Press Release: Cascadia Football Federation Announces First General Meeting January 26th

Seattle, WA - The Cascadia Association Football Federation (CAFF) is an organization with the goal of forming a non-FIFA Cascadia representative team to take part ultimately in the VIVA World Cup. We are pleased to announce that Golazo Energy Drinks has donated their HQ at 714 E. Pike St Seattle, WA 98122 as the meeting space for our first general meeting.

*MEDIA ADVISORY*

For Immediate Release:

We will kick off the CAFF meeting at 11:00am on January 26th, 2013.

On the agenda will be passing Bylaws, ratifying our Mission Statement, approving official crest, jersey and player eligibility requirements as well as discussing other basic issues. Additionally, we will be electing the first official Board members.

We also are looking for fundraising ideas to collect the fairly small administrative fee for our application for admittance as a member of the N.F.-Board, the world governing body of non-FIFA international football and organizers of the VIVA World Cup held every two years.

The first CAFF board will be responsible for bringing CAFF from its birth phase to putting together and fielding an actual team in friendlies and competitions.

The original press release can be accessed here. For those on facebook, the organization can be followed at: https://www.facebook.com/CascadiaFootball, On Twitter at: @CascadiaSoccer and the event page for their first meeting: https://www.facebook.com/events/148107948673053/?ref=22

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

We are convening this meeting at this time because there is great interest in our effort officially from the N.F.-Board and there is a slight chance we may be discussed at their annual General Meeting to take place in February in Munich, Germany. We will have an unofficial observer present at that meeting as we are not yet formally a member.

During our initial efforts to put this organization together we've talked with many people throughout Cascadia who have a wide range applicable experiences which give us confidence that will be successful in our efforts.

We've encountered individuals familiar with the 501c non-profit application process to people who have run large soccer organizations, designed scarves or kits including the current Cascadia jersey and scarves already seen in circulation at club matches for all three Cascadia MLS teams. We welcome their involvement.

This large undertaking is possible because of the incredible response we have received not only from them but from others within Cascadia and notably also from those around the globe who have reached out to help us.

The Non-FIFA football community is very interested in what we are doing and have pledged to help in whatever they can to assist us with throughout this process. The NF-Board as well as their South American confederation CSANF officially have contacted us with great interest.

We have also been encouraged by many in the non-FIFA community who believe that our application will likely be viewed favorably. Several NF-Board member Football Associations (FAs) including Quebec have even contacted us about potential friendlies already but there is still much work to be done before those can happen.

Beginning with this first general meeting we will take the first steps along the road towards turning something which people in the region have imagined into a viable reality.

We see this team as yet another expression of the passion we all have for the sport and our region as a whole. It will be another sphere of football/soccer to support between those of our local clubs and whichever FIFA national team (US, Canada or others) we support.

We welcome everyone who would like to be involved in this grassroots movement to bring CAFF to life and begin building a team to represent this region called Cascadia. Our ultimate goal is seeing that Cascadia represented at the NF-Board's VIVA World Cup, the highest level of competition for non-FIFA Football.

• WHO: Cascadia Association Football Federation (CAFF) and Interested Parties
• WHAT: First General Meeting
• WHEN: Saturday, January 26, 11:00 a.m.
• WHERE: Golazo Energy Drinks Headquarters - 714 E. Pike St Seattle, WA 98122

About Cascadia Association Football Federation

The Cascadia Association Football Federation (CAFF) is an organization looking to field a men's (and eventually women's) representative regional team for purposes of competition in non-FIFA football under the auspices of the N.F.-Board. We are in the beginning stages of the process towards becoming an N.F.-Board member FA. Our first status report can be viewed here and our second report can be viewed here.

About The N.F.-Board:

The New Federation Board (N.F.-Board) is an organization similar to FIFA, the organization which governs football/soccer worldwide. As such the N.F.-Board governs new, non-FIFA federations. Its member FA's compete every two years in the VIVA World Cup. The N.F.-Board was founded in a Brussels pub by Luc Misson in December of 2003. Misson was a lawyer who represented Belgian footballer Jean-Marc Bosman in a case that led to the Bosman Ruling which allowed free movement of players within the European Union. Mrs. Viviane Bonnier was appointed as General Secretary of the N.F.-Board in 2012.

About Non-FIFA football/soccer

The phrase "non-FIFA" is a general term usually used by the media in order to name the football played outside of FIFA. It is not employed with a negative meaning like "against-FIFA" or "anti-FIFA", but on the contrary it is complementary with FIFA in the universal football scene. The N.F.-Board for instance, does not see itself opposed to FIFA but complementary to it in expanding the reach of the beautiful game. Some non-FIFA representative teams even belong to FIFA governed confederations.

About the VIVA World Cup 

The VIVA World Cup is an international football tournament organized by the N.F.-Board, an umbrella association for regions, peoples and nations unaffiliated with FIFA. The VIVA World Cup is held every two years. The most recent one just took place in 2012.

Cascadia Cup™?

I think it is time for those of us in the Cascadia movement, whether we are separatist, bioregionalist, secessionist or any other kind of “ist” to come to grips with the fact that Cascadia is now being treated as a brand. The scary part is realizing that people outside Cascadia have recognized at least a portion of Cascadia as a marketable commodity that they want to sell.

We have all had the thought that eventually Cascadia will be something that capitalism will naturally try to exploit. We’ve also already had our own little skirmish in the brewing fiasco. However, to me, that seemed less of an attack because it was local. I am still angry about it and still frustrated that a local businessperson would be so out of touch with the region and with the brewing community.

With Major League Soccer attempting to trademark the Cascadia Cup we have our first really big test. MLS is a corporation that is backed by a lot of money. They want the Cascadia Cup so that they can market it for even more money. If the Honda SuperClasico is any indicator, MLS could be looking for a sponsor.

Just imagine; Cascadia Cup brought to you by Starbucks. Come down to your local Starbucks for a grande latte Cascadia style. Coffee not your thing? Microsoft Cascadia Cup might be more your speed. Perhaps Budweiser can sell “Cascadia Cups” of beer at the games. Maybe we can all buy cheeky coffee mugs that say “Cascadia Cup” on the side.

One of the things I’ve learned through all of this is how different our culture is even in the sporting community. I frequent a lot of soccer forums and I have noted a lack of understanding from people in other regions as to why we want this cup protected. Many of them can not understand why we don’t want the cup to become an international brand. The answer is pretty simple. The Cascadia Cup was never intended to be an international brand. We don’t want your recognition. We wantto have a competition between the clubs in our region for bragging rights. The Cascadia Cup is not about marketing and sponsorships and tv rights. It’s about Timbers fans being able to say to Whitecaps fans, “Sure, you made the playoffs, but we won the Cascadia Cup.” It’s about the Timbers Army, Emerald City Supporters and Southsiders agreeing on at least this one thing; The Cascadia Cup is not for sale. The Cascadia Cup will not be brought to you by Microsoft or Starbucks or Amazon or Google. The Cascadia Cup is brought to you by Cascadians. Enjoy it, or don’t. We don’t care.

By Nate Jensen

Cascadia Now! January Newsletter

In this January edition of the Cascadia Monthly:

• Why Cascadia? Why Poetry? - by Paul Nelson
• The Connected States of Cascadia - by Brandon Letsinger
• Cascadia, now more than ever - by Michael Hodges
• Towards a Cascadia Football Federation and the 2016 VIVA World Cup [Updated]
• West Coast States Continue trend towards Cascadian Integration
• Cascadia Now! Upcoming January Meetups set for Seattle, Olympia and Portland
• Cascadia Updates Upcoming Cascadia Now! Meetups | Cascadia Now! Vice Magazines favorite Secessionist Movement | Vote Cascadia Community Art Project | Explorations of Cascadian Cartography | First release of Cascadia Poetry Review | Decolonizing Cascadia UBC Geography Conference | A Mention in Mother Earth Magazine
• Timeline in Cascadia: January - by Alex DeVeito
• Cascadia in Pictures: December
• Your Daily Chinook WaWa - January
• Black Friday Cascadia Community Clean Up - by Adam Munson
• Book Reviews The Right to Self Determination under International Law | Towards a Bioregional State
• News from Around the Region Cascadia Civic Engagement Growing | Oregon Wine Touted as Nations Best | Idaho Scientist Launches Search for Bigfoot |

[gview file="http://cascadianow.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Cascadian012013.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:

• October 2012
• September 2012
• August 2012
• July 2012
• June 2012
• May 2012
• April 2012

Portland Cascadia Zine and Resource Guide: First Issue

Cascadia organizers working through the Portland Branch have released their first, fully illustrated and hand drawn Zine and Resource Guide. The project compiles poetry, art, essays and critically examines issues from around the bioregion, incorporating elements of deep green ecology as well indigenous knowledge and a detailed resource guide for the Portland area.

Below is a full copy of the zine. For those who appreciate the work that has gone into creating it, as well as the writing and art, think about donating to their independent fundraising campaign: http://www.indiegogo.com/cascadia-pdx

View or download the entire online zine on the Cascadia PDX website at: http://cascadia-pdx.org/zine-resource-guide/

For anyone interested in getting involved in Portland, Oregon, check out the Cascadia Branch website at http://cascadia-pdx.org/ . Meetings are held on a bi-weekly basis, with the next on January 9th from 5:30-7:30pm at the Green Space, PSU Smith Memorial student union building. From their site, people can also sign up for their newsletter, get informed on upcoming events from their calendar, get added onto their Portland action phone tree, as well find links to a wide range of Cascadia related merchandise.

New 'People's Commonwealth of Cascadia' T-shirts available

people's commonwealth of cascadia T-shirt

In addition to the wide range of Cascadia patches, flags, stickers, scarves and zines, a new 'People's Commonwealth of Cascadia' T-shirt is available for $25 from the PDX Republic website. Made by local clothing company Anvil, and sold by the People's Republic out of Portland, Oregon, all processes are kept within the bioregion, produced right here within Cascadia.  The brand and an apparel company is based around celebrating the unique characteristics of the Pacific Northwest as well as elsewhere  and are dedicated to social, environmental, and economic initiatives that benefit people and issues directly. Through their sales, they support local, like-minded businesses and non-profits through promotion, sponsorship and donation, working to build a network of communities committed to create lasting change through collaboration and innovative decentralized approaches.

More information and shirts can be purchased from: http://thepeoplespdx.com/prop-gear/

Occupied Cascadia Documentary Online

Occupied Cascadia is a documentary 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.

To find a showing near you, or if you are interested in helping organize a film showing for your region or school, visit the Cascadia Matters website at: http://cascadiamatters.org/events. 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. This project was funded solely through the authors own dedication, and an amazing amount of independent crowdsourcing. If you appreciate their work, also think about donating via their website.