Hi,
I'm totally new to this forum, and to Chinook, but i love the Pacific Northwest, and I think that promoting languages indigenous to this region is a marvelous way to build a flourishing regional culture and awareness of this unique landscape, and the people and cultures born here.

It would be interesting to brainstorm about ideas that have been used elsewhere to promote threatened and "minority" languages. One example that's fascinating is the revival of Yiddish and Hebrew in Birobidzhan (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birobidzhan ).

One thing that could help to start programs and get funding (eg., for courses in local schools) might be to play up the economic angle. A friend of mine visiting town recently remarked that one of the things he found fascinating and attractive about Portland, and the Pacific Northwest generally, is the interest in local and regional culture, attested to by the numerous Farmer's Markets, and phenomena like "Made in Oregon." Building on these strengths by promoting knowledge and practice of languages indigenous to the region, particularly Chinook Wawa, would be a great way to further distinguish this place in people's minds, and to attract more likeminded people here as well.