Dr. Airic Hughes & Dr. Synetra Hughes

Visionairi Enterprises

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Visionairi Enterprises

Visionairi Enterprises is the product of the brilliant and determined power couple of Dr. Aric Hughes and Dr. Synetra Hughes. The company provides film and media services, public speaking, and educational and social justice-focused programming. The organization also advances equity and inclusion for the black communities across Arkansas by celebrating Black heritage.

Airic founded Visionairi Enterprises in 2016 to promote and preserve Black culture through education, creativity, and social justice. Visionairi established the Micheaux Award & Film Labs in 2020 to support creatives of color in Arkansas through direct funding, expert-led training labs, and strategic network development. Their daughter’s name, Airiel Zaire, inspires the company’s name, and they hope the company will serve as a foundation for her and build generational wealth for their family.

“Airiel was born three months premature. The first nine months of her life were spent in the special care units at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. We launched shortly after Airiel came home for the first time. Her life and legacy inspired the creation of Visionairi and fueled the work that we do,” they shared.

Airic says their products and services are designed by and for global black communities. Examples of creative programs include It’s Black It’s Lit, a web-based showcase platform for black academics, activists, artists and entrepreneurs; and the Micheaux Award and Film Labs, which provides funding, education, and training, as well as strategic networking for creatives of color in Arkansas. Examples of their education programming include The Footnotes book club, a monthly community space to discuss literature by and with our favorite black authors and Negunomics. Negunomics transcends outdated presentation models to deliver deliberately constructive dialogue by and with the communities that have and need information, resources, and connections for sustained success. “We analyze Black economic history, calculate innovations and investment opportunities, showcase organizations supporting Black economics, and form strategic networks with authentic creativity,” he says.

Examples of their social justice programming include the incARceraTed series, a mobile art gallery, and film screening focused on the arts, criminal justice, and life transformation; and incARceraTed with Purpose, an offshoot collaborative youth intervention program bringing community organizations together to deliver the incARceraTed series objectives to youth in alternative schools and detention facilities.

Airic is an entrepreneur, artist, philanthropist, and faculty member in the Department of History at the University of Arkansas. He holds a bachelor of arts in History and African American History, masters of art in History, and a doctorate of Philosophy in History from the University of Arkansas. His research examines Black geographies in America through the lens of federal interstate development in his hometown, Little Rock, Arkansas. Airic was also recognized as a Southeastern Conference Emerging Scholar for 2022-2023.

Synetra is a native of West Memphis, Arkansas. In addition to her duties with Visionairi, she is the Managing Director of the Dr. Barbara A. Lofton Office of Diversity & Inclusion. She is a Walton College alum with a Bachelors of Science in Information Systems and Transportation and Logistics. Additionally, she holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Development and a Doctor of Education in Workforce Development with a concentration in Human Resources and Leadership Development. In addition to her many career accomplishments, Dr. Hughes educates people of all ages and backgrounds on all things regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion and bridges the gap between our students and the business world.

When asked what they love most about what they do, Airic and Synetra respond with genuine concern for the betterment of members of their community. “We live and work in a state with roots in succession and oppression of black freedom. Visionairi keeps us true to ourselves, helps us build community, make space for blackness, and bring value. The legacy of our ancestors and those who gave everything for us to have anything inspire us to do what we do.”

Airic and Synetra’s lives have also been impacted by individuals committed to making a difference. Synetra says, “I was raised by my great-grandmother. She was a strong black woman who gave selflessly to anyone in need. She has had a huge influence on my life and is the woman I aspire to become; as a mom, wife, and in all of the other roles I have taken on.” Airic says his grandfather, Howard Hughes, created a legacy for him as a man. Dr. Calvin White, Jr., his former professor and mentor, taught Airic the connection to his people.

Due to Arkansas’s economic and political polarity, Airic and Synera share they have been challenged with connecting and engaging with black communities throughout the state. They have overcome these challenges by strategically aligning with institutions and organizations across Arkansas and beyond that share their commitment to black culture preservation. Expanding their network allows them to reinvest their progress into capacity cultivation for the black community.

As the future happens, Airic and Synetra will continue to grow and scale Visionairi Enterprises. They share that pursuing strategic alignment with partners committed to their mission and values is their top priority. “There is never a time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now,” they share.