Video: Understanding the Hood Huggers Ecosystem
In this video created by the talented Julieta Fumberg, Hood Huggers co-founders DeWayne “B-Love” Barton and Safi Mahaba share the story behind the Hood Huggers Ecosystem and how a single act of care in Asheville’s Burton Street neighborhood grew into a connected network of projects rooted in art, healing, environmental stewardship, and economic justice.
What began in 2003 as the Burton Street Peace Gardens & Market—created as “a small counterbalance to war”—became a living classroom and sanctuary for neighbors, youth, artists, and community partners.
From there, the work expanded into reclaiming and amplifying Asheville’s African American history through Hood Tours, and into building trauma-informed, culturally aligned pathways for young people through Under Instruction (UI) and our youth + workforce development pipeline.
Today, that same vision is taking shape through Blue Note Junction, a developing community resilience hub designed to blend health, culture, education, and small-business incubation, honoring legacy while creating new pathways for wellness, creativity, and economic mobility. In this video, DeWayne and Safi break down how it all connects:
• Hood Huggers International (HHI) — our social enterprise that generates earned income through creative, place-based ventures (including Hood Tours, Peace Gardens, and CAP Framework consulting)
• Hood Huggers Foundation (HHF) — our nonprofit that expands access, opportunity, and resilience through education and workforce development, anchored by Blue Note Junction Together, HHI, and HHF form an interdependent model: art + environment + enterprise fueling a cycle of learning, earning, and giving back.
Thank you, Julieta, for volunteering your time and talent to produce this video for us!
