Montrose Pride Banners Return to Westheimer

Driving down the unforgiving narrow lanes of lower Westheimer, your windshield becomes a painting for study: potholes soon to be filled, cascading trees uprooting the sidewalks, and pedestrians jaywalking to the Circle K on Montrose Boulevard. But for nearly a year, the skies have been missing a key focal point: Pride flags. Now, as of Sept. 25, 10 poles along Westheimer Road, from Taft Street to Montrose Boulevard, are adorned with two Pride flags on either side, the missing piece of the painting.

The effort was spearheaded by Jack Valinski, Kerry-Ann Morrison (president of Pride Houston 365), and Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin, with the support of Council Member Joe Panzarella. Mayor John Whitmire provided significant financial support and backing. With LGBTQ History Month celebrated in October, the banner installation comes at a time of celebration and remembrance of the Montrose neighborhood’s importance to Houston’s queer community.

Back in October 2025, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Transportation to “remove any and all political ideologies from our streets,” resulting in the removal of the rainbow crosswalk at the intersection of Taft and Westheimer.

“This is what we can do because we don’t have our crossing,” Valinski says. The Montrose neighborhood is a designated banner district, a designation that allows a neighborhood to celebrate its values and spirit. For example, Houston’s Museum District can install banners to promote a new exhibit, or a high school can display banners celebrating senior athletes. This year’s banner installation serves as a reactivation of the district, bringing color back to Houston’s historic queer neighborhood.

“(It was) sad when they took the crosswalk down,” says Manuel Aramburo, owner of The Pilates Space at 415 Westheimer Rd. “Why can’t we enjoy some colors?”

Pride Houston 365 selected the Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag, which combines the traditional six-stripe rainbow, the black, brown, light blue, pink, and white chevron of the Progress flag, and a yellow triangle containing a purple circle. Kamin, the former District C council member, was integral in initiating the project and passed the torch to current District C Council Member Panzarella.

“It’s been an honor to work alongside so many in our community to make sure the history of Montrose is not erased,” Kamin says.

A press event was held on Sept. 29 to commemorate the flags’ return.

No Rain, No Rainbows
The pitter-patter of raindrops on raised umbrellas drummed over the crowd at the official commemoration of the banners on Sept. 29. Elected officials, their aides, Pride Houston 365, and the press made up the crowd on Tuesday afternoon. Held at Avondale Promenade Park, the event featured a seamless stream of speeches from Mayor Whitmire, Kamin, Panzarella, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, and other elected officials, who thanked each other and Valinski for his efforts. The symbolic importance of Pride flags, representing belonging, inclusivity, and pride in the face of political opposition, was the crux of the commentary.

“Today is just a continuation of my battle for equality,” Whitmire said. “Until we have equality for everyone, none of us are equal.”

“Montrose really is a special place,” Fletcher said. “Governor Abbott is trying to change that. President Trump is trying to change that. And we are not going to let them.”

A Lot of Paperwork
Who knew installing flags on street poles would be so bureaucratic? Valinski sure didn’t. As owner of the light poles, CenterPoint Energy controls when the streetlights come on and is responsible for their upkeep and maintenance. However, putting decorations on them requires a permit from the City of Houston.

“We started this October, and it wasn’t until May when we finally got the city approval,” Valinski said. “The city wouldn’t help us until CenterPoint helped us, and CenterPoint wouldn’t help us until the city helped us. And Abbie Kamin’s office was very good at finding the exact people who deal with this.”

After Kamin left council to become Harris County Attorney, the District C office didn’t let up during the handoff to Panzarella in May. “We’ve been supporting all those efforts and working specifically with the mayor’s administration to make sure this wasn’t pushed to 2027,” Panzarella said.

The banners won’t hang indefinitely. Valinski noted the flags will be taken down for regular maintenance, and he hopes to start a fund to ensure they remain a clear symbol for the Montrose area.

Despite the banners’ limited tenure on the light poles, Panzarella hopes the district will expand in the future. “The goal isn’t to put up the banners, celebrate and leave it there,” he said. “We’d love to be able to extend it beyond and continue down Westheimer.”

Taking the sharp turns down lower Westheimer won’t be as bleak anymore. Along the bend of the road, color and pride have returned to your point of view.