PHOTOS: Progressive Pride street mural completed in St. Petersburg

ABOVE: The Progressive Pride street mural in St. Petersburg June 30. Photo by Dylan Todd.

ST. PETERSBURG | LGBTQ community activists, allies and artists completed the community funded Progressive Pride street mural July 29 in the Grand Central District.

The mural is located at 25th St. and Central Ave., the birthplace of St Pete Pride. The organization announced the project June 26, which would have marked its 18th annual celebration, and exceeded its fundraising goal of $7,000 just two weeks later on July 10.

A total of $7,690 was raised for the project, 100% of which covered the mural’s installation and will fund forthcoming maintenance. The design features the 11 colors featured on the Progress Pride Flag, which expands on the widely-circulated Pride flag’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet to include black, brown, white, pink and light blue.

The additional colors represent the more marginalized members of the LGBTQ community, people of color and those who are transgender.The installation began July 29 around 7 p.m. and was overseen by LGBTQ area artist Andrea Pawlisz of the Fresh Art Studio.

Pawlisz was joined by a small number of painters, a requirement to adhere to COVID-19 safety precautions. Fellow fan favorite artists including Thompson Kellett, Chad Mize, Bob Ribits and Jim Woodfield participated, as well as representatives from Come OUT St Pete and St Pete Pride.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, a longtime LGBTQ ally, also painted alongside St. Petersburg LGBTQ Liaison Jim Nixon.

“It is important that we recognize the LGBTQ community and the Grand Central District for their contributions in making our city a diverse and welcoming community,” Nixon says. “But we cannot do that without recognizing the intersections within the LGBTQ+ community, honoring LGBTQ+ people of color – whose activism inspired the very first Pride – as well as different gender identities.”

“The Grand Central District was the birthplace of St Pete Pride and the original Gayborhood in St Pete,” he continues. “Having a pride street mural at 25th Street and Central Ave. anchors its history and celebrates the vision that in St. Pete we recognize that our differences – what we look like, who we pray to, who we love – that’s what makes our country great. That’s what makes St. Pete shine.”

The City of St. Petersburg also shared a video of the street mural after its completion via social media. “St. Pete is a city of love + inclusion,” official wrote, “where diversity is celebrated! The LGBTQ+ community not only strengthens our city, they also make a huge contribution to life in our city. It is important for us to honor the rich diversity of that community.”

Watch below:

Watermark was on hand to capture the mural’s progress, as well as its finished design. View our photos and a video below.

Photos by Dylan Todd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI0yRR0GvO4

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