New Look Kirk took her maiden voyage this weekend at #sdcc2019! I'm still pulling together some decent still shots from the days I wore her (this was so much fun to wear I ended up in her both Saturday and Sunday, in addition to wearing her to the #HerUniverseFashionShow judging on Thursday) but I love this short vid I got (even though my feet got cropped out!) because I can't see the hat in action while I'm wearing it and I'm loving how it moves!!! There are still a few tweaks I want to make to how the top closes, but overall I'm happy with how this came out. I've never done a from-scratch #millinery project before, and I learned so much from making the enterprise, as well as trying to engineer the Bar suit padded hip look on the top. I had so much fun talking with people who got either the #startrek aspect or the #diornewlook aspect (and the handful who got both!!! 🖖👗). Please note the very important detail that the tribble is actually my purse. . https://www.instagram.com/p/B0OUtkBDhdY/?igshid=1jwo77vbke34a

#CostumersforClimateAction is my favorite thing!!! What kind of costuming techniques do you use to be more environmentally conscious?!?! . . On an individual level, we can’t fix a lot of things about climate change. We can’t change corporate chemical dumping or oil drilling or deforestation for fracking or ocean trawling. . . But we can make little changes, like upcycling our costumes (my skirt is actually a canvas rice bag that I stamped with tapa designs) and using natural fibers (like the cotton gauze top I stamped and beaded). These cut down on fabric waste, polyester micro fibers washed into the ocean, and the chemicals let off by synthetic fabric production. . . I’m constantly trying to be more sustainable in my costuming, so if you guys have any ideas of how cosplayers can protect the planet, please let me know!!! . . #cosplay #cosplayergirl #moana #moanacosplay #disney #disneycosplay #climatechange #climatechangeisreal #stopclimatechange #climateaction #hawaii #haleiwabeachpark #oahu #haleiwa #northshoreoahu #coralreef #costumer #costuming #costumedesign #environmentalist #sustainablefashion #sustainableliving #islandgirl #hula #huladance (at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort) https://www.instagram.com/p/BztLQ5HDuOA/?igshid=ymxcpctq0wb3

I would like to be clear about something. Hawai’i is not anti-science. We aren’t the backwards barbarians living in the past that some people would like to make us seem. . . In Hawai’i we have a profound love of nature, a deep sense of aloha ‘āina, and a long history of studying the world around us. Most of us believe that science and Hawai’ian culture can coexist, but that requires the scientific community to show us the same respect that we have for them. . . We want advancement as a cooperative effort. We want to explore the stars and learn about space, but not at the expense of our traditions and our home. . . Mauna Kea already houses 13 observatories, it does not need another. We will not be railroaded in the name of the “greater good” when that greater good is defined by Eurocentric norms that do not account for our values and history. . . We don’t need to be saved. We just need solidarity, and a place at the table to advocate for ourselves as equals. We’re asking for respect, not a savior. . . Stand with the kia’i and for Mauna Kea. Links in my bio to sign the petition or donate to various organizations on the Big Island supporting the kia’i. Accounts tagged for further info. . . Also, swipe for baby Erika in a dress that I have had and will have forever!!! It was perfect for tromping around the lava rocks when I was little, and it still is 20 years later!! . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #lilo #liloandstitch #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #lilocosplay #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner https://www.instagram.com/p/B0T5eQ2Df6s/?igshid=s4n3ziys5c74

Today is the court hearing for the temporary restraining order to halt construction of the TMT!! . . I’m a big fan of astronomy. Between Star Wars and Firefly and all the other sci fi stories I grew up on, I’ve always wanted to see what’s out there, to know what space has to teach us. . . But I also grew up learning aloha ‘āina, to love the land that I’m on and the people at my sides. Scientific advancement is not progress if it is achieved on the backs of already marginalized peoples. The price of knowledge gained cannot be an already disappearing culture. We cannot say that it’s a sacrifice worth making, when we are throwing someone else, an entire population really, on the chopping block. . . The kanaka have suffered enough already. Their kingdom was illegally overthrown by the US and then their land was forcibly occupied by those same people. Their homes were destroyed to make resorts and their culture stolen for “authentic Hawaiian experiences” designed to capitalize on Hawai’i, all while excluding the native peoples except perhaps as exotic and fetishized entertainment. . . The TMT is just another strike against the Hawai’ian way of life. How many more can we take before it’s gone? How will they exploit us for their own gain when there is nothing of us left? . . Queen Amidala would not stand for this injustice, and neither will I. Sign the petition to stop the TMT. If you can, donate to the organizations defending the Kia’i and Mauna Kea. Links are in my bio. . . And please, share the sign of the mauna with #alohaalwayswins to let people know what’s going on and to show your support for the Kia’i. . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #padmeamidala #queenamidala #starwars #starwarscosplay #starwarscosplayer #disneycosplayer #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner https://www.instagram.com/p/B0RGtxHj-Xz/?igshid=1ag9ccp2ewki2

Today is the court hearing for the suit filed by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation against Governor Ige for the unlawful use of an emergency proclamation to subdue the Kia’i protectors at Mauna Kea. . . Emergency proclamations are for situations of exceptional danger that threaten the public, the population of Hawai’i, and the state’s critical infrastructure. Instead Governor Ige used to the proclamation to facilitate the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, ordering law enforcement to remove and arrest the Kia’i. This is a clear violation of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, and protections for religious practice, all provided for under the first amendment, as well as international human rights treaties. . . From the very beginning, with the illegal overthrow of the royal family and the annexation of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, it has always been clear to us that the US government does not respect the sanctity or the sovereignty of the Hawai’ian people and lands. . . This emergency proclamation is just the latest insult added to a long line of injuries against my home, my family, and my community, reinforcing the understanding that we will always come second to the capitalist commodification of Hawai’i. Why respect the Hawai’ian people, when you can steal our land, degrade our culture, and destroy our homes with impunity? . . Stand with the Kia’i. Stand for Mauna Kea. Links in bio to sign the petition to stop the TMT, and to donate to the Hawaii Bail Fund for the arrested Kia’i, to frontline logistics like food provisions and sanitation needs, or to the Mauna Kea Legal Defense Fund. And please, share the sign of the mauna with #alohaalwayswins to show your support for the Hawai’ian people. Check the accounts tagged in the photo for more info. . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #lilo #liloandstitch #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #lilocosplay #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner https://www.instagram.com/p/B0PKkOojiOD/?igshid=jvsytwo6hdu9

#CostumersforClimateAction is such good motivation to be more sustainable with my costuming!! . . I feel like cosplay can feed overconsumption, at least for me. I buy fabric because it makes me envision what kind of amazing cosplays I can make in the future!! But then I just keep buying fabric, and I don’t use what I have. . . Yesterday I went through a bunch of sewing and craft supplies I had hoarded in my room, sorting through them so I have a better idea of what I have and I won’t have to buy as much. My goal for the rest of the year is to consume less and use more of what I already have!! Cut back on fabric hoarding, focus more on sewing and creating!! . . How do you organize your supplies? Any tips on how to keep track of what’s in your stash?! . . #cosplay #cosplayer #disney #disneycosplay #liloandstitch #lilo #hawaii #hawaiicosplay #haleiwa #oahu #northshoreoahu #costumer #costuming #sustainablefashion #sustainability #sustainableliving #environmentalist #environmentallyfriendly #climatechange #climatechangeisreal #beach #beachcosplay #islandgirl #cosplayproblems #sewing #sewingproject (at Haleiwa, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz09iSEDpid/?igshid=3qm6f6mfrsdt

Guys!!! Have you heard of #costumersforclimateaction ?!? I’m obsessed!!! . . My grandma always told me stories about swimming in the coral reefs by Haleiwa Beach Park. It was so colorful and she used to swim with the honu (the Hawaiian word for sea turtle) that would feed in the reef. . . I walk along that beach every time I go to visit her. There’s a harbor there now, and the breakers put in to protect the boats combined with the added pollution has completely killed off the reef. . . When I swim there, the water is so murky you can barely see the skeleton of the reef that my grandma used to love. And if you did, it would break your heart to see it—nothing but brown rock, algae blooms, and the white remains of dead coral. . . I see how hard my family’s home has suffered because of climate change, and I’m trying to make changes in my life to be more environmentally conscious, from composting and growing my own fruits, to buying my fabrics from sustainable sources. . . Little things won’t bring back my grandma’s favorite coral reef, but it can help us move towards a better future and prevent more climate degradation. . . #cosplay #cosplayergirl #moana #moanacosplay #disney #disneycosplay #climatechange #climatechangeisreal #stopclimatechange #climateaction #hawaii #haleiwabeachpark #oahu #haleiwa #northshoreoahu #coralreef #costumer #costuming #costumedesign #environmentalist #sustainablefashion #sustainableliving #islandgirl #hula #huladance (at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqiG55jVNM/?igshid=15cukqnlvrfux

A lot of you guys have messaged me lately to talk about Mauna Kea. The thing I hear the most is that you guys didn’t even know this was happening until you saw my posts, and now that you do, you want to help. . . I’m so grateful for you all, for your willingness to listen, and for your drive to help and to stand with the kia’i. I wish I could teach you guys all that there is to know about Mauna Kea, but the reality is that I’m still learning about this struggle to protect our home too. . . My family is kama ‘āina, yes, but we can’t speak to the experience of the kanaka, and theirs are the voices that truly need to be heard. My hope is that by using whatever platform I have to bring your attention towards Mauna Kea, ultimately it will give the kanaka a wider audience to make themselves heard. . . @puuhuluhulu currently teaches classes on Hawai’i, local culture and tradition, and how we can be better stewards of our islands. They’ve organized at Mauna Kea as kia’i protectors and as educators. If you’d like to learn more about Mauna Kea, they are a great resource! . . I’ve also linked a lot of resources in my bio, to sign the petition to stop the TMT, to give your comments to Governor Ige, and various ways to donate to the kia’i to support their efforts to protect Mauna Kea. This fight is so much bigger than what I can show you, and I hope that you’ll join us in protecting Hawai’i by learning from those who have more to teach us (those with actual knowledge, not yesterday’s shining pillar of condescension and racism 🙃) . . Also please feel free to share any of my posts about Mauna Kea, or share your own picture with the sign of the mauna to help us raise awareness for the kia’i. If I could help you guys find out what’s going on, you can do the same for your own community!! . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #moana #moanacosplay #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #disneyprincess #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner #humanrights https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ekpAzjr_b/?igshid=nqp5gtyvbjzz

Look... look at all the racism!! (Not actually what this gesture means in hula, but right now it feels like it) . . I had to take a breather yesterday, because the last couple days have just been a wild ride in Racism Today!! . . As you may know, the kia’i and the struggle for Mauna Kea has been the main subject of my feed over the last week and a half. I care deeply about my family home, and about my friends and neighbors whose culture is being desecrated, so I’ve been trying to spread some awareness to my mainland friends about what’s going on. Well, over the last week, some white supremacist with internet access took it upon himself to teach me about history, Hawai’i, political science, and human rights!! . . Now, if you know me, you likely know that I already have degrees in three of those things, and that my family has lived in Hawai’i for about 200 years!! But obviously this guy is far more qualified than both Sciences Po de Paris and Columbia because he’s read a Wikipedia article about Hawai’i, so he thought it was his divine duty to educate my poor soul. I mean, people of color couldn’t possibly be smarter than a white guy with internet! . . I finally got so fed up with him that I blocked him, not before saving some of his more colorful comments as screenshots to share with my friends on FB with a fun breakdown of his more prominent arguments. Swipe through if you want to see just how done I am with the condescending racism 🤗🤗🤗 . . I left out the screenshots of that guy’s comments here though. I posted them on FB then deleted them because honestly he’s not worth the space on my phone! . . Stand for Mauna Kea. @govhawaii is taking comments on Mauna Kea (link in bio), please let him know that you oppose the TMT and that you stand with the kia’i. . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #moana #moanacosplay #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #disneyprincess #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner #humanrights https://www.instagram.com/p/B0bd3pEjmxi/?igshid=o91qnto0p7cr

New blog post!! When How Far I’ll Go Is Not Far Enough: Colonial Science and the Struggle for Mauna Kea . . I’ve been getting a lot of questions from the cosplay community about Mauna Kea, what’s going on, why is it important, that sort of thing. . . The struggle for Mauna Kea is about more than just a mountain. Ultimately, it’s a struggle for Hawai’i, for the respect that the world has never shown our home and our ohana. From the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i (yes, it was illegal, and many still feel that Hawai’i is an occupied territory), to the commodification of Hawai’i and Polynesian culture, the US has a history of using Hawai’i for profit while marginalizing the Hawai’ian people. . . Celebrating the commercialized Hawai’i is not enough. It is not enough to watch Moana and go to Waikiki and leave the people behind. To actually preserve Hawai’ian culture and respect the people who call Hawai’i home, we have to respect their authentic traditions and sacred spaces. . . Stand for Mauna Kea, and for the little of authentic Hawai’i that we have left. @govhawaii is taking comments on Mauna Kea (link in bio), please let him know that you oppose the TMT and that you stand with the kia’i. . . And friendly reminder that I have degrees in human rights, political science, diplomacy, and history from L’Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris and from Columbia, I’ve done my research. Happy to talk about what’s going on and have informed debate, but if you’re going to come at me for standing for my home and with my community, come with real sources. . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #moana #moanacosplay #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #disneyprincess #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner #humanrights https://www.instagram.com/p/B0WahB6Daks/?igshid=1vrdmxgp18o97

Last week, the government sent armed forces in full riot gear to drag kupuna elders off Mauna Kea for trying to protect sacred land from the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. . . Mauna a Wakea as it’s known to Native Hawai’ians is the father of the islands and its people. When we say aloha ‘āina, it means that we love the land, but in a larger sense, it means that we love our family, our community, our ancestors, and our environment, everything that makes up Hawai’i, and all of that is fundamentally tied to the land. . . Mauna Kea is not just a mountain. We are Mauna Kea. When you build on Mauna Kea, you not only desecrate sacred land but you disrespect Hawai’i, it’s culture, and most importantly, the people that call Hawai’i home. . . Sign the petition to shutdown the TMT construction and preserve Mauna Kea for future generations of Hawai’ians to know and love. The link is in my bio, as well as the link to donate to the bail fund to help the arrested Ku Kia’i Mauna mountain protectors. . . Please sign, donate, or share an image with the sign of the Mauna and #alohaalwayswins to show your support for the Kia’i and help us spread the word that this is happening. Please help us protect our home. . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #lilo #liloandstitch #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #lilocosplay #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Mb5A6Dtr8/?igshid=i6wjjmhdmswp

Do you love Moana? Do you want to do something that will actually preserve Hawaiian culture? . . Stop the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope and the state violence against the Hawaiian people. It is not enough merely to consume Hawaiian culture and leave its people behind. If you love Moana, love the Hawaiian people too, and respect their native traditions and our home. . . To make the sign of the mauna, form a triangle with your hands by putting your thumbs and forefingers together. Share your pictures with #AlohaAlwaysWins to show your support for the Ku Kia’i Mauna protectors. . . People need to know about the kupuna elders who were dragged off the mountain by police this week, and about the desecration of sacred Hawaiian land. . . Hawaii needs your help. Help us protect our home. . . #wearemaunakea #maunakea #tmt #tmtshutdown #kukiaimauna #kapualoha #alohaaina #protectmaunakea #hoiikapiko #istandformaunakea #moana #moanacosplay #disney #disneycosplay #disneycosplayer #disneyprincess #cosplay #cosplayer #CostumersforClimateAction #costumer #costuming #cosplayergirl #causeplay #sewing #sewingproject #costumedesigner https://www.instagram.com/p/B0JZE7GjcQl/?igshid=1rla43kptmtrg