EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE HUMAN RIGHTS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND CULTURE

2020 - Present Transdisciplinary Research Scholar, Illinois Global Institute,

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Appointments with:

- Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program (WGGP) and

- Center for African Studies (CAS)

As a Transdisciplinary Research Scholar with the Illinois Global Institute at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Vernita carries out international human rights research with an emphasis on the 1.5 billion people across the world’s Africana diaspora, including its women, girls, and female leaders. She pays special attention to several upcoming international and high-stakes milestone events including the 15th Quadrennial Session of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in October 2020. For the first time since UNCTAD's 1964 inception, it will take place in the Caribbean, specifically in Barbados. The Chair of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, is Prime Minister Mia Mottley, the first female Prime Minister of Barbados. Among her concerns is an UNCTAD priority initiated in 1972, the call for an international order that works for everyone. This 2020 UNCTAD session takes place during the same month as the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN). But the UN's most powerful body, its Security Council of 5 permanent members, is not democratically constituted, and thus cannot serve the will of the world's majority.

The research purposefully and centrally engages gender and race, as do the divisions with the Illinois Global Institute with which she holds appointments.

2010 - Present Founding Director, Lead Researcher, and Producer:

The Music and Human Rights Project, Inc.

The Music and Human Rights Project employs transdisciplinary research on music, human rights, and their relationship in the context of today's unprecedented challenges and possibilities, to design and implement action and policy solutions to the systemic causes of human rights failures. Communities around the world have long entwined music and human rights in struggles for survival, justice, and dignity. The Project supports global citizens in using music and human rights as social and moral languages, performative and legal instruments, and cultural and political movements to transform their communities and nations into ones that ensure justice and human rights for all. The Project supports global citizens to create a shared future that fulfills everyone human rights on a finite earth.

Won the Award for the Best Visual Display of Research Award from the International Communication Association for multi-modal translation and public reach of Project’s scholarly study, Music and Human Rights: Their Relationship through a Critical Transdisciplinary Frame of Political Economy, Neuroepigenetics, and Ethnography.

Conceived and designed a university transdisciplinary Human Rights Institute for which the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, adaptable for other around the world universities and institutions around the world.

Developed video and literary library on music and human rights, containing footage of and transcripts of interviews Vernita undertook with more than 100 members of Jamaica's music and human rights communities.

Directed international artists in collaboratively repurposing La Púrpura de la Rosa, the first opera of the Americas (1702 Peru), from empire to empowerment, using Boalian/Freirean technique, at the School of Music, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL.

Made presentations globally on music, human rights, and humanity's civilizational shift in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the U.S., facilitating problem-solving across communities, sectors, and generations on music, human rights, and humanity's critical juncture of existential choices and opportunities.

Directed and produced several film shorts, including films such as Children Moved by Music, Move Society, focused on the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica, and animated film shorts on the Neuroscience of Music and Morality. For the full list of films, please find them under the "Film Works" tab of this electronic CV.

Conceived and collaboratively designed the 2018 International Human Rights Festival with Jamaica's music and human rights communities. The Festival, designed to inform, empower, problem-solve, unite, heal, and inspire, marked not only the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It also marks the 50th anniversary of the International Year of Human Rights conceived and led by Jamaica and the Global South, with their initiatives in the 1960s fundamental to the making of "international" human rights. All five components of the Festival drew heavily from the transdidciplinary research completed through my research that serves the Music and Human Rights Project. The research findings also empirically substantiate the Festival's value social, political and cultural value and benefits, specifically in terms of spreading awareness and developing a shared language for deliberating, negotiating, and acting on human rights and responsibilities.

Participated with the Jamaican Human Rights Community and the resulting Jamaica Human Rights Network, in implementing core elements of the 2018 International Human Rights Festival developed through my research.

Conceived, designed and won European Union support to implement the massive event of participatory pedagogy on human rights and on the structural changes needed for all global citizens to actually realize human rights. This 2020/2021 event is grounded in music and a film short film with global citizen participation and global reach.

Currently finalizing research for book publication that informs all of the above listed works. The title is, Music and Human Right in the People's Great Turning.

2012 Teaching Assistant: New Media, Culture and Society, College of Media,

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL

2008-2009 Visiting Scholar: College of Media, University of Illinois,

Urbana-Champaign, IL

2004- 2009 Culture and Development Consultant with diverse organizations

through The Music and Human Rights Project

Special Advisor to the Principal, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, a Caribbean tertiary institution based in Kingston, Jamaica, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in the United States

Advised Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) on Creative/Cultural Industries and Development for United Nations sponsored initiatives in Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica

Directed film team in capturing the launch of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica and its preparation, supported by Venezuela's El Sistema Orchestra, and produced a promotional documentary film on the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica, entitled CHILDREN MOVED BY MUSIC, MOVE SOCIETY.

Served as Chief Operations Officer for the United Music Industry of Jamaica,

Kingston, Jamaica

EXPERIENCE DIPLOMATIC CAREER WITH THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID),

UNITES STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

2002-2003 Acting Director, Southern Africa Office, Africa Bureau (AFR/SA),

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, DC

Led the AFR/SA team composed of Mission Directors across Southern Africa, their staff, and the Washington, D.C. staff, in the research, design, implementation and evaluation of the numerous projects that constituted each of the seven bilateral programs (Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe), the Regional Center for Southern Africa based in Botswana, and the Lesotho and Swaziland programs. A few illustrative accomplishments include:

Led design of the Southern Africa Food Security Program that saved thousands of lives.

Led interagency team, USAID/State/U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury, that produced the Anti-Corruption Program with Zambian government and replicated prototype.

Supported extending Takalani Sesame Street, now syndicated across Africa as public education. Muppet Kami with HIV/AIDS addressed prevention and treatment, signaling program’s power.

Led AFR/SA collaboration with USAID’s Global Development Alliance, ChevronTexaco, and Angola in developing the $20 million program that supported small and micro-enterprise development, and that produced a successful, replicable model for public-private partnerships.

2000-2002 Deputy Director and Acting Director, Middle East Affairs Office, Asia and Near East Bureau, (ANE/MEA), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, D.C.

Co-led the ANE/MEA team composed of Mission Directors across the Middle East and North Africa, their staff, and the Washington, D.C. staff, in the research, design, implementation and evaluation of the numerous projects that constituted each of ANE/MEA’s five bilateral programs (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and West Bank/Gaza) and five non-presence programs (Israel, Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia and Oman) in the Middle East. USAID spent $2 billion per year on Middle East programs, about 30% of USAID’s total annual budget. A few illustrative accomplishments include:

Facilitated inter-agency cooperation forming Gore-Mubarak (U.S.-Egypt) Economic Partnership.

Led design of new USAID/Yemen program that opened at U.S. Embassy/Yemen.

Renewed support for Seeds for Peace that connected Palestinian and Israeli youth for peace.

Critiqued USAID’s “Future of Iraq Program” from developmental and ethical perspective.

Managed the U.S.-North Africa Economic Partnership and Middle East Democracy programs.

Spearheaded ANE/MEA’s Information and Communications Technology program.

Critiqued Israeli and West Bank/Gaza political economies and U.S. policy towards both.

1995-1999 Jamaica Bilateral Economist and Caribbean Regional Economist,

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAD), Kingston, Jamaica,

Caribbean, West Indies

Served as the Economist for the Jamaica Bilateral and Caribbean Regional Programs.

I provided expertise in macroeconomics, microeconomics, social economics, ecological-economics, and political economy in the collaborative design, identification, implementation, or evaluation of programs. I also guided an eight-person team in implementing the environmental program with the same 14 Caribbean countries. A few illustrative accomplishments include:

Worked with the U.S. National Security Council, the White House, and an inter-agency body to prepare for the Summit between President Clinton and the 14 Caribbean heads of state that produced the Partnership for Prosperity and Security in the Caribbean agreement.

Served as a member of U.S. delegations to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development to negotiate development, trade and ecological agreements.

Regularly served as Acting Mission Director and Acting Deputy Mission Director.

Identified, designed, implemented and/or evaluated the following projects and activities, producing diverse benefits for intended beneficiaries:

Uplifting Adolescents Caribbean Disaster Mitigation

Clinton Regional Initiative Regional Environmental Network

Eminent Speakers Series North Coast Development Project

Fiscal Policy Management Financial Sector Assessment

Micro-enterprise Development Governance and Economic Policy

Creative Industry Development Caribbean Cooperation and Integration

Business Cluster Development Improved Markets, Exports and Growth

Caribbean Environmental Strategy Environmental and Coastal Resources

1991-1995 Mission Economist, Regional Development Office for the Caribbean, (RDOC), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bridgetown, Barbados, Caribbean West Indies

Served as the Economist for the Eastern Caribbean Regional Program. I provided expertise in macroeconomics, microeconomics, social economics, ecological-economics, and political economy in the collaborative design, identification, implementation, or evaluation of programs. A few illustrative accomplishments include:

Led USAID Mission involvement in the first United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 1994.

Carried out research on poverty alleviation, on the role of culture in economic development, and on regional economic integration, defining USAID’s regional strategy in the Eastern Caribbean.

Mounted regional conference on the role of culture in economic development.

Introduced ecological-economic systems modeling as tool for policy making in the region.

Represented USAID at the annual Consultative Group meetings hosted by the World Bank, and at other regional, international, and UN meetings concerning the Caribbean.

Assisted governments increase citizen participation in development their national budgets.

Facilitated development of local public advocacy think tanks through convening workshop led by Eddie Williams and his D.C. staff of the Joint Center on Political and Economic Studies.

Identified, designed, implemented and/or evaluated the following projects and activities:

Guyana Stabilization Caribbean Health Policy Planning

Grenada Privatization Dominica Agricultural Diversification

Grenada Fiscal Reform Caribbean Population and Development

Guyana Economic Equity Eastern Caribbean Investment Promotion

Guyana Food Assistance Guyana Poverty Assessment and Reduction

Small Enterprise Assistance Environment/Coastal Resource Management Dominica Structural Adjustment Caribbean Policy Design and Implementation

1988-1991 Economist, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, D.C.

Developed, implemented, and evaluated economic development policies, programs and projects focused primarily with Caribbean officials and citizens. Also provided guidance on the economics of natural resources and the environment, to the leadership of the Latin American and Caribbean Bureau and the larger Agency. A few illustrative accomplishments include:

Designed/implemented path-breaking study on “The Economic Valuation of Natural Resources for Improving National Income Accounts and Developing Accurate GNP Figures in Costa Rica.” Several countries have employed this framework developed with the World Resources Institute to monetize ecological impacts. The has UN standardized environmental accounting.

Facilitated U.S. participation in the multi-donor/multilateral effort to achieve economic recovery in Guyana, the second most impoverished country in the western hemisphere at the time.

Completed analysis and represented USAID in the negotiations of the “U.S. – Caribbean Economic Consultation” sponsored by Congressman Crockett to increase collaboration between representatives of U.S. and Caribbean governmental, grass roots, academic, private sector and labor organizations for improved development results.

Designed a research project implemented by the Bureau, to measure the social and economic impacts of macroeconomic policies, including structural adjustment, on the poor.

1985 Natural Resource Management Specialist, Bureau for Asia and the Near

East, U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C.

Advised the Bureau on the India Social Forestry and Asian Watershed Management projects, on design, implementation and evaluation, setting precedents particularly for social forestry.

1984-1985 Economist, Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, D.C.

Research intra-African trade between and determinants of U.S. assistance to Africa, for Congressional presentation.

1982 University Instructor of Watershed Management, Chiang Mai University,

Thailand, Sponsored by USAID, Bureaus for Science and Technology and for Africa, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Developed and taught watershed management course, featuring lectures, fieldwork, and laboratory experiments towards identifying valuable and viable economic and ecological alternatives to opium production, in collaboration with three colleagues from the University of Colorado.

1979-1983 Regional Natural Resources and Environment Advisor for West and Central Africa, USAID, Regional Economic Development Services Office (REDSO), Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Africa.

Provided natural resource, environmental and energy expertise to USAID Missions and client governments of 25 West and Central African countries, as the first Foreign Service Officer ever fielded in an ecology position. A few illustrative accomplishments include:

Assisted teams to design-out environmental problems, earning trust, and in idea of ecosystems.

Assisted nations integrate ecological priorities into core of their national development strategies.

Gave educational presentations at numerous international fora on ecology and development.

Collaboratively identified, designed, implemented and/or evaluated projects as the following:

Regional Agro Forestry Africa Renewable Energy

Mali Land Use Inventory Ghana National Energy Planning

Niger Forest ant Land Use Regional Envirornmental Training

Niger Range Management Mauritania Renewable Resources

Guinea Community Forestry Africa Farming Systems Research

Niger Forestry and Land Use Gambia River Basin Development

Mauritania Land Reclamation Guinea Bissau Forest Management

Zaire Watershed Management Casamance Integrated Development Guinea Bissau Rice Production Regional Integrated Pest Management

1976-79 Ecologist, Bureau for Science and Technology, U.S. Agency for

International Development (USAID), Washington, D.C.

Led the design team for the Kenyan Range Management Project.

Wrote speeches for the USAID Administrator on Environment and Development.

Drafted the Ecology and Forestry Sector Strategy for the Sahel region.

Assisted field missions in employing remote sensing tools in project and program work.

Prepared environmental analysis for the Tanzanian Tse-Tse Control Project.

Fostered USAID's commitment to forestry through position papers and invited presentations.

1976 Researcher in Applied Ecology, New Alchemy Institute,

Falmouth, MA

Participated as a member of the Institute’s research team which carried out research, published results, and gave tours to educate about society’s increasing need for, and our investigations on:

Solar and wind energy systems for generating electricity and pumping water.

Ecological farming systems of organic food production, hydroponics, and tree cropping.

1975 Regional Planner, Association of Bay Area Governments, Berkeley, CA

Contributed to Land Capability Earthquake Preparedness Studies for the San Francisco Bay, constituting nine counties, innumerable cities and suburbs, with the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley as core hubs.

AFFILIATIONS

Affiliates with the following organizations through having given papers or otherwise participated at their official conferences, or through relying heavily on their data bases and resources to inform my research.

International Communications Association

International Society of Ecological Economics

International Society for the Systems Sciences

United Nations Human Rights Council

Caribbean Philosophical Association

EXPERIENCE

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