About NELA
NELA is an organization dedicated to making a safe place in the world for all leather/fetish/SM people through education, advocacy, and charitable giving. NELA stands for New England Leather Alliance, and we were formerly known as NLA: New England. We are an incorporated non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the support, education, and political organizing of the leather/fetish/SM/bondage communities in New England. We are a diverse, pansexual group of adults who share a common interest in Leather, S/M, or similar fetishes (bondage, spanking, etc.) and who want to be active in building our community. We are women and men, transgendered folk, heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, and gay, married and single, young and old. We are from MA, NH, CT, ME, RI & VT. We host local events every month such as classes and outings, produce the semi-annual Fetish Fair Fleamarket™, the largest fetish event in New England, publish this website and more.
What is the Fetish Fair Fleamarket™?
The Fetish Fair Fleamarket™ (also known as the “FFF”), originally began in the Boston area in 1992 and has been held twice yearly in New England since then. The FFF is the largest leather/fetish event in New England usually held at the beginning of and again in middle of the year. We bring together about a hundred top vendors and craftspeople from our local area and from as far away as San Francisco, Arizona, Chicago, and Canada. Over the last decade, tens of thousands of people have attended the FFFs to enjoy the unmatched opportunity to shop, attend workshops and meet people at the best economical price of any event of this type. An FFF FAQ can be found here.
When Does NELA Meet?
We do not have one set meeting time and place. Instead, we sponsor a different event every month, sometimes a workshop or class, sometimes an outing or social event. Be sure to check out our event calendar online, and our hotline at (617) 876-NELA (6352)
Where Does NELA Meet? Is it safe?
Our events are held in a number of locations in the Boston area, including the Boston Living Center, the Boston Center for the Arts, and even in private homes. We strive for safe, community-inclusive venues. We try to be T-accessible and easy to get to by car, as well.
What Else Does NELA Do?
We also sponsor and organize the Boston Pride Leather Contingent, whereby we invite smaller or financially disadvantaged groups of leather folk (who would not otherwise be able to register or march) to march in the annual Boston Pride parade in one loud, proud section. We also can be found at many of the Pride events all over New England including; Southern Maine Pride, Rhode Island Pride, Northampton Pride, and Hartford Pride. We host other special events from time to time, including special parties, demo nights, titleholder evenings, and more.
We have a charitable fund that supports the efforts of groups like The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders), and persecuted individuals in our community fighting for their legal rights to express their sexuality. Over the past several years we have given over $75,000 in charitable donations that include: Somos Latinos, Transcending Boundaries, Bisexual Resource Center, Black Beat Inc., Boston Buyers Club, CARAS, Dyke March, RI Men of Phoenix, Theater Offensive, Breast Cancer Coalition, AIDS Action Committee, New Orleans Leather Fund, Boston Living Center, Pride Committees of Boston, MA; Providence, RI; and Hartford, CT, The Houghton child-custody case, The San Diego Six, MG Leather of Provincetown after their fire, the S/M Policy Reform Project, Leather Archives and Museum, Fits Like a Glove, Bay State Marauders, Imperial Court of Massachusetts, True Spirit Conference, Dana Farber Cancer Center, The Susan G. Komen Foundation, AIDS Walk Boston, Mr. Connecticut Leather, MOB New England, Paddleboro Defense League, Leather Leadership Conference.
We also have monthly classes / demos all over New England on a wide range of Kink/Fetish topics. We have been lucky to have some great presenters including; Midori, Jay Wiseman, Lady Green, Robert and Mary Dante, Laura Antoniou, Master Rope Knot (MRK), Tristan Taormino, Princess Kali, Patrick Califia, Raelyn Gallina, Master R and Madame Sang, Staylace Productions, Barbara Nitke, Carol Queen & Robert Lawrence, Lolita, Constance S. of Dressing for Pleasure, Lee Harrington, British Lucky Paul and many, many more. We take part in efforts to educate the public and to fight for laws that protect our rights to love in the manner that we choose as consenting adults.