Winona State University ’s student-led activist group, Fighting for Our Rights and Gender Equality, want to get the word out about their activism this year and their future goals for the women’s studies group.

One of the purposes of FORGE, as the organization’s constitution states, is “to act as a safe forum to speak about gender issues on campus, in the community and around the world and to help fight toward equality for all people in the cases of, but not limited to, gender, race, class, sexual orientation and age.”

FORGE meets every other Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Maxwell 216 to organize and prepare for events and to discuss the issues focused on in the group.

“A lot of people don’t know what’s going on, they haven’t heard about our activities, otherwise they would be active, so we want to get the word out,” said Nikki Gruis, WSU senior and student facilitator of FORGE.

Gruis said that there are about 50 members between FORGE and WILL , Women Involved in Learning and Living, but only about 15 are continually active.

FORGE works in collaboration with the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), a pro-choice organization, for their events and forms of activism.

Mary Fanning , WSU senior and active member of FORGE, listed the many occasions that their group has been active.

“We tabled on campus, registered about 100 voters and campaigned for pro-choice candidates such as Paul Wellstone , Sharon Ropes and Walter Mondale ,” Fanning said.

FORGE held several events in October on campus for celebrations such as Love Your Body Day to promote self esteem, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Gay and Lesbian History Month acknowledgements and National Young Women’s Day of Action, which focuses on issues that feminists and women in general are active about. 

Regina Elliott, Vice President of WILL and active member of FORGE, recognized those who have died from domestic violence with her heading of the clothesline project earlier in the semester. 

FORGE liaison Shari Schuh made it possible to have the FORGE sponsored speaker Diana Miller from the Women’s Resource Center come to speak at WSU.

 FORGE was also represented with a table at the club fair with goodie bags of condoms, buttons, stickers and candy.

“FORGE has a lot to do with networking. We’ve done a lot with the college Democrats, WSU Greens and WILL . FORGE is the activist wing of the women’s studies group,” Gruis said.

Currently FORGE is involved in STRIDES–a bimonthly mentorship for middle school girls that centers on social skills, respect and self esteem. Gruis said, “This is important because the prime age for self esteem issues in girls is 13.”

Night raids and chalkings for awareness events are common ways FORGE members try to get their messages out.

“If you have seen any signs around campus with statistics or information, chances are that FORGE put those out concerning domestic violence, rape, women’s issues and choice,” said Fanning.

A recent event, such as the Paul Wellstone memorial, was organized in collaboration with the college Democrats to remember a politician supported by FORGE.

Roe V. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that gave women the legal right to choose abortion, will be celebrated by FORGE because of the ruling’s 30th anniversary on Jan. 22.

Events with the theme of 1953-2003 will include a play, a pro-choice video and discussion, and a pro-choice forum with the executive director of Minnesota NARAL, Tim Stanley, as the keynote speaker.

“Without the help of FORGE these activities probably wouldn’t be happening,” Fanning said.

Gruis applied to bring to WSU the Feminist Majority Foundation in hopes of forming an affiliation with FORGE. “The main point is not just pro-choice, but it’s about giving women the opportunity to have the right to choose in everything such as schools, careers and reproductive choices,” Gruis said.

“We’re working really hard right now in helping to plan the women’s studies first ever spring conference held here at WSU,” Fanning said.

Fanning described this leadership conference, “Opening Doors: We’re the leaders we’ve been waiting for,” as a conference at the end of March, that invites faculty, the entire MnSCU system, community members and students to pre-register and have the opportunity to share papers, artwork and experiences.

“It’ll be a very empowering conference,” Fanning said.

FORGE has recently registered for the June national women’s studies conference that will be held in New Orleans. FORGE has been working on a proposal for a roundtable discussion, which Gruis and Fanning described as an event that would be extremely prestigious for those involved in women’s studies because it would give them extensive experience and place them among successful feminists who will be present at the conference.  

Gruis said, “My hope is for FORGE to remain as active as it has been this year. I hope the issues that are so important to women, and all genders alike, will stay in the forefront.”

“It’s just an empowering group that makes you feel like you’re making a difference. My hope is that more students become aware of these issues and donate some of their time to creating awareness for these issues,” Fanning said.

For updates, links, resources and more information about FORGE visit http://studentclubs.winona.edu/forge