U.S. Air Force vet Joseph Lopez opened up about his latest endeavors, which include being a digital content creator, raising awareness on mental health, and competing for “Mister USA” 2024 this summer.
In “The Climb,” Miley Cyrus sings, “There’s always gonna be another mountain, I’m always gonna wanna make it move, always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes I’m gonna have to lose, ain’t about how fast I get there, ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side, it’s the climb.” These song lyrics apply to Joseph Lopez.
Joseph Lopez: The mental health advocate
Lopez is a mental health advocate, who is passionate about using his platform for making a positive impact in the lives of his followers and supporters.
“I come from a place where I’ve dealt with my mental health. I would like to use the Mr. USA platform to raise awareness about mental health. I want people to know that if they are feeling darkness and mental health issues, it is okay, and they are not alone.”
“I really want people to feel a human connection, and that goes for anything,” he said. “Personally, I think that we are all capable of accomplishing, within reason. That is pretty much how I live; my messages are genuine.”
Repping Louisiana in ‘Mister USA’ 2024
Lopez will be repping the state of Louisiana in the “Mister USA” 2024 competition this August in Los Angeles.
Mister USA will be held in Hollywood this August, and the winner from that competition will represent USA at the “Mister Universe” competition on September 28 at The Biltmore in Los Angeles.
“It is pretty crazy, especially considering that I recently got out of the military eight months ago,” he admitted. “It will be a pleasure to be around so many men that have worked so hard and are like-minded. These men show us what can be achieved through hard work and believing in yourself.”
Lopez shared that he was actually stationed in Louisiana while he was in the U.S. Air Force. “I moved around my entire life. I was born in California, and I moved around and lived in 10 states,” he noted.
“I was stationed in Louisiana through the military, that was my first duty station, and I served there for four years. That was the state I’ve gotten the most connected to,” he said.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations, he said, “I never want to be on my deathbed thinking about all the things I could have done.”
“Also, I have a bunch of little nieces and nephews, and I want to be somebody that they can look up to,” he noted.
“I started from very humble beginnings, and everything I’ve done, and everything I have has come from my own work and just believing in myself. If I can do it, I know anyone else can do it. I want to relay that message: if you believe in yourself, you can change your life,” he elaborated.
Future plans
On his future plans, he said, “Life is a very unexpected journey. I want to continue to be the best version of myself every day. I want to be an inspiration to those around me, and someone my loved ones can rely on.”
“As far as my career goes, in the space of content creation, I want to be the best in what I do. I want to spready positivity and good messages,” he added.
Stage of his life
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “The Journey.” “I am not who I want to be, or where I want to be yet, but I am right in the middle of it,” he said.
“The military prepared me to step into the next chapter of my life as a young man and all the things that it taught me,” he acknowledged.
“I am right in the middle of who I used to be and who I am going to become,” he added.
Best advice that he was ever given
The best advice that he was ever given is the following: “You have to enjoy the journey.”
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the climb and figuring out how you can fall in love with the journey of what it is that you are doing, and enjoying every moment of it,” he explained.
Superpower of choice
His superpower of choice would be “teleportation,” especially because he loves traveling. “This would allow me to go anywhere in the drop of a dime,” he said.
Favorite motto to live by
Regarding his favorite motto to live by, he shared, “Adversities are beaten by persistence.”
Success
On his definition of success, Lopez said, “Success means being able to look in the mirror, when I am brushing my teeth, and being proud of the man that I am. Being able to love myself and being proud of what I am doing.”
To learn more about Joseph Lopez, follow him on Instagram.
