Local Hustler: Krista Lee, Cosplayer

Not many people are familiar with cosplaying. There’s not a lot of events in Silver Spring that have space for cosplaying, which is a shame. There used to be the Jubilee Comic Convention held bi-annually at the Silver Spring Armory (now Wayne Avenue Garage), but that building is long gone, and even when it was going on (80s-90s), there was little cosplaying going on. That being said, we were excited to meet several cosplayers in Silver Spring, one of whom, Krista Lee, we had the opportunity to interview.

For those unfamiliar with cosplay, it could be described as performance art often times based on anime characters, but with various subgenres including video game characters, live action films, anthropomorphism and myriad others. The reasons for cosplay are just as myriad, but Krista is outspoken about her motivations:

“It’s not just me dressing up in a cool outfit. I have this strong connection with this character from a comic or a video game or an anime. That’s why I make the costume.”

A Silver Spring native, Krista grew up in downtown, but now lives on the edge near Leisure World now (not in Leisure World, she’s 25). Having grown up here, she’s seen significant changes to Silver Spring.

“When I didn’t have a car, it was really convenient. There were a lot of buses, so it was easy to get places.”

In terms of problems with Silver Spring, Krista mentions issues more specific than the oft-times mentioned traffic.

“I don’t like all the traffic lights… From where I live to here [Kefa Cafe], there are a million traffic lights. If I get stuck in a chain of red lights, it takes a really long time even though it’s not that far distance-wise.”

As to what would make Silver Spring better, we couldn’t agree more:

“Better Korean restaurants. They don’t have that many in Silver Spring. I gotta go to Virginia or Ellicott City. I like all-night Korean barbecue.”

All photos courtesy of Felix Wong Photography.

Pete Tan
A DC Native, people say I'm rude and abrasive; I say I'm passionate. I've been working in marketing since 2005. My brothers and I paid Geppi's rent through the 80s and 90s. My relief at an indoor wavepool never materializing in Silver Spring is balanced by my disappointment that City Place has dozens of shuttered storefronts. I love what you've done with your hair.

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