Shakira and JLo make political statement during halftime show

Latina powerhouses Shakira and Jennifer Lopez headlined the Halftime Show during the Super Bowl on Sunday and it was hot! The two women performed their most popular hits and showcased not only their out-of-this-world dance moves but their amazing physiques that some can only dream of having in their forties and fifties.

But while the shiny outfits and hip-shaking were eye-catching, something else was subtly happening during their performance. Young children appeared to be in glowing bird cages – a reference to the recent outcry over the treatment of illegal immigrant children in detention camps.

JLo also came on stage in a furry coat while her daughter sang “Born in the USA.” The coat opened up to be a Puerto Rican flag; the statement that the citizens of Puerto Rico, a United States commonwealth, are just as American as anyone else born in the contiguous forty-eight. Puerto Rico, where Jennifer Lopez’s parents are from, has had quite a tough time over the last two years, from financial distress to a catastrophic hurricane and most recently a series of powerful earthquakes.

In an interview before the show, Shakira commented: “We’ll be celebrating life, and celebrating diversity in this country,” a “palpable example of how anything is possible,” adding that they’ll be “redefining paradigms about age, about race, about background.”

“It doesn’t really matter where you’re from, how old you are or where you come from, what matters is the message and what you have to say. We have a lot to say.”

Well, ladies, message received.