Taraji P. Henson Talks To Us About What It Means To Be ‘Woke’

Marriott International

Social media is full of people using, misusing, and overusing the phrases “mental health” and “wokeness.” And sure, that makes things a little muddled. But what we social media users often fail to realize is that there are real people who have to deal with both mental health issues and social/ societal issues that require them to be “woke.” It’s imperative for their very survival.

As a champion of mental health awareness, especially in the black community, Taraji P. Henson has been making rounds in the media and at speaking engagements to break the stigma on getting help. She’s using her platform to encourage people to take these matters seriously, as more than a hashtag or a popular trend. To do so effectively, she’s had to be very open about her own journey with maintaining her mental health and relates much of it to her profession — as a minority in film and TV.

As a part of Marriott International’s #LoveTravels Beyond Barriers initiative, Henson spoke to the National Black MBA Association gathering in Detroit about minority representation in the media. After her speech, we chatted about why she feels called to this particular mission, wokeness, and the importance of representation.