Leading a grassroots effort to prevent MMIW cases Not a day goes by that Annita Lucchesi doesn’t talk about, think about, or look into the cases of missing and murdered indigenous women. As the executive director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, a nonprofit research center, she keeps a close eye on the ever-shifting numbers. She does…
MIP Task Force works together to face the problem Ask anyone playing a role in the Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force, and they’ll tell you time is of the essence. If you ask victims’ families waiting for answers, time can’t move quickly enough. If you ask law enforcement, there’s no time like the…
Raising awareness with a mic and a mission It was New Year’s Day. Nicole O’Shea was curled up on the couch with her two youngest kids, who were watching a movie. Her husband had just come in from chopping wood and Nicole was scrolling through Facebook, catching up, when a post about a missing girl…
The women raising the volume in the fight against Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women It’s being called an epidemic of violence. Native American Women are 10 times more likely to be murdered than the rest of the nation’s population. Some are killed. Some vanish. Some return to their reservations shell shocked, unable to talk about…
Selena’s loved ones work to keep the MMIW issue alive When Cheryl Horn got the news on Jan. 1 that her best friend’s 16-year-old daughter was missing, she felt like her heart just might beat out of her chest. She remembers shaking, pacing the floor. “When I found out Selena was gone, I said, ‘No,…
What personality assessments can tell you about life Jodi Bryant has taken five personality assessments over the years, and one thing is conclusive. They’ve all said she’s impatient. It’s a negative trait she’s embracing with humor. “I like to call it a sense of urgency,” she says. Bryant is a team leader in healthcare management,…
Billings woman’s story moves full circle, once in need now serving others Most mornings, you’ll find Hermelinda Ramirez at St. Vincent de Paul by 7:30, brewing coffee, setting out the doughnuts, wiping down tables and getting things ready for the morning rush. For Hermelinda — “most people call me Herme (pronounced Herma) because it’s a…
We raided the closets of a few of Billings’ style icons Fashion. It’s a platform of self-expression that some women just maneuver with style and grace. Who are some of our community’s style icons? And, how do they best describe their daily looks? We set a trio of fashion-forward women loose in some of our…
So many twists to this American classic There’s baseball, apple pie and — wait for it — mac and cheese. Yes, macaroni and cheese. It’s been an American favorite for decades. Take one look in the grocery aisle where mac and cheese is stocked and you’ll see shelves upon shelves of brands and shapes and…
Suzidee Hansen’s advice on life is to just keep moving For most of us, a 60th birthday celebration might consist of a Viking River Cruise or a sojourn through Sicily. Roberts residents Suzidee Hansen and her husband, Allen, took a different turn. They celebrated their milestone birthdays in 2011 with a bicycle trip — a…
10-year-old Evan is a good-natured kid hoping for a forever family Before our camera started to click, capturing a portrait of 10-year-old Evan, he was in his room, laying out clothes carefully, wondering what might be the best look. His foster mom, Isabella Del Carpio, stood by reassuring him. “He knew I wanted a few…
Carolee McCall Smith drafts a home for family This feature is brought to you by McCall Homes, unique, sustainable, & affordable homes in an environment where community is nurtured. Carolee McCall Smith knows what goes into building a home from the ground up. She’s a vital link in one of Billings’ home builder families. Drafting…
Let’s take the guesswork out of it Each and every day we need to fuel our bodies. Many feel the only way to be successful and consistent with nutrition is to have some sort of weekly meal plan. If you’re overwhelmed at the thought, don’t worry. There are easy ways to shop and plan where…
Dana Pulis’s journey to a marketing powerhouse Dana Pulis learned early on how to recover from a setback. In 1985, the summer before her junior year at Billings Senior High School, she was cut from the girls’ basketball team. Basketball meant everything to her at the time, and she asked the junior varsity coach why…
Why you have to answer…. I’m going to tell you a little something that took me a long time to tell. I am living WAY above my destiny. I was not designed, coached, or even encouraged to move beyond the small town where I was raised. My teachers, coaches, Girl Scout Troop leaders and early…
Trisha Kalfell is on a quiet crusade to raise awareness Behind a fringe of jet-black hair, Trisha Kalfell’s eyes sparkle with life and vitality. She’s a devoted wife and a mother of three boys, a creative hairstylist and a small-business owner, and her passion for life creates an all-over glow that no one could miss…
Face Painter Amy Schad sparks smiles with a little paint and a brush If you ask Amy Schad, there’s nothing more fun than face painting. She and her brother, Patrick Branger, a professional clown, have made a business out of making people happy. She paints faces and he makes balloon animals, juggles and performs magic…
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