St. Johns Cultural Council honors outstanding women in the arts

St. Augustine’s St. Johns Cultural Council is honoring its ROWITA Award (Recognizing Outstanding Women in the Arts) recipients — Darien Andreu, Gwendolyn Duncan and Michelle Robideaux Pent — as well as Junior ROWITA honorees Kyra Ellis and Gracia Romaine.

Established in 2008 by Gail Pflaster, Ed.D., the ROWITA Awards honor artists and those who have contributed to enhancing the culture of the community.

“The St. Johns Cultural Council is honored to present the ROWITA Awards and ROWITA Junior Fellowship to continue Dr. Pflaster's legacy of support for women in the arts,” said Christina Parrish Stone, the council’s executive director.

Biographical information in this story comes from a council press release. The St. Augustine Record also spoke to Stone, Andreu and Duncan.

Darien Andreu

Andreu, an author, historian, preservationist and Flagler College English professor, specializes in American and Southern Literature and fiction writing with publication credits that include the Princeton Arts Review; Apalachee Quarterly, Kaleidoscope and Cultures. Andreu also works to preserve America's oldest city Minorcan culture and Civil Rights history.

The trustee and former president of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Society also was named Teacher of the Year by the Flagler College Student Government Association and was twice named Phi Alpha Omega Woman of the Year. Andreu received the J. Russell Reaver Award from Florida State University for Outstanding Dissertation in American Literature or Folklore.

The 30-year St. Augustine resident described the award as a sweet surprise.

“It’s a privilege to live in this community, where history happened first,” she said. “I think of so many people I know, and have heard about, and read about, who have preserved the cultural riches we have today, and I am in awe, grateful, and inspired.”

Gwendolyn Duncan

Duncan was on the St. Augustine Record’s 10 Who Make a Difference list for her service to the historical preservation of the community of Lincolnville. As president of the ACCORD Civil Rights Museum, Florida’s first Civil Rights museum, Duncan has played an integral role in unveiling the role St. Augustine played in the Civil Rights Movement and the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The ACCORD preserves rare documents, photographs and artifacts of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Robert B. Hayling.

The St. Augustine native underscored how thrilled and appreciative she is to receive the honor.

“I appreciate the thoughtfulness of being awarded,” she said. “I’m honored to bring recognition to those who came before me, who risked life and limb so that we may have a chance at a life of dignity and respect. I was seven years-old when Dr. King arrived in St. Augustine with his foot soldiers, some who never realized that they were putting their lives on the line to make a difference in the lives of so many.”

Michelle Robideaux Pent

Pent studied art education at Florida Atlantic University and art coursework at the University of North Florida before teaching art at Nease High School and R.B. Hunt Elementary School. In 1998, she opened Robideaux Studios, where she still teaches art. Pent spearheaded the Broken Pot Society which raised funds for the Betty Griffin Center and supports artistic and culture community events through funding and volunteer efforts.

Kyra Ellis

Ellis, a student at Nease High School, creates two- and three-dimensional art. Her work is currently on exhibition at the St. Augustine Art Association’s St. Johns County High School art show. Ellis plans to attend Western Carolina University with hopes of becoming and art teacher.

Gracia Romaine

Romaine wrote, directed and choreographed an award winning one-act play. Romaine beat 18 schools competing at the Florida District 2 One Act Festival. The performer will study theater at the University of Florida this fall.

About the awards

The ROWITA awards were created by Pflaster, a native New Yorker who attended Hunter College and Columbia University. She worked as a teacher of the deaf, directed the Education of the Deaf Program at Hunter College, and taught in the Psychology Department of John Abbott College in Quebec.

In 1998, Pflaster retired to St. Augustine and became active with the St. Johns Cultural Council; the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine; the Limelight Theatre Guild; EMMA; and the Pen Women of St. Augustine. Pflaster died in 2012.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Celebrating success: St. Johns Cultural Council honors women in the arts