#16 - Centering Cultural Competence within Black Child Mental Health with Taraji P. Henson and Tracie Jade

In this episode, co-host Messellech Looby chats with Academy Award-nominated actor Taraji P. Henson about the complexities and opportunities around supporting Black youth in the midst of the country’s current mental health crisis. Henson created The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in memory of her late father, who struggled with mental health challenges after returning from the Vietnam War. The foundation promotes mental health awareness and destigmatizing mental illness within the Black community by uplifting culturally relevant mental health support. The foundation’s Executive Director, Tracie Jade, joins the conversation to discuss its efforts to promote mental health awareness and support within marginalized communities. Learn more about the youth mental health crisis:  Fact Sheet: Children’s Mental Health, First Focus on Children  Testimony: Taraji P. Henson on Mental Health, C-SPAN Article: Black Adolescent Suicide Rate Reveals Urgent Need to Address Mental Health Care Barriers, Pew To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [e-mail] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.