Robert Roche (activist) facts for kids

Robert Roche, also known as Bob Roche and Rob Roche, is an activist who works for the rights of Native American people. He is well-known for leading efforts against using Native American images as sports mascots.

Early Life and Influences

Robert Joseph Roche was born on May 3, 1947, in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young person, he met Russell Means. Means was a famous actor and civil rights activist. He also started the Cleveland branch of the American Indian Movement. Russell Means greatly influenced Robert Roche, and they worked together on many projects.

Working for the Community

From 1974 to 1984, Robert Roche worked for the City of Cleveland. He was an Acting Probation Officer in the Juvenile Court Division. In this role, he helped young Indigenous people who were involved with the justice system.

In 1995, Robert Roche started the American Indian Education Center. This is a non-profit group in Cleveland, Ohio. The center helps Native American people in many ways. It offers services like tutoring and help with writing resumes. It also provides cultural programs for the community.

Robert Roche is currently the executive director of the American Indian Education Center. He has also taught a class at Oberlin College. This class was about the history of the American Indian Movement. This organization works for the civil rights of Native Americans.

Activism and Advocacy

Robert Roche was an active member of the Autonomous American Indian Movement (AAIM). This was a separate part of the American Indian Movement in Cleveland. He was part of this group until January 2020.

Roche has been a visible leader in the Cleveland community for many years. He has often used his position to speak up for others. He also worked to raise awareness for Amanda Berry. She was a kidnapping victim in Cleveland who is part Native American. Roche wrote letters to the police and held candlelight vigils for her.

Protesting Sports Mascots

Since 1973, Robert Roche has protested against the Cleveland Indians baseball team's mascot, Chief Wahoo. He also started a group called "People, Not Mascots." This group works to stop the use of Native American images as mascots. They want to raise awareness that using a race of people as mascots is offensive.

Roche explained his reasons for protesting. He said, "We are not mascots. I'm nobody's mascot. My children are not mascots." He believes that such mascots mock Native American people and their culture.

In 2014, Robert Roche planned to file a lawsuit against the Cleveland Indians organization. He sought a large amount of money for the harm caused by the mascot. Roche stated, "It's been offensive since day one. We are not mascots. My children are not mascots. We are people."

See Also

• American Indian Movement
• Chief Wahoo
• Native American mascot controversy
• Philip Joseph Yenyo
• Sundance