At 3-years-old Charell Star was picked up by a social worker and taken from her great-grandmother. Her belongings were in a trash bag.
That’s where her story begins in her memoir “Trash Bag Tales” which was released May 1 in connection with Foster Care Awareness Month.
Star’s father was incarcerated for murder and her mother was on drugs. She spent the first decade of her life in the New York City foster care system.
Despite her hard life early on, she became the first in her family to graduate college and become a communication executive and entrepreneur. Currently she works as an advocate, mentor, and speaker. She’s had national appearances on “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show,” along with numerous media outlets and podcasts.
She moved to Maplewood in 2017.
“I love it,” she said. “I love the community.”
“Trash Bag Tales” details her time in foster care, including being unified with her mom. She speaks of her own healing journey, incorporating her early working days as she tried to become a professional.
Star considers being in foster care “baggage to carry.” She said, “No one likes to talk about it.” From age 3 to 11 she was in six different foster homes.
Her happiest memory from those times is when she was performing in a play at school. Her foster mom went above and beyond helping her put together a costume, taking off work, and bringing flowers for Star.
“It was the first time I remember any adult showing up for me,” she said. “That’s what kids really need. That was a great experience. I must have been 6 or 7.”
Star has been an advocate for those in foster care for at least a decade.
“The more I talked, the more I realized just speaking up is very important,” she said. “I really wanted something I could do to reach more people, get people to understand what the experience is like; give them a view of what healing looks like on the other side. There are people looking for an example, similar trauma, similar experiences.”
As a child, Star had a gut feeling foster care wasn’t going to be the end of her story. When she went into foster care, she knew she was loved because her great grandmother loved her.
“I knew I was cared about,” she said. “I knew what positive family looked like. Trying to survive in care, I knew the situation wasn’t normal. I had it in the back of my head it would be better.”
When Star isn’t working, she plays tennis and hangs out with her son in the park.
“Trying to be a mom and advocate,” she said.
To learn more about Charell Star, visit: https://charellstar.com/.
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