For the third year, the Children’s Program at the BVI Lit Fest put the focus on local creatives, giving a younger generation the chance to connect with the seasoned musicians, writers, and visual storytellers who shape the culture around them.

Saturday on Tortola, Kamyce Penn-O’Neal, who helps to organize the experience under the guidance of Rochelle Smith, director of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College Virgin Islands Studies Institute, said the structure of the day is intentional.

“This part of the festival is strictly about our local authors and creatives,” she said. “Every year we continue to get more creative, to expand. The parents enjoy it as much as the children, and we want to keep building so the numbers can double and triple in the years ahead.”

This year’s presenters included children’s author Rick S.S. Grant, photographer Shaun Black, multimedia visual artist Via Donovan-Hodge, and musician Kayron Todman of the Razor Blades fungi band, each leading sessions aimed at sparking curiosity, creativity, and cultural grounding. The progression of the day moved with the age groups, from reading circles for younger children to hands-on art and music demonstrations for older elementary students.

Todman, who serves as a School Improvement Officer for the BVI’s Ministry of Education, led a workshop on fungi music — known in the U.S. Virgin Islands as quelbe. He spoke to students about the history of the music, its roots, and its role as a form of storytelling that has carried the experiences of Virgin Islanders across generations. He explained the instruments used in fungi bands and how they each contribute to the sound, demonstrating the link between musical rhythm and narrative memory.
He said the music is personal to him, formed through time spent with older tradition-bearers. “I grew up hanging out with the older guys, like my grandfather, going out during Christmas and New Year’s serenading from house to house,” Todman said. “It became ingrained in me. So now it’s about passing it on to the younger generation.” Seeing students’ excitement, he added, was the highlight. “Seeing the smiles on their faces and getting them involved — that’s the part that matters.”

In the next room, Grant concluded a reading session with children ages four to seven, sharing all four of his books before transitioning into a collaborative painting activity with Donovan-Hodge, who explained how pictures can also tell a story. He guided students through conversations about what stories can do — how they can express emotion, record memory, and offer new ways to see familiar surroundings.
“Reading is fundamental — it’s the crux of life,” Grant said. “Being able to impart knowledge and read with children and just engage is really important to me.” He emphasized that storytelling is not something reserved for adults. “You get to tell your stories as a writer, and when you put pen to paper, the world gets to see it. I wanted to inspire imagination, to get them thinking about the feelings in the stories and how they might tell their own.”
Penn-O’Neal said that having presenters who are not only artists but also community stewards and educators is key. Many of them were teachers to today’s parents – and in some cases, to Penn-O’Neal herself, who spoke about her experiences with Todman as her music teacher.
“It’s important for the children to see that the people who taught us are still here, still contributing,” she said. “They’re not just performing; they’re explaining the culture, the origins, and the stories behind what they do.”
She stressed that the intention is not nostalgia, but continuity. “We as adults keep culture close to us, but it has to start with the children,” she said. “When they meet the people who hold these traditions, they understand that culture isn’t something in the past – it’s something living, and they’re part of it.”
As the festival looks toward next year, Penn-O’Neal said the goal is steady growth — not just in attendance, but in depth of connection. “We want more children, more families, more conversations,” she said. “This is where storytelling begins.”

On Saturday, the fourth annual Tunes and Tacos Throwdown fundraiser brought the St. Thomas community together at Magens Bay to support Nana Baby Children’s Home.
The event, which featured 22 taco booths and 10 local vendors, was the largest throwdown yet. Live music was provided by several local acts, including the DubLab Reggae Band and the St. Thomas All Stars Steel Orchestra.

Volunteer Terry Seabrook praised the event’s mission and the dedication of Nana Baby Children’s Home leaders. “This is my third year volunteering,” Seabrook said. “I’m a retired person from the mainland, but I make sure I’m here to help because it means so much. You’ve got kids that don’t have a place to sleep, and they take them in no matter the time of day or night. They really make a difference.”

Several local organizations joined the effort to support Nana Baby Children’s Home, ranging from health and wellness providers to longtime community fixtures and independent artists.
The Virgin Islands Children’s Museum was among the supporters, with CEO Amber McCammon and Education and Outreach Coordinator Zenaide Rogers volunteering to run a booth with games and activities for children.
“We’re a nonprofit ourselves, and we just want to support other nonprofits in the territory that are doing good work,” McCammon said.
As the museum expands its outreach, including a “Teen Time” program planned for December, Rogers said the organization “supports any cause that involves children. Nana Baby Home has been doing great community service for so many years. It’s wonderful that they’re getting recognized, and we want to continue to help with their mission.” McCammon added that “it’s so important that local children and families have a safe place to go in times of trouble.”

Wellness professionals were also on hand to highlight local services. Dr. Keisha Hamilton of the Chiropractic Health Center said, “It’s always a great event. We love the cause. The tacos are amazing, so it’s a win-win.”
Dr. Angelina J. Prince, a licensed clinical psychologist with Insight Psychological Services, emphasized the importance of mental health care in the community. “We look at any agency that’s providing critical care services to children, especially in our community, especially the underserved,” Prince said. She added her support for the event. “You’ve got amazing food. You’ve got the entire community coming together for a worthwhile cause. It’s a great way for us to unite and support each other.”

Antilles School alumni and staff joined the fundraiser to celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary and highlight its commitment to community service. “We just want to make community outreach one of the pillars of our 75th year,” said Amy Gurlea, alumni campaign chair and former faculty member.
Hugh Arnold, administrator of admission and advancement, added, “Today, it’s all about supporting Nana Baby and having fun.” Gurlea described Nana Baby Home as “an amazing cause … They create a family and community for kids.”

At the fundraiser, local food vendors and chefs brought creativity and community spirit to the competition. A representative from An Hour Late said, “We’ve been supporting since day one,” noting that this year they were competing in the dessert taco category with cannoli tacos. “Last year, we made ice cream tacos. It was a lot of fun.”
Chef Pepe, representing St. Thomas Restaurant Group, made his debut in the competition. “It’s my first time competing, it’s really nice,” he said.

Chef Ashley, representing his team, emphasized the event’s mission. “Everyone needs to support Nana Baby,” he said. “I love the competition and can’t wait for next year.”

Tricia Homer, host for the event, praised the fundraiser and its organizers. “I don’t know of any other organization that does what they do here on the island,” she said. “I saw the way the community comes out and supports them. That inspired me to reach out.”

After the judges cast their votes, the results were: In the Taco Competition, the Vegetarian Taco category was won by Sun & Sea Bar and Grill, followed by Dive Bar in second place and Chef Ashley in third. Sun & Sea Bar and Grill also claimed first place in the Meat Taco category, with Caribbean Fish Market in second and Movin’ Too Spicy in third. Alphonso Betty won the Fish Taco category, followed by Agave Red Hook in second and VI Pizza Pop Up in third. In the Dessert Taco category, An Hour Late earned first place, VI Pizza Pop Up was second, and Agave Havensight placed third.

In the Margarita Competition, La Marina Bar & Restaurant’s Sauvignon Blanc Margarita took first place, followed by Tillet Garden Productions’ Watermelon Margarita in second and Agave Red Hook in third. The People’s Choice Awards went to Rock City Tacos for tacos and La Marina Bar & Restaurant’s Sauvignon Blanc Margarita for margaritas.

Darian Torrice-Hairston, executive director of Nana Baby Children’s Home and organizer of the event, called this year’s fundraiser “super successful,” noting it was the largest yet, with 22 taco booths and 10 local vendors. “If you’re doing a good thing, it grows,” she said, crediting sponsors and competitors for making the expanded event possible.
Funds raised this year will support the creation of a teen program at Nana Baby Children’s Home. “We see a more pressing need for the teenage population,” Torrice-Hairston said, noting there are no homes for teenagers on St. Thomas. She added that the fundraiser “is basically going to help us become two organizations, so we can support kids of all ages, in all of their different walks of life.”
She expressed gratitude to the community for all the support and expressed optimism that next year’s Tunes and Tacos Throwdown will be even bigger.