Meet Kortlynn Jenae’ Johnson | Plus Size Model & Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kortlynn Jenae’ Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kortlynn Jenae’, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Sheesh! This is such a great question, because I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without risk.

I view risk and discomfort very similarly actually – they are both extremely scary but necessary for growth. Also, both are much more tolerable when you put purpose and intention behind them. No one ever wants to feel like they are suffering for nothing! But you can tolerate almost ANYTHING if you are confident in the purpose that the risk and the discomfort lie in. I say that because I have taken several risks to become the woman that I am today. I have quit and turned down full time jobs – RISK. I have moved from my hometown to NYC without a job, friend or family member in sight – RISK. I have pushed myself to network and put myself out there – RISK. I have taken opportunities where I was terrified and felt like I wasn’t qualified to do them – RISK. Everything about my current life has been the result of making consistent decisions to take risks.

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.
I am a true multi-hyphenate – I am a model, host and comedian. The most pronounced aspect of my career right now is modeling. I am visibly black (ain’t nobody casting me for a racially ambiguous role), plus size, and wear my natural hair. I am literally a trifecta of diversity and represent a lot of what we lack to see in the media, and that is the exact reason why I do what I do. Growing up, I was obsessed with entertainment media, and I always looked for myself in it. So, as a little chubby, black girl from New Orleans, women like Queen Latifah, Monique, Countess Vaughn, Raven Symone’, and Oprah fascinated me. Seeing them on television made me feel like I was looking at myself and gave me so much confidence. In turn, I think at a young age, I vowed to myself that I was going to make other brown and black girls feel the same way, to feel seen and beautiful and inspired. And now, because I am a model, I feel like I kept my word to young Kortlynn. I know I am the type of woman she would be inspired by, and THAT makes me proud.

Getting to this point in my life has been…interesting (whew, chile!) but surely blessed. I am originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and I moved to New York City in March 2019. I literally quit my full time job, sold my car, backed three suitcases and a backpack, and moved to NYC. Prior to moving, I was working a full time HR job, a part time radio personality job, and also traveled weekly to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to record a podcast. I did that for about 3 years, and eventually, I got tired of treating my passions like a side piece. So, I made the decision to move and try to create the life I always dreamed about. My LinkedIn bio says “I moved in search of a stage as big as my personality,” (corny, I know but true). It hasn’t been easy, but it has been well aligned. That is why risk taking has been so important to me, because while every risk has been scary, each one was purposeful. I wasn’t happy in New Orleans, working a corporate job. I had outgrown my environment, and I got tired of trying to make myself believe that I could be happy only being a shell of who I was.

My faith has been absolutely essential in my journey. I’ve learned that God is a God of breadcrumbs – He won’t give you the whole plan at once, and often, God opens doors one at a time. But not knowing when the next door will open can’t keep you from walking through the one in front of you, AKA “breadcrumbs.” It’s scary, but it’s actually the very essence of faith. You have to get comfortable with the unknown, and when you have the Creator of the universe pulling for you, how can you ever really lose? Perspective and gratitude have also been game changers in my life. Both are choices, and when you make a constant effort to CHOOSE to have a positive perspective and look for gratitude, it just does wonders for your mental health.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Prior to the pandemic, I was out and about more often, but I have a few NYC gems that I can share. Friends always want to do touristy things in Times Square, so when I am there, I love to grab churros from Sweet Churros With Coffed. It’s a little red stand in the middle of Times Square, and I swear they have the best churros on this side of heaven. For a cute Manhattan vibe, Maison Pickle is absolutely amazing. I heard their brunch is great, but I could go for the pull apart bread and drinks alone. (That bread has NO BUSINESS being that good!) For Caribbean food/ bars, Omar’s Kitchen is my go to spot in Manhattan, and Negril BK is my go to spot in Brooklyn. Both places have delicious food, and the vibes are on point! And my absolute favorite place in NYC is 5ive Spice. I love Vietnamese food, and everything on their menu is delicious. Their short rib pho blesses my soul like a bowl of gumbo back home in New Orleans.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I have to shoutout my parents for raising an ambitious and resilient daughter and for supporting me even when my ambition scared them. My tribe is also immaculate. I have been very blessed to cultivate a circle of friends who truly love me, keep me lifted, and pour into me even when I feel too empty to pour into myself. My extended tribe (my Instagram community) is also amazing. Every accomplishment I post, every dope picture I drop, they hype me up to the fullest. My followers are mostly made up of childhood/college friends and people I’ve met from networking, and to see them continue to follow my journey and be organically invested in my success after all this time is amazing. I also have several mentors that have looked out for me and make time for me whenever I need them – shoutout to Manecha Guillaume, Gia Peppers, Halle Deneen, and Eboni K. Williams, just to name a few! Lastly, I am not a big reader (I am trying to change that this year!), but Elaine Weltroth’s book, “More Than Enough” was an outstanding, inspirational read. I am currently reading two books – first, Bevy Smith’s book, “Bevelations,” which is also a really inspiring read. It’s like being mentored by your favorite, fabulous auntie! And secondly, I am reading “Self Compassion” by Kristin Neff, which serves as a great reminder to be more gentle and kinder to yourself. As someone who struggles with comparing themselves to others, this book has been a major mental health blessing.

Website: linktr.ee/kortlynnjenae

Instagram: instagram.com/kortlynnjenae

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kortlynnjohnson/

Twitter: twitter.com/kortlynnjenae

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53FWqJ595Yo

Other: https://www.dorothycombsmodels.com/models/kortlynn-johnson#

Image Credits
Paul Innis DiAngela Payne Darrin Baldridge