The Mindful Rebel Leadership Podcast

Episode 32 | Living in Leadership and Being the Best Manager of Ourselves with Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee Twitter: @ItsDrMordecai | Instagram: @ItsDrMordecai Website: www.ItsDrMordecai.com Dr. Mordecai I. Brownlee (known as Dr. Mordecai) currently serves as the Vice President of Student Success at St. Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, he serves as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Business & Leadership at the University of Charleston. Previously, Dr. Mordecai served as the Dean of Students & Chief Student Affairs Officer at the University of Charleston. Mordecai received his Ed.D in Educational Leadership from Lamar University, where he earned the Outstanding Doctoral Student Award for his research regarding Texas House Bill 5 and the future of higher education. Mordecai also holds a M.S. in Human Resource Management and B.A. in Mass Communication & Political Science degrees from Houston Baptist University, and his A.A. in Liberal Arts degree from Kingwood

Episode 31 | Replacing Hope with Planning in Leadership and Life with Rhett Burden Facebook Page: Rhett Burden Twitter: @Rhett_Burden www.royallymelanated.com If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. These iconic words spoken by Lao Tzu, perfectly describe Rhett R. Burden. Born with a rare cranial birth defect, Craniosynostosis, Rhett overcame social, intellectual and health deficiencies to become the leader he is today. Craniosynostosis rendered him intellectually inept early on in life and has left a permanent scar down the middle of his head. Despite the physical scars left by his birth defect, Rhett was inspired by his single parent mother to defy, not only the statistics that Doctors predicted because of his disease, but also the societal stereotypes about black men. Like you, Rhett has seen leadership and success defined numerous ways over the years. Rhett delivers inspirational messages to audiences who are looking to

Episode 30 | Identity, Respectability, and Pop Culture Representation with Jillian Marie Browning - Leadership for the Culture: Jay Z Turns Down 2018 Super Bowl Halftime Show/ DC Comics honored for LGBT Representation About Podcast Guest: Twitter: @JillianB___ Instagram: @jillianmariebrowning Website: JillianMarieBrowning.com Jillian Marie Browning is an interdisciplinary artist pursuing themes of feminism, identity, and the contemporary black experience. Born in Ocala, Florida she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Photography from the University of Central Florida in 2012 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art from Florida State University in 2015. She has had her work included in the permanent collection of the Center for Photography at Woodstock and the University of Maryland’s David C. Driskell Center For The Study of Visual Arts and Culture Of African Americans and the African Diaspora as well as having her work shown in galleries nationally. She enjoys puppi

Episode 29 | The Importance Not Losing Yourself in Your Leadership with Milan P. Mobley Facebook: facebook.com/Milan.Mobley Twitter: @umanagement_ Instagram: @theemilanmobley From tennis shoes to high heels, and walking her way straight into the Entertainment industry with no hesitation, the CEO of Umanagement is Milan Mobley. Many ask who is this millennial powerhouse? Milan is a self-motivated, goal oriented, creative Publicist who will get the job done under any circumstance. Milan is a graduate of Bowie State University; where she obtained her Bachelors of Science Degree in Public Relations. May 20th 2017 she will be an Alumna of The George Washington University. She will have her Masters of Professional Studies degree from The in Strategic Public Relations. Her current focuses are Umanagement Public Relations, the women's EntreprenuHERs Brunch which she is the founder of, and the Black Girl Boss Podcast which she is the Co-Host of.

Episode 28 | Reaching Back to Help Guide the Next Generation with Anthony Piper Facebook: Trill League Instagram: @trillleague Anthony Piper is a professional illustrator & designer. He has experience in both the animation and comic industries, as well as having provided work for many hip-hop artists. Being a lover of video games, comics, cartoons, manga and music, he has focused his career on providing illustration and design work for companies and creators/artists in these particular industries. He also has a passion for advertising and business, so he is highly conscious when it comes to aligning his illustrative style in accordance to his client's "brand" in order to adapt and create a unique look for their product and marketing campaign. He has experience in the animation industry providing work for the FX's Major Lazer Animated Series and also the the Axe Cop Animated Series where he worked as a Lead Character Designer. After doing character design for Seeso's HarmonQuest Anim

Episode 027 | Understanding the Heart and Art of Servitude with Robyn Robbins Facebook: robynrobbinsenterprises Twitter: @robynrobbinsent Instagram: @coachrre Robyn Robbins is a Best selling Author, Certified Life Coach, Speaker and Advocate. She is the Founder/CEO of Robyn Robbins Enterprises LLC., which is the home of her publications; Triumph Multi-national Inc., which is an organization that assists and serves abused sexually exploited teen girls and women; and Heart of A D.I.V.A Ministries LLC. Her ultimate goal is to enrich, empower, and liberate all that cross her path and to give a voice to all those who feel encased in their suffering and silence. Robyn's current focus is her upcoming book tour for Robyn Robbins Enterprises (RRE), outreach for Triumph Multi-National inc.(TMN) and upcoming conference for Heart of a DIVA. (Intro/outro song credited to: "Myspace" by kimengumi and is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Kimengumi – Myspace)

Episode 026 | Building Networks for Financial and Personal Growth with Dr. Roshawnna Novellus Facebook: facebook.com/roshawnna Twitter: @drroshawnna Instagram: @roshawnnanovellus Dr. Roshawnna Novellus, known as the Wealthy Yogi, is the co-founder of Bootstrap Capital and Host of Startup Funding. She is passionate about helping business owners ready to attract funding. Dr. Novellus has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, WSJ, and Rolling Out. She has also completed the Pipeline Angels Fellowship, a Kauffman program in angel investing. Roshawnna serves on the Commission on Women for the City of Atlanta, and was honored as one of the Women Who Means Business by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. (Intro/outro song credited to: "Myspace" by kimengumi and is licensed under a Creative Commons License. soundcloud.com/kimengumi/myspace)

Episode 025 | Identifying Your "Why and Challenging Negative Self-talk with Dr. Nathan Néjuan Instagram: @NathanNeJuan Website: www.ThugChild.com Dr. Nathan NéJuan rejoices in the fact that even though he was diagnosed with a learning disability, faced with early academic struggles, and did frequent trips to the principal’s office, he was able to learn from those hurdles and smiled as he raced across the finish line of his childhood dream of having the title of doctor. Dr. Nate prides himself most on his ability to listen. He hears those who feel as though their voice has been ignored, smothered, or misunderstood. He bridges the gap between generations and between various walks of life, so that all can better hear each other. He uses his voice of conviction to inspire those who are silenced, to stand-up loud in their truth. Dr. Nate created the website www.thugchild.com to be a lighthouse for those who are facing a storm in their life, and needs a glimmer of hope and resources to he

Episode 024 | Fearlessness in Leadership with DeJuan Patterson Facebook : DeJuan Patterson Twitter: @hollywoodJuan Instagram: @kingjuan Website: www.dejuanpatterson.com DEJUAN PATTERSON is a businessman, public servant, and community organizer in the Baltimore City area. He received both his Bachelor's in Psychology and his M.P.A. in Public Policy from Bowie State University. He is currently the Executive Director of The BeMore Group: a company dedicated to providing services and solutions to issues surrounding youth, families, and underserved communities. Patterson and his work have been featured in The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, Elite Daily, and CBS News. Patterson is a proud Baltimore native. To most Baltimoreans he is best known for his "BeMore Family" events, where he transforms mere community gatherings into a fellowship where residents are not only entertained by those immersed in Baltimore's art scene, but they are also connected to resources and engaging with exper

Episode 023 | Toxic Masculinity, Representation, and Leadership with Gillateen Facebook Page: Travis Gillateen Case Twitter: @gillateen Instagram: @gillateen Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUKaZalOZboDNB7MiQXqUsA https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4892194 Travis Case, who goes by the alias “Gillateen”, is a book and film reviewer with a mission is to educate, entertain, and inspire, taking his love of literature and movies to every laptop, desktop, phone, and tv screen that he possibly can.

Episode 022 | Seeing the Beauty in Your Truth with Gia Love Facebook: Gia Love Instagram: @love.gia Gia Marie Love is currently a Community Activist and member of the underground Ballroom and Kiki Scene. She has worked in HIV/AIDS prevention since 2012, at organizations such as Harlem United and Callen Lorde. She has provided prevention services to marginalized populations, such as trans and gender nonconforming communities of color. In addition, she has hosted various events that center around the health and wellness of queer people of color. She is a passionate advocate for trans and gender nonconforming people's rights, such as access to employment, healthcare, housing, and education, to name a few. Ms. Love has won numerous awards for her public speaking skills in policy debate and is an outstanding orator. Currently, Gia is a cast member of the documentary entitled, KIKI. Nylon magazine reviewed the documentary and described Gia as, "the most compelling and magnetic person I've e

Episode 021 | Servant First, Leader Second with Antwain Donte' Facebook Antwain TheGhuru Hill or Stampede School of Modeling Twitter @fashionghuru or @stampedemodels Instagram @fashionghuru or @stampedemodels www.stampedeschoolofmodeling.com Antwain Donte’ Hill, a trained Runway and Model Coach, Fashion Show Producer and Choreographer, Motivational Speaker and Philanthropist, is the Founder/Artistic Director of Stampede School of Modeling. Antwain Donte’ is also the Founder/Spokesman for an organization in which he founded in 2013, "A Disease Called Hope", which specializes in building children and families who are suffering with HIV, AIDS, Cancer and any terminally ill diseases. Antwain found this organization after being diagnosed himself with Multiple Myeloma(Bone Cancer) in 2012. Antwain Donte’ is the epitome of resilience. He is a model, coach, choreographer, teacher, friend, mentor, public speaker, activist and entrepreneur. Antwain Donte’ has taught over 2470 models, h

Episode 020 | Empowerment and Challenging Ego with Craig Washington Twitter: @craigwerks http://www.craigwerks.com/ Craig Washington was born and lovingly raised by Anna and Leon Washington. At AID Atlanta, a multi-service AIDS organization, he serves as a Prevention Programs Manager. Craig oversees HIV prevention programming for gay men including The Evolution Project, a program for young Black gay men and transgender individuals. He also enrolls individuals in PrEP services to help prevent HIV infection. Craig has been a founding co-chair of the annual Bayard Rustin-Audre Lorde Breakfast alongside Darlene Hudson since 2002. He currently working on an oral history project about key Black lgbt clubs and their impact upon communities. He has written various editorials and essays for the Huffington Post, The Atlanta Voice, Georgia Voice and various anthologies. He has been HIV+ for 30 years.

Episode 019 | The Power of a Unique Idea and Creative Thinking with Marcus Williams Facebook Page: Tuskegee Heirs Twitter: @Tuskegeeheirs Instagram: @marcustheviusal Marcus Williams is your friendly neighborhood artist. He is an American Illustrator and currently the creator and artist behind comic projects Tuskegee Heirs and Super Natural. A long time lover of video games, comic art, and all things animated, Marcus dedicated his young artistic years to fine tuning my illustration muscles by way of freelancing. Over fifteen years later, he is catching his stride and still ever growing in hopes of being a well-rounded illustrator. Stationed in Atlanta Ga, Marcus spend most of his time toiling away late nights on everything from illustrating children’s books, comic art, to random character commissions and more. A proud father of two, he somehow manage to steal enough time to create loads of artwork and check homework. Marcus is excited about the direction his comic properties are headi

Episode 018 | Integrity & Coping with Crisis with Titus Burrell Facebook Page or Name: Titus J. Burrell Instagram: @titus_j_burrell Titus J. Burrell is a writer, director and producer who is a Baltimore native. in 2010 Titus quit his job as a mail carrier. Not knowing how he would provide for his family, in 2012 the opportunity to go back to school presented itself and Titus took full advantage. He was faced with 2 options as a major; Acting or becoming a film maker. Film making became the clear option because he could star in his own work. Taking up film making gave Titus the confidence to start his own youtube station "Wait What Television". On the station he produced 4 shows, 2 of which he wrote and produced. Titus also started a production company, "Greenwood Avenue Projects". Titus is currently preparing for graduation in Spring of 2017 and with his new short film Black In Blue gaining lots of attention in the Baltimore area, Titus is looking to hit the ground running wit

Episode 017 | Fatherhood, Fences, and the "Unsexy" Side of Leadership with Kevan Turman Facebook Page or Name: Kevan Turman Twitter: @BrothersBrunch Instagram: @the_brothers_brunch Kevan Turman is the creator of Brothers' Brunch and Dope Dads. In addition, he serves as Director of Institutional Advancement at the AIM Institute. The Brothers Brunch is primarily focused on the Gentleman's experience through Cuisine, Culture and Connection. Each brunch has a specific theme and emphasis which brings style and sophistication to life. The inspiration behind starting this movement was the feeling that one gets when they think go the 1920's. This era was distinctive in terms of cultural change and stylistically redefined mens fashion. For men the twenties evoked a definitive masculine aesthetic. Today, our society is intrigued and fascinated with this notion of the roaring twenties which proves to be timeless, classic and vintage. While trendy, fashion during this time was a strong statement

Episode 016 | Finding Your Voice And Empowering Those Around You with Yvonne Dodd Facebook Page or Name: EviDConsulting Twitter: @EviD Instagram: @EviSays Yvonne Druyeh Dodd (Evi D. for short) is passionate about helping creatives and entrepreneurs get the clarity, confidence, and strategy they need to do profitable, sustainable work. She created the Authentic Hustle, a series of workshops and programming that covers everything from mindset and self care to building valuable networks and mission-driven strategic planning. Yvonne is currently finishing her first book “Getting to Why: A Guide to finding purpose, creating your mission, and living an authentic life”. She completed her Life & Business Coaching Certification at the University of Miami and received her bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University. With a background in psychology, sales, and nonprofit management, Yvonne has over 10 years of experience in marketing/communications, fundraising and development, relationship m

Episode 015 | Making Authentic Connections with Your Business with Jamillah Rahmaad, Owner of JR|PR - Public Relations Consultancy Facebook Page or Name: facebook.com/befriendyourbrand Twitter: @jai_soapbox Instagram: @befriendyourbrand http://BefriendYourBrand.com Build Authority (E-Book)- https://befriendyourbrand.dpdcart.com/product/136462 Jamillah Rahmaad holds an undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and a graduate degree from Valdosta State University, her business portfolio includes providing promotional communications for healthcare facilities, executing community management for governmental agencies, marketing for university systems, and creating first class public relations strategy for business owners. In 2013, Jamillah launched Soukle, a community organization that hosted social events, community service projects, and professional development seminars. Soukle focused on creating a perfect marriage between social and business networking. Eager to focus o

Episode 014 | Protecting Your Story, Moonlight, and Kanye West with Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins, LGBT Influencer, published writer, and curator for DoctorJonPaul.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DoctorJonPaul Twitter: @DoctorJonPaul Instagram: @DoctorJonPaul www.DoctorJonPaul.com "My Existence is Resistance."- Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins has spent much of his life trying to figure who he is. Much of that journey began when he took the risk of coming out to his family at the age of 19 and leaving a religion that caused him a great deal of anxiety and grief. After two suicide attempts in college, he realized that if he truly wanted to heal from the pain he experienced throughout his life, both as a Black man and a queer person of color, he needed to share his experiences. Dr. Higgins is a graduate with a Doctorate in Educational Justice, Masters in Management and a BA in Communications Studies. He is devoted to making sure that the needs of all LGBTQ Black and Brown

Episode 013 | Dondrae McGee | Live Dope, Dress Well, Inspire Others Twitter: @ye_gaultier Instagram: @haberdashnow Website: haberdashnow.com Dondrae McGee is the Owner and Principal Stylist of Haberdashnow, Men's Style and Fashion Consulting, LLC. The tagline of the brand is 'LIVE dope. DRESS well INSPIRE others'. As a principal stylists, Dondrae believes style is important, but clothing is one-third of how style is expressed. To him, It is most expressed through a gent's life and how he lives along with lives he is able to inspire. Dondrae love to hear the visions of his clients and work with them to make them come to fruition. Many gents look to celebrities and athletes as reference points of style, but cannot afford what those persons wear therefore, Haberdashnow creates looks for their gents that look just as good, as well as complements their budgets.

Episode 012 | Navigating Mindfulness and Leadership with Andres Gonzales Twitter: @hlfinc Instagram: @holisticlifefoundation http://hlfinc.org Andres Gonzalez has been the Co-Founder and Marketing Director for the Holistic Life Foundation, Inc. in Baltimore, MD since 2001. For fifteen years, Andres has taught yoga to a diverse population, including Baltimore City Public School students, drug treatment centers, mental crisis facilities, homeless shelters, wellness centers, colleges, private schools and other various venues throughout the nation and throughout the world. He has partnered with John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health and the Penn State’s Prevention Research Center on a Stress and Relaxation Study and is a published author in the Journal of Children’s Services. His work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Making a Difference on the NBC Nightly News as well asMindful Magazine, Yoga Journal, Shambala Sun, and many other publications. He maintains a B.S.

Episode 011 | A Conversation on Racism and College Campuses with Lawrence Ross by Shawn Moore

Episode 010 | Investing In Your Health and Wellness with Bernard Fogg Twitter: @gqforcancer Instagram: @gqforcancer ww.gqforcancer.com Bernard Fogg is 28 years old, born and raised in Baltimore, MD. He started young with being involved in different activities such as dance, broadcasting, and modeling. The entertainment industry sparked his interest early on when his platform started with modeling in 2005, where Bernard independently networked with the DMV artists and photographers. It shortly, led to an intern position for a newer magazine based in Baltimore called Openfly Magazine in 2010. As the years progressed his passion for Public Relations started as he went from intern to Features Editor. Amazing opportunities and experiences prepped him for a chance of starting his own PR business, but as the years passed he started to notice a change. His battle started on March 21, 2014 with his health and wellness, which would eventually present itself as Colorectal Cancer. Bernard’s hea

Episode 009 Robert "Chef Stew" Stewart Celebrity Chef & Food Network Alum www.chefstew.com https://www.gofundme.com/transitionkitchen Twitter: @CelebrityChef1 Instagram: @Chef_Stew Chef Stewart has been on this Culinary Quest for several years, collecting memorabilia along the way. Chefs’ collection includes over 45 different Collages from various jobs that have significant meaning to him.     "For it was by design that I would walk through these doors before I could walk through my own"   To remind himself of the above phrase he actually created collages of every paystub from each place where he has been employed during his journey.    After gaining popularity for both his mouth watering food and his vibrant personality within the Atlanta entertainment industry, Chef decided to bring the world into the kitchen by filming "Industry Soup w/ Chef Stew" which allowed everyone to get a glimpse into the life of a Celebrity Chef and share in the biggest moments of his career.    After buildi

Episode 008 Rhett R. Burden Author, Keynote Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, & College Administrator www.royallymelanated.com Twitter: @Rhett_Burden If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. These iconic words spoken by Lao Tzu, perfectly describe Rhett R. Burden. Born with a rare cranial birth defect, Craniosynostosis, Rhett overcame social, intellectual and health deficiencies to become the leader he is today. Craniosynostosis rendered him intellectually inept early on in life and has left a permanent scar down the middle of his head. Despite the physical scars left by his birth defect, Rhett was inspired by his single parent mother to defy, not only the statistics that Doctors predicted because of his disease, but also the societal stereotypes about black men. Like you, Rhett has seen leadership and success defined numerous ways over the years. Rhett delivers inspirational messages to audiences who are looking to gain t

Episode 007 Terri Lomax Blogger, Speaker, & Social Media Strategist, Mocha Girls Pit Stop mochagirlspitstop.com Twitter: @TerriLomax Instagram: @TerriLomax We’ve all heard the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Terri Lomax finds great joy in “making lemonade” for herself and helping others make lemonade out of the lemons in their lives. Terri is a nationally recognized blogger, speaker and author dedicated to empowering youth to overcome adversity and passionate about helping women of color become their best selves. Terri's lifelong desire to help others was birthed from a place of hurt and pain. As a child, her resilience enabled her to overcome physical and verbal abuse and defy statistics about children with incarcerated parents. Despite struggling financially and coping with low self-esteem and depression, Terri earned her Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution from Salisbury University. She is the author of Break Up With Procrastination: 7

Episode 006 Jahfarii Owner & Designer, JAHFARIIBEADS L.L.C JAHFARIIBEADS.com Twitter: @Jahfariibeads Instagram: @Jahfariibeads Jahfarii hopes to bring positive energy to the world with JAHFARIIBEADS.Based out of a home studio in Baltimore, MD, JAHFARIIBEADS has extended its brand to over 30 A-list celebrities including Diddy, Young Thug, Lauryn Hill, Trey Songz, Rich Homie Quan, DJ Drama, DMX, Fabolous, 2 Chainz, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Cassie, Desiigner, and More.

Episode 005 Joash Berkeley Creative Director, Jberkeley Studios www.jberkstudio.com Twitter: @joashberkeley Instagram: @joashberkeley Joash is creative director originally from Trinidad & Tobago. Under the freelance brand, JBerkeley Studio, he spearheads concept-driven and impactful design solutions in motion graphics, animation, graphic design and live-action media. His goal is to create work that goes beyond appreciation, but contributes to positive human development through visual storytelling. Some of his accomplishments include: Winning 2nd place internationally in the Rookies Student Design Competition, being featured by Print Magazine as 'Designer of The Week' , placing in 4 Semi-finalist position and 1 finalist position in the Adobe Design Achievement Award, and winning 1st place nationally in WorldSkills Trinidad & Tobago.

Episode 004 | Representation Matters Milton Davis Author and Owner of MVMedia, LLC www.mvmediaatl.com Twitter: @thegriot Milton Davis is a research and development chemist, speculative fiction writer and owner of MVmedia, LLC, a small publishing company specializing in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Sword and Soul. MVmedia’s mission is to provide speculative fiction books that represent people of color in a positive manner. Milton is the author of Changa’s Safari Volumes One, Two and Three. His most recent releases are Woman of the Woods and Amber and the Hidden City. He is co-editor of four anthologies; Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology and Griot: Sisters of the Spear, with Charles R. Saunders; The Ki Khanga Anthology with Balogun Ojetade and the Steamfunk! Anthology, also with Balogun Ojetade. Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade recently received the Best Screenplay Award for 2014 from the Urban Action Showcase for their African martial arts script, Ngolo. His current projects include T

Episode 003 Kim Peppers Flexquad Transformation Coach, Fulltime Professional Trainer, and National Level Women's Physique Athlete http://www.kimshealthandwellness.ca Twitter: @kimgymadvisor Instagram: @kimpeppers3 Kim is a full time personal trainer in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where she works with a wide range of clients, including everyday weight loss to professional bodybuilders. She specialize in aesthetics and transformations while offering a fun, comfortable and results driven business. Kim is also a national level women's physique athlete.

Episode 002 Lenny Williams Co-founder of Trill or Not Trill www.trillornottrill.com Twitter: @designbylaw Instagram: @designbylaw Lenny Williams holds an MBA degree from New Jersey City University where he serves as a professor of entrepreneurship within the School of Business. He also teaches at Hudson and Brookdale Community College. Within the fields of High Ed., he has a strong background in enrollment management, admissions and retention. All while under the age of 30, he’s already impacted so many students inside the classroom and has assisted hundreds more get into college. In addition, Mr. Williams has created a scholarship program in his hometown and worked with organization such as The Root, NFL Players Association, Columbia University, Yale University and many more.

Episode 001 Chauna Lawson Founding Committee Member of BlerDCon www.blerDCon.com Twitter: @blerdcondc @ccthegreekgeek Instagram: @blerdcon @ccthegreekgeek Chauna Lawson is a Founding Committee Member of BlerdCon, the first convention of its kind to host a traditional convention structure of panels, celebrity guests, presentations, workshops, gaming tournaments, cosplay contests music and dance while highlighting and showcasing the rich diversity of the minority community contributing in those genres. Chauna is a Bowie State University Class of 2009 alumna with a degree Sociology. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree at Howard University in History. She bega cosplaying in September 2015. Chauna always had an interest in cosplay, but was reluctant due to potential financial constraints and body insecurities, however, she realized it was important that women of color see other ordinary women of color doing extraordinary things. Chauna currently focuses on activism in cosplay.