Outreach - Fireburn Heritage, Inc.

Virgin Islands ABCs Initiative: Cultivating Cultural Literacy in VI Youth, 2024

In collaboration with Fireburn Heritage, Inc. and the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts (CMCA), local third graders will embark on an exciting journey to create an ABC book that showcases the unique heritage of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This initiative aims to nurture cultural appreciation and storytelling skills among young students while producing a valuable educational resource for preschoolers. The project plays a vital role in the humanities, as it preserves and celebrates local culture, fosters community engagement, and underscores the importance of arts education in understanding and safeguarding our cultural heritage.

Angela Golden Bryan has been honored as CMCA’s Fall Resident Artist and will lead this meaningful project. Her work will ensure that the book not only preserves local traditions but also highlights the significance of arts education. Thanks to generous funding, the completed ABC book will be distributed to all public elementary schools in the Virgin Islands, ensuring equitable access to this enriching educational tool.

To further enhance the students’ experience, cultural discovery hikes led by Professor Olasee Davis will ignite their creativity and deepen their cultural awareness. Additionally, Professor Danica David will lend her expertise as Art Director, ensuring the visual aesthetics of the final product are both captivating and true to the spirit of the Virgin Islands. Erin Shae Bryan will serve as coauthor, adding her voice to this collaborative effort.

We are deeply grateful for the support that has made this project possible. The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI), with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), along with a generous grant from the Resist Foundation, has provided the financial resources needed to bring this vision to life. Together, we are paving the way for a new generation to connect with and preserve our rich cultural legacy.

C.F.V.I. - Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands

Contributing to Literacy with Little Free Libraries in the Virgin Islands 2023

At Fireburn Heritage, our commitment to preserving cultural heritage aligns seamlessly with our dedication to education and community enrichment. We are delighted to have recently donated books to support the Little Free Library project in the Virgin Islands, a wonderful initiative facilitated by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI). We extend our sincere thanks to the CFVI for making this opportunity possible. Their support enables us to contribute to the enrichment of VI communities through accessible knowledge and shared stories.

Explore the world of literature with us as we join hands with the Little Free Library project. Together, let’s empower minds and build a stronger, more connected community. To learn more about the Little Free Library project, visit Little Free Library. For specific locations in the Virgin Islands, check out Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands.

Empower minds, share stories, and build a stronger community with Fireburn Heritage.

Rotary Club of St. Thomas – Children’s Literacy Event

On September 30, 2023, the Rotary club of St. Thomas hosted a children’s literacy event and partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of St. Thomas. The Rotarians donated 50 copies of our children’s book, James and the Fireburn, to the children and invited author Angela Golden Bryan to read James and the Fireburn to the children. Afterwards she engaged the children with a question and answer session relating to VI history as well as bullying. We thank the St. Thomas Rotary for the partnership opportunity and for helping us get our products into the hands of young readers.

Blooming Book Club Inaugural Event

On September 28, 2023 we had the opportunity to share our VI centric products at the inaugural Blooming Book Club event. The event was held at the St. George Botanical Garden, on the island of St. Croix. Fireburn Heritage’s founder and executive director, Angela Golden Bryan, was one of two authors selected to host the Garden’s first ever book club. We were able to share our books,Fireburn the Screenplay, as well as, James and the Fireburn, to an enthusiastic audience. It is always a pleasure when we are able to fulfill our mission of sharing the proud Virgin Islands’ history and culture.

Partnering to Feed South Florida 2023

While in pre-production for upcoming projects, we are partnering with First Wesleyan Community Church of Hollywood, FL (FWCC) to feed residents in the immediate and surrounding neighborhoods.FWCC is hosting food distributions with food supplied by Feeding South Florida. On several occasions, with more planned for the future, we fed over 200 families each time. We are grateful to be a part of such a worthy cause and look forward to continued partnerships with other great organizations.

(Stock photography used to protect privacy of attendees)

Serendipity Screens Fireburn Documentary

Fireburn the Documentary was featured as part of Serendipity’s International Women’s Day 2022 – Women of Resistance Film Sharing and Discussion. Serendipity – Institute for Black Arts and Heritage is committed to honoring revolutionary women who have fought to make the world a better place for their communities and we are honored that Fireburn was selected as a part of their lineup. We are thrilled that our products continue to meet global audiences who desire to share our story. Thank you, Serendipity, for the partnership opportunity!

USVI Diaspora Event in the DC Area

As a kickoff to the Library of Congress’ National Book Fair, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands hosted an intimate gathering on September 1st, 2022. The invitation-only event was held on the rooftop terrace of Planet Word Museum in Washington, DC and featured stunning views, delicious food and drink, and an opportunity to mingle with family and friends of CFVI. CFVI gave out t-shirts, branded bags, masks and many other goodies. Fireburn Heritage board members, Lou Golden and Erin Bryan were in attendance, along with family and friends of Fireburn Heritage. As guest of honor, Angela, Executive Director of Fireburn Heritage, gave a few words and signed books.

Library of Congress – Great Reads from Great Places 2022

As part of the Library of Congress’ National Book Faire, each state and territory affiliate is invited to name a children’s and adult book as its designated Great Reads for 2022. Each book is selected by a local Center for the Book or state library and most are for children and young readers.

“James and the Fireburn,” written by Angela Golden Bryan, has been designated as the territory’s children’s Great Read for 2022. An anti-bullying human rights story inspired by Caribbean history, the story focuses on the importance for children to learn right from wrong and to avoid destructive bullying behavior. The book provides lessons in making wise choices for children while educating readers about a piece of U.S. Caribbean history.

“Fireburn the Screenplay,” also authored by Bryan, was selected as the adult Great Read for 2022 from the USVI. The screenplay is based on the history of St. Croix and the territory’s bloody labor revolt of 1878.

Fireburn Heritage’s mission is to passionately honor the proud U.S. Virgin Islands’ heritage, celebrate its unique culture, and empower future generations by providing educational and artistic tools, resources, collaborative support, and inspiration. We are humbled and honored that two of our products were selected to represent the VI at this year’s Library of Congress National Book Fair. We are grateful to the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands for the opportunity to share VI history beyond the territories.

As the Library of Congress Center for the Book affiliate for the USVI, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, with support from the Tourism Department, along with several board members of Fireburn Heritage, represented the territory at the 22nd annual Library of Congress National Book Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on September 3rd.

Literacy Campaign 2022

Our Literacy Campaign is based on the desire to contribute high quality resources to public schools, while providing opportunities for lifelong learning in each school. The campaign entails placing sufficient copies of each book in each of the US Virgin Islands school’s libraries so that an entire class can have access to the books for class assignments at the same time. “James and the Fireburn” will be placed in each elementary school library; copies of “Fireburn the Screenplay” will be donated to each junior high and high school, along with the lifetime rights to screen “Fireburn the Documentary.”

The interactive component of the literacy campaign allows for the author/creator of the products to interact with each class virtually, so as to provide qualitative time with each class. Having guest readers, along with Q & A is a valuable component for stimulating students’ interest in reading, enhancing literacy, and inspiring creativity and research.

This campaign was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands with Funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and will allow students to have access to these tools for years to come.

Virgin Islands Premiere and Free Community Screenings

In December 2021, we partnered with WTJX PBS, Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, Virgin Islands Museum Civic Cultural Center, Reichhold Center for the Arts, and Bajo Del Sol Art Gallery, and presented free screenings of the award winning Fireburn Documentary. The free premiere screening was held on the island of St. Croix, followed by screenings on St. John and St. Thomas. Each screening featured local musicians, as well as a Q & A panel consisting of some of the documentary cast members, along with another expert in Virgin Islands history.

The screenings were jointly funded by a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, along with a $7,000 project support grant from the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC, a federal agency.

“Short films are making progressive waves this past year, especially one project by artist and filmmaker Angela Golden Bryan.”

Times Square Chronicles
Elisabeth Taylor

“The documentary explores the inhumane work and living conditions that existed prior to the revolt and takes an in depth look at the women who were called “Queens” due to their leadership.”

The Virgin Islands Daily News
Lori Abbotts