<html><body><p><img src="https://assets.littlegreenlight.com/media/W1siZiIsIjIwMTYvMDgvMjUvY3M1M2wxeXJuX0VtcG93ZXJNVF9sZXR0ZXJoZWFkXzFfLmpwZyJdXQ?sha=5ecabba538ccdad2" border="0" alt="EmpowerMTLeaderHead2" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Contact:</strong><span>Heidi Wallace, Executive Director</span><span> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><strong>Phone:</strong> </span><span>406-541-6891 </span><span> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Email:</strong><span>heidi@empowermt.org </span><span> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Address: </strong><span>1124 Cedar Street, Missoula, MT 59802</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><strong>Website:</strong> </span><a href="https://u2155080.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/click?upn=AIXPmJV-2F8rMUJfrGBempvqmpAYp555-2FHkYHOA-2FA5PdQ-3D_mSGPTRW-2FT-2FQPGYphe7gfA6PYRqFOSewUuRbBHgre9xwifIpEoqSnL9B4nkH7GaJjB0ScaHyeTios7FrLoOsOkevzvLT9z84ZA0SMXIlY2Ic-2Bl8AGV2n8cQctvX9cA4-2FA7E8Xu-2F0XgU0mSh3Z7sc8QaAObGhURDauATTRTDtlcl5cM6GSynM3obXw7gZcs1I77XHVL3ZZetBmhJO-2BQ3NUAxUOVBHNUr6IgBdQe3XkRO0VKFBSyukKq-2BnrsKCITCyrL4YJnwzlr4U-2FEEasMv9XbA-3D-3D"><span>www.empowermt.org</span></a></p>
<p><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>NCBI Missoula Transitioning Name to EmpowerMT</span><span><br class="kix-line-break" /><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The</span><span> National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) of Missoula’s Board of Directors is excited to announce that this summer, the organization will be changing their name to Empower Montana (EmpowerMT) and will become a fully independent 501(c)(3) organization. EmpowerMT will officially begin operating under its new name and launch its new website (</span><a href="https://u2155080.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/click?upn=AIXPmJV-2F8rMUJfrGBempvqmpAYp555-2FHkYHOA-2FA5PdQ-3D_mSGPTRW-2FT-2FQPGYphe7gfA6PYRqFOSewUuRbBHgre9xwifIpEoqSnL9B4nkH7GaJjB0ScaHyeTios7FrLoOsOkevzvLT9z84ZA0SMXIlY2Ic-2Bl8AGV2n8cQctvX9cA4-2FAihABRs6TUJxn8Vw0OgvCOyrgk5UML79q0K-2FSFw51szdcc7WK8Q3n6vnGp8apo1Fi7yr8hexDFYnMdR7OZl0-2FeFKDX1suVtwCGYMqixiOhWRIK8WBtilQx0XOZyfw-2Fk7lHdhZ0R1KxRBe08tJtIPP4w-3D-3D"><span>www.empowermt.org</span></a><span>) on September 1</span><span>st</span><span>, 2016. </span><strong>An open house will be held Tuesday, August 30th from 5-7 PM at EmpowerMT’s office (1124 Cedar Street) and media outlets are invited to attend.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>“We are so proud of the work we have done throughout Montana as NCBI Missoula and strongly believe that moving forward as EmpowerMT will provide even more opportunities to develop leaders, strengthen communities & organizations, and end mistreatment,” stated EmpowerMT Executive Director Heidi Wallace. “The name EmpowerMT clearly states what we do and where we want to go as an organization, empowering leaders to create more just and inclusive societies across Montana.”</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In 1998, a group of campus and community leaders were looking for ways to address pervasive prejudice and violence in the state and attended a training hosted by NCBI International. Shortly after Missoula became home to a chapter operating under NCBI International’s non-profit status. Over the past 18 years the Missoula chapter has grown from a staff of two to six, with several interns and practicum students, and has reached over 52,000 students, educators, business and community leaders across the state of Montana. Over the past year NCBI Missoula traveled over 5,100 miles and worked with over 6,000 individuals including 4,000 youth and 600 educators. Additionally, due to its successful leadership pipeline, NCBI Missoula has empowered over 100 volunteer trainers with opportunities to co-lead its prejudice reduction, conflict transformation and violence prevention curriculum.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>“NCBI Missoula’s Board of Directors felt that it was time for the organization to take this next step and become a fully independent organization,” said EmpowerMT Board President Kindle Lewis. “We also want to thank NCBI International and their Executive Director Cherie Brown for supporting us in becoming EmpowerMT.” </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>EmpowerMT will continue its historic partnership with NCBI International as an organizational affiliate and </span><span>will continue offering the same youth programs, community events, and facilitation and training services. EmpowerMT’s Board of Directors feels strongly that this exciting transition will help the organization increase its ability to accomplish its mission of creating a more just and inclusive society by developing youth and adult leaders who work to end mistreatment, correct systemic inequalities and strengthen communities across Montana. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://u2155080.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/click?upn=iwA6rlATYQJ9bk-2BXypiqyzMTigI3L-2B7ud3at-2BtICQMf0A4U0aZdl1h-2Fru49i-2FWNQI5AgpQ8j-2B0FYa6vgNPb-2Fx1WFC6EFUc95NVzrRq4y5Q13njYahjqw1nAPhJiiNrm8RmQ4MHsr2exA7k5cEgKqOw-3D-3D_mSGPTRW-2FT-2FQPGYphe7gfA6PYRqFOSewUuRbBHgre9xwifIpEoqSnL9B4nkH7GaJjB0ScaHyeTios7FrLoOsOkevzvLT9z84ZA0SMXIlY2Ic-2Bl8AGV2n8cQctvX9cA4-2FAgDga7-2FGM-2Bomd4y-2FMa0t5HgQrFlzquJiMqwApt-2FGMgIgo3eSvXvhnwAh9-2B06w24Zm7U8oFhvmEdZRsebgMIfb6l7EF-2FL-2BPgcH3EXpRcNuGUGAlnqVuzVB-2B8BIdq9Um73siIil4LCmiQ1L-2FPz557PB5Q-3D-3D">Download PDF Version</a></p>
<img src="https://u2155080.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/open?upn=mSGPTRW-2FT-2FQPGYphe7gfA6PYRqFOSewUuRbBHgre9xwifIpEoqSnL9B4nkH7GaJjB0ScaHyeTios7FrLoOsOkevzvLT9z84ZA0SMXIlY2Ic-2Bl8AGV2n8cQctvX9cA4-2FAjJO3ZmcLmQRD8rUmdt0vbJL3pzgUCN7RHbgymVL50rlF9-2BseKhCW6LeihC1a-2FhBumRSMOuvK4oEklZQBZEMXxfh1Tq2f1b8PviPRmFTt8JoqdelURtL65sTuy5ovJi2MhVqdPgoXZDHdA0OMiLxVKeP3cCV8w-2Bo7vEaJIl6hLT8-3D" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" style="height:1px !important;width:1px !important;border-width:0 !important;margin-top:0 !important;margin-bottom:0 !important;margin-right:0 !important;margin-left:0 !important;padding-top:0 !important;padding-bottom:0 !important;padding-right:0 !important;padding-left:0 !important;"/>
</body></html>