CHANGE THE NAME, KEEP THE LOVE OF THE GAME

A man holding a sign that says, 'The Chop is Racialist,' written in red and white, with an axe illustration, at a baseball game with fans wearing Atlanta Braves apparel.
Group of people holding signs and a large banner at a protest or rally. The banner reads 'Indians are a proud people not 'mascots' for America's fun & games' with references to a national coalition on racism in sports and media.
Person holding a protest sign that reads 'CHANGING THE NAME' in red and black letters, with blurred background of trees and other sign partly visible.

  • Bravest ATL is a grassroots baseball fan club evolving into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to apply strategic pressure for a rebrand of Atlanta’s MLB team. We bring together organizations and fans who love the game and team to imagine a future that honors team traditions while championing all forms of bravery and the longstanding spirit of respect in Atlanta. We recommend The Bravest as one solution that preserves pride and courage by celebrating firefighters and first responders, but we welcome any identity that ends harmful stereotypes and unites fans. Through sales of Bravest merchandise and community donations, we support firefighters, first responders, and Native-led organizations.

  • We envision Atlanta leading by example, proving that respect and embracing positive change can go hand in hand to strengthen our community and the national pastime. Our vision includes a team name and brand that celebrates bravery, free from stereotypes and the appropriation of any culture – one that unites fans in pride for Atlanta. We see a future where baseball in our community reflects respect and the courage to evolve. Together, we can build a legacy every Atlantan can share with the next generation with pride.

  • Unite Fans and Allies
    We build coalitions across fans, first responders, civic leaders, and partner organizations. Our strength comes from bringing people together around a shared love for baseball and Atlanta.

    Champion Respect
    We reject harmful stereotypes and embrace Atlanta’s creativity and evolution. Every fan deserves pride in the team’s identity, and we listen to Indigenous voices as part of shaping a future that moves beyond Native imagery.

    Evolve with Courage
    We honor tradition while recognizing when it’s time to grow. True bravery means having the courage to evolve, face discomfort, and do the right thing even when it’s difficult. This applies not only to our advocacy but to Bravest ATL as an organization.

    Lead with Integrity
    We hold ourselves accountable for modeling the respect we ask for in others. By standing firm in our convictions and collaborating openly, we strive to set an example for Atlanta and beyond.

    Give Back, Build Together
    We put our values into practice by investing proceeds from merchandise sales and donations toward firefighters, first responders, and Native-led organizations. Our advocacy is matched by direct impact in the community.

Bravest is 1 example of how simple it could be for Atlanta to change their team name.
Cleveland and Washington made the change - now is the time for Atlanta to do what is right. Stop the racism and dehumanization of Native American’s and CHANGE THE NAME!

  • Book cover titled "Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting" with a stylized outline of an Indian head in profile and a colorful feather headdress against a brown background.

    Watch it.

    Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting is a documentary that examines the movement that is ending the use of Native American names, logos, and mascots in the world of sports and beyond. The film details the current uprising against the misappropriation of Native culture in a national reckoning about racial injustice that has succeeded in the removal of Confederate imagery, toppling statues of Christopher Columbus and forcing corporate sponsors of Washington’s NFL team to demand it change its most-offensive name. It examines the origin and proliferation of the words, images, and gestures that many Native people and their allies find offensive. Imagining the Indian explores the impact that stereotyping and marginalization of Native history have had on Native people. It chronicles the long social movement to eliminate mascoting.

    Watch It
  • Promotional graphic for 'Edge of Sports' podcast with Dave Zirin, featuring bold red, white, black, and yellow text and a black-and-white photo of a man pointing at the camera.

    Hear it.

    Listen to Dave Zirin speak with Chris Buccafusco, co-founder of BravestATL. Long time fan of the Atlanta Braves, speaks about how he and his brother became aware of the uncomfortable feeling they got when they realized that doing the “Chop” didn’t seem OK to do anymore.
    Chris shares how he and his brother created the idea of making a simple branding change to the team name and how it could easily remove the racism it currently projects and become something positive that embraces the cities history and those who have served it.

    Hear It
  • Signboard for Guardians baseball team and a large banner for Washington Commanders football team, including a football player in uniform.

    Change it.

    In 2022, both Cleveland and Washington changed their team names. Publicly it took them each 2 years to go from saying they would look into it, to actually doing it.
    Yet Native Americans have been publicly protesting the mascot stereotyping as far back as the late 1960’s.

    When the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) launched a campaign in 1968 to address stereotypes found in print and other media, they created a voice of opposition that has grown louder and louder, year after year.

    The evidence is clear that Native Americans are offended by the stereotypical use of mascotry. Many organizations have made the conscious effort to do what is right and change the names of their organizations. Why is it taking so long for others to follow suit?

    Every race has a right to decide what names and imagery they find offensive and what they want to raise or reclaim. Native Americans are no different.

We’d love to hear from you