Show your support for accurately representing Fighting Illini athletics by honoring our veterans and Native Tribes at the annual Military Appreciation football game.

In 2018, University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones convened a commission tasked with "finding a path forward" in the post Chief Illiniwek era. This commission was asked to address four specific charges.

This alumni and fan-supported proposal addresses two of the four charges, specifically:

• "How to facilitate the establishment of new traditions".
• "How to honor and partner with the Native Nations for whom Illinois is their ancestral home".

Our group has asked members of these exact Tribal Nations for their input, and they have told us that on-field recognition during Native American Heritage Month combined with fundraising for Native American scholarships is how to honor and partner with them.

Many of these Tribal Nations have participated in pre-game ceremonies at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, which for several years has featured a presentation of Tribal Nation flags and a Native American color guard prior to the playing of the national anthem. Because Fighting Illini athletics has historically associated with veterans and Native heritage, we are suggesting that the annual military appreciation game be expanded to recognize Native Nations as both Veterans Day and Native American Heritage Month is during the month of November.

This is our vision for the new annual Military Appreciation and Native American Heritage Month game tradition:

1. Native American Color Guard.
2. Singing of the National Anthem by a Native American tribal member.
3. Flag presentation of our ancestral Tribal Nations.

*Note: We are already doing these presentations during the current pre-game ceremony, our proposal simply includes and recognizes our Tribal Nations along with our veterans.

The Native American community has emphatically spoken - the way for sports teams and educational institutions to honor Native American heritage is through authentic cultural celebrations on their grandest stages of athletics.

Let's show the administration that the vast majority of the students, fans, and alumni want this new tradition, which unlike the kingfisher mascot, accurately and proudly represents Fighting Illini athletics.

Please sign our online petition to add your voice to Illini Nation and share with friends and family who support Native American heritage at the University of Illinois.

For more information, please refer to our website: www.illinitradition.com