Chaske Spencer to testify at Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Posted on 03. May, 2011 by amydod in News
Chaske will be testifying before the U.S. Senate on Indian affairs this week:
On Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 2:15 p.m., Chaske Spencer, star of the Twilight Saga film series: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn will testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs at an oversight hearing on “Stolen Identities: The Impact of Racist Stereotypes on Indigenous People” in room 628 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Research shows that Native American mascots had negative effects on Native students’ self-esteem and sense of worth and that exposure to Native American team mascots increases a person’s negative stereotyping of other races. The United States Commission on Civil Rights, NAACP, National Congress of American Indians, American Psychological Association and countless tribes and organizations have passed resolutions calling for an end to Indigenous-themed mascots. Spencer has been asked to join the hearing due to the fact that the emergence of Indigenous actors and directors has given Native people the opportunity to define how their culture is portrayed. Native actors and directors have the unique opportunity to make strides towards overturning decades of harmful stereotypes. Seeing Native people in positive roles brings a sense of pride to Native youth and boosts their self-esteem. Spencer shares, “I am honored to have been given the incredible opportunity to contribute in whatever way possible to the positive shift in the portrayal of native people in the media.”
Via the Lexicon
