Founders Of
About Us
Browncoat is a slang term from the space western TV series Firefly (and its big-screen "sequel", Serenity) for a member of the Independent Faction, which lost to the Alliance in the Unification War. It is also a nickname for fans of the series.
The original incarnation of PDX Browncoats (which encompases fans in and around the Portland of Oregon and the Vancouver of Washington) first met in July 2004, and lasted until early 2005. Shortly thereafter, some of the original members -- and a good number of new ones -- met during the advance screenings of Serenity held in May and June of that year.
By the middle of 2006, Browncoats the world over knew of the Portland of Oregon as the founding city of Can't Stop The Serenity, the unprecedented worldwide charity screenings movement benefitting Equality Now which just completed its second year of coordinated events centered around Joss Whedon's birthday.
Some of our lovely sponsors and friends:
Screening Update
So, the screening weekend is over and it was such a blast! We had a great turn out for each showing, people were totally thrilled to come out and Amanda Sullivan really did a great job reminding us why we spend the hours and hours working on our event. The cocktail party meet n' greet with Amanda before the Friday screening was so much fun. We all got to wear pretty dresses and sassy shoes (there were even top hats and tails).
Saturday matinee was more intimate, but turn out was still good and everyone enjoyed the show. We got to screen some films that were made by the Women's Film Initiative, which we've raised funds for at our last two events. It was good to see what was created with the money we donated.
Saturday night, though, was the topper. People were in costume for the show. The men with blue hands were there and very creepy. We had a member of the Independence forces in uniform, a few companions spiced it up a little and a lot of Hawaiian shirts to add some color. There were sing-a-longs (most people only know the chorus to The Hero of Canton) and great prizes and the after party was so much fun. The costume party was very popular, there was music, there was laughter, there was mingling. Really, Portland had a great turn out and a great deal of fun.
SHIRTS AND STUFF AVAILABLE HERE!!!!!!
Facts about Equality Now and the Women's Film Initiative. can be found on their respective websites.
A Public Statement
There has recently been a lot of discussion about the blog written by theonetrueb!x regarding money that went missing from last year’s screenings in both Denver, CO and Dallas, TX. As the Founding City of CSTS, the Portland-area Browncoats CSTS organizing committee, known as the PDX Browncoats Workgroup (description found here), is very interested in and concerned by the questions raised in the post and the visible lack of answers and communication. However, we do not necessarily speak for all Portland Browncoats. This is the position of the PDX Browncoats Workgroup only and is not meant to represent the collective opinions of all members of the PDX Browncoats.
That being said, we, the PDX Workgroup, would like to let everyone know where we stand on these issues.
1. We support a policy of absolute transparency. We believe that the best way to establish and maintain trust is to have all aspects of the functions of an organization visible to anyone, whether they are a member of a Workgroup, an Organizer, a fan, the general answer-seeking public, or part of the Global committee. It concerns us that there appears to be a studied lack of transparency that has been maintained, pertaining to the missing funds.
2. We firmly believe that the power base for Global should be decentralized. We have learned, locally, that if power is concentrated in too few hands, a breakdown in trust and communication is inevitable. Fresh ideas and new perspectives can only add to the strength of a group.
3. For this reason, we believe that no one city, organizing group, or person should be named Global Coordinator more than two consecutive years. We agree that lead organizers should be allowed to vote for the next coordinator; however, we firmly believe that all applications should be publicly available to any interested parties.
4. All cities, whatever their status, should have an equal voice - one vote per organizing city - in choosing a new Global Coordinator.
5. In general, we think issues such as date range should be decided by each year's Global Coordinator, but only after public discussion with previous coordinators and the previous year's participating cities, vis a vis, what worked best, availability of the theaters and prints, etc.
6. In the anniversary years of CSTS (that being years five, 10, 15, etc.) we’d like to reiterate the idea set forth at the behest of b!X last year, which was echoed by Beth this year; that global coordination should return to Portland. This would begin in the fifth anniversary year, 2010.
7. We would like to see a Global Coordinators Guide become an aggregated document as the screenings move forward. The organization, we feel, is too young for a definitive guide. Rather, one that can be built upon and changed with discussion will be most valuable to the organization, on a global scale.
8. Any other guides or handbooks should have the approval and guidance from all organizers, globally. When a document is released that demands adherence on a worldwide scale, or even simply suggests best practices, ample time should be given for review and, if necessary, editing, on a global stage.
We feel it is important to reiterate that we do not speak for the PDX Browncoats as a whole with regards to our position as stated above.
Kara Helgren (ShinyFab)
President, PDX Browncoats Board of Directors
Sarah McKinlay (sadimac)
Secretary, PDX Browncoats Board of Directors
Diana Hildenbrand (artemis)
Treasurer, PDX Browncoats Board of Directors
Lorenzo Ciacci (lono)
Workgroup Member
Anna Snyder (Galumbits)
Workgroup Member
Dae Low (daedreams)
Workgroup Member
Nance Cedar (Rusty)
Workgroup Member
Contents
Our Shindigs
Traditionally, members of PDX Browncoats meet socially on the first weekend of every month. These shindigs have tended to alternate between Saturdays and Sundays, so watch the forums or keep an eye out here for details.
Next Shindig: Sunday, July 6th 2008
We'll be congregating on the back patio, where people of all-ages are welcome. electricspacegirl is hoping for beautiful summer weather, and when it's sunny the patio at M&S is definitely the place to gather.
Please RSVP here.
- Where: Moon & Sixpence
- When: 4 PM - 7 PM
On The Web
Notices
PDX Browncoats are incorporating. We hope to file with the state as a nonprofit organization by the end of February.
If you would like to participate in crafting our Mission, Vision, and Bylaws, please join the discussion in our Incorporation Forum
As first announced at Firefly at the Mission on 21 August 2007, PDX Browncoats raised more than $13,000 for Equality Now at this year's Cant Stop The Serenity charity screenings (and over $1,000 for the Women's Film Initiative). That's a combined total that nearly doubles last year's take of $7,200.
As officially reported on 20 September 2007, with that total the Portland of Oregon has held onto the fabled Grizwald for the second year running.
Annual Events
Can't Stop The Serenity (Serenity Now/Equality Now)
Every June
As the founding city of Can't Stop The Serenity, Portland raised over $7,200 (more than any other participating city) in that event's inaugural year of 2006, accounting for more than 10% of the global total of more than $65,000.
In 2007, PDX Browncoats surpassed that inaugural take -- and its 2007 goal of $10,000. In mid-September, it was announced that we'd held onto the fabled Grizwald, awarded each year to the city whose charity screenings raise the most money for Equality Now.
And it's never too early to start thinking about 2008. So join our forums and get ready for next year's third annual event. Portland's 2008 Can't Stop the Serenity forum
Odd Jobs
In addition to our regular monthly shindigs, PDX Browncoats occasionally pull off special jobs. Announcements of future jobs will appear on the discussion board and listed here as well.
The Derby Job
Date TBA (Summer 2008)
PDX Browncoats will be building a Firefly-class soapbox racer for next year's Portland Adult Soapbox Derby. This plan is in the very early discussion stage. If you'd like to get involved, join our forums and check our 2008 Soapbox Derby thread.
The Flanvention Backup Bash Job
08 December 2006 - 10 December 2006
A handful of us headed to Burbank for Flanvention II only to find it cancelled, and find ourselves thrown instead into the midst of the Browncoats' Backup Bash. Technically, not a "job" but worth mentioning here anyway.
The Equality Now Job
23 June 2006
Also known as the original Serenity Now/Equality Now (eventually to become Can't Stop The Serenity). Along with dozens of other cities across the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, PDX Browncoats hosted a charity screening of Serenity to benefit Equality Now. Portland's screening netted approximately $7,200.
The Kickball Job
30 September 2006
At the end of September (on the one-year anniversary of Serenity's theatrical release), the Eugene Browncoats challenged us to kickball. We held our own, but they won.
The Obsession Job
29 December 2005
Members gathered at the Laurelhurst Theater in Southeast Portland to have our photograph taken beneath the marquee, to prove that we were seeing Serenity on the big screen yet again, even though we all had our DVD copies.
The Hurricane Relief Job
24 September 2005
At the Guild Theater in downtown Portland, PDX Browncoats hosted a charity screening of three Firefly episodes to benefit the hurricane relief efforts of Oregon's own Mercy Corps.
The Advance Screening Job
May/June 2005
The current incarnation of PDX Browncoats, in large part, owes its existence to the three advance screenings of the unfinished Serenity held around the country in May and June of 2005.
Contact Us
Diana Hildenbrand - artemis (current Board member)
Kara Helgren - ShinyFab (current Board member)
Sarah McKinlay - sadimac (current Board member)
Anna Snyder - Galumbits
Dae Low - daedreams
Lorenzo Ciacci - lono
Nance Cedar - Rusty
Colophon
This website is powered by Movable Type, hosted by the woman-owned Acorn Host, and maintained by The One True b!X. Our discussion forums run on SMF. Issues with this website should be directed to the webmaster. All other questions about PDX Browncoats should be asked on the forums, which is where all the action is.
If you have a pdxbrowncoats.com email address, login here. If not, you can request one. If you're working on one of our projects, login here. If not, ignore that.
Neither the PDX Browncoats group nor this website is affiliated in any way with Mutant Enemy Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Television, or Universal Pictures.