Ya’at’ééh,

You’ll run into folx who will try to dim your shine & question your authenticity; don’t allow them the power to invoke doubt in yourself. I recently had a conversation with someone who seemed to question MY Indigeneity & it rubbed ME the wrong way. This is nothing new as I’VE had to assert MYSELF as an Indigenous (Diné) person MY whole life, repressing the cringe when I hear someone ask ME if I benefit from tribal casinos or tell ME that their great-great-grandmother was an Indian princess. The conversation felt like a soft interrogation into MY bonafides all while I was doing MY duties as BLUF San Francisco (BLUFSF) Organizer.

Fortunately, there were more productive uses for MY time as I sold tickets and explained the raffle auction to attendees. Afterwards, though, I had to sit back and think about what that whole line of questioning was about. It left ME feeling tired and annoyed. The feelings have passed but it occurred to ME that this is a reason why I’M running for a title, to represent MY part of the Community as a disabled Veteran, a sober Leatherman, an Indigenous Dominant. All these pieces make up who I am and I know who I am, there’s no need to vie for external validation or answer questions regarding MY Authentic Self.

Wherever you are in life, I hope you know you’re fooken amazing to be the person you are right now. Your journey might just be starting or you might be on it still, I believe we’re never done learning as long as we’re living. You may not know who are you are yet, or you might know exactly who you are; whatever the case, YOU are fooken amazing. I mean that.

Now, get out there and do amazing shit with your sexy self!

Yours In Leather,
SIR Aaron Wolf