MR. MICHIGAN LEATHER 2024 JUDGES

MARCUS BARELA

Marcus is a Mexican Texan who’s ready for some sexin! He’s been a member of the Eagle LA staff for 18 years and is prepping to be a UCLA student studying Spanish and Queer Studies. He is Eagle LA Mr. Leather 2023, and International Mister Leather 2023.
Marcus is a proud sober leather man. He keeps centered through Tarot and Astrology and the cultivation of magic he believes we all share. Ask him about his magic beans…

CHRISTOPHER GONZALEZ

Christopher Gonzalez is the 1st Runner Up at IML 45, the current Mr GNI Leather 2022 and the former World Cub 2019/2020. A kinky nudist leather boy from Atlanta, GA he is an associate member of Command MC and Kentucky Bourbon Bears. He found the leather community while attending North American Bear and World Bear Weekend. His intersectionality of the two communities is at the root of who he is and his platform of body positivity and getting rid of false beauty standards stems from his time growing up as a performer. A RYT200 and Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher for 8+ years, he focuses on Bear Yoga and teaching bigger bodies to enjoy and benefit from the practice! As a Diversity Equity and Inclusion advocate, he has been on many diversity panels and round tables and also serves as a DE&I ally for the airline he works for. He is the current host of the Atlanta Jacks and a proponent for self love and expression. Chris flags White (Both), Magenta (Both) and Hunter Green (Right) and identifies as a Side/Switch.

DUSTIN JAMES

Dustin James, Mr. Michigan Leather 2023, is Detroit’s Disco Daddy serving all the tea. From the boardroom to the club, Dustin enjoys hosting the monthly Disco Tea Ferndale (DTF) queer dance parties and is an active member of The Mavericks Leather Social Club. He works with queer spaces to promote community outreach while grooving like it’s Studio 54. Dustin likes to work hard, play harder, and is always down to boogie. Grab life by the waistband and pull! Dustin enjoys wedgies, CBT, and being creamed in the face so let the cream pies fly. He also enjoys flogging, bondage, nipple play, and spanking. As a total switch, turnabout is fair game. He goes to the gym regularly, so catch him in the steam room bro, how bout that? This monochrome fashionista lives life like a disco inferno and that’s the way uh-huh uh-huh he likes it.

CHRIS KELLEY

CHRIS KELLEY (he/him/his) is a set decorator and kink educator currently based in New York. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Chris cut his teeth in LGBTQIA+ engagement and stewardship while at college in Ithaca, NY — co-founding the first collegiate branch of ATHLETE ALLY, an international organization advocating for equal representation in sports. As a set decorator, Chris is a proud member of IATSE Local 52 as well as the Set Decorators’ Society of America. He worked on the most recent season of ‘American Horror Story,’ with sets focusing both on queer art and tracing the origins of our shared kink history. Notably, he recreated The Mineshaft bar (featured in ‘Cruising’) inside The Eagle — complete with classic period-correct details. His work aims to honor the legacy of our New York leather lifestyle through a respectful, non-judgmental lens. Frequently, mainstream Hollywood turns the kink/fetish communities into a punchline, and Chris made sure that everything on set for ‘American Horror Story’ was well-researched and accurately represented. His work for the season is featured on Chairish..

REYA SUNSHINE

Reya Sunshine has been learning and exploring the kink scene for 15 years. She started teaching in the community in 2010, focusing on consent, sensation play, and relationship dynamics. Reya has been a member of Ohio SMART in Cleveland since 2008, where she organized lots of social and educational events. She joined the Titans of the Midwest in 2018 and is currently serving as President. A lifelong learner, Reya focuses on bringing high-quality education and diverse educators to events. Reya is a supporter of several arts and cultural organizations including the Leather Archives & Museum. When she isn’t organizing events or teaching, you can find her sorting through her vast collection of office supplies. Reya is known for her love of coffee and her snack of choice is cheese!

T WAYNE

T Wayne (57 – He/Him) resides in Chicago by way of Arkansas and Texas. You’ll hear the Southern Mash-Up of accents when you talk with him. By day he’s at the laptop of servitude working the day job in Medical IT but by night you’ll often find him hanging at one of Chicago’s Leather and Fetish Clubs being the Bearded Leather Daddy Bear Sir to the Chicago crowd. Daddy T, as many call him, always has a big welcoming bear hug for one and all. He was Mr. Leather64Ten 2020 representing Chicago’s local leather shop, Leather64Ten. T represented Chicago at the 44th International Mr. Leather Contest in May 2022. T Wayne is an avid Leatherman that enjoys gearing up in full leather as well as casual bar gear with the Chicago folks for a drink, a story or two, and always some time off in a dark corner. T is currently in a Poly relationship with his Huzbear Blake celebrating a thirty-year anniversary and his Alpha Boy RJ who also has a Pup persona named Kamo celebrating a seven-year anniversary. And yes, you can touch his beard.