Native American Guardians Association

The Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) was established in 2017 as a non-profit with the stated purpose of promoting Native American History and Preservation.[1] Representatives of NAGA have primarily been active in debates over Native American mascots, opposing their removal both by providing non-Native opponents of change with talking points[2] or by members giving testimony in support of mascot retention.[3] The majority of these efforts have not been successful, due to members of local Native tribes advocating for the elimination of Native mascots.

Native American Guardians Association
NicknameNAGA
FormationApril 6, 2017 (2017-04-06)
Founded atAnnandale, Virginia
Type501(c)(3) Corporation
EIN 82-1240491[1]
Legal statusCharity
PurposeNative American History and Preservation
HeadquartersDevils Lake, North Dakota
Region served
United States
Official language
English
President
Eunice Davidson
Vice-President
Crystal Tso
Treasurer
David Davidson
Secretary
Ila McKay
Jonathan Tso, David Finkenbinder, Demetrius Maraz, Jeffrey Charley
Websitewww.nagaeducation.org
Source: ProPublica[1]

Support for the Washington Redskins
Main article: Washington Redskins name controversy

Sports Illustrated (SI) investigated the various pro-Redskins organizations that spoke or wrote on behalf of Daniel Snyder in court, and found that most were receiving multi-thousand dollar donations from the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation (WROAF), which was founded by Snyder. Specifically, SI found that NAGA received $68,360 from WROAF shortly before an amicus curiae the group made in favor of retaining the Redskins name went public. The report stated that "direct ties between NAGA and Snyder’s team are hard to find, but indirect ties are rampant" citing executive board member Mark Yancy's lack of Native American blood.[4] NAGA says it is funded through donations from private donors, and the group does not disclose who made donations so a connection to WROAF would be obscured. SI concluded that the group is "disturbing" as they have "no ties to the communities they tried to lobby, but also because some [members] are aggressive."[5]

In July 2023 a Washington Commanders fan started a Change.org petition asking that the team name be changed back to Redskins.[6] Subsequently, news reports began attributing the petition to NAGA,[7] followed by reports that NAGA would start a boycott similar to that affecting Anheuser-Busch.[8][9] This prompted a response from new Commanders president Jason Wright stating that a change back to the Redskins "is not being considered. Period" as well as the Commanders issuing a statement that Bud Light is the official beer of the team.[10][11] The National Congress of American Indians stated that it is encouraged by Wright's statement reflecting the continued effort to leave the past behind.[12] NAGA has filed a suit in the U.S. District Court of North Dakota against the Commanders for defamation due to their employees calling NAGA a fake group; and for conspiring to violate NAGA's civil rights.[13][14]

High school mascots

Skowhegan High School
Main article: Skowhegan Area High School

In February 2019, the Skowhegan Area High School board voted to retire its mascot, the "Indians", in favor of the "River Hawks", being the last school in Maine with a Native American themed mascot.

Prior to the vote, NAGA contacted one of the School Board members opposed to the name change, Jennifer Poirir, offering its assistance. A private, invitation-only event was scheduled in February 2019 for only those supporting keeping the name. Maulian Dana, a tribal ambassador for the Penobscot Nation and supporter of changing the name, called it a "racist echo chamber." On Facebook, Sherri Mitchell, an indigenous-rights attorney in Maine, called NAGA "fake Indians" being paid by the Washington Football Team to promote native mascots. However, the leadership of NAGA includes several members of Native American tribes.[15]

Local members of the Wabanaki Confederacy protested the presentations that NAGA gave to the school board, stating that the presence of Indians from other tribes breaks an "oral tradition" of Native Americans only "speak[ing] for your own nation."[3] The Wabanaki protesters also said that NAGA had "an aggressive reputation" and that "they have no right to be here."[16]

Killingly High School

In December 2019, the Killingly High School in Connecticut saw its board of education retire their mascot, the Redman, citing concerns that it was racist and offensive to Native Americans. A school board election in 2020 saw a Republican majority elected which voted 5–4 along party lines to reinstate the mascot. Several members closed their statements with the motto of NAGA, "Educate, not eradicate," but critics said that organization is a fringe group which does not represent the views of most Native Americans. Two members of the youth council of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, over 30 miles away from Killingly, told the board “Redmen” is a slur that does not honor them.[2]

Colorado
Main article: Native American mascot laws and regulations § Colorado

In 2021, the State of Colorado passed a law banning the use of references to Native Americans in any way as a mascot for any school, public, private, or charter, unless the school had entered an agreement with a specific Native American tribe prior to the laws passing. NAGA sued the state of Colorado and would be represented by the Mountain States Legal Foundation.[17]

A member of the governor's commission, Darius Smith (Navajo), says that NAGA does not have credibility or represent the way many American Indians feel about the issue.[18] In May 2022, the judge dismissed the suit on the basis of NAGA having failed to establish standing to bring the case.[19]

Arizona

Eric Descheenie (Navajo) was asked in 2021, after his electoral defeat in 2019, if he would favor a bill that would be similar to those in Nevada and Colorado banning Native mascots in schools. In 2018, as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, Descheenie had introduced a bill to outlaw the display of team names that tribes deemed disparaging in publicly funded facilities, but that bill was never assigned to a committee, and stated that such legislation had no chance in the Republican-dominated Arizona legislature in 2021. Members of NAGA were also asked about legislation eliminating mascots, and replied that it is an erasure of Native American culture and legacy within the state. Descheenie replied that Native culture is not substantiated by representation in contemporary society such as mascots, but by history that precedes the existence of the United States. [20]

References
  1. "Nonprofit Explorer: Research Tax-Exempt Organizations". ProPublica. 9 May 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  2. Fawcett, Eliza (12 December 2019). "In heated debate over mascot, Killingly board of education rescinds "Red Hawks," but fails in bid to restore "Redmen" name". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  3. Ohm, Rachel (24 February 2019). "National group defends 'Indians' name, meets with Skowhegan supporters". centralmaine.com. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  4. Phillips, Michael (28 July 2014). "Native American backing team name is VIP at practice". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  5. Vrentas, Jenny; Rosenberg, Michael (July 8, 2020). "Dan Snyder Started a Foundation to Support Native Americans. Has It Abandoned Its Mission?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  6. Salvador, Joseph (2023-08-31). "Joe Theismann Explains Why He Thinks Josh Harris Will Change Commanders' Name". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  7. "Native American Group Want Commanders To Restore Redskins Name". Chicago Star Media. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  8. WALKER, JACKSON (7 August 2023). "Native American group threatens boycott 'similar to Anheuser Busch' if Commanders ignore name petition". WJLA-TV. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  9. WALKER, JACKSON (15 August 2023). "Native American group promising Anheuser Busch-style boycott of Commanders backs Cleveland Guardians name change". KEYE-TV. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  10. WALKER, JACKSON (17 August 2023). "Commanders embrace Bud Light as 'official beer partner' with boycott looming over name change". The National Desk. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  11. WALKER, JACKSON (30 August 2023). "Commanders president shuts down pushes for name reversal: 'It is not being considered. Period.'". WBMA-LD. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  12. "NCAI Encouraged by Washington Commanders' Decision to Leave the Past Behind". Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  13. Monk, Jim (25 September 2023). "North Dakota group sues NFL's Washington Commanders for dropping 'Redskins' name". KVRR. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  14. WALKER, JACKSON (25 September 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: Washington Commanders sued by Native American organization trying to restore old team name". KECI. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  15. Ohm, Rachel (20 February 2019). "Group supporting Skowhegan Indians name to speak at private event". Portland Press Herald. p. B2. ProQuest 2183486766.
  16. "Visitors defend 'Indians' nickname in Skowhegan". Portland Press Herald. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  17. Goodland, Marianne (13 November 2021). "Lawsuit reveals tribal rift over American Indian mascots". The Gazette. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  18. Saja Hindi (November 3, 2021). "Group sues Colorado over ban on Native American school mascots". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  19. Westney, Andrew (May 6, 2022). "Colorado Judge Nixes Suit Over Native School Mascot Ban". Law360.
  20. Greenstein, Harry. "Legislation to change Native American team names lacks momentum in Arizona". Navajo-Hopi Observer. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
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