Credit: YouTube/The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
If you don’t know the name, you definitely know the face – accomplished actress Taraji P. Henson made her big break in 2001’s Baby Boy and has been gracing our screens ever since. But did you know she has a sister? Read on to find out about Henson’s entrepreneur and mental health advocate sibling, April.
Does Taraji P. Henson Have a Twin Sister?
Before we cover Taraji P. Henson’s twin sister, let’s make sure you know who we’re talking about. Actress Taraji P. Henson has played several roles in some classic cinema like Nobody’s Fool, What Men Want, Proud Mary, and more recently, The Colour Purple. Starting to ring some bells?
Credit: YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Henson was born on September 11th, 1970 in Southeast Washington DC to parents Bernice and Boris. Her first and middle names have a beautiful Swahili origin and meaning: Taraji (hope) and Penda (love).
Originally intending to study an electrical engineering degree at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Taraji eventually transferred to Howard University to pursue drama. To pay for her studies, the now actress hustled at two jobs as both a secretary at The Pentagon and a singer-dancer waitress on the dinner-cruise ship The Spirit of Washington. These facts and Henson’s sister might be proof that entrepreneurship and conviction are in the family blood.
Taraji P. Henson’s twin sister, April MzCockee Henson, is an entrepreneur (with her own luxury business), mental health advocate, and community manager.
April is currently CEO of House of Henscents, a hand-craft business selling luxury candles, body oils, room fragrances and more. April’s business was founded in her late father Boris’ welding workshop, to whom she pays homage with her best selling candle titled ‘1948’ – part of a collection which names each candle after a specific individual born in a specific year.
Credit: House of Henscents
Family Life
Family clearly plays a large role in the lives of the Henson sisters. On the crafting of the candle dedicated to her late father, April says the following:
‘I can recall my Dad putting on his gear to ride his Harley Davidson (Road King) motorcycle, with his Harley Davidson leather jacket, and his fresh/woody cologne fragrance. In his welding shop, he used to park, which smelled like metal and wood from the woodstove he burned to keep warm while working in the fall/winter.’
The House of Henscents’ website continues:
‘She would always run to him before he left for riding and give him the tightest hug she could give. Her memories of being a daddy’s girl will always contain the aroma that made my eyes sparkle and the excitement of being a daddy’s girl.’
April also works in community engagement for her elder sister Taraji’s non-profit organisation named after their father: ‘Boris L. Henson Foundation’. The foundation aims to help people with mental health issues and advocate for the involvement of black women in employment and educational sectors.
Sisterly Relationship
In her instagram bio (@apryl_henson), April gives herself the wonderful title of ‘personal aSISTERant to Taraji P. Henson’ and often shares videos of her sister’s successes/promotional videos in support of their foundation.
Based on the knowledge of their close work together in the non-profit organisation run in their father’s name and their ability to bridge the ever-so-difficult gap between work and family life, there can be no doubt that the two get on very well.
These sisters show us that working with your family doesn’t have to be a nightmare and that you can have your cake and eat it after all.
