SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones was accused of being dismissive of LGBTQ+ community concerns after she spoke at an event intended to rally support for the rainbow crosswalk in the Pride Cultural Heritage District.
The surprise appearance and remarks reiterated a sentiment she has shared for more than a week now: the city has to “pick our battles” or it could face a “world of hurt.”
“My pride is not tied to this paint,” Jones said at the Thursday night event. “There’s a number of ways in which we can show our pride, make sure our community feels seen and heard, and not invite unneeded retribution against the most vulnerable in our community.”
Watch Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ full remarks can be viewed in the video player below.
“I felt like she was defensive when she got there,” said James Poindexter, the secretary for Pride San Antonio.
Jones was originally not scheduled to make an appearance at the event, Poindexter said, but it was extended to accommodate an appearance at the request of the mayor’s team.
“There was a great sense of hope that seemed to go over the whole community,” Poindexter said.
Poindexter explained that the statements made during an Oct. 21 appearance on KSAT Q&A and to other media outlets had been hurtful to members of the community. Many referenced these comments during their own speeches at the event.
When word spread that Jones was making a surprise appearance, people thought it might mean she had changed her mind.
“People were really hopeful that she was gonna come and be able to have maybe a little different opinions of what she had had earlier in the week,” Poindexter said, “but she didn’t. I mean, she just kind of doubled down, tripled down on what she’d already been saying.”
Throughout her comments, members of the crowd can be heard asking Jones if she would sign the resolution. During her six minutes on stage, she never answered the question.
“All of a sudden, she came in with her cold delivery of everything,” Poindexter said, “and it did turn real chilly all of a sudden.”
Community members say they understand the risk, want city to fight
While Jones said that she is with the LGBTQ+ community on the issue as “the gay mayor,” she also has to think about all those who live in the city.
“It’s not just about me and what is going to make me feel good,” Jones said. “I have to think about everyone in our community and what it could mean for them. We don’t live in California, we don’t live in Illinois.”
The discussion over whether to remove the crosswalks dates back to an early October directive issued by Gov. Greg Abbott, which stated all cities and counties must remove “any and all political ideologies” from Texas streets.
The governor said cities that do not comply will “face consequences including the withholding or denial of state and federal road funding and suspension of agreements with TxDOT.”
Jones said in her remarks that the city will still file a request for exemption to the governor’s directive. Advocates said that’s not enough.
“I think the city should be standing up and fighting because nothing that the governor is doing is legal,” Poindexter said. “This is beatable.”
At the event, Pride San Antonio had a resolution calling on the City of San Antonio to challenge any effort to remove or destroy the crosswalk using any means allowed by law.
A RESOLUTION: UNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHEREAS, the intersection of Main Avenue and Evergreen Street is the center of the LGBT community of San Antonio, recently designated as a cultural historic district; and
WHEREAS, the crosswalk at this intersection, bearing the colors of the rainbow, was installed in 2018, funded by an overwhelming majority of private funds, as a symbol of community identity, unity, and celebration; and
WHEREAS, the crosswalk has been privately maintained for more than six years, during which there has been a significant reduction in pedestrian and traffic accidents; and
WHEREAS, elements of state government have or are implementing policies which compel the destruction or removal of the crosswalk; and
WHEREAS, removal of the crosswalk does not serve a legitimate public or traffic safety purpose, but causes a deep sense of loss and disregard for the LGBT community in San Antonio; now therefore:
BE IT RESOLVED, we call on the City of San Antonio to challenge any effort to remove or destroy the crosswalk using any means allowed by law.
Pride San Antonio Community Resolution
The organization said it invited all members of City Council to the event, and had specific places for each of them to sign.
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito and a representative from District 6 Councilman Ric Galvan’s office were at the event and signed the resolution, organizers said.
Despite Jones’ appearance, Pride San Antonio said she did not sign the resolution.
“It was very dramatic,” Poindexter said. “She got up to the resolution and was reading it, but then she just refused to sign and walked away.”
The organization told KSAT it has been in contact with District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, who represents residents in the Pride Cultural Heritage District.
While Poindexter said Kaur was not at the event, and so he can’t speak to where she stands today, he said she previously expressed support for the crosswalk.
There is no Plan B, organizers say
While Jones’ comments suggest that there are additional measures the city could take to support the community at the intersection, advocates said there were already plans to do more.
“I know there is language being thrown around City Hall right now about ‘Plan B,’” Poindexter said. “What they are talking about is street toppers and bus stops and public art. When we started dreaming about what this could be almost 15 years ago, all of that stuff was in the original plan.”
Poindexter said it was hurtful for the city to extract those visions and call it their Plan B.
“The community has invested nearly $60,000 since 2018 in the putting up of the flags and the installation of the crosswalks,” Poindexter said.
Advocates argue that because it was built using a significant amount of funds from private individuals, removing those contributions using taxpayer dollars would be like the governor stealing from community members.
They also argue that there is no data to support Abbott’s thesis that messaging on roadways is dangerous.
“In the three years prior to installation, there were two accidents,” Poindexter said. “In the seven and a half years since, there have been two accidents.”
Jones spoke for six minutes at the event, concluding by thanking attendees for showing up and speaking.
“We are not always going to agree, and I understand that and respect that,” Jones continued, “(but) thank you for exercising your First Amendment rights and being out here. I appreciate you doing that.”
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