Sometimes talking with fans can bring about a deeper level of honesty from stars that journalists just can't get, and it's refreshing. A great example of this is Keke Palmer's conversation with her fans on Facebook Live this week about her upcoming book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Belong-You-Quiet-Noise/dp/1501145398" target="_blank"><em>I Don't Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice</em></a>.
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Keke-Palmer.jpeg" alt="Keke Palmer " width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-745024" />
During her chat with fans, she was asked why she decided to share her story in a book. The simple question unleashed some unbridled truth from Palmer about overcoming tough beginnings in Robbins, Illinois with her family with the help of unwavering faith and determination. It's her hope that her story will encourage others. Here's what she had to say in full:
<blockquote>I decided to write a book because I felt like so much of my life was similar to others. So many people watch my career and sit back and think they can't do the things I can do because they think I came from a privileged lifestyle. I'm trying to let ya'll know immediately, I've been through some sh-t. Some <em>real</em> sh-t, ya'll. I didn't come from glitter and glow.
The reason why I'm in the entertainment business is because my parents believe in God. Honestly. My parents believed in God so much that they saw Him in my eyes and they decided to drive four days and three nights to California to help me pursue my dreams. They believed that if what they felt was true and I was able to succeed, in whatever fashion that meant, it would be a testimony to other people that they could be whatever they want to be because God is real. God will carry you if you're coming from a true place.
I come from a poor community. My daddy drew his pension in order for me to be able to pursue my dreams. I actually came to California, drove four days and three nights and at 22, 23 years old I'm still in the industry and I have a book to write the testimony about all of it? Guys, God is real. And that's why to this day I'm so grateful to my parents because that's the number one thing they taught me: faith...
It really was Godsent how everything happened for us ... When we got here, the first couple of weeks, I got a Kmart commercial. People really thought I was born into this industry. They felt like it was handed to me. But that was the gag, and that's the gag that my family, we all have. At the end of the day, it wasn't handed to me. At the end of the day, the cards were against me. At the end of the day, I did grow up on Section 8. At the end of the day, I have experienced abuse, sexual abuse. I have experienced turmoil in my family. We have a strong bond but we've been through some sh-t.
The point is not to hide those things, because when we hide those things we stop other people from being able to envision that life for themselves. Somebody may have gotten abused, somebody may have been put down, somebody mama wasn't in their life, somebody daddy wasn't in their life -- whatever it could have been. If they don't see that anybody else has gone through that, and people keep acting as though they live these perfect lives, then it really doesn't allow other people to be inspired and motivated to go beyond their current realities. It leaves them in a position of thinking they're not good enough or this life wasn't offered to them to be good. The reality is it doesn't matter where you're from, it doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter what your daddy did to you or what your mama did to you, it matters what you do with yourself. And that is the reality.</blockquote>
Her comments begin around the 11:45 mark and are definitely worth a listen as reminder that anything is possible.
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As for her book, <em>I Don't Belong to You </em>it is set to be released on January 31 and is sure to be a great read.
<em>Images via WENN</em>
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