Chris

Cultural Designer

Toronto native, Cultural Designer Chris Wilson is on a mission to create community initiatives that help Torontonians and amplify voices of marginalized individuals. He is a producer, working on projects that highlight artists and allow them to see more profit from their work. Chris is also studying a Masters program at OCAD University in Strategic Foresight and Innovation. He’s exploring how we as society move forward once individuals have the tools to create the future they want for themselves. Cultural causality has always been at the centre of Chris’ career pursuits; being able to help individuals see and understand themselves and be seen by others.

Today: I have a few of my own projects that are centered around ‘Blackness’ and ‘Seeing Yourself’. I’m working on a short film and a community activation project. The end goal is to start my own agency that is centred around cultural design. I want to be that individual that you seek out for expertise in this area. When I think about representation, I think about giving BIPOC and marginalized individuals the tools that will help them develop and grow. You can get a seat at the table or a raise, or promotion but if you aren't given the tools for you to develop then none of that matters. It creates that opportunity to grab hold of the future and develop what you see for yourself. 

Tomorrow: Investing has always been on my mind, building my portfolio and what that looks like in terms of legacy. I'm realizing that for my future children and for the children in my family, financial legacy will allow for them to have the freedom and the ability to be vulnerable. For me, I'm thinking about the different ways that I can start my own company, invest, buy a home and property. I started to think about what is important to me; being able to invest in startups and in individuals that look like me. I could make the impact I want to see with the money I’m earning and my portfolio. This financial legacy could be passed down to my nieces and nephews and my own children someday. 

The Future: The pieces that aren't tied to money are of value. There is so much more you can pull from the experience of investing before even writing a cheque. The type of company I’m trying to really focus on is based on the mantra that I live by ‘culture, cause and community’. For me the company needs to invoke one of those things, there needs to be impact on the culture, build towards community and have a cause that you care about. Change is a very big word but it should lead to something that has an impact on people’s lives in a positive way.