Election HANGover
Nov
6
11:00 AM11:00

Election HANGover

The day after the presidential election can often be full of big emotions. RISE wants to hold space for people to celebrate, cry, take action, and find community. Feeling ready to take action? Come find out how you can get involved in making change for your community’s future! Wanting space to relax after a stressful period? Another room will be dedicated to winding down and crafting!

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Pregnancy Decriminalization Teach-In
Nov
15
6:00 PM18:00

Pregnancy Decriminalization Teach-In

When we say "pregnancy criminalization" we are talking about the ways in which people face punishment for the outcomes of their pregnancies, including abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, or live birth. 

The goals for the teach-in include: 

  • Define how reproductive justice and abolition work are intertwined 

  • Articulate the danger and harms of pregnancy criminalization 

  • Assess resource availability and gaps for the Tri Cities 

  • Talk about resisting pregnancy criminalization 

  • Build resource hubs for Tri Cities in communities that are typically on the front lines of pregnancy criminalization and are more likely to experience state surveillance during (and after) their pregnancies

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Gender and Orientation--Changing the Narrative
Oct
2
1:00 PM13:00

Gender and Orientation--Changing the Narrative

Have you been struggling to navigate this new world of changing pronouns, new gender identities, and orientation? Or have you struggled to explain these things to family and friends? RISE has got you!!!

Join RISE and the ETSU Women and Gender Resource Center for a program that debunks myths and offers great tools for navigating gender and orientation with kindness and humility.

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RISE at STRONG ACC Regional Symposium!
Sep
5
10:00 AM10:00

RISE at STRONG ACC Regional Symposium!

Join shOUT Coalition members Cindi Huss (RISE: Healthy for Life), Caitlin Talley and Mandy Boy (YWCA of NETN/SWVA). and Jess Harmon (Ballad Health’s Department of Population Health) for an interactive presentation titled, “If only I had known…” The session, scheduled on Thursday Sept. 5 from 10-11:15 a.m., takes place in Ballroom A at the Meadowview Conference Center in Kingsport.

This discussion-based program allows participants to explore how we can improve access to sexual and reproductive health education and care for youth in the Appalachian Highlands of NE Tennessee and SW Virginia. Facilitators will set the scene with the state of sex ed in VA and TN and what approaches have been shown to improve public health. Participants will reflect on how access (or lack of access) to accurate information affected them as children, young adults, askable adults, and professionals. Finally, the group will consider how cross-sector efforts (including collective impact) can positively affect public health in our region.

RISE: Healthy for Life transforms culture around bodies and beings from fear-based to fact based, oppression to affirmation. RISE champions and provides resonsibole, inclusive, trauma-responsive sexualtiy education in the greater Tri-Cities area of Northeast Tennessee.

The YWCA of Northeast TN/Southwet VA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Their key areas of focus Include affordable childcare and after-school enrichment, racial justice, support for teen parents, and strengthening family bonds.

Ballad’s Department of Population Health implements and evaluates health improvement programming throughout the Ballad Health service area.

The shOUT Coalition is a collective impact initiative that centers youth needs around sexual and reproductive health and education in the Appalachian Highlands of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. shOUT centers youth voices and best practices and envisions a future where young people in Appalachia are heard, respected, and have all the information and support they need to lead whole, healthy lives. The shOUT Coalition holds virtual roundtables, speaks in the region, and holds an annual cross-sector summit. These efforts are all aimed at creating systems-level change in our region

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Stellar Sex Ed Facilitator Training
Jul
31
to Aug 1

Stellar Sex Ed Facilitator Training

This training will prepare facilitators to provide Stellar Sex Ed to high-school youth and adults AND to "stellarize" other curricula so it is more affirming, accessible, and trauma-informed while adhering to local and state restrictions.

Facilitator training will cover curriculum content as well as facilitation best practices and tips for making any sex ed more accessible to all neurotypes. Electronic access to the curriculum for each organization whose trainees effectively complete the course is included. Register Here.

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Rainbow Festival
Jun
29
2:00 PM14:00

Rainbow Festival

Drag shows, food trucks, resources, & more!!

The greater Tri-Cities TN area has two great Pride events every year and RISE will be at both!

First up is the Pride Education and Community Center’s Rainbow Festival. Let’s celebrate the glorious diversity of humanity and break down barriers to love and happiness!

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Under G-d screening and discussion of abortion bans
May
5
1:00 PM13:00

Under G-d screening and discussion of abortion bans

  • Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

We will watch Under G-d, a short documentary about an interfaith response to the Dobbs Decision, together, then facilitators from RISE: Healthy for Life will lead a discussion on the film and what actions we can take together in our community/state/country.

EXCITING THINGS have happened in the last month, and we will talk about that as well!.

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Identity Outlaw: Navigating Trans-ness
Apr
1
1:30 PM13:30

Identity Outlaw: Navigating Trans-ness

Join facilitator Yanik Lazarov for RISE’s third and final workshop in the Identity Outlaw series: “Navigating Trans-ness” When you received your transgender acceptance card in the mail, they didn’t include Transgender for Dummies to explain how to actually navigate hospitals, families, partners, work, coming out, HRT, deadnames, legal rights, health insurance, culture wars. Yanik has you covered, though! sAll that plus free food and a free book when you attend this workshop!

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Identity Outlaw: Queer Sex Safety
Mar
4
1:30 PM13:30

Identity Outlaw: Queer Sex Safety

Join facilitator Yanik Lazarov for RISE’s second workshop in the Identity Outlaw series: “Queer Sex Safety.” “Don’t have sex or you will get pregnant and die!” Is a quote you might have heard in a sex education class, or maybe you haven’t had any sex education at all! If you’re curious, want to stay safe, or have no idea what is going on outside of “penis + vagina = sex” then this is the workshop for you.

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K-2nd grade Our Whole Lives series
Mar
2
1:00 PM13:00

K-2nd grade Our Whole Lives series

This series is an 8-week relationship, healthy bodies, and human development education program for Kindergarten-2nd graders.

A mandatory orientation for families and kids will take place Saturday March 2 from 1-3. Classes for kids begin Saturday March 9 and run from 1-3 p.m. Youth will get the most out of the class if they attend all sessions.

The final class, April 27, will involve children AND their adults exploring what the kids have learned and celebrating their participation in the class.

Spots are limited; registration closes Feb. 29 at midnight.

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Coexisting Facilitator Training
Feb
16
1:00 PM13:00

Coexisting Facilitator Training

“Coexisting,” a curriculum developed by Mattie Raza, gives survivors access to support and resources they need to connect with others, build resilience, create effective safety plans, and seek the mental and medical healthcare they need to thrive.

Join us for a free facilitator training by Raza and Marissa Kluk that is especially effective for certified peer recovery specialists and others who work with clients at the intersection of domestic violence and substance use disorder.

Preregistration is required.

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sHOUT Coalition General Meeting
Feb
7
10:00 AM10:00

sHOUT Coalition General Meeting

We are calling a general membership meeting on Wednesday, Feb 7 from 10-11:30 a.m. This will be a Zoom meeting—register to receive the link.

The Appalachian Highlands shOUT Coalition works to transform community systems to better serve the sexual health needs of youth in the Appalachian Highlands of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. The shOUT Coalition centers youth voices and best practices.

If you or your organization serve youth of any age and want to ensure a healthy future free of shame and stigma around relationships, bodies, health, and sexuality, please join us as we work to change culture in our region. Change from within is the most powerful change of all!

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Identity Outlaw: Gender  101
Feb
5
1:30 PM13:30

Identity Outlaw: Gender 101

Join facilitator Yanik Lazarov for RISE’s first workshop in the Identity Outlaw series: “Gender 101.” Are you feeling unsure of how to navigate all this gender stuff? Why isn’t pink for girls and blue for boys anymore? What’s the deal with folx changing their pronouns every other day? And how do I help others understand this? All that plus free food and a free book when you attend this workshop.


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Stellar Sex Ed Facilitator Training
Jan
23
to Jan 24

Stellar Sex Ed Facilitator Training

This training will prepare facilitators to provide Stellar Sex Ed to high-school youth and adults AND to "stellarize" other curricula so it is more affirming, accessible, and trauma-informed while adhering to local and state restrictions.

Facilitator training will cover curriculum content as well as facilitation best practices and tips for making any sex ed more accessible to all neurotypes. Electronic access to the curriculum for each organization whose trainees effectively complete the course is included. Register Here.

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Stellar Sex Ed for Middle Schoolers
Jan
14
to Mar 3

Stellar Sex Ed for Middle Schoolers

  • Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Youth will learn about the power of language, anatomy, puberty, body image, gender, attraction, bias, consent, relationship dynamics, porn (it is adult entertainment, not youth education), media literacy, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, STIs, and prevention.

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It's beginning to look a lot like...VULVAS
Dec
12
6:00 PM18:00

It's beginning to look a lot like...VULVAS

Join Jess and Cindi to make vulva ornaments. This is a gift that keeps on giving: Vulvas are great all year round, and each one has a clitoris so the uninitiated have a road map!

This fundraising event is open to people of all genders and for ages 16 and older.

Suggested donation, but pay what you can:

  • $20 general

  • $5 student

Can’t come but want to support us anyway? Donate here!

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Identity Outlaw: Navigating Trans-ness
Nov
13
5:00 PM17:00

Identity Outlaw: Navigating Trans-ness

Join facilitator Yanik Lazarov for RISE’s third and final workshop in the Identity Outlaw series: “Navigating Trans-ness” When you received your transgender acceptance card in the mail, they didn’t include Transgender for Dummies to explain how to actually navigate hospitals, families, partners, work, coming out, HRT, deadnames, legal rights, health insurance, culture wars. Yanik has you covered, though! sAll that plus free food and a free book when you attend this workshop!

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How to be an Askable Adult
Oct
21
12:00 PM12:00

How to be an Askable Adult

Do you struggle to know how to approach “the talk”? Do you wonder what is the right age to begin talking with your child about sex and sexuality? Are you worried about sharing information that is not age appropriate? We can help calm your anxiety and empower you to be your child’s primary sexuality educator.


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Identity Outlaw: Queer Sex Safety
Oct
9
5:00 PM17:00

Identity Outlaw: Queer Sex Safety

Join facilitator Yanik Lazarov for RISE’s second workshop in the Identity Outlaw series: “Queer Sex Safety.” “Don’t have sex or you will get pregnant and die!” Is a quote you might have heard in a sex education class, or maybe you haven’t had any sex education at all! If you’re curious, want to stay safe, or have no idea what is going on outside of “penis + vagina = sex” then this is the workshop for you.

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Stellar Sex Ed at ETSU
Oct
4
to Nov 15

Stellar Sex Ed at ETSU

Six Wednesday afternnons this fall, Access ETSU sponsors Stellar Sex Ed, a program by RISE: Healthy for Life, a local nonprofit that transforms culture round bodies and beings from fear-based to fact-based, oppression to affirmation. Preregistration is NOT requited.

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RISE on panel at ETSU's Equity and Inclusion Student Conference
Sep
30
10:35 AM10:35

RISE on panel at ETSU's Equity and Inclusion Student Conference

RISE will participate in a panel on “Addressing Sexual Health Disparities for Gender Minorities on ETSU’s Campus” as part of ETSU’s 5th annual Equity and Inclusion Conference, Sept 28-30, 2023. The panel for the student conference will take place on Saturday Sept. 30, 2023, from 10:35-11:30 a.m.

RISE is participating with Maggie Wood from A Step Ahead Tri-Cities, and Rebecca Strasser and Mattie Raza from Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) at ETSU. Phyllis Thompson, former head of WGSS and current chair of ETSU’s Department of Counseling and Human Services will moderate.

Registration is now open for the conference. What a wonderful world this will be!

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RISE on panel at ETSU's Equity and Inclusion Conference
Sep
28
10:00 AM10:00

RISE on panel at ETSU's Equity and Inclusion Conference

RISE will participate in a panel on “Addressing Sexual Health Disparities for Gender Minorities on ETSU’s Campus” as part of ETSU’s 5th annual Equity and Inclusion Conference, Sept 28-30, 2023. The panel will take place on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, from 10-10:50 a.m.

RISE is participating with Maggie Wood from A Step Ahead Tri-Cities, and Rebecca Strasser and Mattie Raza from Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) at ETSU. Phyllis Thompson, former head of WGSS and current chair of ETSU’s Department of Counseling and Human Services will moderate.

Registration is now open for the conference. What a wonderful world this will be!

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