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Mentor Program: Updates

LDG Mentoring Program Community Update

August 2026

The Mentoring Program is on track to relaunch January 2027. Mentor applications open in September.

We have restructured around shared leadership in an Operating Committee, so no single person holds the program or the power within it. We have committed to equity and belonging, with goals we will publish and hold ourselves to. The program will have independent, confidential channels for raising concerns and for mental-health support. We are introducing background checks for mentors, mentees, and committee members—while not perfect, this is just one of the safeguards we are putting in place. The policy acknowledges that background checks harm vulnerable populations at a higher rate, and flags will never automatically disqualify anyone. We have put policies in place to protect sensitive information. We have distilled public values that all program participants and leadership will agree to. We have added support and structure for presenters, and plan frequent feedback check-ins to calibrate how it's going.

What people valued stays: several months of one-to-one mentorship, monthly gatherings, hands-on classes, presentations, and discussions, and cohort outings. The program remains free to take part, will gratefully accept donations to help cover increased costs, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Timeline: Mentor applications Early September, 2026 · Mentee applications Early November, 2026 · Program runs Jan to early Oct 2027.

In LDG's 30th year, mentorship is one of the clearest ways this community continues to show up for each other.

Right now: join the LDG mailing list, please send strong mentors and mentees our way, and continue to lend a hand at LDG events. Questions? MentorProgram@sfldg.org.

March 2026

Following the race-based incident involving the LDG Mentor Program lead in 2025, LDG held a town hall and paused the program for 2026 in order to reflect, listen, and learn. Over the past several months, we have reviewed the program through surveys, in-person conversations, and direct outreach across the community.

A small but committed working group—made up of both newer and longer-tenured members of the kink community from a range of backgrounds—has formed to review the program and implement updates based on these findings with an eye to a January 2027 re-launch.

What We Learned

The strength remains relational. One-on-one mentoring relationships are consistently described as meaningful and transformative. The curriculum is generally strong and well-facilitated, with specific areas identified for refinement.

The fragility was structural. The program relied on a single director as the central authority. When that leadership failed, the structure was not equipped to respond with resilience. The race-based rupture exposed the risks of concentrated authority and the absence of distributed governance and formal escalation pathways.

Racism is not subject to degrees. LDG removed the immediate source of harm promptly and treats this incident as a structural warning. Within our community, we observed a small number of follow-up discussions that minimized the racist behavior, and LDG unequivocally repudiates those sentiments. We must hold one another accountable to the highest standards of equity and belonging.

Operational gaps surfaced. Themes included matching transparency, application clarity, variability in SIG experience, inconsistent communication cadence, and the absence of a documented harm-response pathway.

Trust requires visible structure. Participants expect formal escalation channels, clear reporting expectations, distributed authority, transparent standards, and baseline inclusion competency embedded in the program itself.

What’s Next

The working group is translating these themes into concrete structural proposals, including:

  • Formalized escalation and reporting pathways

  • Clear authority and governance structure

  • Transparent matching standards

  • Curriculum review and updates to ensure consistency and alignment with the needs of the next generation

  • Defined inclusion and belonging standards

  • We commit to providing a brief update every few months. posting updates on here so the community can follow progress.

  • We welcome questions and comments: Erik Will (erikw@sfldg.org) & Jay Harcourt (chairman@sfldg.org)

About the LDG Mentoring Program

Founded in 2012, the LDG Mentoring Program has connected hundreds of newer members of the leather, kink, and BDSM communities with experienced mentors who can help them explore safely, confidently, and with intention.

LDG itself has been an educational and social hub of the San Francisco leather community since 1996. The updated mentoring program will continue this mission while expanding clarity, support, and cultural awareness for all participants..

Monthly LDG Programs

While mentoring is paused, you are always welcome at LDG’s monthly programs and events. It’s a great way to meet community members, learn from lived experience, and stay connected.