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On Stands Now!
On Stands Now!

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I am 225: Courtney Scott

Courtney Scott loves Baton Rouge. You can tell by the glimmer in her eyes and the smile on her face when she talks about her hometown. For her, it’s a beautiful place where people can pave their own paths.

“This is a creator’s space,” Scott says. “You just have to do the work.”

And Scott doesn’t just talk the talk. In 2017, the 37-year-old launched local media platform beBatonRouge, an online space for the public to share news and opinion articles, videos and photography. She wanted to create a platform that engaged and empowered the urban community, shedding light on topics she didn’t feel mainstream media was covering.

That platform caught the public’s attention. Last month, she started a new gig: chief service officer—or as she likes to call it, “community curator”—in Mayor Sharon Weston Broome’s office.

In the new role, she’ll continue a summer employment program offering youth ages 14 to 21 work experience at local businesses. She also works with the youth advisory council program, which teaches high school students how city government works and gives them opportunities to pitch ideas to city officials.

She will be a connector for nonprofits, businesses and civic organizations trying to improve the city. She’ll help them work together and provide resources for spreading awareness about their efforts.

For her, it’s not about politics—it’s community building.

Outside of work, she wears many hats. When she’s not volunteering with local organizations, she’s hosting her radio show “Sunday Night Flights” on Q-106.5. And she’s still part of beBatonRouge, now serving on the editorial board.

“Growing up, I didn’t want to be traditional,” Scott says. “I wanted to leave my footprint on the world. I think little by little I get the chance to do that every day.”

“People who leave Baton Rouge and feel like it’s not the place to be are a little lazy, because they don’t want to discover it. This is such a hidden gem. I think we’ve started to shine brighter; we’ve wiped off the dust. If you want a space to do something, build it. You can’t come here looking for something. You have to come here wanting to be whatever it is that you want to see.”

Editor’s note: Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.

This article was originally published in the February 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.


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