1. What are some of the important social issues that are prevalent in your local community?

I would have to say the police raid on Goliath’s bathhouse in December of 2002. While this happened late last year, it is still an ongoing issue. Calgary had, what we thought was, a good relationship with our local police force. All that came crashing to a halt December 12, 2002.

From the looks of things, this case will be ongoing for sometime. There is one remaining person that was charged in the raid who refuses to plead guilty. There has been a defense fund set up to help cut court costs, as the Crown Prosecutors are dragging their heels.

As well the owners, manager, and staff members that were charged in the raid are also still making appearances in court. They, like the only remaining man to be charged, are pleading not guilty.

We have never been given a good reason as to why this raid happened, only to say that a complaint was lodged. It has left the city shaken. Bars that used to play videos of SM, gay sex type of videos have shut down the TV’s.. People are watching their backs, wondering when the next ‘raid’ is going to take place.

It is going to take the city some time to get back to normal.

(For further information about the Goliath Bath House raid, please visit the following site http://www.times10.org/lock32003.htm)

2. Have there been any interesting experiences during your title year?

One interesting experience I had happened at the Cell Block in Chicago..but I can’t talk about that…

It’s really hard to sit back and think about interesting experiences..I could talk forever about that…The people I have met, the friendships I have built..the sites I have seen…

If I had to talk about one experience it would be with Tom Dickerson at Ms. San Diego Leather, this past Oct. We were sitting beside each other, both of us were judging. He lit up a cigar. Up until that point, I was not into cigars..yet that night, WOW…Poor Tom..I started leaning closer to him, and then closer until I was almost resting my head on his arm. I was in heaven smelling his cigar. Once I got enough nerve I tapped him on the arm and asked if I could feel the ash..he smoked for a bit more, then put his ash into my hand. Being that was my first time with cigars I had no idea what to do. So I just held my hand out, looking at the ash. Tom put his hand over mine and squeezed my hand around the ash, squeezing tight. It was hot, it was burning, it was really wild. Every time I see Tom now my eye’s glaze over. Once again, poor Tom.

3. What is your platform and how have you been able to communicate it to the global leather community?

My platform was to try and bring out the local lesbians in my community, and get them thinking about the kinky world. I have not tried to take this global, this was a goal that I was working on at the local level only. We did not have a recognizable group of Lesbian woman in our community at the time of my speech.

I tried three times over my year to bring together the lesbians of Calgary. Three times I failed. Then I met a girl, and she had the connections to the lesbian women I didn’t. I knew about kink, and she didn’t. So together we set about pooling our talents, with the end result being a meeting place of lesbian women where we could hold workshops and teach them about being kinky.

We have held two workshops to date. We have also set up a kinky Calgary girls mailing list so that the girls always have contact with each other. I feel this is important because without this contact they have nothing between workshops.

This sort of thing has never been done in Calgary before, and not for lack of trying. It was near impossible to get the girls to come out.

So getting back to your question, I have found success with my platform on the local level. I feel I have accomplished my goal. In my speech I was happy to bring one lesbian into the kinky world, I have blown far past that goal. This is something I will be working on for some time.

4. What inspired you to compete in Ms. Calgary Leather and then IMsL? What was each experience like?

The producers of Ms. Calgary Leather are 3SM from Calgary. They are my Leather Family. The contest had two people running. One of those two people was very unsure if they wanted to run or not…when she backed out, I stepped up to the plate so that the contest would not die.

Ms. Calgary Leather is set up on the system of a travel fund. The winner of the contest got a travel fund, which was for one of two trips. They could either attend Ms. World as a spectator, or attend IMsL as a contestant or spectator. I had chosen to attend Ms. World…Ms Christine Baker, who was 1st runner up for IMsL in 2000 urged me to run for IMsL…it took her two days to talk me into it, as I did not feel I was ready to compete at the international level.

5. How did you become interested in the leather community?

I was in fetish world of kink. I was sitting in a workshop, a whip workshop, and in walked two Leathermen, and a Leatherwoman. I was hooked from the start. Within an instant I knew I was in with the wrong group of people. I set my sights on one of the Leathermen, my goal was to get to know him, get to know his world, and then enter his world. That turned into a very informal mentorship that lasts to this day.

6. Who are some of your mentors?

I have only ever had one mentor. His name is Mr. Don Bastian. He is not only my mentor, but my good & close friend.

7. What legacy would you like to leave as IMsL 2002?

I believe the people I have met over my year, will help shape my legacy. I could say “this is what I want it to be” but that does not mean much…I feel my legacy will be shaped from what I have done over the past year.

8. What are your plans after your title year is over?

There are some events I went to this year that I would like to attend again next year, C.L.A.W being one of them. I also want to attend a few events I was not able to make it to this year, South Plains Leather fest being one. Also I will take some time just for me, to refocus and plan for the years ahead