Pride flags return to Montrose

What they're saying: "This isn't just a visual transformation — it's a celebration of visibility, belonging, and the beautiful diversity that defines our city," Pride Houston 365, the nonprofit that runs Houston's yearly Pride Parade, wrote in the post.

Zoom in: Progress Pride flags, paid for personally by Mayor John Whitmire, will hang from utility poles along Westheimer Road.

• The banners are intended to replace some of the visibility lost when the rainbow crosswalk at Westheimer and Taft was removed.

Flashback: The flags hung in Montrose in the early 2000s but largely disappeared after the Pride parade moved downtown in 2015.

• The rainbow crosswalk, installed in 2017 after Alex Hill was killed in a hit-and-run in the neighborhood in 2016, was paved over last fall after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered decorated crosswalks to be removed.
• The removal prompted Houstonians to paint rainbows on private driveways.

What's next: Pride Houston 365 will host a community celebration 5–8pm Sept. 29 at Pearl Bar.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the newly installed Pride flags were paid for by Mayor John Whitmire (not District C).