ILKW 2024 Judges

Sarah is a community leader and educator living in the Midwest! She has been involved in her local community for over 10 years and has served on many organizations and boards. She believes that we only get one life so we should live it as freely and as fun as we can, and hopes to help people learn safe ways to enjoy all of their favorite kinks.

Exploring Kink and Fetish for 7 years now, Xcentric is a double title holder and competed in IML coming in top 20 in 2022. This Cocoa Butter Leather Brutha loves a good fragrance and an amazing sneaker and collects both in his spare time. He believes Leather looks shouldn't follow a particular rulebook and often instills street culture into his Leather presentation. Xcentric realizes the need for the Leather culture and its spaces to exist and thrive, and how fragile maintaining that existence is especially for BIPOC, and hopes to be a catalyst to ensure it's relevance and survival in the future!

Polyamorous, Dominant bottom, and Leather identified feline, Sara attends events near and far from her home in Indianapolis. While favorite play can combine rope, rough-housing, rough body play, exchange of power, or biting; it is easier to find Sara lounging at local community events. With a history serving her greater community as a titleholder and various leadership positions, especially in areas of leather, power exchange and rope; Sara is currently taking time to attend to her own health and friendships.

Pup Umbra ONYX (he/him) is a leather pup/cub/switch from Cincinnati, OH where he lives with his husband Jim. He has been active in the leather/kink community since 2010 when he joined Scorpius of Cincinnati. He was recently sashed as Mr. Cincinnati Leather 2023 in an unprecedented tie alongside his sash sibling Trayla Parks, Mx. Cincinnati Leather 2023. Umbra is the Associate Liaison of ONYX Great Lakes and is the current Vice President of Membership for the Cincinnati Men's Chorus, for which he has been a singing member for almost 20 years. He has been a tallymaster, contestant handler and judge at several regional contests. Pup Umbra ONYX's favorite kinks/fetishes include pup play, impact play (on either side), some rope bondage, daddies, bears, bellies, beards, armpits and nipples. Consent is his foreplay and communication is key, so he loves to hear you ask before you touch. In his spare time, Umbra is a tabletop gamer, enjoys live theatre and Broadway, and is a co-host of the Cubs Out Loud podcast.

Girl Becky has been involved in the Leather/kink/fetish scene for over 20 years. Along her journey, she has identified as a bottom, a slave, a switch, a submissive and a babygirl. She has finally settled down with her Daddy, Sparkie, and is proud to be his devoted wife and babygirl. She is a Bootblack who loves to love on leather and was proud to serve as Wisconsin Leather Pride Bootblack 2020-2023.

Her degree in psychology focusing on stress management and relaxation gives her a unique perspective on both leather care and BDSM play, and she firmly believes that stress management techniques have a place in the Leather/kink/fetish space.

She is happily married to her Daddy, Sparkie. Together, they co-founded Bootblack Round-Up, an annual Bootblack-centric event, until they stepped away to allow others to take it to the next level. She has more recently served as co-event Producer of Wisconsin Leather Pride weekend. She is incredibly proud and excited that after spending her entire title year(s) reminding everyone that “Vagina is not contagious” and that women belong in Leather spaces, to serve in the role of Director of Bootblack Partnerships as the first woman in a leadership position at International Mr. Leather, Inc.

If she manages to grab a few minutes outside of the community, you’ll find her reading fantasy novels (a.k.a. fae smut) or playing low-stress cozy video games.

Aether took his first steps into the scene in 2019 and currently resides in Bloomington. Aether has roamed all over the Midwest where they have attended and volunteered at events during their time in the community. This pup has worked with Titans of the Midwest and Indy-PAH primarily, but is always happy to support other communities. This self-proclaimed puppy paladin wants everyone around them to know they are safe and welcome. As a pup and boy, they are motivated by a desire to serve. Inflicting lame puns and dad jokes are a favorite activity for this pup.