Today we’d like to introduce you to Koriey Dixon.
Hi Koriey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Well, I am a Houston-native and a devotee to all aspects of the Itasha / themed car culture that is spreading through America like a wild fire with an unlimited supply of good fuel ahead of it. Beyond the desire to promote a positive avenue in these areas, I am the Founder and cultivator of what is respectfully-known as “American Itasha”. For the last several years, we have given a greater diversity and insight into an Eastern concept driven to openly express personal creativity here in the west.
Before I decided to create Carmic.Con or to classify our little corner of the car community and the art styles we create and display on our vehicles as “American Itasha”, I was just an average car-enthusiast and YouTuber going by the alias “Whurree Uzumaki”. My YouTube channel revolved around customizing my personal vehicles and just creating cool content for the world to enjoy.
As someone who understands the vast appreciation for automotives, I would attend as many car shows and car-meets around Houston in efforts to showcase my Dodge Challenger Hellcat. At one of the car meets I attended I stumbled across a few anime-themed cars parked together in the parking lot. At this point, I only had a partial theme on my car that had a resemblance to a “Dukes of Hazard” styled “09” and a custom “Uzumaki” Texas license plate. It was just something simple and affordable for me at the time where I was saving for something more. I have to admit at that time I had not decided what that something more would or could be. A light went off in my head when I saw those cars and that inspiration sent me down the road to the helping to develop the ideal wrap for my vehicle.
This was my start down the road to creating my own Itasha build and participating in multiple Itasha car shows over the years, some as far away from Houston as New York City. I even traveled to Tokyo, Japan to experience their “Wonder Festival” so that I could see a little of both the convention culture and Itasha culture firsthand for myself.
After participating in the Itasha community within the United States. I decided that I didn’t just want to be a driver anymore. I wanted to become an entrepreneur in this space and organize my own car shows like a few of the other people I had met over the years.
My very first convention in 2018, wasn’t at one of the many anime conventions here in Texas, but was a solo effort at Houston’s Comicpalooza. Their team was so supportive of my vision and they offered my car an exhibition spot at their Comic / Pop Culture Convention. We’ve since grown that one spot in four years to fifty plus spots. I believe that their support, mentorship, and continued encouragement has been one of the keys to my brand’s growth here in the Houston market. That same year I exhibited at Comicpalooza, the Beaumont’s Comic Convention also offered me an area to display a few Itasha cars at their inaugural convention which we have grown from seven spots to twenty five car spot. This string of events lead to the forming my business Carmic.Con.
Carmic.Con is short for Carmic Convention. It’s a play on the word Comic Con or Comic Convention. The term “American Itasha” defines our unique community of Cars that proudly display Anime, ComicBook Characters, influential aspects of Pop-Culture, etc. on their Cars. Our lifestyles brand represents a unique space where automotive, pop culture, & anime enthusiasts can be themselves by expressing themselves artistically through the canvas of their automobiles.
Today thousands of individuals visit our website and social media pages for daily motivational posts, ideas, and original digital content that highlights the best of our Themed Car Community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Through this journey, I have watched the development of cyberbullying within the Itasha car community. I, myself was kicked out of certain groups, banned from other groups, and targeted by those with “bigger names” Because I dared to classify pop culture themed cars as Itasha cars. Some gatekeepers here in the states cyber-bullied me so badly during the early days of our journey to establish Carmic.Con, but I survived the attacks and I am still moving forward towards my goals.
Cyberbullying in my mind is a rampaging disease in just about every online community, and when I started our business I unintentionally placed myself and my brand in the crosshairs of so many bullies and opposers to the inclusion we demonstrated on a daily basis.
Again we say “American Itasha” because we noticed that here within the United States, people were expressing themselves in what we considered to be the true spirit of Itasha with art styles other than Japanese themes. We wanted to give those people a home.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is overcoming the challenges that come my way and further growing Carmic.con into a profitable business, while continuing to help “American Itasha” grow as a respected car community not just in the USA, but around the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.Carmiccon.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/carmic.con?igshid=YzAyZWRlMzg=
- Facebook: @carmic.con
- Twitter: @americanitasha
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCiuImHrdcjg9g5iAoRPYhmw
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