Alexis Bonogofsky - Taking a Stand for the West

Alexis Bonogofsky is a rancher, conservationist, and community organizer who is fiercely committed to protecting the landscapes and communities of eastern Montana. While much of Alexis’s career has been devoted to environmental issues in the West, the 2011 Exxon oil spill in the Yellowstone River brought the fight to her doorstep—her family’s pastures were inundated with oil, threatening not only the local ecosystem, but the livelihoods of her family and community. Since that spill and the ensuing battle with Exxon, Alexis has become an outspoken advocate for ranchers, farmers, and rural Montana stakeholders. Through her writing, photography, and old-fashioned relationship-building, Alexis has become an invaluable force in bringing people together even in today’s divisive political climate. • Alexis grew up in eastern Montana as part of a tight-knit, hardworking, blue-collar family. Her parents engrained in her a rock-solid work ethic, a deep sense of responsibility, and a refusal to back down from bullies-- characteristics that have served her well in her life and career. Alexis studied international development in undergrad and grad school, but decided that rather than taking her expertise to another country, she could apply those invaluable skills to her home of eastern Montana. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Alexis is humble and open-minded, but completely unwavering when it comes to standing up against individuals or companies that seek to take advantage of the less powerful. • I can’t overstate how much I enjoyed this conversation. Alexis is a shining example of the impact that one person can have if she’s willing to work hard, be humble, play the long game, and have the bravery to put herself out there. We cover a lot, including the Exxon oil spill and how it affected her life, work, and sense of responsibility. We talk about her time working with Native Americans as part of the Tribal Lands Partnership, and some of the wisdom gained from that job. She discusses the lessons learned from her parents and shares some thoughts on her father’s tragic death several years ago. We also delve into her writing process, hunting, public lands, goats, llamas, and our mutual contempt for bullies. And Alexis also offers a ton of book recommendations that have never been mentioned on the podcast before. • This is a seriously inspiring episode, so I’m very excited for you to listen. Be sure to check out Alexis’s blog “East of Billings” and follow her on social media. I have links to everything in the episode notes. Enjoy! ••• Episode Notes: http://mountainandprairie.com/alexis/ East of Billings: http://www.eastofbillings.com ••• TOIPICS DISCUSSED: 4:10 - How Alexis describes her work 5:25 - Eastern Montana described 7:30 - Exxon oil spill on Alexis’s farm 11:00 - Dealing with Exxon 17:00 - The origins of Alexis’s leadership abilities 20:35 - Role models 23:20 - Misunderstandings around “environmentalists” 26:10 - Education and early work 28:40 - Lessons learned from working with Native American tribes 31:00 - Technique for finding common ground among opposing groups 34:30 - Political aspirations? 35:15 - Resources that have shaped Alexis’s thoughts on organizing 38:35 - Writing and photography 42:00 - Bravery required for writing 43:30 - Alexis’s father’s tragic death 46:45 - Distaste for bullies 49:30 - Public Lands 52:45 - Artemis Sportswomen 55:00 - Goats! 58:10 - Favorite books 1:00:35 - Favorite films 1:01:30 - Other activities 1:02:35 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:04:30 - Favorite location in the West 1:05:00 - Best advice 1:06:30 - Request of listeners 1:07:40 - Connect with Alexis