06/24/2026
Mac Daddy… she deserves every bit of it.
As we celebrate Juneteenth, I’m reminded that freedom is not only something we remember—it is something we continue to build upon.
From Emancipation in 1863, to the delayed news reaching Texas in 1865, to generations of families who continued moving forward despite unimaginable obstacles, every generation has been tasked with carrying the torch a little farther.
This video is a reminder of what that forward progress can look like.
Watching my daughter, Synovia—affectionately known as Novi and the “No” in my NoJJ—being featured during Kinfolk Fest fills my heart with gratitude and pride.
What I see is more than a successful event. I see education, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, community, and culture converging in one moment.
We often think a degree prepares us for one specific profession, but sometimes its greatest gift is something much larger. It expands the mind. It teaches us how to think, create, solve problems, and imagine new possibilities. The seeds planted through education often reveal themselves years later in ways we never expected.
To witness Novi building community through Mac Daddy Culture Kitchen, creating opportunities, sharing culture, and pursuing work that brings her joy is a beautiful example of that unfolding.
For me, this is also a reminder that legacy is not what we leave behind. Legacy is what continues to grow through the people we pour into, the values we model, and the opportunities each generation creates for the next.
May she continue to dream boldly, build fearlessly, and follow what brings her purpose. And may the benefits of that courage ripple through her family and community for generations to come.
The “No” in NoJJ represents my daughter, Synovia. Today, I’m celebrating her journey, her growth, and the beautiful future she is creating.
Keep going, Novi. The ancestors dreamed. You are building.
🤎