Bay Area Reporter - November 22, 2007
Heather Cassell, h.cassell@ebar.com

"We are really doing the work of the leather community," said Demetri Moshoyannis, executive director of FSE. "Philanthropy is such a big part of who we are and it feels great to do better every time."

Steve Mueller, event chair of GRGR West's Real Bad XIX party, added, "We were very excited to be able to support those organizations in being able to reach their goals and creating some good in our community."

It was a record-setting year for FSE. Its 24th annual Folsom Street Fair raised more than $350,000 for benefiting organizations, a 16 percent increase over 2006, through the fair and its other affiliated events, the Up Your Ally street fair held in July, and the Magnitude dance party that preceded the fair in September. All the events saw an increase in attendance, Moshoyannis said.

GRGR West, which produces the Real Bad XIX party that wraps up the Folsom fair weekend, raised $150,000. Mueller said that amount was boosted by attendance and sponsorships from an estimated $115,000 in 2006.

San Francisco's Leather Week erupted in controversy this year, when right-wing Christian organizations attacked FSE and its main beverage sponsor Miller Brewing Company, in the days leading up to the Folsom fair. The brouhaha stemmed from the Leonardo da Vinci "Last Supper" inspired promotional poster for the street fair. Leather models replaced Jesus and his disciples and sex toys replaced the food and wine. The image disturbed the Catholic League, which launched a boycott of Miller products. The boycott was called off in late October after Miller and FSE issued a joint apology to those who were offended.

Moshoyannis said that controversy wasn't new to the Folsom fair. He believed the right-wing attacks on the fair rallied the community, which came out in support of the event. The attendance numbers showed through the money raised by the fair, which Moshoyannis estimated at $650,000. An estimated $160,000 was raised at Up Your Alley and $150,000 was raised at Magnitude, Moshoyannis said.

FSE has an annual budget of nearly $1 million. About 35 percent of profits made by the organization are returned to the community in the form of grants. Moshoyannis earns $66,000 annually to run the leather pride organization that is growing its philanthropic abilities.

In addition to the contributions from FSE and GRGR West, another big Leather Week fundraiser is the Leather Walk, which raises funds for the AIDS and Breast Cancer Emergency Funds. This year the event raised more than $24,000, according to P. Tyrone Smith, director of development and communications for AEF and BCEF.

Smith noted that 100 percent of the Leather Walk money is split between the sister organizations, both of which provide emergency financial assistance to people living with AIDS or breast cancer to "help create a stable living environment," Smith said.

New partnership

This year FSE partnered with Titan Media to create the TitanMen/Folsom Fund, which will benefit organizations across the country. According to a November 16 news release, Titan established the fund with a $25,000 donation. FSE will match this money, so the 2007 grants program will give out a total of $27,500. This three-year partnership will support nonprofit gay men's health and education groups. The fund will receive $20,000 annually from TitanMen as well as an undisclosed percentage of sales of co-branded TitanMen/Folsom hardcore leather/fetish films available on DVD, according to Titan founder and CEO Bruce Cam and Keith Webb, vice president of Titan Media. The first film in the series is Folsom Filth, which won "Best Specialty Film-Extreme" at the 2006 GAYVN Awards.

"As a leader within the gay adult industry, TitanMen is proud to be one of the largest studio contributors to nonprofit organizations specializing in gay men's health and education," said Cam in a statement.

"TitanMen promotes fetish and leather play as safer and morally responsible alternatives to the growing trend of bareback within the gay adult entertainment industry," said Webb in a statement. "By portraying and eroticizing safer sexual alternatives, TitanMen hopes to lead by example."

Titan Media's goals fit right in with FSE's mission, said Moshoyannis.

"Our mission is really to provide a safe and comfortable avenue for our community to come together, build community, and grow and thrive," said Moshoyannis. "So in some ways the philanthropy is a nice byproduct."

Of the total amount of money distributed by FSE, nearly $300,000 was granted to 11 organizations including the Positive Resource Center, the Stop AIDS Project (which also was a beneficiary of Real Bad XIX this year), and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Five $25,000 grants were awarded to other organizations, including Tenderloin Health. More than 45 organizations, including the Berkeley Free Clinic, received smaller grants generated from its nonprofit beverage partners, according to Moshoyannis.

"[The] San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is extremely appreciative of the tremendous support that we received from Folsom Street Fair," said Michael Levy, board president of the chorus, which uses the money to support members who otherwise wouldn't be able to participate. "Their continued support enables us to meet our mission and provide quality performances."

Real Bad XIX, an all-volunteer run event with an estimated $32,000 annual operating budget, donated 100 percent of its ticket sales to Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center and the Stop AIDS Project. The organizations received $75,000 each.

"When we get a gift from the community, particularly of this size, it goes beyond the money, it says, 'We believe in you,'" said Jodi Schwartz, executive director of LYRIC.

LYRIC plans to use the money for its queer youth action project, which produces an estimated three to five projects annually, Schwartz said. One of the programs is the Intergenerational Storytelling Project where youths interview LGBT seniors and broadcast their stories on OutLoud Radio. The project is in its third year and was featured in this year's B.A.R. Pride issue.

"Essentially by giving LYRIC these funds they are creating the next generation of leaders of the community," said Schwartz. "Their investment will come back 10-fold."

The Stop AIDS Project benefited from both organizations this year. The HIV prevention agency received $10,000 from FSE.

"We are absolutely thrilled that these two community-based fundraising efforts were so successful in bring money back to the community," said Jason Riggs, communications director of Stop AIDS. The money will be used to reduce HIV/AIDS in San Francisco, he said.

Next year will be the Folsom Street Fair's 25th anniversary. Moshoyannis is already planning on expanding the event to include a gala dinner kicking off San Francisco's Leather Week as well as having leather flags running up and down Market Street.

"The leather community is becoming more accessible," said Moshoyannis. "Hopefully, people can come and experience things that they haven't before. We are a part of the sexual liberation movement [and] increasing numbers of people are responding to that, especially in repressive times."

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