With over 1,500 members and seven local affiliates, the Montana Human Rights Network is a force to be reckoned with in Montana’s political landscape. “Human rights” span a wide array of issues that affect people’s daily lives, and so the Network is active on a broad swath of issues that affect communities --- a strategy that’s key to their success while working on the state and local level simultaneously. “We’re able to keep local groups active because they’re able to work on issues that are important in their communities,” explains research director Travis McAdam. “So many of the issues that local groups and communities bring up fit under our mission.” Busy on the state level and busy on the local level, Montana Human Rights Network does it all.

Visual art about white supremacy in Montana, street theater about immigration on the streets of Idaho, teaching Korean community members traditions of protest through drumming… there are many ways to create social change. To support innovative social change strategies that focus on cultural organizing, we’ve awarded $55,000 in grants to nine amazing groups in five states. Spanning media, culture, class and geography, these grants allow the creativity and passion of our grantees to shine through.

I wanted to take this opportunity to say goodbye to all of you at the Social Justice Fund. As many of you know, I will be leaving the Social Justice Fund on January 31st, after seven exhilarating years as the executive director. These years have been an incredibly valuable experience for me in leadership—I have so appreciated being a part of this chapter of Social Justice Fund’s life. Thank you all for giving me the opportunity and supporting me every step of the way.