We had the good fortune of connecting with Craig Cooper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Craig, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
The Greatest risk I ever took was getting my story out there about how beat depression 13 years ago. I had the pleasure of seeing my story in a few magazines and podcast interviews and being in an amazing men’s anthology book called “When His Soul Cries”. This amazing path has led me to launch men’s mental health organization called Uplift Kings and my podcast called The Walking Purpose podcast. I am currently getting ready to start season four and working on my second book.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others,
Uplift Kings mission is to break the stigma of mental health. We are a global brand, and we connect with boys and men of all races and ethnicities. We normalize conversations to help them find their inner strength and share life stories with each other.

What you are most proud of or excited about.
I am proud that I am still here on this earth and that I didn’t take my own life. I am more comfortable in my own skin then ever before. My story has impacted so many lives. I had the honor to be in an anthology with other powerful men to share my story. My book is called “When the Souls Cries”. My chapter is called “Uplift Kings”. I sold out of 70 copies within 30 days. I sold books to people in different countries such as Australia and London. I launched my podcast “Walking Purpose” and interviewed 40 men from all over the world to talk about how they’ve overcame life challenges.

How did you get to where you are today business-wise.
In 2020, I was going through a phase where I was feeling burned out. When the pandemic first happened, I got the chance to relax my mind. I remember one day in particular my fiancé was hosting a series called the “Escape Zone” to have a safe space for women. In that moment, I realized that there weren’t many spaces for men to have a safe space to talk about their feelings and emotions. Through my battle with depression and suicidal ideations, I always wanted to share my story to help someone else. I also listened to a Sarah Jake’s sermon. The sermon was called “From Weeping to Walking”. At the moment, I felt like she was right there in the room speaking to both of us saying “it’s time to get up and start over”. The next day God gave me a vision of a name that stuck with me which was Uplift Kings. He gave me the idea and the logo. On May 15th, I had my first podcast interview with Men Talk TV. I remember receiving tons of positive feedback and that encouraged me to start my own podcast called the “Walking Purpose Podcast”. I wanted to give men of all races a platform to share their stories and experiences to the world to break the stigma around mental health.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

1. Stop being hard on yourself. If you’re doing the best you can, that’s a great start. Give yourself credit while you’re in the process of building and growing. Don’t compare yourself to other men. Compliment one another. It doesn’t take away from your strength to compliment another man. Uplifting one another helps your confidence grow to the next level.

2. Don’t hold it in. I know that men feel like they have to hold in their emotions. You don’t and it’s okay to talk about your feelings. Just make sure it’s with someone you trust.

3. Love yourself. Sometimes men don’t realize how great they are. I want you to know that you are enough.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I plan to educate men in the future by offering one on one coaching sessions for men and young boys of all ages, races, and backgrounds. In the future, I plan to write self-help books and launch of men’s mental health magazine. There are so many men suffering in silence, and I will continue to help men find their voices. It’s time for a change and I will be that change that we need to see in our communities. I believe that “You go through what you go through and give thanks to GOD for bringing you out of that situation. Then, you extend your hand back to help bring the next man up”.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would say attending a football game. I am a Commanders fan and I would take them to a Commanders and Cowboys football game. I love attending amusement parks and going downtown to enjoy the night life. I am always down for a good happy hour.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had a lot of people who has supported me over the years. My mother, Rosalind Cooper for literally saving my life by stopping me from committing suicide at the age of 22 years old. I want to shoutout my fiancé, Tanzania Fair for being by my side and bringing out the greatness within me. I thank RallyUp Magazine for giving me the opportunity to speak for the first time to share my story and being featured in their magazine. I truly appreciate Dangerfield Martial Arts for teaching me how to channel my emotions and building my confidence at a young age. Thank you to all my family and friends for their continued support.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/iamdarksuperman?igshid=NTlmMWMyMzg=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craig.k.cooper.3

Image Credits
Kavon Burton, Lawrence Durden, Craig Shorts, Chester Hall, Tim Huff, Tim Crawford, Kent Austin, Andre Thomas, James Singletary, Denzil Genus, and CJ Lyles

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.