Tiffany Haddish Talks Initiative For Addressing Needs Of Foster Kids

Life was not always rosy for renowned comedy star Tiffany Haddish. At the tender age of 9, she became her family's caregiver and was raised in foster care from the age of 13.

Given her not-so-blissful experience growing up in the system, Haddish plans to do better for kids going through the same as she recently shared with Variety the idea behind her book and foundation.

The 42-year-old actress keeps making waves in the entertainment industry from her past features to her current projects.

She appears in the Apple TV + mystery comedy series "The Afterparty" and starred with the famed Nicolas Cage in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent."   

Not to mention, she has a couple of film projects coming up and released a children's book, "Layla, the Last Black Unicorn," not too long ago.

Her applaudable achievements did not come easy but involved a great deal of work after leaving foster care, where she had no assurance of her future.

Speaking with Marc Malkin for the Variety Changemakers Summit, she spoke candidly about that period in her life when she believed she would not reach eighteen years. In Haddish's words:

"When I was in foster care, I mean, I thought I was going to die there. I didn't think I would make it to 18. And when I made it to 18, I was like, 'OK, I got to really think bigger.'"

She continued saying, "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."

"The Carmichael Show" star further revealed why she wrote "Layla, the Last Black Unicorn" and founded the She Ready Foundation, stating that she "wanted to take away the feeling of feeling like garbage from kids."

It is worth knowing that her foundation focuses on combining foster children with internship programs to deal with their needs, which was never provided for her growing up in the system.

Haddish explained that she moved around a lot as a child, which affected her "self-esteem," and all her belongings had to be in trash bags, making her feel like "garbage" that could be transported anywhere.

She admitted that that was the "worst feeling in the world," and she promised herself back then that if she ever got any influence, she would ensure no other youngster felt that way.

The brilliant stand-up comedian added, "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."

Haddish is not just focused on catering to foster kids or her acting career; she also wants to work on her music by partnering with some famous stars in the industry.

The Blast shared in April that the former "SNL" host has been making music for years, and her songs can be found on several streaming platforms like Apple Music.

She also planned to concentrate on just hip-hop and classical music without the ultimate desire to go viral, but if that happens, she would not mind.

In addition, she intended for her music to be used in films and TV programs, and regarding her collaborations with other music stars, she would love to work with Beyoncé and her ex-boyfriend Common.    

Earlier this year, Haddish was allegedly apprehended for driving under the influence of drugs, particularly marijuana, after falling asleep behind the wheel.

As reported by The Blast, she was taken into custody by Peachtree City Police Department in Georgia for DUI and inappropriate stopping on a highway.

She was believed to have smoked marijuana before taking the wheels and was kept in custody for a few hours before being released on a $1,666 bail.

Despite the severity of the situation, the "Girls Trip" actress beamed widely for her mugshot, and it was uncertain if she was also tested for other intoxicating substances.

At the time, Haddish was going through a rough patch after losing her grandmother and separating from her then-lover Common, who believed she was "the most authentic and caring" person he had ever met.