Class Descriptions and Presenter Bios

class name

AJ

  • This is the course description. It can be very long and can wrap, This is the course description. It can be very long and can

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • AJ has been active in the Leather and Kink community since 2014, focusing on Bootblacking in Central Florida. Inspired by a poolside scene at a summer event, he pursued his passion, earning Florida Community Bootblack titles in 2016 and 2019, and International Community Bootblack in 2019. A dedicated volunteer, AJ supports numerous events across the Southeast and beyond, from stands to helping titleholders, always driven by his passion for learning, teaching, and contributing to the community he cherishes.

When M/s and Age Play Come Together

  • This class explores how Age Play and M/s dynamics can coexist, breaking down tropes and emphasizing that there’s no “one true way” to practice them. We’ll cover ethical considerations, informed consent, and building trust tailored to the unique needs of all involved. By addressing stigma, this class empowers participants to integrate these roles harmoniously in a way that feels authentic and supportive. Bring a stuffy and blanket, and come join us!

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Brynn Mack, International slave 2019, is the slave of Master David Mack.Brynn identifies as a bisexual, femme, leather girl, little, and bootblack. She is a founder of House of Dark Shadows and has been presenting since 2017.

    Bri Burning is a queer, femme, Indigenous Mexican, Leather little, and owned s-type. She proudly served as IPOL 2020-23 and NWPOL 2019. Active in the SF Bay Area community since 2010, Bri has been presenting since 2015.

Brynn Mack & Bri Burning

class name

  • This is the course description. It can be very long and can wrap, This is the course description. It can be very long and can

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Daisy Blue (They/Them) is a seasoned Bootblack and Leatherperson dedicated to sharing the art and tradition of bootblacking and Leather culture through community care, education, and mentorship. With over eight years of experience across the U.S., Daisy’s most treasured experiences are stories and history shared during their work at the chair. Outside of bootblacking, they love art, hockey smut, and a cold Dr. Pepper.

Daisy Blue

What does that mean?! Labels, Identities, Terms, and Concepts

  • We have many terms in sex-positive and alternative communities, with seemingly more and more coming out everyday. Let’s take a moment to explore some of these labels, terms, and concepts people use and how they are experienced by different people. Whether you’re trying to learn, curious/exploring, or from “a different generation” we can support ourselves and the community by creating understanding of the various expressions we have in this day in age.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Dominex Victoria Xy is the Leather privateer, you’re trans muscle fem Dominex and NW Person of Leather 2023! For over a decade, they have participated in non-monogamy, kink, leather, and LGBTIAQ+ communities. Having pursued a degree in Public Health Education with a minor in gender, sexuality, and Queer Studies from OHSU, Victoria runs their own company doing life coaching and education, specializing in relationships, sexual health, kink, queer, and DEI; as well as corporate consulting.

Poly Primer

Sir Andrew

  • There are so many misunderstandings out there about the poly community. In this class we will be discussing the terms and definitions commonly used among poly people. We will also discuss a variety of relationship styles and communication techniques. We will also tackle the infamous jealousy vs envy conundrum.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Sir Andrew is a born and raised southern gentleman, hailing from SC and NC. He is proud to be the current 2024 Mr SouthEast LeatherFest. His lifestyle interests lean towards spanking and anything sharp and pointy. He enjoys sharing his journey through gender and leather with others and to hear their stories as well. You can usually find Andrew in the smoking area of whatever event he's at. Please come say hi!

DX Victoria Xy

Ethical Financial Domination: Basics and Budgets to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

  • Curious about Financial Domination, but not sure where to start or how to do it in a Risk-Aware way? In this class we will explain the basics of Financial Domination as a Power Exchange dynamic, how FinDom can even be incorporated into other forms of Power Exchange, and general guidelines to explore Findom in an ethical way. In addition, we will discuss budgeting basics and low-cost ways to explore this intriguing and divisive kink.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Eitra is a polyamorous, neurodivergent, demisexual domme-leaning switch and Leatherperson with a passion for learning and sharing knowledge. A member of the kink community for over a decade and active in the Leather community for over 6 years, she enjoys Tea Service, cooking, erotic audio, giving genital torture, and having deep and nuanced conversations.

class name

Mara

  • This is the course description. It can be very long and can wrap, This is the course description. It can be very long and can

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Mara is a genderqueer, Leather Slave, and sadomasochist who has been part of the community for over 35 years. They are currently serving their community as your International Person of Leather 2024. Mara strives to be a kind and loving bulldozer, nudging our community towards living up to the Leather community values of inclusivity, service and integrity, while pushing aside outdated norms that stand in the way of growth.

Pull the Leather Kronk! Wrong Leather!

Master Bren & slave Sky

  • Join us for a lighthearted conversation on "Leather Expectations vs. Leather Reality." Explore the surprising journey of our path in the leather community and the unexpected twists we encountered. Through shared experiences and laughter, discover the humor in the differences between expectations and reality. Come ready to connect, reflect, and embrace the delightful surprises of living a leather lifestyle.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Master Bren and slave Sky have been in a Master/slave dynamic since 2019, drawing strength from Bren's Latinx background and their identities as trans individuals. Their relationship is built on trust and communication, promoting personal growth. They engage in community outreach to empower others and foster inclusivity. Living in Northern California, they are honored to serve as the Northwest Master/slave 2024 and host a regional gathering called Leather Church- NorCal.

Using BDSM To Address Healing and Personal Growth: A Scientific Report from The Kink And Flourishing Project

Master Richard

Shifting Gears: Navigating a D/s relationship through life’s challenging highway

Eitra

The Etymology of What It is That We Do

  • Not all Leather protocols and etiquette are practiced or even known today. This presentation will cover the History of Leather in the U.S., including terminology, practices, protocols, a brief reference to Leather values and activism; covering a timeline of 80 years. Give or take a century, if you include points in history that were Leather AF before Leather culture was born.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Hexxx (She/They) is an eleventeen foot tall, (allegedly) sassy, Leatherwoman whose greatest interests include torturing others who ask for it and whose kinks are education and Leather History; especially Black Leather History. She is also an award winning public speaker.

    Hexxx has been an active community service member in the Reno area for a little over 8 years. She founded KinkEdNV, an education facilitation group in Northern Nevada in 2019.

Corsets 101: Safe Lacing for Pleasure & Restraint

Marianne Faulkner

  • For all corset lovers and the corset curious, we present our comprehensive primer, featuring: the ins & outs of lacing yourself or another into a corset, how to tell if a corset fits, shopping for quality, basics of waist training and tightlacing, and best practices for safety and comfort.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Mara is a genderqueer, Leather Slave, and sadomasochist who has been part of the community for over 35 years. They are currently serving their community as your International Person of Leather 2024. Mara strives to be a kind and loving bulldozer, nudging our community towards living up to the Leather community values of inclusivity, service and integrity, while pushing aside outdated norms that stand in the way of growth.

Tying the Knot: the intersection of Marriage and M/s

Marilyn & Rio

  • Some say there shouldn’t be love between a Master and a slave, or that marriage will ruin the power dynamic. In this class we’ll discuss common fears and how to address them, and how our marriage affected our M/s dynamic, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Please bring your stories and experiences!

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Marilyn and Rio are Northwest Master and slave 2023. Marilyn is a sadist with an intense blood lust and Rio is a service-oriented butch leatherdyke. Marilyn and Rio have judged, emceed, and tallied at numerous contests, and have presented at NWLC, SELF, SWLC, IMsLBB, LLC, the Exiles, and more. Their home club is the Exiles SF, where they spent many years as officers. They are active in MAsT SF, where Marilyn is the Director.

The Art of Masking: Strategies for Authenticity in Public Spaces

Master Retro Bella & slave boydrake

  • Join us as we explore the complex relationship between authenticity and M/s dynamics, specifically for neurodivergent individuals. In this class, Masters and slaves will examine masking and its impact on self-expression in public. Through shared experiences and group discussions, you'll develop actionable strategies to navigate events while staying true to yourselves. Participants will create personalized action plans to embrace their identities confidently,

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Master Retro Bella (She/Her) and her slave boy drake (he/him) have escaped Bakersfield, ca and now reside in Wuzzie Acres. Both served as your 2024 International Master and slave and your 2023 Southwest Master and slave. Master Retro Bella, a Latina, Master, and Leather Woman, and her slave boydrake, a transman, slave, and Leather boy, have been dedicated to raising awareness and acceptance of neurodivergent pairings, Latinx and Transgender issues within the community.

From Play Partner To Slave; Steps To Form Your Dynamic

Nocturnal

  • Have you ever rushed into a relationship, only to have it fail in a few weeks or months? Nocturnal will share his experience with relationship pitfalls that can lead to disaster, and also share steps for someone to take to better the odds that the dynamic will last. This will include self discovery techniques for your needs and wants, steps to follow to ensure compatibility with a potential partner, and more.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Nocturnal began His kink journey publicly in 2000 in the Bay Area and Sacramento. Nocturnal has delved in a wide variety of roles on both sides of the slash and has taken numerous classes during the last two decades. He has also taught a variety of classes on Impact Implements, Singletail Whips, D/s and M/s relationship topics, and classes on safety and consent. Nocturnal continues to be active mostly in the Sacramento area.

  • The Kink and Flourishing Study investigates experiences of healing and personal growth because of BDSM and power exchange. The study asked over 587 kinksters about their experiences and how those experiences affected them. In this workshop Dr. Sprott will present the research findings, and discuss practical applications to play and relationships with kinky partners.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Richard Sprott received his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from UC Berkeley in 1994. He is currently directing research projects focused on identity development and health/well-being in people who express alternative sexualities, with a special emphasis on kink/BDSM sexuality, and polyamory or consensual non-monogamy. He is also the co-author of Sexual Outsiders: Understanding BDSM Sexualities and Communities (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013). Richard currently teaches courses in the Department of Human Development and Women's Studies at California State University, East Bay.

Holding Space in the Stand

Shalimar

  • The bootblack stand can be a space buzzing with excitement and energy for most bootblacks. Other times, folks will walk into a stand with heavy emotions or vulnerable stories about themselves or their leather. Have you felt lost in those moments, or terrified that this will happen to you and you’ll freeze? This class will help address those moments, how to hold space, and how to care for yourself during and after those moments.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Shalimar is a Leather boy, service pupper, bootblack, and service leader who has been involved in the kink community for the last nine years. They are a lifelong student who strives towards building aware communities that address ethics, equity, and safety. Their goal as a bootblack is to create safer spaces focused on intentional connection and immaculate leather care.

SpankCake & J_Sir

  • What happens when D/s sometimes looks like s/D? In this class, we will explore how our authority based relationships are affected by ever changing life events, and how we can preserve our D/s dynamics through these transitions.

    Join us as J_Sir and SpankCake share effective strategies they used during SpankCake's title year. Whether health, work, or any one of life’s surprises comes your way, your dynamic doesn’t have to be road kill!

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • J_Sir (He/Him) is a lifestyle Dominant and Leather Daddy. Active in the kink community since 2000, he has presented on various topics including whips, fire, and scene dynamics.

    SpankCake (she/her) is a submissive Leather babygirl and is International Ms. Bootblack 2024 and aims to inspire people to embrace their true selves within the BDSM community and beyond.

    The two are based in the Los Angeles area and are in a D/s relationship.

Put On Your Oxygen Mask First!

Liza and her slave, Jody

  • We all know, when there is a problem, the flight attendant instructs us to put our oxygen mask before helping others. In this guided discussion we will discuss the challenges of caring for others and how to take care of ourselves. The information we will cover applies to those on both sides of the slash.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Master and slave for nearly 23 years, Liza and her slave, Jody, (International Master/slave 2011/21) produce events, judge, keynote, and teach extensively, nationally and abroad on hierarchical relationships and BDSM topics (receiving MAsT International's "Presenter of the Year" in 2012). Liza came to power at Woodstock. Jody came into leather in 1980, founding Leather and Lace, an early women's leather group. They’re members of Bad Girls, Exiles and Long Term Hierarchical Relationships support group.

Hexxx

class name

Master David and slave brynne

  • This is the course description. It can be very long and can wrap, This is the course description. It can be very long and can

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Master David and slave brynn are an authority transfer-based Master/slave couple. Master David is curator of the Bar Card Project and the SW Regional Rep for MAsT: International. slave brynn serves as secretary of San Joaquin girls of Leather. Together they are founding members of House of Dark Shadows and produced FLAME Conference. They are honored to be the 2019 International Master and slave.

Physiology of Pain and Pleasure - Understanding A Play Partner's Physical Responses

MzB_Having

  • Ever wonder why one day a sensation is enjoyable, another day it's annoying, or even hurts? The human body is comprised of over 7 trillion nerves. Presenting basic understanding of anatomy and the physiological connection of body and mind, illness and injury, pain and pleasure.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • MzB_Having started Her Leather and BDSM journey in 2009. She and her partner, precious, have maintained a D/s relationship since 2010. With some background in medical, Her experiences and play are seasoned with creativity, respect, playfulness, and safety. Diverse life and kink experiences from Reno/Tahoe-Nevada, the greater SF Bay Area, and the Northern California regions has resulted in well-rounded interests, advanced skills, unique perspectives, and creative, unconventional scenes!

Beyond Bootblacking: Building a Bootblack scene

Shedao

  • A hands-on class for those familiar with leather care and bootblacking, put those skills to sexy use! In this class we will talk about what types of scenes can be made, how to incorporate other play into the scene, and any safety considerations surrounding leather care and play. Will include a short demo and time to practice what you learned. Bring your boot blacking kit and a partner with shine-able wearables.

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Shedao (He/they) is a 10-year veteran of the kink and leather scene, identifying as a Pan, Polyam, Switch. Shedao founded the Sacramento Black Kinkster as a way to create a space for Black folx. They have extensive experience in DMing in a variety of settings (both kink and DnD), volunteering, bootblacking, and learning new things. He has a passion for making sure everyone is welcomed, their needs are met, and voices are heard. On any given weekend you might find him running Gloomhaven for family, hidden with his nose buried in a book, or marathoning the latest Marvel show. They are passionate about creating and supporting inclusive, empowered, and educational spaces.

class name

Stephan & SweetWisteria

  • This is the course description. It can be very long and can wrap, This is the course description. It can be very long and can

  • Thursday, May 1, 2:30-4:00 PT

    Room C324

  • Stephan and SweetWisteria have been in an M/s service-based dynamic for almost 10 years exploring what power and authority exchange mean to them. They live in a poly household with six adults, one cat, and two dogs adding to the complexity of their M/s and service. They enjoy educating on subjects around the M/s dynamic, service, and formal dining. They are the griots of the Boston Annex of the Carter Johnson Library.