Alex Fortney
Our annual list of trailblazing women are creating lasting legacies for themselves and for the city of Nashville. Now they’re sharing their stories, their triumphs, their setbacks, and their advice with us. Prepare to be inspired.
Early Aspirations
In ninth grade I started taking visual communications classes. That’s when all the lights came on for me. I had pirated my first copy of Photoshop in middle school, not realizing it was a tool for more than fun. As soon as it occurred to me that I could do that for work, I became singularly focused on becoming a designer. I designed homecoming shirts, flyers for events, logos for friends’ parents. Design was my first love. After graduating high school, I attended O’More College of Design, where I studied graphic design. It was a magical experience to get to study on that campus with such small classes, and mostly adjunct professors who were working in the industry. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Advice to Others
One piece of advice I give to younger designers and students is not to fall in love with your work—if you do, you’re going to get your heart broken. A lot. The reality of this work is that some of the best stuff you’ll ever make will sit in an archive folder on your Google Drive and will never see the light of day. But this work is not about the designer, if it were we would call it art. Being a designer is about bringing someone else’s goals, needs, and visions to life—not your own. That is both the most frustrating and most rewarding part of the work, especially in the early years.
Challenges Faced
My biggest challenge is, was, and will likely remain the self-doubt. In myself, my work, my ability, and my worth. I don’t share this because I’m proud of the struggles I’ve had in this department. However, I am proud to be honest about it, and I hope it makes even just one person feel like they’re more normal to hear it. I try to temper the doubt by keeping a tight-knit circle of friends and collaborators to remind me that I’m not a hack. The funny thing is we all experience it, and it makes me feel a little more normal to know that and to have that group of people to confide in.
The Meaning of Pride
It wasn’t easy to be a queer kid here in the ’90s. I don’t think I can meaningfully summarize it, but I’m sure most people can imagine why. My first Nashville Pride was in 2008. I had been kind-of out of the closet for two years, but not fully. Obama was running for the first time and I saw a rainbow campaign sticker. That blew my mind and was the genesis of my realization that queerness is political, and activism is critical. It was also the first time I felt like a part of the queer community here in Nashville. It meant the world to me. I started volunteering for the Human Rights Campaign in 2015, and met my wife Meredith (a Governor for HRC Nashville) through volunteer work. My dear friend, Phil Cobucci, who served as President of Nashville Pride in 2017, nominated me to the board in 2018. I was—and remain—so excited to have an opportunity to serve the LGBTQIA+ community in Nashville. I’m currently serving as the President of the organization, and can’t wait to see the community out in full force in September. It’s been a tough year for everyone, and I am so grateful that we will be able to celebrate Pride as a community in September. We have an amazing lineup in store!
Meet Alex Fortney and other women in the local community who are the best in their fields at our annual Women in Business event.
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The mix and mingle reception will be held on August 24 from 5-7:30 p.m., to network with our Women in Business honorees plus 200 other local business professionals. Throughout the evening, we will be doing live Q and A sessions with each woman!
Guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres from Virgin Hotels Nashville along with wine from Biltmore Winery and cocktails from Tito's Handmade Vodka. Beverages from a full bar will also be available for purchase (credit cards only).