Leslie Windless (left) of the Dearborn Heights Community and Cultural Relations Commission urges city officials to withhold funding from teams with Native American mascots, as City Council Secretary Georganne Semeniuk, City Clerk Lynne Senia, Councilmembers Hassan Ahmad and Mo Baydoun, and Council Chair Dave Abdallah listen.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS – Leslie Windless of the Community and Cultural Relations Commission urged city officials to stop funding teams that use Native American imagery for mascots, during the Jan. 10 City Council meeting.
She said that sometimes it seems as if everyone is onboard with equity, diversity and inclusion when it is time for public events, but they also need to support resolutions which embrace the same principles.
Windless called for the approval of a resolution, which has been submitted to the council at least three times, that asks the city to discontinue funding teams in Dearborn Heights that have racist mascots.
The Dearborn Heights Redskins youth football and cheer group is an example, and they use Dearborn Heights District 7 athletic fields.
“It is impacting Native Americans and indigenous people who feel very strongly about it, and they’ve come to several meetings,” she said. “They are only asking for you not to provide funding to the team until they change their name, and for you to adopt policies that prevent businesses as well.”
Windless mentioned a former eyesore, an Indian mascot on Van Born, that has finally been removed.
“Things like that should not occur in 2023,” she said, “and I think if it was people’s personal ethnicity or race, I think there would be more action. I hate to say that, but I feel like it’s being stalled yet again.”
Windless said the resolution as submitted was watered down to make it more palatable.
“I just want to make sure that we understand that the resolution was brought forth because we had several community members come up and talk about the things in the community that are against the indigenous people and Native Americans,” she said. “I think that we should get a move on it.”
Windless said she hopes hope to see a resolution on the Jan. 24 city council meeting agenda.