Attend a Design Jam for a New Flag, Seal and Motto for Massachusetts!
Dear Friends and Supporters of Indigenous Rights in Massachusetts:
Please Come to a: Design Jam for a New Flag, Seal and Motto for MA
Come to a virtual Design Jam for a New Flag, Seal and Motto for Massachusetts, Sunday, June 15, at 5 p.m. Register at: bit.ly/MASealDesignJam
The Design Jam is hosted by the North American Indian Center of Boston, with support from the United American Indians of New England, UU Mass Action and changethemassflag.com
If you can’t make it to the design jam on Sunday, the deadline for submitting your ideas, sketches, or designs for a new flag, seal and motto for the Commonwealth is Wednesday, June 18th. The more people who submit ideas, sketches, or designs the better, to show the governor and the legislature that changing the present state symbol is broadly supported. Use this link to submit your ideas for a new state flag, seal and motto:
The next meeting of the Massachusetts Seal, Flag and Motto Advisory Committee will take place on Monday, June 23rd at 10:00 a.m. Find the link to that meeting at: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-seal-flag-and-motto-advisory-commission
Invitation to Provide In-Person, Virtual or Written Testimony for the Bill to Ban the Use of Native Mascots in Massachusetts Public Schools
The top priority bill of the Mass Indigenous Legislative Agenda will have a hearing in front of the Joint Committee on Education on Tuesday, June 17, at 1 p.m. at the State House in Boston:
S.312/H.575 – An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth
If you can attend the hearing in person, or testify virtually, your participation would be both welcome and important. Use the link below to register in advance.
If you would take just a few minutes to submit a written comment in support of the bill, follow the instruction below.
With your support, Massachusetts will finally pass legislation banning the use of stereotyped, racist Native sports mascots in public schools as many other states, including Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and New York, have already done.
for Wisconsin Indian Education Assn Mascot & Logo Task Force
Below, the letter announcing the June 17 hearing from Senator Jo Comerford, lead senate sponsor of the bill:
Greetings:
I’m delighted to share that a bill I filed in partnership with Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid, S.312/H.575 – An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth, will have a hearing on Tuesday, June 17 at 1:00 p.m. I welcome your participation in the hearing.
Indigenous leaders in the Commonwealth and the Indigenous Legislative Agenda are calling for an end to public school mascots that make caricatures of Native American words, symbols, and culture.
Decades of social science research has shown that these one-dimensional Native American mascots have damaging psychological and social consequences for Native American and non-Native students alike.
The bill bans athletic team names, logos, and mascots that refer to Indigenous peoples or cultures and creates a process for phasing out any remaining Native American mascots.
You are warmly welcome to participate in this hearing. (Remember, public input is absolutely critical for passage of legislation.)
Joint Committee on Education
Tuesday, June 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
To testify in-person or remotely:
Register to testify either in-person or remotely by completing this form before 12:00 p.m. on Monday, June 16.
Please note: registration is required for folks testifying in-person or remotely; further instructions on how to participate remotely will be provided by the Committee after registration. Testimony will be limited to two minutes per person.
To submit written testimony (it need not be long or detailed):
Email your statement to the Committee at fiona.brucebaiden@mahouse.gov and emily.reynolds@masenate.gov, and copy me at jo.comerford@masenate.gov. Please include the following subject line:
“EDUCATION COMMITTEE TESTIMONY, S.312/H.575”
and include the following in the body of your email:
Name
Address
Phone Number
Organization (if applicable)
Please be advised that all written testimony submitted will be read by Committee Members and staff and may be made available for public review on the Legislature’s website.
Thank you in advance for your advocacy on this important issue!
-Jo
Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district
SenatorJoComerford.org
@jocomerford.bsky.social