Phaedra Parks

**Phaedra Parks** (born October 26, 1973) is an American television personality and lawyer. She is best known for starring in the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

## Early Life

Parks was born in Athens, Georgia.

She attended Wesleyan University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours. She also got a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia as well as a degree in Mortuary Sciences from Jefferson State College.

## Career

Parks, prior to her television career worked as a lawyer and has been acknowledged as one of Atlanta's premiere attorneys, and was one featured on the cover of the magazine Super Lawyers. She has defended numerous celebrities in court, including Bobby Brown.

She is the magazine partner of The Parks Group, an Atlanta-based law firm. She practices law in the areas of entertainment, intellectual property rights and civil and criminal litigation. She has served as president of the Gate City Bar Association and on the advisory board of the American Bar Association. She has been an on-air legal analyst for media outlets including NBC, Fox, CNN, truTV, EXTRA and Entertainment Tonight and has been quoted on legal issues in dozens of publications including The New York Times, Newsweek and People.

Parks is the author of Secrets of the Southern Belle: How to Be Nice, Work Hard, Look Pretty, Have Fun, and Never Have an Off Moment, which provides amusing and entertaining insight and tips on how to have all the charm, confidence and grace of a true Southern Belle.

Also a licensed funeral director, she was in the process of opening a funeral home in the greater Atlanta area.

### The Real Housewives of Atlanta

In 2010, Phaedra joined the cast of the Bravo reality television series for the third season. She then appeared in Season 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

#### **RHOA Taglines**

* Season 3 and 4 - "I'm the ultimate Southern belle. I get what I want."
* Season 5 - "I'm a Southern belle. Brains, beauty and all business."
* Season 6 - "A true Southern belle knows her worth and I am priceless."
* Season 7 - "When it comes to my family I'm the judge and the jury."
* Season 8 - "Only God can judge me and he seems quite impressed."
* Season 9 - "You can't always get what you want but I can."

## Personal Life

### Marriages and Children

Parks has been married twice. She married businessman Apollo Nida on November 1, 2009 and together they have two children: Ayden Adonis (born May 15, 2010) and Dylan (born May 8, 2013). The couple divorced in 2017.

### Philanthropy

Parks is a passionate social activist and is a tireless advocate for African-American boys. Through her nonprofit organisation Save Our Sons she works with communities nationwiade on the importance of male role models in the lives of black models. She has spent time with the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and others who have been victims of violence and unjustified killings. She is a regular fixture in Washington, D.C., where she works with members of Congress on implementing initiatives to provide opportunities for at-risk youth. Parks is also outspoken on civil rights issues and has gone to cities from Selma, Alabama to Flint, Michigan to fight social injustices.

## Family

**Husbands and Partners**

* Apollo Nida (Ex-husband; 2009-2017)

**Children**

* Ayden Nida
* Dylan Nida

## Bibliography

* Southern Belle: How to Be Nice, Work Hard, Look Pretty, Have Fun, and Never Have an Off Moment - (August 1, 2014)