Funeral services for Myers-Hill set; Saturday vigil for co-founder of LGBTQ nonprofit

Funeral services for Kirk Myers-Hill, the CEO of Abounding Prosperity Inc. who was found unresponsive Tuesday morning, have been scheduled, along with a community vigil. The LGBTQ nonprofit has also appointed its former chief operating officer in his place.

A community vigil and balloon release will take place Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Irene H. Trigg Myers Prosperity Park, 2215 Warren Ave., according to a news release.

Funeral services are April 14 at 11 a.m. at Cathedral of Hope, 5910 Cedar Springs Road. Visitation will be Thursday, 5 to 8 p.m., at The Hall of State at Fair Park, 3939 Grand Ave.

Tamara Stephney is stepping in after the death of co-founder and community advocate Myers-Hill after she was unanimously appointed by the board of directors Tuesday. She has worked with Myers-Hill for 12 years at Abounding Prosperity, a southern Dallas-based nonprofit that advocates for the health of the LGBTQ community, and says she considered him her best friend.

For over 20 years, Stepheny has worked in public health, specifically for Black and Latino populations in the South.

“I am truly honored and privileged to have worked alongside Mr. Kirk Myers-Hill for the past 12 years. The best way to honor his memory is to continue the work and carry his legacy forward,” Stephney said in a news release. “I will continue that work, the work to fulfill the mission of Abounding Prosperity Inc. and the vision of Mr. Kirk Myers Hill.”

Myers-Hill co-founded Abounding Prosperity in 2005 alongside his mother Irene H. Trigg-Myers, who died in 2018. The organization provides health care resources including HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted illnesses and hepatitis C screenings. It also has educational and outreach programs that target the wellness of Black families. Myers-Hill recently led efforts to rename and revamp Kimble Park in Queen City to the Irene H. Trigg-Myers Prosperity Park in South Dallas.

Myers-Hill’s cause of death has not been determined, but according to the medical examiner, an autopsy was performed April 4.