Led by her niece Debby Rijos, the iconic motorcycle group continues its powerful tradition in the Chicago Pride Parade—honoring community, visibility, and the woman who started it all.

Antonia “Tata” Flores, a Chicago native who long worked for the Chicago Transit Authority as a bus driver, rode her Harley-Davidson motorcycle along with two friends in the Chicago Pride Parade in 1987.

The crowd labeled the three as Dykes on Bikes, and the name stuck. The motorcyclists became a long-running tradition in the Chicago Pride Parade – and their numbers grew to 25 or 30.

After every parade, Flores invited all the women to a club and provided the food, or she invited them to her house for a cookout and pool party.

“Tata loved bringing community together and hosting a cookout and pool party at her house after the parade,” Chicagoan Debby Rijos said of her aunt.

Flores died at age 50 in February 2008.

Her legacy rides on as she was a 2011 inductee into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.

Rijos and other Dykes On Bikes will take to the streets of Chicago during the annual Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29.

“I vowed to keep the promise that I made to her – to keep gathering women to ride at Pride because our community looked forward to seeing Dykes on Bikes roaring their pipes through the parade route in celebration of our diversity,” Rijos said.

Rijos, years ago, reached out to the San Francisco chapter of Dykes on Bikes to share her aunt’s story and how important it was to her to continue this movement of celebration and diversity. “I asked how Chicago could play a monumental roll and become a part of the legendary San Francisco Dykes on Bikes,” Rijos said.

In 2011, Dykes on Bikes Chicago became an official 501(3)c charity.

Rijos has been riding for 22 years.

“My aunt’s last parade ride in 2007, when she rode up to the start of the parade and removed her cap and saluted the crowd as she yelled out ‘This will be my last parade,’” is a lasting memory, Rijos said.

“There was so much power, pride and emotion as she acknowledged the crowd.”

Rijos said about 25 motorcyclists will ride in 2025 and she is “humbled” to participate, she said.

“It’s important that we show the world that, despite our current administration, we are stronger in numbers as a community, and we must continue to uplift and support each other,” Rijos said.

The Chicago Pride Parade has led to milestone moments for these motorcyclists, such as in 2013 when one of the riders proposed to her partner in front of the group during the parade line up.

“My favorite part is waiting (for the parade to start) … the morning of the line up because people tend to walk through the neighborhood and they enjoy taking pictures with the bikes and saying Hi,” Rijos said.

“I just want to thank ALL the supporters who keep coming out to the parade despite the large crowds to cheer us on. When everyone waves to us, it warms our hearts and keeps us revving the pipes.”

Article written by: Ross Forman