Kickin It is thrilled to announce the launch of Kickin It University, an educational program designed to equip Virgin Islanders to become guardians of the culture.
Virgin Islands culture faces a growing threat: traditions are fading, and if we allow it, so will the unique identity of our islands. Kickin It University (KIU) addresses this head-on. Through engaging classes, workshops, and hands-on experiences, students can gain new knowledge, develop new skills and access resources needed to be cultural stewards.
KIU jumpstarts with a crowdfunding campaign that aims to raise $10,000 to support KIU’s mission, which is to keep Virgin Islands culture alive. Through a diverse course catalog, KIU offers Virgin Islanders of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn key traditional skills like johnny cake making, basket weaving, folklore dancing and more. KIU is an initiative led by the non-profit, Kickin It.
Speaking on the mission of Kickin It, Founder Kyra James Douglas explained, “We believe that knowledge and skill go hand in hand.”
She continued, “By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you help us create opportunities for Virgin Islanders to access both, which will equip them to share what they’ve learned with future generations. You become a guardian of Virgin Islands culture.”
KIU’s class schedules will also include sessions for creative development like content creation, marketing, and artificial intelligence. These are all tools Kickin It believes are key to modern culture preservation efforts.
“We envision a world where Virgin Islands culture is not only alive but thriving,” said Kyra.
She added, “Culture preservation efforts have to evolve in order to survive. This organization’s goal is to do just that and KIU is one of the ways we plan to do it.”
Funds raised through the crowdfunding campaign will help make this a free resource for the community. Donations will directly support the production of course content and cover the cost of resources needed to create engaging learning environments. In addition to courses, KIU will produce grants and travel opportunities for Virgin Islands creatives to attend conferences abroad.
To learn more about Kickin It University and donate to the crowdfunding campaign, persons are encouraged to visit kickinituniversity.com.
Contact: Adrianna Soverall | press@kickinitvi.com
