Feb. 22, 2008 — Doing their own version of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream" speech, students at Charlotte Amalie High School talked about their hopes for the future on Thursday and celebrated Black History Month with a program that explored a variety of issues affecting today's youth.
Starting off with a skit mixed with singing, spoken word and saxophone solos, students said they "had a dream" to grow up and take on jobs that could inspire and help the community.
"I have a dream to play the saxophone," one student said. "I want to be a jazz musician, to fill the clubs with all kinds of people and watch them sway a little. I want this music to beat through their hearts — pulsing and thumping and swaying. I want this music to fill their hearts with love."
Another student said her dream was to become a doctor who could "heal the sick, heal their pain and beat death when he comes to the door."
In a more dramatic sequence, students talked about issues that impact the nation's youth, from underfunded education programs to the Patriot Act. They said the nation's focus has remained on fighting terrorism, while other issues at home — such as poverty and racism — have fallen by the wayside.
Turning their focus to the Virgin Islands, students also talked about fighting the scourge of illegal drugs, fixing the dysfunctional prison system and finding a solution that could prevent "any more young men" from dying on the streets.
Other presentations during the morning event included a blend of poetry, dancing and singing, while officials from African-Caribbean Reparations Resettlement Alliance (ACRRA) also took the stage to teach students about the importance of remaining true to their cultural roots. Organization president Shelley Moorhead also gave the audience a rundown on the history of Danish rule, and the proliferation of slavery, in the Virgin Islands.
"It's important for me to be able to bolster the students' understanding that V.I. history and African history — as it relates to those individuals living in the V.I. diaspora — are inextricably linked," Moorhead said before the event. "We need to stimulate the students and educate them on where they come from and the historical relationship of the Virgin Islands to Africa."
He added that V.I. history courses have to become more incorporated into the local school curriculum.
"We need to strengthen the youth," Moorhead said. "Like Marcus Garvey said, people without the knowledge of their past are like trees without roots."
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