2026 NE Person of Leather - slave sunflower
slave sunflower has been an active and devoted member of the Leather community for over a decade. She identifies as a slave, masochist, middle, babygirl, puppy, demo bottom, and presenter embodying the beauty of versatility and depth within service and play. Her greatest passion lies in community service. Whether in Leather spaces or in the vanilla world, she strives to “make someone’s day and life easier” through acts of care, consistency, and commitment. Over the years, she has presented, moderated, and volunteered at numerous conferences including FLAME, THRIVE, SouthEast LeatherFest (SELF), Beyond Leather, MsC Worldwide, and the Northeast Conference of Kink (N.E.C.K.), among others.
Her leadership extends beyond the classroom and dungeon as she currently serves on multiple committees for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), sits on the Board of Directors for the Northeast Conference of Kink, is the Director of Diversity for the Beyond Leather Conference, and contributes to SouthEast LeatherFest as the Volunteer Assistant. Despite her small stature and quiet nature, slave sunflower’s presence is powerful. Her devotion, integrity, and love for the Leather community shine through in all she does. Ever evolving, she continues to grow in her journey embodying service not just as an act, but as a way of life.
Calendar
slave sunflower's calendar of appearances:
March 6, 2026 - Kink: First Contact at Baltimore Playhouse
March 8, 2026 - Mixers Leather Contest
March 27-29, 2026 - Fur The ‘More – Furry’s Convention
https://furrycons.com/event/26133/fur-the-more-2026
https://www.furthemore.org/
March 28, 2026 - Blaq Out!, Mixers Baltimore
https://facebook.com/events/s/bIaqout-0328/1429711285374522/
April 9-12, 2026 - SouthEast LeatherFest
https://seleatherfest.com/home
May 1-3, 2026 - 30th Beyond Leather
https://beyondleather.net/wp/?agreecheck=on
May 29-31, 2026 - Northeast Conference of Kink
https://northeastkink.com/
June 6, 2026 - P.E.T. Of Maryland Munch
June 13, 2026 - Baltimore Pride
June 26-28, 2026 - Exxxotica MN
July 12, 2026 - Twisted Pajammy Jam in Baltimore (my event i’m hosting)
July 13, 2026 - Locked and Loaded
July 14, 2026 - P.E.T. of Maryland Munch
July 17, 2026 - PWP Boat Trip NYC
July 26 Just Play: A Queer Centered Play Weekend, Accomplices Always Welcome
August 11 P.E.T. of Maryland Munch
August 14-15, 2026 - Mid Atlantic Unity weekend Baltimore
August 23, 2026 - Twisted Pajammy Jam repeat. Community Service for a school supply drive.
September 3-7, 2026 – Master/slave Conference
More to come!!
March 2026
Thoughts on winning this title!
Whew, this still feels unreal to me. Everytime i look at this back patch on my vest, the smile that is created on my face gets bigger and bigger. July of 2024 is when my journey toward NEPoL began. Not with applying, not with picking out outfits, or getting a mock panel together to help with questions. It started with asking myself why?
One thing I knew for certain, running for a title was going to be work, and if I was fortunate enough to win it...that's even more work. Good thing for me, work has never scared me off. However, realizing what it would take to compete and still manage my time, energy, home life, my dynamic, work, and community wouldn't be an easy feat! Sitting down with myself and having those real conversations and then having them again with those closely connected to me was important and needed. Going over budgets, my duties in every capacity that I operated, making sure this wouldn't be to taxing on me or my Sir mentally, physically, and emotionally was my main focus.
There wa
s soooooo much to consider. That back and forth process took a whole year and a half because I wanted to make sure that every "i" was dotted and every "t" was crossed before saying yes to myself and going for it! While the road had rocky moments, the path was set and I was very confident that this was the right decision. Turns out, I was right! Not because i won this title, which is absolutely amazing, but because of the journey to winning it.
One of the hardest things for me to do was to put myself on display for consensual open judgement. I am so proud of myself for stepping out and allowing myself to be put centerstage and all of me out there for the community to see! Meeting parts of the community I may have never had a chance to meet. Getting the opportunity to even be a representative as a contestant at Twisting Culture was a dream. That alone, to me, caused me to be a winner.
June 2026
The Power of Community: A Season of Growth, Service & Connection
The last few months have been nothing short of incredible, and as I sit back and reflect on everything that's happened, I can't help but feel grateful for every opportunity, every conversation, and every person who has crossed my path. It's been a season filled with growth, service, connection, and community. From representing myself and the organizations I hold dear to building new relationships and strengthening old ones, these experiences have reminded me just how powerful community can be when people come together with open hearts and shared purpose.
My time at Southeast LeatherFest was truly one for the books. Having the opportunity to serve and receiving my NEPoL Sash. That was both humbling and rewarding. Service has always been important to me, and being trusted to help support such an amazing event allowed me to give back to a community that has given so much to me over the years. What stood out most, though, was being surrounded by chosen family and community members who continue to inspire me every day. There is something special about being in a space where people celebrate one another's successes, support one another through challenges, and genuinely want to see everyone thrive. Those are the moments that remind me why community matters.One of the highlights of this season was attending the celebration honoring Finn Coy-Gresavage and the achievement of becoming International Person of Leather. The energy in the room was electric, filled with pride, admiration, and excitement for what this accomplishment means not only for Finn but for so many people who see themselves reflected in that journey. It was an honor to celebrate alongside friends and community members while witnessing firsthand the impact that authenticity, dedication, and service can have. Events like these remind us that our victories are rarely ours alone and they belong to everyone who helped us get there and everyone who will be inspired by them moving forward.
I was also blessed with the opportunity to spend time getting to know members of the furry community and making some wonderful new furry friends along the way. As someone who believes strongly in building bridges, I found myself drawn to the creativity, passion, and welcoming spirit I encountered. Those interactions reinforced something I've always believed: no matter what community we belong to, we all share a common desire for connection, acceptance, and belonging. That same philosophy is fueling the exciting new chapter of Power Exchange Together here in Maryland. This endeavor is about creating opportunities for people in power exchange dynamics to gather, learn, share experiences, and build meaningful connections in a safe and supportive environment. By bringing different communities together, we create stronger foundations and open doors for greater understanding and collaboration.
Then came the Northeast Conference of Kink, another unforgettable experience that showcased the very best of education, entertainment, and community. From the fun and creativity of Kinky Kosplay to the outstanding classes offered throughout Saturday, there was something for everyone to enjoy and learn from. Saturday night's performances and play party brought together expression, talent, and connection in a way that only events like this can. Throughout the weekend, I had the opportunity to proudly represent myself, Twisting Culture, and the communities I call home. Looking back on everything these past few months have brought, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead. The journey has been amazing, the momentum is building, and if there's one thing I know for certain, it's that we're only scratching the surface. The future is bright, and from here, it's only going up.
August 2026
Service Beyond the Title - Reset, Refocus, Redirect
The past few months have been nothing short of an amazing journey, filled with good times, new experiences, service, growth, and definitely a few challenges along the way. Exxxotica Minneapolis was another chapter in that journey. From the connections made and the work done to the experiences I walked away with, it reminded me once again that being in these spaces is about so much more than showing up. It is about serving, learning, connecting, and being willing to grow through every experience—both the good and the difficult.
As I continue moving forward, I am also stepping into my role as a Co-Director for P.E.T. (Power Exchange Together) of Maryland. This is another opportunity for me to pour into my community, create spaces for connection and education, and help build something that serves others. And then there was my very first event at Mixers Baltimore, the Twisted Pajamammy Jam in July. That night was EVERYTHING! The love, support, dancing, singing, laughing, and energy in that room reminded me why I love creating spaces where people can simply come together, have a damn good time, and feel welcomed. We also raised funds while doing it, which made the night even more special.
And we aren't done yet! On August 23rd, we are back at Mixers for another night of fun, but this time, the good times are for a good cause. We will be collecting school supplies to donate to a local elementary school because, while I absolutely love serving in the kink and Leather communities, my service doesn't stop there. My service extends into every community I am a part of. If I have the ability to help, give, organize, connect, educate, or simply show up for someone, then that's exactly what I intend to do.
That same spirit of service will carry into September when I volunteer my time and services at MsC as a representative for NCSF, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. I will be there advocating, sharing resources, extending information and support around consent, and helping people better understand the importance of informed, enthusiastic, and ongoing consent. This is another reminder that the work I do isn't confined to one title, one event, or one community. Service is a part of how I move through the world.
All in all, this has been an amazing journey so far. It has not been without its challenges, and I would be lying if I said every moment has been easy. But I am learning to use those challenges to reset, refocus, and redirect myself instead of allowing them to stop me. I am continuing to move forward in service, with humility, honor, and pride, while carrying the responsibility of representing the Northeast Region as your 2026 Person of Leather. This journey is still unfolding, and I am grateful for every lesson, every connection, every opportunity, and every person who continues to walk alongside me.:::
November 2026
Coming Soon!
February 2027
Coming Soon!
