Taraji P. Henson Teams With Kate Spade To Provide Mental Health Resources To HBCUs

Golden Globe-winning Actress Taraji P. Henson is no stranger to prioritizing mental health, especially in an industry that doesn’t. For her latest endeavor, Henson’s Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF)  is centering around joy alongside Kate Spade New York. Both Henson and the brand believe in destigmatizing the mental health conversation and providing more access to culturally competent mental health resources for women and girls by jointly launching the first-of-its-kind program on HBCU campuses across the country.

Through this groundbreaking program for HBCU students, BLHF and Kate Spade New York will bring access to mental health facilities and resources directly to Black women on campus. The multifaceted program features the opening of “She Care Wellness Pods” – physical structures installed on campuses that offer a range of services, including:

• Free mental health therapy sessions for female students experiencing an exacerbation of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness.
• Hangout spaces that allow students to connect with peers or avoid isolation and grief during the school year and vacation periods. 
• Unique programming, including yoga, meditation, art and drama therapy, African dance, nutrition, and more, is provided by certified practitioners.
• Workshops that offer resources and tools for those who suffer from anxiety, sleep deprivation, and insomnia.
• Quiet spaces for silence, rest, and respite to reset from daily stressors.

The first pod was at Alabama State University, and the second at Hampton University. The third will take place at Bennett College, advancing its goal of reaching 25,000 young women. 

“We prepare these young women to get their diplomas and degrees, but we’re not preparing them,” Henson explained. “They have all these dreams because I was once in school, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, once I get my degree, I’m going to go out into the world, I’m going to make a whole bunch of money.’ But no one was telling me about the disparity in the job and the pay. No one is telling me about the disparity in healthcare. We want to prepare these women for everything to expect in the world or what they don’t even expect in the real world.”

Grounded in the belief that strong mental health underpins women and girls’ empowerment, Kate Spade will reinforce its commitment to helping customers cultivate joy throughout 2024 with a new capsule collection. The collection was also created to highlight the vital role that women’s and girls’ mental health plays in their lives and their empowerment journey.

The new collection features a limited-edition white T-shirt with the text “Joy Is” displayed on the chest in green. Additionally, a heart-shaped necklace made of green agate is included in the collection. The brand noted that 100% of North American sales will benefit the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation.

Henson’s foundation and Kate Spade first joined forces in January 2022 when she announced her appointment as a founding member of Kate Spade New York’s Social Impact Council. The Council is comprised of influential women who “champion the integration of mental health into the empowerment agenda of women and girls globally” and “are experts in the fields of mental health and women’s issues locally and around the world.”

Henson added, “I have shared and been open with my struggles because I feel like I know people are suffering in silence. And I feel like the more we talk about it, the more people feel they’re not alone.”

“For over a decade, we’ve been providing women and girls with access to mental health resources, globally advocating and using our platform to help destigmatize mental health issues,” Kate Spade New York CEO and Brand President Liz Fraser said. “With a shared goal of destigmatizing the conversation around mental health and BLHF’S commitment to providing resources centered in cultural humility, we’re honored to continue our partnership with Taraji and the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation.”

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and Kate Spade New York limited-edition capsule collection is available now on katespade.com.