This #LIVEblog will continue to be updated as new footage and information are received from all three events.
Three Queens of the Virgin Islands rose again as they came together to organize for simultaneous Black Lives Matter related observances held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2020 in their respective locations.
The peaceful observances ranged from a solidarity circle on St. Croix at the Christiansted Fort, gathering for reflection, conversation and intention to peaceful protest marches on both St. John and St. Thomas.
All three islands started with nine minutes of silence symbolizing about the amount of time George Floyd spent on the ground when he was was murdered. On St. Thomas, participants were invited to to stand, take a knee, or lay down on the Waterfront Apron.
Various members of the community shared heartfelt messages, related history significant to the Black Lives Matter movement and personal experiences including why they chose to live in the Virgin Islands rather than stateside.
Jalayne Jones Penn, 25, hails from the island of St. John. Anjali James, 20, was born and raised on St. Thomas and Sommer Sibilly-Brown lives on St. Croix. Learn more about them from the interview that took place on Friday, June 6, 2020.
I feel absolutely amazing like on a protest high lol. The support, the energy of being around that many like-minded people was so great!!
…just looking at so many people peacefully participating and equally passionate as I am . Felt good and felt right.”
Anjali James, STT protest organizer
On Stx we had a total of 40 ppl in the circle. Felt pretty good for a one day turn around and the interesting thing was that it was ppl who new me. It was a great mixture we stayed together for 2.5 hours. I was unsure anyone one would come. The conversation was honest and hard and just a primer we plan to do something again soon. This has to be a marathon. We need stamina.
I also got positive feed back from ppl who wanted to do more. I would love for us to get together and plan more event in sync. Know we were all doing something together at the same time felt powerful
Sommer Sibilly-Brown, St. Croix gathering organizer
I feel grateful, and proud of my community. We have had so much stress and our normal day-to-day lives in “paradise” are hard for most locals. For everyone to come together – skin color, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status to say – Black Lives Matter and our local violence is an issue and we can focus on these solutions at the time of a pandemic was beautiful and hard and inspiring. Mostly, for me, it was the experience of putting my own ideas and feelings aside for my much younger organizer and supporting her. Even though I am Caribbean, I’m still white. I grew up in a black majority community, but I’m still white. And I benefit from that privilege. Being able to lend the knowledge I have from that privilege to this moment, is an honor. Thank you for letting me stand for you and with you. I can not wait to see what my mobilized community does next.
Brigitte Berry, St. Thomas event co-organizer, mentor
The following are some pre-protest reminders from the St. Thomas protest Facebook event post:
🖤Wear your mask. If you don’t have a mask, we will have to ask you to leave.
🖤Please bring your signs! For Black Lives Matter, for gun violence, for solutions, thanking the VIPD, Anti-colonialism………this is a multidimensional problem.
🖤It will be hot, bring water. We have some donated water as well. Stay hydrated and safe.
🖤If you can not attend, please tune to Brigitte Berry’s Facebook account for a live feed. Jalayne Jones will be live on St. John and Sommer Sibilly-Brown will be live from St. Croix.
“With COVID-19, our safety as a community is important. Let’s keep our distance while protesting.”
There are multiple events in the Virgin Islands, attend the one closest to you or support them however you can in whoever way.
#UNITEDVI #BLACKLIVESMATTER #BLM #USVI #BLMUSVI
“While we march this morning, we will say their names. 2020 Gun Violence victims in the Virgin Islands,” Brigitte Berry.
Jan 11. Ray Thomas
Jan 17. Ferdinand N Marshall
Jan 18. Gyasi Chiverton
Feb 4. Jahlil Ward
Feb 16. Carlos Ingles & Endry Montero Bacili
Feb 19. Mikal Dore
Feb 29. Jahkim E.Santiago
Mar 20. Malik Graham & Malcom Francis
March 29. Luis Perez
April 8. Deshaune Harrigan
April 8. Michael Mckie
April 10. Junior Akimo Freeman
April 16. Shaq’kil Roberts
April 16. Bertstand Gilkes
May 8. Jamal Jacobs
May 12. Jahkerby Charles
May 15. Elon Frett
May 26. Mendel Felix
May 27. Selena Chitolie
May 31. Terrance Leroy James
COMBINED FOOTAGE
On St. Thomas
Other Gatherings on St. Thomas
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBHDsXLDw9o/?igshid=ak4o1sns65c9
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGTdn4Dusm/?igshid=1po36seim3135
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGcGRXjq24/?igshid=1wnqyag0abgcy
On St. John
Related VI Source Story: https://stthomassource.com/content/2020/06/06/stj-love-city-comes-out-to-show-that-black-lives-matter/
On St. Croix
(Photos ©DaraMonifah® | Simeon E. Thompson | Dr. Chenzira D. Kahina)
“These traumatic scars reveal themselves in the self-hate that leads to high rates of gun violence in our local communities. I pledge my action to help stem the tide of this pandemic, through my advocacy for Bill No. 33-0126, to establish an Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the Virgin Islands to offer a comprehensive approach to the senseless loss of lives and to provide critical opportunities for healing. May we continue to be advocates for change and for the upholding of civil rights at home and abroad, for our interconnected lives depend upon it.”
– V.I. Senator Myron D. Jackson Press Release
There are so many invisible and silent supporters that helped these events to be successful. While it’s impossible to name them all, a special thanks goes out to Ivo Philbert of IVO Consulting, Tahmin Clarke, Winston Williams and others in the VI diaspora of the VI Strong Tees organization who’s donations supported each island event’s organizer.
