Heritage Education Arts Legacy (HEAL) Virgin Islands Caribbean Cultural Center (VICCC) Recovery Project integrates discussions, interactive workshops, culturally-sensitive trauma counseling, COVID19 masks, replacement of collections and new media resources that strengthen and provide opportunities for restoring comprehensive multi-cultural resources and programs that teach COVID19 protective behaviors complementary to actions for sustainable disaster recovery and preparedness.
The only HBCU in the Caribbean, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), has remained in virtual instruction mode from March 2020 due to the CoronaVirus pandemic. COVID19 shutdowns combined with devastating damages from Hurricanes Irma-Maria in September 2017 impacting 3,000+ students, faculty, and staff along with 100,000+ people in the Virgin Islands (US). The VI Caribbean Cultural Center (VICCC) at UVI sustained damages to our collections and facilities further compromised by COVID19.
The COVID19 pandemic modified the deliverables intended for this project. In the interim, participants' needs for resources to support safe and healthy protections have increased. Virtual platforms with culturally-sensitive trauma counseling linked to preparedness for natural disasters and health crises have been designed and developed to provide support for diverse community needs. Revised strategies and community partnerships using COVID19 protocols are implemented through HEAL VI.
The project will continue to provide assistance for strategic planning to address current COVID19 global health protocols, disaster preparedness, and more. The project will continue to secure VICCC@UVI facilities with safety protocols. Resources will be developed for 500+ families via culturally-sensitive educational programs, trauma counseling, and safe COVID19 community protocols with sustainable solutions and strategic actions for improving safe disaster recovery and preparedness techniques.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
