Dear Warriors,

        I graduated from our amazing high school in 2017 with appreciation for the memories and life-long friendships I made. I will always remember the hallways crowded with students bustling to their classes, especially on the first day of school when the freshmen were wandering aimlessly unsure why we have two 3rd floors. I will never forget the Friday night lights and the chilly weekend morning playoff games. I take immense pride in my high school which is why I am writing this letter. Recently I took an eye opening course in Native American studies, guided by Dr. Liza Grandia. My foundations in United States history were shaken and I became aware of the oppression American Indians have faced historically and continue to face today. Dr. Grandia drew our attention to the history of neglect American Indians endured. Additionally, many American Indians were--and continue to be--stigmatized and stereotyped through media and cultural appropriation. Notably, the use of American Indians as mascots has had a prevalent and unrecognized impact on the American Indian community.

Please click the link below to continue reading my open letter.

https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vRhPVknjT9uC_GP5qHzePoiq6JV9YheE2hBnxYCVkQBm4F8g5IxGIduUA2naLSJi_deBP9E_qWTFGcJ/pub