In 2010, Jessica “Jaylyn” Atsye, a Laguna Pueblo teenager, called on Native Americans in New Mexico and across the country to celebrate their heritage by wearing their moccasins on November 15. When she first suggested to others on Facebook that indigenous peoples wear their moccasins to show their cultural pride, she could not have imagined that her initiative would become a worldwide event. The fourth annual Rock Your Mocs Event was held on November 15, 2014, with events at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and Balloon Fiesta Park, both in Albuquerque. In 2015 Rock Your Mocs will transpire over an entire week, from November 8 to 15.

Back to: The History of New Mexico > Chapter 16: Into the 21st Century