Native Americans continue to battle poverty, joblessness and low incomes. About 28.4 percent of American Indians and Alaska (1 in every 3) Natives   nearly twice the national rate   lived in poverty in 2010. Their unemployment hovers around 49 percent, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs  most recent labor force report in 2005.A Michigan Native American tribe plans soon to offer cash to help K-12 schools, public and private and universities, and municipalities replace Indian mascots.A recent state tally found 35 K-12 schools in Michigan had Native American-themed mascots, including the Indians, the Warriors, the Redskins, the Chiefs, the Big Reds, the Redskins, the Chieftains and the Braves.Not every Michigan Native American tribe is in agreement with the Notawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi:Central Michigan University has been using the Chippewas as their team logo for decades. Their nickname is used with consent of the nearby Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, who have a positive relationship with the university. The university was placed on the NCAA s list of schools with  hostile or abusive  nicknames in August 2005, but appealed the decision, with the support of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. On September 2, 2005 the university announced that their appeal of the decision had been upheld.The Notawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi says they d be the first tribe in the United States to help offset the costs of replacing the mascots.That replacement process can be expensive, a tribal spokeswoman said. For instance, a school may have to change everything from gym floors to athletic uniforms to band equipment to official letterhead to its website.In 2013, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights unsuccessfully called for the Department of Education to prohibit the use of Indian mascots, names, slogans, chants and imagery. Heatstreet