Many people come to the Virgin Islands intending to take from it something they couldn’t find elsewhere. Be it the beautiful freedom of our relaxing and healing shores, the comforting gifts of our natural Afro-Caribbean servitude or simply the abundance of jewelry, alcohol and cigarettes. But some come to give… of themselves and to our community.
Once you’re called here, that’s it… There’s a reason why I was called here, and I’m just acting on that. I’m acting on what’s been guided for me to do.
Assata Afua from the Sankofa Saturdays interview on Jan. 5th 2019 at WUVI Radio/Media
Assata Afua, originally from New York, has made St. Thomas her home and place of offering. With her new business, Black Power Theatre, she intends to support the community through offering support for the arts, whether for therapy or performance.
Among the various skillsets she brings to us, she is a journalist, playwright, publicist, technical writer and more. A friend of hers in the states worked here and she came to visit her. She started coming to St. Thomas and St. John 12 years ago for a week or two to write, “because the energy is so strong”. When she first came, she felt comfortable and at home from the time she stepped off the plane and she knew eventually this is where she would end up. The energy she felt was, “pulling and guiding me”.
Black Power Theatre is going to hone in on the talents and gifts of the people. From teaching poetry, training playwrights, putting on performances locally, throughout the Caribbean and other parts of the world.
The focus for Black Power Theatre is to represent members of the African diaspora through the Arts where we are often marginalized and disenfranchised. We are reigniting the Black Arts Movement!
In an interview on Sankofa Saturdays radio program, Assata expressed, “For me it’s important to start telling the stories that are happening now.” She went on to explain that we have been stuck depicting slavery and the civil rights movement without moving forward. 100 years from now those generations will be able to understand what we experienced through photography, poetry and plays to leave a legacy for the next generations.
The arts is a way to bring people together…
Assata Afua, Black Power Theatre
Find out more about Black Power Theatre by visiting the website www.blackpowertheatre.com, following the Facebook page or calling (340) 643-0171.
