Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisa Crockett.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Greetings! How I started, and how I got to where I am today? Those are interesting questions. I grew up in the Illinois metropolitan area in a divorced household. We were very poor, and let’s say my mom was limited. My older sister and I learned how to be independent at a young age. I often wish I hadn’t experienced the traumas I did at such a young age, but they helped me become the survivor I am today. Like many individuals, I grew up as an outsider, constantly feeling different than others. When I was an adolescent, I began to understand why coming to the acceptance that I was not straight. Fortunately, despite both of my parents being very religious, they came to accept me for who I am. I am eternally grateful for that, especially my dad’s acceptance, because I had always looked up to him. He inspired me to push myself even when things were difficult, and he still does today. I made many questionable decisions in my youth, like so many teenagers. Mine ended up with me pregnant at 17. Luckily, I was able to finish high school and go on to attend college.
I ended up majoring in education and worked in special education for nearly a decade. It was rewarding and made me a better parent to my children. But in the end, I suffered the same burnout many educators do and ended up changing careers. At the time, I had a friend working as a technical writer, and in discussing what I should do next, she suggested I try my hand at it. I did, and it led me to a career with Boeing. I am privileged to work at such an innovative and wonderful company, filled with many opportunities. Those opportunities led me from technical writing to project management, which is what I do now. I was also a creative kid, even if a timid one. I liked to write stories and play pretend games with my friends. One school year, I spent a solid two months in the library during my recess time writing my first story. I still remember that time fondly. And my favorite holiday growing up was Halloween because I loved dressing up and pretending to be someone else for a while. Those things and a love for anime and superheroes as a child contributed to my biggest hobbies now. While it’s been some time since I’ve been able to write, I love to write fan fiction for my favorite anime of all time, Sailor Moon. I also grew up to love and embrace cosplay as a hobby.
Even at the age of 40, I am an avid cosplayer and recently started doing cosplay for charity work. I work with a local organization called The Gateway Superfriends, and I cannot express how rewarding that experience has been. So now I am a project management specialist, a mom, a writer, and a cosplayer. I have 4 beautiful children ranging from 22 to 3, who are the light of my life. I also run a small Etsy business, though it’s been hiatus due to divorce. I make vinyl decals and design punk and fandom-inspired vests and jackets. The sum of who I am is that I am driven, don’t give up, and like to try new things.
Would it have been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Clearly, from my previous answer, my road has not been an easy one. Growing up in poverty, with divorced parents and a mentally ill mother, would be enough to say that I had a rough road. However, there were additional challenges that I faced. Challenges I’ve faced include people’s attitudes and letting that noise get into my head. I’ve also experienced traumas and challenges such as sexual assault, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and learning as an adult that I have high-functioning autism. More than once, I have had to start my life over, and more than once, I have had to bring myself back from very dark places. Once, when I had to hospitalize my son, who has autism, ADHD, and emotional issues, I tried to take my own life. Lucky for me, I was not successful at that, and after many years of therapy that followed, I have never considered it seriously again. As a creator/writer/cosplayer. Not that my mental health has never been a struggle, it has. But I’ve not tried to take my life again. I always try to be open and honest about these struggles because I know I’m not the only one who’s been through that or may be experiencing that, and I want them to know that they’re not alone. When I first tried writing fan fiction, I was told I was doing it “wrong,” according to those I chose to share my work with. Between that and an unsupportive partner, I allowed it to keep me from continuing to write for at least a decade.
I met the same issues when I got into cosplay in my thirties. I started cosplaying characters from the anime Sailor Moon and faced challenges from within the community because I was cosplaying “teenage” characters in my thirties. Then when I returned to it, I faced a form of ageism because I was coming back into my thirties. I also faced negativity because I was a plus-size person cosplaying. I got comments like, “It looks like Kyoko ate too many hamburgers.” when I cosplayed Kyoko Sakura from “Puella Magi Madoka Magica.” In 2021 I had gastric bypass surgery for health reasons and lost over 130 pounds. I am so proud of that accomplishment. Of course, it did mean replacing all of my costumes.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am both a professional and a creative person. As I mentioned before, I am a project management specialist with Boeing. I work with one of the technical publications groups to support our defense customers. I am proud of my work there and feel privileged to do it. I am also creative through my writing, cosplay, and maker work. As a writer, it is more of a hobby, even though I have two novels in progress that I hope to return to and work to publish one day. I am a lover of YA fiction and hope that one day I can call myself a published YA author. As a cosplayer, it allows me to stretch my creative muscles and connect with others in a way that I would not normally be able to do. As an introvert on the autism spectrum, connecting with others presents many challenges for me. But when I cosplay, it’s much easier. I attend conventions and host panels about topics such as body positivity, cosplay & mental health, LGBTQIA+ topics, and creating original characters. Those topics are very important to me and something I am passionate about. I’ve made most of my closest friends through cosplay and would not trade them for the world. I love cosplaying and hosting those panels with them. I have a decent social media presence but struggle with the latest trend of making videos with social media due to the demands in other areas of my life. The most rewarding experiences have been hosting panels and cosplaying for charity with the Gateway Super Friends. I was so happy after one of my body positivity panels to learn that more than one person decided to take the leap and start cosplaying because of that panel. And any event with the Gateway Super Friends is being able to bring characters to life for children and make their day better. We did a school supply handout event that I got to do with my children once, which was just so rewarding! As a maker, it gives me the greatest creative freedom possible. The jackets/vests I make are not “canon” costumes, so they don’t have restrictions on them. I get to take what I love about characters/fandoms and highlight those things. I’ve used them in my cosplay and selling those items.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
What has been most important to my success? Most definitely determination and perseverance. I have faced many obstacles and situations that could have easily kept me down permanently. I’ve had to start over and rebuild my life more than I should have. But I have never given up completely. I’ve not allowed myself to be beaten for long. Like the SpiderGwen I cosplayed, no matter how many times I’ve been knocked down, I always get back up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/cvondillarizz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cvondillarizz/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/CVondillarizz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CVondillarizz
Image Credits
Mimoo Universe https://instagram.com/mimoouniverse?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Inferno Imagery https://instagram.com/inferno_imagery?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Kansas City Photography https://instagram.com/kansascityphoto?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= The Reverse Star Studios https://instagram.com/thereversedstarstudios?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Gateway Super Friends https://www.facebook.com/GatewaySuperfriends/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
