Trans+ Advocacy and Activism

Description:

In a recent FORGE survey, 97% of respondents said they were interested in working to increase trans rights. In this Ask The Experts, FORGE staffers Shelley Gregory and Loree Cook-Daniels, both long-time T/LGBQ activists, will address how you can join those who are working on pro-trans policy changes locally, statewide, and nationally. Come with your questions about how and where you can fit in.

Handout of resources:  Download here

Presenters: Loree Cook-Daniels & Shelley Gregory

Loree Cook-Daniels.
Loree Cook-Daniels is the Policy and Program Director for FORGE, a Milwaukee-based national transgender and SOFFA (Significant Others, Friends, Family and Allies) organization. Cook-Daniels has been a policy analyst and advocate for LGBT issues for more than 40 years, and began working on anti-violence issues in the 1980s. With degrees in Women’s Studies and Conflict Management and a Certificate in Trauma Counseling, Cook-Daniels provides training, technical assistance, and/or services to transgender sexual violence survivors and the professionals who serve them under grants from the U.S. Office of Violence Against Women.
Shelley Gregory (they/them or any pronouns).
Shelley is a trans human, activist, and advocate, and the Strategic Project Coordinator for FORGE. Shelley has worked actively in the LGBTQI+ community for over 25 years and began to focus their work on advocacy for transgender and non-binary folx nearly two decades ago. Their background is as a civil rights lawyer. Shelley continually aims to contribute to improving quality of life for trans and non-binary individuals and increasing our inclusion in society. Shelley presently assists survivors of violence through individual advocacy and peer support, as well as policy development and public education.

ASL, Captions, and Trans/Queer-led:

Events will have an ASL interpreter and CART captioning.  Please reach out with any access needs.
Support focused groups are trans and queer led.

ABOUT events:

FORGE and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inclusion Health Clinic have created a series of events for trans+/non-binary community members, loved ones, and supporters, to come together for support, connection, learning, and empowerment.  Participants will have the opportunity to find community, feel less isolated, and learn new skills and information.
Initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many topics focus on medical and mental health issues, coping strategies, access to public benefits, links to resources, where/how to access support, creative expression, and some time to have some fun.
Sit back. Or lean in.
If you miss the live events, many will be recorded!  (Recordings available at: https://www.youtube.com/c/FORGEForwardTrans)

Thank you to our funders:

This project is funded by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Additional funding support for this event provided by Victims of Crime Act Subgrant No. 2015-VO-01-15356 awarded by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services under a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime.
Additional funding provided by Grant Number 2018-UD-AX-0011 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.  The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.