Phaedra Parks loves a good catchphrase. On Real Housewives of Atlanta, she’s always dropping southern belle gems of shade.
As we countdown to ESSENCE Festival where she’ll appear on the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience stage, we asked the reality star/lawyer/author to share her secrets of slayage. And we also wanted to know a couple things that “everybody knows” since it’s one of her favorite things to say right before politely saying something sure to leave us clutching our pearls.
Everybody knows a southern belle never _____
Sweats. Southern belles handle the steamiest situations with grace and dignity.
Everybody knows _____ is a fashion faux pas.
Everybody knows that mixing metals is a fashion faux pas. Improper undergarments is a fashion faux pas — meaning not wearing them or some aren’t properly fitted for your body type.
Everybody knows a black woman is _____
Strong and resilient.
Everybody knows a good man should _____
Take care of his mother.
Everybody knows when you end up on Shaderoom _____
You have too much time on your hands. You don’t have enough jobs.
Everybody knows that ESSENCE Fest is ______
A tradition in the African-American community.
Everybody knows a big booty is ______
Very popular right now.
What I know now
I know now that every experience whether good or bad is part of the journey and that love always win. You hear people say all the time, “Why me?” And I’m always like, why not you. Because life, much like a highway, it has bumps. Sometimes it’s straight, sometimes it’s curvy. A good highway is never boring. The bumps and the highs and the lows makes a journey worth taking. I think experiences whether good or bad they add character to you, they build your integrity, hopefully for the good. So many people are afraid of bad experiences they shy away from taking risks in life — whether it be in love or in the workplace. Those experiences really create who you become as an adult. When you aren’t a risk taker you don’t have the great advantage of being able to have a powerful testimony that will in turn encourage people. It’s the same thing as saying the road less traveled is the better road. So many people are wanting to live somebody else’s journey versus venturing out and being who they are destined to be and being who they want to be. I think the most courageous thing that anyone can do is take a risk. Do something outrageous and do what they’re really passionate about.
Don’t miss Phaedra Parks and other women including Tyra Banks, Misty Copeland, Iyanla Vanzant and many more at ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans June 30-July 3. Purchase your tickets now!