Ceasar Mitchell signs petition for gay or trans flag crosswalks

Motorists and pedestrians had a brand-new perspective of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in 2015. There was a project to paint rainbow crosswalks in Midtown for the launch of Atlanta Pride. Now, there’s a petition asking the city to permanently install at least one crosswalk in the gay flag colors in Midtown. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

Motorists and pedestrians had a brand-new perspective of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in 2015. There was a project to paint rainbow crosswalks in Midtown for the launch of Atlanta Pride. Now, there’s a petition asking the city to permanently install at least one crosswalk in the gay flag colors in Midtown. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

Mayoral hopeful and Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell on Tuesday signed a petition asking the city to permanently install at least one crosswalk in the gay flag colors in Midtown.

The Care2 Petition was started by LGBTQ advocate and performer Sarah Rose.

So far, more than 20,600 people have signed the petition.

Rose, who is transgender, said she started the petition as a way to show support for the LGBTQ community. The rainbow flag is a commonly accepted symbol of pride for the gay community. Pink, blue and white are colors of the transgender pride flag.

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“For him (Mitchell) to show his support shows that the Atlanta City Council and officials of Atlanta are listening to LGBTQ concerns that we want to feel like we’re part of the story of Atlanta.”

Rose, who is also a singer and guitarist in the band Sarah and the Safe Word, said that making a permanent installation would be a gesture affirming what the LGBTQ community contributes and means to the city.

Atlanta installed rainbow crosswalks at the corner of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue for Atlanta Pride in October 2015, but they were never meant to be permanent.