Teams within the Point Edward Minor Athletic Association (PEMAA) will have a brand new look this upcoming season.
The Black Hawks logo has been changed from an image of an Indigenous Chief to a bird, but they've elected to retain the historic name.
President Liz Page said the switch was based on community feedback, with a total of 153 votes having been cast.
"There was some appetite, perhaps, for a complete shift and we certainly entertained that," said Page. "However we spent a lot of time with our membership through a rebranding workshop and, listening to their feedback, it was pretty clear they wanted to retain a good sense of membership, identity, tradition and independence."
Page said it was an expensive process.
She said through aggressive fundraising, support from the Village of Point Edward and careful spending, the additional cost of transitional jerseys, new game jerseys for all ages levels and new promotional items will be covered.
PEMAA has been working on the change since 2019 when the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) advised a total of forty municipalities about the harmful impact of Indigenous-themed sports logos in municipal facilities.
Page said early in the process they gathered feedback from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, including Chief Chris Plain.
"They felt that locally our logo was not offensive to people that they were in touch with. However, we felt really strongly that when we visit other communities we can't make that assumption," she said. "We wanted to make sure that when we walk into arenas with our jerseys or warm up suits or jackets that we were leading with pride, inclusivity and respect."
Page expressed thanks to the PEMAA Board of Directors, Village of Point Edward, alumni players, and community members for being involved in the change.
