By Haley Egle
Murphy News Service 

Local performers joined Native American leaders and thousands of others to protest the name and mascot of the Washington football team Sunday outside of the TCF Bank Stadium.

“I think of it more of a gathering to affirm values of civility,” said Community Celebration of Place founder Larry Long. “We’re trying to be proactive, not reactive.”

Comedian and writer Dick Gregory also appeared at Sunday’s protest.

Long sang a song he wrote called “RedSkins,” which he said gets to the core value of what it means to be honored, not reduced to a racial slur.

“In modern day society it’s unacceptable to use such a word,” Long said. “I can’t believe there hasn’t been more discussion and uproar about this.”

Musicians gathered at the Dakota Jazz Club Saturday night to honor indigenous people for the “American Roots Revue.” Local singer Chastity brown, jazz vocalist Prudence Johnson, and gospel singer Robert Robinson took the stage, performing repertoire that celebrates the diversity in origins of American music, Long said.

Despite facing pressure from Native American leaders, lawmakers and the United States Commission on Civil Rights, among many other organizations, the Washington team owner Daniel Snyder has said he won’t change the name many consider offensive and racist.

The University of Minnesota held several events in the week leading up to the game to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of racial stereotypes in sports. The goal was to examine not only the impact of the “Redskins’” mascot, but the effect of the use of American Indian mascots in general.

November is Native American Heritage month.

Haley Egle is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.