We recently connected with Morgan Of The Leaf and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan, thanks for joining us today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me in my time as a cosplayer (someone that dresses up as a character from a movie, book, or video game) was making a drawing of me. For context, I created my first-ever prop by hand, but I was so nervous to post pictures of it that I waited an entire month to post them. I was very proud of myself, but I was so focused on the prop’s few defects. My nerves almost got the best of me. However, once I finally posted the pictures, not only did I get so much support and positive feedback, but one of my supporters drew a picture of me! It looked amazing. The fact that they took the time – unsolicited – to draw me in their own art style was not only heartwarming, but it taught me a very important lesson: don’t be so hard on yourself! Because what we may see as “not our best work” or “defects”, someone else may see as stunning and inspiring!

Morgan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Of course! My name is Morgan and I am a content creator, streamer, and cosplayer that loves anime (Japanese animated TV shows) and gaming. I’ve been a nerd my entire life. When I was five years old, I was already watching Sailor Moon and playing Pokemon on my GameBoy Color. Growing up, I didn’t tell anyone at school about my interests out of fear of being bullied. Now, I use my platform to encourage people to embrace their nerdiness and be their authentic selves. On Instagram and TikTok, I post funny skits and cosplays, and on Twitch, I livestream myself playing video games and chatting about nerdy media. I’ve only officially been a content creator for a little over a year now, but it has truly been one of the most fulfilling experiences ever. Not only has it given me something fun to do outside of the mundane “work, eat, sleep, repeat” cycle, but it has also boosted my self-confidence and helped me let go of my insecurities.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I have several missions driving my creative journey. First, I want to help increase the representation and recognition of Black women in nerdy media. Niches such as gaming and anime are usually dominated by and catered towards men, but I want more people to see all of the talent and creativity that Black women are providing as well. I want to see more Black female streamers get recognized. I want more Black female video game characters. I want more Black female voice actresses in anime, video games, and cartoons. We work so hard, and we deserve more visibility! Next, I want to help young Black kids learn about all of the different opportunities out there involving gaming and esports. Esports is one of the fastest-growing sports within K-12 institutions and universities. Also, the esports industry is expected to surpass $1.5 billion by 2023. I want Black kids to know about these opportunities because I sure didn’t when I was younger. Lastly, I just want to encourage everyone to be their true selves. If you have to hide a part of yourself to feel comfortable around someone, then you don’t need to be around them. You can only feel judged by someone if you are seeking their validation. Being your true, authentic self will bring the right people to you!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was “don’t show off”. Now, I definitely don’t encourage people to be overly cocky and arrogant, but I do encourage everyone – especially Black women – to make their accomplishments known and to never shy away from celebrating themselves. We as Black women are often subconsciously taught to shrink ourselves so that we are not seen as a threat, but if we don’t promote our accomplishments, who will? I had to teach myself that speaking about my personal brand, sharing my achievements, and promoting myself authentically is not “showing off”. I will never put myself down when talking about my work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganoftheleaf/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/morganoftheleaf
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MorganOfTheLeaf
• Other: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/morganoftheleaf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morganoftheleaf?_t=8WCfGfme5b1&_r=1

Image Credits
Naruto Cosplay Photographer: @realdealdesigns on Instagram Kakashi Cosplay Photographer: @dopevibes_photography on Instagram Itachi Cosplay Photographer: @nerdtorchtv on Instagram Tengen & Tanjiro Cosplays Photographer: @dtoon on Twitch