Learn more about the VIAC Storytelling Project!

Funded by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands through the National Endowment for the Humanities

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A 264-Year Journey: The Iconic Structure of Christiansted National Historic District

Storytelling Team

Our Team

The VIAC Storytelling Project is researched and produced by an intergenerational team of Virgin Islands cultural producers and activists. Monique Clendinen Watson, Monica Marin, Chalana Brown, Anurie Oliver, Kemora Harris and Kevin Moolenaar have combined their knowledge and expertise in Virgin Islands history and culture, the humanities, museum curation, research, storytelling, and communications to tell the rich history of the Christiansted Old Barracks, its neighborhoods, and the diverse people intrinsically connected to them. The compelling narratives meticulously crafted by this team engages audiences and resonates deeply throughout the Virgin Islands community and diaspora.

Monique Clendinen Watson

Monique Clendinen Watson is a writer, educator, and public relations professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Detroit and a Master of Humanities from California State University Dominguez Hills. She is the CEO of BlueGaulin Media Strategies. She is certified in college‑level instruction and in teaching middle and high school Social Studies and Language Arts. She has published widely, led history workshops for teachers and students, and produced the Roots of Our Culture documentary series. Her storytelling also appears at http://www.companystreetchronicles.com. She recently joined the 30th and 31st Anniversary Diversity Scholars Cohorts at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Monica Marin

Monica Marin is a writer, researcher, producer, and educator with a background in curriculum development. She earned a B.A. in Art History, Theory and Criticism, and Painting and Drawing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. As Chief Curator for the Virgin Islands Department of Natural Resources Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums, she works across art, culture, and community storytelling. She led the launch of “Invisible Heritage: Identity, Memory and Our Town,” a continuing placemaking project created with CHANT and supported by major arts grants. She also founded the Artist Advisory and the education and outreach programs at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts.

Anurie Oliver

Anurie D. Oliver is a writer and researcher for the Virgin Islands Architecture Center for Built Heritage and Crafts (VIAC), Old Barracks Neighborhood Storytelling Project. Her research focuses on documenting the rich history of the Old Barracks property and the surrounding Hospital Street neighborhood in Christiansted, St. Croix, through archival research, historical analysis, and storytelling. Anurie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of the Virgin Islands, a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from Boston University, and certificates in Grant Writing. She has over 8 years of legal experience and currently works as a Paralegal/Investigative Analyst, where she conducts legal and investigative research, analyzes public and corporate records, and prepares legal documents and comprehensive background investigation reports. She is also the co-owner of Alluxe Décor, LLC and the founder of Reliable Legal Assistant.

A lifelong lover of history, research, and writing, Anurie has participated in historical field research alongside local historians and remains passionate about preserving the cultural heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands. She is the author of Island Deep, published in Caribbean Writers (2016), and the recipient of the 2015 Virgin Islands Literature Fest Writing Competition award. Through her work with the Old Barracks Neighborhood Storytelling Project, she is committed to preserving and sharing the stories of the people, places, and traditions that have shaped St. Croix and the Virgin Islands for future generations.

A meticulously preserved 18th-century Caribbean fortification wall built of weathered coral stone blocks and mortar, its surface textured with patches of limewash and traces of faded ochre paint. The wall stretches diagonally across a cobbled courtyard in Christiansted under clear tropical skies. Late afternoon golden sunlight rakes across the masonry, emphasizing every crack and chisel mark, casting long, crisp shadows onto the ground. Palm fronds and red-roofed colonial buildings appear softly blurred in the background. Photographed at eye level with a moderate depth of field, the composition follows the rule of thirds, creating a calm, scholarly mood. The style is clean photographic realism, visually emphasizing built heritage and the quiet endurance of historic architecture.

Kevin Moolenaar

Videographer

Stephanie Chalana Brown

Photographer, videographer, producer, and educator Stephanie Chalana Brown serves as Director of Virgin Islands Cultural Education. She develops curriculum grounded in local culture and creates visual stories that highlight the richness of Virgin Islands life. Her productions include Griot, Foodie Insider, and the Virtual Crucian Cultural Cuisine dialogues, all featured on local broadcast platforms.

WE HONORED ST. CROIX HISTORIAN DR. KAREN C. THURLAND FOR HER BODY OF WORK

VIAC is pleased to honor St. Croix historian Dr. Karen C. Thurland for her published body of work about St. Croix and its people.
From Christiansted, St. Croix, she is an historian, educator and author who has published books such as The Thurland Family and the Furniture Making Tradition, Peter G. Thurland Sr.: Master Cabinetmaker and Bandleader and Tradesmen of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands which tell the story of our architecture, built heritage and the craftsmen of days gone by who contributed to our culture and traditions.