Divisive Phoenix street names still in place

A year and a half after Phoenix pushed a controversial policy change that allows the city to rename derogatory or controversial street names without resident approval, the city has yet to change any names.

The road at the base of Piestawa Peak, which was renamed from Squaw Peak to honor fallen soldier Lori Piestewa in 2003, is still Squaw Peak Drive. “Squaw” is a derogatory term for Native American women.

Robert. E. Lee Street, a mostly residential roadway in northeast Phoenix, remains. Several African-American groups object to the recognition of the Confederate general.

Under the amended policy, the mayor or three council members can

ask the city manager to pursue streetname changes in situations where a name might be deemed “offensive or derogatory based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability.”

Phoenix would have to notify affected property owners of any proposed change and hold at least two community meetings, but the council would have final say in selecting a new name or rejecting the change.

Previously, all street-name changes had to have the consent of at least 75 percent of impacted property owners.

Former Mayor Greg Stanton, who has since resigned and was elected to Congress earlier this month, pushed the policy change.

“We want to send a message about our values as a city,” Stanton said at a June 2017 meeting. “That means Phoenix should not have public street names ... that demean our residents.”

Residents who could be impacted by a street-name change, particularly those who live on Squaw Peak Drive, were opposed to the change. They signed petitions and sent letters to council members arguing that the change would force them to spend money to update their address on financial and legal documents.

Still, the council approved the new policy in a 6-3 vote. Council members Sal DiCiccio, Jim Waring and Thelda Williams, who is currently the interim mayor, opposed the policy change.

Since then, the mayor and council members who supported the policy change have made no requests to the city manager to begin the name-change process for Squaw Peak Drive or Robert E. Lee Street.

“Council approved the policy to do it, but they also knew that there was enough dissension from folks that we have not received any requests,” Phoenix Planning Director Alan Stephenson said.

Stanton, who was one of the biggest advocates for the change, said in a statement that he is proud that the city added “Piestewa Peak” signs on Lincoln Drive that emphasize the peak’s correct name, but “it is certainly one of my regrets that we did not have the support necessary to completely change the street names.”

It’s unclear what support the change had or didn’t have, because Stanton never started the process to bring it to a public vote.

Kristin Payestewa, a third cousin of Lori Piestewa, pushed the city to adopt the policy last year. But she hasn’t heard much of anything from Phoenix since then, she said.

Piestewa 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.

The state renamed Squaw Peak in 2003 to honor Piestewa and get rid of the offensive term. 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.

Payestewa said there’s such a divide between visiting the mountain, named after her cousin, and then driving on the road, named after a derogatory term for female Native Americans.

“This amazing woman was a warrior and gave her life ... and then to go from the mountain and up the street, it’s just kind of like ... ,” she sighed. “You just reflect a lot, I guess, that whole stretch of Squaw Peak Drive. For me, it’s just like reflecting on there’s more action that needs to be done here.”

She said the name change would accomplish two things: It would remove an offensive and derogatory term from city streets, and — if it’s changed to Piestewa Drive — it will continue to educate people about Hopi culture and indigenous people.

“This as a whole really represents all of the indigenous people, and I think that Lori wanted that in her legacy. She would want to be able to change society somehow. That’s why she did what she did to go help and to give her time,” Payestewa said.

Williams, the current mayor, said through a spokeswoman that she does not plan to pursue any changes to street names during her tenure.

Williams will serve until a new mayor is elected in March. She suggested it may be something for the next mayor to pursue.

Former council members Kate Gallego and Daniel Valenzuela are competing in the mayoral race. Both voted for the name name-change policy last year. Neither returned phone calls for this article.

Payestewa said she hopes discussions will reignite and the offensive names will be changed.

“It’s now ... an opportunity to start talking about this and trying to implement change,” she said.