Rainbow Honor Walk organizers are preparing to begin installation of the third phase of sidewalk plaques honoring LGBTQ luminaries in the Castro neighborhood.
The news comes more than three years after the Rainbow Honor announced a third phase of 24 more plaques in 2022.
To date, the Rainbow Honor Walk has installed 44 plaques since launching the project in September 2014. Honorees must be both deceased and self-identified as members of the LGBT community. The second phase of honorees was announced in 2016.
Four plaques to be installed will honor previously announced luminaries, including lesbian rights activist Phyllis Lyon, founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and 'Mayor of Christopher Street' Marsha P. Johnson, creator of the Rainbow Pride Flag Gilbert Baker, and co-founder and publisher of the Bay Area Reporter Bob Ross.
Rainbow Honor Walk co-founder and former president David Perry (center) at the 2014 commemoration ceremony. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
20 more plaques honoring additional LGBTQ luminaries will be installed at a later date.
Additionally, two new honorees have been added, including Mario Mieli, the founder of Italy’s homosexual movement, and Roger Casement, a gay Irishman who was hanged for treason in 1916. Mission District bar Casements is named in his honor.
Rainbow Honor Walk Vice President Charlotte Ruffner tells Hoodline that Casement's plaque will be the first to get installed as it's been separated from the rest of the honorees. Plans are currently underway to install the plaque in October. The plaque will be installed along the 500 block of Castro Street in front of the Bank of America.
The sidewalk in front of Bank of America has already been marked for Casement's plaque. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
"An entire community has come together to make this happen. Irish Consul General Micheál Smith — along with Tourism Ireland, the United Irish Societies, and the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshal, Mark Gorman — is collaborating to support the Rainbow Honor Walk," said Ruffner.
“Roger Casement was a champion of human rights, and a fearless voice for Ireland," said Micheál Smith, Consul General of Ireland to the Western United States. "This project has been ten years in the making, and we are delighted to partner with the Rainbow Honor Walk and our community including the United Irish Societies and Matthew Rothschild, to bring it to completion. With the installation of this plaque, we celebrate Casement’s legacy as a patriot and as a deeply compassionate individual who was never less than courageous and principled in his pursuit of justice."
Each plaque costs approximately $10,000 to fabricate and install. Ruffner tells Hoodline that fundraising for Casement's plaque is complete.
"The Irish Consulate has contributed $5,000, the United Irish Societies has pledged $1,000, and more than 80 individual donors have given over $9,000 to the Rainbow Honor Walk’s general fund to help cover fabrication and installation costs for plaques," said Ruffner.
Rainbow Honor Walk plaque honoring Mario Mieli. | Photo: Gooch/Rainbow Honor Walk
Outgoing Rainbow Honor Walk board president Donna Sachet tells Hoodline that an exact date for installation of the remaining five plaques has not been set.
Lyon's plaque will eventually be installed on 19th Street between Castro and Collingwood, adjacent to the plaque honoring her lifelong partner, Del Martin. Plaques for Johnson, Baker, and Ross will be installed along the south side of 18th St. between Castro and Hartford streets, and Mieli's plaque will be installed along the north side of 18th St. Exact locations will be determined by the Department of Public Works.
"The process from Board selection to actual creation of the plaques is arduous, but we hoped to install the next set more quickly," explained Sachet.
According to Sachet, some changes in the process have slowed down the installation of new plaques.
"The main delay has been a change at DPW; in May, we were told that we must now provide our own contractor, at our own expense, to install each plaque physically," said Sachet.
"In the past, DPW scheduled installation and physically installed each plaque," added Sachet. "I have been working with Logan Hehn at DPW to get approvals for this next set of installations, but we need to provide the names of our contractors before final approvals can be given."
"We located one contractor willing to install a single plaque gratis, and we are close to sealing the deal with another contractor for the remaining 5 in this series," said Sachet.
SF Public Works employees installing plaque honoring W.H. Auden (2019). | Photo: Rainbow Honor Walk/Facebook
SF Public Works spokesperson Rachel Gordon tells Hoodline that an application to install the plaques has not been submitted. "We've been working with them on what info they need, site requirements, etc.," said Gordon. "Details on locations, timing are still being finalized."
Looking towards the future of the Rainbow Honor Walk, Ruffner hopes to streamline the process.
"Over 11 years, we’ve averaged about four plaques a year. That’s not bad, but with rising costs and new city requirements, it’s become more challenging," said Ruffner.
Ruffner explains that she would like to focus on one plaque per quarter. "That gives us time to select the honoree, design the plaque, fundraise, and build public engagement—without long delays between announcement and installation," said Ruffner.
