Eric “AlphaWhiteFang” Barona

[MnFurs Election Committee]

This candidate did not submit a “Meet the Candidate” biography by the deadline.This bio was submitted late.

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Tell us about yourself.

My name is Eric, I have been a furry since around 2011, originally denying it for years but eventually going all in after understanding more of what furry is about. Most of my life i’ve spent in california and my furry side was mainly just a hidden side thing i only really showed online, Once I moved to South Dakota in early 2022 did my furry side really take off, joining a few local groups and even started to buy my first fursuit and other furry related things. That same year I went to my first con, Megaplex, and immediately needed more. Luckily there was a far closer local con happening just the month after, Furry Migration. The con experience went so well and the introduction to the greater MNFurs furry scene kicked off the start of my volunteer work for MNFurs starting with checking badges, helping out logistics and just helping out wherever needed at Furry Migration. Since that time I’ve moved around a bit, Started staffing way more cons and moved up as a Division lead for FM,  I am now a multi-suiter with a few different sonas I use and even started making suits and plush on the side. You may see me around as a collie dog with a giant wolf nearly the same size as me.

What brought you to the furry fandom?

When I was younger I would watch movies and TV shows that had anthropomorphic animals, this made me interested in the idea of talking animals that can do things a human can do or even wear clothes, drive cars or just about anything. It really got me interested in art and animation and I even started drawing and trying to animate.
As I got older and entered middle school I first heard about furries but not in a good way, I did my own searching around and found the furry fandom and the tons of art and media that was made by it, along with fursuits. But around that same time at my school it was also seen as very weird and something you’d likely get picked on for, even then I still found a few furries in that time. Originally for years i denied being one myself but after all the learning and digging ive done it was clear, I was a furry.

How will you continue to volunteer in the community after being elected to the board?

I will continue to volunteer and staff at FM, and many other cons as many rely on volunteer work to function and bring joy and reinforce the sense of community in the fandom. The MNFurs community has helped me alot and since then I’ve gone to and volunteered at more events throughout the year like picnics or meetups. Last year I took on the role of Division lead at FM and made me understand more of the working structure of the con, and solidified my desire to continue helping in any way I can and to get more involved.

How do you view events like Furry Migration and Midwinter Frolic impact the Minnesota Furs community today and tomorrow?

MNFurs events help bridge that gap for those that may be too far for MFF and Denfur and a perfect location for those already in the central midwest area, many Furs are are also seeking out smaller cons to help them grow or to not be crowded by larger cons where they may feel less seen. But even then some say the sense of community here is better and most still travel from distant areas just for MNFurs events and even to help some of the events grow by staffing and volunteering.

What are your strengths that you will bring to the board?

I have experience on the business side from being on a board to forming and maintaining companies from LLCs to Non-profits, I am experienced in managing budgets and drafting crucial company documentation such as operating procedures and templates. Another is strong communication and organizational skills, being further developed during my Div lead role at FM, it has shown me the importance of these skills in managing teams and ensuring effective communication and collaboration between people and departments.

What do you feel are areas where you want to further develop yourself? Why?

I want to continue to develop my behind the scenes experience for running and maintaining a con and the jobs and duties it takes to keep the con going. I also want to improve my social skills to be able to meet more people and avoid getting afraid of being a speaker at events or meetings and being in front of a group of people.

How can Minnesota Furs reach out to other communities local and national in furry and other fandoms?

MNFurs can partner with other conventions, have themes or events that highlight other communities and continue to host conventions and meets that bring together the furry community and mix with other closely related communities. We can also ask our communities what they want to see on a local and national level and ways to reach out more or host more events that can work with other local and national communities to show more of what MNFurs means for the area.

What are two things you would like to see accomplished or improved during your tenure?

I would like MNFurs to continue to gain attendance in our events, along with an abundance of staff on hand to lead these events and lead in community outreach for the furry community being an example of what a large community can do such as running year-round events, meets and the convention.

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