AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Among the residents of Roanoke in the southwestern part of Virginia, there walks a superhero.
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RASCOE: He picks up litter. He returns carts left in the middle of parking lots. He donates water bottles during heat waves. And he brings attention to other community needs. Nobody knows who he is - we think - but they do know he's looking out for them.
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ROANOKE RAVEN: Citizens of Roanoke City, my name is the Roanoke Raven. And I'm here to protect our beloved city from the evildoers that wish to do us harm.
RASCOE: The Roanoke Raven has more than 15,000 followers on TikTok, and he took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with us. Welcome.
RAVEN: Hey. How are you guys doing? Thank you for having me on.
RASCOE: Now, NPR has verified your real identity, and we have agreed to keep it a secret so that you can continue doing what you're doing. But tell us. What is it that the Roanoke Raven does?
RAVEN: I primarily work in the business of helping nonprofits, helping charities, and I make some silly videos - things that just inspire people. I'm on a mission to spread positivity in Roanoke.
RASCOE: Well, what made you think, you know, I'm the hero that Roanoke needs?
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RAVEN: I don't think I would say that I'm the hero that Roanoke needs. But I am the one that made the mask, right? Like, my whole thing is less about me being a hero and more about inspiring the people of Roanoke to join in on my mission.
RASCOE: Now, I got to ask you now - how did you become a raven? Did you have encounters with ravens? Like - 'cause, you know, Batman had an encounter with bats.
RAVEN: Kind of. I was sitting outside. I remember I was on my little porch. And I was thinking about, you know - if I make this account, what should I call it? Roanoke Rhino? Roanoke Ram? And I looked up. And I see the birds. And I was like, hold on now. Ravens are in Virginia. Let's go with the Roanoke Raven. And I got to say, I'm actually not proud of the name. I probably could have thought of better, but you know what? The people seem to like it. So it's what I ran with.
RASCOE: And so what do you wear as Roanoke Raven? Is there a cape?
RAVEN: So I have a couple of masks. When I started, I made a mask myself. It was a very homemade mask. It was, like, a little ski mask with a painted eye mask over it. Since then, I met a guy. He helped me 3D-print a bigger mask that I was able to wear. My uniform that I made, my superhero suit? The Spider-Man scarlet spider suit - I took inspiration from that. So I wear, like, a little hoodie that's got my little logo on it. And I have a utility belt. And I think overall it's been received well.
RASCOE: OK. And so as the Raven, what has been your favorite thing to do, or kind of the best response you've gotten as the Raven?
RAVEN: I always like meeting people. I actually did an event for a nonprofit - Play For All. I very badly tried to hit a baseball wearing my Raven mask. I just love showing up to events, meeting people for a good reason, a good cause.
RASCOE: Well, why do it as the Roanoke Raven and not just as yourself?
RAVEN: If I joined in on TikTok, making videos about how I believe people should be going to charity more, and I just did it as myself, I would just be another guy out of the millions of people that make videos like that. I wanted to do something special. I wanted to do something that was representative of me and my beliefs. And, you know, it's fun. It's fun to be a superhero. It really is.
RASCOE: Well, and we do know that in your everyday life - your alter ego, your Bruce Wayne life - you are a local EMT.
RAVEN: Yes. What I'm not going to do - what I can't do - is disclose where, obviously.
RASCOE: So you are not, you know, running around, billionaire Playboy, like Bruce Wayne.
RAVEN: (Laughter) I wish. I wish.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
RAVEN: No. It's more along the lines of a studio apartment - not sure if I'm going to be able to afford dinner tonight, but making ends meet.
RASCOE: Well, how long do you think you can keep this going?
RAVEN: As long as I can, whether it's me or if I pass it on to someone else or if one day I do retire. The mission doesn't stop with me. I'm just a guy, but you're the one that I'm trying to convince to keep this going.
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RASCOE: Well, that's the Roanoke Raven talking to us from Roanoke...
RAVEN: (Laughter).
RASCOE: ...Virginia. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
RAVEN: Thank you so much for having me.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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