We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Craig And Tanzania Cooper. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Craig and Tanzania below.
Hi Craig and Tanzania , thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
One of the biggest risks we recently took was launching the first-ever UpliftUS Collective Mental Wellness Showcase for our DMV chapter. On paper, it may have looked like just another community event. But behind the scenes, it represented a leap of faith.
Leading up to the showcase, both of us were navigating significant health challenges. Craig was focused on improving his health after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, while Tanzania was recovering from surgery related to uterine fibroids and endometriosis. There were moments when we questioned whether we had the physical and emotional capacity to pull off such a large event. We wondered if people would show up, if the message would resonate, and if we were taking on too much during a season when we were both trying to heal ourselves.
Despite those concerns, we felt strongly that the event was needed. Mental health conversations are often missing from our communities, and we wanted to create a space where people could feel seen, heard, supported, and inspired. Throughout the planning process, we continued to receive confirmation from God to move forward. We decided to stop focusing on attendance numbers and instead focus on the impact we hoped to make.
We were fortunate to have an incredible community partner in Rec-Mode Fitness. They generously provided the venue, helped promote the event, and their founder, Dave Kennedy, shared powerful insights as one of our speakers. Their support reminded us that meaningful work is rarely done alone.
The showcase featured a variety of speakers who shared honest stories about mental health, healing, resilience, and personal growth. One of the most memorable aspects of the event was the storytelling through mime and interpretive dance. Tanzania, a pantomime artist, brought the stories shared by speakers to life through movement, creating an emotional experience that connected deeply with attendees. Watching people see their own struggles, healing journeys, and victories reflected through art was incredibly powerful.
What started as a risk turned into one of our most meaningful events to date. The showcase sold out and welcomed more than 30 attendees. More importantly, people left feeling inspired, lighter, and encouraged. Many shared that the messages felt as though they were created specifically for them. Others expressed gratitude for having a safe space where they could reflect, heal, and connect with others who understood their experiences.
The experience reinforced an important lesson for us: when you have a vision rooted in purpose, don’t let fear or uncertainty stop you from moving forward. Sometimes the greatest risk is not taking the step at all. This event reminded us that when faith, community, and purpose come together, incredible things can happen. The Mental Wellness Showcase was proof that impact is not measured solely by numbers, but by the lives that are touched and transformed.
Craig and Tanzania , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
We are Craig and Tanzania Cooper—authors, speakers, podcast hosts, and founders of UpliftUS Collective, a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting youth, families, and communities by honoring lived experiences and supporting individuals in discovering their purpose, building meaningful lives, and accessing mental health support.
We’ve both spent more than 15 years serving youth, families, and communities through education, youth development, leadership, mentoring, and mental wellness initiatives. Our mission is simple: to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, supported, and empowered to become the best versions of themselves.
Our journey into this work began long before UpliftUS Collective was created.
Although we did not know each other at the time, we both experienced our own mental health struggles during our early twenties. Like many people, we were navigating life transitions, identity challenges, emotional pain, and uncertainty without having the safe spaces or support systems we needed growing up.
For Craig, those struggles became particularly overwhelming during a difficult season in his early twenties. There was a time when he contemplated suicide and believed the false narrative that no one cared about him. In one of his darkest moments, a phone call from his mother changed everything. She asked a simple but powerful question: “Son, are you okay?” That conversation, along with her love and support, reminded him that his life mattered and gave him the strength to keep moving forward.
For Tanzania, the struggle began during her sophomore year of college. While pursuing her education and trying to navigate adulthood, she experienced depression and suicidal ideations. Outwardly, she appeared to be managing, but internally she was carrying emotional burdens that few people understood. At the time, there were very few conversations about mental health in the spaces she occupied, and like many young adults, she often felt she had to navigate those challenges alone. Through faith, support, self-reflection, and her healing journey, she learned the importance of creating spaces where people can be honest about what they are experiencing without fear of judgment.
Professionally, our careers have always centered around helping others. Craig is a Youth Development Specialist at a nonprofit organization, where he works closely with high school students, helping them develop leadership skills, build confidence, and prepare for their futures. Tanzania serves as a Student Success Advisor at a higher education institution, where she supports college students in navigating academic challenges, identifying resources, and achieving their educational goals.
Beyond our professional careers, we are both authors, speakers, and co-hosts of the UpliftUS Podcast. Through our writing, speaking engagements, and podcast conversations, we create spaces for honest dialogue around mental health, personal growth, relationships, leadership, purpose, and overcoming life’s challenges. We believe storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for healing and transformation. By sharing our own experiences and amplifying the voices of others, we hope to inspire people to embrace their journeys, find strength in their struggles, and recognize that they are not alone.
Those personal and professional experiences became the foundation for the work we do today.
Years later, after finding each other, we realized that many people were facing the same struggles we once experienced. We saw a need for safe spaces where people could talk openly about mental health, heal from life’s challenges, build meaningful connections, and discover their purpose.
That realization led to the creation of UpliftUS Collective.
Today, we provide community-centered programming focused on mental wellness, youth development, leadership, personal growth, and purpose discovery. Through workshops, community circles, retreats, speaking engagements, wellness events, mentoring, and the UpliftUS Podcast, we create opportunities for people to heal, grow, connect, and thrive.
What sets our work apart is that it is deeply rooted in lived experience. We are not simply sharing information; we are sharing lessons learned through our own journeys of healing, resilience, and growth. We understand what it feels like to struggle in silence, and we know the difference a supportive community can make.
The thing we are most proud of is the impact we have seen in the lives of others. Whether it’s a young person gaining confidence, a student overcoming academic obstacles, a man opening up about his mental health for the first time, or someone finding hope after a difficult season, those moments remind us why this work matters.
More than anything, we want people to know that UpliftUS Collective is not just an organization—it is a movement centered on healing, purpose, and connection. We created the kind of space we wish existed when we were younger. Our mission is to remind people that their story matters, their struggles do not define them, and they never have to walk through life’s challenges alone.
If our experiences have taught us anything, it is this: healing is possible, asking for help is a sign of strength, and sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is become the support we once needed ourselves.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Beyond training and knowledge, we believe authenticity, empathy, and consistency are some of the most important qualities for succeeding in our field.
The work we do is centered around people. Whether we’re leading a community circle, hosting a mental wellness event, speaking on a stage, coaching individuals, or creating programming for youth and families, people can tell when you’re showing up as your authentic self. They can also tell when you’re simply performing a role. We have found that genuine connection happens when people feel seen, heard, and valued.
Empathy is equally important. Many of the individuals we serve are navigating challenges that aren’t always visible. Some are dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, burnout, family struggles, financial stress, or major life transitions. Being able to meet people where they are, without judgment, is critical.
We also believe consistency matters more than perfection. Community impact is not built overnight. It is built through showing up repeatedly, honoring commitments, building trust, and continuing to serve even when attendance is low, resources are limited, or progress feels slow. Some of our most meaningful opportunities have come from simply staying committed to the work and the vision.
Faith has also been a significant part of our journey. There have been moments when we faced uncertainty, setbacks, health challenges, and questions about whether we should continue. During those seasons, our faith helped us keep moving forward and trust the process even when we could not see the outcome.
Ultimately, success in this field is not just about what you know. It is about how you show up for people. When you lead with authenticity, compassion, integrity, and a genuine desire to serve, you create the kind of impact that lasts far beyond a single event, program, or conversation.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
We believe our reputation has been built through consistency, authenticity, and a genuine commitment to serving people.
Long before UpliftUS Collective became a nonprofit, both of us were already doing work in our communities through education, youth development, leadership, mentoring, workforce development, and community engagement. We didn’t start this work for recognition—we started because we genuinely care about helping people grow, heal, and succeed.
One thing that has helped us build trust is that we lead with transparency and lived experience. We are willing to share our own stories, challenges, and lessons learned. Whether we’re talking about mental health, personal growth, relationships, career development, or overcoming adversity, people know they’re hearing from individuals who have walked through real-life experiences and are not speaking from theory alone.
Another factor has been our willingness to show up consistently. We have learned that community work is not about hosting one great event. It’s about continuing to show up, building relationships, following through on commitments, and creating spaces where people feel valued. Over time, those small actions build credibility and trust.
Partnerships have also played an important role in our growth. We have been fortunate to collaborate with community organizations, schools, businesses, faith-based groups, and leaders who share our commitment to empowering others. Those relationships have allowed us to expand our reach and create meaningful experiences for the communities we serve.
Most importantly, we focus on impact over attention. While social media and visibility are important, we are most concerned with whether people leave our events, programs, and conversations feeling better than when they arrived. When people feel seen, supported, and inspired, they tell others. We believe word-of-mouth, authentic relationships, and consistently delivering value have been some of the strongest contributors to our reputation.
At the end of the day, we want our reputation to reflect who we are: people who genuinely care, lead with integrity, and are committed to creating spaces where individuals can heal, grow, and discover their purpose.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @lovingthecoopers, @letsupliftus, @upliftuspodcast
- Facebook: Loving The Coopers and UpliftUS
- Youtube: UpliftUS Podcast
- Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/letsupliftUS_
