About
Monique Clendinen Watson
Monique Clendinen Watson is a writer, teacher and public relations specialist who lives in the Washington, DC metro area. Monique is interested in Caribbean folk history and culture, and particularly, in the history and culture of her native U.S. Virgin Islands. She has researched, published, blogged and conducted workshops for teachers and students on Virgin Islands folk history and culture. She has also participated in folk groups and organized conferences and festivals. As a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, she has always been interested in the issues of identity and culture, how it is formed, transmitted, and expressed by the individual and the group. Her interest in folk culture began as a child listening to the storytellers in her family and community. Virgin Islanders are natural storytellers and always have stories about how life “used-to-be” even if “used-to-be” was just five years ago. She learned from and performed with the late, legendary Virgin Islands cariso singer and cultural tradition bearer, Leona Watson, as part of her folk music group.
During her career, she has worked as a policy and political strategist, a communications and public relations specialist, a newspaper reporter/editor, a speech and interpersonal communications instructor and an English and social studies teacher.
Presented:
Clendinen, Monique. “Virgin Words, See How They Grow: The Growth and Development of
Virgin Islands Poetry” The Caribbean Writer – 10th Anniversary Literature Conference, University of the Virgin Islands. 25 October 1996. Reader.
Clendinen, Monique. “The Media: Obstacle or Boon to Cultural Education.” Summer Institute,
University of the Virgin Islands. 1993. Presenter.
Clendinen, Monique. “Women Issues in Culture in the Virgin Islands.” Caribbean Youth
Organization Conference –St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. University of the Virgin Islands. 1985. Presenter.
Featured:
Knowles, Roberta. “Women Making A Difference, The Writers.” Virgin Islands Daily News 31
January1995, Black History Month sec. 13. Print.
Thompson, Brenda. “Sticking to Schedules.” Virgin Islands Daily News 30 June 1993, Working
Women Sec. 6. Print.
Publications
Published:
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Resilience and Recovery in the Aftermath of Two Cat Fives.”
http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. October, 2017.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Transfer Meanings and Memories of Company Street in the 50s
and 60s.” http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. March, 2017.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Millennium Movements and Leather Goods”
http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. February, 2017.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “The Story of Leatrice Armstrong Percy – Centennial Year
Begins” http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. January 2017.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Christmas Eve on Company Street – Memories and More”
http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. December, 2016.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “More Than One Thanksgiving Day”
http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. November, 2016. Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Halloween, Jumbies and Company Street”
http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. 31, October 2016.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Company Street Chronicles – What’s In A Name?”
http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/ BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. 22 September, 2016.
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Company Street Chronicles.” http://www.bluegaulinmedia.com/blog/
BlueGaulin Media Strategies, LLC. 17 August, 2016
Clendinen Watson, Monique. “Cariso Chronicles: The Original Music.” Cariso! The Newsletter
of the Alton Augustus Adams Music Research Institute. Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College, Chicago. Spring 2004. 5-8. Print.
Clendinen, Monique. “untitled” – “Novel Excerpts.” Yvette Blair and Shawna K. Richards, ed.
The Hoot & Holler of the Owls: An Anthology of Writers from Hurston/Wright Writers’ Week. Hyattsville: Hurston/Wright Publications. 2003. 78-82. Print.
Clendinen, Monique, written and dir. Virgin Islands Folk Culture: “Roots of Our Culture”Vols.
1-4. St. Croix Foundation, Virgin Islands Humanities Council, 2000. Videocassette.
Clendinen, Monique. “The Contemporary Period 1976-1995.” Marvin E. Williams, ed. and
comp. Yellow Cedars Blooming: An Anthology of Virgin Islands Poetry. St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands: Virgin Islands Humanities Council, 1998. 153-156. Print.
Clendinen, Monique. “Chronicle of Tropical Cyclones.” Rev. of Notes on Tropical Cyclones of Puerto Rico 1508-1970, by Orlando Perez, Gloria Joseph and Hortense Rowe with Audre Lorde, ed. Hell Under God’s Orders- Hurricane Hugo In St. Croix – Disaster and Survival. St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: Winds of Change Press, 1990.155-158. Print.
Clendinen, Monique. “Hurricane: Common Experiences Through the Centuries.” Rev. of
“Hurricanes and Holidays,” US Virgin Islands. Department of Education, ESEA Title III. Gloria Joseph and Hortense Rowe with Audre Lorde, ed. Hell Under God’s Orders-Hurricane Hugo In St. Croix – Disaster and Survival. St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: Winds of Change Press, 1990. 159-163. Print.
Clendinen, Monique. “On Hugo and Dignity.” Gloria Joseph and Hortense Rowe with Audre
Lorde, ed. Hell Under God’s Orders-Hurricane Hugo In St. Croix – Disaster and Survival. St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: Winds of Change Press, 1990. 361-363. Print.
Clendinen, Monique. Rev. of Spring Street Blues, by Joseph Lisowski, and Anansi and Muntu,
by Sydney Hibbert. The Caribbean Writer Spring 1988: 90-92. Print.
Clendinen, Monique. St. Croix Avis, 1981-1983; 1986-1989, print.
Projects
Workshops:
July 2017 – Organizer and Facilitator – St. Croix Landmarks Society Junior Preservation Career Exploration Program – taught 15 rising 10th graders interpersonal communications, workplace skills and cultural historic preservation career exploration in four-week summer program. Students heard presentations from tradition bearers, shadowed office, grounds, library, museum and museum store staff, went on field trips to historic sites and created museum exhibit on historic register sites.
April 2017 – Organizer and Facilitator – University of the Virgin Islands – Virgin Islands Literary Festival. Conducted a session featuring the work of 20th century Virgin Islands poets read by Virgin Islands high school students with music and folk culture elements.
February 2017 – Organizer and Facilitator – St. Croix Landmarks Society Museums in the Classroom Program – conducted workshop for public school teachers on how to create cultural historic museum spaces in their classrooms.
Organized:
Advertising & Public Relations 1993-1994- St. Croix Jazz and Caribbean Festival
Organizer/Booklet Publisher – 1993 – Quelbe Music Festival – VI Department of Tourism
Advertising & Public Relations & Featured Poet – 1991 – U.S. Virgin Islands Folklife Festival
Chairman – 1984-1986 – Island Center Caribbean Folk Art Festival
Member:
Leona Watson Cariso Singers 1991-1996 – sang with Virgin Islands Tradition Bearers in cultural heritage performing group
