Joshua Hughes Submitted by Joshua Hughes

“At the risk of sounding cliché,” Joshua Hughes said, “the arts saved my life.”

The Philadelphia native and now-Lewiston resident told the Sun Journal that art – specifically his passion for song and stage writing – has granted him the vulnerability to fully express himself. Hughes shares that passion through his entertainment company, Joshua Hughes Entertainment. In December, Hughes also cofounded Rooted Soul Entertainment with Marco Soulo and Signature MiMi of the duo Signature Soul, and with Nicole Mokeme, who was the founder and creative director for Rise and Shine Youth Retreat.

Rooted Soul’s mission is to encourage expression and mentorship through art and education for young Black men in the Lewiston-Auburn and Portland areas.

Hughes said it’s been a tough year with the loss of Mokeme, an activist for Black and Indigenous people who was killed in June in a hit-and-run while in Acadia National Park. Still, Hughes said he was able to press on knowing that’s what Mokeme would want and knowing “she’s helping me from some other plane.”

Name: Joshua Hughes

Age: 39

Hometown: Philadelphia

Lives now: Lewiston

How have the arts changed your life? At the risk of sounding cliché, the arts saved my life and continue to save me on a daily basis in some way. We live in a world where we’re constantly forced to be things that go against our authenticity; art grants me the opportunity to show up dressed in the vulnerability that allows for the offering of the full expression of myself, and then gives permission for others to enter into that same like-mindedness.

Is there a medium you enjoy working with the most? I began as a songwriter and later developed an unspeakable passion for telling stories for the stage. I love both of these mediums equally since they give me the chance to marry my love for telling stories through music and scripts.

What inspired you and your collaborators (Marco Soulo and Signature MiMi Soul of Signature Soul, and the late Nicole Mokeme of Rise and Shine Youth Retreat) to start Rooted Soul Entertainment? Initially, Rooted Soul was birthed as a way to provide representation for the young Black children of Maine who don’t usually see themselves represented in the arts by their peers and instructors. The goal was to give free classes in performance arts that would contribute (to) building confidence that would be rooted in self-discovery and identity. These children would then have the necessary tools that would allow them to craft and share their own stories. Unfortunately, we lost one of our co-founders. But it was this untimely departure that caused the original concept to shift and morph into something slightly greater in nature.

Joshua Hughes, left, stands with John Graves, writer and director of “Black Kid Joy,” a play done at Portland Stage in 2019, and Hughes’ daughter, Issa. Submitted by Joshua Hughes

What are Rooted Soul’s mission and goals? Our goals are ever expanding, but the immediate one places focus on stripping away the false narrative of manhood. By creating a space where men can come together to discuss and challenge the status quo, we seek to heal ourselves by releasing false identities and ideas that continue to contribute to the dismantling of our families and societies. Eventually, we want to pair these men with those who are forced into assimilating and buying into the idea of what it means to be a Black man in an American system. The goal is to assist by offering accountability, information, and our presence for young men who might not have a source of positivity, or someone to help navigate the difficult questions that may arise around identity.

While many young men suffer from anger, depression, and identity related issues due to not having a positive life experience, I’ve seen that young Black boys are more commonly impacted by fatherlessness than their counterparts.

What brought you and Rooted Soul to Maine and the Lewiston-Auburn area? I grew up in the inner city of Philadelphia and initially moved to Portland as a young high-schooler before heading back to Philly shortly after arriving. I’ve been back since 2010.

Being from a big city has allowed me to encounter and participate in a lot of different pockets of life which has helped broaden my perspective. I see a lot of young men who are growing up, witnessing much of what I did by living in harsh communities. I, along with others, want to present healthy and positive alternatives that can be carried and added to personal toolboxes before their youthful experiences are crystallized. Lewiston is my home for now, so it has become the place where I wish to have the most impact.

What have been some of your most exciting or thrilling achievements – both as an artist and as an entrepreneur and organizer – thus far? Most of my accomplishments have come through my personal entertainment company, Joshua Hughes Entertainment, but my greatest accomplishment will always be connecting with and inspiring people. To have people leave my presence feeling better than when they first encountered me is what my life’s work is all about. This is ultimately the work of both these organizations.

Rooted Soul is about eight months old now. Have there been any pleasant surprises or unexpected developments? Unexpected? Yes! The loss of one of my dearest friends and a Rooted Soul founder and collaborator seriously challenged whether I would see this through or not. I know that she wouldn’t want me to quit the work, so I continue to push forward, knowing that she’s helping me from some other plane. Not that this second part comes as a surprise, but it’s been a pleasure for me to grow bonds with so many young men in such a short span of time. Their willingness to continue to show up also lets me know that the work is needed and will never be in vain. I’m fortunate.