Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hanako M Ricks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hanako M, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
You know, I’m not really sure that I *have* overcome it – yet. When that little voice inside of your head has whispered for so long it can be hard to hear over the noise. Thankfully, I do have a really great support system of cheerleaders who have pushed me, inspired me, and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and ignore the negative thoughts to do what I love – which is to talk about nerdy things. Also, as I get older and I see these younger generations pushing away from societal “norms” and embracing their voices fully, it is getting easier to stop looking at myself as one voice lost in the crowd and to start thinking of myself as someone with a unique voice, and with something valuable to offer.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
One thing people will tell you about me is that I love to talk, and even more so, I love to talk about nerdy/geeky stuff. I got my start in podcasting around 2006, when I was referred to a podcast to appear as a guest. In 2007, I appeared as a guest on another podcast to talk about Harry Potter and Dragon Con, and the host (another young Black female geek) and I hit it off so well that I continued to appear on her show, eventually becoming a co-host. She encouraged me for years to create my own show, but my old friend Imposter Syndrome talked me out of it for a while. I continued to co-host that podcast, while also appearing as a panelist at Dragon Con, CONjuration, and other geek spaces to contribute to discussions on pop & geek culture.
Cut to 2020 and the start of the Covid pandemic. Because of the quarantine, all fandom events that year were cancelled – which took away my outlets for conversing about the things that I love. No panels, no conventions, etc. I needed an outlet, and the podcast I was currently on was kind of in hiatus at the time. So I really started thinking about creating my own, and after discussing it with a few friends, decided to ignore the nervousness and negative thoughts, step out of that comfort zone, and launched the Fandom Hybrid Podcast in September 2020. It has been a fun extension and exploration of my geeky side, and I wish I had done this much sooner.
Launching the podcast has also increased the opportunities I have been given to appear in fan convention panels. I continue to do panels at Dragon Con and CONjuration, and this month I will be a first-time panelist at the newly formed ATL Comic Convention in Downtown Atlanta, where I will get to explore my love for The Walking Dead franchise. I am excited about the opportunities to network with other fans and creators, and am looking forward to expanding our reach and finding new listeners.
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 things have helped me on this fandom journey: learning how to be patient, having the mindset to persevere, and – most importantly – having fun. One thing people warned me about from the beginning – being a podcaster is hard, and slow. It takes time to build an audience – even amongst the people who know you and are interested in what you do. But like with any business, hobby, etc., you have to love what you do so that it doesn’t feel like a job, or a chore to do. There are still days when I wonder if I am doing the right thing, or if anybody even listens – there are a million podcasts out there vying for an audience. But when I read the comments on our shows, or someone comes up to me at a panel and tells me that they loved what I had to say about a show, or that something I said made them view a character in a different light – those are the things that encourage me and make me feel validated that my voice does matter. Some people are meant for teaching, some for leading, some for activism, some for entertainment. I think I fall into that last category: I want to be the person who can help to take your mind off of the serious things in life but talking about the fun stuff. Because when this life gets hard – as the past few years has shown us – we could all use something to give us a little pick me up. I think the key is knowing where your strengths lie and really knowing how to use them to amplify your voice in whatever it is you choose to do.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
We didn’t have a lot growing up, and like most people, my parents had their own challenges, but one thing they always tried to do was give me opportunities to do things that were available to us. In elementary school I sang in the school chorus, learned to play the violin, and learn to do ballet, jazz, and modern dance. As a Japanese woman, my mother started schooling my brother and I very young, although we never looked at it that way – she just taught us things and we learned concepts very early and were considered “gifted” in school. My dad loved science fiction and fantasy shows, and collected comic books, and that is where my own love of sci-fi/fantasy comes from. They both taught me a love of music – ALL music – that has stuck with me to this very day. I feel that because of my upbringing – both as a biracial child and as a “well-rounded” student, it helped me to be more open and prepared for the changing world and how vast and diverse it has grown into, and continues to grow into.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fandomhybrid.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/fandomhybrid
- Facebook: facebook.com/fandomhybrid
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/fandomhybrid
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fandomhybridpodcast
- Other: https://linktr.ee/fandomhybrid
Image Credits:
Hanako M. Ricks
