Chaske Spencer To Speak On Mascots, Stereotypes, and Native Americans Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Online, May 4, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Los Angeles, CA - Chaske Spencer, known for his role as wolf pack leader, Sam Uley, from The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn Pt. 1., will speak at the U.S. Senate Committee on May 5th, 2011 regarding the impact of mascots and stereotypes in the Native American community. "As an actor...someone native and...in the spotlight...I think he will positively spin the twilight franchise as going counter to stereotypes" says Tex Hall, Chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota and the Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association, who is also scheduled to speak and witness at the hearing. Other prominent and well know Native Americans to witness and speak are Suzan Harjo (Muscogee), lead plaintiff in Harjo et al. v. Pro Football Inc, Stephanie Fryberg (Tulalip), Professor of Psychology at the University of Arizona, and Jim Warne (Oglala Lakota), former NFL player.

The goal of this hearing is to address the negative impact mascots and stereotypes have on college campuses, the hostile environment they create for Native America students and the continual gross misinformation of the general student populous. The hearing will specifically attend to the NCAA and the University of North Dakota's 2007 agreement to cease the use of the mascot name and logo: The Fighting Sioux by April 15, 2011 unless otherwise approved by the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes. The Tribes opposed the use of the Fighting Sioux mascot and logo this year and have demanded that the University of North Dakota cease its use. The Great Plaines Tribal Chairman's Association supports the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's decision and call on the University to cease the use and logo of the Fighting Sioux.

Spencer, who is of Lakota (Sioux) Nation, Nez Perce, Cherokee, and Creek heritage decent feels really close to this issue and has a history of promoting positive images of his community through local activism and through his organization United Global Shift. United Global Shift is an organization dedicated to fighting poverty and creating sustainable communities. United Global Shift's mission is to cause a shift in what is possible for humanity, focusing on the environment, employment, entrepreneurship, health and education by using media outlets to promote entertainment projects in film, television, fashion, sports, advertising, and internet. By promoting these projects the goal is to cause a shift in the way people think and live their lives.

A web cast of the hearing will be available the day of the hearing May 5th, 2011. For more information on the U.S. Senate Committee hearing please visit http://indian.senate.gov/ and www.indianz.com. For more information on Chaske Spencer or his organization United Global Shift please contact Josselyne Herman-Saccio at j@jhamanagement.

About Chaske Spencer
Chaske Spencer plays werewolf leader "Sam Uley" in the popular Summit Entertainment The Twilight Saga film series: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Prior to The Twilight Saga, Chaske was in the films: Skins, Dreamkeeper and Steven Spielberg's Into The West. Chaske recently booked the lead role of "Virgil First Raise" in the feature film of the book Winter in the Blood (by James Welch) and additionally, he shot and wrapped the indie film Shouting Secrets playing the lead character named "Wesley Bishnik."Partnered with his manager JosselyneHerman and veteran producer Ted Kurdyla, his production company Urban Dream is in development on a feature-length documentary and feature film called The Block. Chaske expects to soon be starring in All My Relations-- a role created specifically for him.

About the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
In 1977, the Senate re established the Committee on Indian Affairs, making it a temporary Select Committee (February 4, 1977, S. Res. 4, Section 105, 95th Congress, 1st Sess. (1977), as amended). The Select Committee was to disband at the close of the 95th Congress, but following several term extensions, the Senate voted to make the Committee permanent on June 6, 1984. The Committee has jurisdiction to study the unique problems of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples and to propose legislation to alleviate these difficulties. These issues include, but are not limited to, Indian education, economic development, land management, trust responsibilities, health care, and claims against the United States. Additionally, all legislation proposed by Members of the Senate that specifically pertains to American Indians, Native Hawaiians, or Alaska Natives is under the jurisdiction of the Committee.