From Skid Row to the Governor’s Ball: An Open Letter to Tiffany Haddish on Homelessness in L.A. and Beyond

Dear Tiffany,

In 2019, USA Today featured a story about you: “Tiffany Haddish shares a throwback photo of herself 'homeless, hungry, scared' before fame.”

A year or two prior, I was in downtown Los Angeles at the Governor’s Ball for the Emmy After Party, not as a celebrity, but as a server. This wasn’t “lights, camera, action” or sipping green tea in the green room—it was trays in my hands, navigating a room full of Hollywood stars while keeping balance on heels and high expectations. I was also pursuing acting and modeling in my late 50s, picking up gigs as if I were 19, trying to make a name for myself before COVID hit. Standing briefly in front of the Emmy statue, camera flashes around me, I realized the irony: once homeless, now serving people whose lives seemed untouchable. I even have a picture of that moment—a reminder of how far I had come, yet how close I once was to the streets.

I remember walking up to you that night—you with a straw in your mouth, head tilted—and jokingly telling you, “You two are the best-looking African American women in the place.” You laughed, “Oh, you got jokes,” but I meant it sincerely. Later, when I saw you on the news, I realized who I had been speaking to. Beauty exists beyond fame and circumstance.

Like you, I know what it means to be homeless. My daughter Erica and I lived that reality together. I was homeless from coast to coast—Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Carolina, and beyond—a single father battling addiction, sleeping in shelters, on streets, and in abandoned buildings. I turned my pain into purpose—becoming a documentary filmmaker, published writer, and activist. I even wrote a letter to the editor for the Los Angeles Times recognizing Mayor Karen Bass:

I recognize Mayor Karen Bassfor taking decisive action on homelessness, and from my experience as a formerly homeless single parent, I understand how important even small changes can be for the community.

Even a small reduction in homelessness is meaningful, but we need Hollywood to join in the cause and help amplify solutions for millions still struggling.

I once saw a video of you saying that during your early days in Los Angeles, you would sleep in your car on Rodeo Drive, and each morning the police would make you move—something you used as your “wake-up call.” That moment stuck with me because it was real, raw, and fearless. Now, it is time for all of us to wake up—not from the police forcing those who have nowhere to go to move, but to take action, shine a light on homelessness, and demand real change.

Even though I am not in Los Angeles, I am concerned about the growing criminalization of homelessness. The Grants Pass ruling has made it almost illegal to be homeless, and the new administration backs this ruling with executive orders suggesting that people experiencing homelessness be sent to mental health facilities. A study by Simon Fraser University found that 37 percent of homeless individuals struggling with addiction are directly impacted by these policies, limiting access to support and rehabilitation.

Los Angeles County alone has over 75,000 people experiencing homelessness, including more than 16,000 children. These are families, stories, and futures at risk. I have seen it firsthand—walking Skid Row, delivering food, helping with shelter placements, and documenting lives interrupted by systemic failures.

I now lead two global campaigns:

1. Mandate Future Politicians to Prioritize Homelessness – urging policymakers and voters to make homelessness a top priority.
2. Homeless Voices Matter (Listen to the Voices of the Homeless): A Global Call That Must Echo in South Africa – reaching Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, amplifying voices too often silenced and bringing attention to homelessness internationally.

Our stories differ—yours led to Hollywood stardom, mine to advocacy—but they share resilience, perseverance, and the refusal to let homelessness define our futures. Both of us understand fear, uncertainty, and the fight to reclaim dignity.

Tiffany, you’re not alone. Many celebrities have experienced homelessness, including Jewel, Halle Berry, Tyler Perry, Jim Carrey, Chris Pratt, and Leighton Meester. Reaching out to others who have walked this path could further amplify this cause. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a whole town—or a community of people—to help someone rise from homelessness. Your platform, your story, and your voice could inspire that town on a global scale.

This isn’t about red carpets, exclusive parties, or Hollywood glam—it’s about real people, real families, and real change. I hope you will join this cause, lending your strength and story to shine a brighter light on a crisis affecting families across the globe. Together, we can make homelessness impossible to ignore.

Sincerely,

Eric Protein Moseley

Eric Protein Moseley is a social impact documentary filmmaker working on a low-budget, high-impact documentary, Homelessness Has No Permanent Address, filmed in California and South Africa @MandateAChange x