We recently connected with Cortney and have shared our conversation below.

Cortney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The biggest risk I’ve taken is speaking my truth in a public forum. Taking my Instagram public was a huge decision for me. Many people in my life didn’t know about my diagnoses, and some were shocked to see my content and bio referencing my gluten allergy, AuDHD, and that I’m a CPTSD/trauma survivor. As someone who has always been very private, going public like that was difficult.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Initially, I wanted to document gluten-free foods that I was able to find and enjoy in and around the city of Pittsburgh. There wasn’t anyone doing that at the time, and I felt that I was capable. After about a year, it really took off to the point where I was being offered opportunities that weren’t food-related. I have been able to meet so many wonderful people and make so many connections within my city and throughout my entire state. I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to support so many small, local, and often women-owned businesses within the city of Pittsburgh and beyond. One of the coolest things I’ve had the opportunity to do is work with Governor Josh Shapiro as a member of his content creator collaborative, which is a truly unique network of creators, advocates, and Pennsylvania enthusiasts from all over the state.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’m often told that I’m very resilient. I wouldn’t say that’s the case; I had no other choice but to survive. I was raised in a very abusive household and family. I also spent my entire youth and early adulthood struggling with undiagnosed autism and ADHD. I slept on people’s couches my senior year of high school because I could not deal with my toxic family anymore. As soon as I graduated and was able to get a full time-time job, I got my first apartment and worked relentlessly to afford everything. Eventually, I joined a trade school and put myself through that while working full time. I fell in love very quickly with a person that I felt safe with. We formed a deeply committed relationship, started a family, and eventually got married. After 15 years, my marriage ended. I have been a single mom for over a year now, it was really hard at first, but today I can say that I’m the happiest I’ve been in years. I know I made the right decision, and my creative platform has really helped me find solace on days where I thought I couldn’t even get out of bed. I’ve been told when a big relationship ends it can feel like a death, and that certainly was true. I definitely went through the emotions. Today I’m happy to say I’m the first woman in
my family to leave a marriage that wasn’t right for her.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being a creator has allowed me to meet so many wonderful human beings I probably would have never encountered otherwise. It is truly beautiful to make these connections. I’m terrible at small talk-I want to know the depths of a person’s soul, the stories that bring emotion, and the moments that define them. Genuine connection is always my goal, and I think that authenticity translates when I’m working with individuals and businesses.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @cortneyinthecity
• Facebook: Cortney in the City
• Other: TikTok: @Cortneyinthecity