AIM Support Group of Ohio & N. KentuckyUpdates and Announcements
Saturday, March 02, 2002Subj: Rally Date: 3/1/02 10:06:51 PM Eastern Standard Time From: rwaimin@earthlink.net (Albert Runningwolf) WHAT: Demonstration by Native Americans and their supporters to protest minority employment practices, reporting and handling of Native American burial grounds, and the allocation of funds of the Native American Trust License Plate by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. To show support for a Native American Commission and the boycott of Angel Mounds State Historic Site. WHERE: Capitol Commons Park Directly across from the State House on Washington St. Indianapolis, Indiana *Indiana State Department of Administration denied our permit to meet at the State House. WHEN: Saturday, March 2, 2002 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm WHO: Representatives of American Indian nations of Indiana and surrounding states, including the American Indian Movement (AIM). WHY: The Indiana Department of Natural Resources removed William Spellazza, Cultural Coordinator of Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville, IN from his position and transferred him to New Harmony State Historic Site. Mr. Spellazza is a Native American and serves as program director for the site and as the cultural link from Angel Mounds, a pre contact Mississippian village, to present-day Native Americans. Mr. Spellazza is the only Native American, in fact the only representative of a minority ethnic group, employed in a management position with IDNR. Stricter laws regarding the handling and reporting of Native American burial sites. Currently, Native American remains are housed in various museums around the state; specifically Glenn Black Laboratory at Indiana University houses over 300 human remains from Angel Mounds SHS. Currently, the income generated from the Native American Trust License Plate is allocated to the Museums of Prophetstown, which is part of the Department of Natural Resources. The museum has been having financial difficulty and all funds are frozen. The money from the Native American Trust License Plate should be used for issues related to housing, unemployment, and health . . . not a museum! The Native American Community needs a Commission to assist in the education of the public and General Assembly in issues relating to conditions causing exclusion of Native Americans from the larger Indiana community, measures to stimulate job skill training and related workforce development, measures to sustain cultural diversity while improving race and ethnic relations, public awareness of issues affecting the Native American community, measures that could facilitate easier access to state and local government services by Native Americans, and challenges and opportunities arising out of the growing Native American population. Currently, the Native American community has the Native American Governors Council, which was established by an Executive Order. Yet, the Council is under the Department of Natural Resources/Department of Archaeology - instead of the Governors office! DNR has left the Native American community with no choice other than to call for a boycott of Angel Mounds State Historic Site – due to the removal of William Spellazza. We are asking all potential visitors to Angel Mounds to show their support of Native American employment opportunities, which is what Bill Spellazza represents, by withholding their donations to Angel Mounds. We further want the corporate sponsors of Angel Mounds events to reconsider their monetary support. -- Mitakuye Oyasin, Albert RunningWolf (Chairperson) A.I.M. Indiana Support Group posted by Webmaster@ AIM Support 12:10 AM Last updated:
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