Philip Yenyo

Last updated

Philip Yenyo
Born
Philip John Yenyo

(1965-10-26) 26 October 1965 (age 59) [1]
Cleveland, Ohio US
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Former Executive director of the American Indian Movement of Ohio chapter
Activist
Years active1993–7 April 2021
Organization(s) American Indian Movement
Committee of 500 Years of Dignity and Resistance
RelativesEdward Yenyo (brother) [1]
Michele Marie Yenyo (sister) [1]
Website American Indian Movement of Ohio

Philip Yenyo is a Native American civil rights activist. He is one of several prominent activists to spearhead the movement against the use of Native American imagery as sports mascots.

Contents

Early life

Philip John Yenyo was born on 26 October 1965 to Adeline Ramirez (mother, Spanish Mexican) and John Yenyo (father, Hungarian) in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. [1] He has identified as Cherokee and Mexica, [2] although his family genealogy does not show any American Indian / Native American lineage. [1]

Career

Yenyo currently claims to be executive director of the state of Ohio's chapter of the American Indian Movement (Ohio AIM). [3] He is a former co-chair for The Committee of 500 Years of Dignity and Resistance. [4] The latter organization serves as an indigenous-supportive, multicultural organization dedicated to bolstering the cultural human heritage rights of indigenous people who live in the Northeast Ohio region. [5]

On May 13, 2021, Yenyo was informed by the American Indian Movement Grand Governing Council (AIM GCC) that Ohio AIM was unsanctioned. In a letter signed by Lisa Bellanger (Executive Director of AIM GCC) and Frank Paro (President of AIM GCC), and posted to Facebook, Yenyo was told to cease and desist from using the American Indian Movement name or representing himself as affiliated with AIM Ohio, due to "Continued verbal attacks and lateral attacks of women leadership with the AIMGCC via social media and radio shows." [6]

It has also been determined that Philip J. Yenyo has no authorization from AIM National and AIMGCC to speak, act or organize on behalf of the AIMGCC or AIM National. AIM National and AIMGCC orders [sic] Philip J. Yenyo to Cease and Desist any act representing the AIMGCC. The behavior, actions and attacks taken by Philip J. Yenyo is viewed as dishonorable, divisive, and slanderous. [6]

As of October 2021, Yenyo continues to represent himself on Facebook as a leader of the American Indian Movement and accept donations. [7]

Activism

Yenyo has dedicated a significant portion of resources to protesting the use of Chief Wahoo mascot by the Cleveland Indians. "I would like to see the name and logo changed. Both have to go." [8] Of the logo, Yenyo has stated, "But I think our people and others have come to realize that this caricature of our people as a red-face, smiling savage does great harm to us and our culture and has done so for many years." [9] "This imagery, most sports teams are named after animals and they put us in that same category. We're human beings. We're still a living culture and we still exist." [10] He has also explicated on the exploitation of other items of sacred significance to American Indian. "When we tell people that the feather is sacred to us, it's a sacred as a Christian cross, some of them start to come around and start understanding," he said. "When you start to explain to people how it affects us as a people and it puts us in a category with animals, they begin to see our side." [11]


See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Guardians</span> Major League Baseball franchise in Cleveland, Ohio

The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. Since 1994, the team has played its home games at Progressive Field. Since their establishment as a Major League franchise in 1901, the team has won 12 Central Division titles, six American League pennants, and two World Series championships. The team's World Series championship drought since 1948 is the longest active among all 30 current Major League teams. The team's name references the Guardians of Traffic, eight monolithic 1932 Art Deco sculptures by Henry Hering on the city's Hope Memorial Bridge, which is adjacent to Progressive Field. The team's mascot is named "Slider". The team's spring training facility is at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Indian Movement</span> United States civil rights organization

The American Indian Movement (AIM) is an American Indian grassroots movement which was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July 1968, initially centered in urban areas in order to address systemic issues of poverty, discrimination, and police brutality against American Indians. AIM soon widened its focus from urban issues to many Indigenous Tribal issues that American Indian groups have faced due to settler colonialism in the Americas. These issues have included treaty rights, high rates of unemployment, the lack of American Indian subjects in education, and the preservation of Indigenous cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Illiniwek</span> Former mascot of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Chief Illiniwek was the mascot of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), associated with the university's intercollegiate athletic programs, from October 30, 1926, to February 21, 2007. Chief Illiniwek was portrayed by a student to represent the Illiniwek, the state's namesake, although the regalia worn was from the Sioux. The student portraying Chief Illiniwek performed during halftime of Illinois football and basketball games, as well as during women's volleyball matches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlene Teters</span> American painter

Charlene Teters is a Native American artist, educator, and lecturer. Her paintings and art installations have been featured in over 21 major exhibitions, commissions, and collections. She is a member of the Spokane Tribe, and her Spokane name is Slum Tah. She was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, near the Spokane Indian Reservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Wahoo</span> Logo formerly used by the Cleveland Indians baseball franchise

Chief Wahoo was a logo used by the Cleveland Indians, a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1951 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Native American mascot controversy</span> Controversy regarding the use of Indigenous names and images by sports teams

Since the 1960s, the issue of Native American and First Nations names and images being used by sports teams as mascots has been the subject of increasing public controversy in the United States and Canada. This has been a period of rising Indigenous civil rights movements, and Native Americans and their supporters object to the use of images and names in a manner and context they consider derogatory. They have conducted numerous protests and tried to educate the public on this issue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vernon Bellecourt</span> Native American rights activist (1931–2007)

Vernon Bellecourt (WaBun-Inini) was a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, a Native American rights activist, and a leader in the American Indian Movement (AIM). In the Ojibwe language, his name meant "Man of Dawn."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Redskins name controversy</span> Controversy involving the name and logo of the Washington Redskins NFL team

The Washington Redskins name controversy involved the name and logo previously used by the Washington Commanders, a National Football League (NFL) franchise located in the Washington metropolitan area. In the 1960s, the team's longtime name—the Redskins—and the associated logo began to draw criticism from Native American groups and individuals. The topic, part of the larger Native American mascot controversy, began receiving widespread public attention in the 1990s. In 2020, the team responded to economic pressure in the wake of the George Floyd protests by retiring the name and logo. The team called itself the "Washington Football Team" before rebranding as the Commanders in 2022.

Jacqueline Keeler is a Native American writer and activist, enrolled in the Navajo Nation and of Yankton Dakota descent, who co-founded Eradicating Offensive Native Mascotry (EONM), which seeks to end the use of Native American racial groups as mascots.

Robert Roche, also known as Bob Roche and Rob Roche, is an activist for Native American civil rights. He is perhaps best known for being one of several prominent American Indians to spearhead the movement against the use of Native American imagery as sports mascots.

Sundance is an American Indian civil rights activist. He is perhaps best known for being one of several prominent American Indians to spearhead the movement against the use of Native American imagery as sports mascots.

Sports teams named Redskins are part of the larger controversy regarding the use of Native American names, images and symbols by non-native sports teams. Teams of this name have received particular public attention because the term redskin is now generally regarded as disparaging and offensive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Indians name and logo controversy</span>

The club name and logo previously used by Major League Baseball's Cleveland Guardians were the subject of significant controversy. The Guardians, an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, were known as the Cleveland Indians from 1915 to 2021, and their branding used Native American imagery and caricatures through much of this time period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Blackhawks name and logo controversy</span> US pro hockey team racism controversy

The Chicago Blackhawks name and logo controversy refers to the controversy surrounding the name and logo of the Chicago Blackhawks, a National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. Like other teams with tribal mascots, there are calls from Indigenous activists and organizations to change the Blackhawks' name and logo and eliminate tribal mascots and imagery throughout sports. In contrast to generic names used by other teams, Blackhawks refers to a World War I-era U.S. Army division which was named for prominent Illinois-based Native American chief Black Hawk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Cleveland Indians season</span> Major League Baseball team season

The 2018 Cleveland Indians season was the 118th season for the franchise. It was the sixth season under the leadership of manager Terry Francona and third under general manager Mike Chernoff. The Indians played all of their home games at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. This was the last season in which the Indians logo Chief Wahoo was used on uniforms or on stadium signs. They won their third straight American League Central title before being swept by the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in the ALDS. Due to the Indians losing to the Astros, the Indians became the fifth team in MLB history to have a 70 year title drought.

The Kansas City Chiefs is one of the professional sports teams involved in the controversy regarding the use of Native American names and imagery, but received less attention than other teams until 2013 when fan behavior at games, including stereotypical headdresses, face paint, performing a "war chant" and tomahawk chop became more publicly known. Protests by change advocates intensified following the name changes of the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians. In addition, the Chiefs have been highly visible due to their participation in the Super Bowl in the 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 seasons and widespread media coverage. Native American groups demonstrated outside the stadium hosting Super Bowl LVII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop and name controversy</span> American baseball controversy

The Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop and name controversy involves the name and tomahawk chop tradition by the Atlanta Braves, an American Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. Native Americans have been questioning the Braves' mascot choices since the 1970s. Native American objections to the tomahawk chop received much attention during the 1990s and have continued into the 2020s. The Atlanta Braves and their fans continue their overwhelming support of the team name and chop tradition.

Indigenous activists in Cleveland, Ohio, have advocated Indigenous issues and rights since the early 1900s.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Genealogy Report: Descendants of John Julius Jenyo". Genealogy. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Changing the narrative: Future Ohio state park aims to tell the accurate history of Tecumseh and the Shawnee people". 17 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Withers, Tom (10 April 2015). "Indians fans face protest at home opener: 'We are people, not your mascots'". Washington Times. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "VIDEOS: How Do You Feel About Chief Wahoo? AIM's Philip Yenyo & City Council's Zack Reed". Cool Cleveland. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. ↑ Shilling, Vincent (17 April 2012). "Standing Up And Staying Put: Four Decades of Protesting the Cleveland Indians' Chief Wahoo". Indian Country Today Media Network. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 "American Indian Education Center". American Indian Education Center Facebook page. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "American Indian Movement of Ohio". American Indian Movement of Ohio Facebook page. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  8. ↑ McGraw, Daniel (11 April 2015). "New push to eliminate Chief Wahoo as Indians mascot". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "New push to eliminate Chief Wahoo as Indians mascot". Raycom Group. 6 April 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  10. ↑ Withers, Tom (10 April 2015). "Protesters call for Indians to change nickname, logo". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  11. ↑ Gase, Zach (12 April 2015). "Protestors want Indians to change nickname, logo". Cleveland SunTimes. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.