The Bootblack Brigade is proud to have had members representing International Contests in 2010!

The Bootblack Brigade is proud to have had the following members qualify to run in the following International Contests in 2010:

IMBB: Timothy Starkey, Mr. Boston Leather 2009 and Loki -resident bootblack at Bad Dog Bar, St. Louis.

ICBB: Boy Andersen- Mid Atlantic Community Bootblack 2010 and Redwarrior, SouthEast Community Bootblack 2010.

We are proud that both Timothy Starkey and Redwarrior both earned International Titles at their respective contests and congratulate all of our member who were contestants in 2010.
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The Bootblack Brigade Announces Restructuring of the Organization

The Bootblack Brigade has officially dispensed with the military ranking system, effective immediately. This was done to eliminate confusion among members, and to significantly ease members ability to make substantial contributions to the organization without having to be held to a certain position, that was found impractical. Moving forward, all members hold the same rights and responsibilities that all members enjoy.

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The Bootblack Brigade is proud to announce one of their full members, Boy Andersen, is the winner of the 2010 title of Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack. Boy Andersen is the first female to hold this title and the first Bootblack Brigade Member to earn a title. The title is part of the Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride Weekend, held in Baltimore, Maryland and is produced by Hooker and boys.

Andersen, who lives in Maryland, tries to stay connected to the NY/NJ area by bootblacking at events such as TESFest, Floating World, Philly Leather Pride Night, Black Rose, Dark Odyssey, and Just Play. Andersen is a staff member and resident bootblack of Play House in Baltimore, and member of Friends of Play House.

Boy Andersen has named many bootblacks as inspirations in her journey to this title. “ I’d like to thank [Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2009] Brandon, who encouraged me to start “walking the walk” of getting connected to the local community, and to start learning some of the nitty-gritty of local and regional organizational activism.” Andersen also acknowledges that she’s the first Female to hold the title. “While it’s always great to be breaking ground, in this case as the first female Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack, I’ll just be happy if this means that I get to shine more leather, learn more skills, and help more people find their individual bootblacking joy and passion.” She also acknowledges the role of The Bootblack Brigade in the community, “… through the Bootblack Brigade, I hope that a quality standard can also be formed and shared, along with the brotherhood that tends to develop whenever there’s a tin of bootblacks assembled.”