Dr. Winn is an adjunct professor at Palm Beach Atlantic’s School Ministry. She teaches courses in the Christian Social Ministry department and the Intercultural Studies program, in the areas of community development and engagement, applied anthropology, and cultural anthropology. Dr. Winn has also taught anthropology at Ashford University, Fayetteville State University, Agnes Scott College, and the University of South Florida.
Dr. Winn has consulted and served as lead facilitator for several community-engaged projects in community building and preservation efforts, ensuring the community stakeholder representation in the decision making process and the conservation of community history and culture of communities. Projects and Organizations:
In July of 2016, the City of West Palm Beach, CRA, Community Redevelopment Agency hired Dr. Winn to provide community engagement for the Historic Sunset Rising Project (HNWR) in the Historic Northwest. The project is an initiative to gain input from community residents and stakeholders about what they would like to see in the Sunset Lounge and surrounding areas. Dr. Winn and other consultants spoke to hundreds of community stakeholders about what changes they’d like to see in the Sunset Lounge and the open space across from it. In this two-phase project, through extensive community engagement, stakeholders gave their input identifying needs and preserving the Historic Northwest’s rich history and culture.
Built in the late 1920s, the Sunset Lounge was not simply a bar, but a space to connect and experience our culture in music, food, and social networks. Historically, it has been a place of great performance artists, debutante balls, community awareness, activism, and friendships; from WPOM’s Chico the Virgo’s broadcast spot, a place for a 1969 protest, the “Charmettes” Fashion Show in the 1967, to a venue for hosting parties. Although the Sunset is temporarily closed for renovations, Dr. Winn is preserving this history and capturing stories of the wonderful people that make the Sunset and the Historic Northwest District community great. At the Sunset, different generations shared the same space and local people chilled weekly, ending their day with good music, good food, good conversation, live bands, and events.
Dr. Winn created a historical component telling some of the Historic Northwest’s history through the presentation about how the Sunset Lounge functioned more than just a bar and lounge, but also served multiple purposes, as a site for protest, fashion shows, toy drives, and concerts. The research and the compilation of several newspaper articles about the Sunset Lounge, she created a collage about the Sunset Lounge from its opening to the 1980s.
Dr. Winn works with community stakeholders and community-based organizations to assist in translating CRA goals and plans for the Historic Northwest District, and their potential impacts on cultural institutions within the community, identify culturally specific beliefs and practices affecting community perception of the CRA’s mission, through ethnographic fieldwork, to identify community needs, its past, and improve communication practices of community and Agency. Dr. Winn also creates ideas to preserve the community’s past and present experiences.
In 2018, Dr. Winn, a Northwest resident, established a resident group called the Northwest Residents In Action (NWRiA) to ensure proper resident representation and dispel the myths of the negative perception Northwest residents. Its mission is to help those in need in the community through residents assisting a community of neighbors. The NWRiA’s vision is to have a Safe and Clean Neighborhood, Build Community Partnerships, Bring accountability, and Revitalize the neighborhood. Residents work to solve issues surrounding public safety, code enforcement, loitering, illegal dumping, and simply bringing attention to the neighborhood’s needs.
As an anthropologist, Dr. Winn conducts ethnographic research, location research, involving observation and participant observation, immersing herself in the culture, and working closely with the community. Dr. Winn attends and participates in several events, activities, and frequent businesses as a researcher and observer. Dr. Winn spent much of her time talking with and informing residents and former residents, building relationships, and sharing upcoming events and renovation projects. Dr. Winn attends neighborhood events, activities, ribbon-cuttings, community, and organization meetings to build relationships, understand organization functioning, challenges, perception, and experiences with City and CRA and the redevelopment itself. Dr. Winn attends community meetings, contacting residents/stakeholders about events, activities, issues and informing residents.
Speaker and Workshop
Dr. Winn was a guest speaker at Cultural Council of Palm Beach County‘s on Cultural Response Strategies for the Institute for Cultural Advancement’s UpstARTS at the Norton Museum of Art. Workshop Title: “Infusing Cultural Anthropology in Cultural Programs.
Professional Development Workshops
Dr. Winn has led professional development training to teachers in the Palm Beach County Schools. Dr. Winn informed teachers and staff about the importance of understanding anthropology, language, culture, and the historical construction of race.
Workshop at Plumosa School of the Arts Principal, Cathy Reynolds, Delray Beach, FL.
Distinguished Lecture Series at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County
Featured Speaker for the Historical Society of Palm Beach County’s Distinguished Lecture Series. “Historic Northwest Rising: Reviving the Past, Elevating Community, and Transforming the Narrative.”
Valparaiso University :
Social Construction and History of Racial Categories
Promoting Events and Editing (CRA)
Dr. Winn informs CRA marketing staff of the culturally appropriate language, communication, and the editing of newsletters, final reports, flyers, and signs and the marketing information, for transparency, simplicity, advertising, and perceptions and removing city and redevelopment jargon.
Dr. Winn works to present history and tell the narratives of the Black experiences in Palm Beach County and other cities.
Museum Experience and Preservation Projects
Dr. Winn has worked in several museums as an archivist, tour guide, and researcher at the Mary McLeod Bethune Home, the Herndon Home Museum, the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, and the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum.
Pioneer Banners: Preserving History & Culture in the Historic Northwest (CRA)
As WPB CRA consultant, Dr. Winn carried out the process to ensure completion of the Historic Northwest Pioneer Banners on Rosemary Ave. Dr. Winn worked with community leaders and heritage groups to highlight the pioneers and identify and provide the images of the pioneers. The African American Research Library and Cultural Center of Palm Beach County selected the featured pioneers, provided several of the photos and all of the background information on the individuals. The pioneers include those in business, law, medicine, entertainment, and barbering.
Habitat for Humanity’s Historic Plaque Project
Dr. Winn served as consultant for Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County in the creation and installation of five historical markers/plaques in the Historic Northwest District. Through Habitat’s Lowe’s Small Catalytic Grant assisted in the development of an historical trail in the City of West Palm Beach’s Historic Northwest District, including the design and placement of 3-5 plaques, through resident and community stakeholder engagement. I am continuing to work to preserve historical objects of the Sunset Lounge.
Storm of ’28 Memorial Park Coalition, Inc. West Palm Beach, FL.
Since 2015, Dr. Winn has volunteered, consulted, and assisted the Coalition in the education and awareness of the mass gravesite of the 674+ victims of the 1928 hurricane located in an African American community, West Palm Beach, FL. Dr. Winn created and developed the content and production of the Pauper’s Cemetery and Mass Gravesite’s historic sign at the site’s entrance. Dr. Winn also assisted in the production of marketing tools and strategies to promote the site and the efforts of the Coalition to develop a museum.
Interviewee for On the Town PBS series about local Black History. Photos: Interview At Evergreen Cemetery, Black cemetery of pioneers and prominent blacks in West Palm Beach with Debbye Raing and Film and television personality Frank Licari.
Youth Education and Empowerment
Dr. Winn has been a guest speaker and provided several sessions to educate our youth on African American history, culture, anthropology, and academic advice in the K-12 schools and Youth Community Organizations to impact, inspire, and empower youth .
