'Rest in power, Joel': Helena to dedicate Feb. 23 in honor of late disabilities advocate

The city of Helena will dedicate Monday, Feb. 23, to Joel Peden, a longtime advocate for people living with disabilities in Helena and across the state who died recently.

Helena Mayor Emily Dean will read a proclamation at Monday’s City Commission meeting dedicating the day to Peden, who worked on Lewis and Clark Public Health’s Inclusiveness Committee and was an advocacy coordinator with Ability Montana and several other disability-rights organizations over the years.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Joel Peden has passed away,” Lewis and Clark Public Health wrote in a social media post. “… Joel was a passionate and dedicated advocate for the disability community. He helped foster a more inclusive workspace at LCPH through his work with the Inclusiveness Committee, walk audits, wheelchair charging stations, the Active Living Wayfinding System and more.”

Peden was a staunch advocate for people living with disabilities in Montana, often lobbying lawmakers at the state Capitol for more inclusive laws and joining lawsuits to fight for disability rights.

Peden cut the ribbon for the Capitol’s first wheelchair charging station in 2019 and this past May spoke with the Independent Record about the positive impact a new charging station at Tenmile Creek Park would have for the community.

He also pushed for the governor’s housing task force to consider people living with disabilities in its work when the task force lacked such a voice, advocated for stronger community- and home-based services coming from the state health department, sought better voting and hunting access for people with disabilities, and was party to a lawsuit against the state’s law that banned businesses from requiring their employees to be vaccinated that was passed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dean will make the proclamation declaring Feb. 23 as “Joel Peden Day” at 6 p.m. on Monday in Room 330 of the City-County Building. People can also watch online at https://zoom.helenamt.gov/ej/c/69777057/february2326regular.

“Rest in power, Joel,” the county health department said in its social media post.