Notes from the Field - Forward Montana https://forwardmontana.org Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:50:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://forwardmontana.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-cropped-FMT-snowflake-transparent-1-32x32.png Notes from the Field - Forward Montana https://forwardmontana.org 32 32 191989934 Flathead Affordable Housing Newsletter 1 https://forwardmontana.org/flathead-affordable-housing-newsletter-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flathead-affordable-housing-newsletter-1 Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:16:25 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4764 This is a long one folks so buckle in and learn about different opportunities to provide your thoughts on potential changes in YOUR community TL;DR: Kalispell’s CUP Power Grab – Here’s What You Need to Know Before December 15th Alright Flathead fam, gather ‘round, because there’s some piping hot local-government tea, and it affects pretty much everyone:...

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The post Flathead Affordable Housing Newsletter 1 first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> This is a long one folks so buckle in and learn about different opportunities to provide your thoughts on potential changes in YOUR community

TL;DR:

  • This newsletter focuses on affordable housing (but keep an eye out for the January edition, where we have some exciting developments!).
  • Wherever you live in the Valley, PLEASE submit your public comment. If you need more information, I can help (but Livable Flathead has the latest information). Either way, let me know!
  • Housing needs more young people speaking up! Our voices matter, and they’re tracking how many of us show up…and we could be doing better.
  • Scroll below for the following public comment deadlines, all the tea on where the process stands (and what’s messy).
  • Check out the section on YOUR community, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, and Whitefish

Kalispell’s CUP Power Grab – Here’s What You Need to Know Before December 15th

Alright Flathead fam, gather ‘round, because there’s some piping hot local-government tea, and it affects pretty much everyone: renters, homeowners, nonprofits, AND local businesses.

🍵 The Situation
The Kalispell City Council just held the first reading of a proposed amendment that would give the City the power to revoke Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) at any time. The amendment does not take effect immediately; it will take legal effect on January 15, 2026. From that date on, the Council can use the clarified process to revoke CUPs if the conditions are met.

On paper, this sounds like “accountability.” In reality, it means any business, nonprofit, or community service that relies on a CUP could lose its ability to operate—even if it’s following the rules.


Why This Matters

  • The Flathead Warming Center operates under a CUP. If this amendment passes, the center that keeps our neighbors alive in winter could face new political pressure or threats to its permit, not because of violations, but because of changing political winds.
  • Businesses with CUPs (e.g., childcare centers, breweries, event spaces, transitional housing, churches) depend on stability. A system where permits can be revoked unpredictably? That’s bad for business, bad for planning, and bad for economic growth.
  • CUPs traditionally offer clear expectations and predictability, enabling businesses to invest, hire staff, and serve the community. This amendment chips away at that stability.

What’s Next
The second reading + public comment opportunity is coming up: 
📅 Monday, December 15th
🕧 7:00 PM
📍 Kalispell City Hall

✍Your Call to Action
Show up on Dec 15th. Bring friends. Bring neighbors. Bring people who care about housing, small-business stability, or good governance. Submit a written public comment if you can’t attend: publiccomment@kalispell.com

Share this update with someone who might not be plugged in. 

Because the Flathead deserves policies made with community input, not surprise power shifts.


Columbia Falls


The city is in the thick of updating its land-use plan, zoning map, and subdivision rules to comply with the new statewide MLUPA overhaul — basically rewriting the playbook for how the city grows, builds housing, and handles development in the next decade. With one Planning Commission seat still unfilled, community voice really matters here.

And the next chance to plug in? Thursday, December 11, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall (130 6th Street West).
If you want a peek at how C-Falls’ future gets shaped, or just enjoy a little civic tea, this is the meeting to watch. The land use survey is open until Dec 11th!

The Growth Plan Unpacked: Housing, Land Use, and More- Your Report Card for Whitefish 2045

Action Items:

Main Point: Whitefish youth, the town you call home, is at a crossroads. Decisions being made right now will shape where you live, how you get around, and whether the place you love remains affordable and livable OR becomes a playground for visitors and those with deep pockets. 

What is the Growth policy? Who’s at the table now, and who’s still missing? The status quo is evident: older, wealthier stakeholders often dominate the conversation, prioritizing development that preserves their interests over the community’s needs. Meanwhile, young workers, renters, and service-industry locals, those who keep Whitefish running, are heavily underrepresented. The City Council has publicly supported affordable housing. Still, until policies reflect that commitment, the Growth Policy risks favoring high-end development, sprawl, and tourism-focused projects over housing for year-round residents. This is a long-term blueprint for Whitefish’s growth over the next 20 years, and we have until May 2026 to finish it. VISION WHITEFISH 2045 | Engage Whitefish.

What’s at stake? With the May 2026 deadline looming, $390–400,000 in PRO Housing grant funding is at stake. City leaders have publicly said they care about affordable housing, and this grant could help turn those words into action. But continued delays and indecision in the Growth Policy put both the funding and our community’s long-term housing affordability at serious risk. Without intentional, value-driven policies that prioritize residents, this opportunity to secure housing for year-round workers and equitable growth could easily slip away.

Whitefish 2045: Key Chapters Explained

Economic Development

Status: Draft is complete, but the board is split (some discussions reopened). CitizenPortal.ai – Community Development Board delays action on Vision Whitefish 2045 economic development goals after a board split. 
Tea: According to Shelter WF some board edits, weakening language supporting local businesses and a year-round economy, undermining goals that serve residents (not just tourism). Word is there is debate over how much detail to include in the policy versus leaving details to future zoning (some board members want a “lighter touch” for policy-level goals). ShelterWF noted the edits benefit business owners and wealthy second-home owners, at the expense of local workers and broader community needs. The removal or weakening of language about serving residents (i.e., goods and services for the year-round population), the weakening of goals for affordable housing, and a narrow focus on the tourism/visitor economy rather than a diversified, sustainable local economy. 
Problem: The board keeps reopening this chapter, raising concerns that special interests are reshaping it. Plus, Mixed-use housing has been removed from this section.
Grade: C- content exists, but the edits favor tourism/business interests over local workers. Needs more equity lens. Removing mixed-use housing from the economic chapter is a mistake because mixed-use is one of the most effective tools we have to support affordable housing and a healthy local economy. When homes are built near jobs, shops, and services, it lowers construction costs, reduces traffic, and helps workers actually live in the community where they work. Mixed-use areas also give small businesses built-in customers and create walkable, vibrant neighborhoods that people want. Taking it out limits our ability to meet housing needs and makes the plan less realistic about how to keep the local economy strong.

Public Facilities

Public facilities:
Status: Draft in progress-Water, sewer, and stormwater sections continue to be refined under review.
Tea: Something to consider: as public facilities planning is tied to infrastructure costs, there’s a risk that growth (especially sprawl) could drive up long-term costs. That being said, some community members worry that the facility planning may not sufficiently support the denser, more affordable growth needed to sustain affordable housing. 
Grade: B, primarily technical, but we must ensure facilities support denser, infill, affordable growth than just sprawl. One might say that suburban sprawl is the least desirable suitor of the season — a vast, sprawling arrangement that leaves homes, shops, and daily necessities scattered across great distances. A far more elegant design would be mixed-use districts, where life’s affairs are delightfully close at hand, and where promenading on foot is not merely pleasant, but entirely practical. 

Environmental/Natural Resources/Hazards

Status: Done-ish Mostly drafted; hazards still debated (link) 
Tea: We keep reopening this section, which Shelter WF noted that repeatedly doing this (reopening the hazard language) gives disproportionate power to individuals rather than supporting community-wide risk planning. Which, honestly, I wasn’t there, but referencing the meeting I attended in the housing section, I can confirm re: the Suburban Sprawl vibe. The delicate waltz between safeguarding our beloved wild landscapes and welcoming the dignified march of new homes and thoughtful growth. 
Grade: B Generally solid, but repeated reopening may slow adoption. Needs a balance between protection and growth. 

Transportation

Status: Daft has been released VISION WHITEFISH 2045 | Engage Whitefish
Tea: Dearest Reader, the whispers of our fair valley grow ever louder: will the newest transportation plans deliver accurate, equitable movement for all… or simply smooth the way for yet another scandalous chapter of sprawl? Society waits, breathlessly, for the answer. For beneath the charm of glossy proposals lies a truth we cannot ignore: transportation is destiny. Without intentional land-use planning, even the loveliest mobility investments can end up serving only the far-flung fringes or tourist-clogged corridors—leaving residents, especially young people and workers, stranded. And let us not forget the question of fortune. Building a truly multimodal network—one where biking, walking, and transit are not heroic feats but standard daily options—requires long-term funding, real commitments, and something more daring than wishful thinking. 
Problem: What makes this especially frustrating is that mixed-use housing was removed from this section. Mixed-use is a total transportation lifesaver. When homes, shops, and jobs are close together, people can walk to places—a wild concept—which reduces traffic, parking congestion, and gas bills. And since public transit in Whitefish and the Flathead is, let’s be honest, kind of a joke, walkability is one of the only real ways people can get around without basically living in their cars. Mixed-use neighborhoods make everyday life easier, cheaper, and more enjoyable, and taking them out ignores how people actually move through this valley. It’s essentially saying, “Let’s go back to 1994 suburbia,” which is… not the move when we’re staring down climate change and need every practical emissions-reducing tool we can get.
Grade: The current draft shows promise maybe a C+ (if we’re being generous) but it’s still unclear whether transportation, housing affordability, equity, and real-world land use are actually working together. In less Regency-era language: public transit in the Flathead is unreliable. If you’ve ever tried getting to the airport without a car or attempted to cross town after 6 PM, you already know the struggle. That’s exactly why young people need to weigh in—our lives run on shift work, school, side gigs, ski days, and lake days, and all of that depends on systems that actually function.
Housing

Housing

Status: Outlines done; chapter not finalized; public outreach: December 17th, 2025.
Tea: Dearest Reader, gather ’round for tea, for the chatter swirling through our little mountain hamlet is nothing short of piping hot. Word from Shelter WF is that the housing chapter—so desperately needed to secure affordable homes for our workers and year-round residents—may be falling dreadfully short of its promise. And I fear they are not wrong. I attended the meeting myself, and let us simply say: the tone was not conducive to the ‘future of Whitefish.’ While the room was complete, it did not reflect the young workers, renters, or families who actually live the housing crisis every day. Instead, the conversation leaned heavily toward those most invested in preserving the status quo—landowners for whom “change” is more scandalous than any plot Lady Whistledown could spill. But here is the true mystery of the season: our City Council has publicly championed affordable housing. Over and over, they’ve said it’s a priority. So why, dear reader, does the Growth Policy continue to flirt with suburban expansions—low-density, high-cost, car-dependent sprawl—when what we truly need are neighborhoods designed for life as we live it: mixed-use communities where homes, shops, transit, and green space exist together, affordable and accessible to all? Why are we planning yesterday’s solutions for today’s climate and tomorrow’s challenges?
Problem: The debate over mixed-use housing is revealing a deeper problem: the people showing up to influence the Growth Policy are overwhelmingly older landowners, the very group least affected by the housing crisis. They’re pushing a vision of Whitefish that favors low-density, suburban-style neighborhoods—prioritizing property values over the needs of workers, young families, and renters who keep this community running. Mixed-use, which is critical to affordability and to walkable, vibrant neighborhoods, is repeatedly removed from the plan because those with the loudest voices don’t want it near them. It’s very much a “District 1 doesn’t care about the rest of Panem” situation: the people with power at the table are shaping a future that works for themselves, while those who most need housing access are left out of the conversation entirely. If ever there were a moment for young people to show up, speak up, and insist on a Whitefish we can actually live in, this is it. If we are not in the room, decisions will be made about us, not with us—and I assure you, the town will not hesitate to design a future that benefits themselves first. Please come out and provide a public comment on affordability to buy and rent, as well as the general lack of availability. Grade: D Big Risk area- Without strong housing policies, affordability goals are at stake- the dream of affordability may slip through our fingers. Should we wish to see a Whitefish where young workers, families, and residents can remain and thrive, we must take action. This is not merely a matter of plans on paper—it is our future at the table. Come out and support affordable housing. The current housing unit goals are wildly inaccurate—especially considering how many workers want to live here but simply can’t afford it. As written, the “affordability goals” only pencil out if 100% of new units were subsidized, which is unrealistic and underscores how far off the projections are. Because we’ve underbuilt for so long, any new rental units will naturally be more expensive at first—new construction always is—but the bigger issue is that we’re not building anything new at all. Without supply, prices remain high, workers are pushed out, and affordability continues to slip further away.

Land Use

Status: The City hired CZB, LLC to assist with writing the Land Use Element. We just had a visioning session. These visioning sessions are being used to help frame the future land‑use map — this is the part that will guide where density goes, what types of development are allowed, and how neighborhoods could evolve.
Tea: Gather ’round for tea, for the latest whispers from our mountain hamlet are nothing short of scandalous. I attended the housing meeting myself, and let us simply say: the vibe was… not giving the ‘future of Whitefish.’ While the room was packed, it did not reflect the young workers, renters, or families who actually endure the housing crisis every day. Instead, the conversation leaned toward those most invested in preserving the status quo—landowners for whom change is far more scandalous than any plot Lady Whistledown could spill. But here is the true mystery of the season: our City Council has repeatedly championed affordable housing. Over and over, they’ve said it’s a priority. So why is the Growth Policy still flirting with suburban expansions—low-density, high-cost, car-dependent sprawl—when what we really need are homes that people can afford and neighborhoods designed for life as we actually live it? Why are we planning yesterday’s solutions for today’s climate and tomorrow’s challenges? Conflict over character and density—how ‘place types’ are defined—could strongly influence where density is allowed, what building heights and setbacks are permissible, and whether mixed-use or infill growth is prioritized. Without intentional commitment to these approaches, we risk more sprawling, car-dependent development that undermines housing affordability and increases infrastructure costs. Because Land Use will guide future zoning, decisions made now carry long-term consequences. If the plan isn’t equitable or inclusive, it could lock in exclusionary development for years to come.
Problem: The loudest voices in the public comments right now are mostly older landowners who don’t want mixed-use housing anywhere near them—and because they show up, their preferences are shaping the plan. Mixed-use has already been stripped from other sections, not because it isn’t needed, but because the people at the table are the ones least affected by the housing crisis. It’s very “of course the Capitol thinks everything is fine” energy: the folks who already own property are pushing for a Kalispell-style suburban vibe. At the same time, the people who actually work here struggle to find a place to live at all. If we keep letting only one group define the vision, we’ll end up with a plan that works well for those who already have housing—and excludes everyone else.
Grade: C- Visioning done; draft expected soon. Linchpin of the plan: If density and infill aren’t prioritized, affordable housing and equity goals may fail. That said, mixed-use has already been cut from multiple sections of the plan. With the committee dominated by landowners who primarily listen to one another, other voices are getting sidelined.

Overall Process

Status: Real progress has been made, yet delays, power dynamics, and the repeated reopening of already-settled issues threaten equitable outcomes. Broader public engagement is limited when chapters are rehashed instead of moving forward.
Tea: Ah, the latest whispers from our mountain hamlet are simply scandalous. It seems the reins of Whitefish’s future are being held rather tightly by the wealthier and older members of the town. Here’s the inside scoop:

  • The Transportation and Economic Development sections noticeably lack any meaningful integration of mixed-use or diverse housing options. This omission appears tied to long-standing preferences among some older landowners, who have consistently opposed these approaches. Instead, the plan leans toward yesterday’s solutions—low-density, costly sprawl that increases infrastructure burdens and makes it harder for younger residents, workers, and families to live and thrive here.  Infill is more efficient, equitable, and far kinder to our city infrastructure.
  • Tourism & Visitor Economy Bias: The economic development draft appears to favor keeping Whitefish a playground for visitors—prioritizing visitor-serving businesses over a diverse local economy or jobs for service workers.
  • Barriers to Housing for Locals: Because housing and land-use policies remain incomplete, there is growing concern that future zoning could continue to limit the types of homes younger people, workers, and long-term residents can access.
  • Power Imbalance: When planning commissioners repeatedly reopen already-settled issues, it gives disproportionate influence to those with time, resources, or political capital—often the older, wealthier, property-owning crowd—while younger, working-class, and less politically connected residents remain on the sidelines. If Whitefish is to be a town for everyone—not just the ton—then now is the moment for young people and working families to make their voices heard.
  • We’re also looking forward to the first January City Council meeting, where the Economic Element will be discussed—the first place we saw mixed-use language quietly removed. To get ready, we’re planning a little Jersey Boys pre-game: we’ll meet up, run through how to give effective public comment, and get everyone hyped to show up together and bring the storm (in the friendliest, most civic-minded way possible).
  • Stay tuned for more details! Right now, the folks who consistently make public comments are already well-represented—and they’re the ones pushing against mixed-use and more affordable options. If we care about affordability and a future where young people, workers, and families can actually live here, we need to show up in January. We’ll be asking the Council to reconsider removing mixed-use from both the Transportation and Economic elements and to prioritize real, lasting housing solutions.
  • Grade: C+   Most chapters of the Growth Policy are drafted, but key thematic pieces (ie, housing and land use) remain unfinished. 

Risks if these concerns aren’t addressed:

  • Inequality could be cemented: The Growth Policy might enable more second homes and high-end development while leaving behind affordable or mixed-income housing.
  • Infrastructure costs could rise: Sprawl increases expenses for roads, sewer, water, and stormwater systems—costs that often fall on taxpayers.
  • Young people and year-round workers could be left out: Without intentional housing strategies, they may be priced out, forced to live far from work, or excluded from shaping the community where they live.
  • Community voice could be lost: If planning is dominated by a few influential stakeholders, the city’s ‘vision’ may not reflect what most residents actually want.

Key areas at stake:

  • Housing & Land Use: These are high-stakes, high-risk elements that will determine affordability, density, and equity in Whitefish. The Whitefish Planning Commission determined that it would have weekly meetings in January (on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.) to address the Land Use and Housing Elements of the Land Use Plan.
  • Transportation: Questions remain about whether infrastructure improvements will support equitable growth or primarily benefit sprawl and tourist-driven corridors. Mixed-use, multi-modal planning is essential, especially in the Flathead Valley.
  • Utilities: Sprawl comes at a cost—sewer, stormwater, and other public systems are more expensive to extend and maintain in low-density areas.
  • Public Engagement & Accountability: While the city adopted a public engagement plan in July 2023, advocacy groups like Shelter WF have called on the City Council to step in, hold the Planning Commission accountable, and ensure the process doesn’t favor narrow interests.
  • Check out past meeting: Videos | VISION WHITEFISH 2045 | Engage Whitefish (sidebar section). The Whitefish City Council appointed two new members to the Planning Commission, Marti Brandt and Mike Hein (replacing Jon Heberling and Toby Scott). Excited to see some dynamics change with some young people on the board!
  • If you’re itching for a deeper understanding, check out: Livable Flathead Blog — Livable Flathead

Make Your Voice Heard: Write an LTE
Letters to the Editor are one of the fastest, most effective ways to shape local conversations, especially in smaller communities where a few voices can shift the whole tone. 

What to write about
Why housing (plus transportation) options matter for young people. Why do you want to stay in your city, but need stable, attainable rentals. Hopes for a plan that centers locals, not just developers. Why public engagement should shape the future — not just the loudest few

Where to send LTEs
Flathead Beacon, Daily Inter Lake, and Hungry Horse News

Tips: Keep it to 150–250 words. Use your personal story (super powerful). End with a clear ask: “I urge the Planning Commission to adopt a plan that supports housing for local workers and keeps X livable.”

Woof! That was A LOT of information… 

Final Sip City planning can seem boring, but it’s actually where the big decisions are made about whether young people can afford to build a life here. Tracking these meetings and showing up with your voice, is one of the best tools we’ve got.

Bonus points: If you want to spill, collect, or drink tea, reach out! Let’s get a hot drink 🫖 together before or after the holidays! 

Isabella Brown

Flathead Community Organizer

The post Flathead Affordable Housing Newsletter 1 first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4764 2025 Board Elections! https://forwardmontana.org/2025-board-elections/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2025-board-elections Thu, 26 Jun 2025 19:15:42 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4604 It’s that time of the year again! We have five spots with seven awesome candidates to choose from. If you are a member of Forward Montana (aka you have donated $10 or more or volunteered for two hours or more in the past year) you are able to cast five votes! Each vote must be for a...

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The post 2025 Board Elections! first appeared on Forward Montana.

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It’s that time of the year again! We have five spots with seven awesome candidates to choose from. If you are a member of Forward Montana (aka you have donated $10 or more or volunteered for two hours or more in the past year) you are able to cast five votes! Each vote must be for a different candidate.


Make sure to cast your votes by noon on July 25th! 

Check out more information below about each candidate and when you are ready to vote, head to the link below!

(*) indicates incumbent board member

Vote here

List of candidates

(scroll to each candidate or click the links to jump to their bios)

Shelby Fisher | Elizabeth I Klarich | Erin Miller | Nicole Gomez Patalano | Kendal Pittman |
Kortney Vanden Bos | Olivia Vesovich

To view each Q&A below the candidates, click the gray area of the question.

Shelby Fisher

Missoula | Administrative Coordinator at the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I’m excited by FMT’s long-standing commitment to engage and mobilize young people and shape a more inclusive democracy. I think there are a lot of ways this organization can evolve as generations evolve to meet young folks where they are at and I would love to support that mission.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I have filled out the Board application every time it opens up for the last few years but haven’t submitted. This year, I feel like I’m finally in a place in my life where I have the time and energy to put the work in to this organization that it deserves and I would like to support the mission in any way I can.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

My first experience volunteering on a political issue was with Forward Montana in college, back in 2015. Since then, I’ve stayed engaged organizing for Planned Parenthood, working on ballot initiatives, and building experience in campaign operations and political organizing. I currently serve as Vice President of Membership for the Big Sky Democrats and work at a nonprofit where I focus on membership development and donor relations.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

Growing up in rural Montana shaped my understanding of access, representation, and the role community plays in empowering young people. I bring a perspective in how young Montanans can make an impact within state government, informed by my experience working in Senate Minority during the past two legislative sessions. My journey in issue-based advocacy began with Forward Montana, and since then I’ve gained experience in organizing, campaign operations, and nonprofit membership work, all of which I’m excited to contribute to the board.

Elizabeth I Klarich

Billings | Retired

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Getting youth motivated & activated.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

To help the cause of youth involvement in our communities.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

Chapter Leader for Yellowstone Indivisible February 2025 to present.Canvassing for candidates and causes that help the causes of good governance and forward progress since 1980.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

One on one skills with making people feel inspired to help the good causes. Desire to help in service of a cause greater than self.

Erin miller*

Fort Collins, CO | Administrative Specialist, Larimer County Dept. of Health & Environment

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I’m always excited to see how Forward Montana creates spaces for young Montanans to advocate for the issues they care about. From the Community Organizing Fellowship, to the Transcendent Joy zine, to the Stitch n Bitch events – FMT creates spaces to debrief, grieve shitty legislation, build community with each other, and collectively work on how we move forward. I think this work is incredibly powerful.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I’m stoked to be running for reelection this year! I first got involved with FMT seven (!!) years ago as the Missoula Field Manager. I cut my organizing teeth while on staff and later went on to manage the statewide field team as the Senior Organizing Manager. I was first elected to the c4 board in 2023 and I’ve served as both the board secretary and co-chair of the Political Action Committee. I feel like I’ve gained a solid foundation of critical board expertise and I’d be excited to expand on those skills. I also think returning board members are essential as Alice transitions into her role this summer. I want to build on the work we’ve accomplished during the 2025 legislative session and the 2024 election and continue to support this organization as a values-led and relationship-oriented board member.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

I’ve served on the FMT c4 board for two years, as both the c4 board secretary and the co-chair of the Political Action Committee. In addition to board experience, I’ve been a member of various issue coalitions, including serving on the leadership team of the Missoula Home Coalition.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I know and deeply understand the mission of FMT as well as the political landscape of Montana. My skills include managing teams, developing processes and planning timelines, training, and relationship building. I have immense experience and a passion for all things leadership development and love pairing the big picture with the day to day work. I’ve always considered myself an advocate for staff and would be honored to support Alice in her ED transition! I value transparency, vulnerability, and accountability in everything I do and I would continue to bring these values to the board.

Nicole Gomez Patalano

Missoula | Justice Initiative Director, Catalyst Montana

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I believe deeply in the kind of grassroots community organizing and civic engagement that Forward Montana does with and alongside young Montanans, cultivating an interest and an ability to engage in our political systems. In my work at Catalyst Montana, we do similar kinds of work with low-income folks. I see this work of connecting neighbors and rebuilding the fabric of communities as an antidote to the polarization and hostility of our current political moment. Forward Montana does incredibly critical work taking that organizing, civic engagement, and leadership development to young people, so many of whom are experiencing a crisis of loneliness and isolation, and gives them an accessible path to engagement and community. Not only do I have immense respect for the organization, it has never been more necessary than at this moment, and I want to do whatever I can to help it continue in this mission.

I also have immense respect for Forward Montana’s work on affordable housing and houslessness issues around Montana, and have worked side by side FMT organizers to push back against the criminalization of houselessness and poverty both in Missoula and at the state legislature. After several years of state policy work, I have a lot of appreciation for Forward Montana continuously showing up to push for fair policies and making sure young voices are in the room where policy decisions are being made, usually by bodies of people in which low-income, young, and other marginalized groups are not well represented.

Finally, I’m excited by the work Forward Montana is doing to push back on the criminalization of poverty and would be excited to see the organization engage even more with young people involved in the criminal legal system, the numbers of which are growing in Montana, as each legislative session policymakers pass more laws to increase penalties for youth offenses, including those for which they can be tried and sentenced as adults even though they may be as young as twelve. As a member of the board, I would encourage Forward Montana to consider deepening its outreach to this group of young Montanans, as justice-involved young people are deeply impacted by the laws policy-makers pass, are more likely to be BIPOC, low-income, have a higher number of adverse childhood experiences, and come from families coping with mental illness and substance use, and could benefit immensely from being engaged as voters, activists, and leaders to advocate for a better and fairer system.

Forward Montana is doing deeply important work, and I’m very excited about the opportunity to participate as a board member.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

Forward Montana is doing absolutely necessary and critical work of engaging young people in the political process and helping them to discover the power of their voices to advocate for change. I’m interested in being a part of the body that helps guide the organization to its maximum impact in line with its values. I take seriously the importance of being an active community member and am very excited by the prospect of getting to engage more directly with Forward Montana. I have immense respect for the staff and leadership as well, and would love to contribute my skills to ensuring the success of all. I believe in Forward Montana’s ability to empower and support young people to become activists, advocates, and leaders and would be honored to serve as a board member in helping them fulfill this mission.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

I’ve been on the board of the Montana Budget and Policy Center since 2023. As a board member, I attend quarterly meetings, participate in financial review, legislative session and interim programming review, and provide support and guidance to the executive director in issues related to staffing, research directions, and grant opportunities. Like Forward Montana, MBPC is also a close partner to Catalyst Montana, and as such I always disclose any conflict of interest ahead of issues on the agenda. That relationship has not interfered with my ability to offer guidance or direction as a board member and I view my responsibility to MBPC in my board member capacity as equal to and distinct from my role as a Catalyst MT employee.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

Many of my skills pertain to the work that Forward Montana does: I am a skilled policy advocate with experience lobbying at both the municipal and state level, and I’m a community organizer with a deep commitment to civic engagement. As Director of the Justice Initiative at Catalyst Montana, I have extensive expertise and knowledge about the criminal legal system and particularly how it impacts young Montanas. In this role, I have launched and run the first jail-based voter registration program in the state and continue to advance programming to bring civic engagement to justice-involved Montanans both inside and outside of prison and jails. This interim I will be actively engaged with interim committees advocating for just and humane policy reforms to the youth justice system in Montana, among other issues.

I also have executive leadership experience, as the former executive director of Free Verse, which brings healing through the arts programming to incarcerated young people across Montana. In that capacity, I gained significant experience with grant writing and grant management, in addition to the grant management oversight I provide as a current board member at the Montana Budget and Policy Center. Furthermore, I cultivated extensive knowledge of the youth justice system in Montana and the youth detention facilities around the state, and more importantly build relationships with the youth themselves. My knowledge and understanding of the circumstances that lead many young people into the justice system, including poverty, neglect, hunger, and trying to provide for younger siblings, motivates my own advocacy work and is something I would love to offer to the Board of Forward Montana. Finally, my experience working with incarcerated youth across Montana and helping them learn the power of their own voices in telling their stories has given me insight into the critical role Forward Montana plays in leadership development for young Montanans and which I would love to see them offer to justice-involved young Montanas. As a Board member I would love to help support that effort.

Furthermore, I have significant publishing experience both through Free Verse, gained through the publication of zines, anthologies, and journals of student work, and as the former Editor-in-Chief of CutBank Literary Magazine at the University of Montana. That publishing knowledge could be a valuable addition to the board, given that Forward Montana publishes the Transcendent Joy zine.

Altogether, I am a skilled leader and advocate and a strong writer and communicator, with honed skills in relationship-building, research, publication and grant-writing and would be eager to contribute these skills to the Forward Montana Board.

Kendal Pittman

Bozeman | Political Campaign Coordinator, Western Organization of Resource Councils

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I love that Forward MT is focused on supporting young people to build the power we need to create the future we all deserve. And, I’m excited to be a part of an organization that is authentically committed to doing that through grassroots organizing and power building. FMT does an incredible job of meeting the young people of MT where they’re at, whether it’s through catchy, informative social media posts or building its membership base with creative community events.

What excites me is that Forward Montana doesn’t just engage young people for a single campaign or election cycle. Instead, it focuses on longterm power building and transforming MT’s communities to be more just, sustainable, and equitable. As someone who believes deeply in the power of relationship-based organizing, I’m inspired by FMT’s commitment to building joyful, justice-driven, people-powered movements. I’m eager to contribute my skills and perspective as part of a board that’s helping to shape and sustain this work for the long haul.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a commitment to people-powered change. I’m interested in joining the Forward MT Board because it aligns with both my values and the through-line of my work: building inclusive, grounded movements led by young people who are closest to the issues at hand.

In my current role as the Political Campaign Coordinator at the Western Organization of Resource Councils, I work on political strategy and campaigns at the state and local level. I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to invest in young leadership, creative organizing tactics, and sustained base-building. I’d be honored to support an organization that is doing deep, relational work to grow civic engagement and long-term power in Montana.

I also bring experience with youth leadership development, program design, and grassroots strategy that I believe could complement and strengthen Forward Montana’s mission. With a background in education, I’ve spent years developing the leadership of young people, both in the classroom and then developing the leadership skills of instructors when I was the Program Director at the Montana Outdoor Science School. I care deeply about making sure young Montanans see themselves as not only participants in democracy, but as leaders shaping their collective future.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

As the Program Director at the Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS), I worked closely with our Board of Directors to implement our summer program. I coordinated with them on budgets, fundraising, hiring decisions, and personnel policies. In my current role, I regularly collaborate with Montana Rural Voter’s steering committee (which is our governing body). I write memos to update them, create steering committee meeting agendas, co-facilitate meetings with the president, and regularly request their input on strategic decisions. Through both of these roles, I’m confident navigating board bylaws, understand fiduciary responsibility, and know how to effectively structure and participate in board meetings.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I bring a mix of strategic, programmatic, and on-the-ground organizing experience that I believe would be a valuable asset to the Forward MT Board. I’ve led canvassing operations across rural Montana, managed and trained young leaders in both educational and political settings, and currently work in political strategy and campaigning with a focus on building long-term progressive infrastructure.

I know how to think both big-picture and tactically, whether it’s designing a voter contact plan, facilitating a coalition, or building a leadership development pipeline. I also bring deep knowledge of Montana’s political landscape, particularly how power-building looks different in rural and urban communities, and how essential youth organizing is transforming MT’s political landscape. While I expect the role of a Forward MT Board member is focused on the bigger picture, I do believe that my direct experience planning campaigns will help me to thoughtfully guide the strategic direction of the organization.

As a former educator, I value clarity, curiosity, and accountability. I’m energized by group decision-making, and I care deeply about making sure people feel heard and respected – especially young leaders just finding their political voice. I’d bring that relational, justice-oriented lens to the Board’s work and culture. In short: I lead with relationships, clarity, and a deep belief in collective power, and I’d be proud to bring those skills and beliefs to the Forward MT Board.

Kortney Vanden Bos

Missoula | Student

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I was an intern in high school and regularly interact with the staff at the voting booths and tables at the university. I love the mission and I want to help.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I feel I have a unique perspective being raised in poverty in a mostly conservative area. I understand the mindset of those struggling and feel I can help.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

I worked for you back in high school under Pari with the Billings branch.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I’m young, still in school. I see and interact with other students in a peer to peer way. I’m a very good leader I’ve always been in a management position at any of the jobs I’ve had. I have had boots on the ground for protests pride and other events that have strengthened ties to the community.

Olivia Vesovich

Missoula | Gen Z Advisor for the Climate Mental Health Network

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

What excites me most about Forward Montana and the Forward Montana Foundation is how deeply rooted they are in communities around Montana and in making democracy accessible. I love how they center young people in the democratic process and make civic engagement approachable, empowering, and fun. It makes me so happy to know that FMT has established itself as an organization that provides accessible, trustworthy, and nonpartisan information. FMT is an organization that upholds the values of the Montana that I was raised in, one that cares about their neighbors and will work to protect them. During every election cycle, I share and use the Voter Guide. I love how it helps me understand what is on the ballot and the implications of each measure. It is an essential resource for informed voting.
I am continually inspired by how FMT builds community through creative and educational events. One event that stands out to me was a screen-printing workshop that reminded me how Forward Montana makes political engagement feel joyful and rooted in connection. Events like these are the backbone of community organizing because they serve as reminders to be in community with each other in the happy moments so we can be ready for the challenging moments. The zine is such a sweet place for Montanan’s to share their art, poetry, and stories. I always look forward to reading the zine! I love how FMT is creating a space for truly hard work, like court cases and advocating for Montanan’s rights, while also celebrating Montanans. FMT upholds the values that I believe Montana was created with.
When I was 16, I participated in Forward Montana’s Organizing Internship. It is the foundation of my political education and confidence. It was the first time I felt confident navigating political spaces. Under the mentorship of Erin Miller, I finally felt empowered and assured in my organizing capabilities. She made me feel important to the internship and it was one of the first times where I felt like I was doing exactly what I was meant to do with my life. I knew that this was the start of a long journey in grassroots movements. I was so energized by registering voters and informing them about the upcoming elections. It was the first time I felt like I was making the change I wanted to see in the world, one voter registration form at a time.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I am interested in joining the Forward Montana Board because Forward Montana gave me my start in organizing. FMT shaped my understanding of grassroots democracy and helped me realize my own capacity to lead. Through the Organizing Internship I was introduced to the tools, community, and confidence I needed to step into my power. I learned that leadership is about listening, showing up consistently, and making sure others feel welcome to participate. In times like these, it is so easy for young, marginalized Montanans to feel isolated and FMT is uniquely positioned to help and empower young people. I want to be part of the conversations that determine how we meet the evolving needs of young people in our state. That means not just standing by our values, but actively examining how we live them out. I am excited by the opportunity to help guide the organization’s strategy, support its mission, and ensure its values of equity, access, and joy in civic life remain at the forefront. As someone who works at the intersections of youth organizing, education, and climate justice, I see how deeply young people want to make a difference. Forward Montana was the organization that gave me confidence in my voice and my power. I would be honored to be part of organization that guided me to my strengths and to give that back to the community. Serving on the board would be a beautiful full circle moment for me and a commitment I would approach with care, urgency, and heart.

Please describe any board experience or similar work with a nonprofit, including paid work or volunteer work.

I have served on the on the Climate Mental Health Network’s Gen Z Advisory Board since January 2024. I have worked closely with other young leaders and the organization’s founder to bridge the gap between climate activism and mental health care. Our role is to offer our perspectives to make CMHN accessible and interesting to the younger generations. We shape strategy, messaging, and programing. In this role, I co-created a climate mental health zine designed as a toolkit to help young people name, process, and move through the intense emotions that often come with climate awareness. The zine centers creative reflection, community support, and action as mental health strategies. A unique part of it is after each submission, there is a guided journaling prompt. I have co-facilitated events like a Climate Café with the University of Calgary, an intergenerational healing dialogue between youth and elders, and a workshop on burnout prevention tailored specifically for Gen Z activists. In my role I have also helped to secure a grant to support our youth programming, I took part in writing sections of the proposal and completing the application process. After that process, I had a better understanding of the behind-the-scenes labor that sustains nonprofit work. It was a powerful reminder that being on a board means not only championing an organization’s vision, but helping to secure the resources that make that vision possible.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I bring a unique combination of lived experience, organizing insight, and deep dedication to youth rights and democratic access that I believe would be a valuable addition to the Forward Montana Board.
I am one of the youth plaintiffs in Held v. Montana where I helped set a historic legal precedent for enforcing constitutional environmental protections, affirming the right to a clean and healthful environment for present and future generations. I am continuing this constitutional climate work as a plaintiff in Lighthiser v. Trump, where 22 young people are challenging the federal government’s ongoing promotion of fossil fuels, working to safeguard their rights to life, liberty, and property. These experiences have given me firsthand knowledge of how young people can shape powerful legal and political outcomes when given the tools and support to organize. My understanding of constitutional rights and environmental justice would help FMT to equip young people to hold systems of power accountable. I know the weight of civic responsibility and the transformational power of youth-led advocacy. I also know just how powerful Montana is. As a Held plaintiff, I have had the honor of letting the world know that Montana can be a leader in climate justice. We have the power to make this state as great as its constitution.
I am student at the University of Montana, where I study English Literature and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. These fields have developed my critical understanding of how systems of power function and how they impact culture and art. Intersectionality is the foundation of my studies and it has become the lens that I view the world through. As a queer person, I understand how important it is that youth see themselves reflected in the leadership of that claim to serve them. I am committed to creating spaces where all young people—especially those who are queer, trans, disabled, Indigenous, Black, or otherwise marginalized—can see their rights, needs, and imaginations centered. I am dedicated to facilitating the connection of creativity, imagination, and grassroots organizing.
Beyond policy and academia, I also bring a perspective of an artist and storyteller. My creative practice is rooted in creating a space of climate catharsis and community care. I create art that helps me process what it means to be alive at this moment in time. I have had the honor of speaking across the country about youth organizing and climate mental health. My art has served as the representation of translating complex issues that language cannot fully capture. I believe that personal, vulnerable, and creative storytelling is essential to sustaining movements. My art allows me to imagine what could be and to process what is.
As a board member, I would bring deep care, strategic thinking, collaborative energy, and a fierce commitment to youth empowerment. Young people across this state deserve organizations that inform and empower them. I would be honored to work with other Montanans who care about a Montana that reflects our values, beliefs, and hopes.

The post 2025 Board Elections! first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4604 Introducing our New Executive Director Alice Boyer! https://forwardmontana.org/introducing-our-new-executive-director-alice-boyer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=introducing-our-new-executive-director-alice-boyer Wed, 28 May 2025 21:22:41 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4579 Our Board of Directors has been on a search for the next strategic leader to help Forward Montana meet the unique challenges of 2025 and beyond. We knew we needed someone with the tenacity, heart, and strategic mind to meet this moment, and we’ve found that leader. We’re excited to introduce our incoming Executive Director, Alice...

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The post Introducing our New Executive Director Alice Boyer! first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> Our Board of Directors has been on a search for the next strategic leader to help Forward Montana meet the unique challenges of 2025 and beyond.

We knew we needed someone with the tenacity, heart, and strategic mind to meet this moment, and we’ve found that leader.

We’re excited to introduce our incoming Executive Director, Alice Boyer (she/her).

Welcome, Alice!
Alice is a dynamic young leader who shares our values: genuine connection, thoughtful discourse, embracing the discomfort of nuanced conversations, and continuous personal and collective growth. Her expertise will guide our steadfast commitment to building a more just, sustainable, and equitable future for all Montanans.

Alice Boyer (Tsi’koi’yiihktaan or “Rough Waters”) is a Metis, Little Shell, and Blackfeet woman with deep roots in Montana. Born and raised in Missoula, she is dedicated to expanding voting access, fostering civic engagement, and advocating for progressive policies across the state. As Deputy Director of Catalyst Montana, she led statewide voter registration, mobilization, and legislative advocacy efforts. Her leadership in redistricting, judicial independence, and her role as Deputy Director of the Native Vote Program further highlight her dedication and impact to create the future we dream of.

In times of uncertainty, we look to strong leadership. Alice has always found strength in her cultural heritage and connection to this state. We are confident in Alice’s ability to lead the Forward Montana team as we stand strong against the policies and forces that threaten to turn back progress. Together, we move Montana not left, not right, but forward.

What’s next?
Alice will officially begin her tenure as Executive Director on June 2nd, following the conclusion of the legislative session – the entire Forward Montana staff and board are eager to welcome her! Many thanks to Annie Warner, Operations Director and Courtney Smith, Director of Voter Engagement for stepping in as interim Co-Executive Directors after Kiersten’s departure.

Be on the lookout for opportunities to meet Alice at events near you this summer!

The post Introducing our New Executive Director Alice Boyer! first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4579 What the Helena Issue #13- March 31st-April 4th https://forwardmontana.org/what-the-helena-issue-13-march-31st-april-4th/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-the-helena-issue-13-march-31st-april-4th Fri, 04 Apr 2025 23:25:24 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4454 Toplines: Trans People Will Live Forever; State Budget Making Moves; Watchlist + Wins  EVENTS, GATHERINGS AND RALLIES CAPITOL EVENTSFriday, April 18, from noon to 1pm Defend the Montana Supreme Court Rally. Some legislators  are trying to play politics with the State Supreme Court – but we won’t let that happen! Join Catalyst Montana, Forward Montana,...

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The post What the Helena Issue #13- March 31st-April 4th first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> Toplines: Trans People Will Live Forever; State Budget Making Moves; Watchlist + Wins 

EVENTS, GATHERINGS AND RALLIES

CAPITOL EVENTS
Friday, April 18, from noon to 1pm Defend the Montana Supreme Court Rally. Some legislators  are trying to play politics with the State Supreme Court – but we won’t let that happen! Join Catalyst Montana, Forward Montana, Northern Plains Resource Fund, and Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund at the Montana State Capitol to defend the Montana Supreme Court! RSVP HERE

Friday, April 18, 2025 from 10am to noon. Join Catalyst MT for their lobby day, where attendees can gain hands-on experience in sharing their lived experience and vision with legislators in the Montana State Capitol building in Helena! For more information and to RSVP, go here! 

COMMUNITY EVENTS
Join the MSU FMT Club Meeting for community, crafts and civic engagement! Monday, April 7th from 6-7pm Wilson Hall and every other Monday!

Tuesday, April 8th from 5-6:30pm at Studio Wheelhouse- We are partnering with Studio Wheelhouse to bring you a monthly Craft and Act event! Every second Tuesday of the month from 5-6:30pm, come to Wheelhouse to craft, build community, learn about current events, gain resources, and participate in calls to action. Sign Up Now

Thursday, April 10th, from 5-7pm at the Yarn Bar join us for our Queer Skillshare: Drop Spindle!  Join us for an introduction into how to spin your own yarn. Drop spindles and wool provided. This event will be limited to 10 people, so please RSVP soon! Sign Up Now

Join us Friday, April 11th from 2:30-3:30pm at the UM Branch Center for our UM Student Group meeting to decompress, talk out strategies, and for organizers and activists of all different realms to come together to a political home, and be in solidarity and community. Sign up here for the next meeting! 

Trans People Will Live Forever 

Monday, March 31st marked Transgender Day Of Visibility. Around 11am at the Capitol Flag Plaza, a dozen organizers began assembling for one (of many) rallies across the state to celebrate our transgender, non-binary, Two Spirit, and gender-diverse family, friends, and neighbors. Community members from across the state gathered despite gray skies and spring snowfall to listen to trans voices, including Montana’s two trans legislators Rep. SJ Howell and Rep. Zooey Zephyr, and to scream our undying devotion to protecting trans rights. 

In the backdrop of this year’s TDOV celebrations is this session’s obsession with transgender people and with the Governor’s ink barely dried from signing into law HB 121 and HB 300. The Governor himself made it clear: this is about targeting and erasing transgender people from our communities. 

But the impact of both these policies will harm everyone – not just trans individuals. Legal Voice and ACLU of Montana acted immediately – and District Judge Shane Vannatta has placed a temporary restraining order on HB 121, delaying implementation until at least April 21, when advocates and the state appear in court to begin their debates. 

Anti-trans legislation is still moving in the session. Thursday, the House Judiciary committee voted to pass SB 218, another bill that would undermine transgender individuals’ access to health care in Montana, by increasing the statute of limitation of medical malpractice from 2 to 25 years for any type of gender-affirming care. 

This makes two bills we anticipate hearing next week on the floor. The other? SB 164, which rewrites laws against child endangerment to criminalize doctors and parents who support trans youth under 16 in accessing gender-affirming care. The House has already rejected previous egregiously harmful legislation. Call and leave messages for Republicans who already voted against anti-trans policies. Capitol switchboard (406-444-4800) is open from 7am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. 

State Budget Making Moves 

Huge news out of the House this week. Through a bipartisan vote of 60-39, Representatives passed the bill containing the state budget, HB 2. Amongst the piles of policy that legislators sift through, HB 2 is the most important. Why? Legislators are constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget – and that is all they are obligated to do each session. Of course, we need them to pass policies to improve our communities – and sometimes they do that too. 

It’s a tedious process to assemble the state budget. Since January, six budget subcommittees have met daily, getting lost in the spreadsheets and arguing over line items. Each subcommittee is made up of a handful of Senators and Representatives from both parties and specializes in one section of the state budget. After a month of subcommittee hearings and debates, the first drafts of each section are sent to the House Appropriations committee – where they are debated and amended, ultimately piecing together the first draft of HB 2. 

Finally, on Wednesday, Representatives spent 8 hours on the House floor going through each section of the budget, in their last attempts to change how much money certain projects across the state receive. By the time of the final vote, of the 43 proposed amendments, only 6 passed. We are excited to see representatives approve a budget that allocates over $20 million in state and federal dollars to after-school programs, food banks, and summer meals for k-12 youth. 

The next stop for HB 2 is Senate Finance and Claims, where they will again debate each section and attempt another round of edits. As of Saturday, April 5, it is day 67 of the session. 

With angsty vibes at the Capitol, some are dreaming of the end. But until the budget is delivered to the Governor’s desk, no one is leaving. 

Want more information on the budget process, check out Montana Budget and Policy Center. 

Watchlist & Wins

Housing
Historic tenants rights bill, HB 311,which would require landlords to reimburse rental application fees to applicants who didn’t receive the rental, was amended twice this week and passed unanimously out of committee. Let’s keep up the momentum! Call (406-444-4800) and message Senators by next Tuesday and tell them to vote YES on HB 311. 

Reproductive Rights
This session’s main anti-abortion bill, HB 316, which wants to amend the constitution to give legal rights to zygotes, will be heard next Tuesday, April 8th, in the Senate Judiciary committee. This bill is not only attempting to reverse last autumn’s CI-128 victory, it would remove access to basic reproductive rights and health care. Sign up to testify or send a message to Senators to vote NO on HB 316.

Climate
This legislative session is one step closer to passing two anti-climate bills. We’ve talked about these before – HB 285 and HB 291. Both of these bills would open the state to industry and development practices that could harm our clean air and water. The Senate debated and ultimately passed these bills, on a mostly party-line vote. 

Next, these two bills will head to the Governor’s desk – but it isn’t too late to have a say! You can call the governor’s office at 406-444-3111 and urge Governor Gianforte to veto HB 285 and HB 291. 

And some good news…
In a definitive win on the House floor Tuesday, April 1, representatives voted 41-59 to reject SB 42, which would have undermined the foundation of our fair and impartial judiciary, by mandating the partisan election of Montana judges and justices. Call and message legislators who voted against this bill and thank them – as well as remind them that we still need their ‘no’ votes on HB 838, which would allow for the partisan election of Montana Supreme Court justices. 

On Friday evening, senators debated SB 543 one of the two remaining bills allowing for partisan election of Montana Supreme court justices. The Montana Supreme Court is the safeguard of our state constitution. We were screaming to see SB 543 go down in a 22-27 vote! In today’s political climate, we must keep our state’s highest court fair and impartial. 

Hero and Villain of the Week

This session has seen a number of proposals to curtail community power in our elections – by undermining voter rights and limiting access to the ballot.

On Thursday night, the Senate debated a policy which would create new barriers to citizen-led ballot initiatives: HB 201. This bill would require signature gatherers to disclose not only their status as a paid signature gatherer, but the state where they ‘legally reside’. Conservatives in support of the bill claim that last summer’s signature gatherers were brought in from out of state to mess with Montana values.

This week’s hero, Minority Leader Pat Flowers (D-Belgrade), called out a fellow senator’s claim that communities are demanding reform to our citizen-led ballot process. In his floor speech Sen. Flowers condemned these false narratives and told his fellow senators that he hoped communities were watching as elected officials vote to undermine our change-making power. Don’t worry, we are watching. For popping off to conservatives, we make Minority Leader Flowers our hero of the week. 

This week’s villain is Rep. Tom Millett (R-Marion) who presented SB 42 on the House floor. During his opening speech, we sighed while he listed off political headlines disparaging Montana’s judicial system, specifically calling out recent decisions from our state supreme court that protected our communities from partisan overreach.  

Rep. Millett told fellow legislators that Montana is a ‘laughing stock’ of the nation because our courts have maintained their independence from partisan reforms. He continued to uplift the disingenuous assertion that partisan election of judges is really about voter information. And then left us confused with his final remarks, stating that no matter an individual’s party affiliation, he trusts our judges to be impartial in their rulings, calling on legislators to ‘trust judges’ by voting for SB 42. Legislators demonstrated their trust of judges by voting down SB 42 – making us wonder who the laughing stock really is in this session-long fight to protect our judiciary. 

The post What the Helena Issue #13- March 31st-April 4th first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4454 Reflecting on My Journey at Forward Montana https://forwardmontana.org/reflecting-on-my-journey-at-forward-montana-kiersten-iwai/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reflecting-on-my-journey-at-forward-montana-kiersten-iwai Thu, 30 Jan 2025 23:23:08 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4316 I’m filled with so many mixed emotions writing this! It’s becoming very real that this is my last week at Forward Montana. When I first accepted this position in 2019, I knew that I would be in the role for 3-5 years – just the right amount of time to have an impact while also...

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The post Reflecting on My Journey at Forward Montana first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> I’m filled with so many mixed emotions writing this! It’s becoming very real that this is my last week at Forward Montana.

When I first accepted this position in 2019, I knew that I would be in the role for 3-5 years – just the right amount of time to have an impact while also leaving space for the next leader. When COVID turned our world inside out and reduced electoral organizing to phones and laptop screens, I became eager and hungry for another chance at a major election. A chance to build community with in-person opportunities, to connect with voters at the doors, and to travel across the state that I love so much.

That’s why I was really surprised with the overwhelming emotions I felt when we announced my transition. This was a long time coming, but yet I was filled with tears – tears of sadness and grief, but also joy and pride. As I’ve been telling people, my chapter is coming to a close, and now it’s time for someone new to write the next one.

As I reflect on the last five years, I’m filled with tremendous pride for all we’ve accomplished:

  • Elevated Forward Montana’s visibility to national outlets including an OpEd in Teen Vogue, a think piece in The Forge, and mentions in the New York Times and New Republic.
  • Conducted electoral field programs that collectively registered over 16,500 voters, conducted over 87,000 door knocks & 500,000 phone calls, and mailed 840,000 pieces to young voters across the state.
  • Ran leadership development programs that hosted hundreds of events reaching thousands of young people and coordinated hundreds of volunteers.
  • Managed advocacy programs that passed pro-housing zoning reforms, pushed back against attacks to queer and trans youth, and defended access to voting. Secured abortion rights for Montanans through the passage of CI-128.
  • Became a plaintiff in two successful lawsuits that challenged four bills targeting young voters and college students, which included leading the organization’s response during discovery, a deposition, and a highly publicized trial. Bonus – SCOTUS just denied the Secretary of State’s request to hear the case!

All of this work would not have been possible without the incredible staff and board (former and current) who lended our organization their passion and joy. It would not have been possible without the hundreds of volunteers out with clipboards and MiniVAN apps. It would not have been possible without people like YOU who believed that when given the chance, young people can do incredible things.

Of course, the most recent election has shown us we have a lot of work to do. So even if Montana isn’t quite ready for a just and sustainable future, we can still imagine and live into the world we’re fighting for with the things we can control. By being transparent, embracing radical candor, and holding ourselves accountable to our actions, I believe that we can practice the values we espouse and model for others what is possible.

This also doesn’t mean we should lean into fear. Let strategy be our guardrails as we do what we do best – be loud, be fun, and be proud. After all, young people will always have BIG dreams for the future. We owe it to them to keep on fighting, to keep on pushing…to envision a better world that we all deserve. It starts with the 2025 legislative session, and in five short years it’ll be the 2030 Census (I KNOW). From there, the possibilities are endless. The future isn’t that far away.

There is no organization that is as primed as Forward Montana to meet the moment we’re in. We’re overdue for a new strategic plan, and I’m excited that a new leader will help write that next chapter. While we’re not ready to announce the new leader yet, I am delighted to share that our Operations Director Annie Warner and Director of Voter Engagement Courtney Smith will be stepping in as interim co-EDs. Annie and Courtney have played a critical role in Forward Montana’s successes and are ready for this next challenge.

So deep down, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It has been such an incredible honor to be a part of the magic that is Forward Montana.

YOU’VE GOT THIS. CONTINUE BEING THE BADASSES THAT YOU ARE.

Kiersten Iwai

The post Reflecting on My Journey at Forward Montana first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4316 2024 Post election Statement and resources https://forwardmontana.org/2024-post-election-statement-and-resources/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-post-election-statement-and-resources Thu, 14 Nov 2024 20:47:26 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4235 Like many of you, we are processing the outcome of the general election. There’s a lot that we don’t know, and it’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions about what the future holds. Here’s what we do know: we are so proud of the young people who showed up to make their voices heard....

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Like many of you, we are processing the outcome of the general election. There’s a lot that we don’t know, and it’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions about what the future holds.

Here’s what we do know: we are so proud of the young people who showed up to make their voices heard. This commitment to making the promise of democracy real cannot be understated; on election night, some young people stayed at the polls until nearly 4 am to cast their ballot. In doing so, we successfully protected abortion rights and gained enough Democratic and moderate Republican seats in the state legislature to have a chance at passing policies that benefit all Montanans. It’s important that we celebrate these wins. 

At the same time, Tim Sheehy’s election and Donald Trump’s re-election reflect a painful reality that we must grapple with. We now have a Senator-elect who bullies trans people, mocked Indigenous people and believes the government should have final say on what we do with our bodies. We also have a president-elect who threatens American democracy, pits communities against each other and spreads hate. These newly elected officials will stall progress on policies that will improve the lives of young people in Montana. Like many of you, we are worried that the results of the election will leave our loved ones, our communities, and our state under threat.

But we cannot give in to despair. Forward Montana will continue to hold our elected officials accountable- whoever they are. We will continue to advocate for you – whether that’s at a City Council or City Commission meeting, in Helena for a state legislative hearing, or any other place. Let’s show up for each other, to advocate for our rights and freedoms. 

Our future is not won or lost in one election. It’s something we must fight for year-round, every single day. Forward Montana will continue to do just that. We’ll continue to organize from Flathead to Missoula to Billings to Glendive — every corner of Montana. Because this is our home. We are not going away.   And we will fight for the Montana we deserve.

In mutual aid organizing, there’s a maxim: give what you can, take what you need.In these next several days and weeks it’s particularly important that we take care of ourselves and each other. Please ask for what you need and give what you can to sustain one another. 

  • If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988 OR text 741-741 for FREE 24/7 help. You can also access care from community for mental health through:
    • Trans Lifeline (24/7 peer support hotline by and for trans people, police divested) –  1 (877) 565-8860
    • BlackLine (non-judgmental, witnessing, affirming peer support, counseling, and reporting of mistreatment) – 1 (800) 604-5841
    • Stronghearts Native Helpline (a free, safe and confidential helpline for Indigenous people affected by domestic violence or dating violence)  –  1(844) 762-8483
    • LGBTQ+ National Hotline  (confidential, peer support for LGBTQIA+ community members) – 1 (888) 843-4564
  • If you had difficulties voting contact us at hello@forwardmontana.org.
  • If you have experienced a hate crime or threat, confidentially report and receive support with Montana Human Rights Network at www.mhrn.org/report-hate. 

Take care of yourself, find comfort in community and when you’re ready we will be here fighting for young Montanans

The post 2024 Post election Statement and resources first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4235 Sexual Liberation Through a Repro Lens https://forwardmontana.org/sexual-liberation-through-a-repro-lens/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sexual-liberation-through-a-repro-lens Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:41:53 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4143 Sexual Liberation is the idea that people should be able to express their sexuality without shame, judgment, or discrimination. This liberation acknowledges diverse sexual identities and practices, advocating for a society that respects individual choices and autonomy. The Role of Power in Sexual and Reproductive RightsPower impacts our decisions about our bodies, sexuality, and reproduction....

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Sexual Liberation is the idea that people should be able to express their sexuality without shame, judgment, or discrimination. This liberation acknowledges diverse sexual identities and practices, advocating for a society that respects individual choices and autonomy.

The Role of Power in Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Power impacts our decisions about our bodies, sexuality, and reproduction. Societal, economic, and political structures often dictate when and how individuals can exercise their reproductive choices. For instance, marginalized communities may face systemic barriers that limit access to essential reproductive healthcare, leading to a cycle of disenfranchisement and inequality.
We all deserve the right to live our lives as freely as we want. Which is why understanding these power dynamics is crucial.

Sexual Liberation and Reproductive Justice: 
Reproductive Justice is about understanding sexual and reproductive issues. It’s based on the idea that all people should have the power and resources to make healthy decisions about their bodies, sexuality, and reproduction. 

Sexual Liberation and Reproductive Rights: 
The focus of Reproductive Rights advocates is often on policy goals and legal protections and reproductive rights is much more than policy.  

Reproductive Rights include the right to choose when, how, and whether to have access to sexual and reproductive health services. These services include contraception, abortion, fertility treatment, information and education.  Examples would be medically accurate sex education for young people under the age of 18; and access to resources. 

Access to Healthcare: Ensuring individuals can obtain comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, abortion, and fertility treatments.

Education: Promoting medically accurate sex education for young people, ensuring they are informed and empowered to make choices about their own bodies.

Legal Protections: Advocating for laws that protect individuals from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or reproductive choices.

Reproductive Rights are considered key to addressing gender inequity and poverty world-wide.

Sexual and Reproductive Health
Sexual and Reproductive Health has to do with direct care, services, and education that people have. Individuals need to take care of their bodies, have safe and satisfying sexual lives, and create, end, or prevent pregnancies based on their own decision-making. 

Our young folks today deserve the right to sexual education, resources, and the right to make their own decision about their reproductive lives! This is why we need to elect a supreme court that values the future of young Montanans. leaders who understand and support the importance of comprehensive sexual education, equitable healthcare access, and protections for all individuals.

The post Sexual Liberation Through a Repro Lens first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4143 The Next Phase in Forward Montana’s Movement https://forwardmontana.org/the-next-phase-in-forward-montanas-movement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-next-phase-in-forward-montanas-movement Fri, 20 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4132 As I reflect on my time with Forward Montana, I’m overwhelmed with pride for everything we’ve accomplished — everything YOU’VE helped accomplish! Our wins belong to all of us; everything we’ve achieved has been built on the work of the organizers and leaders who came before me, and the work of the brilliant team I’ve...

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As I reflect on my time with Forward Montana, I’m overwhelmed with pride for everything we’ve accomplished — everything YOU’VE helped accomplish! Our wins belong to all of us; everything we’ve achieved has been built on the work of the organizers and leaders who came before me, and the work of the brilliant team I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside for the last five years.

We’ve fought — successfully — to defend young Montanans’ right to vote. Through two lawsuits we’ve helped safeguard voting access, especially for younger and more marginalized voters, who are often shut out of the process. These wins were hard-fought, and feel like a monumental victory in a time when that right is increasingly under threat. 

And, of course, we’ve turned out young voters! In the last federal election (2022), turnout for youth who were contacted by Forward Montana was 14 percentage points higher than for all registered youth voters in Montana. If a young voter received multiple types of contact (mail, phone, canvass) they turned out at a rate that was 30 percentage points higher than their peers. We’re hopeful for similar success this fall. Even when the political landscape isn’t always friendly to young, progressive voices, we can still make tangible change.

But of course, it hasn’t been easy. While people often say that the Executive Director role is the loneliest position, I was never actually alone. Everywhere I turned, it was people like you, who believed in me and Forward Montana, that helped the organization grow into the powerhouse it is today. It was the people who came before me – Matt Singer, Andrea Marcoccio, Kayje Booker, and Rachel Huff-Doria who built and continued the dreams of young people. It was all of the staff, members, and volunteers who walked through our doors (and Zoom rooms) who made and continue to make up the heart and soul of this organization that we all love.

I am so dang incredibly proud of Forward Montana’s resilience and strength through the highs and lows that the last five years has thrust at us. Whether it was during a global pandemic or a contentious election cycle or legislative session, Forward Montana provided hope, community, and action. This resilience is a testament to all of you, who power this organization. Your creativity, determination, and yes, your sass, has kept us moving forward through challenge after challenge.

Today, it is with incredible gratitude and humility that I would like to share that January 2025 will be my last month with Forward Montana. I don’t have any concrete plans for what comes next, but I know I’m staying in Montana. This is home! I’m taking some time to rest—yes, there will be skiing so I hope to see you on the lifts or in the backcountry! Forward Montana will always be a part of me, and I know that the organization is in good hands with the incredible people who are leading the way.

As I step back, I’m excited to watch a new generation of leaders push the boundaries of what’s possible. I don’t know what the future holds—whether it’s fighting for affordable housing, climate justice, voting rights—but I do know this: Forward Montana will continue to be a political home for young people, and we’ll keep pushing elected officials to govern for all of us, not just the privileged few.

If you, or someone you know, is ready to lead Forward Montana in this next chapter, I encourage you to apply! I started my ED journey as a 27-year-old who believed in the power of young leaders. That next person could be you!

I am so grateful for each and everyone one of you for believing in the dream of Forward Montana.

Kiersten Iwai

Executive Director

The post The Next Phase in Forward Montana’s Movement first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4132 Whose Court? Our Court! https://forwardmontana.org/why-the-montana-supreme-court-matter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-the-montana-supreme-court-matter Thu, 11 Jul 2024 23:39:57 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4073 Exploring the Role of the Montana Supreme Court In the vastness that is the Montana legal landscape, the Montana Supreme Court stands tall as the ultimate pillar of justice and constitutional interpretation. Serving as the highest court of last resort in the state, it plays a pivotal role in ensuring the fair application of laws...

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Exploring the Role of the Montana Supreme Court

In the vastness that is the Montana legal landscape, the Montana Supreme Court stands tall as the ultimate pillar of justice and constitutional interpretation. Serving as the highest court of last resort in the state, it plays a pivotal role in ensuring the fair application of laws and safeguarding individual rights.

What Does the Montana Supreme Court Do?

The Montana Supreme Court primarily functions as an appellate court, reviewing cases from lower courts—including district, worker’s compensation, and water courts—when parties appeal rulings they deem unjust, unconstitutional, or unfair. Beyond this appellate role, the court can also hear original proceedings, particularly in cases involving emergencies or questions of statewide constitutional significance.

How Are Montana Supreme Court Justices Chosen?

One of the most compelling aspects of Montana’s judicial system is how its justices are selected: directly by the voters. Through nonpartisan elections, Montanans have the power to elect seven justices to eight-year terms, the longest of any elected official in the state. This democratic process ensures accountability and allows citizens to directly influence the composition of their highest court. Even unopposed justices face retention elections, where voters decide whether they continue to serve—a crucial mechanism to maintain judicial integrity and diversity of perspectives.

Why Should You Care About Montana Supreme Court Justice Seats?

The decisions made by the Montana Supreme Court reverberate throughout the state, shaping policies that affect everything from voting rights to environmental protections. Justices interpret not only the Montana Constitution but also the U.S. Constitution and state statutes, making their role in upholding individual rights and state laws paramount. Issues like privacy rights, access to healthcare, and environmental sustainability often find their resolution in this court, underscoring the significance of judicial elections in safeguarding these fundamental rights.

Key Issues and Recent Cases

Recent cases before the Montana Supreme Court highlight its pivotal role in addressing contemporary challenges. For instance, in the landmark Held v. State case, Montana youth challenged the state’s environmental policies, asserting their rights to a healthy environment and dignified life—a testament to the court’s role in safeguarding future generations’ rights. Similarly, housing laws and their constitutional implications were recently scrutinized, demonstrating the court’s broad influence on state policy and governance

Why It Matters

The Montana Supreme Court isn’t just another judicial body—it’s the final stop of justice in the state, making decisions that profoundly impact Montana’s future. From protecting individual liberties to shaping statewide policies, its rulings set precedents that shape our collective future. For anyone invested in issues like civil rights, climate action, and democratic governance, paying attention to Montana Supreme Court elections is not just important—it’s essential.

As Montanans, our engagement in judicial elections ensures that our highest court reflects our values and defends our rights. By understanding the role of the Montana Supreme Court and the impact of its decisions, we uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and democratic accountability that define our state.

So, whether you’re passionate about environmental sustainability, reproductive rights, or equitable housing policies, remember: the Montana Supreme Court is where these issues find their resolution, making your vote and your voice crucial in shaping Montana’s legal landscape and future.

Need a reminder leading up to the election? Take our Pledge to Vote!

The post Whose Court? Our Court! first appeared on Forward Montana.

]]> 4073 2024 Board Elections https://forwardmontana.org/2024-board-elections/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-board-elections Mon, 24 Jun 2024 21:02:21 +0000 https://forwardmontana.org/?p=4057

It’s that time of the year again! We have six spots with ten awesome candidates to choose from. If you are a member of Forward Montana (aka you have donated $10 or more or volunteered for two hours or more in the past year) you are able to cast six votes! Each vote must be for a different candidate.
Make sure to cast your votes by noon on July 17th! (Voting is now closed!)

Check out more information below about each candidate and when you are ready to vote, head to the link below!

(*) indicates incumbent board member

List of candidates

(option to scroll to each candidate or click the links to jump to their bios)

Meshayla Cox | Bailey Desper | Jordyn Geruso | Katie Harrison |
Nik James | Alyssa LaTray | Kaya Patten-Fusselman | William Schenck| Faith Scow | Sarah Tidd

To view each Q&A below the candidates, click the gray area of the question.

Meshayla Cox*

Montana | CoEquity Consulting,
DEIJ Consultant

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Love to see the ways FMT is dedicated to progressing policies and protecting rights for all people to vote by centering marginalized communities

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I have learned so much as a board member, there are great folks who are super committed to the success of the organization and I appreciate finding ways to support all the good work happening. I especially orient towards uplifting employee support and there have been wonderful & progressive advancements to ensuring involvement from staff in different processes and decision making.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

It’s been super eye opening, a big learning experience. I appreciate the patience and dedication from everyone involved.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I am always thinking about what it means to integrate equity into decision making and process development. I think it’s an important part of how forward Montana orients to their work in all ways. I have skills in inclusive policy development & language, project management, and staff engagement and training.

Bailey Desper

Billings, MT | Montana Democratic Party (MDLCC)

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Forward Montana is greatly invested in the community’s it serves around Montana and actually advocates on more than just one issue including supporting our local and state candidates.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

What interest me about becoming a board member is that I would like to see more advancement in Yellowstone County around LGBTQ. I would like to help build a program that mirrors something similar from the lgbtq Los Angeles Institute and the Deep Canvass Institute around having deep canvassing conversations with voters to help shift perspectives on LGBTQA issues and pass a NDO for Billings or state legislation and advocate for change for generations to come.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

My experience with nonprofits are that they are not out to make a profit. What they bring in always goes right back into the community and to their employees wages not much profit to be expected.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I have a good ground game and failure is not an option for me and If I don’t succeed I don’t give up and I always try again. I love planning events and doing what I can to help bring the community together.

Jordyn Geruso

Bozeman, mt | Engagement Manager – Veterans for Responsible Leadership

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Our up and coming generations are exciting. We are speaking out and advocating in a way that hasn’t been seen before. Forward Montana providing an empowering space in a sometimes intimidating space is really exciting. Heck I still get intimidated but it is so important to have a community that has the same values and mission. It’s great seeing this type of movement in Montana.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I’m interested in being involved in the community. Although not a native, Bozeman has become my home over the past 2.5 years. I love what it is but see so many gaps. I think our community is strong enough to build not only a better Bozeman, but a better Montana for generations to come. I am growing in the nonprofit and political space and finding a voice. I would love to continue that growth with Forward Montana.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

I currently work for Veterans for Responsible Leadership as an Engagement Manager. This organization is a Super Pac but working to get a 501c19. I manage everything from budget, compliance, reporting to volunteer events and engagement. I also sit on the board for the Sweet Pea Festival as an advertising chair. I love being a part of the community and helping with advertising and marketing efforts. A few years ago I interned with Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance and worked on grants, in-kind donations, and event organization.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

operational skills (prior to my current role I was in payroll + accounting for 3 years), event planning, volunteer engagement, partnerships, communication and outreach skills. Any skills that I lack on I am eager to try to revamp them.

Katie Harrison

Billings, mt | Owner Sweetwater Cafe, Community Organizer MEIC

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Oh gosh what doesn’t excite me about you all?!! You guys are perfect really. You combine environmental with social Justice with ACTION. And you do it in a way that is fun, palatable and cool!

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

Because it would be an absolute honor to be a part of the Board of one of the best nonprofits in Montana.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

I started up SustainaBillings on my own and have been running it ever since. And I now am also employed part-time for a second nonprofit (MEIC).

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

My passion and appreciation for what FM is and does in Montana. I’m an active participant when I am involved in something – I take my commitments and responsibilities very seriously. And I love, respect and admire everyone I know at FM.

Nik James

Billings, MT | Store Manager at Autozone

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

The community education regarding current important issues in all areas. The peoples passion and compassion is highly addictive and I would love to be a part of that energy in our community.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I would love to bring ideas to the table and network with great people already making changes.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

I have volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, Meal Train, and the annual river clean ups.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I believe in the power of positivity and knowledge. I have people skills given my 12 year career leading people. I am a part of the LGBTQIA+ community and have experiences that may useful in discussions and or educational opportunities.

Alyssa LaTray

Billings, MT | Director of Political & Governmental Relations – Western Native Voice

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Forward Montana’s approach to engaging young people excites me. As a young person who frequents coffee shops, painting studios, and hip spots around town–Forward Montana and their flashy stickers are unavoidable. I am impressed by the way their team is able to garner authentic political interest in young people by reaching us in places we don’t expect to find political information.

Additionally, as someone who works in the non-profit world, I admire how fervently Forward Montana works to register young people to vote! Our vote is our power, and young people have the power to be the catalyst to palpable, powerful change.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

The first time I encountered Forward Montana was at a Pride parade in Billings when I was in high school. I got a sticker that has been stuck to my car for the better part of 6 years; it said “Give a shit.” I couldn’t have said it any better than that; I was a young person in Montana who gave a shit about politics. Forward Montana has always impressed me with the reach and breadth of their work. It is an organization that provided me a channel to funnel the excitement and passion I felt about politics. That said, Native American youth are a powerful voting force; as an enrolled member of the Little Shell tribe, I am excited by the opportunity to represent the Native community as a board member of Forward Montana. I believe that the Native youth are a sleeping giant in the state of Montana, and with enough intentionality and effort, we can awaken them the same way Forward Montana impassioned me.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

I am currently the Director of Political and Governmental Relations at Western Native Voice, a non-profit dedicated to civic engagement in Montana’s Indian Country. I have served in my role since June of 2023.

Prior to that, I was a field organizer with San Francisco Rising. In my role, I worked on a campaign to cancel student debt.

Additionally, I have volunteered with Planned Parenthood and Generation Rising.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?
  • Cultural familiarity and sensitivity: I have worked on all 7 reservations and with the Little Shell tribe. I am keenly aware of what it is like to be Native in the state of Montana.
  • Non-profit experience: I have worked and volunteered for several non-profits. I am deeply passionate about the role of non-profits in the political and civic engagement realm.
  • Expansive worldview: I hold an English and Political Science degree from Stanford, which I believe has broadened my perspective on national issues. Coupled with my familiarity of my hometown of Great Falls, my current city of Billings, and my familial ties to the Blackfeet reservation – I think that I am well-rounded in my understanding and knowledge of politics in MT and beyond.

Kaya Patten-Fusselman*

Livingston, MT | Executive Director, Livingston Food Resource Center

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I love FMT and FMF because it’s sometimes the only place I can see my values and voice reflected in the Montana political process; when I engage I know I’m being heard and advocated for. I love this state with every piece of me, and because I love it I want to fight to make this a place that I, and the people I love, can live safely. FMT and FMF give me an avenue to do that.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I’m approaching the end of my first term as a board member and am currently the Vice Chair of the Forward Montana board. I would be honored to continue working with wonderful people who care about the future of the state, and advocating for the most vulnerable in this current economic and political climate. I feel strongly about continuing to work towards a future where there is bodily autonomy, climate justice, housing justice, and equity for all Montanans.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

I have 10 years of nonprofit experience as an employee, volunteer, and board member for various nonprofits. I am the Executive Director for a nonprofit in Livingston and serve as the Vice Chair for the FMT board and sit on the finance committee.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I have experience in nonprofit communications, development, strategic planning, and management. But more importantly I love to have a good time with likeminded people!!!!

William Schenck

Missoula, MT | Donor Engagement Manager at
ACLU of Montana

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

Forward Montana isn’t afraid to embed care and creativity into the ways they engage with politics and the communities they serve– so many of the conversations we see around politics are more of the same, reenforcing status quos and what have you, but it’s evident that Forward Montana strives to make political engagement inclusive, expansive… and, dare I say… fun? When we talk about harnessing collective power to create new worlds, so much of that is intertwined with our capacity to imagine, radically— and I think that Forward Montana is committed to imagining, and helping other imagine.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

Much of why I’m interested joining the Forward Montana Board is reflected in my answer to “What excites me about [the org.],” but I would add a couple things. Firstly, I am somewhat driven by a sense of obligation— I consider the privileges that I’ve enjoyed, for example access to education and gainful employment in the nonprofit sector, and I feel like the thing I “ought to do” to leverage those privileges, is to apply my skills toward where they can do the most good. I believe I could do some of that good through this board appointment, supporting Forward Montana’s sustainability and capacity to empower Montanas to acknowledge and cultivate their unique spheres of influence.

Secondly, I’d just say that I’ve lived in Montana for two years— I moved here to take a development job with the ACLU, where I am still working. The job, and, moreover the connections that I’ve been able to make through the job have been incredibly rewarding. I see this board service as an opportunity to grow the amount and depth of my connections with fellow residents, while exercising different “muscles” than I get to as a fundraiser.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

From 2020 to 2022, I worked as a paid Senior Storytelling and Communications at an antiracist policy advocacy nonprofit in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, called Forward Through Ferguson. From 2022 to present, I’ve been working as a fundraiser at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Montana.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I’ve picked up a lot of hard skills in my time in the nonprofit sector— some that may be relevant to this board service include cross-departmental project management, familiarity with budget drafting and fundraising data analysis, fundraising itself, and event planning.

Equally important are the soft skills I’ve gained— I think the most important one I’d like to share about, is the ability to show up to professional environments as the fullest, most authentic version of myself possible, even when it may feel a little uncomfortable. This has allowed me to build relationships with colleagues based on feelings of mutual safety and trust. My work style is marked by organization and attentiveness to detail, frequent and inclusive communication at all stages of a particular project, and a willingness to try new things.

As far as my personal background, my heritage plays a big part of who I am. I’m an American, born to a mother who emigrated here from the Philippines–her late-father was a senator, who sought asylum in the U.S. under threat of assassination by the dictatorship in-power at the time. My father’s side of the family is made up of Jewish immigrants who left Europe between World Wars. I think about these things often, as I reflect on the “team sports”-ness of modern politics. For my family who came before me, “politics” wasn’t some ambiguous concept that they could tap into and out of caring about on a whim. Their lives (and by extension, mine) were drastically shaped by their contemporary leaders and policies. Therefore, I feel that “politics,” whatever that may mean, is an inextricable part of my being.

Beyond this, I’ll share that I grew up in a low-income environment, that my education path has been non-linear, and that I have a history of dealings with the criminal legal system, including multiple arrests for non-violent offenses. I raise these things only to help indicate what different types of perspectives I might be able to speak from.

Faith Scow

Butte, MT | Political Director @ Big Sky 55+

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

FWMT helped me run a voter registration drive at my high school in 2015. It really jumpstarted my interest in activism. I am excited to see FWMT still doing the great work that helped me get involved when I was young.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I feel like I would be a great addition to the board given my experience in the political arena and unique upbringing.

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

Currently I am employed at a non-profit (Big Sky 55+) where I serve as the political director. I also am a volunteer of many non-profits, most recently knocking doors with the AFL-CIO and collecting signatures for a ballot measure for PPMT.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

I am organized, thoughtful, and trustworthy. I believe my experiences would bring diversity to the board. I am a first generation college graduate and homeowner. I grew up in a home filled with addiction and learned a lot from growing up in that type of home.

Sarah Tidd*

Bozeman, MT | Vice President of Engineering Excellence at Avalara

What excites you about Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation?

I am blown away and energized by this organization and all the critical work that they do to GET OUT THE VOTE, get out the YOUNG vote, educate voters, use litigation to keep this crazy supermajority and greg in check, and of course, advance progressive policy that supports ALL in Montana.

Why are you interested in joining the Forward Montana Board?

I came to the board because I wanted to give back to a cause in which I deeply believe. I’d love to stay for the energy! I am in awe of the mightiness of both the staff and board members. It is palpable. The future of our beautiful state depends on its youth and I look forward to the work that Forward Montana will continue to do to GOTV, create community, lean on those with power to do the right thing, and celebrate diversity. I’d love the chance to help in these endeavors!

Please describe your board experience (whether being a board member or working closely with a board).

I have been on the board of Forward Montana for two years. I was on the board of the Sweet Pea Festival for 5 years. I am grateful for the opportunity to round out my private sector career by volunteering for causes that I believe in.

What skills, characteristics, experience, or insight do you have that would be a valuable addition to the board?

Leadership, HR, hiring, communications, process, efficiency, and coaching. My team at Avalara supports several thousand software engineers to deliver incrementally on Avalara priorities, achieve Avalara KPIs, embrace change through Agile methodologies, routinely optimize through data insights, ensure a mind-nourishing culture of continuous learning, extend team-ability with powerful tooling, maximize value delivery and value capture through minimally sufficient, accessible, easy-to-follow policies and processes, and delight customers by responding to their issues and taking their feedback improve products.

The post 2024 Board Elections first appeared on Forward Montana.

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