Mr. NJ Leather 2025 is none other than SwitchBlade. Born and raised in the Bronx, he has lived in and worked around NYC most of his life, yet between Newark and Asbury Park, New Jersey, is where he calls home since December 2020. Calling himself “leather adjacent” early on in his journey, SwitchBlade enjoyed time with his leather friends and family and began attending events with ONYX and the NJ Leather Family.
A licensed social worker by education, he is currently the associate director for sexual health and LGBTQ services for Montefiore Health System, which means he oversees two sexual health clinics and a Trans Wellness Center, making him the “official gay” of the hospital. Jokes aside, SwitchBlade is on the forefront of healthy practices in both mind and body for the entire community.
In 2025, when the time came to run for NJ Leather, it was natural for SwitchBlade to step up. The Mr./Ms. NJ Leather contest was the first one he had ever seen when he was just becoming active in leather. The spirit in the room for the 2023 contest felt magical, and it drew him in immediately. “We tease about these contests being like beauty pageants, but seeing this live in person made my heart smile and realize it is so much more! Afterward, whenever I could lend a hand, I wanted to do it, be it and learn everything about the events. I like to say that I’m a student of the world, I’m always educating myself about everything. Many people call me a jack of all trades and I pride myself on that. I can be asked to do anything for a contest or an event and it makes me happy that I can support the work.
I can jump in and when people see me, they know I can help and they ask. Because I volunteered so often, folx started to ask me whether I might be interested in running for the sash.
“I thought, ‘I don’t want to run — people are crazy for wanting to do this,’ but I started to speak to people about what they learned during their sash year, what they did, what they planned. ‘Don’t look at other people’s year and compare yourself to theirs — consider what YOU want to do’ is some of the best advice I received.
I’ve been Judge’s Boy for a few contests, I’ve worked backstage, taught classes, and helped with being Tally Master. It’s not uncommon to see queer people in the arts. We grow up performing — performing heterosexuality, heteronormativity, and gender normativity. I love service. Daddy Sal (Sal Susino) jokingly said how would ‘SwitchBlade, Mr. NJ Leather’ sound and I tried on the idea and started thinking about it. When the application came out, I felt like, this is just the right time. I entered the contest with the idea that I was going to have fun and show the community what I was about.
I was told this is not a competition; it is an audition. The judges and the producers are looking for something special and whether that was me or not, I wasn’t going to stop doing the work or think any less of myself. Going in with this mindset helped me when I entered. When I saw who my running mates were, I knew I had brothers to lean on during the contest. We were competing with one another instead of against one another, we wanted to put on a great show for the audience who came to support us. We were crazed while working on our fantasies, speeches, and looks, but each of the us enjoyed the moments we spent together. It never felt like it was just me, it was all of us going through this contest and we just wanted to have fun, and a time was had!”
“I had been very fortunate to be collared to a wonderful Dom who refined and retuned the values that I had started with,” SwitchBlade continued. “It is key for us to create a safe space for people and it was important for me to become a safe space for the community. When I meet someone entering the community for the first time, I want to help them feel more at ease and enjoy so much of what I have found in the NJ Leather family and other communities. While I cannot always make physical spaces safe, I can be that safe space for people in those spaces.
A few years ago, at Folsom Street East, there was an ABDL area for the first time. While keeping a mindful eye on the space from afar I noticed two attendees trying to peep into the changing area, attempting to violate the privacy of those in that area. I became furious and immediately knew I had to step in and help protect those in this space. This meant having a conversation with those people to help them understand why this space was sacred and how they were violating it. I explained what was going on and how to be respectful. I helped those folks understand how to be a person who can be curious and respectful at the same time without possibly violating other’s safety. In that moment I was now security for the space, along with another attendee, to assure that the space could be as safe as possible. I almost went all Bronx-Puerto Rican on them,” he said, laughing, “but I explained how important it is to be respectful and how sometimes we can make these moments into teachable ones for new or naive folks.
“I get a lot of joy from service, helping people feel comfortable and enjoy the spaces they are in,” SwitchBlade continued. “While I recognize that I need to keep myself healthy and rested, and so sometimes I need disengage, I have found that I can be recharged from being around people and helping them find their joy. So you will see me anywhere and everywhere, whenever possible; looking tired yet sexy!”
When asked what sash life is like, SwitchBlade said, “The first five months have been very busy. This has really given me a platform to do more presentations, demonstrations, teach more, and to network on a broader level. I was in San Francisco recently for ‘Up the Alley’ and met someone who had heard of me. They were from Colorado! It was one of those moments that you realize you’re on the right track — my name being out there with the kinks I have mastered, the support I provide, the classes that I hold — make my heart smile and gave me a sense of pride; all the hard work is showing!
“It is so important to have these types of connections with folks from places far and wide, since not everyone lives in an urban center like me where there are other kinksters around. The bigger question I always ask is how do we bring these spaces to others who need to celebrate within their own community and don’t have the places to do it. Luckily, we’ve had online platforms to help boost our messages and connect our communities; but being able to meet in person brings a level of connection that is unmatched. The sharing of knowledge is important to ensuring our communities continue on for generations to come.
“I’ve been out in kink spaces for a while now, and I love when I am teaching a class and someone can walk out of it with at least one good piece of information or a new practice that then they tell friends, who tell their friends. I want to spread love and information; not hate or judgment.”
SwitchBlade remembers growing up in a time before social media and acknowledges these spaces require special considerations. “The more people we have giving safe and correct information, and in person, helps grow the community of kinksters and BDSM and leather,” he said. “These practices are for everyone, and NJ Leather Family is truly a melting pot of such a wide variety of all that we do and everything we are. We truly reflect the community where we live and work and play.
NJ Leather is not a male-dominated space. We have so many great female and female-identified kinksters. I love how diverse we are and want to invite even more people to join us for next year’s M. and Ms. NJ Leather contest.”
What’s was next for Mr. NJ Leather? “September, The Woods Leather Contest, CT Leather Contest, and Women of Drummer Weekend, which I am very excited to attend. NJ Leather Family is sponsoring a cigar social for Women of Drummer weekend. I’ve learned that women play hard and I’m looking forward so much to experiencing the vibe as it’s very different from many of the events I have been to. These spaces make my pup-side come out, making me more mindful and service-oriented yet sadistic too; my pup-name is Spliffy if you see him around. I will also be judging two contests in the fall and while I’m a new-ish title holder, I’m looking forward to the experience of seeing those community members step up into their contests.”
So you want to meet SwitchBlade? Check the NJ Leather Family listings on the social media channels and follow Out In Jersey listings to find the hottest parties in town.
