PPIR Tuesday Talks Podcast Kimberly Dudik, JD, MPH, BSN

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