Men s Health
Since hitting the Internet, the montage has racked up more than a half million views, and most of the people commenting are excited. “That afro is a thing of glory,” says one. “I’m soooo glad that MY PEOPLE are getting more recognized for their cosplay skills and creativity!!! LOVE IT!!!” adds another. A third simply drops a hashtag: #Blackexcellence.
While Holt’s crew has ceased assembling during the pandemic, their impact is still reverberating. In late 2020, Holt and Sutton earned an invitation to discuss the empowering effects of cosplay (that’s geek speak for the wide world of comics and/or pop-culture role-playing) at the AfroPunk festival, a national and, this year, virtual celebration of the music and culture of the African diaspora. That’s exactly how Holt hopes his efforts will be noticed. “From my perspective, representation shows Black boys and girls that they can be more than what’s expected of them [by society],” he says.