Meet Breeze Molina | Cosplayer, Performer, & Educational Panelist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Breeze Molina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Breeze, do you have a budget?
As important as cosplay is to me, my well-being and living expenses always come first. I am a cat parent as well, and she is my main priority besides myself. It is easy to get caught up in wanting to spend money on your hobby and want to do everything all at once, but being able to comfortably come back to your hobby is key. Cosplay is about having a fun and relaxing escape, and stressing about finances can sour that escape, so I focus on making sure my bills are paid and my cat is fed before choosing my hobby.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
While I am a craftsmanship-based cosplayer, I am also a performer and educator. I began my crafting career with a performance at one of the largest conventions in the country. For a short time I was also an idol, and even now one of my favorite parts of cosplay is competing and being on stage. As an educator, I provide knowledge focused towards beginner cosplayers who are interested in following a similar path in cosplay as myself. Most recently, I presented at the Pflugerville Public Library for kids and teens interested in getting into cosplay; we discussed how to get started, convention basics, and safety.

Progress is not linear and that is the main component of my cosplay journey. Though I made my first costumes in 2010, I didn’t keep crafting consistently and fell back into pre-made and pieced-together costumes for several years before gathering the courage to craft my own cosplays again. My first performance was at the same time as my first made cosplay, but I didn’t perform again either until six years later. Even between my breaking back into crafting and performing, and now, I have struggled with consistency in my work and have noticed I can make the cleanest thing I’ve ever put together, but my next piece is basic and imperfect.

Even in our lives outside of our hobbies, life has its ups and downs, and whenever someone asks me what my advice would be for a new cosplayer, my go-to response is to keep going. If you stop, you don’t go anywhere. If you keep going, at least you are getting somewhere.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am Waco-based, a recent transplant from DFW and still becoming more comfortable in my area. I visit DFW and Houston often where my friends are, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to get them to visit me too! Waco is a wonderful little city; it is quiet, comfortable, and a hub of some of the smallest but sweetest mom-and-pop shops and small businesses. The Dr. Pepper Museum, the Silos, Lake Waco, and Union Hall are a few of my favorite haunts. I am also always looking for little nooks and crannies for good photoshoot spots!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am without my friends who encouraged me to start crafting, and my mother who raised me and supports me in all my endeavors. When I was in high school, I was purchasing cosplays pre-made and not really putting a lot of effort in to them. My friends convinced me to make my first hand-made costume and asked me to make some for them, and I became hooked. Since then I have grown immensely as a crafter and I have them to thank for pushing me to learn how to craft on my own.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayatedoll

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PomQueenCos?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Image Credits
Stargirl Photos WildMomo Photography