We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yonn Don a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Yonn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I grew up as a theatre kid and knew I wanted to entertain & dress up in some way. I got introduced to cosplaying via Tumblr and working a Comic Convention in 2014 and found that to be a fun leeway into doing what I wanted without the pressure of auditions & rehearsals. I actually picked up working a Comic Con gig as a way to earn extra college money but it truly changed my life for the better. All these people in beautiful cosplays enjoying each other’s company and outside of Halloween? I was invested from the start.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a content creator and cosplayer with a marketing background. I create a variety of short form videos related to anime, comics, cartoons and video games that range from informative (such as my Anime Hairstyles for Natural Hair series) to silly/funny! I infuse my cultural background into my cosplays to make them unique to me. I am known mainly for my hair series, Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer content, but my range expands well into my interests. Just this year I did a cosplay of Beat from Jet Set Radio that was widely received on my socials. My goal is to show that anyone can cosplay the characters they love while also remaining who they are as individuals as well. I don’t always view myself as cosplaying the characters; the characters are truly cosplaying me!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

This is an emotional outlet as well as a creative outlet. Most people who are able have hobbies that allow them to release emotions in a healthy way. Some aren’t as creative and some are. I don’t cosplay or create content simply to gain popularity or money; those things are fleeting and reliance on those alone will drain someone. I view myself as a canvas and depict myself publicly. It’s okay to be silly. It’s okay to be “cringe”. That in itself allows space for more creatives to thrive. I was considered “odd” for posting myself in cosplay outside of Halloween until I wasn’t. Non-creatives might not grasp the desire to stand out but that’s how you create a new normal.

How did you build your audience on social media?

It sounds absolutely cliche but it holds truer than anything else: I simply chose to be myself and keep posting regardless of how many “likes” and “views” something got. I only started Tiktok in the beginning of 2020 and I had no clue how to film on the app, let alone quality videos. Now I have two viral transitions I made along with inspiring other creatives with video ideas. I had to channel my old photography skills for photos but at the end of it all…you have to post for you. Attempts at keeping up with trends will burn you out. Trying to be like everyone else will definitely not get you the audience you desire. When you create for yourself first then everyone else people WILL notice. Also…people love engaging content. Ask questions that you want answers for. Get people wanting to pick your brain about things you like. That’s how you build a presence.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theyonndon.bio
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/theyonndon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theyonndon?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theyonndon
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theyonndon