Name:
Kurtis Rideout
Age:
22 years young.
Favourite colour:
Pink: hot pink, millennial pink, rose gold, whatever.
Greatest food in Waterloo:
Bao or Shawerma Plus (Shout out to Jawad!)
Favourite hang out spot on campus:
205 Regina – The Cord office (that’s the closest I get to campus on most days.)
Fun fact:
I was born down the street from Laurier at St. Mary’s General Hospital (and so was my dad) but I grew up in a small village with a population of around 500 people.
Musical influences:
Kurt Cobain, Lil Peep, Corbin, GG Allin, Johnny Thunders, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Tupac Shakur, Spike Fuck … (I can do this all day.)
Social media handles:
Twitter: @kurtiiisrideout Instagram: @kurtisrideout
How are you involved on campus and what have you learned from your experiences so far?
Currently, I am the Editor-In-Chief of The Cord, Laurier’s campus newspaper. Throughout my involvement in student publications, I have been able to hone some of the invaluable communications skills that are essential in securing a future role in the media. I would say the experiences I value most involve connecting with students who were producing ground-breaking, professional level work on a volunteer basis.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My partner Taylor, hands down. Also, the wonderful people at The Cord are the reason I get out of bed every day so shout out to each and every one of them!
What is the best piece of advice you can give to students who want to get involved with student media?
At The Cord, we are constantly focused on making our work environment as inclusive and accessible as possible. We strive to represent a diverse range of voices because that is one of the most important functions of the media as a larger apparatus. At times, writing for The Cord can seem intimidating or overwhelming, but we are here to serve as a platform for students to gain experience and in turn to share their own experiences.
It’s not as intimidating or exclusive as it seems from the outside looking in. I was super nervous to volunteer initially and was obviously scared of rejection, but that’s because no one ever explicitly told me how accessible it is.
Which issue of The Cord are you most proud of so far?
After having several hundred copies of the paper ripped in half across campus we printed the same cover taped back together for our following issue on Nov. 29. I can’t take credit for the idea, but I thought it was some rock star shit, and it’s an experience I enjoy sharing with peers in my field.
If you could change anything about your first year as a university student, what would it be?
I would probably have made a stronger effort to get involved right away. Classroom experiences provide you with knowledge, context and some great tools for the future, but if you don’t have experience no one is going to give you a shot. If I could go back and give myself some advice I would say to stop talking about doing things and just do them. Talk is cheap.
What are some of your hobbies outside of your job?
I produce music and I write poetry. I am also interested in visual arts more generally and I am constantly looking for ways to incorporate that into my day-to-day. If you would like to hear more, check out stevedave4lyfe on Facebook and Soundcloud. I am releasing a mixtape on February 17th at Button Factory Arts, it’s invite only, so if you read this and you want to go shoot me a message and I’ll add you to the guest list.
What is your favourite part about being Editor in Chief of The Cord?
First and foremost, I love my team. I love being able to give opportunities to students that want to pursue jobs in journalism and media. I love watching this amazing group of people come together every week to put out this newspaper against various odds. I look fondly towards the future and getting the opportunity to say that I worked with such fantastic people once they move on to bigger platforms.