We recently connected with Sky Cornelius and have shared our conversation below.
Sky, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
As an African American man, I believe my resilience is in my blood. I have dealt with challenges and traumas that I never thought I would escape from. I have my family and close friends to thank for my resilience. They allow me to vent and process when moments in my life become unbearable. Whether it be from relationships, breakups or work, I know they will be there for me. Having a support system is important. Being African American, I’ve learned about the countless struggles that African Americans had to overcome. My father was a military kid that grew up in South Carolina. His father, my papa, fought for America and was still faced with racism. God rest my papa’s soul. The resiliency from my grandfather and father was passed down to me without them even knowing. Through my parents’ stories and my own experiences, I feel like I have no choice but to be resilient. I understand that someone else maybe going through something worse. I have to remember how blessed I am and to show myself grace.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have been a professional model for about nine years now. I was signed to a Dallas modeling agency for about five years out of the nine. It is incredible just thinking about it. Time certainly flies when you enjoy what you do. The most exciting thing about what I do is meeting so many people from different backgrounds. Seeing myself in ads, magazines and articles never seems to get old too. My most recent Adidas x Ivy Park feature is personally my biggest highlight. Beyoncé is my hero and the artist of my life. That small moment was definitely huge for me. While navigating through this exciting industry, I managed to earn my degree in 2017. I graduated from the University of North Texas in Fashion Merchandising. We can thank my mom for passing down her fashion sense. College allowed me to discover a part of myself. I was able to express my passions in ways I wasn’t able to before. Not many people know that music is my first love and passion. I’m ready to feed that passion more again. Right now I’m working on song covers along with being an independent model. I’m starting to find the fun and love in creating again. I hope to work with more brands and to grow my social media platform. I want to use my social media as a way to uplift others through photography and my voice. I am excited for the opportunities that are waiting for me.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Life is truly what you make it. I am understanding that quote more as the years go by. We have so much control over our lives than we realize. If I were to give anyone advice in life, it would be to find your confidence, set boundaries and learn about mental health. Finding my confidence played a huge part in my journey. I had the courage to take a risk knowing that my physical appearance would be compared to others. It used to really mess with my mental health and confidence at times. That’s why having a strong support system is important to me. They keep me grounded and they lift me up when I feel down. It’s important to know who you can trust and who you can go to whenever you’re not feeling like yourself. Setting boundaries is a skill that I am continuously learning. By nature I’m empathetic, I tend to feel my emotions at a heavier level than others. It’s important for me to take a step back when my emotions are high. There is so much power in saying “no”. Learning to say “no” to the wrong job, relationship, friendship will benefit you in the long run. Saying “no” now will lead you to the right “yes”. Finally understanding mental health is when I truly started to grow. I encourage everyone to find a trusted counselor/therapist. My therapist is one of the biggest blessings that life has given to me. We all face so many challenges in life and being able to add someone like that in your support system is beneficial. You will learn so much about yourself and your triggers. Learning to control your mind and emotions will lead to peace.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Right now I am looking to collaborate with photographers, stylists, songwriters, music producers and vocalists/singers.
I can be contacted on Instagram @skycornelius or email, [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @skycornelius
- Twitter: @skycornelius
- Other: TikTok: skycornelius1
Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Sky Cornelius
