Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation

Our Mission

ABOUT THE BORIS LAWRENCE HENSON FOUNDATION (BLHF)

As the pioneering Black mental health advocacy group in the US, the BLHF provides access to localized and black-culturally competent therapy resources sourced through a network of clinicians, service providers, counselors, and thought leaders. The foundation is named in honor of Boris Lawrence Henson, father of Academy Award and Emmy-nominated actress and founder Taraji P. Henson, who suffered mental health challenges without resources or support.

Founded in 2018, within a short time, BLHF has built its reputation on the promise of providing trusted referrals and demonstrating a deep understanding of the population health of communities of color. Through timely and relevant programming and awareness campaigns, it is the hope that mental health will become a known quantity within Black communities, helping the Foundation to achieve a critical mass of Black self-care advocates and allies nationwide. Through a myriad of corporate partnerships, BLHF encourages mental wellness; raises awareness of the stigma and the use of stigmatizing language when referring to mental illness; provides mental health resources and support, offers scholarships to Black students who seek a career in the mental health field; extends mental health services to young people in underserved schools and communities, combats recidivism and supports re-entry for returning citizens.

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is charting a new course that encourages Black individuals to own their history, heritage, and collective wounds in empowering, empathic, and transformative ways.