Florida Chef Creates Rainbow Parking Lot After Pride Crosswalk Ban

In August 2025, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the removal of about 400 rainbow crosswalks and Pride murals across our state. The crosswalks had all been approved when they were first painted, but new rules forced cities to remove them or lose state funding.

The policy hit close to home when officials painted over a rainbow crosswalk outside Orlando's Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were killed in 2016. Our community members quickly repainted the tribute themselves. Many cities tried to keep their colorful crosswalks, but most gave in under pressure from the state.

Trina Gregory, owner of Se7enbites restaurant in Orlando, found a creative way to fight back. She called for an event named "Parking Spaces for Pride: A Rainbow Connection" on her restaurant's private property. Over 1,000 people showed interest in the event, which included music, food trucks, and donations for locals in need.

Our community painted exactly 49 parking spaces with rainbow murals - one for each life lost at Pulse. Artist Kelso created one mural with a rainbow stripe for each victim. Gregory said the project was about more than remembrance. "I was thinking about joy, about bringing joy back," she told the Orlando Sentinel.

Because the artwork sits on private property, it cannot be removed under state transportation rules. Gregory plans to make this an annual event, cycling in new murals each year. Her efforts earned her a nomination for the Orlando Sentinel's Central Floridian of the Year award.

Also in this area