A group of activists chalked local crosswalks and sidewalks with rainbow colors on Sept. 3 outside of three PAUSD middle and high schools to show solidarity with LGBTQ+ students, reigniting the conversation around LGBTQ+ student mental health.
According to one Palo Alto resident who participated in the chalking, the crosswalks were colored by local community activists to support the LGBTQ+ community — and especially students — in a rapidly changing political environment.
“Given the current political climate for members of the LGBTQ community at the federal level, specifically, a group of students and some adults supporting them wanted to let students and community members know that this community [Palo Alto] supports them,” the participant said. “This just felt like a happy thing that we could do that could hopefully bring a smile to some students’ faces … for them [LGBTQ+ students] to know that they’re not alone,”
According to the participant, the group initially decided to stay anonymous out of fear of potentially getting in trouble for the markings — but ultimately chose to continue staying anonymous to keep attention on the sentiment rather than the group itself.
“It’s not important who’s doing it,” the participant said. “What’s important is that it’s out there that we support all of our LGBTQ students.”
Palo Alto City Council member Julie Lythcott-Haimes brought up the chalking Sept. 8 at a council meeting during a conversation about recent student suicides.
“Because LGBT youth in particular seem to be quite at risk, it appears that some folks have taken to chalking some city sidewalks or crossings with rainbow colors to show our LGBT youth, ‘We see you, you’re not alone, you matter, ’” Lythcott-Haimes said.
In connection with both LGBTQ+ mental health and federal policy toward LGBTQ+ issues, according to NPR, the Trump administration shut down specialized suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth as part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration this June.
Paly junior Kit Wendling said that despite the chalking being simple, it remains an important display of activism.
“I feel like it’s a way to show that there is support for the community during this Trump administration,” Wendling said. “I feel like that’s really powerful.”
Marc Tolentino, Social Justice Pathway English teacher, said that the action is a welcome demonstration of support in a tough time for the LGBTQ+ community on a national level.
“It sends messages that there are still communities, there’s still support, there are still people rooting for you,” Tolentino said. “That’s even more important now than it was a few years ago, especially with the laws that are being passed.”