Last Updated on November 14, 2013
Contact:
Angel Heart
Public Relations Officer
707~712~7038
sspandrit@yahoo.com
November 13, 2013
VALLEJO, CA. – Sacred Sites Protection & Rights of Indigenous Tribes (SSP&RIT) has advised the Vallejo City Unified School District, Board of Education to remove the Vallejo High School mascot (Apache), as it is offensive to Native Americans.
On November 6, 2013, although the mascot was not on the agenda for the VCUSD Board of Education meeting, SSP&RIT/CEO, Norman “Wounded Knee” DeOcampo, members, & supporters, as well as citizens of Vallejo spoke before the Vallejo School Board of Education in opposition of the mascots use.
A formal request to have the mascot placed on the next School Boards agenda was made by Antonio Gonzalez of the American Indian Movement (West). Kathi Hill of the (Vallejo) NAACP, announced publicly that the organization supports SSP&RIT in its fight to have the mascot removed.
Sacred Site Protection & Rights of Indigenous Tribes is concerned about the continued use of Vallejo High School mascot (Apache). The use of Indians as symbols and mascots is incongruous with promoting respect for inclusiveness and diversity.
Native mascots perpetuate the myth that Native America is purely historical and devoid of any contemporary relevance. The issue of ethnic mascots is not one of being politically correct; it is a problem of ignorance, ignorance of history and ignorance of respect. These images hide the fact that Native American cultures ARE living cultures. SSP&RIT strongly supports and encourages the Vallejo Unified School District to stop the use of the Apache as a mascot.
Sacred Sites Protection and Rights of Indigenous Tribes (SSP&RIT) is an organization of Indigenous and Earth Peoples dedicated to preserving traditional Native American cultural and spiritual freedom. This mission includes the protection of Sacred Sites and Places (cemeteries and churches), preserving the right to practice traditional spiritual (religious) ceremonies, and respect for the traditional cultural customs (behavior) of Native Americans.
Our goal is to educate the public of the moral and legal obligation to preserve and protect the sacred sites, and to uphold the civil and human rights of all Indigenous Peoples.
Learn more about SSP&RIT and sacred places by visiting
www.sspandrit.host56.com
Across the world right now, Indigenous peoples are facing a renewed assault on their lands, rights, and ways of life.
From extractive industries pushing deeper into ancestral territories, to governments rolling back hard-won protections,
the threat is global—and it is growing.
What makes this moment especially dangerous is how little attention it receives.
Stories like this are disappearing in real time. Mainstream media
barely covers it and the coverage is fragmented. The public is left without the context
needed to understand what is truly at stake.
That is exactly why IC Magazine exists..
For more than 20 years, IC has reported on Indigenous struggles worldwide — consistently, independently, and without compromise.
We don’t follow news cycles; we trace patterns. We don’t sensationalize; we provide context.
And when the world looks away, we stay focused.
But this work is increasingly difficult to sustain.
We refuse to lock our reporting behind a paywall. We don’t sell access through subscriptions.
And we don’t answer to advertisers. IC Magazine survives solely because readers like you choose to
support independent Indigenous journalism.
Please donate today if you can. Every contribution helps us to continue this crucial work.
Thank you,
John Ahni Schertow
Founder and Editor in Chief
