When DMV native and Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF) about six years ago, she had no idea how dire the organization’s free mental health services would be during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Henson just knew she had a God-given call to help people to prioritize self-care and wellness.
“We couldn’t have planned it. We didn’t know the pandemic was coming but God did. That’s why he put our steps in order, so when that thing hit, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation was right there.” Henson said at a press conference during the foundation’s “Can We Talk? 2024 Symposium” hosted at the Gaylord National Harbor on May 30-31.
The two-day event included workshops, conversations and insights from celebrities such as actor and D.C. native Lamman Rucker and Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Silva. The conference and celebration also featured local community, health and political leaders such as Prince George’s County Councilmember Edward Burroughs III (D-District 8) and the Rev. Tony Lee of Community of Hope AME Church, and wrapped with a 90s themed rooftop bash.
For the BLHF, making mental health accessible for all people is the key. The “Can We Talk? Symposium” furthers the foundation’s mission of meeting people where they are in terms of discussing mental health.
“We started this to really look at how we can eradicate the stigma around mental health. So we know in the Black community this has been a hush-hush taboo for so many years, and for very good reason. We don’t trust folk that we’re talking to because sometimes we’re demonized for talking about our issues and our problems, or we’re misdiagnosed,” BLHF Executive Director Tracie Jade Jenkins told The Informer on WIN-TV’s “Let’s Talk.” “We look to give free support, whether it is therapy, or if folks need education around mental health, we provide those services for the community. And we are thankful that more people are talking about it now than ever before.”
Nana Malaya Rucker-Oparabea, told The Informer she had a lot of reasons to show up to the symposium, and particularly noted her pride in seeing all BLHF is doing to help raise awareness about mental health in the community.
“Mental wellness is so important– that we talk about it, but also that we do something about it– and this event is all for that purpose. I’m also here because I’m a celebrity mom. Lamman Rucker is my son and one of the featured speakers for this event. Taraji is like a daughter to me and Tracie also as well, another Duke Ellington alum. So many reasons to come, and when I see other people that I know here, because this is an issue that’s important for everybody in every area,” she said.
Rucker-Oparabea unpacked some of the conversations discussed at the symposium, further emphasizing the need to talk out issues in order to grow.
“Oftentimes it’s not something that’s spoken about, and today we talked about not living in fear, but recognizing that our strength lies in not just being strong, but in the vulnerability of what we open up to, to make sure we can move through it, to our wellness.”
Digging into Radical Attunement, Talking to Youth About Mental Health
Over the past year, the foundation has emphasized tapping into “joy” as a means of promoting positive mental wellness.
This year’s “Can We Talk?” theme, “Radical Attunement,” dug deeper into the mission of finding joy and spreading it with others.
We need [radical attunement] and we need it now. Don’t you think? Look at the world. I think I can say that I’ve lived to see the tipping point,” Henson said. “In the darkness, we can be the light, and I think that’s the test for us, and that’s why we keep stressing ‘choose joy,’ because you have to, or you’re going to die.”
D.C. native Dr. Ashley Elliott, also known as “Dr. Vivid,” considered why the notion of “radical attunement,” is so important and emphasized the need for people, particularly Black women, to incorporate it into their daily lives and practices.
“Radical attunement, especially as a Black woman in this current, socio-political time is the dopest thing you can yell out. It’s a real warcry, because to really be engaged with yourself and achieve attunement, you’ve got to be radical, you can’t be passive. So this message, this symposium is timely, it’s important, and reminding us everyday that we have to stand 10 toes down on what’s going to make us our best selves and our healthiest selves,” Elliott explained.
This year, BLHF invited young people from local high schools to take part in the symposium workshops and festivities.
Crossland High School sophomore Omari Barnes participated in a poetry workshop and left empowered. He shared what he learned about radical attunement in the process.
“Radical attunement means to me being involved, being present in the moment. Being present in the moment can mean many things. It can mean looking after a friend, it can mean putting the phone down, it could be going for a walk,” the 10th grader said. “It’s all about the steps you take to preserve your mental health, to find your safe space and to promote peace and the peace of others.”
Councilmember Burroughs explained why it’s important to ensure young people are part of the mental health conversation.
“When you look at the challenges that we’re experiencing in the County, mental health is at the top of the list. When you look at crime, you look at poverty, you look at so many other factors, mental health is top of mind. When you have 21% of high school students who have
contemplated suicide, this is a life or death matter,” Burroughs said.
The mental health challenges among youth are not just local. While various communities are seeing an increase in mental health crises across the nation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that suicide rates have increased by 36.6% among Black people ages 10 to 24 between 2018-2021.
Rucker, a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, in a panel featuring Jenkins, Henson, Lee, Dr. Anita Phillips, and Dr. Jay Barnett, explained why young people are particularly struggling today.
“Right now, there is a higher rate of suicides among kids mainly because they don’t know how to express themselves,” he said.
Burroughs thanked Henson and Jenkins, for providing a platform that allowed all people, including youth, to talk about mental health. Both area natives, Burroughs also presented the foundation’s founder and executive director with keys to Prince George’s County.
“To have Taraji and Tracie decide to give back to their community, on a topic that is so important, they are absolutely deserving of the key to our county, and to our district. When I went to talk to the students about the mental health initiative, a lot of them were like ‘Okay, this is something we’re going to do.’ When I said at the end, ‘You get to take a picture with Taraji,’ the whole school was so excited,” Burroughs said, before thanking them personally.
“For you to lend your spark, your presence, your credibility, that excitement to this cause, that alone, has made a difference in your hometown.”
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