Comedian Tiffany Haddish says she has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from watching her childhood friends getting killed by law enforcement officers.
The actress has been vocal about her support for the Black Lives Matter movement, attending several marches including George Floyd’s memorial and a Black Lives Matter Pride Month protest in Los Angeles alongside rumored boyfriend, Common.
There have been protests across the country since video footage in Minneapolis showed white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck after he was arrested last month. The former truck driver, 46, died moments later.
In an interview with CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux, Haddish highlighted the long term damaging effect a childhood exposed to police violence had.
“I try to laugh and figure out a way to make it funny … It’s really hard,” Haddish said. “I got PTSD watching my friends being killed by the police.
“It’s scary, you shouldn’t be scared to be in America,” she said. “It’s supposed to be the land of the free, the home of the brave and you’re supposed to be able to have a pursuit of happiness. We’re just trying to pursue that you don’t get killed today.”
Haddish said she was convinced the latest round of racially charged protests would be fruitful.
“There’s definitely been a transition, people are waking up … people can see now and people’s hearts are opening up,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Haddish has spoken openly about social issues. In 2019, she postponed a show in Georgia over the state’s controversial law banning abortions at the onset of a fetal heartbeat. Daily Mast
