• Taraji P. Henson's Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation launched a SheCare Wellness Pod at Coppin State University to provide mental health support for students, particularly women.
• Henson also hosted a mental health workshop at her alma mater, Oxon Hill High School, in collaboration with Prince George’s County Council Chair Edward Burroughs.
• The SheCare Wellness Pods are designed to offer a safe environment with resources like therapy sessions, hangout areas, and holistic self-regulation programs.

Actress Taraji P. Henson, through her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF), is actively working to address mental health disparities in Black communities. Recent initiatives include the launch of a SheCare Wellness Pod at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and hosting a mental health workshop at Henson's alma mater, Oxon Hill High School in Prince George's County, Maryland. The SheCare Wellness Pod at Coppin State University, supported by Kate Spade New York, offers a dedicated space for students to access mental health resources and support, while the workshop at Oxon Hill High School engaged students through various art forms to promote mental well-being. These efforts aim to destigmatize mental health and provide accessible support to young people.

• What: Launch of a SheCare Wellness Pod at Coppin State University and a mental health awareness workshop at Oxon Hill High School.
• Who: Taraji P. Henson, Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, Coppin State University, Kate Spade New York, Prince George’s County Council Chair Edward Burroughs, Veronica Ishii (Coppin State student and mural artist), Tracie Jade Jenkins (BLHF Executive Director), Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins (President of Coppin State University), Taryn Bird (Executive Director of Global Social Impact at Kate Spade New York).
• When: SheCare Wellness Pod launched in Spring 2025. Mental health workshop at Oxon Hill High School held during Mental Health Awareness Month (May 2025).
• Where: Coppin State University, Baltimore, Maryland; Oxon Hill High School, Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Taraji P. Henson's efforts highlight the critical need for increased mental health resources within Black communities and HBCUs. The SheCare Wellness Pods offer a proactive approach by providing accessible mental health support directly on college campuses. The workshop at Oxon Hill High School demonstrates the importance of engaging young people through creative outlets to address mental health challenges. Henson's personal connection to these issues, stemming from her father's struggles and her own experiences, adds a layer of authenticity and drives the mission of her foundation. The partnership with Kate Spade New York demonstrates the growing recognition of mental health as a key component of overall well-being and empowerment.

A community that doesn’t even talk about mental wellness, I felt like I had to get active.

One in five of our high school students have contemplated death by suicide, according to our health department, and so we have to do everything that we can to infuse mental health in a way that they will enjoy, in a way that they will receive it.

Hopefully, they will be the next generation where the stigmatism doesn’t exist anymore. And they can build upon what we started.

When we first had the idea to create the Boris L. Henson Foundation SheCare Wellness Pods, I knew we had to start with women, and specifically women on HBCU campuses. Growing up, women are told to suppress their feelings, tending to the needs of family and community, often at the expense of their own well-being.

It highlights the unwavering strength we receive from being in community. Through our shared experiences and mutual support, we empower one another to flourish and thrive, creating a tapestry of interconnectedness that captures the joy of womanhood.

Taraji P. Henson's sustained dedication, through the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF), to addressing mental health disparities in Black communities and HBCUs is catalyzing significant change by increasing access to culturally relevant resources and destigmatizing mental health. Initiatives such as the SheCare Wellness Pods, in collaboration with Kate Spade New York, provide safe and nurturing environments on HBCU campuses, offering therapy sessions, workshops, and wellness activities tailored to students' needs. These pods, now present at Coppin State University, Alabama State University, Hampton University, and Bennett College, aim to reach over 25,000 Black women with frontline mental healthcare. BLHF's work extends beyond HBCUs through programs like the "Can We Talk? Symposium" and the "One Million Hours Joy Challenge," providing free mental health services to a broad spectrum of Black communities. Henson's personal advocacy, inspired by her father's struggles, coupled with strategic partnerships, is paving the way for a future where mental wellness is prioritized, accessible, and culturally competent for all.