I just followed my smart friend there. Then I failed pre-calc. Pre-calc! With two tutors. I called my dad and cried, and he was, like, “Now enroll in drama at Howard University like you’re supposed to be doing.” And I did.

I owed North Carolina A&T some money. My stepmom worked at the Pentagon and told me about the Stay-in-School employment program. And then my best friend at Howard was, like, “Girl, I’m a waitress on this dinner cruise and the tips are amazing.” So I did both, because I was always a little hustler. “Proud Mary” was my song.

I saw a documentary on HBO and was so disturbed. Then it was like kismet: A week later, PETA called me out of the blue to ask me to do this ad. Now I have one of the most incredible faux furs.

I had to share my secrets. But it’s freeing. Because then you’re not alone. I’m always looked at as strong, and people see this cape, but I’m, like, “Y’all don’t understand what it’s like when I go home and I fall down to my knees and it feels like the walls are closing in.” Money doesn’t make your problems go away.

He would turn into a whole other person, from good to mean. Also, he would reenact being in the Vietnam War. I’ll never forget him jumping up thinking bombs were going off and making us crawl around on the floor. He had a lot of work to do. But you know what I love about my dad? He wore it on his sleeve. He didn’t hide that he had issues. And he got the healing that he needed. —As told to Joel Stein