Stitching Up Detroit hosted a launch party this week—with food, live screen printing and performances, DJs, and info booths for local artists and orgs—as a formal celebration of their evolution.
Formed in 2012, Stitching Up Detroit began as a youth-run co-op and was one of the first that made up Grace In Action Collectives, a network of youth-run and worker-owned collectives and cooperatives in Southwest Detroit.
Specializing in graphic design, screen-printing, and vinyl, they had fulfilled orders in a storefront on Vernor, a church on Central, and a one-press garage on The Alley Project before building out their current space at Grace In Action on Lawndale.
Co-founder David Camarena said the launch was important for several reasons, "It is a good way get people to gather, meet new people, and celebrate the transition from a youth run co-op to a worker-owned collective, with the same members, now as adults."
The party featured live performances by Motor City Street Dance Academy and Object The Band and booths by local artists and organizations including Garage Cutural, Philip Patrick, and Freddy Diaz. DJ Skipz and two young DJ’s he mentors in weekly sessions provided the soundtrack for the party. This week was their first time performing in front of a live audience. They took requests while taking turns spinning tunes from start to finish.
