1901
Best Local Influencer
Chris Devonte Cavanaugh/ChrisInTheBigD
Instagram.com/TheDevontee
TikTok.com/@TheDevontee
Best Content Creator
Larry The Fairy
Instagram.com/LarryTheFairy
YouTube.com/@LarryTheFairy
Facebook.com/LarryTheFairy
TikTok.com/@LarryTheFairyTx
Best Local Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
1717 N. Harwood St.
DMA.org
214-922-1200
Best Local LGBTQ+ Sports Organization
Lost Souls Rugby
Facebook.com/LostSoulsRFC
Best Local Community Ally
Kevin Miller, owner/operator
Round-Up Saloon
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