What is the Rock Your Mocs event?
Established 2011, Rock Your Mocs, is best described as a worldwide Native American & Indigenous Peoples virtual unity event held annually and during November National Native American Heritage Month in the U.S.A. During the Rock Your Mocs, people wear their moccasins, take a photo, create a video or story, add the hashtag #ROCKYOURMOCS and upload to social media. This creates “an online photo album” for the world to see and enjoy. Rock Your Mocs is wherever you are and also, individuals, organizations, businesses, schools, museums and tribes are taking the initiative to create their own independent local events too!
Dates: 2024: November 10th – 16th
Why a week? The event is a week to create more event opportunity days, especially for schools, people who work Monday – Friday, and people organizing events.
Do we have to wear our Mocs the whole week? Nope, choose a day or days, or the whole week
Is there a main day? The original day will always be November 15th
Why: A positive opportunity celebrate tribal individuality united by wearing moccasins. We honor our ancestors, and indigenous peoples worldwide, during Rock Your Mocs events and commemorate National Native American Heritage Month
Where: Wherever you may be! Wherever your day takes you!
How to join in: Wear your moccasins or a Turquoise Awareness Ribbon or RYM T-shirt or organize an event
When did the event start? In 2011, RYM was founded and initiated by Jessica “Jaylyn” Atsye (Laguna Pueblo, NM) and is produced annually by Melissa Sanchez (Acoma/Laguna Pueblo’s). In 2012 Rock Your Mocs experienced rapid awareness and participation as key national groups begin promoting Rock Your Mocs, these groups included: Powwows.com, National Indian Gaming Association and National Congress of American Indians. Understanding that the Rock Your Mocs event momentum was accelerating, in 2013, Jaylyn approached and partnered with Melissa Sanchez (Acoma/Laguna Pueblos) and Emmett “Shkeme” Garcia (Santa Ana Pueblo) of Emergence Productions, which specializes in Native American & Indigenous Performing Arts. During this time, Emergence Productions also recognized the importance of elevating awareness of National Native American Heritage Month within the Rock Your Mocs spotlight and continues to unite Native American & Indigenous Peoples through our Tribal diversity – ancestral, existing and descendants.