A rainbow trail now passes through the Pride Cultural Heritage District along North Main Avenue. Its colors are now on sidewalks instead of crosswalks, after Governor Greg Abbott ordered political messages be removed from roadways.
“They may have removed the crosswalks but the community was here before the crosswalks,” said John Barker, co-owner of The Strip SA.
Many fought to keep the LGBTQIA+ symbol. San Antonio city officials even asked to have the crosswalks exempt from the order, but their request was rejected. They were forced to make the change or face funding cuts from the state.
“I think we put up a good fight, we lasted a lot longer than most cities,” said Michel Rendon, chair of the LGBTQ Advisory Board.
Right before the crosswalks were removed, a nonprofit group called Pride SA sued the city, trying to get its leaders to fight harder to keep the crosswalks, but it failed. Attendees say Sunday’s ribbon-cutting event marks progress they’ve been hoping for.
The sidewalk painting came at a cost. Councilmembers clashed over $170,000 in public works funding used for the project.
“In terms of public dollars being used for something like this, this is where I have a big problem,” said Marc Whyte.
But many speakers today say it’s money well spent, standing against discrimination.
“I think for anybody who’s not sure of their sexuality, not sure of coming out yet, they know when they come out to the strip this is where they belong,” said Michel Rendon.
“All groups in San Antonio know they are welcome here and that’s what makes San Antonio so great. We have a bunch of different groups, a bunch of different beliefs,” said Marc Whyte.
Rendon says they also made sure to add a black, brown, blue, pink and white triangle in the hopes minority and trans individuals feel welcome as well.