 |
U.I. Dialogue Intake Session |
RetireTheChief
The following transcript is from the 4/14/00 Chief Illiniwek dialogue "intake session". It is an unedited excerpt from the original U.I. document.
MS. VANESSA CASILLAS: I am Vanessa Casillas. I am a 19 year old full-time college student attending Truman College in Chicago. I am also the co-president of Urban Natives of Chicago Youth Council. Our purpose in coming here today is to influence the council and judge that the dehumanization placed on Native Americans on the Native American race by the appearance by Chief Illiniwek mascot has no place in society today, let alone a publicly funded university.Mascots playing dress up and want-a-be Indian are sadly sometimes the only representation other cultures see of us. It's stereotypes like Chief Illiniwek that keep Native Americans from being respected at schools and work, oppressing Native Americans from reaching their full potential.
I have always been taught that my community, by my community that adults should be respected for the wisdom they carry. However, what I have witnessed by the supporters of Chief Illiniwek and the actions of the University sicken me. It sickens me that adults who will openly display such horribly racist views with such enthusiasm. Keeping Chief Illiniwek alive says to me that dominant society is actively trying to hang on to past decades when racist attitudes and slurs were commonplace.
In the past, racial slurs such as black Sambo and Frito Bandito have been eliminated by efforts of activists. Why society still accepts racial stereotypes and the degradation of the Native American race baffles me. When I see mascots being used to represent a race, it tells me that Native Americans are seen as a nonexistent race, our culture open to be taken up as a hobby. It tells me that our feelings, worries and cultures are not important and can be disregarded to suit dominant society.
Chief Illiniwek does nothing to help our traditions. Keeping Native American traditions alive is the sole responsibility of Native Americans. Chief Illiniwek holds no role in serving our culture. Instead, he causes misconceptions. Like the misconception that the Illiniwek people wore headdresses belonging to a Sioux, which does nothing to the Native American race. What he does accomplish is taking the culture of pride and turning it repulsive.
If what the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign truly wants to do is honor Native Americans, you can give us the rights of any other race, an equal opportunity to thrive. Get rid of Chief Illiniwek. To honor Native Americans, you can develop a Native American studies problem here at UIUC. Putting your educational resources to work.
If you truly want to honor us, then you will listen to us and treat these words with all seriousness, get rid of Chief Illiniwek.
See the U.I. Dialogue on Chief Illiniwek page for more transcripts and information.