Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend in Washington D.C. is one of the largest leather gatherings held in the U.S., attracting members of the leather community from around the country. Daddy Al Santora is proud of the contest. He created it 30 years ago and has watched its popularity soar.
Santora, lives in Haines City, Fla., and understands leather titles. He’s a multiple title-holder himself, and his involvement in the Leather Community spans 40-years.
“It was a number of years ago back in ’69 with the riots at Stonewall in New York,” Santora says. “I was a sophomore in high school at the time and began going into a lot of the leather clubs that were in New York. Eventually I became more and more involved with the leather community over the years.”
Santora won the Mr. Delaware competition in 1982, and he also was the first contest winner for the Mr. Philadephian Leather that year. In 1983, he won Mr. D.C. Eagle 1984. When Santora joined the Centaur Motorcycle Club in 1985, he and other members decided to create a regional contest that feeds into International Mister Leather and eventually became the Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather Contest. Santora spent many years traveling the country, educating people at leather events and judging in a variety of contests.
“What is really important is for all of us to be able to respect each piece of this community, whatever part of it you belong,” Santora says. “I’m excited as an older leatherman that we’ve come to a place today where we have been able to do that.”
Santora was the first recipient of the Jill Carter “Unsung Hero” award, given to members of the leather community who provide charity, activism and service on a national level. The aware couldn’t be more appropriate for the man who describes the community itself as “engaged,” “fundraising” and “educational.”
Santora has seen the evolution of leather. He says that today leather is about who you are, not what you wear.
“I think today it’s evolved. It’s not only leather anymore now,” says Santora. “You’re seeing rubber and different types of materials used within the community. Is that wrong? Absolutely not. But have things progressed? Everything progresses. My point of fact is nothing ever stays the same, but at the same time tradition and respect are two issues that should never be forgotten in the community.”
