We’re hanging with Stefani S for 28 Days of Black Cosplay!

First Name and Last Initial
Stefani S.

Please tell us your name and where you are based.
Newark, NJ

How long have you been cosplaying?
20+ years

What characters have you cosplayed the most?
• Starfire – Teen Titans

• Shoto Todoroki – My Hero Academia

• Numbuh 5 – Codename: Kids Next Door

Socials Media Pages
• Instagram: @Stefanisaxo
• TikTok: @stefanisaxo
• Twitch: StefanisaxoTTV
• YouTube: Stefani Saxo

1. What made you decide to cosplay?
My love for Tina Turner and Sailor Moon inspired me. At six years old, as far as I was concerned, these two women ran the world. I was Tina Turner for Halloween at least three times. And while I’ve never cosplayed Sailor Moon—out of fear of not doing her justice—she’s an icon, and when I do it, I want it to be perfect.

2. What do you do for your day job or hobbies?
I’m a vocalist, songwriter, streamer, and mother of two. When I’m not embodying divine feminine energy, I’m grounding myself by bringing characters to life through cosplay and engaging with my online community.

3. Which of your cosplays have been the most challenging and/or the most rewarding and why?
Numbuh 5. At first glance, her costume looks simple—blue shirt, red hat, white shoes. What could go wrong? Nothing really… but only because I planned everything. I decided to DIY the entire project, thinking it would be easy. It was… moderate.

I called my grandmother, a designer in New Jersey, to help me understand the fabric I was working with. I had no sewing experience and didn’t know how to cut fabric properly, so I just followed directions well. I even bought brand-new shears to get a precise cut.

The stripes on my dress? Credit goes to another cosplayer. She casually said, “Why don’t you just use white duct tape instead of gluing on the stripes?” My mind was blown. And the iconic Numbuh 5 hat? I spent a month scrolling Amazon to find the perfect one. When it arrived, I was emotional.

For my first DIY cosplay, it was a challenge—but not traumatizing. And honestly? I’d do it again. LOL.

4. What is the best advice you would give to other cosplayers of color specifically?
Cosplay whoever you want. Your creativity and passion matter more than anyone’s opinion. Representation is powerful—you never know who you might inspire just by showing up as yourself.

5. What one thing could the cosplay community do better when dealing with one another?
The community could be more inclusive and supportive, especially toward BIPOC cosplayers. There’s still too much bias around “character accuracy” and beauty standards. At the end of the day, cosplay is art. And no one can gatekeep artistic expression.