LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District

Contribute your voice to how the city will spend funds designated for SOMA!

The city is soliciting community input on how to spend money intended to stabilize SOMA in the face of gentrification and the coming tidal wave of development. The money comes from developer fees.

In recent years, the SOMA Stabilization Fund has provided support for our events as well as projects for other groups and individuals for:

• • purchasing buildings for community groups, 
  • small business assistance
  • capacity building for small businesses and organizations
  • community and nightlife safety
  • rental subsidies for low-income housing
  • leadership development
  • community cohesion
  • civic participation
  • community based programs
  • economic development
  • creating community spaces

This is our opportunity to be heard!  Only small amounts of the fund have come to the District, let’s change that, speak up now! 

Take the city’s survey:
Start Survey

Attend our Town Hall this Saturday, January 11th, the city will be listening to feedback at that meeting.

Saturday, January 11,
Folsom Community Center, 1286 Folsom St
Doors open 2pm
Presentation at 2:30
City listening session 3-4pm
Feedback about the District 4-5pm

Learn more at the city’s Sustaining SOMA website,
Sign up on their form to be part of the project, or
Take the Survey.

Thanks!

More than three hundred happy revelers attended the 2024 LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Holiday Market, and we have more than 200 pictures of them to share with you.

Check them out here!

The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District exists to represent and support you!

At least twice each year, we hold “Town Halls”, both to share information with our community and to listen to them.

• • Learn what the Cultural District has been doing!
  • Hear our plans for the year to come!
  • Share your experiences of the Cultural District!
  • Give us feedback.  Your opinions matter to us!
  • Enjoy refreshments!
  • Become a member, and receive our new Cultural District Pin!

So mark your calendar now for the Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District Town Halls!

Saturday, January 11
and
Saturday, May 17, 2025
from 2 to 5 pm
at the
Folsom Street Community Center
1286 Folsom Street
in San Francisco

• • Everyone welcome!
  • Free!
  • Remote viewing and participation planned.  Watch this page for details!

There will be no Board meeting in December.

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The next online meeting of the Communications Committee will be Thursday, December 12, from 6 to 7 pm.  Communications Committee Zoom link.  Facebook page. Contact the committee chair.

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The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Holiday Market is Saturday, December 14, from 12 to 5 pm, at SOMArts.  Full information.   Facebook page.

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We are very pleased to announce that the fifth cohort of the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District  Entrepreneur Training Program has nine graduates, who are now (or will soon be) offering their goods and services to our community!

Here is a list of the folks who have completed this 9-week program, in Cohorts numbers 1 through 5.

Cohort 1:
Graduated September, 2022

• Joseph Valliere — Downtown Armor — Rubber gear, ultimately boots and a kink consignment shop. (facebook, etsy)
• James Strock — Recreating rubber gear from a new proprietary polymer
• Jordan Fickel / Patrick Stephenson — BEARPAD — Art brand celebrating big bodies. (art, store, instagram)
• Gloria Polo — Fire Dragon Photography — Leather/Kink photography (facebook, website)
• Anna Randall and Richard Sprott — TASHRA – The Alternative Sexualties Health Research Alliance — improving healthcare services to kinksters (website, facebook, instagram)

Cohort 2:
Graduated April, 2023

• Marcos victor de brito puglielli– House of Puglielli — Custom leather design, sculptural, wearble art (website, facebook, instagram)
• Dr. Zo Marcos Zotigh — Needle Play Acupuncture — Acupuncture Clinic (website, facebook, instagram)
• Sumiko Saulson — Mauskaveli — Hand painted wooden paddles, plus jewelry, books and clothing (website, books, facebook)
• Alejandra Bravo Ducey — Raptrix — Small batch bondage gear for every body (shop, instagram, facebook)
• Nate Boles — Wylde Honey Productions — Queer erotic artist promotion, production and reproduction
• Angela Wilson — Cognizant Healing — Intimacy coaching for therapists (website, facebook)
• Angeli [Daytona] Lata — Murder They Wore — Fetish fashion (website, facebook)
• Kangcheng Yin — Kuma Club SF — Gay Bathhouse/Sex Club (facebook)
• Byrd Bannick — ByrdBeaks — Fabric based queer gear and accessories (website, facebook)
• Chris Hughes — Skunkheart — Queer and kinky TTRPG content (facebook, links)

Cohort 3:
Graduated August, 2023
Jay Budd – Frisky Foxxx Productions (LLC) – ethical pornography and infotainment.
May Fendell – SINNAttire – latex and cosplay clothing
Jasmine Robinson and Shelby Baizar – B.Tourmaline – Events, merchandise and resources serving Black Queer and Trans populations (Instagram)
Lilith Spillz – Lilith Spillz – custom kink accessories from reclaimed materials (website)
Michael “Spike” Sandberg – Leather Legends – Leather consignment service and shop
Isabella Delan Kalfen (Izzy Delan she/her) – Babygirl Inc. – custom industrial gear and jewelry
Rochelle Benjamin – Pans Labrnth – Kink & leather clothes, gear, and wigs
David Khalili – Rouse Relational Wellness – sex and relationship wellness center (website)
Diablo & Amande – AfterDark Productions, LLC – Event venue for the kink and alternative-sexuality communities (website)
Adrianne zi – TBD – Writing drawing painting kinky art
Brad Schwab – JetPup – Colorful and playful clothing and accessories for the pup play community (website)

Cohort 4:
Graduated October, 2023

Aaron Joseph – Cumply – Experimental kink and fetish items (website) 
Michael Devin – Doppelbanger Toys – Custom made sex toys modeled after real people (website)
Daniel Brusilovsky – TBD – High-end kink furniture and accessories
Jocelyn Garibay – The Communal Toy – Handmade, high quality, safe kink furniture (website)
Alexandra Cardinale-Weinberg (Sasha) – Rocket Ready Apparel – custom themed collars and harnesses, and resin accessories (website, etsy)
Conrad Park – BOBA Munch – kink community (website)
Jessica (JessJess) Mumper – Beyond the Rainbow Events – a welcoming and enjoyable environment for themed immersive events (links)
Amy Dacker – Kink Konnectress (?) – Matchmaking, dating coaching, and background and reference checking for Kink, BDSM, Queer, and Poly communities
Neri Cafri – TBD – Second hand leather and kink gear 
Jesse West – Big Mood Network, LLC – Creative urban infill for community arts & entrepreneurial outlets
jacqueline cosgrove – QBL (QuadrupleBottomLine) – A space for workshops, parties and exploration of kink, sex positive and restorative play

Cohort 5:
Graduated November, 2024

• Lior Ray Ayalon  – The Spooky Haus – A transgender artist collective, working in a variety of mediums, including leather, acrylic, resin, chain, and printmaking.
• Sura Hertzberg – Eros and Psyche / Sex & Psychedelics – A magazine on the intersection of sex and psychedelics (e.g. kink, BDSM, and playing with shadow), bringing the community together for educational, playful, and interactive events around these topics.
• Francisco Grajales – Stingy Thuddy – Hand crafted kinky gear for horny people.
• Eve Minax – Eve Minax Consulting/MX Productions – Demystifying BDSM by showing personal growth seekers how to be more confident, compassionate, kid-ass kinksters.
• Dylan Peet – VENEER – A leather consignment and queer fashion boutique.
• Hallie Mayo – Stained Glass Mommy – Queer kinky stained glass art (butt plugs, poppers bottles, and other kink related sun catchers).
• Victoria Victrola – Blue Victrola – Event hosting specializing in music, tea, picnics, charcuterie, and whimsy.
• Bronica DeCarlo – Bronica Blue Art – Kink themed jewelry, like butt earrings, big rings that have kink-related statements on them, and similar items, many hand sculpted and molded.
• Anna Sthesia – Hidden Function – Queening chairs and other BDSM/kink objects, hidden in plain sight and discreetly disguised as “normal,” high-end home furniture.

The District is proud to be able to help leather community folk start and build their businesses.

Learn more about the program, or sign up for the next Cohort.

Kinksters massed at SF City Hall on Sunday, September 22, 2024, and proudly paraded through SOMA for LeatherWalk!

The walk is over, though donations are still accepted!

The Walk started with greetings by Cultural District President Reika Faust, and a warm welcome by District Six Supervisor Matt Dorsey.

Each walker received a free LeatherWalk 2024 pin as they lined up behind the color guard flags.  Several local organizations organized fundraising teams for the Walk (including The 15, The Gauntlet, BLUF SF, the Yellow and Black Group, and the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District) and carried their banners in front of their members and supporters.

The Walk stepped out promptly at 11:30 am. SFPD officers stopped traffic, and volunteers helped keep everyone safe, as Walkers proceeded to the Walk’s first Stop, Oasis.

After a pause for libations and a massive group photo, the Walk continued down Folsom to Stop #2, where some Walkers visited the Hole in the Wall or Powerhouse, while others stepped across to Azúcar Lounge for edible refreshments.  Stop #3 was Leather Etc., where Walkers received discounts on gear of all kinds.  At Stop #4, Mr. S Leather, several authors and contributors signed copies of their new book, “Kink Is”.

After that, volunteers stopped traffic to allow walkers to proceed safely to Ringold Alley, where John Brett, Minister for the SF Night Ministry, offered words of inspiration and a “Blessing of the Leathers”.  Then it was on to Stop #5, the Lone Star Saloon, for more camaraderie and cocktails.

The Walkers then regrouped and strode the final leg of the Walk, to the SF Eagle’s Leather Pride Fest which closed Harrison street from 11th to 13th Street.

At 3 pm, the huge Leather Pride Flag was ceremoniously raised above Eagle Plaza, officially heralding the start of Leather Week.  Partying in the street continued until 7 pm. Many leather/kink festivities continued throughout South of Market and all of San Francisco, right through the Folsom Street Fair the following Sunday.

We estimate that roughly 200 Walkers enjoyed LeatherWalk 2024.  Kink pride  was visible in the District, and our LeatherWalk tradition was joyously preserved.

Fundraising for LeatherWalk continues until Sunday, October 13, to give fundraisers the opportunity to reach their goals. Proceeds from LeatherWalk directly support our Leather Legacy Landmarks sidewalk plaques initiative to install plaques at 77 iconic and sometimes raucous SOMA locations, honoring places that began serving our community in the 1960s.

Donors have contributed more than $13,000 towards our $22,000 goal of funding the installation of the first 17 plaques, all on Folsom Street. There is still time for your support get us over the top! Please making a meaningful donation today at www.leatherwalk.org. Support your favorite walker!

Please visit this page for galleries of photos and videos from the event.

And please join us in extending thanks to the many individuals and groups – including our generous donors, the participating bars and businesses, the many volunteers, and the specialists at Do Good Stuff, – who deserve thanks for making LeatherWalk 2024 such a grand success.

You can continue to make donations to the Leather Legacy Landmarks initiative here.

 

 The Cultural District’s annual elections took place in mid-August. 

We would like to introduce our new board, existing staff, and historian as well as acknowledge our outgoing Directors.

Meet our Board & Staff

Thanks to Outgoing Board Members!