JÜY
The Overflow
JÜY is a brand built with love. Every piece I’ve created has been infused with intention, care, and passion. JÜY was a desire planted in me as a child. I used to cut up clothes and make dresses for my Bratz dolls—sometimes even shoes. I never liked that they came with only one outfit, so I made sure they had options. I drew outfits I admired, and whenever I had the chance to dress up, I did
I grew up wearing uniforms, but even then, everything had to fit a certain way and be styled with intention—right down to my hair. Fashion was so deeply rooted in me that I can still remember moments of my childhood by the outfit I wore. It has always been a part of who I am.
As I got older, I tried to be “realistic.” I attempted to conform to what I thought I should be. I knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how, so my dreams shifted constantly—engineer, doctor, hairstylist, lawyer, teacher, and eventually social worker. While on the path to becoming a social worker, I began doodling designs. It got to the point where I wasn’t even taking notes anymore. I felt an undeniable urge—there was more for me.
I started evaluating what I loved and what I was naturally good at. Creativity had always been there, but I never imagined it could be more than a hobby. Then it dawned on me: I could still help people—through my creativity.
In my second year of university, I reached a breaking point. I couldn’t ignore the feeling anymore. I began journaling, praying, and looking inward—searching for what was already inside of me. One day, while sketching an outfit for an upcoming event, a thought stopped me in my tracks: Why not become a fashion designer? It felt right—but I doubted myself. I questioned what I even knew about sewing.
I sat with the idea for months. I felt discouraged. I wanted to graduate. I wanted to make my family proud.
Eventually, I realized I needed to be honest with myself. I couldn’t move into my third year hating what I was studying. I knew I couldn’t keep fighting it, so I told my big sister—the woman who raised me for the majority of my life. She is my guardian angel, my mother, and I was terrified of letting her down.
During a car ride in 2022, I said it out loud for the first time: I want to be a fashion designer. My heart was racing—I felt like I might pass out—but it also felt freeing. There was a brief silence, then she said, “I know. I could’ve told you that, but you needed to find it yourself.” In that moment, I finally believed I could actually become a fashion designer.
From that point on, my sister became my biggest supporter. I was afraid to tell her I didn’t want to finish school, but instead of fear, she met me with encouragement. She reminded me that staying on a path that wasn’t my passion would only hurt me in the end.
Not knowing what my next step was, I spent the summer traveling through Europe, soaking in inspiration. I sketched constantly, took drawing classes, and immersed myself in creativity—though I still avoided sewing. I worked, procrastinated, and only sewed occasionally, usually for birthdays or special moments.
Then came 2025—the great lock-in. I knew it would be a powerful year, and it was. I created over 25 looks in one year alone. I showed my work for the first time, held onto that momentum, and committed to continuing forward.
I share all of this to honor the path that brought me here. The path was always set before me—I simply had to find my way back to it and learn to enjoy the journey.
My prayer is that JÜY continues to grow into a worldwide brand, known for its uniqueness and heart—a brand that brings love, confidence, and joy to the person wearing it. I thank God for entrusting me with this vision, and my sister for her unwavering love and support.
Focus on the things that bring you JÜY, and know that Jesus is at the center of every desire and every hope.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says the Lord, “thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
FROM JOHANNAH
STRENGHT WORN SOFTLY
I have been through so much in life, especially while raising my three beautiful children. The journey of motherhood came with sacrifices, sleepless nights, hard decisions, and moments where I had to be strong even when I felt weak. There were seasons when I had more questions than answers, and times when the weight of responsibility felt overwhelming. Yet through every high and every low, one thing remained constant—I chose to put God at the center of it all. God has truly kept me. When I didn’t know how I was going to make it, He made a way. When I felt tired, discouraged, or unsure, He renewed my strength. I don’t look like what I’ve been through, and that alone is a testimony of His grace, mercy, and unfailing love. Every trial I faced was not meant to break me, but to shape me, strengthen me, and draw me closer to Him.
Raising my children taught me patience, resilience, and unconditional love. It taught me how to pray harder, believe deeper, and trust God even when the road ahead was unclear. I learned that God’s protection, provision, and guidance never fail when you fully lean on Him. Even in moments of silence, He was working things out behind the scenes.
Love and kindness have always been non-negotiable. No matter what life throws your way, choosing love is powerful. Kindness can soften hearts, heal wounds, and create peace in places where it seems impossible. The world may try to harden you, but love keeps you human, grounded, and connected to God’s heart. Compassion, empathy, and understanding are reflections of who we are called to be.
Always be yourself. Don’t allow society, trends, or the opinions of others to reshape you into something God never intended you to be. You were created uniquely and intentionally. Walking in your authenticity honors God and allows your light to shine without apology. Stay true to your values, your faith, and your identity.
Walking in who God has called you to be is essential. Living in your purpose requires faith, obedience, and courage. It’s not always easy, and the path may not always make sense, but purpose gives meaning to every step. Even setbacks are setups for growth, and delays are not denials. Trust God’s timing and trust the process He has you in.
Always value yourself. Know your worth. Pour into yourself spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Take time to heal from what hurt you, grow from what challenged you, and rest when you need to. Taking care of yourself is not selfish—it is necessary. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and God desires for you to be whole.
Choose positivity, even in difficult seasons. Guard your heart and mind. Speak life over yourself and your situation. Faith and a positive spirit can shift atmospheres, bring clarity, and open doors you never imagined possible.
Above all, remain kind. Stay humble. Stay grateful. Continue to pray, believe, and trust God with every part of your life. Walk confidently in your purpose, knowing that God has already gone before you, ordered your steps, and equipped you with everything you need.
No matter what you’ve been through, remember this: you are still standing, still growing, and still becoming everything God has called you to be. Keep going. Keep believing. Keep loving. God is not finished with you yet.
BY MITSY M
YOUR RIVER
Close your eyes. Imagine the hush of waves, salt in the air, a memory settling gently.
Now look down— cool water moves past your ankles, certain, unquestioning. Sand shifts beneath you, ancient and patient.
The sky blushes pink and blue, calm as recognition. The stream keeps moving, stones softened by time, finding purpose in being touched, then released.
Though banks erode and paths rearrange, each moment is singular. The river remains.
It slows, but never stops. It knows where it’s going.
See yourself in its reflection— moments slipping through you, changing you, staying with you.
You cannot stand in the same river twice. It has moved on. So have you.
The river flows through the world, and the world through you. Your river lives within— etched behind your eyes.
BY SHAUN MILLER
To my younger self:
You will face challenges that will test every part of you. There will be moments when it feels like you won’t make it out, moments when the weight is heavy and the road ahead looks impossible. But don’t give up. Those moments are not meant to break you; they are meant to shape you.
The path the Lord has placed before you will not always be easy. It will require patience, obedience, and faith when you don’t understand what He’s doing. But trust this: the journey will be rewarding in ways you cannot yet imagine. Every delay has a purpose. Every lesson is preparing you for what’s ahead.
Believe in yourself, in your dreams, and in your goals. Do not rush the process or take shortcuts. Shortcuts may look appealing, but they always come at a cost. When you skip steps, the results eventually reveal it and you’ll end up working harder to fix what patience could have built correctly. Take your time. Do things the right way, with integrity and a pure heart.
Love deeply. Love genuinely. Cherish the people in your life and hold them tight, because tomorrow is never promised. Say what needs to be said. Forgive when it’s hard. Be present while you still have the chance.
To the upcoming generation:
Learn to value what you have. What you take for granted today is someone else’s prayer. Gratitude will keep you grounded, and humility will take you further than pride ever could. Love people unconditionally not for what they can give you, but for who they are. People are more valuable than possessions, and material things will never replace real connection.
Never place things above people. Success means nothing if you lose your heart along the way.
Above all, believe in yourself and believe in your God. He will never fail you, even when it feels like everything else has. Better days are coming. Keep going, stay faithful, and remain true to who you are because in the end, you will rise, and you will win.
BY CMK
There was a time when I learned how to blend in well.
I wore what made sense, what softened my edges, what allowed me to pass quietly without being questioned. I told myself I liked it. And maybe I did, at least enough to survive. But slowly, something subtle began to happen. Pieces of me grew quieter. My colors dimmed. My story learned how to whisper. It took slowing down to notice.
It took listening inward to realize that self-abandonment can look a lot like adaptation. That understanding found me while walking through the streets of Nyali, Kenya, with salt in the air and memories under my feet. Back in the motherland, a place I call home, a place I call home; I began to remember who I was before I learned how to disappear.
It felt familiar, yet distant; not the place, but how I was held. The land asked nothing of me except presence. The colors did not apologize. The pace made room for being. It was there that I discovered the art of brass.
For the first time, my creativity was welcomed, my difference valued. I was embraced by teachings. Curiosity followed; not about one person, but about tracing the life in our hands, the marks we leave behind, and the wisdom that travels with us, the shared belonging that holds us across place, time, and story.
ADA statement was born from that reckoning: the choice to stop disappearing and begin choosing meaning over trends. Working closely with Kenyan brass artisans, we help create the conditions for this craft to continue; to be practiced, taught, and passed down as living knowledge. When artisans are seen and supported, brass becomes more than material. It becomes an inheritance.
Living between worlds, as a Kenyan-born, Canadian-raised creative, has shown me how culture lives in hands and stories. ADA statement bridges tradition and the contemporary, honoring skills passed through generations while shaping a language for the present, linking past and present, home and diaspora, those who came before and those finding their own voice—and through our custom designs, you become part of this story.
What was once hidden is now celebrated; what once whispered is now bold. Jewelry that commands attention, speaking even before a word is spoken.
Choosing meaning over trends is an act of care; a quiet declaration that culture lives in our hands, evolves, and should be shared. In honoring this art, I honor the journey. Trust that choosing yourself is where something real begins.
With Love, Vero Amakobe
Creative Director, ADA statement
discipline, and trust in God’s assignment over your excitement, but few stay committed through uncertainty, slow progress, or lack of immediate reward. Yet it is in the finishing that purpose is revealed, impact is realized, and character is formed.
Styled by Nif was built through this very principle
Each project, event, campaign, and community initiative began as an idea — often bigger than the resources available at the time. But by choosing to follow through, I have watched concepts become culture-shifting experiences, creatives find platforms, communities find belonging, and partners discover new possibilities for engagement and growth. The work is not just about producing beautiful outcomes; it is about building systems, opportunities, and representation that last beyond a single moment.
My greatest reminder is this: God does not start what He does not intend to finish through you.
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” — Philippians 1:6
By: Nifemi Adeleye (Founder, Styled by Nif)
Oath to the Self
Before I loved another, I swore allegiance inward. Not to comfort— to truth.
I trained in silence, where no one crowns you, where strength is measured by return, not display. A warrior learns this early: what you repeat becomes law.
I saw myself clearly— the weapon and the wound. Flaws sharpened by fire. Discipline forged from delay. I stopped asking who I could be and started acting like it.
Worth is not granted. It is claimed, then defended daily. In posture. In finish. In restraint.
I fell in love with becoming— the long march, the breath between strikes, the patience to master one thing instead of chasing many.
Purpose chose me the moment I stayed when quitting was easier. Greatness recognized me when I honored my word.
I do not need praise. I need alignment. I walk forward armed with self-trust, bound by my own oath, unfinished— and unbreakable.
BY N’GONI
