The HUBB Arts and Trauma Center is at its heart a youth community and development center. So when the pandemic changed the world, Al-Tariq Best, The HUBB’s founder, took on the challenge of keeping the Newark community strong under the most difficult circumstances.
That became much harder after the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. The undisguised racism that drove that violence fueled historic uprisings and created a national conversation on race and equity. It also aggravated and shined a light on the historical trauma that communities of color have dealt with for generations.
This new pain moved Al-Tariq, a member of the EJUSA Trauma & Healing Network, to give his youth a way to express their feelings. He channeled their thoughts into two songs — “Letter to 45” and “8Mins46Secs” — recorded them on site with members of The HUBB, and then filmed supporting videos. What they created is incredibly powerful, so Christine Henderson, our senior manager of the EJUSA Trauma & Healing Network, sat down with him to learn more about the process and his motivation.
Warning: Some viewers might be alarmed by the graphic imagery used in these videos.
Christine: Can you start by talking about your choice to use music and video as a force for healing for youth?
Al-Tariq: We wanted to use it as a form of arts therapy. Music is a universal language. But we live in a visual world. We had to put a visual behind it so you really understand the mental health problems that come from the racial injustice in our community. And our youth wanted to talk about it and express how they see it at such an early age.
That was the focus of “Letter to 45.” Fight, strap, or march. That became a theme. I’m not advocating violence. Young people need to strap themselves with information so they can do something. Young people want to fight, but we have to be smart about how we do that. The older generation is able to show them how to fight without dying. It’s a common language from all ages.
Christine: Was there a moment last summer when you thought, “We have to express ourselves”?
Al-Tariq: George Floyd just did it. You’re hearing the youth cry, you’re hearing the conversations about the president and why is this hatred so out in the open and why isn’t anybody doing anything. That all came to a point where I thought if we put those feelings in song form we can force people to listen to it. And it needs to be unapologetic. It needs to be straight up in your face so people understand this is really happening.
In “8Mins46Secs” we were very intentional about showing what is really happening in real life and what we were experiencing. This is happening on our block. The one common theme is that systemic racism is everywhere. Until we fix that and change the training of our police, we’re never going to get the justice we deserve.
Christine: This is going to be hard material for some people to digest. There will be people who will react to the lyrics at the beginning of “8mins46secs.” What do you want to say who feel like that it’s controversial?
Al-Tariq: It is controversial, but it’s real. One of the issues we’ve had for so long is that we’re afraid to have the uncomfortable conversations. We have to have them because until then you don’t really get to understand what we’re feeling or doing or going through every day. This video is to go through that 8:46 of uncomfortableness.
When George Floyd was murdered, it was like enough is enough. The grimace on the cop’s face, this eight minutes and 46 seconds of him executing [George Floyd], and he didn’t care that cameras were watching. Yes, it’s uncomfortable. George Floyd changed the world because you can’t hide that kind of racism anymore. It leads back to something bigger. He did it as if he had permission to. He did it as if there was no recourse that was going to come to him. The racism was wide open.
That’s why “Letter to 45” was important, because we needed to say, “You’re not saying this is wrong.” In fact, you kind of made it okay by the way you phrased things. You gave them permission.
Until we’re considered human beings, we’re not going to get that respect. And that’s an uncomfortable conversation. A lot of our white brothers and sisters, you haven’t felt this. Our forefathers did some crazy stuff. All of these things stem from the things our forefathers did. They created the poverty gap that goes on in our community and then you want us to be okay, to be at peace. And it’s not okay. You won’t feel enough about it in order for us to do something about it.
Christine: Why was it important for you to round out this video with Black joy?
Al-Tariq: We were very intentional of not wanting to leave us in a dark space. There was some healing going on, especially with the youth. We wanted to celebrate what made America great. Blacks changed culture, we changed music, we changed all of these things that you celebrate with us, but you forget about that when racism rises up. Lots of white people have been privileged to not see what is really happening around us. For once, George Floyd showed you this is real, this isn’t us complaining.
But I didn’t want to leave you stuck there. These are the same people, who make all of these things you enjoy, so celebrate that. We’re still able to love. We love because we love.
Christine: When people see your video, what is it you want people to do? Especially outside the community?
Al-Tariq: I want people to do something. Like Tupac said, “I may not be the one to change the world, but I’ll be the one to spark the minds of those that do.” The idea was to get you pissed off enough to do something. This is hitting your doorstep. Now it’s time to do something.
You can’t unsee this. It’s horrible to watch. It’s horrible to feel! Imagine how we feel! This is a reality for us.
A lot of it stemmed from my anger as a 17-year-old having police brutality happen against me. It was like, “This is still happening?” I could’ve died back then. That left me angry, and I became aggressive with the police for a long time.
These youth are angry, adults are angry that this continues to happen to us, that no one really cares about how we feel and about how we’re being executed. So I need people to do something. Even if it’s just having a conversation about it.
Christine: Which video feels most important to you?
Al-Tariq: I think there are special moments in both. But in “8Mins46Secs” the Breonna Taylor piece — when I was writing it, I don’t know why I chose three times, but I wanted people to get the message.
Breonna, we honor
your life since they won’t!
How could all lives matter
if our lives don’t?
You want us to start saying all lives matter, well make us feel like that. Change the laws so that all lives matter. Change the education system so that all lives matter. Until we do that, the oppressor can’t tell you how to heal, how to feel.
Christine: How did The HUBB’s young people feel after working on these projects?
Al-Tariq: Well, overall, youth, they feel like they’re not heard. But creative expression through the music now amplifies their voice. They get to say, “Wow, you finally heard me, you see me.” That's an exhilarating feeling and to see how we crafted their views into something people are responding to. As an artist, you want people to respond to your work. But youth just want to be heard. They have thoughts and feelings totally different from ours. They feel like [adults] are always throwing info at them and not listening.
Christine: What message do you want to leave with the kids?
Al-Tariq: I’ve got two. One of my favorite sayings that resonates a lot is “Your situation doesn’t have to dictate your destination.” It’s okay to not be okay, but don’t stay stuck there. People out here that want to help but they don’t know how to if you don’t talk about. How are we ever going to heal or evolve unless we talk about it?
That leads to my other: People say quite often that “Hurt People Hurt People” and as much as that is true, we cannot just leave the statement like that. I follow up with “Healed people and healing people can heal people.” That one is for everyone.
