Oct 04, 2022

Laura Harrier Graces Cover of Cosmopolitan's Mental Health Issue

Introducing The Cover Star of Cosmopolitan's Mental Health Issue, Laura Harrier

Following a stint as a teenage catalog model (which she categorizes as “not glamorous; I was not like the Bellas and Kendalls of the world”) and a pivot to soap operas, she’s spent the past near-decade crafting a TV and film career that spans award winners and action flicks alike alongside the biggest names in the industry. She’s also, because of course, what one might unironically refer to as a “fashion darling,” with a David Yurman ambassadorship and campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Kenzo, and Boss under her belt.

"I definitely believe that mental health care should be prioritized just as much as physical health. There’s been such a long history of ignoring mental health problems, of saying, “Oh, just suck it up” or “I’m a strong Black woman. That doesn’t happen to me.” All of these tropes that we’ve been taught over generations, when actually, I think given generational trauma, of course there are a lot of mental health issues within the Black community. I’ve been working with a really amazing Los Angeles–based organization called BEAM, which stands for Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective. They help people find resources, therapists, and also natural care, like Reiki."

— Laura Harrier

Click Here To Read The Entire Cover Story

Writer: Lola Ogunnaike

Lola Ogunnaike has written about culture, art, and design for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Architectural Digest.

Photographer: Danny Kasirye

Danny Kasirye is a 25 year old Ugandan-British photographer and director from London. Taking an interest in the world of film and television during his late teens led him to switch from a finance degree to a film studies before beginning his first year.