Archive of Events

In honor of the launch of Karriem Riggins' and Jae Barber's label collective, the hip-hop producer and record executive joined Shinola Hotel in the Living Room to talk through their journey as they partner in making music history. They shared a few up and coming releases with features of artists such as Kaytranada, BJ The Chicago Kid, Black Thought, Madlib, and Norah Jones. DJ Drake Phifer joined them for a special performance.

Citizen Yoga Founder, Kacee Must, began the even with a 45 minute philosophy talk, followed by a 75 minute YinYasa class led by Nick Zaborowski and Kacee Must. For a unique yoga experience, this event featured live music by the Detroit Medical Orchestra String Quartet. Proceeds from the event were donated to support Ukraine.

In honor of World Art Day, Dayana Juarez painted live art in the Living Room. The theme of her artwork was Detroit parks and landscape to celebrate Earth Day. Dayana is a Chicana artist from Southwest Detroit currently pursuing a BFA at College for Creative Studies.

In March, Shinola Hotel hosted Natasha Miller in the Living Room. In honor of National Poetry Day, she talked through her experience with grief and the loss of her brother, Marcus, and recited poems from her latest book, Butcher.

Drake Phifer is a Detroit bred multimedia and production entrepreneur and tastemaker with an affinity for community and cultural advocacy. He has impacted the music industry as well as the arts and culture community. His DJ sets are mystical and "vibey", drawing on elements of soul across hip hop, soul, house, afrobeat, and other universal rhythms. Drake is featured in the Living Room every other Thursday.

Although the holiday season had come to an end, the season of giving was far from over. From February 1st to March 31st, one dollar from every Hot Tin Roof cocktail was donated to the Empowerment Plan, a Detroit non-profit fighting homelessness. At the end of the campaign, Shinola Hotel matched the total donations.

We celebrated Thomas Parker, one of the first Black landowners in Detroit, by dedicating a plaque in his honor at the entrance of Parker's Alley. This event included speakers such as Neil Barclay from the Charles H. Wright Museum and poet Natasha Miller, with performances from the Ralphe Armstrong Trio and DJ Drake Phifer.

Citizen Yoga Founder, Kacee Must, helped us fight off the winter blues with a lecture on philosophy and the power of introspection, followed by a 90 minute flow. For a unique yoga experience, personal headphones were used, and participants could listen to a custom curated playlist by DJ Mehul. All proceeds benefited Kadima, a foundation providing hopeful and meaningful lives through recovery without stigma for all people with mental health challenges.

Inspirational singer and songwriter, Reverend Robert Jones Sr. shared his deep love for traditional African American and American music through live performances that interweaved timeless stories with original and traditional songs.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, award-winning poet Natasha Miller helped spread the love in Shinola Hotel’s Living Room. The Detroit-native used an old fashioned typewriter to curate complimentary custom love notes and letters for guests and visitors.

Dayana Juarez, an art student at the College for Creative Studies and local Detroiter, helped us transform the Living Room into a room for Live Art. Dayana uses her artwork to express her spiritual journey, Hispanic culture, and suppressed emotions. On Sunday, she painted a tribute to Homero Gomez, a Mexican environmental activist who was recently killed. Gomez spent years trying to protect the monarch butterflies from illegal logging and criminal groups in Michoacan, Mexico.

Michael Brown, Herb Harris Jr., and Herb's son Breian honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through the sound of music. The three performed "Glory" from Selma, an Ava DuVernay film about the struggle for voting rights.

In partnership with We Are Culture Creators, Shinola Hotel hosted a Latinx happy hour in the Living Room for people to enjoy Latinx art, music, and culture. We Are Culture Creators, founded by Michael Reyes, is a media-arts collective and label that features some of Detroit's best young talent.

Detroit Actor's Theatre Co. kicked off the holiday season with a festive music series in our Living Room. The holiday cabaret and jazz trio performed throughout the month of December for Shinola Hotel guests and visitors.

Rudy Francisco, Ebony Stewart, and Natasha Miller are three of the most recognizable names in spoken word poetry, and they joined us in the Living Room for a poetry show.

Citizen Yoga founder, Kacee Must, helped us step out of our comfort zone with a lecture on philosophy and the power of introspection followed by a 90 minute flow. For a unique yoga experience, personal CtyHop headphones were used, and participants could listen to a custom curated playlist by DJ Mehul. All proceeds benefited Haven, a foundation that provides shelter and support providing for those effected by domestic abuse.

Intimate conversations and live performances by the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit were enjoyed in the Living Room. The Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is an out-of-school creative youth development organization that empowers young people to maximize their potential through professional performing arts training and through the creation of theatrical and musical art that engages, transforms and inspires.

Detroit’s very own Chef George Azar of Flowers of Vietnam and Devita Davison of FoodLab Detroit joined Esquire magazine editor and author Jeff Gordinier to share their occupational and sensory experiences at Chef René Redzepi’s two-Michelin star restaurant, Noma. Gordinier, who spent four years with Redzepi, chronicled his time there in his latest book, Hungry.

Manifest Destiny, curated by Ingrid LaFleur, examines the practical implementation of the cultural movement Afrofuturism to alter destinies within Detroit and beyond. LaFleur moderated the Manifest Destiny artist talk with Ute Petit, Lady PheOnix, Alisha Wormsley, Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes, and Jasmine Murrell. The artists discussed how their work explores new modes of thinking, planning, and building for the Afrofuture.

Herb Boyd, an award-winning journalist and author of Black Detroit: A People’s History of Self-Determination. Mr. Boyd chronicled the fascinating history of Detroit and Parker’s Alley through the lens of the African American Experience. Shinola Hotel’s Parker’s Alley pays homage to Thomas Parker, a free black man who became one of the first black landowners in the city of Detroit.

Detroit Song Collective is working to make the art form of “song” accessible and meaningful for people in and around Detroit. We enjoyed a performance of vocal music by Dr. Jonathan Lasch and Caitlin Lynch, violin by Sonia Lee and piano by Jean Schneider.

We celebrated National Poetry Month with a live poetry performance by award-winning author and poet Mahogany L. Browne.