Taraji P. Henson wants to celebrate the strength of black women, but not if it comes at the expense of their humanity. While the actress believes in the power of community, she knows from experience that black women’s mental health is often not taken seriously, and she’s on a mission to change that.
“A myth is that we’re strong and magical, black girl magic,” Henson tells In the style. “I get it, I get it’s a celebration to be a black woman, but it dehumanizes us. I think we need to let go of those terms a bit and (for) people to actually see us as humans. We’re hurting , we have trauma, we have generational trauma that hasn’t even been processed. So just see us as humans. See our tears, we cry too.
After witnessing a lack of mental health resources in black and brown communities, Henson established the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) in 2018 to “help brown and black communities where we are not talked about.” It was initially for her and her son Marcell Johnson, but she soon realized how much her services were needed by others.
“Once I realized how difficult it was to identify and find a therapist of color or a culturally competent therapist – I can afford a therapist at $350 a pop, but what about a whole community that can’t?” she says. “We are not included in these conversations and this part of mental health care. That’s when I decided to do something about it.”
Courtesy of Marvin Bowser Photography
And this spring, Henson is taking her efforts even further by partnering with Kate Spade New York and HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to make mental health resources more accessible to young black women in college struggling with stress, anxiety and depression. Earlier this month, the brands announced that She Care Wellness Pods would be installed at universities nationwide, starting with Alabama State University. The goal of the pods is to provide mental health resources as well as a designated refuge for 25,000 black women.
As an HBCU alum herself, Henson was inspired to help young black women, especially those with mental health issues, to reduce the college dropout rate (which has been significantly affected by a poor mental health, according to several studies including one from the National Library of Medicine). In addition to keeping the kids in school, Henson is also on a mission to teach these women about the challenges that await them in the real world after graduation.
“We’re preparing these young women to get their degrees and diplomas, but we’re not preparing them,” says Henson. “They all have these dreams, because I was once in school and I was like, ‘Oh my god, once I graduate, I’m going to go out into the world, I’m going to do a whole bunch money.’ But no one told me about the disparity in work and pay. No one was telling me about the disparity in health care. We want to prepare these women for everything they can expect in the world or not even expect in the world. real world.”
Courtesy of the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation.
After working with the Hollywood superstar to create her Social Impact Council in 2022, Kate Spade wanted to continue working with Henson. Henson’s brand and mutual passion for mental wellness made this partnership a perfect fit. Liz Frazer, CEO of Kate Spade and president of the brand, says In the style that BLHF is “an organization that shares our belief in the power of joy and our commitment to addressing the vital role that a woman’s and girl’s mental health plays in her life and her journey of empowerment.”
“Over the past 10 years, we have seen how important physical space and culturally competent care are for women and girls who access mental health support,” Frazer adds. “Our partnership with BLHF and the She Care Wellness Pods is the next evolution of our work together and we look forward to building on this relationship.”
Courtesy of Marvin Bowser Photography
The modules, which have been elegantly furnished to provide a comforting environment for students, will offer free virtual and in-person therapy sessions, psychoeducation classes, guided meditation and yoga, dance therapy, workshops and silent places designated for rest. According to Kate Spade’s Senior Director of Social Impact, Taryn Bird, the program will roll out to four HBCU campuses over the next two years in hopes of giving 25,000 black women a place of solace and mental health resources. Last Friday, Henson attended the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at Alabama State University, where the capsules are now open to students.
“We’ve done such a great job with the foundation, since we launched in 2018, I see more and more people talking about (mental health) in ways that have never been talked about before in all communities, to be completely honest, but especially in black and brown communities,” Henson says. “I’ve shared and opened up about my struggles because I feel like people are suffering in silence. And I feel like the more we talk about it, the more people feel like they’re not alone.”