CLASSROOM REFLECTION

We began our first session with these powerful words. These words are integral to Leadership Montana, but aren’t they just as relevant to our Montana community, and the culture we are trying to build?

Throughout the first session, we had the wonderful opportunity to start getting to know our fellow leaders that work across a vast array of industries in our beautiful state. Seeming strangers from across Montana, working together to better understand themselves in order to work to benefit their communities. The courage, vulnerability, and openness that I experienced in these first few days brings so much hope in these post-COVID times, where sometimes we do struggle to feel like we belong.

It is no secret that Montana is growing. As we grow, I believe it is important for us as leaders to embrace the ideas and beliefs of everyone in our state; from those whose families have been here for generations to those who’ve only been here for a few weeks or months. Through these next 8 months, I am very excited to learn and grow and deepen my roots in Montana alongside my amazing fellow leaders to create a community where everyone belongs.

We all belong here.