End Racist Mascots

Eradicating Racist Branding and Language in Business & Sports

Investors and businesses which prioritize Indigenous Peoples’ rights and wellbeing factor representation and racial justice into best practices. Whether a sports team, a brand name or the names of schools and universities, ending the use of racist images, stereotypes, and cultural appropriation is conducive to just and equitable business.

One of IIPWG’s long-standing initiatives has been to advocate for the Washington Football Team NFL franchise to change its racist name and logo. From initial engagements in 2009, action has ranged from appearances at multiple shareholder meetings, petition support on legal cases, and investor letters to sponsors. Following the murder of George Floyd and national protests against racial injustice in 2020, letters to team sponsors FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo on June 26, 2020, led to the team officially retiring its name.

IIPWG’s No Native Mascots advocacy occurs in tandem with enduring Native-led advocacy, which has taken place on this issue since the 1960s. Work continues to ensure that the Washington team’s new name and logo is appropriate, that reparative measures are considered and operationalized where possible, and to address similar issues with other problematic sports team names. Follow-up letters to sponsors and retailers in 2021 addressed teams in Cleveland, Kansas City and Atlanta.

Why This Issue Matters

Visibility and authentic and accurate representation is beneficial to the health and wellbeing of Native peoples, especially Native youth.

Wide consensus among Native peoples is to end the use of Native mascots in sports, and to facilitate robust and meaningful reconciliation processes to repair decades of emotional trauma.

The use of Native imagery without the consent or the involvement of Native peoples denies agency, profits from mischaracterization, and potentially leads to violence against Native peoples.

Shareholder Engagement: A Long-Game Approach

2009: Investors sign letter from ICCR to FedEx; additionally, IIPWG and social advocates file an amicus for Suzan S. Harjo, et al. v. Pro-Football, Inc.

2013: Susan S. White (Oneida Trust) presents a floor proposal at FedEx AGM; floor proposals occur near annually thereafter.

2020: Letters from investors representing $620 billion AUM are sent to FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo on June 26; all sponsors support the name change, and the name is officially retired on July 13.

Next Steps

Where names and logos have been changed, monitor rebranding efforts and encourage reparative and reconciliatory action by the teams and their fans.

Advocate for name and logo changes with other problematic sports franchises in North America and elsewhere.

Adapt successful advocacy strategies used during the Washington team engagement to make positive change throughout business and industry.

For further information, background and resources, see IIPWG’s Engagement Toolkit for the Washington team initiative.

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Eradicating Racist Branding and Language in Business & Sports

Why This Issue Matters

Shareholder Engagement: A Long-Game Approach

Next Steps