Florida drag queen sells bricks from removed rainbow crosswalk to help save Pride celebrations

A South Florida drag queen is giving a dismantled rainbow crosswalk new life, raising thousands of dollars to support LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations statewide.

Eric Swanson, who performs as Miss Bouvèé, acquired 50 bricks from Miami Beach's former rainbow crosswalk at 12th Street and Ocean Drive through a city auction. Now, Miss Bouvèé is offering the salvaged bricks to supporters in exchange for donations starting at $250, with proceeds benefiting Naples Pride and Key West Pride, CBS Miami reports.

According to an Instagram post from Miss Bouvèé, the fundraiser has two separate goals: $15,000 for Naples Pride, more than half of which has already been raised, and $7,500 for Key West Pride, with $600 raised so far.

Florida officials removed the colorful crosswalk, installed in November 2018, in October 2025 after ordering cities to eliminate street art from public roadways. Miami Beach unsuccessfully challenged the order before the Florida Department of Transportation dismantled the landmark.

Many of the original bricks were repurposed for a nearby pedestrian pathway. Miss Bouvèé said she painted some of the remaining bricks to ensure all six rainbow colors were represented, because bricks in some colors were in short supply.

Supporters can receive individual bricks, framed rainbow-painted bricks, or framed sets of six bricks, depending on their donation. Each offering includes a commemorative plaque identifying the crosswalk’s original location and the dates it was installed and removed.

Donors make contributions directly to Naples Pride or Key West Pride through links provided by Miss Bouvèé, who then arranges pickup, delivery, or shipping of the bricks.

Miss Bouvèé was featured in The Advocate’s sibling publication’s 2025 Out100 and starred in the queer horror comedy Big Easy Queens. She is also set to return as a co-host of this year’s Out100 celebration.

The fundraiser comes amid broader challenges for Florida Pride organizations. Earlier this year, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation restricting local governments from funding or promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, raising concerns about support for LGBTQ+ events.

For Miss Bouvèé, the bricks offer a way to preserve a piece of LGBTQ+ history while helping Pride celebrations continue. “This is a part of our history,” she wrote on Instagram. “Your donation helps history continue to be made.”

Those interested in supporting the fundraiser can find more information and request a brick through Miss Bouvèé’s brick inquiry form.