As the 2026 election cycle begins to take shape, a new broadcast forum is aiming to change how political conversations happen in the Virgin Islands — moving beyond familiar talking points and into something more direct, structured, and rooted in the community.
“Decision 2026: 20v1” produced in partnership with the Virgin Islands Source and VI Crawl, brings one gubernatorial candidate into conversation with twenty Virgin Islanders, each representing a different perspective from across the territory. The initiative blends production with journalism, helping shape a platform grounded in clear questions, context, and accountability.
The idea took shape, in part, after producer Shani DeWindt watched the final stretch of the Harris–Walz presidential campaign, where a compressed timeline and rapid messaging left little room for deeper civic engagement. She saw a similar challenge locally, where the political window is even shorter — and where voters often have limited opportunities to engage meaningfully with candidates beyond surface-level exchanges.
“This initiative is about strengthening civic engagement in a way that feels accessible, relevant, and rooted in community,” DeWindt said.
The format is intentionally structured: each of the twenty participants — referred to as “questioners” — brings forward a claim or perspective tied to an issue affecting the territory. Those claims shape the conversation, requiring candidates to respond directly and with specificity, rather than relying on broad campaign messaging.
For producer Tricia Homer, the project is also about creating a different kind of space – one that prioritizes listening as much as speaking.
“This is about creating space for real conversation,” Homer said. “Not just people talking at each other, but a place where people feel heard. Our ability to solve difficult problems is directly tied to how well we ask questions, how deeply we listen, and how we show up for each other in that process.”
Gabrielle Querrard, part of the production team, added that the format also responds to a gap many voters have long felt.
“One of the gaps we feel as voters is that there are a lot of panel discussions where candidates make broad promises, but there aren’t many spaces for meaningful dialogue or for them to get into the specifics of how those plans would actually work,” she said.
“20v1 creates an opportunity for candidates to be clear about their positions, while giving the community a more meaningful way to engage,” she said.
Organizers say the goal is to give voters a clearer understanding of each candidate’s vision, priorities, and approach to leadership — while also modeling a more intentional way of engaging in public conversation.
Filming is set to take place on St. Thomas over two weekends — May 30–31 and June 6–7, with the series expected to be released ahead of the party primaries.
More than a one-time production, “20v1” is positioned as a civic platform — one designed to encourage Virgin Islanders to move beyond familiarity and engage more deeply with the issues shaping the Territory’s future.
Community members can learn more, nominate questioners, or support the initiative – including through its GoFundMe campaign — at www.20v1usvi.com.
