Winston “Rocket Dog” Thao

[MnFurs Election Committee]

Tell us about yourself

Hi there, my name is Rocket Dog. I am Minnesotan, born and raised, and have been around the Twin Cities and the East Metro all my life. You’ll often find me hyper-obsessed on my latest project, or playing video games with my partner. I have lurked around MNF since late 2013 but I did not get involved with the community until many years later in 2022. I love to nerd out about logistics and bore people about fascinating technology like air conditioning and fuel injection. I like to be different, sometimes for the sake of being different and weird, and occasionally may play Devil’s Advocate.

What brought you to the furry fandom?

My first foray into the furry fandom actually started on a path I’m sure many others started on too; initially I fell in love with werewolves and humans who could shapeshift. I envied those who could shed their humanity and become the wild creatures I admired, minus the “eating people” part. A lot of early werewolf stories and media I read and consumed featured not only large feral wolves, but a cross between humans and wolves. For a time, I denied labeling myself as a furry due to the internet misconceptions, but as I grew older and wiser, I knew lying to myself wasn’t helping me.

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

I will continue to host events for the community and scouting potential venues for the MNFurs community to get together. I believe I will also continue to volunteer my time at community events such as Ovals or Picnics, as well as provide what support I can at member-hosted events. Our community only thrives when there are those who lead and sacrifice.

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

These events are paramount not only for our existing members, but in drawing in new members to continue growing our community. Furry Migration draws in folks from all over the Continental states as well as an international audience to show visiting furs our community and our culture, to show them who we are and our large community. Migration is also very visible to the public and can not only educate the general public on our passions and our talents, but also draw in furries who may not be aware that they have a vibrant group of active like-minded folks right in their backyard. Midwinter Frolic, meanwhile, allows for a more intimate experience that is unique and shows visitors and residents alike that winter is no reason to stay at home, and is a wonderful stepping stone for those who may want a smaller get-together in preparation for a larger convention.

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

As someone who personally struggles with interacting with others and trying to fit in, and knowing that is something many other furs struggle with as well, I understand the difficulties in making that first step in making new friends. I understand how important our mission is in reaching out to our community and empowering each other through fellowship and friendship.

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

I wish to further develop myself in being able to assert myself and making confrontations where I feel the wrong decision is being made. I find it difficult to tell someone “no,” or having to make a decision that may make someone unhappy or unsatisfied. These decisions will always come up in life, but especially for someone on the Board of Directors who will need to make decisions that will affect many.

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

I believe it would be an excellent idea for MNFurs to branch out to other local communities and fandoms and their respective events, such as anime and roleplay groups. There are certainly crossovers between members of these communities and bringing them together can only strengthen us. It may also be wise to put together a team of MNFurs Ambassadors to help promote and represent our community at national furry events and conventions to raise awareness of what we do outside of Furry Migration.

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

I would like to see an improvement of the website to try and encourage more use of the forums function. I believe Discord is a wonderful resource to connect with others quickly, but it lacks in areas of having only one single conversation at a time. The website is clearly dated and we need to revamp and encourage the use of the website. I would also like to encourage and set up or host a weekly get-together like MNFurs “church,” even if only for a couple hours. Fellowship helps bring us together and reminds each member that they are not alone.

One goal of MNFurs is to promote education. How do you intend on helping promote education?

I think it would be an excellent idea to volunteer or tour both related topics such as zoos or animal rescues to learn more about the creatures we admire and “anthropomorphize.” I think it would be an excellent idea to volunteer at other nonprofit organizations such as FreeGeek Twin Cities or perhaps Union Gospel or Keystone Community Center to further education in technology or community outreach to show the public more exposure on who furries are. This gives an opportunity for our community to learn more about where we volunteer at the same time the local populace learns more about us.

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