The seventh annual Critical Geographies Mini-Conference, temporarily renamed "Decolonizing Cascadia? Rethinking Critical Geographies," will be held at the University of British Columbia on November 16th and 17th, 2012.
Running a Cascadia Information Table
This is the first in a series of articles aimed to help interested CascadiaNow members and group find easy, low cost and effective ways for outreaching and ultimately, to raise awareness of Cascadia.
An information table can be as easy as it gets. They are simple, and often a good first step for a group trying to get off the ground to outreach to various communities, give information and literature, find other interested parties, and to begin compiling email lists for future meetings and activities. Key places that they may be effective would be any large scale events that may pertain to Cascadian principles or ideals, or in the first weeks of a school quarter for new student groups.
Talk with friends about large scale events in your city or on your campus coming up within the next several months, or even in the year, and make arrangements to reserve a booth, or note the dates so you can table outside of it.
People: One person can do it but it is preferable to have more people – and more fun. Usually two or three people is recommended, so that people can take breaks, or provide input on a challenging discussion or conversation. Make sure all participants know when and where to be well in advance.
Furniture: A folding table will do fine. Many events have the option to provide them for you. If you are outdoors, you may also want to think about a garden pavilion or umbrella. Again, many schools or community centers have these available that you can check out or rent. While not necessary, a few chairs might also be convenient, though we’re sure with all the Cascadia raising awareness you’ll have the chance to sit down.
Materials: This is largely up to you, but for your standard tabling kit, we recommend a large tri-fold information board (usually about $5 and available from any art store, that you and compadres can put together the night before). On this, we recommend several different color posters, images, quotations and blurbs that help to succinctly put forward what the idea of Cascadia is, and maybe different areas that we are focusing on. History, Bioregionalism, Beer, Soccer, Culture and the Environment are all excellent areas to begin with. The Tri-Fold should be large enough to either go on the table itself, or if you don’t have a larger banner, think about putting it in front of the table. In addition a Cascadian Doug Flag can do wonders just as a table cloth.
Literature: We will be making a Cascadia tabling kit available online very soon, but in the meantime, think about the basics of what you might need. 1) An email list, to collect contact information from those interested in learning more. A quartersheet, with a brief description of Cascadia (pulling it from our website or elsewhere on the internet is just fine), as well as a quartersheet with your group, your info, relevant online resources, and potentially when/where you folks meet is always a good idea. In addition, any merchandise you have for sale, or to display is always helpful, and makes your organization look more professional. Patches, stickers, buttons, flags are always a good idea if you have them available. In addition, think about creating a larger tri-fold pamphlet, or putting together a short 3-4 page zine about your vision of Cascadia, potential projects that you may want to work towads.
A Debrief: Hold a post mortem. Get everyone who took part to give their impressions and ideas about what went well and what didn’t and how you can improve for the next one. Write a report and share it on your mailing list, wiki or website so that others can benefit from your experiences. Specifically, talk about challenging conversations or one liners that kept on popping up. How did you respond? How could you respond better next time? If you have the resources, think about recording your conversations. When you get home, go over the recorded material and compile a list of talking points of the strengths and weaknesses from the day. Put together a list of talking points with your friends to help you next time, since each will be a learning experience.
To help with this process, we will be uploading and making available an open tabling kit on the CascadiaNow website, that will include images, word documents, literature that we have used in the past.
Cascadia Now! October Newsletter
<< September | October Edition
In this October edition of the Cascadia Monthly:
Pacifica Literature Review: Editorial Statement - By Rachael Armstrong & Matt Muth- Echtra, Cascadia Black Metal, and the Mythopoesis of Earth: Bioregionalism as Spiritual Embodiment - Echtra
- How can a Cascadian achieve independence from Big Ag? Eat your Yard! - Cascadia Edible Landscapes
- Cascadia Now! in the News - A Summer Roundup
- Your Daily Chinook Jargon - October
- Running a Cascadia Info Table - by Brandon Letsinger
- Occupied Cascadia Premiere Release and Film Tour
- Timeline in Cascadia: October - by Alex DeVeito
- Cascadia in Pictures: September
- Cascadia Cup begins its Final Stages - by Nate Jensen
- Cascadia Bowl Kicks Off - by Nate Jensen
[gview file="http://cascadianow.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Cascadian102012.pdf"]
Anyone should feel free to download, print and distribute as they see fit.
A big thanks to our layout editor Vickie Phelps and Adam Munson.
The Cascadia Monthly newsletter is a free monthly newsletter. We have a completely open submission policy and welcome any and all articles related to Cascadia and the Pacific Northwest, though we ask that they not be politically affiliated. Articles that violate our mission statement will also likely not be included.
Submit related Cascadia content, pictures, articles, events or contributions to our editor Adam Munson at
Previous Editions:
Cascadia Sticker Design Contest!
Cascadia Bumpersticker Free Cascadia
In celebration of the two year anniversary of our http://reddit.com/r/cascadia subreddit, Viva Cascadia Flags is sponsoring a Cascadia sticker design competition to decide what the next great Cascadia sticker will be.
Designs can be submitted through the official competition page here.
Stickers should be less than 1 ft by 1ft in area, preferably a sticker that can be stuck on bikes and cars, signs, and doors. All over, really, and people are welcome to submit as many as they would like. The winner will be the top upvoted sticker. A base of at least 1000 stickers will be printed if there is 1 winner, 500 of each if there are two.
Reddit.com is a social space online where discussions can be had and participatory democracy keeps conversations healthy and relevant. It's a great space to discuss Cascadia and bioregionalism. Our subreddit is found at http://reddit.com/r/cascadia
Once created, stickers will be distributed to chapter heads and through the screenings of the Occupied Cascadia documentary to help get these out to everyone who would like one.
Recommendations: include reddit.com/r/cascadia somewhere on the sticker to draw more folks to this great discussion space. submit your image as a vector graphic or as a very high resolution piece (300dpi)
These will be vinyl stickers.
This competition is sponsored by Viva Cascadia Flags, who have been responsible for acquiring and selling all the Cascadia flags currently out there. As a reminder, these flags are available for order through their website http://cascadiaflag.com for $25 + SH.
Good luck! We look forward to seeing what comes out on top. This contest ends on Nov. 7th. Don't forget to vote (on sticker designs that is!). A general update and reminder will be send out 24 hours before the contest ends, but don't wait! earlier submissions are likely to get more votes.
The full thread for submissions and voting can be found at: http://www.reddit.com/r/Cascadia/comments/11yqiw/calling_all_artists_cascadia_sticker_design/
Cascadia Now! in the News: A Summer Roundup
“Welcome to Cascadia” by Miss Vancouver
Cascadia Now! got a great mention in the Vancouver Metro blog in an August 24 article by Rebecca Bollwitt, who talked about the idea of Cascadia as a symbol of solidarity for those living in the Pacific Northwest.
She also gave a great description of our organization, noting that there is a social movement to celebrate “the things that define our unique regional character” such as bio-diversity, geography, geology, history, culture, and more, that we are are “not a political movement because in many respects, we as Cascadians already form a nation... not in the sense that we have a military, or rigidly defined borders that would be defended to the death. No, Cascadia is a nation in the sense it is a gathering of individuals and communities who reflect similar desires and needs, a unique cultural identity and most importantly, a common future.” She goes on to give a nice overview of the history, and the importance of soccer for helping build our regional character.
Read the full article here or you can find the original article at:
http://www.miss604.com/2012/08/welcome-to-cascadia.html
Cascadia Rising – Article in Portland Monthly
Break out the fireworks for the northwest's independent state of mind, this in depth article covers the full range of Cascadia idealism and breadth of the Cascadia movement, as both a social and cultural idea.
Portlandian arts and culture magazine the Portland Monthly put out a tremendously positive full-length feature piece on Cascadia and the Cascadian Movement in their most recent issue. Beginning with a discussion of the same adidas ad that is featured in Nate Jensen’s article in this newsletter, the article then moves into a discussion of the Doug Flag and the Cascadian movement more broadly.
The article’s author, Martin Patail, draws on a wide variety of sources in his piece, which contains nods to both the whimsical and serious sides of Cascadia as it has been portrayed on the internet and elsewhere – references range from the satirical Republic of Cascadia website from the mid-2000s to Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia and David McCloskey’s creation of the term to the current Cascadia Now! social movement and the Cascadian presence in popular culture.
Read the full article Cascadia Rising! here or visit the Portland Monthly’s website at http://portlandmonthlymag.com
Would a Romney Win Prompt Cascadian Secession?
Published October 16th from Crosscut magazine, editor and long time Pacific Northwesterner Knute Berger puts forward an in-depth analysis and exploration for the potential for a true Cascadian secessionist movement if Mitt Romney was to win the presidential elections come November. While many Cascadians eschew any political representation on a federal level, Berger joins a chorus of voices giving weight to the idea of Cascadia as a real alternative if government continues to shift away from any real form of representative governance. Can we do it better? Would there be drawbacks? the author muses aloud, seeking to answer some of these questions.
http://crosscut.com/2012/10/16/mossback/111008/would-romney-win-prompt-cascadian-secession/
July 4th 2012 – BBC – The day in images:
An image of a Portland Timbers fan made it all the way to the BBC website for their photo journalism documenting the day in pictures. The fan, waving a flag amid green smoke from a flare, was celebrating a second half goal during the football game against the San Jose Earthquakes in Portland, Oregon. Despite the fact that it was July 4th, American flags were notably absent from the photo array.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-18702797
Cascadia Cup Tifo Makes the Rounds
The Portland tifo at the Timber Army Sounders match made headlines around Cascadia and the world beyond, being picked up in a series of articles by MLS writers, as well as several European football observers.
From the Guardian in the UK which documented the Cascadian rivalry between Portland and Seattle in “Portland Timbers' giant tifo throws down gauntlet to Seattle Sounders” with a giant image in their sports blog (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jun/28/portland-timbers-seattle-sounders-tifo-display) to the article by MLS reserves “Cascadia: United Under a Symbol” (http://www.mlsreserves.com/2012/06/cascadia-united-under-symbol.html) which explored the history and meaning of the Cascadian Doug Flag in the regional rivalry, and for the fans themselves, noting that: “It’s called the Doug Flag because of the Douglas fir on its front, and it’s become an almost mandatory feature of any Cascadia Cup match. Fans in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver all fly its blue, white and green stripes as a symbol of the Pacific Northwest,” coverage was unanimously impressed and positive.
Cascadia Now! Gets a Mention – 10 Movements to Secede from the United States
While once upon a time July 1st (Canada Day) and July 4th (US Independence Day) may have inspired us to unite around our commonalities and throw fireworks at each other in peace, nowadays, it’s usually synonymous with a deluge of wonderful articles documenting different features of spreading secessionist ideologies from around the United States and Canada. In these articles Cascadia has received an honorary mention, noting that while we have produced no declarations or articles of independence, Cascadia Now! seeks a gradual transition towards self-regulation for the Pacific Northwest, asserting that the region is better equipped to govern itself than distant governments in distant governments in Ottawa and Washington, DC.
Read more about other movements building for outright separation at: http://io9.com/5923080/10-movements-to-secede-from-the-united-states/
The Seattle Times - Cascadia Now! Advocates Shift in Culture, not Secession
University of Washington Cascadia Now! members had a great interview with Alicia Halberg from the Seattle times which was published May 24th 2012. In a multiple-hour interview with several members from the group, the article covers many different themes highlighted by the Cascadia Movement, from independence, to beer, soccer, bioregionalism and our distinct culture - coming to the conclusion that we are embedded in part of a larger movement, a fundamental shift in culture, not just merely a political secession.
Read the full article here: http://blogs.seattletimes.com/uwelectioneye/2012/05/24/cascadianow_culture_not_secession/
CascadiaNow Newsletter: October 2012
In this October edition of the Cascadia Monthly:
- Pacifica Literature Review: Editorial Statement- By Rachael Armstrong & Matt Muth
- Echtra, Cascadia Black Metal, and the Mythopoesis of Earth: Bioregionalism as Spiritual Embodiment - Echtra
- How can a Cascadian achieve independence from Big Ag? Eat your Yard! - Cascadia Edible Landscapes
- Cascadia Now! in the News - A Summer Roundup
- Your Daily Chinook Jargon - October
- Running a Cascadia Info Table - by Brandon Letsinger
- Occupied Cascadia Premiere Release and Film Tour
- Timeline in Cascadia: October - by Alex DeVeito
- Cascadia in Pictures: September
- Cascadia Cup begins its Final Stages - by Nate Jensen
- Cascadia Bowl Kicks Off - by Nate Jensen
[gview file="http://cascadianow.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Cascadian102012.pdf"]
Anyone should feel free to download, print and distribute as they see fit.
A big thanks to our layout editor Vickie Phelps and Adam Munson.
The Cascadia Monthly newsletter is a free monthly newsletter. We have a completely open submission policy and welcome any and all articles related to Cascadia and the Pacific Northwest, though we ask that they not be politically affiliated. Articles that violate our mission statement will also likely not be included.
Submit related Cascadia content, pictures, articles, events or contributions to our editor Adam Munson at desolatesorrows@gmail.com
Previous Editions:
Occupied Cascadia Documentary: Film Screening Locations and Dates for around the Northwest
Occupied Cascadia is a documentary being released by Cascadia Matters, a collective of artists, writers, educators and media activists from Bend, Oregon which explores the emerging understanding of bioregionalism within the lands and waters of the Northeast Pacific Rim. The filmmakers interweave intimate landscape portraits with human voices both ideological and indigenous. Their feature length documentary is not intended to be representative of the Cascadia movement, but instead add a powerful and compelling argument about a region occupied, and a landbase under siege. The film seeks to highlight the emerging ideas, struggles and times of the Cascadia bioregion and beyond. In order to effectively provide clean air and clean water for future generations, our attention must not only shift towards the bioregions of the Pacific Northwest, but also towards stopping corrosive agendas within them. The diverse voices throughout this land have forged the way for many movements and there is a growing necessity to inspire a unified culture of resistance. This film promotes that dialogue through bioregional awareness.
Stories from the land contrast critique of dominant culture, while an embrace of the radical unknown informs a re-birthed and growing culture of resistance. Filming began during the outset of the populist “Occupy” movement, and finished by joining the voices seeking to re-contextualize popular revolt within our life-world as a movement to decolonize, un-occupy, and re-inhabit the living Earth through deep understanding and identification with our specific bioregions.
Confirmed 2012 Fall Tour:
- October 6 – Bend – Tower Theater
- October 7 – Portland – Clinton Street Theater
- October 8 – Seattle – The Wild Cat
- October 9 – Ellensburg – CWU
- October 11- Bellingham – WWU
- October 14- Victoria – Camas Books
- October 16 – Tofino – Humanity
- October 18 – Vancouver City – W2
- October 27 – Pablo, MT – Salish Kootenai College
- November 2 – Happy Camp – Art Center
- November 3 – Arcata – Humboldt State University
- November 5 – Crescent City – Del Norte County Library
- November 8 – Eugene – University of Oregon
- November 11 – Hood River – Columbia Center for the Arts
- November 15 – Seattle – Queer Youth Space
More information and an updated list of events can be found through the Cascadia Matters website at: http://cascadiamatters.org/events. In addition, a tentative schedule for other locations can be found at the bottom of the page. If you'd like to get involved helping set up a film screening in your city or region, you can contact them directly at: cascadiamatters@gmail.com
Trailer 1:
Trailer 2:
Occupied Cascadia trailer 2 from Cascadia Matters on Vimeo.
Tentative 2012 Film Screening Schedule:
- Saturday October 6-Bend
- Sunday October 7-Portland
- Monday October 8-Seattle
- Tuesday October 9 – Ellensburg
- Wednesday October 10- Lakewood
- Thursday October 11- Bellingham
- Saturday October 13- Lopez Island
- Sunday October 14- Victoria
- Monday October 15- Quadra Island
- Tuesday October 16- Tofino
- Wednesday October 17- Squamish
- Thursday October 18- Vancouver City
- Friday October 19- Penticton
- Saturday October 20- Kelowna
- Sunday October 21 – Kamloops
- Monday October 22 – Nelson
- Tuesday 23- Sandpoint
- Wednesday October 24- Spokane
- Thurdsay October 25- Polson
- Friday October 26- Missoula
- Saturday October 27- Pablo, MT
- Sunday October 28- Jackson
- Monday October 29- Bosie
- Tuesday October 30- Ashland
- Wednesday October 31- Yreka
- Thursday November 1- Orleans
- Friday November 2- Happy Camp
- Saturday November 3 – Arcata
- Sunday November 4- Petrolia
- Monday November 5 – Crescent City
- Thursday November 8 – Eugene
- Friday November 9- Corvallis
- Saturday November 10- Portland
- Sunday November 11 – Hood River
- Wednesday November 14- Olympia
- November 15 – Seattle
- November 16-25- Vancouver City
New Cascadia Now! Poster: Small Steps can Lead to Great Things
Small Steps can Lead to Great Things
Designed by Gavin Miller
The First in a Series of Cascadia Now! Posters that will be available for purchase soon. Each poster will sponsor a different charity with a related theme.
cascadiaposter
New Cascadia Scarf
Cascadia Scarf Doug Flag
Some would say that Soccer in America is defined by the support of the game in the Pacific Northwest. This scarf was designed with the mission of showing your pride for Cascadia and keeping the cup. The rivalry between Seattle, Portland and Vancouver is a rivalry unlike anything else in American or Canadian Soccer. These scarves are sturdy, well made, nice and long and absolutely perfect for guarding your lungs from flare smoke.
cascadia scarf
Purchase online through the designer Abe Schmidt:
http://handsin.bigcartel.com/product/the-cascadia-scarf-pickup-only-fuel-northgate
Scarves will be delivered either the Northgate Vancouver away bus lot or Fuel before the Portland home match. Orders can also be shipped after October 8th. For questions about your order, please email angelicajschmidt@yahoo.com
Cascadia Now! September Newsletter
<< August Edition | September Edition
In this September edition of the Cascadia Monthly:
CascadiaNow as a Social Movement - by Brandon Letsinger and Michael Hodges- Towards a Politics of Yes - by Michael Hodges
- Wild Identity: A Biocultural Relationship - by Eric Seitz
- A Cheers to Cascadia - by Brandon Letsinger
- Five Rings After the Cold War: Cascadian Olympians and a Horizontal Comradeship - by Nate Jensen
- A Cascadian Space Needle: Callout for Designs
- Fans Organizing Cascadian Soccer Federation
- August in Pictures
- Must See YouTube Videos of August
- Must Read Book Blurbs
- This Month in Cascadian History: September - by Alex DeVeito
- Cascadia Updates: Massive Portland TIFO | Cascadia Speakup | Cascadia Flags Sellout | Portland Timbers, your army needs you! | Welcome to Cascadia! by Miss Vancouver | New Cascadia Scarf Design
- News from Around the Pacific Northwest First Non-Profit Pub in the US opens in Portand | Redmond Rocketeers Celebrate the Success of Mars Landing | Scientists Report - Cascadia likely to break off/form independent land mass in near future | Columbia River Identified in New Federal Initiative | Strongest Perseid Meteor Shower of 2012
[gview file="http://cascadianow.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Cascadian092012.pdf"]
Anyone should feel free to download, print and distribute as they see fit.
A big thanks to our layout editor Vickie Phelps and Adam Munson.
The Cascadia Monthly newsletter is a free monthly newsletter. We have a completely open submission policy and welcome any and all articles related to Cascadia and the Pacific Northwest, though we ask that they not be politically affiliated. Articles that violate our mission statement will also likely not be included.
Submit related Cascadia content, pictures, articles, events or contributions to our editor Adam Munson at
Previous Editions: