My understanding is that the idea behind the virtue signally, rhetorically-focused antiracism is that words change people's minds in a way that eventually translates into meaningful action.
For example, people who say "it's not enough to have a sign that says everyone is welcome here, you need to support things that improve material conditions like making Section 8 an entitlement" are making an argument in line with the original point of rhetorical antiracism.
I don't think anyone thinks that renaming a street by itself matters all that much, but symbolism is an important part of politics, and the symbolism of making a change for antiracism reasons as part of a broad set of policies seems good?
And at the same time it seems like there's some good to be done if the average white person in the US makes a point to be more friendly and less rude to people of color who they interact with
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