Meet Courtney Wilkins | Founder & Creative Director, Uprise Magazine

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Wilkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
That even the slightest impact is still an impact. It takes courage to live outside expectations and challenge the norm or status quote, especially when following a dream. My dad congratulated me not too long ago, jokingly saying he needed a return on his investment, i.e., me! But it made me think back to when he wanted me to major in engineering; he literally sent me to an engineering program with Google. But just thinking back to that made me realize when I kept telling everyone how I wanted to go to school for Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising at North Carolina A&T State University or when I decided to pack up all my things in five suitcases and move to California to follow my dream again to pursue my Masters in Fashion Journalism at Academy of Art University. Not everyone understood or could see my vision for myself. But, I had to trust myself and take a leap of faith, especially for the future I wanted. As creatives, we can often be misunderstood, but it’s on you to change the game and follow your calling. It won’t be easy, but having a circle of support will make it easy. Don’t get it twisted; I still work a 9-5, and my friends will tell you I am a workaholic. But, doing what I love daily, I never see it as work but an opportunity. Of course, know nothing worth having comes easy. There was a time I was working about 5-7 jobs at one time. Those experiences got me to where I am today. If you want it bad enough, you’ll do whatever it takes (even if it means a little bit of beauty sleep every now and then). Not everyone will see the work in progress or the nitty gritty. You will know the grind, but that will keep you humble because you put the blood, sweat, and tears to take up the spaces you’re in. Of course, there will always be pivots, but learning to roll with the punches can help you shift the dynamic and reframe the mainstream. It’s given growth! UPRISE, my digital publication, is just that. Every time I have grown, my business has grown with me. It’s through the lens of the new generation that are impacting society by reinstating their power, voice, and influence on society. With risk, there’s no hesitation, no second-guessing, no judgment, just authenticity and freedom of creativity. We only have one life, so please live it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
You’re probably thinking: OH, GREAT, another underground magazine. Well, that’s not the case. The inspiration for Uprise Magazine comes from being silenced at a young age when adults said, “it’s grown folk business” or “go in the other room while the adults talk.” Younger generations have been silenced repeatedly. Our opinions and inputs are not taken into consideration. A voice for this generation is needed, and UPRISE magazine provides the platform for our contributors and readers to speak their minds. Let’s keep it REAL, RAW, FRESH, and UNCUT. UPRISE is about making a statement and showcasing our creative spirit. It’s full of music, photography, design, innovators and more. UPRISE magazine is an outlet for fresh upcoming artists and creatives to reinstate their attitude and influence on society. This publication is a safe space and home of many creatives who can come together to talk about trending topics ranging from controversial to entertaining. From highlighting upcoming artists building their brand to the impact of sexuality on the runway. Let’s get back to saying what we want when we want!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Definitely shopping in the alley! Attending Black On The Block, The Cookout LA, or the Black Market Flea.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to UPRISE Magazine. My parents, Grandma Carol Cobb, Aunt Sallie Booker, Julian Wilkins, Kenny Jr. El-Amin, Bria Covington, Victorya Wagner, Paul Trapani, and Stephan Rabimov.

Website: www.uprisemag.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtforshortttt

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-wilkins-30a17581/

Twitter: @courtforshort_

Image Credits

Photographer: Darrin Baldridge

Hair + Makeup Artist: Kristina Nichols with Full Glam Salon Studio

Stylist + Creative Director: Blair Louise