Join FORGE and friends for a low-key support group to chill, connect with others, chat, and color. Folks will have the opportunity to just BE with each other. This coloring & chatting event will be centered around Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), with awareness-themed coloring pages (keep an eye out for these to be posted soon!) What is SAAM? Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an annual campaign to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence. What to bring? - A cup of hot chocolate or another favorite beverage - Pens, pencils, markers to color with - Coloring pages or book (or print a copy of one of the SAAM-focused coloring pages) - YOURSELF – however you are feeling, whatever state you are in! FORGE support events are focused on people in the trans/non-binary community(ies). Everyone is welcome – friends, family, loved ones. As we color, […]

Safe dating should always be a priority. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are trying to meet our needs for connection with others, while also balancing needs for safety. We may already be dating or hooking up and want to make these interactions safer, or we may be thinking about starting to date or hook up as vaccinations roll out. Join us for an informative panel discussion about safe dating, COVID-19, and how changing situations may impact our dating choices. Please bring questions if you have them, or just come to listen and discuss! Event host: michael munson Panelists will be announced soon. Zoom link: https://forge-forward.zoom.us/j/92745710374 Meeting ID: 927 4571 0374

Have you wondered how to incorporate mindfulness and meditation practices into your life?  Do you worry that the only “right” way is to contort your body into uncomfortable (or unachievable) positions – and then stay that way for a long time? There are many ways we ALL can engage in increased mindfulness in our daily lives. Lance Weinhardt will share an overview of what mindfulness is and isn’t, some of the benefits, and introduce a few 100% accessible mindfulness techniques each of us can use. This session will also include a video by Fresh Lev White, a black trans activist for love and compassion, which will guide attendees through mindfulness-based gratitude. Lance Weinhardt is a Professor of Community and Behavioral Health Promotion  at UW Milwaukee, with research interests in transgender health, HIV, and food security. He incorporates wellness into his life in many ways, including hiking, meditating, mindfulness, and connecting deeply with his family. Fresh […]

We often hear that movement is good for our body and mind.  True, right?  Many of us may find it difficult to find or make time to move our bodies.  Many of us have bodies that don’t move like our peers.  Many of us are not accessing indoor venues for movement due to COVID.  There are tons of easy and fun ways to include movement in our daily life.  Join in for sharing and conversation. ## Join Zoom Meeting Topic: Movement for Mental Health https://forge-forward.zoom.us/j/83112056174 Meeting ID: 831 1205 6174

During this winter season, it can be helpful to take some time to step out of our usual routines and explore the familiar or unfamiliar world around us. We’re encouraging folks to take a mindful walk through your neighborhood, around your home, or any space accessible to you, and look for some specific scavenger hunt items. This can be an individual activity, or something you do with friends or family. You might just notice something you’ve never seen before, or practice gratitude for things you see every day! Feel free to find items at your own pace. You could find everything in one day, or spread it out over a week! Take photos of the items you find, or bring the item itself, and we’ll meet together to share our items, photos, experiences, and thoughts on this form of exploration. How to participate: Download the Scavenger Hunt checklist here: https://forge-wi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Winter-Scavenger-Hunt.pdf Find items that correspond to […]