Back in November of 2021, Bellevue College installed the first rainbow crosswalk on campus, located at the top of Landerholm Circle, although due to COVID-19, not many students or staff were on campus during that time. The event to celebrate the installation was delayed until May 17, which marks International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
Bellevue College alum Ivy Crane (They/Them) was one of the featured speakers at the event.
“Finally having this crosswalk in place, with more on the way, means so much to me,” said Crane. “Knowing that there is a community for queer students here on campus is one thing, but seeing that the staff, faculty, and administration of Bellevue College welcome and support them is another.”
The rainbow crosswalk marks the first of three in total. The crosswalks were proposed during the 2018-2019 school year and were approved during the 2020-2021 school year.
The idea for the crosswalks stemmed from the campus’ LGBTQ+ Task Force, which consists of LGBTQ+ students, staff, faculty and allies whose focus is on creating a safe and welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community at the college.
Other groups involved with the crosswalks include the college’s LGBTQ Resource Center, the Bellevue College Foundation, Bellevue College’s interim president and cabinet, the Bellevue College governance, and the campus operations team.
The first crosswalk is a design of the Philadelphia Pride flag, which includes black and brown stripes—in addition to the tradition rainbow stripes—to signify the intersectionality of sexual orientation and identity with communities of color.
The second rainbow crosswalk will be of the Progress Pride flag, which consists of the traditional rainbow stripes and five chevron stripes in black, brown, white, pink, and light blue. The third flag design is yet to be decided.
According to task force member and associate director of service learning and community engagement for the RISE Learning Institute, Sapan Parekh, Bellevue College’s rainbow crosswalk is the first in King County that sits outside of Seattle.
