249. Yaya Han and Jinx on cosplay and Asian representation

In this episode, I chat with two incredible women: Yaya Han and Jinx Cosplay. I am in awe of their skills in sewing and crafting, but even more impressed with their compassion and advocacy. Yaya and Jinx were generous to share their experiences with discrimination and racism. We discuss the issues surrounding anti-Asian hate crimes and how including AAPI history in our education system can be a solution. I am so grateful to both Yaya and Jinx for speaking out for the Asian American community. We urge you to sign the petition to include AAPI history in our schools: www.change.org/asianamericanhistory . Knowledge is power. Yaya Han is a costume designer, cosplay entertainer, and author since 1999 and has never looked back. Over the years, Yaya has built a successful business in the cosplay community, creating a popular cosplay accessories line that is available online and at conventions, as well as her line of Yaya Han Brand merchandising. Jinx has always had a love for cosplay and enjoys being a part of cosplay the community. As an avid gamer, she also incorporates her love for video games with her cosplay fashion. It was really fun to sit down and talk to these talented and hard-working women who are not only successful but passionate about what they do. I’m grateful for these conversations and love that it has allowed me to meet so many wonderful humans, many of which have become close friends. My favor as usual is to please rate my podcast on your platform of choice and share it with others! If you would like to support with a donation to help keep this podcast going, you can become a patron of the show by visiting my website or Patreon.com/sifumimichan. For comments or suggestions, please reach out on social media @sifumimichan Discussed in this episode: Yaya Han World of Cosplay Book Momocon San Diego Comic-Con  Cosplay Anime Manga H.R. 2283 – AAPI History Bill FL AAPI History Bill Petition Overwatch Killer Instinct About Yaya Han Yaya Han – Cosplay Galleries, Supplies, Ideas, Book… Yaya Han is a costume designer, cosplay entertainer, and author based in Atlanta, GA. She discovered the unique creative pastime of cosplay at Anime Expo in 1999 as a young fan, with no prior trained skills in sewing or crafting. However, Yaya has always been artistic, especially with pen and ink illustrations, so she quickly absorbed the heart and soul of costume making. Yaya is completely self-taught, mostly due to a lack of funds and resources to enroll in classes for fashion or costume design. At the beginning, she could only afford a used $40 sewing machine and a se...