The recent decision of the Kansas City Chiefs to no longer allow fans to wear “headdresses and face paint styled in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures” in an attempt to distance themselves from blatant racism while keeping established brand identity, indicates that management understands the negative social impact of their brand; and national sports franchises, such as Kansas City, Missouri’s National Football League organization, the Chiefs, should not be a vehicle of institutionalized racism.

The harmful stereotypes associated with the Kansas City team’s use of race-based mascots permeate every facet of society in and around Kansas City. Our youth are subjected to advertisements on radio, TV, and marketing displays in every grocery store, including pork chops advertised as the “tomahawk chop” and “Can’t Stop the Chop” ads featuring football fans singing the stereotypical song and doing the tomahawk chop. Additionally, fast food features ads that they will “feed the tribe,” and a local Sonic’s sign stating, “KC CHIEFS’ WILL SCALP THE REDSKINS FEED THEM WHISKEY SEND – 2 – RESERVATION,” add to dehumanizing propaganda our youth are bombarded with, leading to lowered self-esteem and self-worth, and potentially leading to increased violence against American Indian youth; and there has been scientific research conducted to determine the harmful psychological effects these “Native” sports mascots on our Native youth.

The American Psychological Association has determined that these representations also undermine the ability of Native nations and people to portray themselves accurately as distinct and diverse cultures, and that stereotypical images are a dominant culture’s prejudiced representations of a racial or ethnic minority group; (Urging the U.S. Secretary of Education to Take Substantive Action Regarding Schools with “Native” Sports Stereotypes, NCAI Resolution ATL-14-011, October 26-31, 2014).

We are calling on the Kansas City Chiefs to cease their use of racialized Native American branding by eliminating all imagery of or evocative of Native American culture, traditions, and spirituality from their team franchise by changing their name including the logo. This includes the use of Native terms, drum, arrows, or monikers that assume the presence of Native American culture and apply the NFL’s “zero tolerance” for on-field use of racial and homophobic slurs to all races and ethnic groups, especially Native Peoples.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to use Native American imagery and stereotypical behavior, while they and the NFL hypocritically campaign to #EndRacism. It is an embarrassment to our city for the football team to continue to use a name and imagery from the pre-Civil Rights Act era. The Chiefs must change their name and discontinue their use of Native imagery and behaviors. It is past time for a true understanding of Native American people and their contributions to society, rather than the continued caricature.