Steve Koenig will serve as Director of  LLC-III, and longtime activist Peter Fiske also agreed to a major leadership role in organizing the event. Mr. Koenig stated that the aim of LLC-III is to help members of the SM/Leather/Fetish Community confront the many unique issues and situations the community is apt to face and added: "In the SM/Leather/Fetish Community, we face numerous obstacles to organizing not faced by other communities. This Conference is a way for our community to network, to learn how to combat the biases of mainstream society and to teach people how to deal with the unique issues our community must address."

Two previous Leather Leadership Conferences have been held, both in New York City, and these were very successful in presenting useful tools and information for activists, advocates, and individuals in the SM/Leather/Fetish Community. Now, the organizers of the original conferences are working with San Francisco activists so LLC-III SAN FRANCISCO can help spread this information throughout the country and develop a cohesive group of activists and leaders, to ensure safety, equality of representation, rights, and freedom of expression for our people in society.

Papa Tony Imperial Article

Also see LEATHER JOURNAL NEWS

San Francisco Leather Pride Week

Folsom Street Fair

Dave Rhodes and his Mavica 91 were at it again, this time in San Francisco. Here Mama Reinhardt, Donna Sachet, Bob Brunson and Peter Fiske at Donna's Second Annual Folsom Street Fair Kickoff Party on Sunday, September 24.

These four baseball players drew lots of eyes at the Fair.

Northwind from Vancouver, Canada and Ed Sparan from Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The MAX (Men's Associated Exchange) group has thousands of members including several Leather community icons.

"Goin' to the chapel, and we're...gonna get married..." Newly wed are Megan DeJarlais and Amy Marie Meek from Omaha, NE.

AIDS Emergency Fund president Peter Fiske is rewarded for his community service at the Man's Hand Spanking Booth.

Where ever you find Warren Cave (right) you'll most likely find fun. He's here with a friend in front of Stompers Boots on 10th Street.

Lots of Leather. latex, spandex, piercings and fabulous tattoos as seen here.

The Folsom Street Fair on Sunday, September 24 had to have had a record crowd in the 85 degree sunshine. Early reports say that $225,000 was collected. If that was from the $2 admission at the gate, it meant that the Fair broke the 100,000 attendance mark which would be totally believable.

Money raised will go to the AIDS Emergency Fund. Other events during San Francisco's Leather Pride Week were also lucrative for charities. The Leather Walk on Sunday, September totalled more than $32,000; the Leather Daddies Art Auction on Thursday night took in over $5,500; Bare Chest 2001 Calendar sales were around $2,000 and Lance Gear's Titleholder Reunion at the Powerhouse on Saturday afternoon garnered another $1,500 for the Leather Archives and Museum. This doesn't take into account several other benefits.

The Folsom Street Fair Weekend is not only about collecting money for charity, it is also about fun as it can only be held in San Francisco. Void of a large Leather contest that would have some Leatherfolk busy all the time it was a great opportunity to take in San Francisco itself. The International Deaf Leather 2000 Contest took place on Friday night and saw Buck Rogers from Washington, DC become IMDL and Black C. win the IMsDL sash.

The San Francisco Leather Daddies held their annual Art Auction at the Eagle Tavern on Friday night. The crowd was lighter, but the generosity was there just the same. A past Leather Daddy Tom Rodgers seems to have the knack as auctioneer. Some 36 pieces, about two-thirds original paintings, drawings, sculptures and charcoal drawings went fast.

The 15 Association's monthly dungeon party on Saturday night had a waiting line. This was the SM party of the weekend. The B & B Corps held a fantastic uniform party of their own that was sold out. These tickets were much in demand as we heard of people trying to get tickets from others who had them. Mr. Marcus held his annual Bare Chest Calendar Kickoff Party at the Powerhouse on Saturday night. Plenty of calendars were sold and even more at the Fair on Sunday. Meanwhile, a group of San Francisco men ended up going to prison on Saturday. Members of MAX (Men's Associated Exchange) did the Alcatraz dinner complete with catered dinner on Saturday.

When Sunday morning arrived it was time to head up Castro Street to Empress Donna Sachet's house for the second annual Folsom Street Fair Kickoff Party hosted by Donna and Bob Brunson who announced that the Mr. California Leather Contest 2001 will be held during San Francisco Leather Pride next year. The highlight was Donna singing Over The Rainbow.

There were other parties, too, and the one we liked best was the one hosted by Stompers Boots on 10th Street around the corner from the Fair. Hot men and great food by host Mike, Frank and Animal.

It seemed that there were more flogging booths than ever with The 15 Association and Man's Hand drawing crowds to their annual attraction. The Exiles, Threshold from Los Angeles and two or three others took up the popular idea.

LA's Sunset Junction Street Fair Photos

Dave Rhodes got these shots at the Faultline on Sunday, August 30. The weekend featured a Butt Boys party on Friday night and a Leather Dance on Saturday, both hosted by Tom of Finland; the Sunset Junction Street Fair at the edge of LA's Silver Lake District which showcased the neighborhood's diversity; the LA Leather Coalition had a beverage booth to benefit youth in Silver Lake: Cagey Leather opened next to Gauntlet II; Malan productions hosted a dinner benefit for Mr. Pistons Leather 2000 Scott Bloom which was prepared by Jeffrey Cooper -Emeril, move over. The Avatar and Zeus benefit garnered approximately $5,000 for Aid For AIDS. The Zeus gang and other video stars are seen on Mikal Bales' (wearing white shirt) humvee. The men of Avatar did several flogging, temporary piercing and liquid latex demonstrations. The Clippers summer party was held at a private location culminating a fabulous, but laid back LA weekend!

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San Francisco's

Dore Alley Street Fair

15,000 Leatherfolk came out into the Great San Francisco sunshine on July 30 for the Dore Alley Street Fair. For several years Dore Alley has been for the in scene Leather people, but the Pleather community has found out about it and some of them made the trek across the Bay to ogle and gawk at lifestyle Leather as many do during the Folsom Street Fair. Still, there were few "incidents" and the Dore Alley Fair was a whopping success. The same weekend Keith Truitt won the San Francisco Leather Daddy Contest, Rod Wood became Mr. Northern California Drummer and Terry Gauchet was chosen Northern California Drummerboy. For information on these contests go to http://members.aol.com/lthrdaddy8 . More coverage of the Dore Alley Fair and plenty more photos by Dave Rhodes will appear in the September Issue of The Leather Journal. To subscribe, go to the opening page, scroll down and the subscription information is there!

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The Leather Journal Honors

Excellence in Club Excellence in Club Communications 2000

The following are the winners of the Excellence in Club Communications honors promised in the June Issue. Winners were determined by the sole opinion of The Leather Journal. The clubs will receive a certificate honoring them in the near future. There will be no awards ceremony. This is more for fun and again, the sole purpose of it is to improve the value of what is already out there. We're trying to make a good world better! Hopefully more clubs will send us their newsletters and fliers for consideration next year.

Best Newsletter (based on newsworthiness, timeliness, design and appearance): GMS/MA's Newslink wins the large club nod. New York has a wealth of good graphic designers. Several lifestyle pieces plus photos of area events. Small club goes to Spearhead in Toronto whose Phalia has plenty of photos and some good news and stories.

Most Informative Newsletter (based on current news of the club, relevant calendar and events and accuracy): We are getting less and less newsletters via snail mail because more clubs are creating web sites. By far the most informative is Submissions produced bimonthly by SigMa of Washington, DC. They have an excellent calendar of their own events as well as those of several clubs in the area, short and timely news pieces on their events as well as of others in the DC area and there is one or two educational pieces.

Best Designed Newsletter (based on layout and presentation): Large club goes to GMS/MA's Newslink. You'd wonder if they paid professionals to do it. Several educational pieces, good photos, club events, a hot story or two at times. Small club goes to VASM (Vancouver Activists in SM). VASM's Scene has gone through editorial changes, but has come up with good design.

Best Club Event Flyer (based on information, timeliness and design): Large club flyer has to be the one GMS/MA designed for the first Gotham Leatherman Contest held in November. Four color and some great computer graphics. Small club goes to the Regiment of the Black and Tans in Los Angeles. Several of their flyers have been terrific, but the icing on the cake was the invitation to their Christmas dinner.

Best Club Photo (must be of a club-sponsored event or a photo of the club and/or its officers): The Philadelphians MC produces a wonderful Christmas photo every year. No large club/small club award here. There has been a dearth of non-photos this year. Unfortunately nothing from big events like Living In Leather, Dungeon 401 and BR '99.

Best Web site (based on easiness to download, newsworthiness, timeliness, design and original art): Somewhat large club is Bears LA. This one has animated graphics and is colorful. It's simply fun and appears to be professionally done. Small club goes to the all black and white design done by T.U.L.S.A. (Tulsa Uniform and Leather Seekers Association. Good use of photos and illustrations. Lots of links and it doesn't look that they had a political axe to grind in selecting those who would not get linked - very inclusive.

Most Informative Web site (based on news, timeliness): Large club has to go to the Society of Janus which has more information than any two club sites combined. A short history of the Leather community as Gayle Rubin sees it is one page. Small club is the Leathermen's Discussion Group in San Francisco. The site includes a synopsis of past meetings, plenty of links. Little or no graphics - lots of lifestyle information.

Hottest Web site (easiness to download, design and original art): Small club goes the Golden Gate Guards of San Francisco for their photo coverage of their summer Yosemite Run and one from 1998 and to T.U.L.S.A. The black and white photos are hot. It's a small club, they aren't rich, but they made their site simply HOT!

A GearPlay password will also work on these sites

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS AREA PHOTOS & VIDEO SHOWS PROVIDED BY THESE FETISH WEBSITES. FREE PHOTO SAMPLES OF THEIR GALLERIES CAN BE FOUND HERE