Graphic Art from Wisconsin Indian Education Association

Throughout the history of the United States of America, the people of this nation have faced one continual dilemma: How can we, as a nation, promote cultural diversity and tolerance? There is no one simple answer, rather, a series of small steps toward racial/cultural equality.

It has come to your attention that several schools in this country use mascot names that insult people of different cultural backgrounds. It is your mission to look at this small aspect of intolerance… and change it.

You, and a small group (3-5 students), must complete a detailed proposal to a school board of your choice urging them to change their school mascot. You must become an expert on this current situation in order to field questions from the board, so do your research! Your proposal must include the following:

• Find a school with a mascot that does not promote tolerance
• Develop an oral presentation on the background of harmful effects of using mascots insensitive to diverse cultures as well as recent supreme court rulings
• Create an alternative mascot (consider the history of the area, the current school colors, and a choice that would compliment the surrounding community)
• Create some kind of visual representation of the new mascot
• Compose a new school song featuring your new mascot

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1. Create a plan of action
   · Research your topic
   · Find a school with a mascot that needs changing
2. Get Board Meeting Information
   · When/where do they meet
   · How can you get on their agenda
3. Create a new mascot
   · Research the school and the history of the area
   · Brainstorm ideas
   · Determine a way for your group to make a final decision
4. Create a visual representation of your new mascot
   · This can be a drawing, three-dimensional, or any other artistic representation your group agrees on
5. Compose a school fight song
   · You can use music that the school currently uses and change the words, or you can compose your own music.
   · Type up your new lyrics and have copies ready for the rest of the class
   Put your presentation together
6. This will be the culmination of your groups efforts
   · Write a plan of who will speak when, and on what topics
   · Perform the new fight song
   · Be sure that your presentation is "persuasive" and professional
   · Rehearse your presentation in front of your peers; prepare an evaluation form that they can complete. Give yourselves plenty of time to re-write sections of your presentation

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Below you will find a list of sites that will help you get started on your task; you are not limited to these sites. Stay focused on you task so that you do not waste time "surfing". I suggest that before you begin your research you have a clear idea of what information you need to find.

http://www.hunterbear.org./
Website is on social justice radicalism, militant labor, Native cultures and issues and rights, and civil rights

http://nativenet.uthscsa.edu/
Native Net is an electronic media site. Web-based links:
Struggles, disputes, protests and ongoing issues

Mt. Graham sacred Site (resistance to telescope project, Arizona)

• Human Genome Diversity Project (international)
• Wounded Knee (South Dakota, U.S.)

Geographically-organized resources

• United States
• United States: Federally-recognized tribes
• Native American sites

http://www.dickshovel.com/covertwar.html
The Covert War Against Native Americans by Ward Churchill
Racism and the History of Aim

http://umns.umc.org/
Cleveland's baseball mascot draws fire from racial monitoring group. United Methodist Church News Service.
Articles and Quotes from many Native Americans regarding mascots and racism

http://earnestman.tripod.com/
American Indian Sports Team Mascots
Lists many articles targeting mascots and Native Americans

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/011102/opi_ebmascots.shtml
Title: American Indian Mascots: Losing Fan- State of Kansas' High Schools changing names of sports team mascots

http://search.netscape.com/search.psp?search=fight+songs
Discusses schools fight songs, along with offensive mascots

http://www.baylor.edu/~Larry_Frazier/mascot.htm
Offensive mascots and ideas on how to develop one that is not offensive, graphics and ideas of names that are not offensive and most commonly used

Once the presentation is completed each member of the group will write a one-page evaluation of the process. This evaluation should include: what you learned about cultural diversity, working with a group, the overall effectiveness of your presentation, and any other closing thoughts you might have about this project.

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