Wonder Woman of the Week: Viva Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is not just a hero, she’s a symbol that any woman anywhere is capable of the same accomplishments of men. That’s a big part of why Wonder Woman is my favorite hero. To both men and women, Wonder Woman is a symbol for integrity and capacity, an example of how far United States feminism has come since burning withces at Salem. She’s Rosie the Riveter, she’s every mother that balances private and public life, and she’s this week’s spotlight- sort of. Your Wonder Woman this week is a woman who used her love for the greatest heroine of American comics to become a superhero to children across the county. Viva Wonder Woman is the Wonder Woman of the Week.

Usually, this is where I would write the biography of our Wonder Woman, but I decided the best way to approach this post is to include an answer to a single question I sent this week’s WW a couple of months ago. I asked, “What does Wonder Woman mean to you?” I told her to say everything she felt was necessary, however short or long that may be. Here’s her response.

I fell in love with Wonder Woman as a little girl watching Lynda Carter rock her star-spangled granny panties.. she was beautiful and strong.. she was nurturing and sweet but could still be tough and kick some serious villainous booty.. everything I wanted to be when I grew up.. so little four year old me proudly suited up in my underoos and I have been wearing them ever since! Because of this I now own my own custom costume business that specializes in superhero costumes (www.vivawonderwoman.com), I cosplay as WW and most importantly, I started the non-profit organization Heartfelt Heroes because I put so much effort into looking like Wonder Woman it only made sense to act like her too!

Heartfelt Heroes enables me to do all kinds of charity work dressed as Wonder Woman. I visit kids in hospitals, burn units, cancer centers, elementary schools and women’s/children’s shelters to name a few. I also visit assisted living centers and other special events including things like being at the starting line for the GIRLS ON THE RUN 5K RACE (Girls on the Run is a national group that trains little girls for a 5K while teaching them empowerment skills), etc. I also travel and have done charity work in Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Pretty much any charitable endeavor that could use a superhero, I am there! I also have a program called “CAPES FOR A CAUSE” where I make personalized superhero capes for special kids all around the country. Kids dealing with fatal illnesses, devastating losses like losing a parent, those terribly hurt in an accident and those facing difficult disabilities. I make them a cape and a care package filled with items/toys based on their favorite superhero. If they are local, I hand deliver the package in costume and if not, I make the child a short video of me in costume explaining that I made the cape for them, that I honor them for their bravery and assure them they have superheroes in their corner.

Because Lynda Carter started it all, you can imagine my joy when she commented on a picture on my Facebook of me with a little girl that I was visiting who had cancer, and commended me for my charity work saying.. “Thank you for bringing joy to so many!!”