We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eugene Sopher a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Eugene , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
It would have to be the creation of my coloring book for the hood called “The Bear that Cares “and my board game “Cold City”.The Bear that Cares is a coloring book about a Bear that comes to life off a pole and fights against gun violence and everything else that has a choke hold in the hood. The board game Cold City is about a mother that has a house full of grown kids, wins the lottery.So she gives a her adult children $$$$ and kicks them out the house and they learn how it’s a Cold City! Fun board game for the family where you learn about black history, Spanish and other educational themes. I created the coloring book and board game so I can deliver a message as well as educate.
Eugene , 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?
I was born in raised in the inner city of Cleveland Ohio.I also deal with mental illness. So I grew up in life trying to find my way. I always knew how to draw but I only did it for a way to escape reality. When I would lose a homie(friend) or any other violence that would happen to me I would just draw. And I would be in another world (my world).So one day I saw a teddy bear on a tree/pole and asked , what does that mean?When I found out that it represents a child that is killed in the hood I was sick to my stomach. Because I saw ten by bears all around my city. (And in other cities and states) So I would speak to people about saving our community.But I caught a lot of hate. So I came out with The Bear that Cares (Junior) so he can say everything I want to say. Same thing with the board game Cold City.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes to stop violence in all forms. To have mental health issues addressed more. To counseling in the hood. To have young black men learn how to be fathers.To bring honor and pride to the black woman. To let people know it’s ok to be black. Get us to love ourselves more.To take care of the kids we have and love em.To make a better tomorrow and show the youth a better way.
Contact Info:
- Website: Thebearthatcares.net
- Instagram: The_Bear_That_Cares
- Facebook: The Bear that Cares
- Linkedin: The Bear that Cares
- Twitter: The Bear that Cares
- Youtube: The Bear that Cares
Image Credits
Eugene Sopher The Bear that cares coloring book and Cold City the board game.