Welcome to #FreshEyesFriday!

Bienvenidos and welcome!

Finally the end of the week... it felt like forever!

I know that with the current COVID-19 situation, we are all losing track of the days, time, our minds, etc. We are being inundated with hysterical news stories, emotionally bogging content, and just negative vibes all around. Anxiety is at an all time high and it's making people literally go nuts and make no sense. (This is especially topical because May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth. Be careful and kind to each out there.)

With that in mind, I wanted to do something special, kind of in line with CNN's Good Stuff and John Krasinski's Some Good News Network, but specifically for the USVI and Caribbean. And with that this weekly round-up was born!

Welcome to #FreshEyesFriday: A place where the feel good stories of the week come together to make you smile and proud to be from the USVI.



May is a month of celebration. COVID-19 has put a damper on the most looked forward to time of year: CARNIVAL (womp womp). Leave it to the resilient artists of the Caribbean to bring Carnival to the people. Celebration shall not be stopped! It looked like an amazing time! Check it out: Virtual Carnival 2020

Continuing with the celebration, I want to celebrate all essential employees and front line workers keeping this country and our island together.  This week was #NurseAppreciation & #TeacherAppreciation Week and they deserve all our support and love.

To support our local teachers: contact St. Croix Federation of Teachers, AFT- Local 1826
(340)778-4414 ⠂stxteach01826@yahoo.com ⠂http://stcroix.vi.aft.org/
P.O. Box 1530, 12AA Calquhoun, Kingshill, VI 00851-1530 ⠂CONTACT THEM TO DONATE TODAY! (if you can)

From the V.I. State Nurses Association: May 2020 Nurses Week and Month Celebration

"The year 2020 has become incredibly challenging to frontline workers as the world faces a pandemic of epic proportion. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has designated the month of May 2020 as National Nurses Month and will promote weekly themes and activities of which VISNA will be taking part. Due to social distancing, face to face activities will be limited and the nurses in the community are encouraged to visit the ANA website at nursingworld.org and the VISNA website at visna.nursingnetwork.com for webinars with accurate and updated information about the COVID-19 pandemic . These webinars are provided free for all nurses and continuing education credits are also offered." - VI Consortium

Special shoutout to my cousins and family members who have dedicated their careers to medicine: Channel Vanessa Thomas, Gigi Perez, and Analee Tapia. You guys are rockstars!
(I'm sorry if I missed anyone...know that you, too, are incredible and I celebrate and thank you!)

Attorney General reminds public of Law Day, Law Week, and Lawyers Well Being Week.

This week was also Lawyers Well Being Week (aligned with Mental Health Awareness) and I can think of at least two special someones in my life who this week applies to. Please help me in celebrating two incredible US Virgin Island (St. Croix native) lawyers and my family members: Joanna Garcia Parkin and Sofia Mitchell! Join me in celebrating them and all lawyers who work hard and continue to do whatever they can for their communities and for our island home.

Crucians Coming Together...
Also give it up to all the organizations, businesses, and individuals utilizing their resources and skills to support all of our essential workers and vulnerable population:

My Brother’s Workshop Supplies Over 9,500 Meals

Viya Donates 20,000 Masks to Territory's Hospitals and Police Department

Perkins, Brisa Max Continue Support of Frontline Workers and V.I. Hospital System

Limetree Bay Donates Thermal Scanners for DOH Screening Mission

HUD Allocates $3.2 Million to Help Protect Low-Income Virgin Islanders Impacted by COVID-19

Spearfish companies pairing up to produce face shields during COVID-19 Pandemic

Google collaborates with VI Government to provide COVID-19 Information

A message from Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett demonstrating the power of community:



Fresh Eyes Local Heroes: highlighting locals from the USVI who make a difference

During these uncertain times, we must learn to lean on one another and support one another. Each member of our community is a vital part of what makes us successful. Join me in celebrating this week's local hero: Luz Armstrong

Photo: George Armstrong, Jr.

. 

Luz Armstrong, a queen among humans.
I thought this photo was perfectly suited for this.
Photo: George Armstrong, Jr.

Luz Armstrong (affectionately known    by me as Titi Lou) is a woman of   many talents. She is a maker and   creator. She can probably make   anything, but one thing she is known for making is a delicious bowl of KALALLOO! She runs Made With Luv by Ms. Lou out of her kitchen and sells delicious varieties of this US Virgin Islands dish. When I was in need of help getting my first kidney transplant and when I was in the hospital suffering from Calciphylaxis, she sold Kalalloo and raised funds to help me. She is a literal angel. 

Everything is made to order and once it's out, it's out! Gotta get those orders in quick!

Interested in placing an order? Call 340-778-5123 to arrange the details of your order.

Fresh Eyes Creatives: Highlighting creative artists from the USVI & the Caribbean

The USVI is an island filled with so much talent and creativity it is overwhelming. The young people on island have this undeniable connection and gift of expression that needs to be shared with the world. Here are my creative highlights for the week...

New favorite anthem: Michondé's "Black Girl Anthem" - 
stream it today on Spotify or Apple Music (or wherever you stream music)



Brainchild of Kevin Moolenaar AKA Kevin FaKtor AKA head of Team FaKtornize, check out this web series featuring USVI artists and our lovely island of St. Croix.

Sand Episode 1: Gyasi arrives back to St. Croix and Elanie confronts her boyfriend.


If you loved it as much as I did and want to support, donate what you can to support the creation of more episodes: SAND Web Series GoFundMe

President and Founder of the entire YGT Family network, Cie Lloyd, has pioneered so many direct initiatives to improve the condition of the creative arts in the #USVirginIslands.

Below see a message from #ThirdEyeStudios: "Here we have another effort on the entire family up at our partnered company Third Eye Audio and Visual Studios. The original brainchild of C. Coming together to showcase the safety precautions being taken in these tough times battling against the #Coronavirus to ensure your well being while creating with us. Book your sessions today!"




The Beautiful People Podcast run by two beautiful people.
This podcast is a chronicle of stories, struggles, thoughts and experiences from beautiful people all over the world hosted by bloggers and native U.S. Virgin Islanders Jeaiza Quinones (@GyulMeetsWorld|www.gyulmeetsworld.com ) and Deidre Ritter (@FindingDeidre | wwww.findingdeidre.com).

Flash cards for the Island baby: empowering and inspiring leaders from the Caribbean. Flash Cards for the Island baby is catered to creating a cultural learning environment for your island baby through phonetic fun.

Virgin Islands Youth shine in online art gallery

Fresh Eyes Events: things to look forward to later this month

It's a Virtual Affair For USVI Public School Graduates in 2020; Students to be Part of Commencement Event Led by Barack and Michelle Obama

Graduation dates -
St. Croix Central High School: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
St. Croix Educational Complex: Tuesday, May 27, 2020
Ivanna Eudora Kean High School: Wednesday, May 28, 2020
Charlotte Amalie High School: Friday, May 29, 2020

Additionally, the students will be part of a global ceremony for 2020 graduates, whose commencement speakers will include former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama and others, set to take place on May 16

UVI Opens Registration for Online Summer Courses, Summer Session Starts May 18

“We thank the students, faculty and staff for the flexibility and resilience displayed as the University made the move from our regularly scheduled mode of offering courses to remote learning,” said Dr. McKayle, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of the Virgin Islands.

“Though we have had experience with this type of mid-course change in the past, the effort needed to make this successful requires the recognition that we are all in this together, and that we all have to adjust.”

The realest Virgin Islands talk show: OFF THE RECORD
Conversations, Great Music, Giveaways
Tune in every Saturday 3 - 5PM
Join the conversation: call or text 340-725-VSTX (8789)
Live on VIVID Streaming.

USVI folklore to be live streamed Tuesdays at 6 p.m. for five weeks.

VI Cultural Education Invites Students to Enter ‘Let Your Eagle Fly’ Competition


Just some Fresh Eyes Good News...

Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Receives $442,200 from the National Endowment for the Humanities

The Caribbean can bring fresh ideas to the world.

Caribbean Moment: The Joys of Christiansted

Some Caribbean Nations See A Silver Lining In The Coronavirus Fight

and finally, some FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

Social Distancing shouldn't lead to Social Isolation. In the US Virgin Islands, individuals over the age of 50 who live alone are at higher risk of social isolation, which is now magnified by the “social distancing” requirements across the country. Don't let them be forgotten.

Have a safe and relaxing weekend.

Until next time...

xx,
Solange