BY TRACIE FRANKLIN

“Sweet Smell of Success” is a deeply personal twist on a Manhattan that honors every person, brand, mentor, and ancestor who shaped my journey—celebrating gratitude, resilience, and generational legacy through spirits that represent opportunity, allyship, sacrifice, and the faith that defines my success.

BY FRANK MILLS

A phrase rooted in Frank’s childhood, Power Up! is a call to awaken life, energy, and self-worth—an exclamation that mirrors Black Lives Matter! in its insistence on the right to live, thrive, and be protected. Grounded in Frank’s Ghanaian heritage and the enduring legacy of Black resilience, this work urges the world to power up now—confront injustice, honor life, and move boldly toward collective prosperity.

BY ANDRA ‘AJ’ JOHNSON

In creating the pop-up’s namesake cocktail, AJ set out to challenge the myths surrounding Black cocktails and Black people alike, using her work to confront bias, honor her community, and declare—through collective creativity and purpose—that Back to Black is about not just survival, but thriving.

BY FRANK MILLS

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre destroyed Greenwood—known as Black Wall Street—killing up to 300 people, burning over 1,400 homes and businesses, and erasing a thriving Black community from history for decades, and this cocktail honors the centennial of that loss and resilience through Hal Singer, the last male survivor, celebrating remembrance, endurance, and life rebuilt from ashes.

BY AL THOMPSON

The Door of No Return in Ouidah, Benin, symbolizes the start of the African Diaspora, and this cocktail—featuring peanuts, tamarind, and suya—pays homage to Africa’s rich resources and the people whose forced departure through slavery reshaped cultures worldwide while facing exclusion from the societies they helped enrich.

BY CHRISSY SHEFFEY

Ntozake Shange, celebrated for her groundbreaking works like For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, illuminated the sexism and racism faced by Black women while celebrating their resilience and self-love, leaving an enduring impact on my life and the world that I strive to honor.

BY RICHARD STERLING

The Rosewood Massacre of 1923 saw white mobs—spurred by a false accusation—destroy a thriving all-Black town in Florida, murdering residents, burning homes and churches, and forcing Black women and children to flee into the woods and swamps, a tragedy this cocktail honors in remembrance of their survival, sacrifice, and stolen history.

BY ANDRA ‘AJ’ JOHNSON

Inspired by the Selma Marches and Bloody Sunday of March 7, 1965, this cocktail blends Alabama’s core flavors—peach, blackberry, and pecan—to honor the unbreakable resilience of the Black community and the historic triumph of crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 25, symbolically slaying the legacy of white supremacy.

BY MICHAEL HOLIDAY JR

Mina draws on Elmina Castle’s history in the Atlantic slave trade, while the Liberate red hibiscus honors West African communal traditions, and the inclusion of Uncle Nearest celebrates those reshaping the narrative and creating opportunities for Black people in the beverage industry.

BY RICHARD STERLING

Being Black in America is a constant negotiation between creativity and survival—fighting to retain voice, history, safety, and dignity in a system shaped by racism and capitalism—while still choosing to uplift future generations by ensuring Black children are seen, supported, and given the tools to thrive beyond what society expects of them.

BY PRINCESS JOHNSON

Princess definitely wanted to use rum from the Caribbean, because that’s her cultural upbringing. Princess also wanted to have a very approachable cocktail. Princess decided to make Royal Haze since it signifies royalty. We as African American need to understand we are all Kings and Queens, always.

BY HAKIM HAMID

Hakim Hamid brings precision, flair, and education to hospitality, captivating guests with expertly crafted cocktails that teach the story behind every ingredient and technique, and now he brings this unforgettable experience to his hometown of Washington, D.C.

BY ANDRA ‘AJ’ JOHNSON

You know, be able to do something great in your life, you're gonna have to realize your failures. You're gonna have to embrace them and figure out how to overcome it. - Dave Chappelle

BY ERIN IVEY

As a woman of color in the male-dominated hospitality industry, Erin faces heightened scrutiny and limited opportunities, which fuels her passion for education and drives her support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation’s mission to close the achievement gap and expand higher education access for children of color.

BY CHRIS MARTINO

Chris views his time in DC’s hospitality scene as a chance to connect with diverse people while navigating the joys and challenges of being Black in America, and through Back to Black, he aims to craft exceptional cocktails that also raise awareness of civil rights injustices locally and globally.

BY KAPRI JOHNSON

Inspired by Emeline Jones, a 19th-century chef whose influence helped shape American cuisine, Kapri strives to create work that endures beyond her lifetime, honoring the lasting legacy of African labor and culture.

BY KAPRI ROBINSON

On May 13, 1985, the Philadelphia government bombed the MOVE organization—founded by John Africa—then allowed the resulting fire to destroy 60 homes, kill 11 people, and leave 250 homeless without accountability for decades, a stark example of state violence used to suppress Black progress and a haunting contrast to the delayed response toward white supremacist terrorism.