Editor’s Note: Following is a letter from the coordinators of S.O.S. (Save our Sciences) regarding a gathering planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at Frederiksted Beach on St. Croix to peacefully protest the recent federal mandates cutting jobs and slashing spending.
The U.S. Virgin Islands face a looming crisis as the federal government moves to slash spending and cut jobs across a wide array of programs. Despite lacking voting representation in Congress, the Virgin Islands are directly impacted by federal decisions that affect the economy, public services, and the well-being of its residents.
The Trump administration is waging a full-scale war on scientific facts, jeopardizing decades of progress in critical fields such as climate science and public health.
— Government websites scrubbed of scientific data
— Established facts dismissed and distorted
— Political interference in scientific findings
— Deep funding cuts to research programs
— Mass firings of scientists and experts, including Virgin Islanders.
In the face of the Trump administration’s relentless attacks on democratic institutions, civil rights, science, public health agencies, environmental regulation, and climate data collection, the St. Croix scientific and activist community is taking action. On Saturday, March 8, concerned citizens in St. Croix will gather to produce a participatory artistic “call to action” to defend science and the humanities as pillars of democracy.
This mobilization is organized in solidarity with the “Stand Up For Science” movement, which emerged in response to repeated attacks by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on scientific institutions. Thousands of researchers, educators, students, and citizens committed to democratic rationalism will gather nationwide and worldwide to demand that the sciences remain free, independent, and protected from political, religious, and corporate interference.
The Virgin Islands community relies heavily on federal funding and services that support families, provide job training, and sustain vital public programs. Vital environmental programs such as funding for the National Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are at risk. These agencies play a significant role in preserving the islands’ unique heritage, capacity-building, and safeguarding against natural disasters such as hurricanes. The defunding of these programs is likely to have devastating consequences for local ecosystems and the tourism economy.
In addition to the cuts that affect the sciences, slashing the federal budget disproportionately impacts low-income, vulnerable, and marginalized communities. Programs such as WIC, SNAP, Section 8 housing assistance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Care have long been lifelines for many here in the USVI. However, with Trump’s proposed federal budget cuts, these essential services are now under threat of being reduced or eliminated altogether.
For many, these cuts are not just a matter of policy — they represent an existential threat to the services and protections that help sustain daily life in the Virgin Islands. The impact will be felt most acutely by those already underserved by government services, exacerbating existing disparities and deepening economic challenges for working families.
On Saturday at 10 a.m., residents of the Virgin Islands are invited to gather at Frederiksted Beach for a powerful show of solidarity. The protest, titled S.O.S.: Save Our Sciences, Protect Our Services, will feature participants writing a message of urgency on the beach, which will be captured by drone photography and video. Those participating in the display should wear dark colors for maximum visibility. The goal is to raise awareness of the dire consequences these cuts will have on the local community and to push for national recognition of the issues faced by USVI residents.
“This is a moment for the US Virgin Islands to make its voice heard on the national stage,” said St. Croix activist and illegally terminated National Park Service employee Pardis Zahedi. “We hope to shine a spotlight on the real, tangible impacts these federal budget cuts will have on our families and our future. Together, we can send a clear message that these programs are not just important — they are essential.”
The event will be a peaceful demonstration, emphasizing unity, community, and the urgent need to protect vital federal programs. Organizers hope to garner national media attention and urge lawmakers to reconsider these damaging cuts.
The USVI may not have voting representation in Congress, but it is time to raise our voices and demand the services we deserve. The stakes are too high, and the time for action is now.
Join us on March 8 and stand together for the future of our community.
— The S.O.S. (Save Our Sciences) coordinators
