NCSF Newsletter: 4th Quarter 2013

My community involvement goes back to when I was in school in San Franscisco.  For two years I was on the South of Market Bare Chest Calendar which raised money for the AIDS Emergency Fund.  At that time 90% of all money raised went to clients.  Most recently I was the President and Executive Producer of Folsom Street East in New York City from 2008-2012.  FSE is a 501 (c)3 that raises funds for other LGBT and Kink causes.  NSCF has been a beneficiary of Folsom Street East since it started.  Before running FSE I was the last President of GMSMA (Gay Male SM Activists) in New York City.  A Working with other organizations like The NY Anti Violence Project and The Center in NYC GMSMA worked on educating the community about the difference between consensual SM play and abuse as well as holding classes on various techniques in BDSM play and community activism.

What specialties do you bring to the board? 

One of my specialties is building processes and growing community.  To be able to reach out between groups and organization connecting people and helping all achieve their goals.  We as a Kink/Fetish Community are bigger than any one person, one group, or type of sexuality.  We don’t all have to act the same way or believe the same things but mutual respect and a willingness to help each other binds us together and makes us stronger.

After supporting NCSF for many years in other ways having the opportunity to join the board was a logical step.  Having the freedom to be who you are has always been a critical issue for me.  From the Freedom to Marry to the Freedom to express yourself in public or in private are basic rights we should be able to enjoy.   Limiting those rights diminishes all of us.

 

On more of a personal note, I have been in an 8 year relationship with my now husband Bruce.  We were married in NYC in October of 2011 after same sex marriage was passed in the state of New York.  Currently we reside in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Since moving to Fort Lauderdale I have worked on “The Leather Masked Ball” a benefit for The Leather Archives and Museum as well as The Pet Project and Gilda’s Closet.  I also have been working with The South Florida Minotaurs and looking forward to becoming a full member in the near future.  

 

 

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 Sexual Freedom Stories in the News 

 

The national (and international) news is buzzing with stories relating to sexual freedom.

 

The New York Times reported “A Utah Law Prohibiting Polygamy Is Weakened,” one of our contributing writers Tamara Pincus was interviewed by the Huffington Post, and the Oxford Student discussed BDSM Consent among other things. 

 

Curious about what’s going on in the world and what the NCSF pays particular attention to? You can check out our Blog anytime you’d like, it’s always live at the NCSF website. We also send out regular Media Updates right to your inbox, to help you stay on top of things. Here’s a link or find it below) if you haven’t already signed up.  

 

Sharing is caring! You can forward our newsletters, media updates and press releases to your friends by clicking the link at the bottom of our mailings. Keep in the know with the NCSF.

 

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An Obituary for Leigha Fleming

 

Leigha Fleming passed away on December 19, 2013, after a longstanding illness. She was 43 years old. Leigha received a wound that became infected in August 2012, and suffered through numerous operations before she finally succumbed to the infection.

 

We would like to remember all the hard work Leigha did for NCSF as Chairman from 2008-2013, and as Incident Reporting & Response Director for nearly 12 years. At various times Leigha was also the Executive Director, Treasurer and Education Outreach Program Director since she started volunteering for NCSF in 2000.

 

Leigha personally helped thousands of individuals, groups and businesses who suffered discrimination and persecution due to their interest in BDSM, swinging and polyamory. Those people who she touched will never forget that she was there to help them when they needed it the most.

 

Leigha devoted a large part of her life to making sure that NCSF ran smoothly and that our volunteers and staff were doing their jobs. She took great pride in the fact that she played a key part in putting NCSF’s infrastructure on a solid footing. The staff and Board members of NCSF will certainly feel the loss with Leigha gone.

 

As many people suffer the loss of someone considered a friend or even mentor, we hope to celebrate all the good that Leigha propagated in her lifetime, and we are grateful for the positive changes she so frequently inspired.

 

Leigha regretted at the end that she had little time left and no way to make restitution to NCSF. Her last words to NCSF were: “I am sorry.”

 

Rest in Peace.

 

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