Bozeman Magazine

As a part of ongoing work to make Bozeman a more inclusive and equitable place for all to thrive, the City of Bozeman, MSU’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Montana Racial Equity Project, Bozeman School District 7, and Bozeman Health are coming together to host a virtual community roundtable on Equity and Inclusion on October 25, 2021 from 3-6 p.m.

The roundtable is free and open to the public with registration required by October 18th. The three hour virtual event will focus on three key components; learning and understanding the equity indicators our community is tracking to measure housing, health and economic gaps in our community, listening to and hearing the stories of community members who give voice to how these gaps impact our neighbors, and participating in small groups to reflect as a community.

The event is one of the action steps identified by the city of Bozeman in the Inclusive City report last year. It follows the Equity Indicators project that received community-wide participation and is currently being brought to life through the development of a public data dashboard launching this winter. The Equity Indicators project created specific and trackable measurements to show the variation in outcomes and experiences between a community average and a given identity or characteristic (race, ethnicity, gender identity, physical or mental ability.)  The goal is to have these indicators reflect the most pressing issues faced by people experiencing inequity and be utilized by local organizations and agencies working to address inequities in Bozeman.

City of Bozeman City Manager Jeff Mihelich says, “It is so important for us to come together as a community to affirm not just the data, but also the stories of what we know is happening right here in Bozeman. I encourage anyone who has been wondering what their role is to attend, to listen, and to be open to learning more.”

Deputy Director for the Montana Racial Equity Project Kaleigh Mency says, “It’s imperative that intentional space is created to collectively reflect on the Equity Indicators project. To quote author and co-founder of the International Center for Transitional Justice Priscilla B. Hayner, this provides an opportunity to give voice to the widely known but unspoken truths. The report doesn’t just reflect statistics and data, it’s people’s lives and their experiences.”

 
The free virtual event will happen October 25, 2021 from 3-6 p.m. and registration is required to attend. Registration closes October 18th and anyone interested is encouraged to sign up immediately. For information on the event, links to register, and to learn more about the equity indicators project visit www.bozeman.net/equityandinclusion