The art work was very good but the message was confusing & disapointing. There was so much talk about the Adamo Drive Mural Project on Adamo Drive in south Ybor City. It was said over & over again that the mural would celebrate the History & Diversity of Ybor City past, present & future. GaYBOR was asked to help get the message out about the rusted buildings beautification project.   GaYBOR had mural leaders speak and give input to the local mural. Surveys, money and volunteerism input! So we were happy to look forward to a more diverse promising historic Ybor beautification! With that being said, there is NOTHING Gay, Lesbian or even Drag on this mural. And that was a very important part of Ybor’s past and present.

On the corner of 7th Ave & 15th Street there is an official Historical marker which talks about Teddy Roosevelt & his Gay horsemen. In the 80’s it was common to find former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco entertaining government & state VIP’s at the El Goya Night Club Drag Shows. In 2007, the year GaYBOR started, there were 44 empty store fronts on 7th Ave. alone and was not very pretty! Today thanks to the help of the LGBTA community, Ybor City is once again coming back alive with new life, high safety standards and a Tampa Bay destination for visitors and tourists.

As a proud open LGBT person this mural doesn’t represent anything from our community. All we asked for was a little something. Sometimes it is very difficult to tolerate close minded people. Especially the ones wearing horse eye blinders. With out the formation of the GaYBOR District Coalition there would have been no mural.