Miami Beach is bringing back its LGBTQ crosswalk less than six months after the Florida Department of Transportation removed the original in an overnight takedown at 12th Street and Ocean Drive.
The new installation, made from 3,606 colorful pavers salvaged from the original crosswalk, will be unveiled April 10 at 10 a.m. in nearby Lummus Park. City leaders are framing the project as a direct response to the state’s removal of a landmark that had become a symbol of Miami Beach’s LGBTQ community.
“Ripping out a crosswalk that was emblematic of Miami Beach’s embrace of our LGBTQ+ residents and visitors, at what was literally the safest intersection of Ocean Drive, was a real slap in the face to our residents and visitors,” Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt said. “It’s so important and gratifying to be able to rise above the manufactured culture wars to build something lasting, recognizing the struggle and celebrating the love that this new installation represents.”
The original crosswalk was removed in October as part of what the city described as a state crackdown on street art. Miami Beach’s replacement does not put the symbol back in the street, but it does put it back in public view, and back in the middle of Pride season.
The unveiling is part of the city’s lead-up to Miami Beach Pride, the 10-day festival that began April 2 and ends with the annual parade on April 12. Organizers estimate about 170,000 people will attend this year’s events.
Commissioner Alex J. Fernandez, the only openly gay member of the Miami Beach City Commission, said the crosswalk carries meaning far beyond decoration.
“When the State forcibly removed this crosswalk, it was our straight allies on the Miami Beach City Commission who ensured our gay community would not be pushed into the shadows. Our allies understood that this crosswalk symbolizes a history of perseverance through the stigma of HIV/AIDS, the injustice of military exclusion, workplace and housing discrimination, and the long fight for the right to marry and to build a family,” Fernandez said. “I am deeply grateful to my straight colleagues for their leadership in upholding the uncompromising values of love, compassion, and equality. It is a powerful reminder that our allies will help us overcome this moment.”
The reinstallation will also include a commemorative plaque and a bench painted by community members to honor the city’s LGBTQ legacy.
“After the crosswalk was removed, we came back stronger,” Commissioner Joe Magazine said. “This installation is Miami Beach’s answer to anyone who thought they could legislate away our community’s pride. As long as I serve this city, our LGBTQ+ residents and visitors will know they have an unwavering ally at the Commission table.”
Miami Beach has made the point pretty clearly: the state may have taken the crosswalk out of the street, but it did not get the last word.
