In Celebration of Black History Month |
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Dear Friends,
Kamala Harris made history last month by becoming not only the first woman, but also the first Black and the first South Asian American to be inaugurated into the office of Vice President of the United States of America. This month, we celebrate Black History Month, recognizing historic moments such as these and the trailblazing women and men of color who came before her and whose shoulders she stands on. I want to share about some of those women who have connections to Montana.
Octavia, Sarah, Alma, and so many other women contributed to the history of our state and country and paved a way for black women and women in Montana by breaking down barriers in their way. We recognize their excellence and achievement and remain committed to doing what we can as an organization to advance women’s economic independence and create a brighter, and more equitable future, for women and girls in our state.
Sincerely,
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Kali Wicks
WFM Committee Chair
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WFM Welcomes New Committee Member: Barbara Bessette |
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WFM is pleased to welcome Barbara Bessette to the WFM Advisory Committee.
Barbara was born and raised in Montana. She graduated high school from Belt and attended Montana State University-Billings where she studied Health Promotion.
Barbara has dedicated her life to making Montanans healthier and has worked in the prevention field for 16 plus years. Currently, she is the Tribal Technical Assistance Leader for Youth Connections where she works with the prevention specialists on tribal lands.
Barbara is enrolled Chippewa-Cree and was elected as one of the first Urban Native American women to the Montana House of Representatives in 2018. She was also named as one of KRTV’s “5 Under 35” in 2018 for her work in the Great Falls community surrounding substance abuse prevention. Barbara has served on the Cascade County DUI Task Force, Get Fit Great Falls, and the Substance Abuse Prevention Alliance.
Barbara lives in Great Falls with her two horses and dogs. She is a barrel racer and wants to work on having more women represented in rodeo.
Welcome Barbara!
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MCF Announces The Snowbird Fund to Support Community Searches for Missing Indigenous People in Montana
Each year, about 20 Indigenous women and girls go missing in Montana, often never to be found. On February 10, the Montana Community Foundation (MCF) announced the opening of the Snowbird Fund to provide direct assistance to families conducting community searches for their missing loved ones. Learn more about the Snowbird Fund here.
The fund was established at MCF by Montana Businesswoman, Whitney Williams, after hearing from family members impacted by MMIP, including a Crow tribal member, Grace Bulltail, whose 18-year-old niece, Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, was found murdered in Big Horn County in August 2019.
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The Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Unemployment statistics can’t capture the full extent of what women have lost.
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From the February issue of New York Magazine by Angela Garbes:
“Nearly 2.1 million women have left the labor force entirely since February [2020], meaning they are no longer looking for employment and no longer counted in unemployment statistics.”
“What we’ve lost — and all the
accompanying grief — can’t be captured by numbers: It’s individual, nuanced, and ever-changing. It will take years for women to fully return to the workforce, likely to lower wages. The damage will be long-term.”
"Yet I hold on to a flicker of hope that American life is still up for grabs, that we can demand more from it."
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PowerHouse Montana Events Calendar |
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Stay up-to-date on our offerings as they're scheduled by liking or following our page on Facebook! To see our events page, click here.
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Have You Updated your Powerhouse Profile Lately? |
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Montana 18th in Percent of Women Making Up the State Legislature
“According to data compiled by the state of Iowa Legislature, Montana has a higher percentage of women legislatures (28.7 percent) than the national average (25.3 percent). Montana ranks 18th among the 50 states. The reason why is hard to understand, but some women legislators feel it’s adequate for the time being but work still needs to be done to encourage that percentage to rise in the future.” Read on
‘Unity With Purpose.’ Amanda Gorman and Michelle Obama Discuss Art, Identity and Optimism
“Amanda Gorman captivated the world when she read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ Jan. 20 Inauguration ceremony. Sitting just feet away from the 22-year-old that day was former First Lady Michelle Obama … In a remote interview, Gorman and Obama covered topics ranging from the role of art in activism to the pressures Black women face in the spotlight.” Read on
International Day of Women and Girls in Science: February 11, 2021
“This kicks off the Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (WIN DRR) month-long campaign celebrating the role that women are playing in the fight against COVID-19. In the lead up to International Women’s Day on March 8, WIN DRR will be profiling a wide range of women leaders who have been working to reduce the impact of COVID-19, and support resilience and recovery in their communities.” Read on
Women make Super Bowl History as Tampa Bay Bucs Beat the Kansas City Chiefs
“Three women made history at Sunday's [February 7th] Super Bowl, which saw a record number of women with on-field roles as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa. NFL referee Sarah Thomas made history as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl. With the Buccaneers' 31-9 win over the Chiefs, Bucs' assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust and assistant strength and conditioning coach Maral Javadifar made history as the first women to be on the coaching staff of a winning Super Bowl team.” Read on
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Leadership Opportunity Roundup |
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Governor Greg Gianforte continues to seek women leaders to fill board positions. Find available openings here and email Liane Taylor, the State Boards and Appointments Advisor, for more information.
The Governor is also looking for Montanans who are interested in serving the state in an official capacity in the next four years. If you have an interest in being a part of the new administration or serving on a state board or committee, you can apply to serve through a new website, servemontana.com.
At the Women's Foundation, we are always advocating for more women in leadership and we would be thrilled to see a large number of women in leadership for Montana in the new administration. Please consider applying yourself, and sharing with the powerhouse women in your life!
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Check out our Webinar Page for recordings of our most recent webinars!
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Together we can empower Montana women and girls to pursue their dreams. |
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