LGBTQ+ Community & Memorials - LGBTQ+ community members and local residents repainted a crosswalk memorializing the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting after it was painted over by state officials [1] - The crosswalk was part of a tribute to 49 people killed in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting [1] - Florida Governor Ronda Santis stated that state roads should not be used for political purposes [1] - The memorial is intended to honor those who were killed [2] Government & Policy - Republican push to remove similar crosswalks across the country [3] - Secretary of Transportation Shawn Duffy announced an initiative, stating taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks [3] - Florida Department of Transportation updated street guidelines and is correcting pavement markings not in compliance [3] - Local leaders stated the crosswalk memorial was originally made with Florida DOT approval [4] Safety & Research - A 2022 study found that streets with asphalt art saw an average 17% decrease in the crash rate [5] Community Response - Communities are rising up in resistance [5]

You hear of casualty counts and you hear of numbers and it kind of desens desensitizes you towards how much pain and suffering is behind each of those casualty counts. So, I think looking at the pictures of each individual person and thinking that there's a family suffering behind each of those pictures really brings home the feeling of honoring the people that were lost, of thinking of their legacy and of really giving you an appreciation for the people that you have in your life that you also love. We met ...