LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taraji P. Henson will receive an honorary AARP award for eliminating stereotypes about mental health in marginalized communities through her foundation, which she established in honor of her father.

The organization announced Tuesday that Henson will receive an honorary AARP Purpose Prize at an Oct. 1 ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Oscar-nominated actress will likely be recognized for her work through Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation.

Henson said she is honored by AARP’s recognition of her foundation’s efforts. She hopes the organization’s platform will draw attention to mental health and encourage people to “openly discuss their struggles and ultimately get help.”

Henson’s foundation, which was founded in 2018, honors the legacy of her father, who struggled with untreated mental health issues after coming back from the Vietnam War. The foundation focuses on providing mental health resources and inspiring members of marginalized communities to seek help and support without fear or shame.

The actress said her foundation’s mission is to “eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness.”

Last 12 months, the Henson Foundation partnered with Alabama State University to address mental health issues. health well-beingShe was honored by the Boston Ruderman Family Foundation in 2000 for her work to end the stigma related to mental illness.

Henson was nominated for an Academy Award for her role within the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She starred within the 2016 film Hidden Figures, about three black NASA mathematicians who played a key role within the early days of the U.S. space program. Henson won a Golden Globe in 2016 for her role as Cookie Lyon in the tv series Empire.

Seven individuals will receive the AARP Purpose Prize, which honors individuals age 50 and older who make a difference through their “knowledge and life experience.” Each of their organizations will receive $50,000. They are:

• John Eldan of Oakland, whose organization After Innocence provides free post-release support to people across the country who’ve been imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit.
• Robert Elkin from Dallas, whose March to the Polls campaign goals to increase voter turnout amongst underrepresented communities, primarily youth and other people of color.
• Renée Fluker of Detroit, whose Midnight Golf Program brings highschool seniors together twice per week for life-skills sessions, community meals, skilled golf lessons, mentoring and college prep initiatives.
• Gemma M. Garcia of Miami, whose Ladies Empowerment and Action Program empowers women by providing comprehensive services that span each prison and community integration.
• Jennifer Jacobs from Falls Church, Virginia, whose Connect Our Kids creates scalable tools to help children in foster care stay connected to their caregivers.
• Jim Ansara of Beverly, Massachusetts, whose Build Health International initiative improves access to and builds capability for decent, inexpensive, high-quality health care infrastructure in resource-constrained settings world wide.
• Calvin Mackie New Orleans, whose STEM NOLA seeks to encourage future innovators, creators, makers and entrepreneurs through STEM-based activities and opportunities in science, technology, engineering and arithmetic.

AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins praised the winners for their efforts, saying she was impressed by their ability to “create new solutions for how people live and age and to address pressing societal challenges.”

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