I love heirlooms—anything sentimental, really. I believe they should be displayed, not just kept hidden in a closet somewhere. My main passion is repurposing something you love into something you will use or show off, so everyone can enjoy that part of who you are.

Our mission at Refried Okra is to Repurpose, Reintroduce, and Reconnect. Repurpose—give new life to items that no longer seem to have a purpose. Reintroduce—bring back those things we once loved but somehow grew out of or moved away from. Reconnect—learn to love the things our ancestors cherished and find ways to incorporate them into our lives to remember who we are and where we came from, all while staying true to ourselves and giving it our own personal twist.

As for our name… a few years ago, I had a small garden in our backyard. One night, we prepared a small crop of okra into one of our favorites—fried okra. One of my children made a comment about not liking it, and I responded, “Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it isn’t good.” Then it hit me—too often, we worry about whether other people will like what we create. But we don’t need everyone’s approval. I figured if I liked it, someone else would too. Add in the “re” for repurposed, and there you have it—Refried Okra.