What the Helena

31. "You Can't Legislate People's Feelings" with Meshayla Cox

What the Helena

Show Notes

This week, our Senior Organizing Manager Lyla Brown chatted with Meshayla Cox, the Founder and Principal Consultant at CoEquity Consulting. Meshayla and Lyla talked about SB 222, the state's unwillingness to grapple with an authentic version of history, and their hopes for a more honest and equitable future.

Check out the full What the Helena newsletter and all of this week's calls to action at this link.

Join us in Bozeman on March 11 for the Montana Youth Organizing Summit!

Looking for more tips and tricks for how to be involved in the legislative session? We've got you covered!

This episode was hosted by Forward Montana's Advocacy Team and our Senior Organizing Manager, Lyla Brown! What the Helena is edited by Cassidy Reeves.

More from What the Helena

Oct 19, 2026

What does true political representation look like when it’s built from the ground up? In this episode of What the Helena?, I sit down with historic leader Denise Juneau, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the first Native American woman elected to statewide executive office in the nation. We take a deep dive into the past, present, and future of civic engagement across Indian Country in Montana. From breaking down systemic voting barriers to the rising power of youth organizers and the legislative Native American Caucus, Denise breaks down what it takes to convert election season momentum into long term political authority. 🔗 To get engaged: forwardmontana.org

Oct 12, 2026

Since 1906, Montanans have used the citizen initiative process to pass pivotal laws, from expanding public lands access and raising the minimum wage to protecting healthcare choices and restricting lobbying. But in recent years, mounting bureaucratic hurdles, legal delays, and legislative pushback have made bringing an issue to the ballot harder than ever.In this episode, host Caleb sits down with Dani Hess from the Montanans Decide campaign to break down Constitutional Initiative 133 (CI-133). 🔗To find out more about CI-133: montanansdecide.com🔗To get involved with Forward Montana: forwardmontana.org

Oct 5, 2026

Every election cycle, millions of dollars in untraceable dark money flood Montana mailboxes, TV screens, and text messages. But this fall, Montanans are voting on Initiative 194 (also known as "The Montana Plan") a ballot measure designed to pull back the curtain on political spending and eliminate anonymous money.

Sep 28, 2026

From the Rattlesnake Valley to the Beartooth Range, Montana’s roadless areas offer clean water, world-class outdoor access, and pristine wildlife habitat. But a new federal proposal could open up nearly 60 million acres nationwide to industrial logging and road building. Host Caleb Klaus speaks with MontPIRG Campus Organizer Madison Morgan about the history of the 2001 Roadless Rule, the disconnect between public demand and federal policy, and why the fight to protect our public heritage is coming to a head right now.

Sep 21, 2026

How do you exercise your constitutional right to vote when you don’t have a mailbox, an ID, or a fixed address? In this episode of What the Helena?, host Caleb Klaus sits down with David Quattrocchi, an organizer with the Unhoused Neighbors Union in Missoula. Together, they break down how housing insecurity acts as a structural form of voter suppression; from loss of critical documents during encampment sweeps to $500 urban camping fines that trap working people in the legal system. David shares how the Unhoused Neighbors Union is building cross-class solidarity, why community organizing relies on those with lived experience, and what concrete federal and local policy changes are actually needed to guarantee housing justice for all Montanans. 🔗Get involved with Forward Montana: forwardmontana.org 🏠Learn more about the Unhoused Neighbors Union: UNU Missoula on Instagram

See all episodes →