History of Highlights

1998

Amie Thurber and Kaycee Schilke attended NCBI's Train the Trainer, and came back to Missoula energized and ready to create a local chapter, NCBI-Missoula. Two chapters, one out of the University of Montana and one based in the Missoula community, were created.

1999

The first Missoula Train the Trainer was in October of 1999 with 70 participants.

The Campus Chapter of NCBI-Missoula worked with classes like Intercultural Communication, departments such as resident life, and student groups like Lamda and ASUM. During this time, NCBI-Missoula also consulted with students, student organizations, administrators, and professors on diversity and conflict issues.

Campus Chapter begins offering training at the then named College of Technology. All incoming freshman attended an NCBI-Missoula workshop each semester and selected classes and consultations also took part.

2000

NCBI-Missoula is contracted with the US Forest Service to train the Smoke Jumpers.

In August, members from NCBI Missoula and Campus attended a 5 day NCBI Leadership Institute in Washington DC.

2001

The second Missoula Train the Trainer takes place with Larry Bell from Washington DC as the Lead Trainer.

First ever workshop with Ronan Middle School.

2002

Moved into our first office!  Our partnership with the YWCA begins though trading professional development for our first ever office space in the YWCA building.

The NCBI-Missoula Campus Chapter begins training every Freshman Seminar class through 2005.

2003

In January 2004, with a three-semester grant from the Montana Faith-Health Demonstration Project and support from the Flagship program, EmpowerMT/NCBI MSLA piloted Middle School Respect Clubs during the 2003-2004 school year.

Robin DiAngelo provided professional development on The Role of White People Ending Racism.  NCBI-Missoula launches the Eliminating White Racism class (now known as True Colors).

Missoula Train the Trainer with combined NCBI-Missoula and NCBI-Missoula Campus chapters.

2004

NCBI-University of Montana Campus Chapter begins Intergroup Dialogue.

NCBI-Missoula facilitates a Building Jewish Unity training, which marks the beginning of our long standing partnership with Har Shalom.

Partnership with Missoula County to facilitate the Missoula Healthy Indian Families Consortium begins. 

2005

In October the Missoula Policy Department Equity Initiative Task Force is formed. The goals of the Equity Initiative were to increase the department’s effectiveness in 1) providing accessible, professional services to the entire Missoula community, 2) working inclusively with the diverse populations within Missoula, 3) building an equitable and diverse workplace, and 4) ensuring effective bias incident response. EmpowerMT/NCBI Missoula facilitated the Equity Team which became PRISM (Police Responsiveness In Social Matters) until 2015.  

Hired first employee Kao Nou Thao as the Youth Development Coordinator.

Train the Trainer with combined University and Missoula Chapters

2006

 Allies for LGBTQ Equality training for Faith Communities

2007

Empowering Women’s Leadership workshop for community

Heidi’s first trainings on the Hi-Line tour of Glasgow and Havre public schools

Train the Trainer with combined Missoula and Campus Chapter: Robert Dungey (Canada), Amie Thurber and Kao Nou Thao as our lead trainers. Heidi’s first Train the Trainer!

2008

Invited to attend the annual National Safe Schools Roundtable (NSSR) Roundtable and soon after joined the National Steering Committee.

Youth leaders revised the MCPS Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying Prevention Policy.

First ever Youth Leadership Camp!

Respect Club Inside Out Documentary

2009

Missoula passes Montana's first Non-Discrimination Ordinance including protections for sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity.

Mayor John Engen declares April 14th as Diversity Day. A day that Missoulians celebrate the diversity in their community.

2010

NCBI-Missoula High School leaders write a grant to launch Elementary EPIC at Lowell Elementary.

Contracted with the Schools of Promise Initiative in OPI to provide Building Inclusive Schools training to Frazer, Lame Deer, Hays Lodgepole, Lodge Grass, and Pryor schools.

Youth Leaders and EmpowerMT receive the Montana ACLU’s Jeanette Rankin Civil Liberties Award for our commitment to promoting respect and equality for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender students and for building a culture of nonviolence across Montana.

Youth Forward, EmpowerMT's support group for high-school aged queer identifying youth, begins.

2011

EmpowerMT/ NCBI-Missoula youth leaders attend the Federal LGBT Youth Summit, the first-ever federally sponsored LGBT Youth Summit, held in Washington, D.C., during Capital PRIDE week.  

The City of Missoula, MT with support from United Way of Missoula County, contracted with NCBI-Missoula in June 2011 to coordinate a community process regarding the Poverello Center’s selection of a location for a new facility. 

2012

NCBI Youth Leaders, Tyler Tschida and Ekoo Beck and Youth Programs Director Heidi Wallace were invited to attend the launch of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation on Feb. 29, 2012. In partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the MacArthur Foundation, the Berkman Center for Internet & Society hosted a Symposium on Youth Meanness and Cruelty on Harvard’s campus.

2013

Our partnership with the National Association of GSA Networks begins and the Montana GSA Network is launched.  NCBI Missoula becomes the statewide resource for Montana schools, youth, and educators; supporting all Gender and Sexuality Alliances GSAs) and other youth-run and youth-initiated LGBTQ and Allied student clubs.  

Senior youth leader Claire Michelson, gives the keynote speach at the annual Leadership Luncheon.

2014

2015

EmpowerMT/NCBI Missoula presented our Strengthening Cross-Cultural Collaboration & Communication training for the Montana Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs Tribal Relations training, "Partners in Building a Stronger Montana".

2016

NCBI-Missoula gains independent Non-profit status and becomes EmpowerMT. 

EmpowerMT begins working on intentional statewide growth. 

2017

Executive Director Heidi Wallace visits Myanmar and Thailand as part of the Mansfield Center Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative.

2018

EmpowerMT Youth Forward leaders work with the City of Missoula to install Montana's first Rainbow Crosswalk in Missoula, Montana.

EmpowerMT becomes coalition partners with Montana's IDEA for Racial Justice.

EmpowerMT puts on first High School leadership camp for tribal and rural youth.

EmpowerMT partners with Ronan Public Schools to present the first iteration of EPIC outside of Missoula.

2019

EmpowerMT's 20th Birthday!