Tiffany Haddish has always been open about her foster care journey. The comedian and her siblings ended up in foster care when she was 12 years old after a tragic accident left her mother permanently injured. She has often said that making people laugh became her saving grace but after outgrowing the foster care system, the Nobody’s Fool actress continued to struggle as she pursued a career in comedy. However, after her breakout role in Girls Trip, Tiffany’s career began to skyrocket. In a keynote conversation with Variety’s Changemakers Summit, the actress reflected on growing up in the foster care system.
“When I was in foster care, I mean, I thought I was going to die there,” she said. “I didn’t think I would make it to 18. And when I made it to 18, I was like, ‘Okay, I got to really think bigger.’ And I did think bigger, and I’m definitely where I thought I would be. Well, it’s bigger than what I thought, but I feel the way that I was hoping I would feel and that’s secure in my ability to provide for me.”
And thinking big she did! Tiffany is one of the biggest comedians and actresses in Hollywood right now. In 2018, she was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people. She won a Grammy in 2021 for Best Comedy Album for Black Mitzvah, a Primetime Emmy in 2018, and many more awards. During her interview, The Afterparty star also opened up about what it was like moving from place to place as a foster kid.
“When I was a kid and I was moving around, all my stuff had to be in trash bags, and moving like that is not good for the self-esteem because it make you feel like garbage that can easily be transported to here or there,” she said.
“You start thinking of yourself as such, as garbage. That was the worst feeling in the world personally, and I told myself, if I ever get any power, I’m going to try to make sure kids don’t feel like that. If I can reach out, I’m going to try to change that feeling for them. So I started my foundation, and we started with just giving out suitcases.”
According to their website, Tiffany founded the She Ready Foundation in an “effort to empower, support, and encourage children living in the foster care system.” The non-profit organization gives foster kids many opportunities to have promising futures such as landing internships at top companies.
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