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This month’s newsletter includes:
Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 6 to 8 pm
Join our Board of Directors meeting.
Zoom link | Draft Agenda | Past Meeting Minutes | Add to Google Calendar
Hello LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District!
This past month we’ve witnessed the continued dismantling of our American government and there is no denying the amount of harm that has and will continue to take place. Often, conversations that I’ve had with folx around me circulate with feelings of uncertainty, fear, disbelief and anger. Feelings that I have also come all too familiar with in navigating each day. It is so very difficult to feel as though one has no control. And yet, there is one simple truth that I remind myself daily. I am not alone. We are not alone.
It seems silly to think of finding distraction or pouring efforts into fundraising endeavors on a small scale, but like every year, this past month was our annual fundraiser for the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District’s Golden Dildeaux Awards. If I were being honest, I wasn’t sure about the appropriateness of holding a fundraiser when there are so many larger causes that we could pour our efforts into, but you all surprised me. Even with so many facing financial changes and fears, donations poured in to support your favorite community members. I watched as the social media platforms filled with images of people joining in to raise money in our various categories. The Biggest Pig, Best in Rubber, Queerest of the Queers, Fiercest Femme, Best Puppy Handler, Golden Shower Lover, Best Bootblack, Butchest Woman, and so many more….
What I realized was, this was also resistance. This was our community choosing to join together, join in a friendly fundraising competition, to proudly share they are part of our community - visible and strong. We were all choosing joy. And so for that, I want to say thank you. Thank you to all the nominees who fundraised and proudly represented parts of who you are unapologetically, thank you to the donors who parted with money to support an organization designed to preserve our LEATHER & LGBTQ culture and history in an endeavor to always have a place in San Francisco.
Today at 5 PM, we find out the results of the Golden Dildeaux Award at the SF Eagle and I look forward to sharing space together in the name of community. We’ll gather to celebrate our unique culture and sexuality. And if you find yourself able, willing and in need to make a statement and surround yourself with people so you also know you are not alone, I hope you consider joining the People’s March today at 12 PM. Another opportunity to proudly and unapologetically exist, to challenge those who dare try to erase us, and be with the community. After all, we’re stronger together and now is the time to show up and resist.
Yours Always in Leather Service,
Reika Faust (She/Her)
President / Program Associate
- Hollywood's Academy Award Winners just get an Oscar, even better
- San Francisco's Golden Dildeaux Award winners get a Woody!
- We open the envelopes and name the winners who will get a Woody (statuette) and claim their space in history.
- Don't miss it!
- LEATHER District 7th Anniversary Block Party
- Saturday, May 10, 12 noon - 3 pm
- Ringold Alley (between 8th & 9th, a 1/2 block south of Folsom)
- Vendor spaces available for kinky artists, makers, etc.!
- Entertainment, Gear Swap, Food Trucks.
- T-Shirt art contest winners revealed.
- Free souvenir pin to all who attend!
- Mark your calendar now!
- Last Sunday, we held our first beer bust of the year!
- Thanks to everyone who attended! Highlights included:
- Awesome raffle prizes, including a $100 gift certificate to our very own Gear Swap!
- Eric's delicious pulled pork lunch and David's gourmet jell-o shots!
- Our amazing volunteers who made it happen! We couldn't have done it without you!
- Mark your calendar now for our next Beer Bust;
- Sunday, September 14, 3 – 7 pm, SF Eagle
- Just one week before LeatherWalk!
- Find a new owner for leather and gear you no longer use.
- Buy kinky gear, toys, and leather at great prices.
- Upcoming Gear Swap dates:
- District Anniversary: Ringold Block Party, Saturday, May 10, 12 – 3 pm
- SF Pride, Sunday, June 29, 11 am – 6 pm
- Up Your Alley Fair, Sunday, July 27, 11 am – 6 pm
- Leather Pride Fest, Sunday, September 21, 3 – 6 pm
- Folsom Street Fair, Sunday, September 28, 11 am – 6 pm
- Bearrison Street Fair, Saturday, October 18, 12 – 6 pm
- Holiday Market, Saturday, December 13, 12 – 5 pm
- Details are on our website!.
SOMA Businesses have launched SOMA NIGHTS!
- An event series with special items, discounts, and indoor happenings
- Plus outdoor DJ's, live music, vendors on the streets!
- Every 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month, through October
- 5 - 9 pm, Folsom from 7th to 10th Streets,
- 8pm on, continue the party at the 15 clubs on and around Folsom from 8th to 12th Streets.
- Outdoors: on Langton & Hallam: Live music, DJs, vendors
- Indoors: Visit more than twenty businesses offering discounts, food and drink specials, goodies, and entertainment.
- Join us on April 10th and 24th, and beyond!
- See more info, or sign up for updates, at soma-nights.com
- This activation helps venues cope with the streetscape construction disruption.
- The negative impact on businesses has been substantial.
- Work is expected to continue through 2026.
- Visit SF Public Works for construction info and updates.
- Support our SOMA businesses!
- Join the Cultural District, and
- Create connections with your fellow leather & kink folks.
- Become a member today
Volunteers are the lifeblood of our District. Your help can make a difference .
- We are a proud sponsor of the San Francisco Rubber Weekend!
- April 14-17, at multiple SOMA locations!
- Includes the San Francisco Rubber 2025 Contest!
- Socials, vendor market, gear swap, play party, beer bust, and more!
- Organized by SF Rubber: The Latex Club of the Bay
- Benefits the Transgender District
- Tickets and full event info at www.sfrubber.org
- Our Website has been redesigned, with handsome graphics and new navigation tools.
- Our "Membership and Diversity Committee" has separated into a Membership Committee and a Diversity Committee:
- Our "Membership Committee" will focus on new benefits for individual and business memberships.
- Meets on second Mondays, 6-7pm, on Zoom
- Our "Diversity Committee" will focus on diversity, inclusion and equity, in our organization and our community
- Meets on first Thursdays, 6-7pm, on Zoom
- Visit our Join a Committee page for more information.
- To review or change your committee newsletter subscriptions, click here:
- We believe the Leather and LGBTQ community is an integral part of the fabric of San Francisco and worthy of celebration.
- We exist to ensure there is a lively and vibrant home for our community of events, businesses, bars and organizations in SOMA.
- Find more donation options and info here.
- Thanks for helping keep SOMA Kinky & Queer!
- The LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District is a fiscally sponsored project of SOMArts, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
- Reasons to join!
- Membership is $15 (dues waiver available for financial hardship).
- Click here to join or renew.
- Do not share this link, it is personalized for you, and expires in 7 days.
- Your membership status is at the top of this email.
- Add info@sflcd.org to your contacts! Please check your spam folder for email from sflcd.org!
- Members can request a Cultural District Membership Card.
- Receive it by email, then display it proudly on your phone, or print and carry it with you.
- Membership benefits program coming this summer!
- For assistance, please contact manager@sflcd.org.
- Tell your friends they can subscribe to our newsletter at sflcd.org/signup.
- Please use our social media links to follow, repost, and share what we do!
Let's keep SOMA kinky & queer!
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LEATHER & LGBTQ CULTURAL DISTRICT
584 Castro Street #140
San Francisco, CA 94114
United States
415-237-3237
SFLCD.org
info@SFLCD.org
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