St. Croix – Robert and Charlotte Hullinger, of Cincinnati, Ohio, formed Parents of Murdered Children following the 1978 murder of their daughter, Lisa, while she was studying in Germany. In 2007, the U.S. Congress designated September 25 as the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims (NDRMV). The annual National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims is observed on the date Lisa Hullinger was murdered. This day of remembrance gives all of us the opportunity to remember those lost to homicide, honor their memories, and be reminded how disgusting, shameful and cowardly is the senseless act of murder.
For 14 years, the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix (WCSC) has commemorated NDRMV on St. Croix with events and activities in support of surviving loved ones with the goal of bringing more attention to the violence that plagues our local and global communities. This year the event was held at The Sunny Isles Amphitheater where dozens of people gathered to show their solidarity against the senseless violence that cuts lives short.
A panel was gathered on stage at the Amphitheater consisting of Antonio Emanuel, Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention for the Virgin Islands; Marcus Moorehead, LPC at Island Therapy Solutions; Lt. Naomi Joseph, Deputy Chief, Virgin Islands Police Department; and Dr. Clema S. Williams, Executive Director of the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix.
The event began with a rousing inspirational speech by Queen Mother Dr. Chenzira Davis Kahina, also known as Dr. Chen. who is a respected figure in the U.S. Virgin Islands known for her work in education, culture, and spirituality. She spoke of the need for unity, for healing, for following a path of peace and love. Her heartfelt words resonated throughout the audience, touching the hearts of all who gathered in observance of the day.
There was a highly emotional short film played on the Amphitheater screen called Bulletproof Dreams produced by the local film group Blue Tarp Productions. Blue Tarp is a production company of indie filmmakers living in the Virgin Islands. Their motto is: “We Create Films for Virgin Islanders by Virgin Islanders.” The team is headed up by Co-Founder/Director, George W. Cannon III; Co-Founder/Writer/Production Manager, Diana Dias; and Sansara Cannon, Executive Producer.
Their film, Bulletproof Dreams, goes a long way in explaining how violence begets violence, how revenge can spiral out of control and turn those with good hearts into killers when their emotions are left unchecked. The film lasts only 14 minutes but it packs an emotional punch that displays a pathway for those hell-bent on revenge to be coaxed off the ledge by the love and understanding of family and friends. It left a number of people in the audience shaken by its message. It apparently hit a little too close to home for viewers who have been through the tragic cycle of murder-revenge-murder.
There was a segment of the program that presented the names of murder victims on St. Croix since 1974. The Wall of Remembrance, compiled by WCSC’s Sheleene Gumbs, is a visual presentation that is updated every year, and memorializes those whose lives have been taken by violence.
One of the panelists, Antonio Emanuel, Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, said, “I wish this job never existed… I took this job out of anger. Two young men I mentored were killed and we lost them at the most critical point in their lives. That loss inspired me to do this work as my way of avenging their deaths.”
Mr. Emmanuel went on to explain that the mission of his office extended beyond reactionary measures related to crimes of violence. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention is committed to providing support to families after tragedies, teaching conflict resolution, working with schools and reentry programs, and partnering with the Police Athletic League.
“We try to keep people safe, alive, and free,” stated Mr. Emmanuel. “But we can’t do it all by ourselves. We need the community’s support.”
VIPD Deputy Chief Naomi Joseph, who throughout the decades of her experience in law enforcement has seen what violence does to tear apart communities. She spoke of the pain family members go through when a loved one is tragically murdered. “I’ve had to tell mothers their child is dead. That never gets easier.”
Deputy Chief Joseph urged residents to break the silence that often shields the perpetrators of violent crimes. “A lot of times we know who’s doing it, but people don’t want their family member to go to jail…until it’s your child, or your relative that has been murdered…We need the people to speak up.”
Although St. Croix does experience a high rate of violent personal crime, particularly homicides and shootings, in relation to other nations, most incidents are not random as they are in many other areas. Violence in the Virgin Islands generally stems from local and personal disputes and gang related murders that involve victims between the ages of 19 to 30 years of age.
Due to the recent spike in violence in the USVI, there has been an upswing in ‘community calls to action’ in order to rally the forces of peace. Jed JohnHope recently produced Heart of the Block, in response to the senseless murder of Dutty Heart, which drew over 5,000 concerned residents to the Christiansted Boardwalk, who turned out to rally and call for unity against gun violence; and Syeeda Carter’s Act Out Ensemble, in collaboration with Blue Tarp Productions, is presenting an upcoming theatrical rally, Plays To End Gun Violence on October 6. 2025, at the Complex High School Auditorium where actors from Good Hope Country Day and the Drama Club at Complex will move to raise the bar on community involvement in the fight against the unspeakable tragedy of gun violence.
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