RAINBOW PRIDE: Tennessee’s First Rainbow Crosswalk

TENNESSEE S FIRST RAINBOW PRIDE: ’ Rainbow CROSSWALK C Cooper-Young is celebrating Tennessee’s first rainbow crosswalk. A weekend that began with traffic signal installation at the crosswalk Saturday culminated with an opening celebration Sunday. neighborhood due to its high concentration of same-sex identifying households, according to Price. He went to the city’s newly formed Public Arts Oversight Committee, asking for by Abigail Warren “We’ve been a progressive city, and I approval for the project. Price said the cannot love this city enough for it,” Miss project can help drive visitors to MemGay Tennessee Iris LeFleur said. phis and Cooper-Young to visit and take The crosswalk in the diverse Midtown neighborhood is a source of pride for “(Memphis) has always been leading many who worked to make it a reality. the city in equality and as a beacon of Jerred Price, an advocate and former mittee members. “There was no reason city council candidate, was inspired Memphis (couldn’t) have the state’s first after he saw Atlanta’s rainbow crossrainbow crosswalk. walks, which were installed in 2017 – a photos. opportunity,” Price said he told comyear after the Pulse nightclub shooting The committee supported the project in Orlando, Florida. He said Memphis has unanimously and the mayor’s office en“led the state forward towards progresdorsed it. The rainbow walkway is the siveness.” Cooper-Young was the right first project the committee approved.

“We’re the crash dummies,” Price said.

As friends hugged him and congratulated him on the opening Sunday, he said it was an “outpouring of love” that contributed to its success.

“Are y’all excited for our crosswalk?,” LeFleur asked the crowd gathered for Sunday’s opening celebration. The response was a resounding cheer.

As part of the opening celebration, drag queens strutted amid speeches before about 100 walked across the bright colors to show their support for the visual representation of LGBTQ rights in Memphis.

Donors funded the project and will maintain it, using no taxpayer dollars, Price said.

“It’s so magical for a city that’s had so many fights for justice and equality,” he said, looking around and adding that the crosswalk represents “love compassion and inclusiveness.”

Dabney Ring, intergovernmental relations coordinator for the City of Memphis, serves as the LGBTQ liaison to Mayor Jim Strickland’s office. She said the idea became solid in May, and she praised Price’s drive for making the crosswalk happen.

If Price can raise the funds, he’d like all four sides of the Cooper-Young intersection to be painted like a rainbow to celebrate pride heritage. Those gathered Sunday cheered as he expressed the desire.

“Let’s keep leading the state in progressiveness and equality and love,” Price said.