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Home» Community

LEATHER PRIDE NIGHT is at a CRITICAL CROSSROAD

Posted by LPN - March 18, 2015 - Community

Dear Friends, Fans and Committee Members of Leather Pride Night,

We are in a conundrum.

As you may know, Leather Pride Night was founded as an expression of community interest and support by a collection of organizations that served the New York City Metro Area leather and fetish community.  The work of representatives from those organizations, augmented by a few “GDIs” made the event happen:  items were solicited, volunteers were recruited, ticket sales were handled and publicity was managed by those groups and their members.

Times have changed in the New York City leather scene.  It’s been almost a decade since the demise of GMSMA, Many of the other groups have come and gone.  Some still exist in diminished capacities, and those few that are still strong, are focusing their energies on their own activities. We mourn the lack of a leather community, but we appreciate that times are changing, new interests and venues have replaced old ones, and people are finding their way into the activities we celebrated without the formalized community that we once were.

These times, and the change they bring, are also affecting Leather Pride Night.  Over the last few years, we have seen participation by our founding groups diminish.  Our monthly planning meetings are now attended primarily by those GDIs (including ourselves) who had at one point represented groups, but have recently been working to preserve LPN and it’s legacy as members-at-large of the greater community.  Sadly, for the last six months, the numbers of people at the table has been dropping precipitously.  Those of us at the table can no longer produce Leather Pride Night by ourselves:  it has begun to feel like LPN, as so many of its founding groups, has outlived its role, if not its usefulness.

That being said, and because we have no wish to see LPN end or falter, we must ask of you now:  “Do you want to see LPN survive?”

We do, and will be at the regular LPN monthly meeting on April 2, 2015 at the LGBT Community Center at 8 PM.    For LPN to survive, not just in the future, but this year itself, we need you to show up.  LPN needs a committed core of 15-20 people to make it work.  If you are willing to be one of those people: to commit to showing up, to commit to helping sell tickets, to commit to helping to gather the more than 80 items we need to raffle and auction off, please show up on April 2nd.  Please bring friends, please tell your friends and please demonstrate that the Community still needs this event to exist.

Decisions will be made that night that will impact the future, and we hope you will join us to say “YES! LPN is important and I want to make sure it continues.”

Thank you for your commitment to the past, and we hope that you can join us on Thursday, April 2nd.

With highest respect,

J. Grant Anderson and Witti Repartee

Co-Chairs, Leather Pride Night Committee

 

Flood Assistance for Jo Arnone

Posted by LPN - June 19, 2014 - Community, Donate
Flood Assistance for Jo Arnone

Flood Assistance for Jo Arnone

For over 30 years Jo Arnone has been a community fundraiser doing auctions for worthwhile charities all over the country. She was our founding auctioneer and has continued the traditions for THIRTY years, and has helped Leather Pride Night raise many thousands of dollars for LGBT and AIDS related charities.

On June 6, 2014, a powerful storm system stalled over northern Maryland, dumping over 3.5 inches of rain in less than an hour. Overwhelming the storm drains, the water poured into Jo’s yard to a depth of four feet, sweeping away her fencing and flooding her basement. In addition to damage to the house itself, the water heater and furnace were swamped along with many precious personal and historical items. Extensive mold mitigation will be required. They had flood insurance but it did NOT cover this because it was “flowing water” not “standing water.”

Jo’s friend Susannah Ravenswing is coordinating a GoFundMe campaign for provide support for her. Please considering sharing and supporting Jo:

http://www.gofundme.com/afrssw

Leather Pride Night audience survey

Posted by LPN - June 26, 2013 - Community

LPN NYC 06-16-12_425

The Leather Pride Night Committee is interested in what our entire community has to say about LPNXXX and beyond!  Please take this short 5-10 minute survey and give us your feedback, your ideas and even your time!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LPNXXX

 

Community Open Town Hall: Will there be an LPN 30?

Posted by LPN - October 12, 2012 - Community

All Friends in the Leather & Fetish Community,

Leather Pride Night has brought the New York area BDSM/Leather/Fetish community together for 29 years. Known as LPN, for short, it was a see-and-be-seen event for leatherfolk from across the country. A must-attend for IML and ImsL, LPN’s auction, flea markets, raffles and boot-blacking raised thousands of dollars for NYC-area gay, women, AIDS and youth charities and from time-to time raised money for NSCF, legal and First Amendment movement funds. Hundreds of people volunteered, carried, built, moved and sold hundreds of garments, tickets, furniture and toys. But right now, LPN is at a crossroads. The committee is suffering from a lack of new members. The New York leather scene has changed dramatically in the past three decades, with organizations dwindling or going defunct. Bars and clubs closing and the cost of producing LPN in time, energy and money has skyrocketed, as the actual funds made available for giving has decreased.

So what is the future of Leather Pride Night? Will there be an LPN XXX? What form or forms will it take? Who will volunteer this year? Should it just stop altogether? That’s where you come in.

At 8pm, on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, the Leather Pride Night committee will be holding an open forum & town hall to take suggestions, hear comments and, potentially, infuse new blood into this community institution.

We want to see & hear from YOU! Be there! Be heard!
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
208 West 13th Street Room 301
New York, NY 10011

(c) 2013 Leather Pride Night NYC