As part of Hispanic Heritage Month’s closing, which is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, students at St. Croix Central High School were treated to a lively and reflective discussion on heritage, identity, and the power of Virgin Islands culture. The program, held on Wednesday, was conducted in two sessions for about 100 students.
Special guests included international award-winning filmmaker and native Virgin Islander Johanna Bermudez-Ruiz, former Sen. Samuel Carrion, and Stanley Jacobs, affectionately known as “Stanley,” leader of the iconic quelbe band Ten Sleepless Knights.
Bermudez-Ruiz screened about 15-20 minutes of her award-nominated documentary film, “Sugar Pathways,” narrated by actress Luna Lauren Vélez, known for her work on the Emmy award-winning show Dexter and Across the Spider-Verse. The film chronicles nearly 100 years of Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands families coming together through love, food, politics, music, and community. Bermudez-Ruiz said the project took her almost 10 years to complete.
“I wanted to make this film because I wanted to have a legacy,” she said.
Bermudez also encouraged students to embrace their heritage.
“Be proud of where you come from,” Bermudez-Ruiz said. “It’s important to have these conversations with young people, especially those exploring their heritage and identity. Knowing who we are allows us to move forward with confidence. Identity gives us grounding; it connects us to our past, our present, and even helps us envision our future. For students, even those as young as middle and high school, understanding where they come from helps them better understand who they are and how they fit into the broader Caribbean story. It’s not just about Latino heritage, it’s about Caribbean identity as a whole. Our histories and cultures are deeply interconnected.”
Carrion, who has long championed cultural and civic education in schools, also encouraged students to explore their family history and take pride in the Virgin Islands’ diverse roots.
“It’s important for young people to explore their family heritage and understand where they come from — that discovery helps shape who they are,” he said.
Sharing a personal story, he revealed that his own great-grandfather migrated from Vieques to St. Croix in 1876, two years before the historic Fireburn labor revolt in 1878.
“Discovering that part of my family history gave me a new sense of connection to this island. Our community is a melting pot and embracing diversity is powerful. Whether your family roots are in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, or elsewhere, those connections are what make the Virgin Islands unique.”
Carrion also highlighted the guayabera, a traditional Caribbean shirt, as a symbol of heritage.
“The guayabera, like our culture itself, tells a story of history, adaptation, and pride. Wherever it originated, it has become a symbol of elegance and heritage across the Caribbean,” he said.
Following Carrion’s remarks, Jacobs captivated students with stories and performances of Quelbe, the official music of the Virgin Islands.
“I started playing guitar when I was six years old — music has always been a part of me,” Jacobs said. “Quelbe was the first music I ever heard. It’s the sound I grew up with. The drums, squash, steel, and melody all come together to tell our stories. Quelbe came from the fields. Even when people were forbidden to make instruments, they made drums out of barrels and found ways to keep the rhythm alive. Quelbe has always been about real life; it’s the people’s music. We want to see more structured music programs in schools that teach our culture, because quelbe isn’t just music, it’s history.”
For decades, Stanley and Ten Sleepless Knights have shared the legacy of Quelbe with younger generations, donating instruments to schools and performing across the territory and around the world.
