Taraji P. Henson wants to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
The ‘Empire’ star set up The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, which helps those affected by trauma and depression, in memory of her late father who struggled with mental health issues after coming out of the Vietnam War.
Speaking about her foundation, she said: "It was born out of necessity. You know, traumatic stuff happened to me and my son. You can’t just pray it away. I don’t care how strong you are. It gets to you, and if you don’t deal with it, it manifests itself in ways you don’t even know. The black men stepped up. Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Tracy Morgan, Chance the Rapper all stepped up. I called, they answered. Snoop told me, ‘Baby girl, that’s important. What you’re doing is important.’ Tyrese said, ‘You’re making it cool to seek help.’"
And Taraji wants to use her art and fame to "broaden horizons".
She told InStyle magazine: "I don’t care if you’re young or old or what colour you are, art is so powerful … You can show things to people you’ve never met and you broaden horizons. I don’t take for granted what I have, and I try to use it in any way I can, positively."
Meanwhile, the 48-year-old actress previously revealed she wants to "work smarter not harder" in Hollywood.
She said: "Here’s the deal: When you talk about money, don’t you want to make money? I want every walk of life [in my films]. If I could put an alien in, I would. I want their money too. Come on, it’s what the world looks like. That’s what people want to see, representation. That’s all. You can make money doing it. It’s a no-brainer. The older I get, I want to work smarter, not harder. DC, Marvel, you all can call me!"
Taraji P. Henson on mental health
