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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-15-25 Correspondence - Disability Rights Montana - Let's grow togetherFrom:Disability Rights Montana - Life Beyond Compliance To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]Let"s grow together Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:32:17 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Every paid subscription supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is nowhere near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! Let's grow together This newsletter is growing and our brand is evolving with it. Read thisweek about that growth and what to expect in the coming weeks andmonths ahead. READ IN APP Growth Rings: A New Chapter in Disability Culture Storytelling Dear friends, Since its inception, Life Beyond Compliance has been a space for reflection, advocacy, and vision. It is a place where we’ve explored what it means to live fully, freely, and authentically as disabled people in Montana and beyond. Today, I’m SEP 15 excited to share that this platform is evolving. We’re rebranding our Substack to align with our new podcast and cultural storytelling initiative: Growth Rings. Why Growth Rings? The name draws inspiration from the rings of a tree. Each one marks a season of growth, resilience, and adaptation. It’s a metaphor for the wisdom and strength inherent in the lived experience of disability, and for the cultural movement we’re building together. Just like trees, our community grows stronger with each challenge we face, each story we share, and each connection we make. Some years bring a lot of water while others are so dry we barely hang on, some years are especially hot and others are cold, and sometimes a wildfire scars while it also spawns forth young saplings in the understory, regardless of what is thrown at us we keep growing and we carry our experiences as rings that may not always be visible, but still make us what we are today and prepare us for the next stage of growth. What to Expect in the Coming Weeks and Months This rebrand is more than a name change. It’s a signal of a broader shift in how Disability Rights Montana communicates, connects, and cultivates culture. We see all our advocacy as culture change work. From systemic lawsuits, to investigating harmful conditions in institutional and community settings, to educating legislators and administration about the impact of their actions, we are working to build the society we want to live in, a society that fully values and includes people with disabilities. We are building a Montana culture that embraces Disability culture. Our communications with you reflects and promotes that as well. Here’s what’s coming: The Growth Rings Video Podcast Launching soon, this podcast will feature conversations that further our vision. The podcast is designed to elevate disability culture. You’ll hear stories that challenge your assumptions, celebrate creativity, and deepen our collective understanding of what it means to thrive. Substack as a Cultural Journal This Substack will continue to provide updates on what Disability Rights Montana is thinking and doing, and it will grow as a companion to the podcast. It will be a place for essays, additional reading and video resources that compliment the podcast topics, provide behind-the-scenes reflections, transcripts, and community contributions. Expect thoughtful writing, visual storytelling, and invitations to participate in shaping the narrative. Social Media That Builds Culture We’re developing new strategies to make our social media more engaging, accessible, and mission-driven. You’ll see more frequent updates, shareable content, and calls to action that invite you to be part of the movement. Instagram TikTok YouTube A Culture-Building Ecosystem Growth Rings is just one part of a larger vision. I don’t want to get too far ahead of all the great work DRM staff are up to, BUT as a hint of what is to come - keep an eye out for in-depth, intensive learning opportunities, ways to identify with and own a piece of Montana disability culture, and in-person opportunities to celebrate and build this culture together. Through this Substack and the podcast we’re planting seeds for a vibrant, inclusive future. How You Can Help Subscribe and share the Growth Rings Substack with your networks. Upgrade to paid Engage with our posts—comment, reflect, and amplify. Suggest guests or topics for the podcast that you’d love to hear. Support our work by donating, volunteering, or simply spreading the word. This is a season of transformation, and I’m grateful to have you with us. Let’s grow together. In solidarity, David Carlson Executive Director, Disability Rights Montana Would you like me to format this for Substack with headings, images, or links? I can also help draft a social media post to announce the rebrand. You’re currently a free subscriber to Life Beyond Compliance. Upgrading to paid subscriptions supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is no where near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! Upgrade to paid LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Disability Rights Montana1022 Chestnut Street, Helena, MT 59601 Unsubscribe