Precious Lee in bright colors 60s style for ELLE US April.

Rising model star Precious Lee covers the April 2022 issue of ELLE US, styled by the legendary Patti Wilson in AZ Factory, Bad Binch, Balaclava, Bottega Veneta, Christian Cowan, Eric Javits, Maison Atia, Michael Kors Collection, Mônot, Moschino [cover], Sinéad O’Dwyer and more. Photographer Adrienne Raquel [IG] is behind the lens for ‘The Unstoppable Precious Lee’./ Hair by Evanie Frausto; makeup by Raoúl Alejandre

Growing Up Like an Atlanta Peach Queen

Precious Lee wears white trench coat with black piping for ELLE US.

AOC has told the Precious Lee story several times now. We are well aware that the Atlanta beauty has continually resisted external expectations of what she can and cannot do. Her glorious family was not only behind her efforts but cultivated a home life centered around the good life.

Most likely a few Atlanta bluebloods would raise an eyebrow over her cosmetologist, hair-salons-owning father wearing Versace and “silk shirts unbuttoned with gold chains.” But in this interview with Alexis Okeowo and others, it’s clear that Lee’s family nurtured her enormous self-confidence and comfort level with being in the spotlight.

Lee admits that she hasn’t spoken to the fact that her sister Charisma died in a car accident when she was young. Checking a couple earlier articles, we haven’t talked about this tragic event in Lee’s young life.

“It was so much pain at that age from losing the brightest light,” Lee says. “I actually never talk about this in interviews, but it’s just really important to because I’m starting to realize and understand how transformative that age was for me in being able to tap into things that were creative as an outlet for healing for me.”

Confronting Stereotypes: A Move to the Front of the Bus

Precious Lee wears purple headpiece in ELLE US April 2022 fashion story.

Precious Lee needs to develop this story in a TED Talk. It should inspire us all. Lee was no different than many young women about pursuing competitive cheerleading. I have to believe it’s even more competitive in the South. Precious Lee believes that mastering ‘healthy competition’ is key to success in the modern world.

Early in practice, the coach began organizing the physical structure of the cheerleading squad. She assigned Precious a base position, at the bottom of the pyramid, because of her height and size, leaving Lee hurt and confused. Today popular culture calls it a “micro-aggression” and people carry these perceived insults for years.

Precious Lee wasn’t having it.

So she stood up. “Something just came over me, and I just started doing every jump, and I did a roundoff into a split. And I was crying because I knew I was good,” Lee recalls. “[It was] my version of refusing to be put in a box. I was like, ‘There’s no way.’” When she finished, the coach came over to hug her, and said Lee would be at the front.

It might be self-nurturing to print out this story about Precious Lee and frame it. Because Lee had practiced relentlessly, making certain that she was primed and ready to show her skills, it was easy to push “GO” and show her skills.

Most of us are wallflowers in that situation. To learn lessons from Precious Lee, we must absorb the entire story, including her mastery of the cheerleading routine. Lee KNEW how good she was, and I daresay her family regularly applauded her progress, because she constantly performed in front of them.

I love this story and am truly sorry to hear the sad story about the loss of Precious’ sister Charisma in an automobile accident. To close, I would LOVE to be drifting invisibly in the corner of the room when Precious Lee and Patti Wilson are in the stylin’ groove. ~ Anne