Ponte Your Moños: Traditional Indigenous Mexican braids symbolizing peaceful resistance against ICE raids

Braids symbolizing peaceful resistance against ICE

Traditional Indigenous Mexican braids with ribbons are emerging as a symbol of peaceful resistance against immigration raids.

The colorful ribbons woven into braids, traditional with Indigenous communities in Mexico, are emerging as a symbol of resistance against immigration raids.

East Los Angeles resident Dulce Flores joined forces with Angie Portillo to start Ponte Your Moños when they felt overwhelmed with ICE raids exploding across the country.

They began wearing their braids in the typical moño, with ribbons and decorations, in the traditional style many had not been allowed to wear while attending schools in the U.S. Identifying with Latino culture and embracing it, they started offering the style for women at pop-ups during rallies, beginning with the first No Kings protests in January. Suddenly, there were lines of people waiting for braids. The donations they got were quickly turned around to help community members who were not able to work, for fear of getting caught up in the raids.

The 28-year-old Flores wanted to give a "safe space for people to embrace their cultures and protest in a more peaceful way, while helping the community," she said.

Next thing Flores knew, her Instagram page was exploding with followers. Mexican rappers, like Reverie Love, were posting themselves wearing moños.

Now, she’s getting inquiries from people across the country trying to set up their own Ponte Your Moños.

"Ponte Your Moños Minnesota — can you imagine?" said the excited Flores. "The whole point is for young people to embrace their culture while standing up in protest to what’s happening in our nation."