Posted in: Comics | Tagged: AZ Powergirl, Cara Nicole Trujillo, Comics, cosplay, entertainment

From Powergirl To Politician – Cosplayer Runs For Office

Published Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:00:20 -0500

If you've been out on the convention circuit over the last couple of years, you may have come across Cara Nicole Trujillo. She is a cosplayer that goes by the name of AZ Powergirl as well as the wife of comic artist Alfred Trujillo. Cara now hopes to move from the con floor to the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives.

DAN WICKLINE: You announced recently that you are running for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives. What made you decide to throw your hat into the ring so to speak?

CARA NICOLE: I have been doing legislative works for the past 3 years primarily in Family Law reform. I keep hearing people say they are tired of the two party system so I decided to give them a choice outside of that. I would like to give a voice to everyone without the fear of displeasing a party. I have no one to answer to other than the people. I want not only my agenda addressed but the concerns of everyone. I hope to have the opportunity to move past the color wheel of politics and work towards fair and productive Arizona.

DW: You spoke of your agenda being addressed. What is your agenda? And how has your work in family law influenced what you want to get done if you become an elected official?

CN: My main agenda in this campaign is to open the eyes and minds of the community. I want people to understand that they have a voice in government. Our legislators are supposed to be here to represent us. It's still early in the election but a few of the issues I would like to address are Civil Forfeiture, Family Law Reform, Title 8, and taxes on Solar energy. While I was working in family law reform I would sit through hours of other issues being addressed while waiting for our bills to come up. I would listen to the testimony and read the issues and it inspired me to do more.

DW: What drew your interest in Family Law Reform? And what were you doing prior to that?

CN: When a man takes his own life for fear that his child will be used against him, someone has to do something. I've seen a lot and heard a lot of stories of families devastated financially and emotionally with the current court system. I saw a story on the local newspaper about Mike Espinoza, a carpet layer in Apache Junction, who was changing the law. I immediately contacted him and started helping out with his legislative efforts along with Arizona Family Rights.

Prior to making a change in the state legislatively, I had helped friends and family members with their court paperwork. Going to legislative meetings and testifying in front of committees was definitely the next level.

DW: Have you had any political aspirations in the past or was this something new?

CN: To be honest, I never had aspirations for politics. Like most, I was led to believe that special qualifications were needed to be part of the legislative process and that the most ordinary people could do is protest, picket and make petitions. In fact, this is not true and the positions were made originally for the common man or woman to be a voice for their community.

DW: You have been a cosplayer for years. How do you see your time at conventions and doing appearances as helping your campaign and as a Representative of Arizona?

CN: Local events and conventions are very good opportunities to talk to people. I get to know them personally, hear their stories and become a part of their life. I go to their weddings, I get to watch their babies grow up, I promote their local businesses and we work together as a community.

I want to help them have more opportunities and inspire them to be involved in legislation that pertains to all of our needs. I think I will be very successful at that.

DW: On the reverse of that, what would you say to any detractors who think to use your cosplaying or the modeling you've done against you? Or to anyone who underestimates you or takes you less serious because of it?

CN: Complaining about my cosplay is a weak argument. The news sources that tried to use cosplay against me have had a lot of their audience stand up for me and remind them that this is 2016 and we have gotten past a lot of the sexism of earlier decades. And thanks to all those people who recognize my passion and hard work, I don't think I have anything to say to the detractors, because they'll say it for me.

Putting me aside for a moment, I will say that I think it's a mistake and very reductive to take someone less seriously because of cosplay; I could give you a long list of police officers, firemen, nurses, active duty service men and yes, even politicians who cosplay.

DW: With you running for a specific district, who can vote for you and how can people support your election if interested?

CN: I am in district 26 in the Tempe/Mesa area (and some outer laying northeast areas). In order to sign my petition to be on the ballot and be able to vote for me in November, you will need to check to make sure that you live in my area and be registered to vote.

To sign the petition, you need to be registered as independent, green party, no party preference. Basically, anything other than Democrat or Republican. But anyone can vote for me in the election so long as you're registered in the district.

Check to see if you are in the district here:
http://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/

Sign my petition to be on the ballot here:
http://apps.azsos.gov/apps/election/eps/petition/sign.aspx?cid=7e2c162a34ae44c0a4bb6b1f2ab5cb01

Follow my campaign at my Facebook page here:
https://facebook.com/AzPowergirl4U/

I've known Cara for a number of years and I took the pictures used in this article.

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