Las Patronas

This video features in a responsive display in the museum that presents the moments, stories and memes capturing the zeitgeist by going viral on the internet.

Las Patronas (The Bosses), a group of Mexican volunteers, have been passing food and water to South and Central American migrants heading to the US border on top of freight trains. This video has been widely shared and celebrated on social media, highlighting the compassion being shown to migrants on the US/Mexico border. Some viewers have questioned if its virality puts the work in danger, but Las Patronas shared the original video to raise awareness and fund their work. According to a 2014 article, the group was formed 19 years earlier, so they’ve been helping people for almost 30 years – far longer than social media has been around. The group was nominated for the Princess of Asturias Award in 2015, after a campaign from Change.org that collected more than 50,000 signatures in support. In a time when Central and South American migration is being used for political stunts in America - like Texas Governor Greg Abbot bussing migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence on Christmas Eve - Las Patronas depoliticise the media narrative and focus on humanity.

You can find out more about the group on their website (in Spanish) and follow them on Twitter.