Dear Friends and Supporters of Indigenous Rights:
Thanks to your advocacy, Governor Maura Healey has now (almost) fully appointed the advisory commission to choose a new design and motto for the flag and seal of Massachusetts. Although the governor is five months late in making those appointments, the advisory commission will (tentatively) hold its first meeting in the third week of March. (Details on the time and date and Zoom link for that meeting will follow in a subsequent update.)
But today, please take a moment to read the following action alert from the Mass Mascot Coalition Steering Committee. Then take action by contacting your state legislators, and tell them it is long past time for Massachusetts to follow the lead of Maine and ban the use of Native American mascots in our public schools. Then, please share this action alert with friends and supporters in your networks throughout the state!
Call to Action from the MA Mascot Coalition Steering Committee
Approximately 25 school districts in Massachusetts continue to use Native American mascots.
The Massachusetts mascot bill – SD.856 and HD.1791, “An
Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the
Commonwealth.” – aims to eliminate these mascots.
This bill is supported by six tribes in Massachusetts:
- Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation
- Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuc Band and Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band
- Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe
- Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
- Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag
- Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe
Further, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the largest and most
representative Native American advocacy organization, has been working to eliminate Native American mascots for over 60 years.
Academic research reveals that Native American mascots are educationally harmful in two main ways: by creating a hostile climate for Native American students and by increasing bias among non-Native people.
For Native American students, exposure to these mascots decreases self-esteem, capacity to imagine future achievements, and faith in their Native communities. Also, when Native American students are exposed to Native mascots, this increases their negative feelings including distress, depression and hostility.
Among non-Native people, research reveals that exposure to Native mascots is associated with and increases negative stereotyping of Native Americans. Further, more long-term exposure to Native mascots increases support for these mascots. And, those who support Native mascots are more apt to stereotype and hold prejudicial attitudes toward Native Americans, and are less supportive of the
rights of Native tribes.
The MA Mascot Coalition Steering Committee includes representatives of six tribes in
Massachusetts, as well as other Native Americans. Native American members of the steering committee have had negative experiences with Native mascots in Massachusetts. For example, they have: decided not to live in communities with Native mascots; felt powerless to stop non-Native people from using their cultures and identities for their own purposes; felt mocked, stereotyped, objectified, and dehumanized; felt invisible when others portray them as only “a people of the past;” and felt they were being equated with animals that are also used as mascots.
These experiences increase their stress, and make them feel a range of other negative emotions such as hurt, frustration, and anger.
Please contact your legislators, and ask them to co-sponsor SD.856 and HD.1791, “An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth.”
You can find your legislators (and their contact information) here:
https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
Thank You! – The Mass Mascot Steering Committee
[If you live in the districts of any of the following state senators or representatives, who are already co-sponsoring SD.856 and HD.1791, please contact them and thank them, and urge them to do everything in their power to make sure the mascot bill is enacted by the end of this legislative session: Senator Joanne Comerford (lead sponsor in the Senate) and senators Michael Barrett, Sal DiDomenico, James Eldridge, John Keenan, Patricia Jehlen, and Jason Lewis; Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid (lead sponsor in the House) and representatives James Arena-DeRosa, Michelle Badger, Christine Barber, Natalie Blais, Mindy Domb, Natalie Higgins, and Samantha Montaño.]