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Biden’s First Hundred Days: What is means for trans & non-binary communities

Much has changed dramatically for trans and non-binary rights since President Biden took office, including who’s representing our interests and how they’re discussed. Please join FORGE for conversation about what has changed in the first 100 days (and what’s stayed the same). We’ll review the administration’s commitments, explore roadblocks and what remains to be done, and hold space for discussion about how we as community members can contribute to making change. FORGE informational events are focused on people in the trans/non-binary community(ies). Everyone is welcome – friends, family, loved ones. Presenters: Shelley Gregory & Loree Cook-Daniels 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 […]

Black Trans Leadership Panel

In collaboration with FORGE, Dezjorn International is facilitating a panel discussion – “Black Trans/NB Panel: How to Lead at Any Level!” This online event will highlight Black Trans & Nonbinary leaders from across the country. The panel will cover a wide range of topics focused on BlackTrans leadership, what makes a great leader, and some challenges of being a leader. Additional content will focus on why diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential in any industry and what non-BlackTrans people and systems can do to promote conversations and change about social justice. Moderator and Host: Dezjorn Gauthier, Dezjorn International Dezjorn Gauthier is the CEO of Dezjorn International LLC, a small business firm compiled of several subsidiaries jointly committed to helping clients reach their goals of branding, public relations, investing and global influence. He is also the founder of The DIF Inc, a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate, empower, and inspire people of marginalized communities […]

Trans inclusive therapy 1

Trans-Inclusive Therapy Practices, Part I

Join FORGE for the first of two panel discussions with experienced therapists whose practices include transgender and nonbinary clients. We’ll hear from a group of therapists about inclusive practices, gender-affirming therapy, and how individual therapists approach working with transgender and nonbinary clients. Bring your questions for our panel about therapy in general, or about their specific practices. Panelists: Jan Singer, LCSW Kim Skerven, Ph.D Travis Trott, LCSW

Liberatory Responses to Suicide and Crisis

Liberatory Responses to Suicide and Crisis

In this session, we will discuss the history of carceral responses to suicide and crisis. Beginning with the conflation of madness and queerness, we will explore the ways queer and trans people have been targeted by carceral psychiatric and psychological “interventions.” We will trace the persistence of this historical trauma’s legacy in current crisis response models. After grounding in historical and contemporary responses to crisis and suicide, we will imagine liberatory frameworks for responding to suicide and crisis that resist paradigms of punishment and pathology. Presenter: Jess Stohlmann-Rainey. I am Jess (she/her) and I love to talk about suicide. I am a mad, queer, feminist, care worker. I am a trainer and consultant, and work as Director of Peer Services at Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners (who provides the statewide crisis and peer lines, RAINN hotline, Colorado Lifeline, and others), and an instructor at the University of Denver’s School of Professional Psychology. I live as a […]

Queerly creative

Queerly Creative Daily Art Journaling with Sassafras Lowrey

For nonbinary and transgender people of all ages putting our stories onto the page is important and can even be personally transformative. Creative daily art journaling is a way that we can document our queer lives for memory and self-reflection. Art journaling involves combining words, photos, drawings, cut/paste from magazines/newspapers/mail, stickers etc. onto the page to document memories. Especially during the pandemic which has brought so much isolation and uncertainty, art journaling can be a personal (or collaborative) way of documenting the special and mundane moments of daily life. In this workshop we will explore tips for no/low-cost ways of getting started with art journaling, techniques for art journaling, and strategies for queerly incorporating creative journaling into your life. ---------------------- Register in advance for this meeting: https://forge-forward.zoom.us/.../tZ0rf... After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. ---------------------- SUPPLIES NEEDED: -- Notebook of any kind and size (optional) -- Paper (lined […]

Connecting with Community: Pods and Mutual Aid

Pod mapping is a useful way to identify the resources you need, where to connect to those resources, as well as what you have to offer others. Pod mapping can be useful in building community and creating mutual aid structures. In this pod mapping workshop, we will discuss creating supportive networks, navigating stalking or harassment-related behaviors by others, reducing violence in our communities, and protecting ourselves and communities from COVID-19 and other illnesses through connection and mutual aid. While pods are not a perfect solution, they are useful as a way to increase support and reduce risks. Join us on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 for conversations about the positive impact of pods and pod mapping.

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Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults. Join FORGE and Rob Vallentine for a two part training to develop skills for supporting people in crisis. Trans and nonbinary communities often support each other. Many of us and our loved ones experience challenges with our mental health. This course will help people learn how to identify symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, interact and connect with a person in crisis, and support others in accessing the care that they need. The training involves a two-hour pre-training self-paced course, and two three-hour workshops (6:00 - 9:00 PM Eastern on September 12th and 13th). Please register for Mental Health First Aid Training at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MHFirstAid22 Registration will close two weeks before the training, on August 29th, 2022. Presenters: Rob Vallentine and Suzanne Pearlman Rob Vallentine is an Executive in Residence at […]

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WiTEACH Launch with James Santelle

Former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, James L. Santelle, will help launch WiTEACH with the presentation, “What is Our Government Doing About Transgender Rights and Opportunities in 2022 and Beyond? A Discussion of Recent Federal and State Developments in the Law.” There will be a Q&A session. 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Central More about James Santelle:  James L. Santelle served for 6-1/2 years as the Court-appointed and Presidentially-appointed United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, in which capacity he was the chief federal law enforcement officer for the area encompassing the 26 eastern-most counties in the State.  For approximately 25 years prior to that, he was employed as an Assistant United States Attorney, assigned responsibility for the prosecution of a wide variety of criminal actions (including violent offenses, human trafficking/child exploitation, drugs/guns/gangs matters, and financial crimes, and many others) and civil actions (including health care, program fraud, and housing, […]

WiTEACH – Resource mapping

Wisconsin’s trans community has exploded in recent years, and so has interest in serving us. In this interactive meeting we will collaborate in creating maps and directories of resources available to trans community members. Registration: https://forge-forward.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvf-qrrT8tGtwV9y2dXvOjpc_m9bjoS0W5 Who is welcome at WiTEACH? Everyone who wants a Wisconsin within which trans and nonbinary individuals and families are welcomed, supported, and helped to thrive. About Wisconsin Transgender Education and Advocacy Coalition for Health: WiTEACH is a new trans people/service providers/community members statewide coalition designed to focus and make more effective efforts to improve the lives of transgender and nonbinary individuals and families. We invite you to join us! Our first year will be devoted to expanding and improving the availability of quality mental health care for transgender and nonbinary people throughout the state. WiTEACH Community Meetings (Zoom) 2nd Wednesday of the month

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Supporting Trans Mental Health: Uncovering Barriers and Building Solutions

Mental health challenges are common in the trans community. This webinar is intended for therapists, mental health providers, and other social services professionals.  Topics to be explored include the higher rates of mental health issues, why rates might be higher, common barriers trans community members face in accessing effective mental health assistance, and what steps providers can take to reduce those barriers. We will also examine the resilience so many trans people embody, as well as the challenges. Other webinars in this series: This is part of a four-webinar series in year 1 of WiTEACH. Join us for any or all of these training events.  Webinars are intended for mental health and other service providers, as well as open to any community member who is interested in improving the mental health of trans and nonbinary people. 1_ Supporting Trans Mental Health: Uncovering Barriers and Building Solutions Thursday, October 13, 2022 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. […]