Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Diana The Great. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Diana , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I will try to answer this from a place of humility, because there have been times where people who looked like me weren’t even allowed to be in the room, as bad it sounds. But I truly believe that I belong here, and I am where I am meant to be. In the cosplay world, black and POC cosplayers have to work twice as hard for the same opportunities that those who don’t look like us receive. We often encounter discrimination with attempting to cosplay characters or from fandoms that we enjoy, just because we may not look like that respective fictional character. I can’t tell you how many times that I was told my Cammy (Street Fighter) cosplay was inaccurate, just because I am black, or because I am a plus sized woman that I shouldn’t emulate that character. Naysayers maintain that I should stick exclusively to characters that are canonically black, such as Storm from X-Men. Respectfully, black people shouldn’t be shoe-horned into restricting their creativity or limiting their admiration for a character/costume; we should be free to cosplay who we wish, how we wish. Cosplay truly is for everyone, and that fact remains a big motivator in why I continue to cosplay. I want to continually show that it can be done, despite the haters. I want to show that you can still become your favorite hero, just as you are. I can be Sailor Moon, or Shinobu Kocho, or Cammy White, or a princess, or a fairy, and I don’t have to be the “black” version of those characters.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Very humbly, I would describe myself as a mom with a very bad habit of being a nerd. But in the local con circuit, I am an award winning, master level cosplayer with experience working with a variety of mediums that include sewing, costuming, pattern making, foam building, makeup and face paint, wig creation, molding, resin casting, prop building and more. I’ve served as a panelist, a cosplay contest judge, and cosplay guest at a variety of conventions both in person and online. I also love to volunteer for local charities and organizations. Currently at the time of this interview, I am working on my next costume for the KC Curly initiative; a gathering and free photoshoot for black girls/women to celebrate their hair.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities that were impactful: being willing to learn, being willing to make mistakes, and being willing to grow. I don’t think that there are many of us that were able to get our respective art forms fully honed and developed on the first try. My very first costume that I made to wear to a convention, fell apart as soon as I arrived. I thought that I knew what I was doing, but I still had so much to learn about working with the mediums that I do; sewing, patterning, painting, gluing, shaping, manipulating foam, facepaint, makeup artistry; the list of what I started off with grew very quickly. For people who are early on in their respective paths of cosplaying and costuming; don’t give up. Mistakes will happen, and it’s perfectly fine when it does. Be willing to learn from those mistakes, and to develop your skills for the better. Even if something goes wrong, you can learn what not to do for the next time.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Attempting to remain motivated, especially as cosplay is becoming more widespread and commercialized. Remaining motivated when the cosplay hobby and industry are becoming more saturated has been difficult. I am a firm believer in the fact that there is room for all of us, and we all can be successful and achieve our goals in a variety of ways. However, sometimes success for one person looks entirely different for another, and that can lead to confusion, exclusion, or conflict. Some consider cosplay as a means to fame and fortune, and there are many who have already found it and have worked very hard for it. Some begin to cosplay because of the “influencer” aspect of it; there are a plethora of brands and organizations that have created partnerships with cosplayers, to help promote their products or services, and landing one of those deals could be substantial. What helps me to stay motivated is to remember my “why;” why I started, and why I continue. I began this as a challenge for myself, to see if something like this could be done. I continue, to show that cosplay can be done, regardless of age, gender, or physical appearance. And even if I don’t make a difference to the entire world, I know that I make a world of difference for those few people who believe in me.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.dianathegreat.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/diana.the.great
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dianathegreat1
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dianathegreat1
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DianaTheGreat
Image Credits
Cammy White of Street Fighter (green bodysuit): Alexandra Lee Studios green face paint: self portrait hat photo: self portrait Catwoman: BeCosWeCanSnap Photography Persephone of Lore Olympus (pink facepaint): Eleksin Photography. Character belongs to Rachel Smythe Ms Mario of the Super Mario Bros: Maria A. Mirko from My Hero Academia (bunny ears): Daniel Alexander Bowsette, Super Mario Fandom: Chuck Williams
