In 2001 I relocated to Chicago, and my life changed
forever! My purpose and calling became clear when the Leather community
welcomed me with open arms. I found my home.
My hometown is Ashtabula, Ohio. Ashtabula is
a small city of about 25,000 people in the snow belt of the state’s
extreme northeastern corner on Lake Erie. Typically Mid-American, Ashtabula
does not offer anything in the way of gay life. However, growing I enjoyed
the rich culture of Great Lakes shipping and spending time with my family.
After high school graduation I attended Mount
Union College in Alliance, Ohio. I graduated from Mount Union in 1989
with a BA in Communications. At school I participated in theater and
the Association of International Students. AIS had a dramatic impact
on my life. During my college years I supported myself as a DJ and news
anchor at a local radio station.
Following college my first job was as an English
teacher to junior high and high school students in Japan. I embraced
Japan completely and immersed myself in the culture. Following two years
teaching in Japan, I moved on to work as a technical documentation editor
for three years. I returned to the US after a total of five years abroad.
The Japanese gay scene was a unique experience! In visiting the local
gay bars I immersed myself in the language, and by the time I left Japan
in 1994 I spoke Japanese well.
 Upon
my return to the US I enrolled in a graduate course and settled in Cleveland.
There I went to my first leather bar, The Leather Stallion. After all
my life being made to feel that a few extra pounds and body hair were
totally misplaced in the gay community, I suddenly stumbled upon a group
of men like me. They were men who looked like men, smelled like men,
and acted like men. I was at home.
After joining Northwest Airlines as a flight
attendant in 1996, I moved to Detroit. I frequented the Detroit Eagle
and explored more of the leather scene. After five years in Detroit
I relocated to Chicago and joined the leather scene head-on. In short
order I sought out the Leather Archives and Museum where I regularly
volunteer transcribing the archive’s vast and rich depository of oral
histories. I also began volunteering at Vital Bridges, formerly known
as Open Hand Chicago. Chicago’s rich, dynamic, and vibrant Leather community
continues to afford me amazing educational opportunities.
Once I established myself in the Leather community
I knew I’d found my home. Leather men and women are interesting, educated,
vibrant, and dynamic people. They exemplify the true meanings of "family"
and "community". Thank you for welcoming me. Winning the Cell
Block Shel-don Chicago Leather Man contest is an honor beyond words.
I embrace the opportunity to give back to this incredible community
as much as I possibly can after it gave me so much!
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