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Leya Tanit Named 2022 XBIZ Honors ‘Community Figure of the Year’

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Pineapple Support founder and CEO Leya Tanit was named “Community Figure of the Year” by the 2022 XBIZ Honors, online industry edition.

“I want to thank XBIZ from the bottom of my heart for this recognition,” Tanit said. “This award only increases my determination to meet the increased demand we’re seeing. We’re pulling out all the stops in 2022, with extra support groups, workshops and online events scheduled to be announced over the coming months. This award is for everyone on the Pineapple team, for all the hard work they’ve been putting in.”

Pineapple Support, founded by Tanit in 2018, has so far connected over 5,000 adult performers and industry members to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support.

Winners of the 2022 XBIZ Honors, online industry edition, were presented Wednesday, Jan. 5 during the XBIZ 2022 conference. Click here for a full list of recipients.

Leya Tanit, Austin Fiascone to Co-Host Online Industry Edition of XBIZ Honors

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Leya Tanit and Austin Fiascone have been named hosts of the online industry edition of the 2022 XBIZ Honors, set for Wednesday, Jan. 5 at the Kimpton Everly Hotel in Hollywood.

In addition to honoring the best of the best from the business community, select web/tech categories from the flagship XBIZ Awards will be presented during the ceremony.

Tanit is the CEO and founder of Pineapple Support and Fiascone the head of business development for SK Intertainment and SKinfluential Media.

“I’m honored to host the 2022 XBIZ Honors Awards this year, along with my good friend Austin,” Tanit said. “XBIZ has always been an outspoken advocate of Pineapple Support, and the mental health of our industry more broadly. After two long years, I cannot wait to be with and celebrate so many of our industry’s leaders and trailblazers.”

Fiascone echoed Tanit’s enthusiasm.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be co-hosting the XBIZ Honors ceremony,” he said. “The opportunity to share hosting duties with someone who’s making a real difference in the community makes the evening even more special for me. It will be my pleasure to help welcome the industry back to in-person events this year.”

XBIZ Events Director Moe Helmy described the pair as “a dream team.”

“Leya and Austin are beloved members of the community. They possess the charisma and positive vibes we sought for XBIZ Honors as we return to live events,” he said. “We’re looking forward to a fantastic, long-awaited celebration.”

Click here for the complete list of XBIZ Exec Awards nominees and stay tuned to XBIZ.com for event updates.

Pineapple Support to Host Therapy Sessions at XBIZ Berlin

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Pineapple Support will offer walk-in and by-appointment therapy sessions throughout XBIZ Berlin 2019, besides hosting a roundtable workshop on Wednesday, September 11.

Pineapple Support therapist, Michele Karban, and other members of the Pineapple Support team will be on hand during the day to discuss tools and practices with which performers can protect themselves, and how to get free mental health support.

“I’m thrilled to be attending XBIZ Berlin as part of the Pineapple Support team,” shared Karban. “Having been involved with Pineapple Support from the very beginning, I’m now looking forward to offering a drop-in therapy space at [the conference]. My hope is any performer who is needing a confidential area to talk will access this space or see it as a first step for anyone who is considering therapy for the first time for themselves, and would like to find out more.”

The roundtable workshop, “Putting Performers First,” will be held at the Konferenz I space in the XBIZ Conference Center at 11 a.m. local time, and will address mental health stigma within the adult industry and how performers and producers alike can help combat it.

“The performer community has always faced societal pressures, but today’s performers are more vulnerable because of rampant cyberbullying,” said Pineapple Support founder Leya Tanit.  “As an industry, we need to understand the specific struggles that performers face both on and offline, and learn how to best support them.”

Since its launch in 2018, Pineapple Support has connected over three hundred adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support. The organization is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit in the United States and a registered charity in the U.K.

While walk-in appointments may be available, those who wish to book an appointment with therapist Michele Karban should do so by contacting Karban directly via WhatsApp at +44 7814 942528.