Yahoo Life Videos
Actress Angela Featherstone starred in popular TV shows like FRIENDS and Seinfeld over the last two decades, but behind the scenes she was battling scars from a painful childhood. “I would characterize the first 16 years of my life to be abusive physically, emotionally, psychologically, and in the end, sexually abusive,” Featherstone tells Yahoo Life. “At the very least there was criminal neglect on a consistent basis and lots of abandonment.” At 16, Featherstone was put into the foster care system in Canada, an experience that shaped her life and in many ways, deepened her trauma. Today, she is an outspoken advocate for children in foster care and the founder of Fostering Care, a nonprofit organization that is committed to healing the healers of tomorrow. Fostering Care is geared towards young adults (18-21) aging out of the foster care system and consists of a three month course where students receive a teaching certificate in a healing modality like meditation, breath work or yoga. In addition to professionally trained staff, the program also hosts guests lectures on topics like nutrition, drug dependency and other life skills. This year, more than 23,000 kids will age out of the child welfare system, and many will face threats like homelessness, incarceration or trafficking. Studies consistently report that 50-90% of child sex trafficking victims have been involved in the child welfare system. Featherstone points to systemic issues that allow the dark world of sex trafficking to thrive and target our most vulnerable youth. Featherstone hopes to help young adults see their scars and heal with love. She wants them to go back into their communities more whole and prepared to become vital contributors to society who can help others to heal.
Yahoo Lifestyle