There are schools using racial mascots of Native Nations Peoples within our PhYM community(ies). From the National Congress of American Indians we hear, “Rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples….
Over the last fifty years, a ground swell of support has mounted to end the era of racist and harmful ‘Indian’ mascots in sports and popular culture. Today, that support is stronger than ever…. At the local community level, 28 high schools in 18 states that have dropped the “R” word as their mascot’s name in the last 25 years.”
If not us, who; if not now, when? Toward revelation and change, the PhYM First Contact Reconciliation Collaborative urges consideration of the following resources, supporting Friends’ acts of love:
I’m Not Your Mascot – https://www.nea.org/assets/docs/ADV303_QUETONE-I%27m_Not_Your_Mascot.pdf
Proud To Be campaign – http://www.ncai.org/proudtobe/
Change The Mascot – http://www.changethemascot.org/history-of-progress/
Let us be the change we wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi
