[Peace] Series of Events to Unite people against Racist Mascots and Request of Co-sponsorship Thereof

[Jesse Phillippe]

Dear AWARE,

In March of 2007, the University of Illinois formally retired the "Chief
Illiniwek" mascot as its symbol. Nonetheless, "Students for Chief Illiniwek"
has continued to revisit the Chief issue by hosting an event known as "The
Next Dance" that will occur at Assembly Hall on Oct. 23rd at 7pm. The
University Administration continues to allow this organization to profit off
of a caricature of American Indian people, and it must stop.

In response to the continued efforts to host the retired mascot on our
campus, The I-Resist Coalition and Students for a United Illinois are
organizing two events under the theme *NEW MASCOT NOW!* because it is time
for our campus to move on. We are hosting these events during the week of
"The Next Dance", first a *Rally at Swanlund* to raise our voices to the
Administration, and second, a *Rally at Assembly Hall *with a* "We've Moved
On" Unity Party* to follow. We hope these events will help educate and
mobilize the community to move on from the former mascot and the racial
stereotypes it perpetuates.

We are contacting your organization to see if you would be willing to
co-sponsor these events with I-Resist and Students for a United Illinois,
and also to publicize the events to your membership. Co-sponsorship would
consist of having your group's name on publicity materials, actively
encouraging members to attend these events, and allowing your organization
to speak at the Rally if interested. The time and location of the events are
below.
Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you!

I-Resist Coalition and Students for a United Illinois

<http://www.iresist.org/>

*NEW MASCOT NOW! Rally at Swanlund
*Friday, October 22nd
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
In front of Swanlund Administration Building (corner of John and Sixth
Streets)
*Join us as we let the Administration know it is time to move past the
former "Chief" mascot and unite behind a new mascot.
*
*NEW MASCOT NOW! Rally at Assembly Hall
*Saturday, October 23rd
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Meet outside of Assembly Hall

*Join us as we rally to show how events like "The Next Dance" perpetuate a
racial stereotype, divide our campus, and prevent us from moving forward as
a campus. The "We've Moved On" Unity Party will follow this event.

**"WE'VE MOVED ON" Unity Party
*Saturday, October 23rd
7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Location TBD

*After we rally against the mascot, we will be providing the campus with a
genuinely entertaining party to serve as an alternative to "The Next Dance."
*

*Thank you and we would appreciate your support.*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/attachments/20101013/20c68139/attachment.html>