Oakland gets first rainbow crosswalk: ‘It tells every trans, queer and non-binary person … they are welcome’

Dozens of local queer leaders, community members and allies gathered at the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center on a rainy Thursday afternoon to celebrate the unveiling of the city’s first permanent rainbow crosswalk and the second anniversary of the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.

The crosswalk was installed on Lakeshore Avenue, outside the LGBTQ center, symbolizing Oakland’s commitment to LGBTQ inclusion and visibility, the center said in a news release. Instead of paint, it is made from thermoplastic materials to ensure durability and safety.

“It tells every trans, queer and non-binary person who visits our LGBTQ district that they are welcome, seen, safe, and celebrated right here in Oakland,” said Jeff Myers, chair of the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District Committee, which plans events and does community outreach in the neighborhood.

A two-hour indoor ceremony preceded the unveiling, hosted by center co-chairs Myers and Joe Hawkins and emcee MCYB. It featured music from flutist Piedpiper KJ, singer-songwriter Cadence Myles and the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus, as well as remarks from elected officials and neighborhood business owners. 

Speakers emphasized the importance of the Lakeshore District, which was established in 2023, and the new rainbow crosswalk as markers of queer visibility in Oakland during a time of fraught messaging from the federal government. 

“The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District is more than just geography,” said Kin Folkz, a visual artist, poet and founder of the neighborhood’s Queer Arts Center. “It is the way that we refuse to disappear.”

Mayor Barbara Lee presented Lakeshore District leaders with a placard proclaiming Nov. 13 as “Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District Day.” 

“The rainbow crosswalk is a signal that you are part of the fabric of Oakland’s history and of Oakland’s future,” Lee said.

Hawkins thanked Lee for securing grant funding to support improvements at the center during her tenure in Congress. He also praised the Alameda County Supervisors for helping make up for the center’s recent loss of federal funding. The Supervisors approved $1.5 million for LGBTQ service providers, with the Oakland center getting some of that funding.

“Our city and county are helping,” Hawkins said. “I’m very confident this is more help than we’ve ever received.”

Bucking the trend

Councilmember Charlene Wang, who represents the Lakeshore District, applauded Oakland for installing the rainbow crosswalk, while lamenting the removal of such crosswalks in Florida and Texas cities. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched a “roadway safety initiative” in July, urging governors to remove “political messaging and artwork” from intersections. Following that announcement, Orlando, Miami Beach, Gainesville, and Houston removed colorful crosswalks.

“While those cities caved, we are standing strong and we are adding crosswalks,” Wang said.

Megan Wier, an assistant director at the city’s Transportation Department, told Oakland North that the city worked with the LGBTQ center and Councilmember Rowena Brown’s office on a design that reflected diversity but also followed Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

After the ceremony, everyone shuffled out of the building and into the rain for the crosswalk unveiling. Onlookers clustered under tents to watch Lee, Myers and Brown cut a ceremonial red ribbon, flanked by members of the Lakeshore District committee and the Transportation Department. 

Oakland resident Darron Lewis said he was overjoyed to be there. Lewis, whose boyfriend works for the LGBTQ center, recently moved from Seattle and expressed his admiration for Oakland. 

“It’s an adaptable place,” Lewis said. “There’s nothing more queer than a rainy day in Oakland.”

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