>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ >>> GOOD DAY AND WELCOME TO "ABLE TO PRAISE."

I´M YOUR HOST AMELIA LAMONT OF THE DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND TODAY I WE´LL TALK TO TWO CULTURAL WARRIORS, FRANDELLE GERARD IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CRUCIAN HERITAGE CENTER.

OUR OTHER GUEST IS MONICA MARIN, AN ARTIST, CURATOR AND EDUCATOR.

WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.

WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> FRANDELLE GERARD, I´D LOVE TO FIND OUT MORE.

CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT CHANT IS?

>> IT´S FOUNDED THE PROMOTE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND NATURE TOURIST AND TO REALLY DEVELOP CAPACITY FROM WITHIN, BRINGING VIRGIN ISLANDERS INTO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

WE´VE GROWN OUR REACH AND EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PROGRAMMING THAT FOCUSES ON BUILDING ARTS AND HISTORIC RESTORATION PROJECTS IN FREDERICK STEAD AND WE PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR THE YOUTH, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR CHILDREN.

ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROJECTS IS THE INVISIBLE HERITAGE PROJECT THAT CAME FROM A CURATED ART PROGRAM THAT MONICA DID THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR.

SO OVER THE YEARS, WE´VE REALLY EXPANDED OUR PROGRAMMING BEYOND THE TYPICAL TOURISM, TOUR GUIDE PROGRAMMING.

>> NOW, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT TRADITIONAL ARTS BUILDING.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> TRADITIONAL BUILDING ARTS.

WE´RE FOCUSING ON TRAINING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF CONSTRUCTION.

WE FOCUS PRIMARILY ON WOODWORKING AND WILL ACTUALLY THIS YEAR BE DOING TRADITIONAL MASONRY PROGRAM, KIND OF BUILDING A KAUD RHEE OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORICAL CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARING THEM TO WORK ON PRESS SER INVESTIGATION PROJECTS.

PRIMAILY THE SMALLER VERNACULAR, THE WOOD COTTAGES THAT WE SEE IN THE BACK STREETS OF MOST TOWNS THAT ARE KNOWN AS THE OH PRE GUT AREA.

>> YOU´RE SAYING THERE´S A FREE GUT IN CHRISTIAN STEAD AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS PRE GUT COMMUNITY IS ABOUT?

>> SO FREE GUT WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER DANISH RULERLY IN THEIR COLONIAL PERIOD HERE IN ST. CROIX.

THERE´S AN AREA IN ST. THOMAS AS WELL, BUT IT´S REFERRED TO BY ITS NAME WHICH IS SAV OFRMTS NFRMTSG WHERE THEY DESIGNATED A PART OF THE TOWN THAT THEY DEEMED LESS DESIRABLE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN FOR FREE PEOPLE OF COLOR, PRIMARILY FREE BLACKS WHERE THEY COULD OWN PROPERTY AND BUILD HOMES.

THOSE AREAS BEGAN TO EXPAND PRIMARILY WITH CRAFTS PEOPLE, WOODWORKERS, SHOE MAKERS, MASONS.

SO SOME OF THE VERY MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELPED BUILD THE TOWN, THOSE WERE THE AREAS THAT THEY WERE OBLIGATED TO LIVE IN.

HERE IN FREDRIKSTEAD AND I KNOW ALSO IN CHRISTIANSTEAD, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FREE AFRICAN WOMEN, FREE BLACK AFRICAN WOMEN WHO BECOME PROPERTY OWNERS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.

THEY´RE OWNING AND RENTING PROPERTIES AND THEY´RE ALSO REFERRED TO AS HUXTERS, THAT WAS THE TERMINOLOGY.

THEY´RE SALESPEOPLE, THEY BUY AND SELL GOODS ON THE STREETS AND THE TOWNS.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE WOMEN AT THAT TIME, AT LEAST THIS GROUP OF WOMEN WERE ABLE TO HOLD PROPERTY IN THEIR OWN NAME, CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE ONE WOMAN WE FOUND IN FREDRIKSSTEAD, SHE ENDS UP OWNING ABOUT FIVE OR SIX PROPERTIES.

WHENEVER SHE GETS MARRIED OR BUYS A PROPERTY, SHE CHANGES HER NAME.

AND THAT´S A VERY TRADITIONAL EBU PRACTICE.

WE´RE ASSUMING THAT´S WHERE SHE WAS -- THAT WAS WHERE SHE WAS FROM, BUT WE SEE HER AS MERCY WADE AS EARLY, LIKE, 1800, 1801.

THEN THE NAME CHANGES SHOW UP.

THESE PEOPLE ARE IN THESE PLACES HERE IN FREDRIKSTEAD AS EARLY AS 1777, JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.

>> OH, WOW, OKAY.

MONICA MARIN, THERE WAS MENTION THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THE INVISIBLE HERITAGE PROJECT.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT IS?

>> YES, INDEED.

SO THE INVISIBLE HERITAGE PROJECT WAS, AS FRANDELLE WAS TALKING ABOUT, VERY MUCH DEEPLY INSPIRED BY THE FREE GUT NEIGHBORHOODS AND JUST KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THESE PLACES AS REPOSITORIES OF TRANSATLANTIC BLACK -- ALL THE ARTISANS AND CRAFTSMAN THAT HISTORICALLY HAD BUILT HERITAGE, THEY CAME FROM THESE PARTS OF TOWN.

A LOT OF OUR RADICAL THINKERS AND ARTISTS, THEIR ANCESTORS ARE FROM THERE.

THE PROJECT IS AN ONGOING ONE.

BUT IT´S CATALYZED -- I DEVELOPED IT AROUND THE CENTENNIAL AND HOW ARTISTS AND CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND CULTURE BEARERS CAN FILL IN THE BLIND SPOTS AND DECOLONIZE THE COLONIAL NARRATIVE.

THE SHOW WENT TO DENMARK.

IT WAS HERE.

SEVERAL ARTISTS, OH SHANA A PALOMA DID POWERFUL HISTORIES IN THE FREE GUT NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEIR FAMILIES BOTH HAVE ANCESTRAL CONNECTIONS.

IT WAS A DYNAMIC PROJECT AND IT´S ON GOING AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO BE DOING THIS WORK AND PARTNERING WITH C.H.A.N.T., BECAUSE THERE´S A LOT TO BE DONE AND THERE´S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE TO USE THE ARTS AS A COUNTER ARCHIVE.

>> WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS?

WHAT´S YOUR DISCIPLINE IN THE ARTISTIC REALM.

>> I´M BORN, I COME FROM LIFELONG EDUCATORS, BORN AND RAISED IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

I WOULD SAY THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, THAT´S ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT´S REALLY BEEN A POWERFUL PART OF MY CONCEPTUAL PRACTICE.

I GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SHORE AND KIND OF WATCHED A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT ENSUED ON OUR SOUTHWEST SHORE.

SO MY WORK HAS REALLY KIND OF BEEN TAKING, INVESTIGATING THAT AND ACTIVATING A LOT OF THAT PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

THAT´S ANOTHER ON GOING LIFELONG PROJECT.

SO THIS IS ME KIND OF ENTERING MY ROLE MORE AS A CURATOR AND REALLY TRYING TO LIFT UP OTHER ARTISTS THAT ARE DOING WORK IN SIMILAR WAYS THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, HONOR THE LAND AND THE HISTORY, PEOPLE´S CONNECTION TO THE LAND, WHETHER IT´S IN A BUILT ENVIRONMENT OR WHETHER IT´S, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WAYS.

SO I ENTER MY CURATOR Y´ALL PRACTICE ON SIMILAR FOOTING THAT I DO MY ARTISTIC.

>> OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH OF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH THE RENOVATION TAKING PLACE AT FORT FREDRIK.

FRANDELLE, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT?

>> WELL, IT´S NOT A DIRECT INVOLVEMENT, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY CAME UP TO THE EPA ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE UNIT.

THEY HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM CALLED COMMUNITY BUILDING BLOCKS TO INGAUGE THE COMMUNITY IN ENVISIONING WHAT A CULTURAL CENTER OF A COMMUNITY COULD BE.

AND IN WRITING THE GRANT APPLICATION WE IDENTIFIED FORT FREDERICK AS A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL CENTER, NOT ONLY FOR THE -- FOR THE TOWN OF FREDRIKSTEAD, BUT ALSO HOW IT CENTERS THE HISTORY OF FREEDOM FOR THE ENTIRE VIRGIN ISLANDS, FREEDOM OF THE ENSLAVED AFRICANS.

SO WE WROTE A GRANT AND RECEIVED THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT THAT FOCUSES ON ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THE RESTORATION OF FORT FREDRIK CAN BE LEVERAGED TO INFLUENCE AND DIRECTLY IMPACT THE RESTORATION OF THE TOWN AND TO HELP GROW BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN AND TO HELP SUPPORT IN-TOWN BUSINESSES, AND THEN WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE TYPE OF PROGRAMMING WE´RE LOOKING AT.

SO THE REALITY IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR A LITTLE OVER -- OVER $6 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE FORT AND WHAT WE´RE LOOKING AT IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN A WORKFORCE.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE SMALLER, LOCAL CONTRACTORS.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE MORE OF THAT MONEY STAYS IN FREDRIKSTEAD AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT THE PROGRAMMING IN THE FORT IS, WHAT THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE IS, WHAT STORIES SHOULD BE TOLD, WHAT ARE THE USES FOR THE FORT.

SO ALL OF THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST I GUESS SEVEN OR SO MONTHS.

WE´VE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS, AND I THINK THE WHOLE PLAN IS NOW SPREADING OUT INTO A FOUR-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT WE´RE FINALIZING -- WHAT IT IS, IT´S A -- EVERYTHING THAT´S BEEN BROUGHT UP, ALL THE POTENTIALS FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING IDENTIFIED SO THAT THEN THERE´S AN ACTION PLAN THAT WE CAN USE GOING FORWARD IN PARTNERING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES AS THEY BEGIN THE ACTUAL WORK.

>> MONICA, AS AN ARTIST, HOW DO YOU SEE THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST WITH REGARD TO THIS RENOVATION OF THE FORT?

>> WELL, I THINK I´D GOING TO BE A REALLY POWERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HONOR THE LEGACIES OF OUR LIVING CULTURE BEARERS AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE´RE CAPTURING ORAL HISTORIES AND FEATURING THEIR WORK FRONT CENTER IN CONVERSATION WITH THE ARCHIVES AND WITH SOME OF -- ALL OF THE FABULOUS COMMUNITY IDEAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GARNER IN THE MEETING, AND MANY MORE, JUST KIND OF REALLY, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT PEOPLE IN FREDRIKSTEAD NEED, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HISTORIES THAT WE WANT TO BEGIN TO CREATE PROJECTS AROUND, AND I THINK JUST REALLY WORKING WITH OUR CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND CULTURE BEARERS IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

>> OKAY.

LET´S SAY IF YOU´RE NOT A BUILDER OR IN ANY WAY TALENTED WITH RESPECT TO MASONRY OR CARPENTRY OR ART.

HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY BECOME MORE INVOLVED OR BETTER INVOLVED?

>> OH, THERE´S SO MANY WAYS.

I THINK THE FIRST THING IS ELEVATING THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY AND BEING ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHY THAT PLACE IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

WE DON´T WANT TO SEE THE DISINTO FI CASE OF THE FORT.

THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE TWICE FREEDOM WAS FOUGHT FOR BY THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE AND THEN THE FREE BLACK PEOPLE OF ST. CROIX.

THAT FREEDOM FIGHT RESULTED IN FIRST EMANCIPATION FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN ALL OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, NOT JUST FOR ST. CROIX.

THAT HISTORY AND THAT TRADITION, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE STORIES.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE FAMILY ARCHIVES.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN BRING TO THE FRONT.

THERE WERE PEOPLE WHOSE GRANDFATHERS WERE POLICEMEN THERE THAT WORKED IN THE FORT OR FIREMEN THAT WORKED OUT ON THE FORT.

THEY CAN SUPPORT THE WORK.

THEY CAN PARTICIPATE WHEN PUBLIC GATHERINGS AND EXHIBITS AND DATA COLLECTION SESSIONS HAPPEN.

ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO PROBABLY BE HAPPENING.

AND REALLY -- I THINK WHAT´S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THE CENTERING OF OUR CULTURE AND OUR HERITAGE, NOT JUST FOR TOURISM BUT IN INFORMING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY SAYS IS YOU DON´T KNOW WHERE YOU CAME FROM, YOU DON´T KNOW WHERE YOU´RE GOING.

AND WE´VE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB AS A SOCIETY OF TRULY INFORMING OR CHILDREN AND OUR YOUTH ABOUT THE SHOULDERS THEY STAND ON.

A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP THAT HAS COME OUT OF FREDRIKSTEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE UNITED STATES, THEY BECOME VIRGIN ISLANDERS OR THEY BECOME AMERICANS.

THEN YOU DIG DEEPER AND FIND OUT, A WHOLE BUNCH CAME FROM FREDRIKSTEAD.

WE´RE CATALYSTS FOR TREMENDOUS CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, NOT ONLY IN THE TERRITORY, BUT THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.

>> CAN YOU GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF INDIVIDUALS THAT MAYBE COME TO MIND?

>> I GUESS -- CROSSWAIT.

THEY ALL WERE WORKING TOGETHER, YOU HAVE MR. CROSSWAIT WHO IS BORN IN FREE GUT WHO BECOMES A TREMENDOUS EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER IN NEW YORK.

YOU´VE GOT A WOMAN NAMED ELIZABETH HENDRICKSON WHO BECOMES THE ORGANIZER OF ONE OF THE FIRST BLACK WOMEN´S UNIONS WHILE HER COUNTERPART IS ORGANIZING THE SLEEPING QUARTERS, SHE´S ORGANIZING THE WOMEN THAT WORK ON THE TRAINS, AND THEY´RE BOTH FROM FREDRIKSTEAD.

BOTH OF THE ORGANIZERS.

YOU´VE GOT PEOPLE WHO BECOME THE FOUNDATION OF SUPPORTING DAVID HAMILTON JACKSON IN HIS ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LABOR UNION WHICH BY THE WAY WAS INCORPORATED IN NEW YORK AND FUNDED BY THOSE VIRGIN ISLANDERS IN NEW YORK THAT ALLOWED HIM TO COME.

SO THERE WAS THIS TREMENDOUS MOVEMENT OF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THE INTELLIGENTSIA OF THE BLACK WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN THE LATE VIRGIN ISLANDS IN THE LATE 1800s MOVING MOSTLY TO NEW YORK.

THEY BECOME THE CORE OF THE EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND ACTIVISM.

HUBERT HARRISON WAS FROM ST. CROIX.

NOT FREDRIKSTEAD, BUT WE´LL CLAIM HIM ANYWAYS.

THERE ARE ALL THESE TREMENDOUS THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE INFORMED WHAT HAS GONE ON.

EVEN INTO THE 60s YOU HAVE SOMEONE LIKE ROY ENNIS, THE FOUNDER OF CORE, A FREDRIKSTEADER.

THE LIST IS ENDLESS AS WE GO ON.

I THINK WHAT´S IMPORTANT IS THAT PEOPLE KNOW THIS INFORMATION AND KNOW THE IMPACT AND UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN IN WHAT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE POOREST TOWNS, AND STILL IS, IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, THAT SO MUCH IS BORN OUT OF FREDRIKSTEAD THAT HAS IMPACTED SO MANY PEOPLE.

WE COULD TALK ABOUT THE MUSICIANS, STORY TELLERS, THE ARTISTS.

>> THERE´S SO MUCH TALENT.

THAT´S A GIVEN.

DO YOU THINK OUR YOUNG PEOPLE OR YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE CULTURE?

I KNOW THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT, I BELIEVE, IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I DON´T KNOW WHETHER THERE´S BEEN MUCH IN THE WAY OF HEADWAY IN THAT REGARD?

HAS THERE?

>> YOU KNOW, IT´S SPITS AND STARTS.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS A REQUIREMENT.

THEY HAVE A ONE-SEMESTER COURSE IN CARIBBEAN HISTORY.

WE KNOW THERE´S A SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM IN THE LOWER SCHOOLS, AND THE IDEA THERE IS IT BUILDS FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8 THAT STUDENTS WILL GET THE BUILDING BLOCKS LEARNING ABOUT OUR CULTURE AND HERITAGE AND HISTORY, AND IT´S EMBEDDED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAM.

BUT IT´S NOT CENTRAL TO OUR EDUCATION.

IT´S NOT -- IT´S JUST A SMALL PART OF THE CURRICULUM.

SO IF THERE´S A WAY FOR IT TO BE INTEGRATED EVEN MORE -- HOW DO YOU INTEGRATE OUR CULTURE AND HISTORY INTO SCIENCE.

THAT´S NOT A STRETCH.

YOU HAVE OUR ECOLOGY.

YOU HAVE OUR BIRDS.

YOU HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT ALSO INFORM OUR HISTORY.

SO, NO, IT´S NOT ENOUGH.

>> MONICA, YOU GREW UP HERE.

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT GROWING UP AND THE KINDS OF TEACHINGS YOU HAD WITH RESPECT TO VI CULTURE?

>> I WAS VERY BLESSED.

I HAD CORINNE HODGE AS MY CARIBBEAN HISTORY TEACHER IN THE 7th GRADE.

SHE GAVE US ALL OF HER -- I WANT TO SAY IT WAS LIKE GRADUATE WORK COURSE WORK.

SO IT WAS VERY INTENSE AND WERE WERE READING ALL TYPES OF -- LEARNING ALL ABOUT CULTURE -- I THINK SHE GOT INTO A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE, BUT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, AND IT REALLY OPENED UP -- I WAS ALWAYS REALLY INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE RESISTANCE.

I REMEMBER FROM 7th GRADE LEARNING ABOUT ALL OF THE VARIOUS -- JUST THE HISTORY OF RESISTANCE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE KICKING OFF COLUMBUS TO 1733 TO 1848 TO 1978.

SO THAT WAS ALWAYS A THEME THAT WAS VERY MUCH SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS SO EMPOWERING.

I MEAN TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THIS FLRJ WAS JUST SO CHARGED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM AND NOW THE PRESENT DAY VARIATIONS OF THAT.

I THINK I WAS BLESSED.

DEFINITELY GRANDMA MOOREHEAD WAS A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME, AND WE HAD ACCESS TO BOOKS -- I WAS READING FRANCE FINAUD IN TENTH GRADE.

I THINK I WAS BLESSED.

HAD I BEEN BORN IN THE STATES, I DON´T THINK I WOULD -- I WOULD NOT BE THE SAME PERSON.

>> SO THE FIREBIRD WAS 1878, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>>´ MANS WAGS WAS 1848.

>> CORRECT.

>> THE SLAVE REVOLT ON ST. JOHN WAS 1733.

>> 1733, RIGHT.

>> AND THERE WAS A FOILED REVOLT ON ST. CROIX IN 1759.

SO THERE´S THIS CONSTANT RESISTANCE BY MEN AND WOMEN TO A PLACE AND TO SERVITUDE, AND THEN, OF COURSE, A WHOLE HISTORY OF THE MAROON.

THERE ARE MAROON VILLAGES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED THAT HAD PEOPLE IN THEM CONTINUOUSLY FOR 200 YEARS.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE MAROONS FOR ANYBODY WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE.

>> THE MAROONS ARE THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE THAT ESCAPED SLAVERY, AND HERE ON ST. CROIX THEY ESTABLISHED ONE OF THE FOUR OR FIVE PLACES, BUT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ST. CROIX, THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT, IT´S ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED AS MAROONBURG ON THE DANISH MAPS WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO LIVE, STAY AWAY FROM BEING REENSLAVED.

IT ALSO ALLOWED THEM A PATHWAY TO ESCAPE THE ISLANDS.

MANY OF THEM ESCAPED AND MADE IT TO PUERTO RICO.

SO WE KNOW OF THE MAROONS IN JAMAICA, BUT THERE ARE MAROONS ALL OVER THE CARIBBEAN AND THE AREAS WHERE THERE WAS SLAVERY, AND THESE WERE THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT REFUSED TO STAY IN BONDAGE.

>> IF SOMEBODY WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK, HOW WOULD THEY GO ABOUT GETTING IN TOUCH WITH CHANT.

>> CHANTVI.ORG.

WE´RE ALSO ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, OR THEY CAN REACH OUT.

MY NUMBER IS 340-277-4834.

WE´RE LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN FREDRIKSTEAD BETWEEN KING STREET AND QUEEN STREET.

>> MONICA MARIN, HOW WOULD THEY GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU?

>> WELL, YOU GUYS CAN CONTACT ME BY CALLING THE DIVISION OF LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES AND MUSEUMS.

I´M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE WORKING ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS.

WE DID ONE HONORING THE ACTIVISM OF DAVID HAMILTON JACKSON.

I PARTNERED WITH STEPHANIE SHOLANA BROWN, AND WE DID A POWERFUL PROJECT WITH YOUTH.

I´LL BE WORKING WITH SISTER IREA.

I´M HOPING SHE CAN BE CONTINUING HER DYNAMIC CULTURE BEARER WORKSHOP FOR YOUTH AND ALSO HOPING TO BRING IN DIFFERENT HISTORIANS AND ARCHAEOLOGISTS AND SCHOLARS TO DO SOME VIRTUAL MUSEUM STUDIES COURSES THAT SPEAK TO THESE HISTORIES.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET MARIO MOOREHEAD AND GEORGE TYSON AND GRANT DEL AND EVEN SOME OF THE OTHER PARTNERS FROM THE STATES, DR. CHEN.

SO JUST STAY TUNED.

LOTS OF HOPEFULLY COMMUNITY-ENGAGED WORK WILL BE HAPPENING.

>> FOLKS, I´D LIKE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, FRANDELLE GERARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHANT AND MONICA MARIN, LEADER IN THE ART WORLD HERE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, TAKE CARE.