Domestic violence, legal rights of victims, homeless youth and missing and murdered indigenous women are real problems in our community. A group in Billings thinks a way to raise awareness and develop solutions is to talk openly about them.
Zonta Club of Billings is sponsoring an event Sunday, April 28, with a number of local women to start these “#HearMeTooMontana ConverZations” with other engaged women.
Eleven local women will lead in-depth discussions at dinner at the Hilands Golf Club Sunday afternoon.
Renee Coppock, an Advocacy Committee member for Zonta, is a co-chair of this event.
“We are getting all of these people together, talking about the issue and what we can do to make a positive change in the community,” Coppock said. "We’re hoping ideas will springboard that groups at the tables will be able to come up with something that maybe we don’t think of on our own.”
Table topics and hosts:
- Dr. Sue Balter-Reitz-Communicating the Experience of Survivors of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence
- Stephanie Baucus-21st Century Slavery in Montana
- Reno Charette-How to Make Human Trafficking a Household Word
- Kelly Christy-Voice of the Survivor
- Sherri Cornett-Framing the #HearMeToo Narrative: Community Engaged Art
- Brittany Hommer-Pornography in a Digital Age
- Juli Pierce-Utilizing the Legal Process in the #MeToo Environment
- Kassie Rusabove- How Inherent Bias Affects the #HearMeToo Movement
- Chrysti M. Smith-LGBTQ: Old Words in a New World
- Rian St. Pierre-Indigenous Women Finding Their Voice with #MeToo Movement
- Erika Willis-Homeless Youth
Coppock said these table discussions are a start, “and we’re just hoping to make positive change.”
The Zonta Club of Billings, executive and professional women, is “dedicated to the advancement of women through education, economic stability, legal and legislative equality, health and wellness, both locally and worldwide."
