Features story by: Tom White

You may recognize Courtnei Lee as the face and advocate behind Vancouver’s disruptive beauty brand OYT Cosmetics, but if you were an early fan, you’d know that the social entrepreneur’s journey truly began in content creation.

As the founder of the makeup brand turned movement, Lee is returning to her roots to take her mission of inclusion to a whole new level through social media.

“I want to create a platform that’s safe and welcoming for all, because I think we all deserve to hold the space that we occupy,” she declares. For Lee, this means creating content across Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and TikTok that is raw, authentic, funny and even vulnerable.

With a camera and a purpose, the empowered leader and LGBTQ+ advocate envisions a world where everyone is celebrated and loved for who they truly are—something she admits hasn’t been possible for far too long.

“There are so many trans kids who are sitting by themselves in the United States, whose families have abandoned them, whose government has abandoned them, and they really deserve a place where they can go to escape,” she explains, adding that this is something she herself didn’t have while growing up.

“If I can provide relief to those people who are going through a difficult time, that would be the biggest honour. If I can help create a safe space for them to feel seen, heard and validated and to be able to communicate and share their thoughts, that would mean the absolute world to me,” she continues.

 

For many of us, it can be difficult to feel worthy enough to take up space, especially with societal pressures coming into play. Fear of judgment, vulnerability and negative self-talk are just a few of the reasons why one may choose to keep their message or voice hidden. Yet, as Lee suggests, we all have our own magic and we owe it to ourselves to share it.

“I think that having a positive impact in the world is more important right now than living in fear, and content creation is a tool that allows us to utilize our voice, no matter the level of our platform, as it can help bring community awareness,” she adds.

During a time when it feels scary to be yourself, Lee is spearheading a movement and shifting the narrative to show us that our differences make us beautiful and we all deserve to be celebrated for our individuality—even if that means simply occupying the space to be ourselves.

“Social media is an open door to anybody who chooses to walk through it,” she says. “And I choose to utilize it to hopefully impact somebody, like me, who needs to feel validated in their existence.”

Lee shares that she’ll be posting consistent content across social media that is beauty-, lifestyle-, food-, gaming-, comedy- and education-related.

“I think what the world needs most right now is education, comedy, empathy, love and respect,” she says. “I don’t pretend to be a teacher, but I do try to share knowledge and surround myself with people whom I can learn from. I feel like we all have something special to offer, and this is just the beginning of what’s possible.”

On April 18, the inspirational Courtnei Lee will be breathing new life into her social media accounts. Follow along on her Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and TikTok as the change maker takes matters into her own hands to create an online space that is welcoming for all.

“The space that I want to create is safe, welcoming and fun,” she concludes. So, who’s ready to join her?

 

KO Media newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.