Sarasota Church Plans to Create a Rainbow Crosswalk on Its Grounds

SARASOTA, FL — In response to the Florida Department of Transportation targeting and removing street art, particularly rainbow crosswalk murals, The Harvest, an inclusive evangelical church in Sarasota, is taking action.

The church plans to paint a rainbow crosswalk on its campus at 3650 17th Street after Sunday services and invites volunteers to help with the mural.

The rainbow has long been a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. While FDOT officials cite safety concerns and consistency with agency design rules as reasons for removing these murals, many activists believe state leaders are specifically targeting diverse communities.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the first crosswalk they painted over was at the Pulse Memorial,” said Pastor Dan Minor, Harvest CEO and president, to Patch.

The Pulse club in Orlando was the site of a tragic mass shooting in 2016, resulting in 49 deaths. The rainbow crosswalk, a memorial for the victims, was painted over by FDOT workers in August.

Minor expressed his close ties to Pulse, mentioning that he attended high school with one of the shooting victims, Eddie Sotomayor, whose funeral he officiated.

“This marked a huge shift for me,” Minor reflected. “I was privately inclusive but felt pressure from the evangelical community to remain silent.”

Today, Harvest is known for its LGBTQ+ affirming stance, boasting a diverse congregation from all walks of life.

Minor anticipated losing his position at the church after officiating Sotomayor’s funeral. “I figured the board might let me go,” he shared. “But I couldn’t stay silent and spoke from the heart.”

Following the funeral, he was met by hundreds, many of whom expressed their struggle with acceptance in their faith. “They thought they would never be loved by God or seen as equals. It gave them hope,” he noted.

In solidarity, Minor participated in the St. Pete Pride parade, witnessing the unity and grief of the community, which he described as a transformative moment.

Despite facing challenges after publicly advocating for inclusion, including a significant loss in congregation and income, Minor remained steadfast in his beliefs. “We lost about 80 percent of our congregation, but we didn’t stop. It was the right thing to do.”

Today, Harvest has grown to welcome over 200 attendees weekly, amidst around 500 to 600 members, positioning it among the top fully affirming churches in the U.S.

Motivated by the removal of street murals, including the rainbow crosswalks, Minor reflected, “We must do something. We won’t stand by while these symbols are erased.”

The church extends an invitation to anyone interested in painting the rainbow crosswalk. Minor clarifies that this is not a political move but rather a stand for human rights. “This is about empowering the LGBTQ community and affirming their existence,” he said.