Author: forwardmontana

It’s beginning to look a lot like Legislative Season!

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It’s not quite the “Night before Legislative Session” yet but to get into the holiday spirit, we hope you’ll pour yourself an eggnog and read our legislative session update to the poetic beat of the ‘Night before Christmas’…

It’s that time of the biennium for the session to start.

We’ve researched committees (allies & foes) and dusted off drafts of bills from the past. Our LAWS preference lists are crafted with care and our legislative friends are soon to be snug in their 100 some year old chairs.

As we look to the new year, we’re proud of our list of legislative priorities — we promise you won’t want to miss.

Student debt assistance for young farmers who commit to the state & $5 million for needs-based assistance so all students can access enough financial aid. We’ll be rallying for public lands and solar energy, plus making sure young people continue to access expanded Medicaid.

Last, but not least, we’ll protect our voting rights by supporting Automatic & Online Registration — because registering to vote shouldn’t take a whole public demonstration. And, finally, we’ll urge that 16-year-olds can serve as election judges and pre-register to vote so that they’re ahead of the curve.

Margaret, our 2019 Legislative Communications Fellow.

So much to do and that’s why we’re stoked to bring on a legislative communications fellow to help us email, post, and bellow our legislative work. Margaret Grayson heralds from student journalism, a recent grad, and comes to us with wit, good grammar, and an excellent smirk.

Keep up with our work through our weekly newsletter — we promise that Margaret’s prose will be so much better.

Thank you from Hannah Pate

Posted on by forwardmontana
Dear friend,

 

Ooooof! What an election cycle!

My work with Forward Montana began in February, when I was hired for the position of Campus Tour Manager. I traveled to campuses all over this great state, empowering students to vote. I learned a lot during this experience: how to drive on the highway in the winter, how to communicate with students and inspire them to vote and take on issues that matter to them, and how to get professors and other staff members super excited about empowering their students.

When campus tour ended in April, I craved more work in the field of investing in and educating my peers on how to use their voice. It was then I was offered the position of Six-Mill Levy Ambassador for Montana State University-Northern. There I had over 100 people pledge to vote for higher education funding, from first-time voters to people who had voted for decades!

This opportunity not only gave me more skill sets to continue in this field, but motivated me more than any candidate race that took place this November. After a couple of months off this summer, I had the opportunity to manage the new Six-Mill Levy Ambassadors for the fall. This gave me the unique, exciting opportunity to both develop professionally by supervising a team of organizers for the first time and continuing to work on the campaign I was so passionate about.

During this last position at FMT, I was challenged a lot. This fall was also my first semester at college, and I am a first-generation college student. I learned a lot about how to balance school and organizing, thanks to my co-workers! I am so thrilled that we had two ambassadors at UM, an ambassador at MSU, and a travelling ambassador this fall.

That being said, none of this would have been possible without your kind support. I cannot thank you enough— whether it be funding these positions so that I could learn from them, literally fueling me to get to campuses all over the state (gas is pricy!), or helping fund the totally motivating Youth Organizing Summit this September— I know we are all so thankful for your support here at Forward Montana. 
In Solidarity,
Hannah Pate
6-Mill Levy Lead Ambassador

Thank You from Hannah Clancy

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Due to your generosity, the field workers, volunteers, and interns, including myself, were able to reach out to other young people in Billings (and statewide!) in the hopes of inspiring a sense of democratic duty.
One of my most cherished experiences as an intern was directly interacting with other college students regarding the 6-Mill Levy. Walking the pathways of MSU-Billings and interacting with other students allowed us to educate our peers about this ballot initiative. We put the consequences into a simple statement: if this levy does not pass, tuition will increase up to 18%. The concern of a drastically increased cost of education really allowed our fellow students to realize the importance, especially because it had the potential to jeopardize their academic future. After the 6-Mill passed, the hours we had spent gathering signatures were well worth it.
Forward Montana demonstrates to all citizens across the state that young people can make an impact. America’s youth are the largest voting base, however, with the unprecedentedly large 18-24 year old voter turnout this year, it is clear that your support made that dream possible. We are proud of our accomplishments thus far, however, we are not nearly finished stoking the fire of democracy.
Without your generosity, these acts towards civic engagement would not be possible. Our organization is humbled by your donations. Thank you from every employee, intern, and volunteer affiliated with Forward Montana, you are truly the fuel to our fire.
In solidarity,
Hannah Clancy
Billings Intern – Class of Fall 2018

MSU Student Voter Day Update

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FMT Staff making plans to vote at Student Voter Day at UM

Student Voter Day was a wonderful time for students on campuses across Montana to turn in their absentee ballots, getting them to become passionate about voting. Students absolutely loved the free coffee, donuts, and hot chocolate along with the wide array of stickers that were available throughout the day.

Alix and Ali, the field organizers in Bozeman for Forward Montana, built a “Democracy Block”–a box that people were able to write about what they care about along with recommending three friends whom they planned on reminding to vote. Along with all the food, drinks, and stickers, we also partnered with Bridgercare and Planned Parenthood to help spread important values amongst young voters. Crazy Mountain Outdoors showed up as well and offered a giveaway for people who could answer politically themed trivia questions throughout the day.

Our partners helped to draw in even more people, and started many considerate conversations on important subjects in our community including: sexual health and safety, healthcare, and public lands. Our partners brought in a lot of young voters who were passionate about voting, encouraging them to speak up about issues they are concerned about. The Vote Goat that showed up during the afternoon was a huge hit, with many people stopping by and checking out our table while petting an adorable baby goat. As the day came to an end, our democracy block was full of passionate ideas and names, the people we partnered with had many thoughtful conversations with young voters, and most importantly, almost 40 students turned in their absentee ballots.

Between the food, the goat, and the democracy block that rocked the Montana State University’s campus, Student Voter Day was a success! As this event continues down the road, hopefully it will become more and more of a service to help students become passionate about voicing their opinions. Remember that election day is coming up on November 6th and that every vote really does count in this election!

Michael Nelson

Posted on by forwardmontana

Location: Billings, MT

Occupation: Forward Montana Field Manager

What are the key issues that you Give A Shit about?

I give a shit about the LGBTQ community. All of my siblings (myself included) are gay or bi, I have countless friends that identify with the wide breadth of human sexuality and gender. Left and right our safety, dignity, and respect is being jeopardized, as such it has never been so important to fight for LGBTQ equality. And to me, fighting for LGBTQ equality means fighting for women’s rights, decent healthcare, and for protections for consumers, renters and workers.

How would you describe your personal mission?

To bring smiles, warmth and laughter everywhere I go. To ensure everyone has a place in the movement.

Tell me about your “power outfit” — the outfit that makes you feel most badass (ex: pantsuit).

I live for a crisp navy blue suit with a floral print tie. That or jeans, ankle boots, campaign t-shirt and a FANNY PACK.

Who is your political crush?

Right now I have a big crush on Beto O’Rourke.

What’s your favorite part about Forward Montana?

I love the Leadership Development program. I love seeing our interns go forward into the world and do amazing things with the skills they learned at FMT. And I always weep with joy whenever they come back to work at FMT as field organizers, fellows, and program managers!

If you were running for President, what would your campaign song be?

“American” by RuPaul Charles… henny

What made you want to be a monthly Rockstar donor?

FMT made me the person I am today. I am constantly inspired by the bad ass work we do every year. I wanted to support the work that was going to empower myself and my generation to take back our democracy.

 

Why should other people sign on as monthly Rockstar donors?

You should become a rockstar because FMT is doing the work every single day to empower our youngest voters. From training interns, to educating voters at our candidate forums, to lifting up the countless ways in which young folks are trying to save this democracy, FMT is there to support them every step of the way. And we want you to come with us on this journey, become a rockstar.

 

We call our monthly members Rockstars because:

  • They allow us to budget for the long-term. In order to change the discussion, we need to be in business year-round. That means full-time offices, full-time volunteers, databases and other overhead costs. These things cost money — we can’t budget for ’em without steady cash-flow.
  • It’s a way for people of ordinary means to give extraordinary gifts. Most of us can’t give a gift of $100 at any one time, but we can give $10 a month.
  • Grassroots money means grassroots politics. We’ve always believed that democracy can only truly be transformed through the power of the grassroots — volunteers and small donors coming together to work for change.

Sign up to be a Rockstar HERE

 

Just a Little Nudge

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Ever since I started working for Forward Montana, I’ve tried to encourage my 23 year old brother, Creath, to register to vote. One of my most recent attempts led him to respond, “Voting is just not something I ever think about doing. I don’t ever feel like I make an impact, so I really don’t care. And most of the time I disagree with both candidates that are running so much that I also don’t want to vote for someone whose views oppose mine. So I just don’t vote.”

Additionally, Creath said he felt uninformed which further disillusioned him. I told him I just want him to have a voice in politics and that many young people feel they aren’t educated enough to voice their opinions but that every single citizen should feel their opinions matter and should be heard. He responded saying that he just can’t keep up and ends up getting confused.

After getting a better feel for why he’s never voted, I was even more determined to change his mind. There was a meet and greet with a candidate running for office, and I thought it would be a great opportunity for Creath to see that not all candidates are the same and some really do listen to their constituents. He was very hesitant about going but said he would if I came, too, but assured me he would not be staying long. So I drove the 260 miles to Big Timber, and we went to the event together. I was thrilled to see Creath asking questions, voicing his concerns, and thoughtfully listening. He stayed the full two hours and took extra time at the end to talk one-on-one with the candidate.

Creath later told me that he was so glad he went and that he was finally inspired to vote. “I’ve never been interested in voting until I met an actual candidate who had a casual conversation with me. I’ve always just seen a bunch of advertising for campaigns, and that doesn’t do the trick for me. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t believe something until I experience it.”

The work Forward Montana does, including candidate forums, election watch parties, and partnerships with bands and breweries help make voting a more fun and engaging experience and open the door to a lifetime of engagement. Sometimes all a prospective young voter needs is a little nudge, and here at Forward Montana, we’re great at nudging. (It also doesn’t hurt to have an older sister nudging, as well.)

Austin Slominski

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Pronouns: He/Him

Location: Missoula, MT

Occupation: Programmer

What are the key issues that you Give A Shit About?

Women’s healthcare, compassionate and fair immigration policy, public lands, LGBTQ+ rights, global climate change, and income inequality

How would you describe your personal mission?

My personal mission is to not make life harder for marginalized people and to support candidates that care about what is happening to our environment and the people in it, not money.

Tell me about your “power outfit” — the outfit that makes you feel most badass (ex: pantsuit).

I have a button-up shirt with a really chaotic floral pattern, I always feel excited to wear it.

How did you learn about Forward Montana?

I remember seeing Forward Montana interns throughout my undergrad, usually helping students register to vote.

What’s your favorite part about Forward Montana?

They are one of few organizations that are focusing on voter outreach to a younger generation.

Who is your political hero or political crush?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Beto O’Rourke make me feel more hopeful about the future.

If you were running for President, what would your campaign song be?

This Will Be Our Year by The Zombies

What made you want to be a monthly Rockstar donor?

I wanted to contribute in some way to an organization that I think Montana needs.

 

Why should other people sign on as monthly Rockstar donors?

If young people sit out elections, the people that will end up in power won’t represent them or their communities. If we want to see progressive causes get furthered in states like Montana, everyone with means should be participating and contributing to organizations that focus on those policies.

 

We call our monthly members Rockstars because:

  • They allow us to budget for the long-term. In order to change the discussion, we need to be in business year-round. That means full-time offices, full-time volunteers, databases and other overhead costs. These things cost money — we can’t budget for ’em without steady cash-flow.
  • It’s a way for people of ordinary means to give extraordinary gifts. Most of us can’t give a gift of $100 at any one time, but we can give $10 a month.
  • Grassroots money means grassroots politics. We’ve always believed that democracy can only truly be transformed through the power of the grassroots — volunteers and small donors coming together to work for change.

Sign up to be a Rockstar HERE

Lindsey Buck

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Pronouns: She/her/hers
Location: Storrs, CT but originally Bozeman, MT
Occupation: PhD student and teaching assistant at the University of Connecticut in the department of economics

What are the key issues that you Give A Shit about?

I give a shit about the vast wealth inequality in America and about how it affects people’s access to healthcare, education, wealth building, and a variety of other things I consider to be rights and necessities for humans.

How would you describe your personal mission?

My personal mission is to do as much good as I can in any position I enter in my lifetime. Currently, this looks like using my knowledge of economics to inform people about inequality and help create an equitable society.

Tell me about your “power outfit” — the outfit that makes you feel most badass.

My power outfit would be any sort of suit. Can’t feel bad in a suit!

How did you learn about Forward Montana?

I learned about FMT when I lived in Missoula and went to school there. I first encountered them on campus and realized that they fundamentally supported everything that I did—people’s access to healthcare, to voting rights, to education, to purpose.

Who is your political hero or political crush?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

What’s your favorite part about Forward Montana?

My favorite part about FMT is how it gets young people very politically active. I think it’s incredibly important nowadays to do this.

If you were running for President, what would your campaign song be?

Fight Song by Rachel Platten

What made you want to be a monthly Rockstar donor?

I wanted to be a monthly donor because I care very deeply about the future of Montana and I think that Forward Montana has a large role in that.

Why should other people sign on as monthly Rockstar donors?

If you want to support an organization that is going to have your best interests in mind during the future, whether it be the cost of your education, your access to healthcare, your ability to vote for a candidate of your choice, your safety and health, or any other interest, Forward MT is that organization.

We call our monthly members Rockstars because:

  • They allow us to budget for the long-term. In order to change the discussion, we need to be in business year-round. That means full-time offices, full-time volunteers, databases and other overhead costs. These things cost money — we can’t budget for ’em without steady cash-flow.
  • It’s a way for people of ordinary means to give extraordinary gifts. Most of us can’t give a gift of $100 at any one time, but we can give $10 a month.
  • Grassroots money means grassroots politics. We’ve always believed that democracy can only truly be transformed through the power of the grassroots — volunteers and small donors coming together to work for change.

Sign up to be a Rockstar HERE

Pinky & the Floyd

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The other weekend, both Forward Montana & Planned Parenthood Advocates of MT had the incredible chance to partner with local celebrities Pinky & the Floyd for an awesome #Rock2Vote show on the Emerson Lawn. Right before the show was set to start, the clouds cleared, the rain stopped, and we had an incredible turnout upwards of 300 community members in attendance!

We also had an amazing group of volunteers come out for the show to help us canvass the park to register new voters! We updated addresses, talked to people about what’s on the ballot in November, and troubleshooted questions about voter registration and where people can find their polling location. Getting to talk to community members, young people, older folks, and families about the importance of their vote and their voice in November was amazing to share with our volunteers, interns, and field staff.

We registered a 51 year old first-time voter, tons of young people, and several groups of families to vote. Pinky & the Floyd also talked about the importance of voter registration and getting out your vote in November throughout the duration of the show. Creating a space where community members could listen to an awesome band, talk about voting, and normalize conversations based around the importance of casting your ballot was an incredible experience. Big thanks to Pinky & the Floyd, Planned Parenthood Advocates of MT, and all of our dedicated and passionate volunteers for making the concert a huge success!