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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmma BodeFrom:webadmin@bozeman.net To:Agenda Subject:Citizen Advisory Board Application Date:Thursday, September 30, 2021 4:03:28 PM A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted. Form Name:Citizen Advisory Board Application Date & Time:09/30/2021 4:03 PM Response #:87 Submitter ID:44235 IP address:209.200.215.30 Time to complete:5 min. , 44 sec. Survey Details Page 1 WELCOME Thank you for your interest in joining a Citizen Advisory Board. The City of Bozeman elected officials and staff believe in the value of public participation and local governance in the decision-making process and encourage all interested members of our community to apply. As set forth in Resolution 5323, the City is committed to building Advisory Boards that advance the City’s goals of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Because of this goal, the City is actively working to achieve membership that reflects, at the least, the demographics of our community. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. CONTACT INFORMATION The City will need to communicate with all board members via email for a number of annual communications, so a valid email address is required for all applicants. Please notify the City Clerk's Office if your email address changes for any reason. The City will need to communicate with all board members via email for a number of annual communications, so a valid email address is required for all applicants. Please notify the City Clerk's Office if your email address changes for any reason. Please note that your application will become public information. All required fields are marked with a red asterisk *. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT Each official and employee serving on a multimember agency is expected to devote the time and effort necessary to ensure the successful functioning of such agency (Bozeman Municipal Code, Section 2.03.490.C.). Additional standards of conduct and norms are included in Resolution 5323. Applicant Information First Name Emma Last Name Bode Physical Address 303 S 6th Ave, Apt A PO Box (if different from physical address) Not answered City Bozeman State Montana Zip Code 59715 Primary Phone (307) 413-8886 Additional Phone Not answered Current Occupation Bozeman Field Manager Employer Forward Montana Email emma.t.bode@gmail.com Which position are you applying for? (○) Economic Vitality Board Do You Live in the City Limits? (Some positions do require you live within Bozeman city limits while others do not.) (○) Yes How long have you lived in the Bozeman Area? (○) 6-10 years Have you ever served on a City or County Board or Commission? (○) No Please describe your professional and personal experiences, interest, and qualifications that make you a good fit for this board. My professional experience as a regional manager for an organization combating these issues everyday and my passion for local community-driven change make me a great applicant for this board. Economic justice is one of Forward Montana’s core issue areas and is intrinsically tied to affordable housing in Bozeman. As Bozeman’s Field Manager, I worked with the Sunrise Movement, Bozeman United for Racial Justice, the Campus Climate Coalition, and Bozeman Democratic Socialists of America to push back against MSU’s decision to stop housing faculty and staff on campus. This experience highlighted for me the need to work as partners with large employers (e.g., MSU and the Hospital) to help mitigate their role in the housing crisis. I believe the solutions to our housing crisis are often close to the problems. The education and jobs MSU and the Hospital provide encourage many new folks to move to Bozeman, but they also have ample open space that they could build employee and student housing on. If selected to this board, I would be excited to work on solutions with MSU and the Hospital to develop affordable housing for their employees and students. As a recent college graduate, I have experienced first hand a gap in mid-level jobs available in this town. There are worker shortages in low wage positions and high income/experience jobs but few opportunities for entry level college graduates. MSU is one of the most diverse parts of Bozeman. If we want to continue to make Bozeman a more welcoming place for all people to live and thrive, then we must create more positions for college graduates in this community. I volunteer with a group that supports Spanish-speaking immigrants to establish themselves in Bozeman. I provide direct support to an immigrant family and help them to access the resources they need throughout Gallatin Valley. This experience has shown me that the Latine community is growing in Bozeman and that these folks have so much to offer. If selected to this board, I would be eager to develop efforts to better support these new community members. Additionally, I would be excited to apply my experience creating and implementing a DEIJ action plan at Forward Montana to the City’s DEI efforts. Public art is a powerful tool for storytelling. If selected, I would be excited about leveraging public art to help shift the stories Bozeman tells about itself. Many people living in and visiting Bozeman see this town as a recreation mecca accessible only for privileged white people. Rugged individualist and pioneer, John Bozeman, who is central to Bozeman’s founding story fits right in with this narrative. What this founding story fails to convey, however, is that this valley was stolen from indigenous peoples, and this town was built in large part by a strong Asian community and by the profits provided by sex workers. It is important that people know this history and art is the ideal medium to communicate it. If selected I would be thrilled to work with historians and Bozeman’s BIPOC community to promote opportunities for public art that tells these stories. The City of Bozeman strongly values diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Describe any efforts you have engaged in to expand your understanding of DEI. I have attended many training sessions on DEIJ, notably MTREPs Dismantling Hatred training and a training by Level Equity Consulting taught by Aja Osita three times in the past year. In addition, I teach an intern class as part of my role as Forward Montana’s Bozeman Field Manager. We discuss weekly readings on DEIJ topics in an effort to commit to regular and life-long learning and unlearning of systemic oppression. Over the past year and a half, Forward Montana has worked with several consultants to assess our current organizational structure concerning DEIJ and develop and implement an organizational DEIJ action plan. My experience going through this process and as a Forward Montana DEIJ committee member would provide helpful context and grounding if selected to serve on this board. As a middle-class white person, it is critical that I recognize my own privilege and be aware of how my culture and actions can impact people from historically marginalized groups. I cannot promise to do no harm, only that I am committed to deeply listening, making authentic apologies that take full responsibility for my actions when I mess up, and a lifetime of learning. References: Please provide name, phone, and email contact information for two references. Reference 1 Amara Reese-Hansell, 920-723-2203, amara@forwardmontana.org Reference 2 Aja Osita, (406) 224-2154, aja@levelequityconsultants.com The Bozeman City Charter, voted in by the citizens of Bozeman in 2008, requires annual ethics training. If appointed, do you understand you will be expected to take online and in person ethics training? (○) Yes How did you hear about this board or vacancy? Email and Instagram Is there any other information that you feel we need to know? As a young person, a renter, and a woman, these issues have a big impact on my life. I am excited to bring these perspectives to this board. Thank you for considering my application. If you have a disability that requires assistance or need accommodations, please contact our ADA Coordinator, Mike Gray, at 582-3232 (TDD 582-2301). Please note that for most Citizen Advisory Boards, materials are distributed electronically for each meeting. Your application and all information submitted is considered a public record. All applications are included in the City Commission’s Meeting materials for consideration which are electronically archived and available to the public. Thank you, City Of Bozeman This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.