Cosplaying for causes
by Kit Cosplay November 2014
by Kit Cosplay November 2014
One of my
favorite things about cosplaying, is that I get to bring many smiles
to many faces. There’s just something so special about putting a
lot of work into being the embodiment of a character, and having
someone else really enjoy your creation. In fact, I loved doing that
so much, that I created a business with friends that centers around
cosplaying for causes. We’re called Comic
Book Characters for Causes (CBC4C for short),
and we volunteer time with kids in need around the Seattle area, and
also raise funds to support pediatric wellness programs. Some of the
more notable causes we’ve worked with are Seattle
Children’s Hospital, The
Goodtimes Project, Love
Your Melon, and the Make-A-Wish
foundation. Personally, if showing up as a
superhero can take a child’s mind off of their current troubles,
then I’ve won that day. I can’t tell you how fulfilling it is to
see a kid’s face light up when they see Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black
Widow, or Thor in front of them! It is so awesome to see many other similar causes around the country as well. From The Portland Superheroes Coalition, to the Avengers Initiative, to Cosplay for a Cause, these fantastic people are putting their blood, sweat, and tears (Yes, making costumes typically involves all 3 of those things – at least for me!) into making lives better.
Sure, it may seem like kind of a silly
thing to do, and I’ve heard my fair share of nay-sayers (“they’re
only doing it for attention”), but I can’t tell you how
absolutely fulfilled I feel when I volunteer with these kids. Most of
the time, the littler ones are just looking for a buddy – Just
being there, and hanging out with them is enough to brighten their
day. Besides, it’s not every day that you get to do arts and crafts
with Captain America, or eat lunch with Captain Marvel.
If you’d like to equally brighten
someone’s day, check out the causes listed above, even if you’re
not so willing to hop into a spandex suit. If you are a cosplayer,
check around for local groups in your area that you could help
support – and if there aren’t any, form a charity group! Send me
an email if you’re looking for advice on getting a group started in
your area, I’m happy to help – kitcosplay@gmail.com
Until next time!
Cheers!
Kit Cosplay is a co-founder of the Comic Book Charcters For Causes fundraising and charity cosplay group. Whether you are interested in cosplay as a spectator, just starting out, or have been doing it for years, Kit hopes that her monthly column entertains or inspires you. Reach out to Kit Cosplay on Facebook, Twitter, or shoot her an email – She’d love to chat with you!
