HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmma BodeDear Bozeman City Mayor,Deputy Mayor,and Commissioners,
Respectfully,I submit this letter to express my interest in appointment to the Bozeman City
Commission.Policymaking in local government excites me because solutions crafted at the
local level,with local buy-in,are solutions that work.I am a 28 year old renter and like so
many of my peers,I have experienced rising housing costs over the 10 years I have lived in
Bozeman.I am deeply committed to this community and there is nothing more important to
me than building connection and reciprocal relationships here in this valley.
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 that MSU divest their endowment from fossil fuels.Following graduation,I
organized professionally with Forward Montana as the Bozeman Field Manager.In this
position,I led a community organizing fellowship program,registered thousands of people
to vote,organized community actions,elevated youth voices in government,and engaged
youth on local issues of housing,voting rights,and racial,economic,and climate justice.I
have a proven record of making participation in government approachable and engaging
with people whose voices are underrepresented in policymaking.
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.Together,we have applied
pressure on the Public Service Commission and NorthWestern Energy,urging them to
provide affordable and clean energy,which is critical to the City goals in the Bozeman
Climate Plan.If appointed,I would bring a proven history of organizing for sustainability and
climate solutions to the Commission.
In 2019,the Commission selected me to join the Bozeman Climate Team where I provided
valuable content in the development of the Bozeman Climate Plan.In 2021,the Commission
again recognized my leadership and appointed me as Chair of the Bozeman Sustainability
Board.In my two years of service,I have effectively run formal meetings and 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.My degree
work taught me to break down complicated topics,organize and analyze data,and
communicate my findings in a way that resonates with people.In my current position as a
data analyst,my peers depend on me for strategic,data-driven recommendations for their
programs.I will bring this lens to Commission decisions as we grapple with the complex
problems facing Bozeman today.
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
affirm my commitment to listening deeply,making authentic apologies that take full
responsibility for my actions when I mess up,and a lifetime of learning.
Vision:During this time of intense change,we must first envision where we want to go in
order to craft the policy needed to get there.I envision 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,support
sustainable agriculture and home gardens,and protect sensitive ecosystems and key
migration corridors.We conserve water,using this limited resource wisely.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.A better
Bozeman is possible and we must work now 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
strong road map toward the affordable,interconnected,sustainable,and welcoming
community I envision.I recognize the tremendous resources these and other plans
collectively represent and would work to uplift their recommendations in Commission
decisions.
Through my professional and volunteer service,I’ve built relationships across this
community and state,worked in coalition with others,gained experience with the policy
making process,and witnessed how municipal,county,state,and federal policy influence
one another.My lived experience as a renter,a young person,and a woman will bring needed
perspective to City decisions.I still have a lot to learn and am excited by the opportunity for
personal growth in this position.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