On this day, we celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, developed by the United Nations as they enacted the first Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. The theme for 2019 is Indigenous Languages as Indigenous communities work globally to preserve and revitalize languages critical to the culture, identity and history of these communities. We have been so fortunate to find the common language of sport within roller derby, tying many nations together for a purpose.

As a global organization, the WFTDA recognizes the resilience and strength of all Indigenous peoples globally, and supports roller derby beyond the borders that constrain us and supports those that challenge systems of injustice through the building of community in roller derby. Team Indigenous and Jewish Roller Derby are two teams of strength, grace, and resilience that urge us to change the way we see the world and redefine “nation.”

We use this platform and our community on this important day to announce a revolutionary competition, WE ARE NATION: A GAME WITHOUT BORDERS featuring Team Indigenous and Jewish Roller Derby/רולר דרבי יהודי, hosted by WFTDA at the 2019 International WFTDA Championships, Saturday, November 16, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Not only will this game be part of the at-event game schedule, it will also be a free stream, live on WFTDA.tv.

About the Participating Teams

Team Indigenous

We are Team Indigenous Rising. We are the Original Nations of the Americas. We are Indigenous athletes, coaching staff, and volunteers. The mission and purpose of Team Indigenous Roller Derby is to unite the Indigenous roller derby community, representing the proud, once-borderless communities in our Ancestral Lands on these continents. Our Ancestral Home is known by many names: Turtle Island, Abya Yala, Pachamama, and thousands more. We are committed to strengthening the sport of flat track roller derby, the athletes who play it, and the Indigenous peoples throughout the hemisphere by representing First Nations people in events around the globe in 2019.

WE ARE NATION: A GAME WITHOUT BORDERS Roster Name # Pronunciation & Identification Notes Indigneous Nation Home League Kris Myass 1116 She/her Cree Calgary Roller Derby Ash Tray 420 she/her Chippewa, Ottawa Flint Roller Derby SOgnar 4 (SO-nar) she/her Dry Creek Pomo, Polosa Village The Guild of Troublemakers Bazinga 314 she/her Red River Metis Calgary Roller Derby Karma 614 she/her Red Lake Chippewa Brew City Bruisers Blackrock Bruiser 198 she/her Cayuga/Seneca Queen City Roller Derby Jumpy McGee 491 she/her Dine (Navajo) Maine Roller Derby BeastMode 100 She/her Chumash Clarksville Roller Derby Niketah 47 (nih-KEE-tah) She/her Tlingit (KLEEN-kit) Rage City Roller Derby Mush.It.Real.Good 1492 (MUSH it real good) she/her Navajo Gold Coast Derby Girls Dolly Benally 5 She/her/hers Dine (Navajo) Durango Roller Girls Raven 64 they/them Saddle Lake Cree Nation Toronto Roller Derby Margaret Bleed 1935 she/her Taino SoCal Roller Derby Skates in Circles 57 she/her Oglala Lakota Old Capital City Roller Derby Painkiller Jane 12 she/her Georgian Bay Metis (MAY-tee) Orangeville Roller Girls Danger Girl ALT 8 She/her Lakota Black Hills Wildfire Jet Pack ALT 907 She/her Athabascan Hellgate Roller Derby DARYL Coach She/her Taos Pueblo Gotham Roller Derby SiouxperNova Coach She/her Yankton Sioux Madison Roller Derby Krispy Bench She/her Cherokee Rebel Town Rollers Windigo Manager She/her Wiikwemikoong First Nation (WEE-kwaym-KOHNG) Brewcity Bruisers Roller Derby

Jewish Roller Derby

Jewish Roller Derby/רולר דרבי יהודי unites the skaters, officials, and coaches of the Jewish diaspora as one team and one nation. We provide space within the international derby community for the displaced, the exiled, the stateless, the descendants of Judah. This team showcases the athleticism and the heart of the Jewish people through our dedication to the sport and community of flat track roller derby as well as our commitment to tikkun olam, or healing the world. Jewish Roller Derby skates in solidarity with our sibling borderless nations and marginalized groups across the world.

WE ARE NATION: A GAME WITHOUT BORDERS Roster Name # Pronunciation & Identification Notes Home League Gritz 185 She/her Carolina Wrecking Balls Malka Shayna (מלכה שיינה) 97 (mal-KA shay-NA, captain) She/her Rose City Rollers (שרה מאר)/Sarah Marie 23 She/her Storm City Roller Derby Shoshananaguns 9 She/her Madison Roller Derby Bruiseberry Pie 31 She/her Vancouver Murder Kosher Assault (כשר אסאולט) 322 She/her Rat City Roller Derby Oz Farkas 2012 (Oz Far-KAZ) She/her DC Rollergirls Goldman 021 She/her Montreal Roller Derby (נִילִי) / Nili 360 (Nee-Lee, captain) She/her San Diego Derby United Vanek 12 (VAN-ek) She/her Toronto Roller Derby Knox 9999 She/her Santa Cruz Roller Derby (לאה רחל)/Leah Rachel 44 She/her Windy City Rollers Belka Pigeon 1 She/her Beach Cities Roller Derby Fineman 90 She/her Gotham Roller Derby (לילו וסטיצ׳ז) / Lilo & Stitches 626 She/her Rocky Mountain Rollergirls Pleah (פּלאה) 141 (play-UH) She/her Jacksonville Roller Derby Novisk 811 She/her Atlanta Roller Derby Peach Clobber 350 She/her Big Easy Rollergirls COHN!!! 18 She/her Rose City Rollers Levy Coach (Lee-vee, Morgan Levy) She/her Rose City Rollers Blackman Coach (Rachel Blackman) She/her Denver Roller Derby קאַווע / Coffee Coach (Strong Female Character/Staci Akselrod) She/her Gotham Roller Derby

Join us in Montréal or stream free on WFTDA.tv, Saturday, November 16 at 11:30 am EST to participate in this extraordinary game WE ARE NATION: A GAME WITHOUT BORDERS.

GET YOUR TICKETS TO CHAMPS NOW!

#WEARENATION

#TEAMINDIGENOUSRISING

#JEWISHROLLERDERBY