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After spending most of his adult career as a banker, Cody was afforded the opportunity to move to New York City, where he has been able to follow his passion for the arts and its community. After publicly announcing his HIV status by doing a nationally aired commercial for Logo and Gilead, he expanded his reach all the way back to his small hometown high school where he grew up. He graduated with 75 people in his class, illustrating the small size of his hometown. He recorded a message for the school that was played during their HIV awareness day, receiving an outpouring of support that committed him to being a resource for anyone in need.
His HIV story is not the norm, but then again, what HIV story is? After being raped in his early 20's he was determined to not have anyone feel pity towards him. He believes life dealt him this specific hand for a reason, feeling that he can handle it when someone else may not have been able to. This perspective has allowed him to move forward with life and work through and heal the wounds that traumatic experiences can cause.
The essence of my work lies in exploration. Whether it is the familiar streets of your local neighborhood or the far corners of the world, my aim is to inspire others to venture out and discover the world around them. If my work motivates even one person to explore, I consider that a success.
In today's society, it has become all too common to hear people say, "Oh, I just sat around all day and watched TikTok." This passive existence pervades even the most vibrant cities. Yet, you don't need money, elaborate plans, or expensive equipment to experience or document the world around you. It just requires you to participate.
Challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone. Embrace the unfamiliar. This is the path to growth. Through my work, I strive to ignite that spark of curiosity and encourage others to engage actively with the world around them even if it's just FOMO.