; Whereas there has been scientific research conducted to determine the harmful effects of these Native sports mascots on our Native youth; Whereas multiple academic studies over the last few decades have found that American Indian and Alaska Native high school and college students had a consistent, negative reaction to stereotypical mascots because these images and names remind Native youth of the limited ways in which others see them, which in turn restricts how they see themselves, and, importantly, the self-esteem of non-Native youths rose when presented with the same images; and Whereas the American Psychological Association has determined that these representations also undermine the ability of Native Nations and peoples 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: Now, therefore, be it