Michael “Xander” Vera
Chapter Lead, Boots On The Ground California
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17DGTgqC1o/
“I show up for others like I needed someone to show up for me… Healing is an act of defiance.”
Michael “Xander” Vera is a community organizer, harm reduction advocate, holistic practitioner, and the current Knight of Leather for the Imperial Court de San Diego. A founding member of the activist collective 50501, Michael helped build the early foundation for an online movement that grew out of shared outrage, courage, and the simple belief that “something had to be done.”
His path into activism began long before that — as a child watching his mother quietly help those around her. Growing up, Michael bore witness to the realities of addiction, poverty, xenophobia, and homophobia. Those early lessons in compassion and survival shaped his life’s purpose: to show up for others with the same empathy and humanity that he once needed himself.
A survivor of homelessness and a former daily IV drug user, Michael’s recovery journey has become a testament to resilience and transformation. Through years of rebuilding, healing, and service, he found his calling in both human services and holistic wellness. Today, through his practice Dharma Punk, he integrates yoga, meditation, sound healing, and trauma-informed care to support individuals and communities in need. He has dedicated his professional life to harm reduction — distributing life-saving supplies, offering support to people who use substances, sex workers, and the unhoused, and advocating for compassionate systems of care that honor dignity and survival.
As Chapter Lead for Boots on the Ground California, Michael sees the leather, kink, fetish, and BDSM communities as inherently political spaces — communities forged in resistance and authenticity. His mission is to ensure that these spaces remain informed, united, and empowered. Under his leadership, the California chapter seeks to educate, train, and mobilize members of the community to protect themselves and one another, to stay current with the shifting political landscape, and to encourage new leaders to rise.
“I show up for others like I needed someone to show up for me. The administration wants us to believe we are small — but we are many. Healing is an act of defiance. And when we come together, when we choose compassion over fear and solidarity over silence, we become unstoppable.”
Michael’s story is one of healing, humanity, and hope. From the streets to the frontlines of community activism, he continues to live his message: that service, empathy, and courage are the most radical tools we have to reclaim our power — and to build a world where everyone can stand Boots on the Ground together. Read more