Carrington Franklin A Heartfelt Story of Family Faith and Life Beyond the Spotlight

Basic Information

Carrington Franklin’s story begins in a family already touched by music, faith, complicated histories, and a very public life. Yet when I look at Carrington’s journey, the most interesting part is not the famous surname attached to it. It is the way she has built an identity that feels distinctly her own.

Born on May 13, 1989, Carrington is the daughter of Tammy Collins, who later became Tammy Franklin after marrying gospel superstar Kirk Franklin. Kirk entered Carrington’s life when she was approximately five years old. What began as a relationship between a young girl and her mother’s boyfriend eventually became something much deeper. After Kirk and Tammy married on January 20, 1996, Kirk legally adopted Carrington.

That distinction matters because Kirk has repeatedly rejected the idea that Carrington is merely a “bonus child.” In his words and actions, she is his daughter. He has described her as his baby and one of his best friends, creating a relationship that has remained one of the warmer and more visible connections within the Franklin family.

Growing Up Franklin

Carrington grew up around the unusual rhythm of a rising gospel music career. Kirk Franklin’s world included recording studios, concerts, church events, travel, television appearances, and a growing public profile. Behind that bright stage light, however, was a blended family learning how to become a family.

The household included several different relationships. Carrington was Tammy’s daughter from an earlier relationship. Kirk had his son Kerrion from a previous relationship. Kirk and Tammy later welcomed Kennedy and Caziah together.

The result was a family tree with several branches, but Carrington’s relationship with Kirk became particularly strong.

Kirk’s own childhood helps explain why fatherhood became such a central part of his identity. He was abandoned by his biological parents and raised by his great aunt Gertrude Franklin, who adopted him. That history left him with a deep sensitivity to rejection and family instability.

I find that detail especially important when looking at his relationship with Carrington. Kirk has spoken about parenting from fear because he desperately wanted his children to avoid the pain he had experienced. His determination to show up for Carrington became part of that larger story.

Education and Alpha Kappa Alpha

Carrington did not simply rely on her family’s name. She pursued her own education and professional direction.

She attended Baylor University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree connected to journalism, public relations, and management. Her college years also included her involvement with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She crossed in Fall 2010 through the Pi Mu Chapter at Baylor.

She later pursued graduate education at Dallas Baptist University, earning a master’s degree in organizational communication management.

Those academic choices fit naturally with the career she eventually built. Public relations, communication, branding, and media became the tools through which Carrington could create a professional identity outside the recording booth and away from her father’s celebrity.

A Career Built Around Branding

Carrington is a brand manager, publicist, creative professional, and media personality. She founded Liz Kennedy Brand Management, a Dallas based boutique branding and public relations company, and has served as its CEO and Creative Director.

Her earlier career included internships and positions involving Christian radio, event coordination, social media, marketing, executive assistance, and charitable organizations. Those experiences gave her a practical understanding of how people, organizations, and brands communicate with the public.

By around 2017, she had developed her own business direction.

There is something fitting about that career path. Kirk built a musical brand capable of filling arenas and reaching millions of listeners. Carrington works on the architecture behind brands, shaping how people and organizations tell their stories.

She also became part of the media conversation herself through In Real Life with Tammy & Carrington, a SiriusXM program centered on faith, family, relationships, motherhood, and everyday experiences.

The show gives listeners something different from traditional celebrity programming. Rather than simply talking about fame, the mother and daughter duo can talk about marriage, parenting, generational wisdom, faith, and the messy details that make family life recognizable.

Carrington and Tammy Franklin

One of the most compelling aspects of Carrington’s narrative is his friendship with Tammy Franklin.

In addition to becoming Carrington’s first mother, Tammy served as a link between Carrington’s early years and the family she would later have with Kirk. Carrington has characterized her mother as sophisticated, deliberate, compassionate, and powerful.

Carrington’s approach to parenthood seems to be especially influenced by that.

Additionally, the women have accepted their ties to their multigenerational families. Carrington has talked lovingly of her grandmother Esther, also referred to as “Gammy,” and other family members who contributed to the development of the family’s customs.

It feels more like a lengthy chain of hands extending forward and backward throughout generations than a single family portrait.

Kirk Franklin as a Father

Kirk Franklin’s relationship with Carrington is unusually affectionate in public.

He has described her as someone he can talk to about anything. They share interests, including sneakers and faith, and their relationship has been presented as one based on friendship as much as parenthood.

When Carrington married Maxx Nakwaasah on October 1, 2016, Kirk played a particularly meaningful role. He walked her down the aisle and officiated the wedding.

That moment carried more weight than a traditional father of the bride appearance. Kirk had entered Carrington’s life when she was a little girl, then eventually became her legal father. Years later, he was standing beside her as she entered another major chapter of adulthood.

Carrington has also described him as present, consistent, supportive, and the best daddy.

Marriage to Maxx Nakwaasah

Carrington met Maxx Nakwaasah around 2009, years before their wedding. Their relationship eventually led to an engagement in 2015 and marriage in Dallas on October 1, 2016.

Maxx, who has Nigerian roots and works as an accountant, is frequently described by Carrington as her best friend, protector, and partner in faith and parenting.

The couple is sometimes affectionately associated with the nickname “carrmaxx.”

Their family grew when their son, Shiloh Mekhi Nakwaasah, was born on April 13, 2020. Their daughter, Levi Noelle Nakwaasah, followed in January 2023.

Carrington’s public presence shifted naturally with motherhood. Her social media posts often center on family life, marriage, prayer, fitness, travel, and parenting rather than celebrity appearances.

The Franklin Siblings

Carrington’s siblings represent several different chapters of the Franklin family story.

Kerrion Franklin

Kerrion Franklin is Kirk’s oldest son from a previous relationship. Born around 1988, he has worked as an author, producer, cinematographer, and reality television personality.

His relationship with Kirk has been the most publicly complicated of the family’s relationships. Periods of estrangement, allegations, heated disagreements, and attempts at reconciliation have all become part of the public record.

In 2021, a leaked recording of a heated conversation between Kirk and Kerrion generated significant attention. Kirk later apologized for his language and acknowledged that the argument reflected deeper family pain.

Despite the conflict, Kirk has continued to describe Kerrion as his son and has spoken about wanting healing within their relationship.

Kennedy Franklin

Kennedy Franklin, born May 4, 1997, is Kirk and Tammy’s biological daughter.

She attended Baylor University, where she was involved in cheerleading, and later earned a master’s degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her interests have included creative campaigns and marketing.

Kirk has affectionately referred to Kennedy as his “twin,” another indication of the warmth he publicly expresses toward his children.

Caziah Rashad Franklin

Caziah Rashad Franklin was born in September 2000 and is Kirk and Tammy’s youngest child.

He has been described as a storyteller and free spirited traveler. In August 2024, he married Alena Pitts, and the couple has shared aspects of their travels and outdoor lifestyle.

His relationship with Kirk has generally been presented as affectionate, with Kirk celebrating his son’s transition into marriage and adulthood.

A Family Shaped by Healing

The Franklin family story becomes more layered when Kirk’s own biological history enters the picture.

In 2023, while working on a Father’s Day project, Kirk learned through DNA confirmation that Rick Hubbard was his biological father. The discovery forced him to confront questions about identity, abandonment, and the family history he had spent decades trying to understand.

That experience naturally connects with his approach to fatherhood.

Kirk has often described his parenting as an attempt to give his children what he did not have. At times, that instinct may have become overprotective or fearful. At other times, it has produced an extraordinary emphasis on presence and connection.

Carrington’s relationship with Kirk illustrates the more positive side of that effort.

She entered his life as a five year old girl. She became his legally adopted daughter. She grew into an educated professional, married her best friend, became a mother, and created a career independent of his fame.

Now Kirk is also a grandfather through Carrington’s children, Shiloh and Levi.

The family tree has grown again.

Life Away From the Spotlight

Carrington leads a rather secluded existence despite her relationship to one of the most well-known figures in gospel music.

She shares snippets of her life on Instagram, although the topics of family, faith, marriage, motherhood, fitness, travel, and thankfulness are typically highlighted. She doesn’t seem to be interested in making headlines out of every intimate encounter.

Her tale is unique in part because of that balance.

Although Carrington Franklin is associated with celebrity, it does not fully define her. Her career is focused on communication and branding. Her husband, kids, parents, siblings, and faith play a major role in her personal life.

She occupies an intriguing area between her own daily life and her public family history.

Carrington Franklin’s Family at a Glance

FAQ

Who is Carrington Franklin?

Carrington Franklin Nakwaasah is the daughter of Tammy Franklin and the legally adopted daughter of gospel artist Kirk Franklin. She is a branding professional, publicist, media personality, wife, and mother.

When was Carrington Franklin born?

Carrington Franklin was born on May 13, 1989, in the United States. Some secondary material has listed 1990, but 1989 is the more consistently reported year.

Did Kirk Franklin adopt Carrington?

Yes. Kirk Franklin legally adopted Carrington after marrying her mother, Tammy Collins, in January 1996. He has repeatedly emphasized that he considers Carrington his daughter rather than a “bonus child.”

Who is Carrington Franklin’s husband?

Carrington is married to Maxx Nakwaasah. They met around 2009, became engaged in 2015, and married in Dallas on October 1, 2016.

How many children does Carrington Franklin have?

Carrington has two children with Maxx Nakwaasah. Their son Shiloh Mekhi was born on April 13, 2020, and their daughter Levi Noelle was born in January 2023.

What does Carrington Franklin do for a living?

Carrington works in branding, public relations, communications, and media. She is the CEO and Creative Director of Liz Kennedy Brand Management and also co-hosts In Real Life with Tammy & Carrington.

Where did Carrington Franklin go to college?

Carrington attended Baylor University and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations, and management. She later pursued graduate education in organizational communication management at Dallas Baptist University.

Is Carrington Franklin a singer like Kirk Franklin?

Carrington is not primarily known as a recording artist or gospel performer. Her professional identity is centered more on branding, communications, media, entrepreneurship, and family.

Who are Carrington Franklin’s siblings?

Her siblings include Kerrion Franklin, Kirk Franklin’s son from a previous relationship, and Kennedy Franklin and Caziah Rashad Franklin, Kirk and Tammy Franklin’s biological children.

What is Carrington Franklin’s relationship with Kirk Franklin?

Carrington and Kirk have publicly portrayed their relationship as very close. Kirk has called her one of his best friends, and Carrington has described him as a present, supportive father who has consistently been there for her.

Does Carrington Franklin have a relationship with her biological father?

Her biological father’s identity has remained private and is not publicly established in the available biographical material. Carrington’s public family story centers primarily on her mother Tammy and her adoptive father Kirk.

What is the Franklin family’s connection to faith?

Faith is one of the family’s strongest recurring themes. Kirk’s career is rooted in gospel music, while Carrington and Tammy frequently discuss prayer, marriage, motherhood, relationships, and intentional family life through their media work and public conversations.