Mental health has been a topic that has been swept under the rug in the African-American community for many generations. Many suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress in silence because they have been conditioned from childhood to always remain strong, independent and unwavering. However, that is almost always easier said than done.
Thank God for our sister Taraji P. Henson for taking on the mission of ending the mental health stigma with the launch of her new foundation, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. According to People, the foundation is in honor of her later father.
“I named the organization after my father because of his complete and unconditional love for me…and his strength to push through his own battles with mental health issues.”, says Henson.
The foundation provides scholarships to African-American students in mental health programs as well as provide mental health services to youth in urban communities. All with the goal to end the silent suffering and start the conversations about mental health. In a statement, she says, “I stand now in his absence, committed to offering support to African-Americans who face trauma daily, simply because they are Black”.
A special fundraiser, “Taraji’s Boutique of Hope” will raise funds to achieve the foundation’s goal of providing resources for mental health service support within urban schools.
