Ashweez Cosplay (she/they) is a Texas-based cosplayer, graphic designer, and sewist who has been cosplaying and attending conventions since 2005. A self-declared cosplay veteran, Ashweez likes to give back to the community by sharing her cosplay build process on her website and socials. Since 2023, she has served her local Texas community by working at various conventions as: a cosplay department volunteer for Wowcon Beyond, DreamCon and Anime Oklahoma; cosplay contest contractor for NishiFest and Anime Frontier; repair booth manager for Anime Frontier; and cosplay department staffer for Creators After Dark. 

Ashweez never saw herself getting to where she is now when she started cosplaying. "When I got into cosplay back in 2005, there wasn't an industry yet. ... It was just a hobby and it is still just a hobby for me actually" Ashweez says. After doing cosplay for a few years though, she questioned what else she could do with cosplay, which was how Ashweez turned to helping with the cosplay repair booth and assisting with cosplay contests. 

"Even before the con starts, there is a lot of planning involved" Ashweez explains. The planning for a contest is extensive, which as Ashweez says, involves getting guest judges, creating a judging rubric, deciding which catagories to judge, and so on. Ashweez also goes on to say that due to the amount of cosplay contests, there is not simply one set of rules that all cosplay contests use. "Texas has its own thing, but the Northeast or the Pacific Northwest might have different standards for a cosplay contest" Ashweez says. Despite the variations though, Ashweez states that even the smallest cosplay contests have a lot of work placed into them to make them run as smoothly as possible for contestants. 

The cosplay repair booth, as Ashweez explains, "...could be anywhere from a small table to a full room...for cosplayers to go and get any part of their cosplay repaired." The booth is usually ran by other cosplayers and are stocked with all sorts of supplies that can be used for quick fixes to costumes if there so happens to be a mishap. Not all cons have a cosplay repair booth, and if that happens, someone usually fills the role of a repair person on their own. Ashweez explains that everyone has been in a moment where their costume breaks. "It is a stressful situation. ...We have all been there. And so we know what it feels like. And all I want to do is make sure that people have a good con experience, and you can't really do that when you're stressing out over your costume." 

Even if a cosplay repair booth is at a con, Ashweez expresses that a cosplay should be made in such a way to where it maintains its durability when it is worn. "...the repair booth is very much for short-term solutions. ...that's why I always stress like [doing] stress tests at home. Do a costest. You don't want the day of the con to be the first time you put everything on." Ashweez says that by doing these tests, a person can see which parts of their cosplay still need to be fixed or improved on, which saves them a trip to the repair booth. Though, she does explain that if the cosplay repair booth cannot assist someone, they will give tips on longer term solutions and fixes for the future.  

Ashweez says that the best way to get connected into the con circle is by asking questions. She states that by reaching out to cons and asking what they need in volunteers is very important when wanting to get started. As for Ashweez, Anime Frontier picked up her suggestion for having a cosplay repair booth and sponsored her with tools and supplies to be able to run it properly. "...if you think you can bring something to the table, if you think you can help, reach out." Ashweez further states that if there is not a spot on staff for cons, anyone can always volunteer for conventions. However, Ashweez stresses to volunteer for the right reasons, and not just to obtain a free badge. "...if you're the type that just likes to be behind the scenes to help out with a convention...a lot of the roles tend to be people facing.  ...you can always try it once. And, then if its not for you, its not for you. And if it is, maybe do it again. There's nothing wrong with trying it at least once."