FORGE WEBSITE

SUPPORTING TRANS COMMUNITIES SINCE 1994

Empowering.
Healing.
Connecting.

Events Search and Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

Today

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.

Give me a boost! What you need to know about COVID, vaccines, and treatments

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and impact our lives in different ways. Join us on Tuesday, August 16th at 7:00 PM central for an engaging info session with two trans-knowledgeable and -empowering providers: Donna Whittle, MD, and Ericka Sinclair, MS, MPH.  The presenters will discuss the latest COVID-19 information about new variants, vaccines and boosters, strategies for staying safe and healthy, and more!  Video clips from "Give me a Boost!" https://youtu.be/st_rVxICArQ https://youtu.be/GOHawyfdlSs https://youtu.be/pE9G7XIdiLM https://youtu.be/nyKtOYu2uUs

Featured Featured

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 […]

Featured Featured

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, […]

Featured Featured

Trans Vax Scene Clinic

Zao MKE Church 2319 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI, United States

Trans community members are invited to participate in a free vaccine clinic! Get an initial COVID or monkeypox vaccine, booster shots, and testing. Receive a $50 gift card when you get vaccinated, boosted, or tested! Other activities offered include free massages, connection, conversation, and buttons. The Trans Vax Scene Clinic will be held at Zao MKE Church on two dates: September 24th and October 29th, 2022

Featured Featured

Shared Solidarities: Abortion & Transgender Healthcare

This workshop will discuss how reproductive rights and trans rights are inexplicably linked and how the Dobbs decision has impacted Trans and Nonbinary people seeking healthcare. Content will include the implications of this intersection specific to trans and nonbinary folks who have experienced sexual assault and trauma. We will share real life stories of the impact this is having on TGNB individuals and provide some historical and current political context as well. Register: https://forge-forward.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BoqL5MUaSZGEK0bvapjpPg Presenters: Afton Bradley is a nurse and social worker who has provided direct care and managed multiple trans health programs in Virginia. They work as a direct practice nurse, consultant, trainer, and educator for LGBTQIA+ health services amongst providers, institutions, and community consumers. Afton Bradley, FNP, MSW, BSN, RN (they/them pronouns)       J (they/them) currently coordinates a Trans Health Program in the South. Their background is in social work with an emphasis on LGBTQ health, sexual health, immigrant justice, HIV, reproductive […]

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

Featured Featured

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. […]

Featured Featured

Good Grief! Strategies for Coping

Anti-trans legislation and attitudes have been heartbreaking. Increases in anti-trans and anti-other-marginalized people have often compromised our safety. The unrest throughout the world has been daunting. The COVID years have been hard. The reversal of basic rights has shaken many of us to our core. All of these things and more have led many of us to feel deep, profound, and pervasive grief. This gently moderated panel will bring together individuals from multiple perspectives: spiritual (Jennifer Nordstrom), clinical/mental health/therapy (Travis Trott), and within-community perspectives (Cameron Overton).

Overturning Roe v. Wade doesn’t mean overturning the right to inclusive, trauma-informed healthcare for trans and nonbinary people

This workshop will explore what reproductive health care looks like for Trans and Nonbinary people. Topics will include accessing reproductive trans health including everything from birth control to abortion options. Trans and nonbinary sexual assault and trauma survivors often have additionally complex relationships to reproductive healthcare, which will be woven into this workshop. We will provide real-life stories of Trans and Nonbinary accessing this care Presenters: Afton Bradley is a nurse and social worker who has provided direct care and managed multiple trans health programs in Virginia. They work as a direct practice nurse, consultant, trainer, and educator for LGBTQIA+ health services amongst providers, institutions, and community consumers. Afton Bradley, FNP, MSW, BSN, RN (they/them pronouns)       J (they/them) currently coordinates a Trans Health Program in the South. Their background is in social work with an emphasis on LGBTQ health, sexual health, immigrant justice, HIV, reproductive justice, harm reduction, and anti-violence. J is particularly interested in […]

Featured Featured

Trans Vax Scene Clinic

Zao MKE Church 2319 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI, United States

Trans community members are invited to participate in a free vaccine clinic! Get an initial COVID or monkeypox vaccine, booster shots, and testing. Receive a $50 gift card when you get vaccinated, boosted, or tested! Other activities offered include free massages, connection, conversation, and buttons. The Trans Vax Scene Clinic will be held at Zao MKE Church on two dates: September 24th and October 29th, 2022