Non-Profit Group The Cosplay Medics Repair Supercon Attendees’ Costumes
It was the third day at Florida Supercon, and cosplayer Stella Russotti was having problems with her costume. Dressed as Doctor Facilier from The Princess and the Frog, her necklace, chain, and hat were falling apart.
“I could’ve very easily had a breakdown that day,” Russotti said. “I put a lot of work into this costume.”
Her worries were settled once a group aided her in fixing the mishaps to her costume; they call themselves the Cosplay Medics.
Cosplay Medics Inc. is a not-for-profit organization in the state of Florida which devotes itself to fixing cosplayers’ costumes at events and conventions.
“In the con circuit, costumes breaking down or getting into accidents happens much more often than one would think,” said Cosplay Medics founder Yuberniz Orengo.
What makes them a key attraction at these events is the fact that with cosplay, “you’re dealing with delicate, immaculate almost, costumes and props,” she explains.
The idea came to Orengo in 2011, in her junior year of high school. After hearing various cosplay horror stories, she thought it would be wise to “put my sewing skills to good use.”
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Orengo then reached out to Supercon founder Mike Broder, who embraced the concept, and offered her team a table at the convention. That was their first gig, and the Medics, which is currently comprised of 10 active members, have since helped countless people just like Russotti at various events outside of Florida Supercon, such as Animate Miami, Mini Con, Magic City Comic Con, Hurricon, and Mizucon.
For current President Melissa Palomino and Vice President Michael Colon, who both joined through Orengo, being part of the Medics has been a way for them to both help and connect with people.
“The people are what I love. We’ve had such a track record of helping not just cosplayers, but con attendees where someone has just ripped their pants or shoes and we’ve helped them. We don’t limit ourselves to just cosplayers, the only limit that we have is to conventions,” said Colon, who is currently a student at Miami Dade College.
Being part of a team is reassuring for them, and they welcome anyone who shares their passion for service, as Palomino said: “We’ve had people with no experience whatsoever in seamstressing.”
The biggest obstacle they face, they say, is their limitations within the Miami area. As Palomino explains, “it all has to do with exposure, spreading the word, and social media which can be very difficult to keep up with.”
In the future, they hope to expand and establish chapters in different areas, starting out with their home state of Florida, and hopefully reaching outside of that area.
“Our biggest goal would be DragonCon in Atlanta, because it’s the largest fan-based convention in country,” shares Orengo.
Fundraising and charity are also projects the group hopes to explore.
“We would like to help out at a hospital, maybe making costumes for children,” Colon said.
Orengo is glad to know people are satisfied with the Cosplay Medics’ service. In a few years, it has grown, as she puts it, “from just a tiny volunteer organization to now a not-for-profit organization/business” and she believes it is still on the path for further successes. As for Colon and Palomino, they are eager to see what is in store for the Medics, and are open to anyone who would like to join them on this journey.
The Cosplay Medics will attend Animate Miami on Oct. 23 through 25.
If you’re interested in joining, volunteering, or helping out the Cosplay Medics in any way, feel free to contact them at thecosplaymedics@gmail.com
