July 3rd is Tonyaβsβ aka βThe Food Griotβsβ aka βT. HOP!βsβ Birthdayβ£οΈ β¦ Hey, thatβs TODAY!!! ππ½π«
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π½οΈ Part 1: My shameless Birthday WISH β¨ β Help Keep This Platform Nourished & Thriving! β¦πΆ βHappy Birthday to me / to TFGβ¦β πΆ
Todayβs the perfect day to show some serious LOVE for this platform built on ffacts, flavor, freedom!, gratitude and lots of loveβ¦.
If you appreciate the work I doβserving up real history with culinary creativity in ways not everyone wants brought to lightβconsider offering a gift of support. Youβve got plenty of options, and every one helps:
π Join my Patreon at any affordable levelβ itβs a win-win: you get exclusive content + I get to build a culinary-history centered community AND keep giving gifts to you guysβ¦
πΈ You can give a TIP or Go big on Venmo or PayPal if the birthday spirit moves you. A little goes a long way.β£οΈ
π£ Give a TFG testimonial (kudos go a long way), a lead, a referral β thatβs currency too.
π Give feedback, share the platform, spread the word.
ππ½ποΈ Hereβs my π LINKTREE to access any and all the above-mentioned ways to help make my birthday wishes come true. Thanks in advance!ππΎ
Bottom line: This is resource-intensive work β not hobby content. Your support helps cover the real costs of research, storytelling, tech, admin, and staying visible in a noisy algorithm-driven world.
And hey, itβs not just MY birthday β itβs the eve of this nationβs, too! This is that time of year I refer to as FREEDOM SEASON: from Juneteenthβs 17 Days of Freedom (aka Uhuru Season) which culminates on July 5th, to βJames Hemings July,β to βNational Ice Cream Monthβ (when Jamesβ legacy lives on in every scoop!β¦), to Bastille Day on July 14th β I bet yβall didnβt even know βtil NOW that James Hemings was THERE along with Thomas Jefferson when that all went down in July of 1789! Iβve therefore declared this the season for celebrating so many amazing things: birth dates, brilliance, revolution, resilience, liberty (aka FREEDOM), and joy! My work lives in all of those sweet spots β and with your help, it will continue to.
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π Part 2: IRL Fun for NYC Folks
Hey NYC metro-area fam β if youβre nearby and feeling festive, come help me toast another spin around the sun! π₯ππΎπ
No surprise Iβll be celebrating in myriad ways today, this week, weekend - and yes all JULY long lol) right here in my beloved BROOKLYN (oh and Baltimore! and LA β maybe β¦ ) and would love to loop you in & raise a glass together. So much gratitude for all the connections, collaborations, care, and continued joy we share. π
π² DM me if you need deets or want to connect β casual hangs, secret sips, or celebratory bites might be in your future. π«
Stay(ing) Tuned,
Tonya
ποΈ Check out my π LINKTREE for myriad ways to see whatβs going on at a glance