Dallas Seeks New Symbols of Pride After Removal of Rainbow Crosswalks

City leaders explore murals, landscaping, and other installations to replace erased neighborhood art.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:38pm

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A warm, cinematic painting depicting a solitary rainbow-colored bench or planter box in a shadowy urban setting, conveying a sense of quiet resilience and community pride in the face of adversity.As Dallas seeks new symbols of community pride, a nostalgic scene captures the quiet resilience of marginalized groups in the face of state-mandated erasure.Dallas Today

After the state of Texas ordered the removal of decorated crosswalks, including rainbow-colored walkways in the Oak Lawn neighborhood and Black Lives Matter-themed crosswalks in South Dallas, the city of Dallas is working with community members to identify new ways to display neighborhood pride and appreciation. City leaders are considering murals, strategic landscaping, decorated benches, and banners as potential replacements for the removed art.

Why it matters

The removal of the crosswalks has been seen by some as an attempt to silence the LGBTQ+ and Black communities in Dallas. The city's efforts to find new ways to celebrate these neighborhoods aim to show support and ensure there are still visible symbols of identity and inclusion.

The details

Dallas' Office of Arts and Culture and the Department of Transportation are partnering to gather feedback from community members on themes and ideas for new installations. Suggestions include murals, landscaping, benches, and banners. There is no set timeline for when the new projects will be completed, as the city must first determine feasibility and budget implications.

  • In March 2026, the state of Texas ordered the removal of decorated crosswalks across the state.
  • Last month, the rainbow crosswalks in Oak Lawn and the Black Lives Matter crosswalks in South Dallas were removed to comply with the state order.
  • Community meetings were held last week to hear recommendations and feedback from residents on replacement installations.

The players

Jesse Moreno

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem, who told community members, 'We stand with you. We're going to find other ways to show appreciation and love for our communities.'

Martinne Philippe

Director of the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, who said the city must consider budget implications and find 'creative solutions' for the new installations.

Avery James

A resident of the Oak Lawn neighborhood, who is concerned the removal of the rainbow crosswalks is 'a small step' towards silencing the LGBTQ+ community.

Tony Vedda

President of the North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, who argued the rainbow crosswalks represented identity, not ideology, and urged the community to also focus on the removal of the Black Lives Matter crosswalks.

Greg Abbott

The governor of Texas, who issued the order to remove the decorated crosswalks, claiming it was an attempt to ensure tax dollars weren't being used to promote political ideologies.

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What they’re saying

“'We stand with you. We're going to find other ways to show appreciation and love for our communities.'”

— Jesse Moreno, Dallas Mayor Pro Tem

“'People have the right to celebrate. I never really saw myself staying in Texas because I never thought that there was a place for me. And then I saw the gayborhood, and I was like, oh, wait a second. There are spaces for me here.'”

— Avery James, Oak Lawn Resident

“'I think as much as we're unhappy about our rainbows going away, we should be equally unhappy about [the Black Lives Matter crosswalks] going away. I think it provides all of us an opportunity to reach out and work across communities on things that really benefit all of us. It is sad that they got twisted into something political. … [The crosswalks] are gone now, but we're not.'”

— Tony Vedda, President, North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce

What’s next

The city of Dallas will continue gathering community feedback and ideas for new installations to replace the removed crosswalks. Once concrete proposals are developed, the Department of Transportation will determine what is feasible and consider the budget implications.

The takeaway

The removal of the rainbow and Black Lives Matter crosswalks in Dallas has been seen as an attempt to silence marginalized communities. However, the city's efforts to find new ways to celebrate neighborhood identity and inclusion show a commitment to supporting these communities and ensuring there are still visible symbols of pride and representation.