Today we’d like to introduce you to Vartavious Cureton.
Hi Vartavious, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Vartavious Cureton. I’m 19 years old, and I was born and raised here in Greenville, SC. I’m the proud Founder/Owner/CEO of Culture Shifters Media. I am the co-host of two podcasts, Uncensored Sports Podcast with Nick Gray and Jordan Hunter, and Unlimited Minds Podcast with RJ Walker. I am currently studying for a Media Communications Degree at The Los Angeles Film School. I am the firstborn of my parents, Brittaney Williams and Shane Cureton. My family didn’t have much, but they sacrificed to give me the best life they possibly could. My parents were teenagers when they had me, so my grandparents played a very important role in raising me to be who I am today. I had a very strong connection and relationship with my Nana (Great Grandmother). We all grew up in the same house: me, my mom, my sister, my two aunts and their two kids, my uncle, and my great-grandparents. Since my mom was still very young when she had me, my whole family was basically raised by my grandparents at the time. My Nana always imprinted in my mind that I was going to be successful and that I was going to do something special one day. She was very serious about making sure I had a relationship with God and ensured I had academic success.
Growing up, I really enjoyed learning about history, especially black history. I was very inspired and fascinated by MLK, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, and Dick Gregory. Malcolm X and MLK were my favorites. I was so inspired, there were times when my mom and several other family members had to stop me from trying to wear a suit to school or walking around the house in a suit giving speeches and sermons. In my elementary school years, I loved to talk about politics, world issues, and black history. I earned the name “kid vice president” from my guidance counselor at my school. I started dealing with obstacles in life at a very early age. During my later childhood years, my Nana got sick and was unable to walk. It seemed like after that, life just took a drastic turn. We had to move to a smaller house to better accommodate her situation. At the beginning of my fifth-grade year, her health worsened faster than we thought, so she was in and out of nursing homes. It really affected me seeing her in that condition, knowing how much of a good and caring person she was. While all of that was happening, my father also started to deal with a case of schizophrenia, and he had to be admitted to mental health facilities, which tore my intimate family apart. Later on that school year, the house that my family was staying at caught fire, which left my family homeless. Me, my mom, and my sister had to stay in some of the worst hotels in Greenville, and when we could no longer afford that, we had to stay inside of churches, hopping from church to church to find a place to sleep. If we didn’t get there by 5:30 every night, then we wouldn’t have any place to go. This caused me a lot of emotional and mental trauma. I took all the mental weight and responsibility for it. I felt like it was my fault. Almost every night, I would wait and make sure my mom and my sister were asleep, then I would take my mom’s phone and turn on gospel music quietly and cry myself to sleep, praying that one day my family would not have to suffer through that again. These events in my life also took a toll on my academic success as well. I was very embarrassed to go to school knowing my situation, wearing clothes the school would give me, and listening to kids asking me why the school was nice enough to give us clothing and food. It was just a tough life for a kid that age. Luckily, God blessed us with the opportunity to get back on our feet and get us a place to stay. I thought this would be the turning point that my family desperately needed. Unfortunately, a few months after we got on our feet, at the beginning of my sixth-grade year, I got a call from my family telling me that my Nana had passed away. This was a very difficult thing for me to process. My biggest supporter and motivator was no longer here to support me. I had just started middle school at the time, and my behavior and academics began to take a terrible turn. I started to become a class clown. I got suspended or put in ISS or lunch detention in the sixth grade more than I ever did in my life. I barely passed, and I gained the reputation of being a troublemaker at school when honestly, I had just been through a lot and didn’t know how to express it in any other way but to try to make people laugh. It was honestly a form of healing for me. I love to see people laugh and enjoy life. Middle school is where I met most of the people that I work with now. We debated about sports, life, etc. I never would have imagined almost 8-9 years later I would be working with them now. My life took a turning point when I met Mr. Melton (my seventh-grade history teacher). It was like he was able to see through my class clown act to see my potential. One day he pulled me to the side after I acted up in his class and told me how smart I was and how I had the potential to be one of his best students, which made him disappointed that I chose to waste my opportunities by acting up in school. It was a major wake-up call for me. Once I got to high school, I was really confused about what I wanted to be in life. I just wanted to be successful. I was always highly motivated and ambitious based on the pain I suffered throughout my childhood. My friends and I came up with business ideas and things we could get into as a career, but it always felt off. I still had the same friends from middle school, and we would still talk sports and have real-life conversations. We called it the “lunch table debate show.” I never really thought anything more of it other than it was just us acting a fool and having fun. In the 12th grade, I was getting closer to graduation, and I had no plan. My friends and I discussed going to sports broadcasting school, but I didn’t really want to go to college at the time. We finally decided to start a podcast that we’ve been doing for a year now. Once we started, I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted to do. I didn’t really care to be an influencer. My thought process was that it was just people who portray a version of themselves to make people think life is all about what money can buy. But I found out it’s a way for me to tell my story and give my people an opportunity to tell theirs. Now I run a content creation company. My passion in life is to leave a legacy. I want people to look at my life and see it doesn’t matter what you go through in life, as long as you keep the faith, stay strong, and trust in God, you can make it through and be somebody and shift your culture.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Growing up, my family and I faced numerous challenges. My Nana, who was like a second mother to me, fell ill and eventually passed away, which was a huge emotional blow. My father was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had to be admitted to mental health facilities, which tore my family apart. On top of that, our house caught fire, leaving us homeless and forced to stay in hotels and churches.
These experiences caused a lot of emotional and mental trauma. I felt responsible for our situation and struggled with embarrassment, especially at school where I wore clothes provided by the school and faced questions from other kids. My academic performance suffered as a result. I acted out in school, becoming known as a class clown, which was my way of coping with the pain.
However God has given be a second chance. He blessed me with a beautiful life, and great future to look forward to, and a beautiful partner to support and help me with fitful my purpose just like I plan to do for her. His Love and his grace helped me start turning things around. Despite all the hardships, I’ve remained motivated and ambitious, using my experiences as fuel to build a better future.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I founded Culture Shifters Media with a mission: to shift the culture for talented individuals who feel trapped by their circumstances. Our organization provides a platform for content creators to express themselves creatively and authentically. What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment and passion for the communities we represent.
At Culture Shifters, we are dedicated to empowering the next generation of content creators. Our goal is to establish a content creator studio in Greenville, offering educational classes for people of all ages and backgrounds who aspire to enter the world of content creation. This space will serve as a hub for creators to bring their visions to life, fostering a vibrant and supportive community.
I’m proud to work alongside friends who, like me, grew up facing similar challenges. Together, we are turning dreams into reality and achieving our goals.
We invite anyone interested in supporting our mission or partnering with us to help make this vision a reality. Your support will be instrumental in providing opportunities for aspiring creators to learn, grow, and succeed. Join us in shifting the culture and making a lasting impact.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My dad introduced me to basketball at a very young age. I remember watching him play and thinking he was the greatest basketball player of all time. He had incredible ball-handling skills, a beautiful jump shot, and was both athletic and fiercely competitive. At the time, the only thing I knew about the NBA was my dad’s favorite player, Allen Iverson, and some video games. So, getting the chance to watch a live game was an unforgettable experience.
My dad was a huge Kobe Bryant fan, while my mom rooted for Ray Allen. During the NBA season, our house was filled with playful tension, especially when the Lakers played the Celtics. I vividly recall walking into the living room one day as my dad was watching a game. I sat beside him, captivated by his reactions to the highlight plays and brilliant moves.
I was mesmerized by LeBron James. Seeing him, one of the biggest and strongest guys on the court, run as fast and be as athletic as anyone else made him seem unstoppable. But what truly amazed me was his basketball IQ and passing ability, which were his real superpowers. Watching LeBron and Kobe go back and forth was like watching a war, two warriors battling for bragging rights. It was pure cinema.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to finish the game because of my bedtime, but what makes this my favorite childhood story is the bonding time with my dad. He taught me about the game of basketball during those moments, and we had many heartfelt conversations. That day is special to me because it introduced me to the game I love at the highest level.
Pricing:
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Curetonstudios
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/864_tayda?igsh=ajVqOXVjNGJ6eGY0&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vartavious.cureton?mibextid=JRoKGi
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@unlimitedmindspodcast?si=uZSsOjsIOQdTrIC8
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@864tayda?_t=8mRsqCxdNms&_r=1
Image Credits
Alex Loaiza Media
