Keke Palmer Says Her Parents Forced Her To Do Community Service As A Kid

Keke Palmer has recalled doing community service as a child.

During a recent interview with Essence, the 30-year-old revealed that her parents signed her up for service when she was young to help her remember the importance of giving back to her community.

“My parents always told me that me being an entertainer could never just solely be about me entertaining,” Keke said. “It had to also be about finding a way to connect things back to my community – so that other people could dream, and they could know that their dreams could come true, too.

“So at a very young age, they had me do community service because they wanted to make sure I would never forget how much that mattered.”

Keke’s mother, Sharon Palmer, who also participated in the interview, explained that Keke’s father told the True Jackson VP star that she would occasionally need to use her voice to help others.

“So from the beginning, we would take her to do events with the NAACP, the MLK Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club,” Sharon continued. “The goal was to keep her rooted in the community – to make sure she learned that a good life is a life of service and when much is given, there is a responsibility to give back in return.”