I’d like to first thank the hard working TNG4 staff, both for putting on this amazing event and allowing me the opportunity to greet you all tonight. I am very proud to be delivering the keynote speech at the 4th National TNG Conference, and am even more excited with it being here on the west coast!

As many of you may know, just the fact that there exists a fourth conference is very special to me. Back in 1999, when myself and 3 others actually kick-started this whole beast known as TNG, we had no idea what was to come. Admittedly, we were selfish – we created groups at Black Rose and at TES because we wanted to be surrounded by others like us. At least at first.

When it came time for the first TNG gathering, Chickenstock, there were still only 2 TNG groups in existence. And yet we knew we were on to something good. We saw a reason for us getting together, and we knew then that others would benefit from what we started.

Once other groups began forming around the country, and the TNG movement truly began to kick-off, we knew it was time for a second gathering. That event, Second Coming, hosted by Black Rose in Washington DC, was very special in that we had attendees from all over the US, including a group from here in California. It was also a unique event in that we invited our community elders to come teach to the youngin’s – Lolita Wolf, Jack McGeorge, and many others. It was in the middle of a time when TNG was viewed as an ageist, separatist organization. That symbolic showing of the older coming to talk to the younger was very important at the time.

A few years later, in 2003, myself and a bunch of other masochistic NY’ers hosted the 3rd conference, TNG3: BDSM in the Big City. Here was the first experiment of having all TNG-aged presenters at the event. Many people thought we wouldn’t be able to pull it off. But these people didn’t understand that youth did not mean lack of experience, or intelligence, or the ability to pass on knowledge. It was an event that kick started the teaching careers for many TNGers, and showed the country that the younger generation does have a lot to offer.

And now, TNG4: Bound for the Bay. Another chapter in TNG history! Let’s give a big round of applause to those who have worked so hard to make this happen!

Today, my fellow founders are not as involved as they used to be. After talking to some friends, those who have been around the TNG groups since the beginning, we determined that I am the only person now to have attended all 4 TNG conferences. A fact that humbles me, astonishes me, and I thank you all for making this happen.

So with that brief history of SM events, this is probably going to be my last TNG event. I, and my fellow founders, did our share, and are proud to see all of these amazing people take up the charge. It’s been amazing to watch TNG flourish to the point that it is no longer a foreign idea in our local communities, and is instead mostly a welcome one.

But before I truly sit down, there are a few things I would ask of you all. This conference brings with it a lot of opportunity for you, and I would like to give you all some tasks for the weekend.

First, meet someone from another city. One of the major reasons why we have these events is to get laid… wait… that’s not right… ah, here we are. Sorry, lost my place.

One of the major reasons why we have these events is to bring us all together. It is an opportunity to learn what is happening in other cities. How are the TNG groups ran there? What kinds of activities take place? What’s new and exciting in their worlds? Here are ideas that you can then bring back to our own communities and groups, and it may kick start that one great big idea. Or, you will find ways to work together with other communities to create something big and exciting. Make friends in other cities so that you will have a friendly face there when you one day visit.

So, go up to someone you don’t know and say hello. That’s task number 1.

Your second task – think about what you can do. If you like what you experience here, and you don’t have it at home, help create it! If there is a TNG group in your hometown, take some of things you saw here and bring it back home! If there isn’t a group where you live, think about whether or not it would benefit from one. Talk to your local organizations and see if they would support a TNG group with assistance, time, and resources. Find others like yourself to help in creating a space like you will experience here this weekend.

TNG is a volunteer-built and established concept. And like any other group in existence, new ideas, new energy, and new people are always needed. I implore you to seek out what you can do to keep this magic going.

Your third task – celebrate who we are. We are young, but we are not necessarily novices. We have skills, we have ideas, and we have a passion for SM. Be proud of your own identity, and support those around you. As a group of individuals immersed in alternative sexuality, we have the opportunity to define for ourselves who we are, what we enjoy, and how we want to be perceived. Never let anyone take away your own self-awareness, and always respect those of others. Whether it be someone’s sexuality, their gender identity, or their power roles, I implore you to respect those around you.

Your fourth task – be open minded. Recognize that sexuality is not always fixed, but can remain fluid. Be open to new concepts of kink, new styles of play. Be open to experimenting outside your comfort zone, try new things, meet different people. We spend our lives trying to figure out who we are, and what we like, and that search never ends. Be open minded to the idea that your own self-identity may one day change, and be open to that exploration.

Here you have a fantastic line-up of educators, and with them comes a world of different experiences. Seek them out, learn from them, and add to your own lives.

And finally, the fifth task – have fun. TNG was created for you… enjoy it!

Thank you.