Hello Cascadians,
We hope that everyone out there is safe and well, especially in light of the incredible, unprecedented and chaotic events unfolding in Washington DC. In response, we wanted to share what we are building in 2021.
Advisory Councils, A Leadership PAC and a Bioregional Party
In 2021, aside from continuing to educate about Cascadia and bioregionalism, one of our primary goals is the creation of a grassroots decision making framework to develop & implement bioregional policy throughout Cascadia. In addition to grassroot coalitions, we are creating a series of advisory councils around very specific issues. Each will maintain a directory of organizations, share relevant news, tools and resources, and finally, shape bioregional policy that activists, organizers and groups can use at a ecoregion and watershed level.
Along with these committees, our longer term goal by the end of the year is the founding of two new political institutions:
a Cascadia PAC, to provide leadership training and mentor-ship for diverse and bioregional voices stepping up around issues they care about, and to apply real political advocacy and pressure.
a Cascadia Bioregional Party rooted in direct & delegative democracy to promote bioregionalism, be a positive force for every group with shared values, and enact real policy change.
After the past four years, it is time to help inform and shape the news, rather than simply respond to it.
Cascadia Underground: An Independent Media Center
On that note, since November, we have been running an independent media center in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle to serve as a hub for bioregional activism and a microphone for BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ voices. Inspired by CHOP, and two blocks from Cal Anderson, we have a meeting space for small workshops, classes, and six computers set up for audio editing, streaming, podcast recording, video editing, a website and online distribution software.
Everyone podcast! This is your space, and if you have a topic you would like to write about, or would like to host a podcast on a topic you care about - we would love to support you to make this happen. Please email us at cascadia@deptofbioregion.org.
CU Rent Campaign: Two days ago, we launched our Cascadia Underground Patreon campaign to make sure this becomes a permanent feature, and so far we’re a quarter way to our goal of 100 monthly supporters by the end of January. If you would like to directly support this project, it would be huge.
The Dept of Bioregion, a New Website and a 501(c)3.
A new website. One of the things we are most excited about is the development of a new website for the Department of Bioregion. We’re breaking our teeth on our first multisite-WordPress network - which means we will have a top domain for the “Dept of Bioregion”, and then bioregional departments (such as Cascadia) will be able to have their own standalone subdomain, easy to templatize and duplicate for other bioregions and projects. Honestly, we can’t wait to get away from Squarespace, and by switching to WordPress, we will be able to build in a membership / backend portal with a whole host of features, such as directory, forum, and all sorts of connectivity to empower connection and collaboration. If you have experience with WordPress development or design, or something we should use, reach out. We’d love to talk more.
Beyond Cascadia: Our Vision. Over the past several decades, it has been amazing to see bioregionalism and Cascadia take root and grow. Now, we would like to take those same lessons and assist others outside of Cascadia, as well as within to define their own bioregions & ecoregions, hook in as citizens of their watersheds rather than nation states, and build an interconnected world of bioregional movements able to take the radical and rapid action our planet and communities demand.
A 501c3. After a little more than two years, we are excited to take our next step beyond a state non-profit and have started the process to become a federally recognized 501(c)3 organization. Taking this step will have immediate benefits, in access to GIS and editing software usually very expensive, and allow us to serve our mission more effectively.
Grab a Flag, A Passport or Support as A Member
New Cascadia fluff ball beanies are in, and they look awesome! Grab passports, flags, stickers or other swag at https://cascadiabioregion.org/cascadia-store
As always, thank you for your time and support. Right now, more than ever this is coming at a critical time. If you believe in this movement, what we’re working to accomplish or just want to show your love for this amazing region, the easiest way is simply to grab some gear from the Cascadia store, or by becoming a member. Members get gear, discounts, and as a small, volunteer run operation even $5, $10 or $20 dollars can go an incredibly long way in helping us cover costs, and ensure we can grow our impact.
Thank you all so much,
Brandon Letsinger & the
Department of Bioregion team.
