Finding Peace with Iroh
Tea with Iroh is the story of one man finding a healing path during one of the lowest points in his life. He took Iroh's quote to heart: “Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems, is to help someone else.” His love of tea and sharing it with others led to the creation of an experiential cosplay that can now be found at conventions across the United States. Tea with Iroh has been reaching anyone who loves tea or is in a need of a quiet place during cons since 2018. As the popularity of Tea with Iroh has grown, it has become difficult for one person to cover the costs of everything needed to keep this experience available and free to share. We are asking for your help to allow Tea with Iroh to continue sharing tea and peace with a growing community.
At it's core, Tea with Iroh is an Uncle Iroh cosplayer sharing free hot tea, creating a safe, and comfortable space to enjoy it. The experience quickly grew using the idea of "Spreading hope, one cup of tea at a time."
Below is an overview of what it takes to keep Tea with Iroh free and available for cons and events, along with a brief discussion of perks for different donation levels. More details about the perks and what your donation will be supporting can be found in the FAQ section.
What We Need & What You Get
Everything donated will go directly toward helping share tea with more people and upgrading or maintaining the necessary supplies and equipment required to ensure a safe and meaningful experience. The Goals below are listed in order of what I will be able to get as I reach each level of total donations received. This means getting enough for a Covered Trailer, will also allow me to get everything else on my list. Equipment upgrades are necessary to meet the needs of sharing tea with a growing number of people, as well as recurrent supply costs. All money donated will go directly into enhancing the Tea with Iroh experience.
Donation Perks: Each level will include everything before it.
$10: A 3"x3" vinyl sticker of my new logo
$30: Custom video message (up to 1 min)
Tea with Iroh will create a custom video for you, or anyone you like. Do you have a friend who could use a kind word, or an Avatar fan who would LOVE a happy birthday message? I will work with you on what is said and send you a custom video up to a minute in length as Iroh.
$50: A custom tea cup with my new logo. See the extra pictures section for a mockup of what it will look like. Logo will be on one side and "Tea with Iroh" will be on the other.
$250: Weekend pass to con of choice that I am a guest (currently a standing guest of ConNooga in TN and Cabbage Con in OH) *Does not cover travel or lodging.*
**All perks will be purchased with money raised from the campaign. This means getting everything mailed out to you may take a few months, but I promise I will get everyone their gifts as soon as possible!**
Goals:
$500: Equipment to serve tea: There are a lot of items I bring with me to share tea and make sure I'm doing it in the safest way possible. More equipment is needed to be able to serve tea with the growing number of people who attend Tea with Iroh. Some examples of equipment include things such as Electric kettles, Airpots, water jugs etc.
$1,000: Replacement cosplay: My current cosplay has been used several times a year for 5 years now and is starting to get worn out. This will allow me to get a replacement set of my current outfit with tailoring and modifications.
$2,000: Larger tent and immersion accessories: My current tent is a 7x7 and has a broken leg. A larger tent (10X10 or 10x20) will let me create a larger and more comfortable space for everyone who comes to share tea. I will also be able to get immersion accessories for the space to help it feel even more like a tea house, such as table cloths, wall hangings etc.
$3,000: Carpets and pillows: Part of creating a safe space for people is also making that space comfortable. I currently use rugs and pillows to create sound-buffering seating areas for those who come to share tea. Due to the high traffic and frequency of use, these supplies see a lot of wear and tear. I have had my current set for about 4 years and being able to expand what I have and replace them as they get older is going to be key in keeping the overall feeling of the space I try to create.
$5,000: Custom-made formal cosplay: The current version of my cosplay is wonderful, but I would like to get one custom made with higher quality materials. This will give me a more durable outfit that will last longer as well as the opportunity to support the artists who make such beautiful things! It will also let me have outfits for different events, such as conventions vs Renaissance Festivals.
$9,000: Agent: I love sharing tea as Iroh, but the work and logistics keep growing. I have been trying to create more content and get to more cons/events, and to make that happen I need help. Reaching this goal will allow me to start having someone help manage my social media and Con applications/logistics so I can reach more people. A LOT of work goes into media management and networking so I want to make sure those who help me are compensated for their time.
$15,000: Covered trailer: As my setup and the number of people I share tea with has expanded, I am finding it more difficult to fit all of the supplies and equipment into my vehicle to bring to cons. I would like to add a trailer hitch to my car and get a small covered trailer to help with getting me and my setup to more places where I can share tea!
$15,001+: Recurring/Miscellaneous costs: Recurring costs vary depending on the size of the con and the expected number of people to be served. Some examples of these include cups for serving tea, tea add-ins (sugar, honey, etc.), fuel costs, hotel costs, and, in some cases, the cost of attending that con. Anything donated above the $15,000 goal will be used to help cover these costs as well as other miscellaneous costs that will help Tea with Iroh grow.
The Impact
Tea with Iroh is not just a gimmick where people can share tea with Zuko's goofy uncle, it is a safe space at conventions with an unforgettable experience. I combine my love of hot tea, my love of helping people, and my love of Avatar: The Last Airbender to create a much needed oasis in the crazy environment that is a convention. I have years of experience creating spaces that are accepting and loving of all people and that allow shelter from overstimulation or a haven when you're feeling anxious.
In America, it seems like there is a coffee shop on every corner, but never a tea shop in sight. Even at cons it is often easy to find a cup of joe but almost impossible to find a cup of hot tea. With the help of Drogo Coffee and Tea, I am able to provide many varieties of high-quality tea for free. You don't have to be an Avatar fan to want a delicious cup of tea any time of day!
My favorite part of Tea with Iroh is sharing the energy of loving kindness with the world and teaching people what love and acceptance looks like. Throughout the Avatar: The Last Airbender series, Uncle Iroh is a helping presence for everyone he meets. It doesn't matter if that person is his nephew or someone trying to mug him; he shows them love, and acceptance and does whatever he can to help them grow, and learn. I chose to cosplay Iroh when he was running a tea shop in the Earth Kingdom because that was where he was happiest, but the energy he put into the world around him throughout the whole show is what I bring to Tea with Iroh.
Your donation helps me bring this experience to more people and continue making it one they will never forget.
Testimonials
Over several years of doing Tea with Iroh, many people have left messages in the sign-in book kept at the booth. These are only a few of the comments:
"This is super wholesome, keep being awesome and amazing"
"You truly created something beautiful from nothing. Thank you for the experience."
"Truly the highlight of the weekend, kept mind and body together <3"
"Thank you for bringing back hope into my life. You have been such a joy and I'm continuously thankful for you. Thank you for being you."
"Thank you for the tea, company, and safe room! loved meeting you!"
"This is my favorite place every con"
"I don't watch Avatar, but this guy is awesome!"
"Thank you for the tea! This was really cool and helped my anxietea :)"
Other Ways You Can Help
Not in a place to donate right now? No problem at all!
If you would like to help, please share my links with your friends or anyone you know who might be interested in learning more about Tea with Iroh. People have told me before that just knowing that I'm doing Tea with Iroh has inspired them in many different ways and I LOVE that! I would love to be able to keep inspiring people or making them smile for free. As more people know about me and what I've been doing, my support has started to grow. This allows me to go to more cons and events and share this space and experience with more people. If you can help get the word out, it will mean just as much as any monetary donation!
Indiegogo has built in links to make it easy to share this campaign so make sure you check those out at the top of the page, and my other media can be accessed at:
https://allmylinks.com/teawithiroh