Standing at a podium in the UC Ballroom, current Montana congressional candidate and Blackfeet Nation member Denise Juneau barely looked at her notes as she spoke to an audience of 70 people about the importance of achieving gender equality at the University of Montana’s celebration of International Women’s Day Friday night.

“In politics, women hold about 20 percent of the seats in Congress. At this rate, it will be 100 years before our Congress represents the American population,” Juneau said. “It needs to become normal to see women in decision-making positions. My mom always said, ‘If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu.’”

Behind the speaker's podium hung posters with various multicultural feminist messages.

HELENA — Leaders from urban areas and Montana reservations met in Helena on Saturday, March 5 at an “Indian Women Gathering” roundtable conservation to discuss a people-driven agenda for this election year.

Host and coordinator, Anna Whiting Sorrell, said she was inspired by articulate and solid positions of the nearly 30 women.
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Topics of discussion were: voting rights; appointments; political appointment boards; commissions and making state government look like the state; economic development; infrastructure; the rates of incarceration of Indians; health care; protecting Indian Education for All; funding for tribal colleges; protecting children in foster care; meth addiction; and land, water, air and language preservation.