A South Florida drag performer is auctioning bricks from Miami Beach’s removed rainbow crosswalk to raise money for Pride groups in Key West and Naples.
Eric Swanson, who performs as Miss Bouvee, won 50 of the bricks at auction. He is now selling them through another auction, with bids starting at $250 per brick. Swanson has raised more than half of his $15,000 goal, according to the report.
Swanson said he chose the two Florida Keys and Southwest Florida organizations because smaller Pride celebrations often lack corporate sponsors. He said those events now face new pressure from Senate Bill 1143, which bars local governments from using tax dollars to fund or promote diversity, equity and inclusion activities, including Pride festivals.
The crosswalk at 12th Street and Ocean Drive was removed after the state ordered the take-down of street art, including rainbow crosswalks, last year. That order drew protests across South Florida. The city reused some of the bricks to build a rainbow-colored pedestrian area near the original site and auctioned the rest.
“A lot of people just want a piece of our history,” Swanson said. He added that buyers can order a brick through a link on his Instagram account.
