About the Collaboration

Together, Ali Hynek, CEO of Nena & Co, and her longtime friend Danielle Davis wanted to collaborate on a storyboard to bring more awareness to the Juneteenth holiday and celebration.

You may not know that while slavery was banned by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the news was not passed along to the enslaved Black people in Texas. Tragically, they lived as slaves for several years more. On June 19th, 1865, a Union general came to Texas and spread the news that Black people were free! To commemorate that day, which is now called Juneteenth, Black communities would congregate near rivers dressed in fine clothing to eat delicate fruits and beautiful cakes and to drink strawberry juice. This was a peaceful celebration of their resilience. Danielle wanted to recreate these festivities with her family to teach and show her children to love who they are, and to also honor their past and those that paved the way before them - for whom she’s forever grateful.

This collaboration is the first in a series called #MyOOAK. It's an opportunity for inspiring creatives and friends of Nena & Co. to share what One of a Kind means to them!

Resources to Learn More About Juneteenth

This video by AL.com explains more about Juneteenth and why it's celebrated.

This article by Oprah Daily shares information about the history of Juneteenth and the significance of it becoming a federal holiday.

For education about Juneteenth and beyond, we love following @rachel.cargle on Instagram!