Charity and cosplay have a long history of being used together. And I’m talking a long history. For example, masquerade balls held in the 15th century were often used by the royalty to help the poor in the kingdoms.
Fan costuming in the 20th century began actively in the 1930s. In the 1960s, rules for certain types of props and costuming creations became common and accepted throughout the costuming community.
Fandoms involvement at organized cons in the 1980s ratcheted up cosplay to the mainstream. This has led to the mix of genres and types of characters in cosplay.
Nobuyuki Takahashi of Studio Hard coined the term ‘cosplay’ while attending the 1984 World Con in Los Angeles.
For almost as long, cosplayers have been dressing up to entertain sick kids or make appearances for local charities. This has become a natural marriage over time between costume players and their communities.
There are groups such as the ‘501st’, Star Wars cosplayers who work internationally with many charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation. But there are also groups who get together on a local level to give back to the communities they live in.
One such group is the Star Wars Enthusiasts of Houston, who work with local charities like the Houston Food Bank and a human trafficking prevention group. Cosplay groups like these recognize how they as a local group that can contribute to their hometown charities. Kristen Ohnayan, had this to say about working with a local group:
“National charities do a lot of great work, but we really feel passionately about supporting your local based charities, the ones that are based in the Houston area surrounding region, because they’re the ones that need it the most and we can actually see the good that they’re doing. The community receives the goods to their door, for example, the Houston Food Bank, we can go into their warehouse and we see what’s going on we can see that the cans that we collect and money that we collect for them is actually going to people ,so it’s really a part for us as the Houston based family to support the use of those charities.”
These groups emulate the heroes they dress up as to look out for others on the local level. These local area focus groups feel they can do more good and their own hometowns.
For example, the New Orleans base Louisiana cosplayers group participated and helped out with a Valentine’s Day event and their community this past year. Also, such groups as cosplay for kids helped to raise the spirits and pass out supplies for children and adults in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey. from communities from Boston, Massachusetts to Honolulu, Hawaii and beyond, there are cosplay groups to help others.
Groups such as the steampunk Star Wars cosplay group has embraced the mix of genres and has helped raise money for Charities such as the local Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as special needs soccer teams in their home area.
Also in California in the Solano County area, there is a group known as the West Coast Avengers, who do charity work such as appearances in children’s hospitals and other local fundraisers especially those geared towards children.
Throughout the history of cosplay fans have taken upon themselves to represent their fandoms in their communities and make the time and effort to help those who are in trouble. They’re the heroes we need.
To check out some great cosplay and maybe meet up with the Star Wars Enthusiasts of Houston, you can check them out at the Fandemic Tour, September 14th through the 16th at the NRG center in Houston, TX.