January 26-28, 2024 - Dublin Leather Weekend
February 17-18, 2024 - The Red Chair's Annual Fetish Ball - Leather & Lace 
March 8-10, 2024 - Leather Leadership Conference 
March 21-24, 2024 – South Plains LeatherFest  
April 11-14, 2024 - IMsL/IMsLBB  
April 19-20, 2024 - Tarheels Anniversary Picnic
May 2-5, 2024 - Northwest Leather Celebration  
May 9-12, 2024 - Frolicon 
June 13-16, 2024 – SouthEast LeatherFest 

Winning the title of Ms SELF has been a completely surreal experience. Leading up to the final announcement, there were clearly moments that I thought that I was done for; especially when trying to walk off in the middle of my speech somehow became a thing.  Thank you, Dave, for not letting me leave the stage and for everyone who was in the audience that night for encouraging me to keep going. 

I very much come with my heart on my sleeve, it is all I know how to do, thank you all for seeing that and for caring for me in that moment. I don’t think I would have made it through without a reminder of why I was there in the first place, all of you. 

I look forward to and could not be more excited to meet more of you as a travel to different events this year.  If you see me somewhere, talk to me.   If you want to message me, message me.  If you want me to teach something I don’t already, ask me and I’ll see about adding it in the future. If you want me to travel somewhere, reach out and I will see if I can make it happen.

One of my favorite parts of my leather journey has been hearing everyone’s stories and getting the opportunity to learn things that I don’t know. I will admit there are still many.

While on this part of my journey, I have learned a lot about myself. Being an introvert isn’t necessarily a weakness. I learned despite being socially conscious, there were many social justice issues that I didn’t realize were a thing (educating myself is important). There were way more people who supported this part of my evolution than I thought. 

Thank you for supporting this step of my journey. There are so many people to thank in so many different ways that I wasn’t even 100% sure where to begin.  I am hoping I remembered to thank everyone, but my apologies if I missed you by name.  I am grateful for every single one of you that helped me along the way. Please check out my FetLife post here (https://fetlife.com/users/1915561/posts/9654942) to see more details about each of the folks that I thanked.  The brief version (in no particular order), my thanks to the board, staff & volunteers of SELF, BeiLi, Crystal, Dorie’s Designs, Dye Addict Rope, Foxy Fiesty Redhead, Knottie Kittie Rope, Master Cecil, Master Varii & slave neill, Miss Bettie, Mycaylne & Sir Thomas, Samsgem, Sir Edgar & slave raven, The Dungeon Store and Wykedlilpixie, MiaRose, Andy, Tidbit, rainbower, Luna, Captain Lyte, Mara, the judges and Daddy.

Adventures in Titleholding

Being a titleholder has definitely changed me for the better. It has pushed me out of my introverted little shell. It has been amazing to see how willing people are to come up to a relative stranger at a leather bar or event and just talk to them. I have truly enjoyed getting to hear the stories that they are willing to share.

During the few months that I have been your Ms. SELF, I have been attending local events, online classes, conferences and most recently Atlanta Pride. I’ve been to New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Atlanta. I’ve taught online classes for a couple of different MAsT chapters, been hanging out with The Woodshed and H.E.A.R.D. for their online munches, joining the Leather Chronicles talk to help educate myself and been applying to teach for various events over the course of the next year.

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My first “big” conference after SELF was getting to attend MsC for the very first time. There were so many memorable little moments. I turned a couple of heads by wearing boots, guess seeing me without heels was as startling as I thought, lol. I got those boots blacked with Beast, who expects the head judge to be in the bootblack stand. Meeting Ma Vi for the first time was an experience, I have had the privilege to hear her tell stories online but had never met her personally before. I ran into folks I hadn’t seen in years, all of whom seemed to know I was leather before I had even realized it myself. So many amazing classes and so many amazing people.

In my local community, here in the bible belt, I am helping the local LGBTIQA+ bar owner to help make leather a part of what is celebrated there. The first installment of this was a leather and kink themed drag show, featuring the current Miss Gay Louisiana America and well of course yours truly (talk about jumping from stage fright into the spotlight). We figured a demo and “dress up” opportunity would be a gentle way to get people to start to open up. On a side note, ever want to stop a room full of drag queens, tell them that you don’t know how to contour.

If there is someplace you want me to come, please reach out and I will do my best to try and coordinate something.

I’m so proud to be your Ms SELF!

The past 8 months have been a completely surreal experience. Going places and talking to folks who I thought would have never talked to me before has been incredible. Teaching and getting to share parts of my life that are so personal has been difficult but at the same time a blessing in so many ways. Sharing with all of you has been the best part of this experience.

I started out my year with a bang, teaching in basically my own backyard for the wonderful folks at Vision. They moved to a hotel for the first time this year, for their 5^th anniversary with some amazing classes. I look forward to watching them grow. In January, “vanilla” work gave me the opportunity to travel to Europe which just happened to coincide with Dublin Leather Weekend. I meet people I wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance and discussions on how some things in leather are very different in Europe and the US. I got to be there as they elected their very first Mr. Dublin Leather and appointed a new Puppy. I have learned that pups are a bundle of energy and so fun. I wish I got to experience more of that here at home. Also learned that trying to wrangle titleholders at midnight for a picture is one hell of an adventure, cause well we all get just a bit silly at that point and others just wander off completely if you take too long to get the shot.

Making the decisions on where to go and what to do have been some of the hardest parts of this year. We want to try to participate in everything and well we don’t have clones or unlimited bank accounts so unfortunately choices and sacrifices are always involved. I try to participate in as much online as I can. Also getting ready for a whirlwind of travel over the next few months that will include LLC, SPLF, IMsLBB, Tarheels Anniversary, NWLC, and Frolicon, all before I stepdown at SELF in June. (Please reach out if you want to buy a pin or contribute to the costs over the next few months). If there is someplace you still want me to come, please reach out and I will do my best to try and coordinate something whether it is while I am still in title or after. I want to get to interact with as many of you that want too.

SELF this year promises to be its own whirlwind of emotions and activity. I am however excited to be back home with the people I call my “family”. You have all helped show me just what I was truly capable of and who I could be even though I was scared beyond words when I started this journey. I can’t wait to share laughter and even tears with you all again this year.