By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer
More than ever, Black celebrities are using their fame and platforms to address mental health and reduce stigma.
Award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson has been open about her own struggles with mental health issues, including having suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Henson created the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, named after her father, who battled PTSD and bipolar disorder after returning from the Vietnam War.
The foundation encourages the Black community to seek help and support without fear or shame. In 2019, the “Empire” actress discussed mental health and the Black community before Congress. Henson also has collaborated with fashion label Kate Spade to provide free therapy sessions and supportive practices for women on HBCU campuses.
Actor Kofi Siriboe, known for memorable roles in “Queen Sugar,” “Insecure” and “Girls Trip,” also creates notable short films through his production company, Viakofi. In 2018, Siriboe put out two films that addressed mental health in the Black community, “WTFIMH – What the F*** Is Mental Health?” and “Jump.” He was inspired to tackle the subject after losing a close friend and mentor to suicide and his own struggles with mental health and the stigma of seeking help.
Prolific actor Idris Elba recently opened up about being in therapy to address his workaholic tendencies and their impact on his personal life. The “Luther” and “The Wire” star spoke on his mental health journey on the “Changes with Annie Macmanus” podcast in October, in an effort to normalize seeking counseling.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a former pro wrestler-turned Hollywood heavy hitter who has made a career of portraying big, strong characters. Johnson has publicly, and in publications such as Men’s Health, shared his bouts with depression stemming in part from a divorce and a failed football career. He encourages other men to rise above stigma and seek help.
“‘Black don’t crack,’ they say … but it can.,” says Megan Thee Stallion , who appears in a series of Ad Council PSAs, Seize the Awkward, in which she encourages her loyal fanbase, Thee Hotties, and others to check in on their family and friends and be empathetic supporters to someone who may be struggling. Megan has shared how she fell into a depression after being shot in the foot by fellow recording artist Tory Lanez in 2020, and being disbelieved when she spoke out about the incident. She also addresses mental health in the song “Anxiety” and shares national resources on her Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too website.
Actor Taye Diggs opened up about dealing with anxiety, insomnia and the stigma of taking medication on “The Verywell Mind Podcast.” Diggs, known for his roles in such movies as “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “The Wood” and “The Best Man,” also partnered with Idorsia Pharmaceuticals in 2022 to raise awareness of sleep’s importance to good physical and mental health.
All that glitters isn’t gold. Black actress Meghan Markle married into the British royal family in an internationally televised ceremony full of pomp and circumstance. Markle has spoken publicly about the mental health struggles that stemmed from being royally rejected for being Black by relatives of her husband, Prince Harry, and members of British society. In 2021, she admitted to Oprah Winfrey that she’d had suicidal thoughts and upon accepting the 2022 John F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope award, said she was speaking out to “help someone else not feel the same way or to know that there’s hope.” In 2023, in honor of World Mental Health Day, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were featured speakers at the Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit titled, “Mental Wellness in a Digital Age.”
This article is part of the Senior Staff Writer Genoa Barrow’s special series, “Head Space: Exploring The Mental Health Needs of Today’s Black Men.”