Stand in Solidarity on April 6th with Bozeman’s Women to Commemorate

On April 6th at 6:00 pm, the Bozeman City Commission will commemorate National Equal Pay Day by reporting on the status of its two Resolutions to close the gender pay gap at its weekly meeting. The Bozeman for CEDAW Task Force, a group dedicated to making Bozeman a safer and more just place for the most marginalized women and girls, and Bozeman Business and Professional Women (BBPW), a group of women working to ensure that women in the Gallatin Valley have the tools to succeed, by connecting, educating, and supporting Bozeman’s professional women, together will
be sharing each of their work to help close the intersectional gender pay gap here in Bozeman.


Follow this link: https://www.bozeman.net/government/city-commission to find the Zoom link for the meeting once it is released. We are commemorating National Equal Pay Day because the City of Bozeman
adopted 2 Equal Pay Resolutions: 1) in 2015, Equal Pay for Equal Work (4601); and 2) in 2019, City of Bozeman Gender Pay Equity establishing requirements for the City’s venders and suppliers (5169), whose implementation must be backed with forward- moving action especially during a Pandemic with economic crises. According to the City of Bozeman’s own Equal Pay Report for 2019, women employees only earned
69.8% of what men earned. Across Montana, the data from Women’s Foundation of Montana’s 2018 Equal Pay Report, demonstrates this economic unfairness and inequity is exacerbated by race and ethnicity, as Black women earn 62% of what white men do, Hispanic women earn 54%, and Native American women earn 67%. It is critical that we address the inherently intersectional and unfair nature of pay inequity within our own community and stand in solidarity with women and those most marginalized by race and ethnicity at the April 6 th City Commission meeting.

By virtually attending this meeting, you will learn and hear firsthand from the City of Bozeman on progress made in the past year, about the causes of and solutions in progress to address pay inequity, and from BBPW and the Bozeman Task Force on the way in which the Covid pandemic has served to highlight the racialized and gendered way our society views the value of “women’s” work and pay equity’s connection to other economic security and justice issues, impacting Bozeman workers and families.


Please come and support women this April 6th: participate in the virtual session by testifying in the Public Comment Agenda section, listen in to other testimony, and invite your friends, family and co-workers to come stand for women’s rights and fairness in the workplace.


For more information, go to our Bozeman Task Force to advance the Status and Safety of all Women and Girls Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bozemanforcedaw and Bozeman Business and Professional Women web site: https://www.bozemanbpw.org

Also go to City Of Bozeman | Home for more information on the Bozeman City Commission meeting.

BOZEMAN FOR CEDAW INITIATIVE

Cities for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Girls (CEDAW)

https://www.facebook.com/bozemanforcedaw/

Why a Bozeman for CEDAW?  There is a continued need to protect and expand the human rights of all women and girls by addressing discrimination in educational, political, economic and cultural areas.  By
adopting an Ordinance or Resolution based on the principles of CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) to effectively monitor and end both subtle and substantial
gender discrimination, the City of Bozeman will continue Montana’s tradition of history-making decisions that support women and girl’s advancement and empowerment.

 Local Events – All About Gender Equity!

March is International Women’s Month. This year, Equal Pay Day falls in March (the 31st) AND 2020 is the Centennial Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and women achieving the right to vote.

We invite you to join BPW and other local organizations in activities pertaining to recognizing the importance of continuing to fight for equity for all.  Mark your calendars!

-Attend the BPW Educational Luncheon, “Equal Pay Day Update,” presented by City HR Manager, James Henderson at 11:30am on March 18th at Riverside Country Club, . The update will outline the City’s ongoing efforts to close the gender pay gap, will highlight the progress the city has made in the last year, and will outline practical ways the city will work towards gender pay equity, including different forms of outreach that will be employed to reach more diverse groups that represent traditionally under-represented segments of our city.

-Attend the City of Bozeman Commemoration of Equal Pay Day, to be held at Bozeman City Hall, 121 N. Rouse as one of the first agenda items for the Commission Meeting on Monday, March 23rd, 2020.  The meeting begins at 6pm.  All are welcome to attend this public meeting and commemoration; we recommend you arrive early to find your seat and pick up your copy of the agenda and materials that will be available.  Suggest that attendees WEAR RED, both to symbolize how far “in the red” women, non-binary, and minority peoples are in their annual earnings compared to men, and to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

-Stick around City Hall on March 23rd at 6:30pm for the announcement of the City of Bozeman Equity Plan and to hear the Bozeman for CEDAW Initiative‘s 2019 Report and Recommendations for advancing the Status of All Women and Girls!

-Attend the Expanding the Story of Suffrage:  19th Amendment Centennial Panel Discussion, at the Museum of the Rockies, 600 W. Kagy Blvd.  This free, public event will explore the history of suffrage in the United States, and bring attention to the challenges women of color faced on the path to gaining their right to vote.  

-Stop by  Bozeman Brewing Co. Cheers for a Change, March 29th 2pm-8pm. $1 from each drink purchased will benefit the Women’s Foundation of Montana  

-Stop by Bridger Brewing Cheers for a Change, March 30th 5pm-8pm, $1 from each drink purchased will benefit the Women’s Foundation of Montana

-Participate in the Equal Pay Day Discount Campaign by visiting Bozeman businesses on March 31st that are offering a an 18%-off discount for women to represent the average national wage gap.

 Presidential Debate Watch Party at Colombo’s Pizza on Wed. Nov. 20th

An announcement from BBPW, Bozeman for CEDAW, Bridgercare, and MT NOW:

Join us on Wednesday, November 20 from 6-9 PM, at Colombo’s Pizza for a non-partisan Presidential Debate Watch Party that will feature 4 respected women journalists who will be Moderating.  We want to celebrate women’s leadership, political participation and gender and other equity fronts that evening in a no-host, fun engagement event open to all.

More info here at the event Facebook page and below in this linked article:
All-Female Panel To Moderate Next Presidential Debate (Asking The Questions Women Want Answered)

 Volunteer businesses needed for donation sites for MSU “Executive Closet” summer clothing drive!

BPW is partnering with the Allen Yarnell Center for Student Success at MSU to collect professional clothing for, and provide assistance for, the MSU Executive Closet event. Each year in the fall, MSU hosts this wonderful program to provide students with the opportunity to acquire free professional clothing along with tips for how to pair outfits and dress for success – giving students the resources and tools to dress professionally for career fairs, interviews and their first jobs out of college!  Students are able to select and keep a complete professional outfit from a selection of donated clothing.

Some BPW members businesses helped out last year by hosting a bin at their storefront or office as a donation/clothing drop off location. Other individual BPW members helped set up and facilitate the fall clothing giveaway event. Thanks so much to those who participated last year for your help!

We would like to increase our support this year and are calling for volunteers to help in the following areas:

Be a Clothing Donation Host Site

We are looking for host sites who would be willing to act as a drop-off location for donations:

  • A collection bin and signage will be provided to you. 
  • Donations will be collected from your site on a regular basis as determined by you and the collection team from MSU’s Sigma Nu fraternity (but usually every 2 weeks depending on volume)
  • The Clothing Drive will start in mid-June and run until August 23, 2019

Help Prep and Staff the Executive Closet on September 17

If you are not able to be a host site, but would like to assist in other ways, please consider:

  • Help sort donations 1-2 times this summer (dates and times tbd)
  • Help set up the event on Monday, September 16, 2019 4 p.m. – ???
  • Provide clothing assistance to students the day of the event, Tuesday, September 17, 2019 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Please contact BPW President Melissa Herron at president@bozemanbpw.org if you have questions or would like to sign up to be a clothing donation site and/or help out!

Thank you,

Melissa Herron
2019 BBPW President

&

Erin MCormick
Associate Director
MSU Allen Yarnell Center for Student Success

Expanding Your Horizons STEM for Girls event accepting applications for presenters and group leaders

Bozeman BPW was a long time sponsor of this annual workshop for middle school girls encouraging them to take math and science to have more career opportunities. Several of our members in the past were presenters and Pat Simmons was a previous Chair of the organization. Here is a link to an article that they are seeking presenters with a due date of January 18.

Use the link below for more information:

https://www.montana.edu/calendar/events/28715