Homeowners fight Phoenix mayor's push to change 'offensive' street name at base of Piestewa Peak

Property owners along Squaw Peak Drive in east Phoenix are fighting Mayor Greg Stanton's push to change the street's name, which contains a word many people consider a derogatory term for Native American women.

Homeowners have presented a petition to the City Council, urging the city to keep the name intact. The street is at the base of Piestewa Peak, one of the most popular hiking destinations in the state that was once uniformly known as Squaw Peak. The mountain's name change occurred more than a decade ago.

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Last fall, Stanton asked the city to begin taking steps to formally rename the street because of the controversial word. City officials said they are researching a potential renaming, and it appears Stanton will still push for the change despite the petition.

"The current street name is derogatory and offensive to many, especially Native Americans," Stanton said in a statement Friday. "Per my request, staff is looking to change it in a manner that’s least inconvenient to people living near Piestewa Peak."

The street spans roughly a mile and includes about 20 homes. A majority of the property owners oppose a change.

Homeowners vs. other Phoenix residents

Alice Jones, who lives on the street, presented the council last month with a petition signed by 16 homeowners who are against the renaming effort. She said she and her husband bought their home on Valentine's Day 48 years ago and described a sense of nostalgia for the street's moniker.

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“It is easy to believe that if homeowners had been offended by the name, they would have not purchased property there in the first place," Jones told the council Feb. 15. “This is a part of our history, and now we hope to be a part of the city’s history."

Some Native American advocates say the street should be named in honor of Lori Piestewa to match neighboring Piestewa Peak. She was a member of the Hopi Tribe and the first American Indian woman to die in combat serving with the U.S. military. She was killed during the Iraq War in 2003.

Amanda Blackhorse, a Phoenix resident and Native activist, said the name is a "constant reminder of the historical trauma" that indigenous people, especially women, have faced.

She said the Native American community considers the word equivalent to expletives used to refer to women or racial minorities.

"We call it the 'S-word,' " Blackhorse said. "That was used as a tool, as a weapon to make us less than human. You should never, ever refer to Native women that way."

Historians and Native Americans have varying interpretations of the word's meaning. Some contend it originated from a word referring to female anatomy. Others say the origin wasn't negative and referred simply to Native women, but the word took on a new meaning as white settlers used it as a pejorative.

Kristin Payestewa, a third cousin of Lori Piestewa, said the street name makes her feel uncomfortable every time she drives up to Piestewa Peak. She said it's ironic that the entrance to a mountain that symbolizes the strength of a Native American female solider still carries such a negative reference.

Payestewa said European settlers historically used the word to refer to Native women taken as slaves, and it evokes images of abuse.

“I just feel really dirty," she said, describing her reaction to seeing the word. “The term 'squaw' really just makes me feel less of a woman. ... If we’re going to exist on this earth, let us just be equal."

Vestige of mountain's former name

The mountain's name changed more than a decade ago, at the urging of then-Gov. Janet Napolitano and Native American leaders. They  persuaded a state board to name it in honor of Piestewa. A nearby freeway, State Route 51, also was renamed, along with a Phoenix police precinct.

But the name of the city street remained, and there was no public effort to change it until Stanton's announcement in late 2016.

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The petition from homeowners complicates the process, however. According to city policy, 75 percent of property owners affected by a street name change must sign a petition in support. But the council could vote to make a change without residents' support.

Whether there's political support for that is unclear. The city hasn't set a timeline for the renaming process, and a spokeswoman for the Street Transportation Department said staff members are examining what steps are needed to change the name.

Meanwhile, property owners are becoming increasingly vocal opponents. The Arizona Republic asked Jones, who submitted the petition, about concerns of Native American leaders who find the name offensive.

"I don't care what they think about it," she said, adding that she was unavailable to comment further.

Several other homeowners on the street and in nearby neighborhoods also sent Stanton and Councilman Sal DiCiccio emails opposing the change. Some said it would waste taxpayer money or be an inconvenience.

A spokeswoman for the city said it would cost Phoenix about $2,000 to change signage along the street.

Glenda Strickland, who lives on the street, urged DiCiccio to stop the process. DiCiccio, who represents the area, did not respond to a request for comment.

"Ms. Piestewa has already been honored," Strickland wrote in her email. "The expense would be excessive and unnecessary in all ways."

Long-brewing controversy

Controversy over the mountain's former name is nothing new — efforts to remove it from public spaces in Phoenix met opposition from some longtime residents.

When the state renamed the peak in 2003, the issue created a political firestorm. Many protested the move and said the peak should keep its old title or be named in honor of all veterans. Federal recognition of the change didn't come until 2008.

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Even now, many Phoenix residents still use the former name and say they want it restored out of a sense of tradition or because it speaks to the area's history.

Renaming the street could also carry logistic concerns. Residents would have to change the address listed on their bank accounts, licenses and other documents, according to the city. Mapping services, such as Google or MapQuest, also would need to update their programs to reflect the street name.

The Phoenix Human Relations Commission, a citizen panel that deals with issues of equality and discrimination, began discussing the issue last year, before the petition from homeowners.

Brendan Mahoney, the commission's chair and a former adviser to Stanton, said the body recommended the City Council consider breaking from policy in this instance and discuss renaming the street without sign-off from property owners.

Mahoney said while input of homeowners should be taken seriously, they're not the only consideration. Mahoney said the street belongs to all Phoenix residents and the name is "deeply offensive."

"People just don't give much credence to Native American sensibilities at all," he said. "We tend to not think about their rights."