IMMEDIATE ADOPTION
Number
181413
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. LEWIS AND COGGS
Title
Resolution extending an invitation from the City of Milwaukee to Ms. Taraji P. Henson to come to the City to speak on the subject of mental health.
Analysis
This resolution extends an invitation from the City of Milwaukee to Ms. Taraji P. Henson to come to the City as keynote speaker for an event to be coordinated by the Office of Violence Prevention and speak on the subject of mental health and its particular impact on the African-American community.
Body
Whereas, Ms. Taraji P. Henson launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in honor of her late father, to eradicate the stigma around mental health issues in the African-American community; and
Whereas, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is a nonprofit organization that partners with other nonprofit organizations that offer programs to educate, celebrate, and make visible the positive impact of mental health awareness; and
Whereas, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation seeks to ensure cultural competency in caring for African Americans who struggle with mental illness by providing scholarships to African-American students who seek careers in the mental health field, offering mental health services and programs to young people in urban schools, and combating recidivism within the prison system; and
Whereas, The Office of Violence Prevention is committed to preventing violence through partnerships that strengthen youth, families, and neighborhoods; and
Whereas, ReCAST MKE is an Office of Violence Prevention initiative to promote healing and restorative practice among youth ages 12-24 and their families and to reduce the impact of trauma in Milwaukee by enhancing individual and community resilience, building the capacity of organizations to have healing focused care practices, and strengthening collaboration between organizations and community; and
Whereas, The Styles with Substance Project is aimed at strengthening the role of the barber and stylist as a trusted confidant, confidence builder, and conveyor of useful information and resources; and
Whereas, The Styles with Substance Project will train up to 50 stylists to be able to better identify and support clients experiencing mental health and life challenges; and
Whereas, The Office of Violence Prevention’s Styles with Substance Project seeks to increase discussion and awareness of mental health within the African-American community by using trusted individuals as access points for sound advice and referral services; and
Whereas, The Office of Violence Prevention plans to host its first training of barbers and stylists in January and deems a partnership with Ms. Taraji P. Henson as mutually beneficial in increasing awareness and furthering the goals of the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation and the Styles with Substance Project; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee extends an invitation to Ms. Taraji P. Henson to come to the City as keynote speaker for an event to be coordinated by the Office of Violence Prevention and speak on the subject of mental health and its particular impact on the African-American community.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB173137
Tea Norfolk
12/13/2018