MA INDIGENOUS
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
July 2020 Updates
Action Alert: Ban Native American Mascots and Change the State Flag & Seal!
Click the button below to write to your legislators now to support bills to ban Native American mascots in MA and change the State Flag and Seal:
The Christopher Columbus statue in Boston’s ‘Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park’ has stood for decades as a representation of white supremacy and the celebration of Indigenous genocide caused by Columbus and his men. Like similar statues around the country and Confederate monuments, this Columbus statue has been a focus of protest repeatedly, including having its head knocked off on 6/10/2020. The City of Boston has temporarily removed the headless statue, but will not commit to removing it permanently. Please sign the petition to demand that the city permanently remove the statue and rename the park.
Mascot Letters
The National Congress of American Indians and multiple tribes have issued calls for a prohibition on all Native American sport team mascots, logos, and nicknames in Massachusetts public schools:
• National Congress of American Indians Mascot Letter
• Chappaquiddick Mascot Letter
• Herring Pond Mascot Letter
• Mashpee Mascot Letter
• Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag Mascot Letter
About
We are working to support legislation currently before the Massachusetts State Legislature that will benefit Indigenous Peoples.
Our current Agenda includes five bills in the 2019-2021 session that reflect some of the key concerns within Massachusetts.
Take action to support the Agenda.
From time to time, we will also ask supporters to lend a hand with other legislation in the region and nationally.
The Agenda
These are the bills we are supporting in the 2019-2020 MA legislative session
Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate Indigenous resilience and survival. The change acknowledges the true histories of colonialism, genocide and racism that Native peoples have experienced and continue to face.
Learn more
Ensure Native American funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony held in governmental or non-profit collections are not sold for profit.
Massachusetts has kept a sword hanging over the heads of Native Americans for hundreds of years. That’s a terrible symbol for our state.
Improve educational outcomes and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native students.