The Cascadia Department of Bioregion is a pro-democracy movement that encourages every person, group and organization to help build neighborhood assemblies to represent their needs and voices.
How do these bioregional assemblies interact with one another?
The spokescouncil process enables consensus decisions with hundreds and thousands of people. To begin, a specific goal or purpose for the council is defined. Next shared principles and rules of order are decided on. Lastly, the council is opened up for different groups to join to help achieve the proposed goal, staying within the defined rules, each group determining the best way to achieve each aim. Some groups might decide to work together, others may work individually, or even break into smaller groups or teams.
Each group sends a delegate (or 'spoke') to the spokescouncil meeting, where all delegates present the breadth of ideas and concerns of their groups. The spokes then come up with proposals that they think might be acceptable to everyone and take these back to groups for more discussion and amendments. This process is repeated until agreement is reached. The power to make decisions remains with all members.
The remit of the spoke needs to be clearly defined for a spokescouncil to work effectively. The task of the spoke is primarily to feed back information between the small group and the council. The spoke needs to act as a voice for everyone within the small group, communicating the breadth of collective thought rather than their own personal point of view. Generally spokes do not make decisions for their group, but will always check back for agreement before a decision is finalised. However, some small groups might also empower their spoke to take decisions within agreed parameters.
our shared values
We believe in an independent Cascadia bioregion.
We believe in a re-alignment that better reflects a bioregional framework - meaning the cultural, ecological, political and economic realities of our place, and in responsible, accountable, transparent and data driven means to determine and achieve these ends.
We acknowledge we are on the occupied lands of First Nations who were forcibly displaced through cultural erasure, war, torture, genocide and are still here today. We are fully committed to working through a model of restorative justice, generational trauma to right past wrongs, return land and work towards just compensation, and working with each community to implement indigenous frameworks for sustainability and governance.
We believe that we cannot in good conscious, remain a part of an authority which knowingly puts children in cages, uses black sites, tortures and commits forced sterilization, in violation of international law.
We believe in a peaceful movement to achieve these aims.
We believe if the democratic wishes of our region is not respected, in broad & peaceful civil disobedience and pro-democracy campaigns to improve the well being and representation of all of our inhabitants.
We believe that if the United States or Canada does not respect the democratic wishes and will of the citizens living here, it does not operate with the consent of the governed, and is an occupying force. Under international law, we feel that in that eventuality, we have every right to remove ourselves from this political relationship.
Our diversity is our greatest strength. Though we all come from different backgrounds, and different strategies, we share the same common goal and values.
Rules that we play by:
We believe that communities most impacted by an issue, are the best able to speak to an issue. This means that within line of the above principles:
We follow our indigenous organizers, and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow our black organizers, and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow our POC organizers, and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow our first and second generation organizers, and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow our LGBTQ, genderfluid and non-binary organizers and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow our Women organizers, and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow our elders and differently abled organizers, and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We follow experts in their field and give space for them to take the lead on issues they care about. We stand in solidarity and support, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We take an active stand against white supremacy, racism, inequality, discrimination, and take the lead on issues we care about. We stand in solidarity and support with each other, and actively stand up to resist instances where these communities are facing injustice or systemic violence.
We each do the work that we need to do to ensure this is a safe space for all participants. We check ourselves, our privilege, the space that we take up so that others don’t have to do it for us.
We are positive and pro-active, not negative or reactionary.
Any established group or organization within the Cascadia bioregion is welcome to join this spokes council if they align with our principles and are approved by a majority of the existing organizations. They may add things to the agenda or propose actions in line with the principles laid out in this document.
We do not insult, demean or put others down, even when we disagree with them.
We support each other, and present a positive and unified face to the outside world, especially on decisions made by the group, or when representing the group.
Decisions made by the spokes council are non-binding. Any group or individual may decide to implement them or not as they see fit and as their time, ability and principles overlap.
