PPIR Tuesday Talks Podcast

Join us for a talk with House Representative Kelly Kortum to talk about the legislative session, especially his work and issues around the housing crisis and local government control in Montana.

Join us and hear from Sandi Luckey, the Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party. Sandi has years of experience as a labor organizer and was president of the Big Sky Labor Council for a decade. She was also chair of the Lewis and Clark County Democratic Party. She is spearheading efforts to connect with voters and turn Montana blue.

Join us for a talk with Montana Sen. Bryce Bennett. The Montana Legislature wrapped up for 2021 and Sen. Bennett provides an overview about what happened and the outlook for Montana. Sen. Bennett has served the people of Montana as an elected legislator for nearly 10 years and has great insights.

Join us in hearing from Montana Rep. Alice Buckley. Alice is serving in her first term in the Montana Legislature and represents House District 63, which includes the university district and many of Bozeman's students, recent graduates and young families. Outside the Legislature, Alice works for Profitable Ideas Exchange, a firm in Bozeman that specializes in convening and facilitating peer communities. She graduated from Leadership Montana in 2018 and has served on the boards of both conservation and domestic violence prevention organizations.

Join us for a talk about racism and AAPI violence in Montana. We have seen rising hate crimes against the AAPI community and we have experts to talk about it and what can be done.

 

Sierra Pannell is EmpowerMT's Youth Programs Specialist focusing on BIPOC Youth Programs. Kelsie Severson is EmpowerMT's Associate Director of Development and Growth. Sierra moved to Montana in middle-school and, as a Black woman, learned firsthand the lack of diversity and racial injustice faced by Montana’s youth. Kelsie was born and raised in Missoula, and grew up fighting for workers rights from a stroller with her dad, a high school teacher and Union organizer.

 

Both Sierra and Kelsie started as practicum students and interns while attending the University of Montana, Sierra in 2018, Kelsie in 2014. Both women were drawn to EmpowerMT due to their backgrounds in social justice, which also led them both to serve on the board of PPIR.

Hear from finance expert and co-director of the Montana Budget and Policy Institute Tara Jensen. We discuss Montana's budget, taxes, and what we need to know about the changes being proposed in the legislature

Reproductive freedom is essential and constantly under attack. Join us to hear about how reproductive rights are faring in the Montana Legislature and learn how you can become involved fighting for these rights with an engaging talk with Martha Stahl. Martha has been President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Montana and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana since 2013.

 

She also serves as a Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana Board Member. Prior to that she served, for nine years, as the Vice President for External Affairs for Planned Parenthood of the North Country New York and as a Board member of Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York State. A 2020 graduate of Leadership Montana, she serves on two local non-profit Boards.

Listen to Carol's List Executive Director Beth Kampschror about the importance of electing women to office and hear her insights and about the work Carol's List is doing in Montana.

Join us for a firsthand update on the Montana state 2021 legislature and the work that Montana Women Vote is doing there on behalf of Montanans. SJ Howell is co-director of Montana Women Vote and will be our guest. With the legislature more than halfway over, we can't wait to hear what SJ has to say. We talk about Medicaid, health care, and how tax cuts leave a hole in the state budget that hurts all Montanans.

Join us for timely and important conversation to delve into LGBTQ+ equality and advocacy with expert Shawn Reagor. He directs the Director of Equality and Economic Justice with the Montana Human Rights Network.