Stern

I just met Stern, but was immediately taken by the tears in his eyes at the wedding I attended in Philadelphia. He spoke with passion about how he had always wanted to have a space where folks could come and be themselves. That seeing these two amazing people come together in his space was awe-inspiring.Stern is a big guy with big hands. He laughs and smiles, and has a deliciously evil wink. We flirted, after talking about our mutual love of Pho, and having him share pieces of his story with me. Flirtation, after all, is an art form that is sometimes a delight in our community that does not have to always lead to somewhere. It is what it is. But I do appreciate a guy with large hands and a beautiful smile.He got this space a while back, and decided to make it into a safe space. He was sick of seeing transsexual and queer friends of his go to events and feel uncomfortable. That they did not feel empowered to be themselves or play the way they wanted to play. Plus? He loved playing around a diverse population. So he built a dream.Build it, and they will cum.The space is large. Really large. It is a huge loft space in an industrial area, and talking with New Yorkers later that night, they were shocked by the largess of it. It is a single large space. And by large I mean 20+ foot tall ceilings, probably taller. A cavernous expanse with no physical dividers other than where equipment is placed. I have seen larger at events like Rubber Ball back in the day, or the current main play space at KinkFest, but it is about twice the size of the main dungeon at the Dark Odyssey Summer Camp/Fusion, for folks who go there.  And that space is pretty darn massive.His space is a big fundraiser, Stern explains. They have raised funds for community members who have gone through tough times, for folks with medical expenses, and for charities. It matters to him to make a difference. He jokes that he is the highest profile low profile guy. Friends laugh along with him.Keep building your dream Stern. We need tears in the eyes of more folks in our community as their hearts are touched.

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