Atlanta makes rainbow crosswalks permanent as a symbol of unity

A vibrant visual symbol of pride will remain a permanent part of the urban fabric in Atlanta, Georgia. For Atlanta Pride Week 2015, rainbow crosswalks were installed at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue, and this week on the anniversary of the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting, Mayor Kasim Reed made the colorful crosswalks permanent.

The intersection of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street in Atlanta’s Midtown is considered a hub for the LGBTQ community in the city, so Reed said it was fitting the location should feature the rainbow flag. He announced the decision one year after the shooting in Orlando, Florida in which 49 people lost their lives.

Reed said in a statement, “For the past year, Atlanta has grieved alongside Orlando. Our city has rallied around our LGBT community, and we have not shied from demonstrating our unity and solidarity. And with this spirit, I cannot think of a more important time to reaffirm our unwavering and unqualified support for our LGBTQ residents…We must never forget that love defeats hate, and light defeats the darkness.”

Over 22,200 people to date have signed a petition requesting the city make the rainbow crosswalks permanent. Advocate Sarah Rose, who started the petition, said the community has been vocal about their desire to keep the rainbow crosswalks in place. Reed said symbols of unity matter, and he would keep the crosswalks year-round “in recognition of the outstanding and ongoing contributions of Atlanta’s LGBTQ community to our city.”

Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, who’s currently campaigning for the role of mayor in the 2017 election, told local channel WSB-TV in May, “I believe this is a model for what we can do for the entire city. There are neighborhoods that may want to show their neighborhood spirit at a particular intersection and this can be the model.”