In August 2025, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the removal of about 400 "non-standard" pieces of street art. Most of these were rainbow, Pride-themed crosswalks and murals. This happened even though they had received state approval when first installed.
The new policy became very clear when the DeSantis administration painted over a rainbow crosswalk outside Orlando’s Pulse nightclub. Forty-nine people were killed there in a 2016 shooting.
Community members then repainted the tribute themselves. Many cities tried to resist removing their colorful crosswalks. However, most cities complied in the following months due to threats of losing state funding.
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Start Your News DetoxCreating a "Rainbow Connection"
Communities have not simply accepted this removal. Trina Gregory, who owns the Orlando restaurant Se7enbites, is one person leading the resistance.
When the mandate came from DeSantis’s office, Gregory organized an event called “Parking Spaces for Pride: A Rainbow Connection.” She shared on social media, “Life is so fleeting and too beautiful to let bad moments ruin our joy. So we are celebrating community instead!”
Gregory invited people to use the Se7enbites parking lot, which is private property. There, they could paint LGBTQ+ themed murals. These murals will change each year.
Photo courtesy of Kelso/Instagram
Gregory told the Associated Press in September that "Art has always been a form of resistance and healing." She added, "If they want to erase symbols of pride and acceptance, then we’ll create even more of them. This isn’t just about paint; it’s about community, visibility, and love.”
Over 1,000 people showed interest in Parking Spaces for Pride. It became a lively event with music, food trucks, and donations for people needing essentials. Volunteers helped create the murals.
Forty-nine parking spaces were painted, one for each life lost in the Pulse Nightclub shooting. Gregory noted it was more than just a memorial. She told the Orlando Sentinel that it was a remembrance, but also about "joy, about bringing joy back.”
Photo courtesy of Sophi Luci/Instagram
Gregory explained she didn't want to downplay the loss of the original crosswalks. Instead, she wanted to offer an alternative and a way to turn feelings into a new, joyful tradition.
An artist named Tiger Eggs shared on social media, “Being out in my community and pulling art straight from our hearts to share with each other was such a wonderful and very special moment to be a part of.”
Photo courtesy of Tiger Eggs/Instagram
Looking Ahead
Other cities have also found creative ways to address the Pride crosswalk bans. Some have painted sidewalks, added rainbow bike racks, or even shined rainbow lasers into the sky.
Because Gregory's new artworks are on private property, she believes they should not be affected by Department of Transportation rules. She hopes to make Parking Spaces for Pride an annual event.
Gregory is currently enjoying the positive feedback from the 2025 gathering. She has received thank you messages and postcards from people worldwide, which are now displayed in her restaurant.
Her efforts led her to become a finalist for the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Floridian of the Year award. Evan Coutts, Gregory’s fiancé, wrote in her nomination that Trina responded "not with silence, but with creation... an initiative that received national attention for transforming private parking spaces into a public statement of belonging.”
