We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marius Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Marius, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Genuine Love Foundation for Mental Health Awareness is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a positive and supportive environment for individuals facing mental health challenges. We firmly believe in the power of genuine love and compassion to bring healing and change into people’s lives.

Our foundation aims to raise awareness about mental health issues and reduce the stigma surrounding them. We firmly believe that by educating and informing the public, we can help debunk myths and misconceptions about mental illness, and foster a more accepting and inclusive society. The summer after my senior of college, while visiting my hometown, before pursuing a professional basketball career overseas, I was in a bad car wreck that led me to be in a very dark place. Which made me realize that I had been struggling with mental problems my whole life but didn’t know how to deal with or get help. Struggling to get up at times I didn’t want to be here anymore where I look for the more bad news. Phone ring bad news. Didn’t come out of the house. Thought of ways I could just take all my pain and problems away. It wasn’t like anyone cared enough to notice me while I was here so I might as well have ended it All. Paying attention to others from Memphis, TV, and surroundings turned a once thought-stupid idea into a reality to make sure everyone gets proper help and creates Genuine Love. Hosting charity events and speaking with the youth trying to break Generational traumas the mental is equal to the physical.

Marius, 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?

Genuine Love is a charity foundation geared towards raising mental health & suicide prevention awareness by educating, hosting events and providing resources and outlets to help those in need. Through seminars, paid therapy sessions medications.

I started Genuine Love because there were to many things happening in the city without people getting to the root of why it happened. Everything we do is tied to our mental health. We can’t be successful if we don’t take care of our inner on top of the outer body.

I’m most proud of the people I’ve connected with who I have made lives better. To show them that it’s ok you are not alone everyone deserves Genuine Love no matter their race or background.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Playing a good basketball player my whole life and have met people from different states. Building great relationships. My best friend Anthony does security for certain celebrities. Took me on the road with Gorilla. And introduce me to any and everyone. Also, my big brothers Arenzo Jenkins and LA Golden allowed me to use Penny gym were I meet a lot of people.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Everything ties into your mental health so I pretty much pay attention to everything from tv, podcast, music, sports, etc

Contact Info:

• Website: Genuinelovefoundation.org
• Instagram: Genuine Love Foundation
• Facebook: Genuine Love Foundation