HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmma BodeMay 22,2024
Dear Bozeman City Mayor,Deputy Mayor,and Commissioners,
I have remained interested in a position on the City Commission since my participation in
last December's appointment process and again submit my name for consideration.I am a
renter of 10 years in a town with a housing crisis,a young person staring down the barrel of
the climate crisis,and a queer woman in a state systematically attacking the rights of queer
and trans Montanans.I voted for Christopher Coburn in 2021 because I felt that the issues
most impacting me and my peers would be centered in his decisions on the Commission.I
am immensely grateful to Christopher for the time and energy he gave to this community
while in office.If appointed to serve the remainder of his term,I feel that I could continue to
represent many of the qualities his voters supported by electing him.
Community Leadership:I built my foundation in change making as a student at MSU where I
founded Sustainability Now,a student club that established dining hall composting and
advocated for divestment of MSU’s endowment from fossil fuels.Following graduation,I
organized professionally with Forward Montana where I led a community organizing
fellowship program,managed the voter registration of thousands of young people,
organized community actions,and engaged youth on local issues of housing,voting rights,
and racial,economic,and climate justice.I have a proven record of making participating in
government approachable and engaging with people whose voices are underrepresented.
I currently volunteer with Sunrise Gallatin Valley,a youth-led organization striving for a
livable future and the creation of good paying jobs in the process.In my time with Sunrise,
I’ve supported multiple campaigns pressuring the Public Service Commission and
NorthWestern Energy to provide affordable and clean energy,which is critical to the City
goals in the Bozeman Climate Plan.If appointed,I would bring my experience organizing for
sustainability and climate solutions to the Commission.
In 2019,the Commission selected me to join the Bozeman Climate Team,where I
contributed to the development of the Bozeman Climate Plan.In 2021 the Commission
again recognized my leadership by appointing me as Chair of the Bozeman Sustainability
Advisory Board.In my two and a half years of service,I have effectively run formal meetings
and have provided recommendations on Commission work plan items.I am familiar with the
content of many City plans as well as the limitations the City must navigate to implement
them.Serving on the Commission would be an extension of the work I already do in this
community.
Data-Driven Approach:I graduated with honors from MSU earning both a bachelor’s and
master’s degree in environmental science with a focus in geospatial analysis.Through my
studies,I learned to dissect complicated topics,analyze data,and communicate findings in
ways that resonate.My colleagues depend on me for strategic,data-driven
recommendations to inform their programs in my current position as a data analyst for
nonprofit organizations involved in civic engagement.If appointed,I will bring this lens to all
complex decisions and leverage my coursework and research in soils,hydrology,and
landscape ecology to inform land use planning decisions.
How I Show Up:I value people both as individuals and for the whole we make together.I go
to my community to find solutions and am accountable to my peers.I lead with curiosity,
working to embrace nuance and not make assumptions.I am consistent,showing up
prepared and eager to lean into difficult conversations with compassion.I lead from within a
group and I build trust with followthrough.I recognize the privilege I hold as a middle-class
white person,and know it is imperative that I be aware of how my culture and actions impact
people with oppressed and marginalized identities.I cannot promise to do no harm,only to
listen deeply,educate myself,be open to feedback,and make authentic apologies that take
full responsibility for my actions when I mess up.
Vision:During this time of growth and intense change,as a Commissioner I would advocate
for policies that build a Bozeman where residents can meet their needs,good paying jobs
are abundant,and we have housing we can afford.Renters have responsive and accountable
landlords.We tend to the land,conserve water,support sustainable agriculture,and protect
sensitive ecosystems and key migration corridors.Residents rarely need to get into a car
because there are abundant and accessible public transit options,walking paths,and safe
bike lanes that are maintained,even in winter months.Our buildings are efficient and we
power them with renewable energy from the grid or solar we generate ourselves.Neighbors
know each other,meet regularly to build community,celebrate each other and the seasons,
and support each other through hardship.All people are treated with humanity,our voices
are heard in government,and we allocate resources justly.I fiercely believe that this vision of
Bozeman is possible and am working alongside my peers to build it.
The policy recommendations in the Bozeman Community Housing Action Plan,Triangle
Community Plan,Equity &Inclusion Plan,Climate Plan,and Sensitive Lands Plan provide a
road map toward the affordable,interconnected,sustainable,and welcoming community I
envision.I recognize the tremendous resources these and other City plans collectively
represent and would work to uplift their recommendations in Commission decisions.
Through my professional and volunteer service,I’ve built strong relationships,worked in
coalition with others,gained experience with the policy making process,and witnessed how
municipal,county,state,and federal policy influence one another.I feel that my experiences
in city government,organizing,and my personal life make me uniquely qualified to finish
Christopher’s term.Thank you for your service and thoughtful consideration of my interest
in this appointment.I would be honored to join you in City leadership.
In community,
Emma Bode,she/her