Karith Foster

Karith Foster, born June 30, 1974, is an American comedian, speaker, television and radio personality, actress, author, and entrepreneur. In 2016, she founded the Foster Russell Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to "Inspiring free speech, social change and empowerment through education and mentorship."

Foster was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Plano, Texas. Her mother, Carol Daugherty Foster, was the Editor-In-Chief of the national publication Minority Business News for nearly two decades. Growing up, Foster was often the only African-American student in her classes, and she starred in her high school's production of A Raisin in the Sun. She graduated from Stephens College, a historical women's college in Columbia, Missouri, with a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism, and also attended St. Peter's College at Oxford University in England. She moved to New York City, where she worked in production for the ABC talk show The View while pursuing a career in stand-up comedy.

Since entering the comedy scene in New York City in 1998, Foster has performed live audience warm-up and as a guest for The Oprah Winfrey Show and for Showtime at the Apollo Theatre. She performs regularly at NYC comedy clubs including the Comedy Cellar, The Comic Strip Live, Carolines on Broadway, and Gotham Comedy Club. She was featured in the 2015 documentary Can We Take a Joke? and the 2019 docudrama No Safe Spaces. Foster is also a prolific speaker, delivering keynotes on diversity, leadership, and team building, and in March 2017 she delivered her first TEDx Talk, "The Art of Defying Stereotypes: Learning to be True to Your Voice," in New York City. She has been a recurring guest on John Fugelsang's Tell Me Everything on SiriusXM Insight.