1 00:00:03,590 --> 00:00:09,140 And now you might call this a word from one of our sponsors about Bermuda College. 2 00:00:09,140 --> 00:00:13,310 Bermuda College is the only tertiary institution on the island. 3 00:00:13,310 --> 00:00:22,880 We offer 20 degree programmes and have articulation agreements with more than 30 institutions and the U.K., U.S. and Canada. 4 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:29,480 Students can transfer all of their credits and complete their bachelor's degree in two years. 5 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:34,250 So it is an education of quality. It is cost effective, time effective. 6 00:00:34,250 --> 00:00:39,320 And how many of you have sent your children away to school for university? 7 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:48,590 Show of hands, please. Yes. So you will know that you spent many hours and much money on application forms to numerous institutions, 8 00:00:48,590 --> 00:00:52,350 and you waited not knowing which institution would say yes. 9 00:00:52,350 --> 00:00:57,290 And that was a moment full of angst. But here it Bermuda College. 10 00:00:57,290 --> 00:01:06,890 With our partnerships, we take away that uncertainty because if your child goes to one of our partner institutions, they're guaranteed acceptance. 11 00:01:06,890 --> 00:01:12,800 I must also say that many of our institutions prefer to have students who come from Bermuda College with that 12 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:18,650 associate's degree because they've already negotiated the transitional issues of the beginning of college life, 13 00:01:18,650 --> 00:01:26,870 and they've had the experience of taking college courses. I've worked at or attended some of the best universities in the world, 14 00:01:26,870 --> 00:01:33,920 and I can tell you that Bermuda College is definitely on the map when it comes to community college education. 15 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:42,650 So send your children to Bermuda College or come to Bermuda College to further your education, dreams and your career goals. 16 00:01:42,650 --> 00:01:50,330 Start your future here onto our conference one in the spring of 2018. 17 00:01:50,330 --> 00:01:58,280 The Bermuda College Journal, which is called Voices in Education, held an event with Dr. Clarence Maxwell on Bermuda's history. 18 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:06,380 We became acutely aware of the level of interest that we, as Bermuda, have in this subject, understanding our history. 19 00:02:06,380 --> 00:02:11,810 The auditorium was packed and I know some of you were at that event, so you can attest to that. 20 00:02:11,810 --> 00:02:20,420 And at the end of Dr. Maxwell's talk, the kind of questions that he received indicated a true hunger for knowledge, 21 00:02:20,420 --> 00:02:28,220 to understand our past, to understand our experiences and to be able to relate this understanding to our current ways of being. 22 00:02:28,220 --> 00:02:36,230 I certainly thought that and clearly others did as well. It was an easy decision when given the opportunity to collaborate with the Human Rights 23 00:02:36,230 --> 00:02:41,780 Commission and Oxford University when they came to meet with me last spring with an idea. 24 00:02:41,780 --> 00:02:46,900 We came back together this fall to further discuss. And here we are today. 25 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:51,310 Race and resistance understanding Bermuda today, 26 00:02:51,310 --> 00:02:57,190 we talked a lot about how to frame this conference and decided to ask everyone the same question 27 00:02:57,190 --> 00:03:05,380 define resistance in the context of the time period and the area of expertise that you have. 28 00:03:05,380 --> 00:03:09,610 It's a deceptively simple question, because in many cases, 29 00:03:09,610 --> 00:03:17,890 the presenters have to creatively discuss centuries of work and numerous concepts in a relatively short period of time. 30 00:03:17,890 --> 00:03:21,010 Ten minutes are historians, in fact, 31 00:03:21,010 --> 00:03:28,840 and I'm sure Mr. John Dr. Jarvis feels this way probably feel like this is the conference version of speed dating. 32 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:35,050 The conference easily could have been held on any one of the time periods. We acknowledge that he's not. 33 00:03:35,050 --> 00:03:40,570 Nevertheless, our presenters have the licence and the academic freedom to approach their answer. 34 00:03:40,570 --> 00:03:46,090 However, they see fit, and we are all here to learn. 35 00:03:46,090 --> 00:03:53,600 So what is resistance, how do we define resistance, according to Freud? 36 00:03:53,600 --> 00:04:04,530 Resistance refers to oppositional behaviour when an individual's unconscious defence of the ego self are threatened by an external source. 37 00:04:04,530 --> 00:04:09,450 So usually it is a form of blocking that is not accepting, not assimilating. 38 00:04:09,450 --> 00:04:16,320 And this blocking is healthy, especially when we're talking about the context of racial issues. 39 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:24,480 For me, resistance in the context of racial issues is about responding in a healthy manner to feelings of cognitive dissonance. 40 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:25,990 That means not assimilating, 41 00:04:25,990 --> 00:04:35,520 not accepting things that you feel are hurtful or just wrong in one's environment and making intentional decisions not to conform. 42 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:42,300 Even when your behaviour is contrary to social norms or what is socially accepted, 43 00:04:42,300 --> 00:04:53,050 these resistance behaviours lead to changes in one's environment or circumstances for the better, not just for the individual, but for others. 44 00:04:53,050 --> 00:04:53,800 Our history, 45 00:04:53,800 --> 00:05:06,010 Bermuda's history is punctuated with moments or periods of resistance that transformed Bermuda in a series or pattern of resistance and plateaus. 46 00:05:06,010 --> 00:05:10,930 That simply means that we have moments of resistance times when something is changed, 47 00:05:10,930 --> 00:05:17,500 followed by nothing and then a period of change and then again, a plateau. 48 00:05:17,500 --> 00:05:25,090 Michel Foucault said the following The work of an intellectual is not to mould the political will of others. 49 00:05:25,090 --> 00:05:27,580 It is through the analysis that he does. 50 00:05:27,580 --> 00:05:36,490 Is it in his own field to re-examine evidence and assumptions to shake up habitual ways of working and thinking, 51 00:05:36,490 --> 00:05:39,730 to dissipate conventional familiarity, 52 00:05:39,730 --> 00:05:49,450 to re-evaluate rules and institutions, and to participate in the formation of a political will where he has a role as a citizen to play? 53 00:05:49,450 --> 00:05:56,560 And I would add to that to encourage resistance. With that said, I look forward. 54 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:10,610 Like all of you to hearing today's presenters again, welcome to everyone and enjoy the day. 55 00:06:10,610 --> 00:06:28,880 Next, I welcome Dr. Wally al-Barnawi and Dr. Steven Talk of Oxford University. 56 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,360 Good morning, everyone. 57 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:38,660 I must confess that I am struck by the fact that the audience actually respond, This is great, I have never actually has that anywhere in the world. 58 00:06:38,660 --> 00:06:47,450 So this is sort of why I am the Roots Professor Risk Relations at Oxford University and the director of the African Studies Centre. 59 00:06:47,450 --> 00:06:51,230 I'll let my colleague introduce himself before I go. Yes, hello. 60 00:06:51,230 --> 00:06:53,360 Good morning as well, everybody. 61 00:06:53,360 --> 00:07:02,120 My name is Stephen Tuck and I'm a professor of modern history at Oxford University and also involved in the Race and Resistance Research Group, 62 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:09,070 which is based at Torch, the one with the colourful squiggly logo. 63 00:07:09,070 --> 00:07:23,000 So we bring you greetings from the intellectual centre of the Empire, which. 64 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:33,680 Which we are gathered here to resist. Mr. 65 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:40,580 So we are very happy to to be here, and we are quite glad when this initiative started, 66 00:07:40,580 --> 00:07:45,770 and I think it was supposed to be held earlier in the year and then it was shifted. So it's really a great pleasure. 67 00:07:45,770 --> 00:07:56,510 Yesterday, we'll visit two schools. We had a very nice time discussing with young people, just like my colleague will give more substantial, 68 00:07:56,510 --> 00:08:00,650 you know, talk about the our involvement in this conference. 69 00:08:00,650 --> 00:08:09,740 But I just have a an announcement. We are hosting a conference on racialisation and a public place in Africa and the 70 00:08:09,740 --> 00:08:18,260 African Diaspora in Oxford in June 2000 and 19 was sent and some of the so it will be. 71 00:08:18,260 --> 00:08:26,270 So we are actually also starting to have a lot of resistance within the centre of the intellectual centre of the empire in itself. 72 00:08:26,270 --> 00:08:32,930 So we will be glad, you know, if some of you would be interested in coming to the conference. 73 00:08:32,930 --> 00:08:41,090 We've been passing around the information. I think some of the the announcement is also available, I think around the book the bookstore. 74 00:08:41,090 --> 00:08:47,420 And so we really appreciate it if you participate in the conference next year in Oxford. 75 00:08:47,420 --> 00:08:58,270 Again, thank you very much and I'm happy to be here. And I'd just like to add that I'm also delighted to be here. 76 00:08:58,270 --> 00:09:04,420 And as an institution, we're so happy to be involved and supporting this day. 77 00:09:04,420 --> 00:09:13,300 I'd like to thank the organisers and hosts and actually to recognise the incredible hard work that's gone into putting this sort of day together. 78 00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:19,030 The persistence, the creativity at times, diplomacy in bringing us all here. 79 00:09:19,030 --> 00:09:26,050 Also to say we're very fortunate at Oxford to have hosted a series of events on Bermudan history. 80 00:09:26,050 --> 00:09:28,720 I should say real Bermudan history, 81 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:36,520 and we've had a display of books on Black American history by activists and historians, many of whom are here today. 82 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,040 And we had a talk by Reverend Kingsley Tweed, 83 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:47,120 who came from London to Oxford and shared his own life story of resistance and the history of this island. 84 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:51,740 The issues he raised then and the issues were going to be discussing today, 85 00:09:51,740 --> 00:09:56,840 as what he has said are the issues we are grappling with in Oxford to as we deal 86 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:03,380 with our own history and legacy of imperialism in our own institution and city. 87 00:10:03,380 --> 00:10:08,990 So we really look forward to today to learning more about the and history and also to 88 00:10:08,990 --> 00:10:14,990 learning how to reckon with our shared histories as we grapple with our present and future. 89 00:10:14,990 --> 00:10:21,080 So thank you from both of us on behalf of our institution for allowing us to be involved and here today. 90 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:42,310 Thank you. As Dr. Tweed mentioned, today's event is not only a symposium, but of course, also a celebration of the one and only Dr. Eva Hudson. 91 00:10:42,310 --> 00:10:48,940 Activist, academic writer, speaker, civil rights trailblazer Anna Bermudian living legend, 92 00:10:48,940 --> 00:10:58,690 I invite Mr Cordell Riley of citizens uprooting racism in Bermuda kerb, who will give tribute to Dr Hudson. 93 00:10:58,690 --> 00:11:06,000 And. Good morning, everyone. 94 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:19,880 It is my distinct pleasure and honour to be asked to give a tribute to whom I can only describe as a living legend. 95 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:25,820 I'd like to thank the organisers for giving me this opportunity. 96 00:11:25,820 --> 00:11:38,320 There is much I can say. About Dr Iva Hutson, I can speak about her numerous academic achievements. 97 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:45,970 I can speak about her role in Algoma, alienating amalgamating the white and black teachers unions. 98 00:11:45,970 --> 00:11:52,790 I can speak about her fight to obtain gainful employment in Bermuda. 99 00:11:52,790 --> 00:12:01,610 I can talk about the writing of our seminal book, Second Class Citizens First Class Men. 100 00:12:01,610 --> 00:12:14,890 And, of course, her nearly eight decades of being involved and being the voice for racial justice and black economic empowerment in Bermuda. 101 00:12:14,890 --> 00:12:21,930 But all of that is written in your programme. So you can read all of that. 102 00:12:21,930 --> 00:12:34,810 So I think what I'll do is spend the six minutes that I've been given to talk about my own personal experiences with Dr Eva Hutson. 103 00:12:34,810 --> 00:12:44,260 And it goes back nearly four decades ago, and I've told her this story, although she says she doesn't remember. 104 00:12:44,260 --> 00:12:59,990 If she has it been one thing, she has been consistent. And 40 years ago, she was giving a talk at the then work secondary school. 105 00:12:59,990 --> 00:13:07,970 And in that talk, she spoke about the importance of owning your own home. 106 00:13:07,970 --> 00:13:19,290 And there I was, a young lad listening and taking in every word as to why it is important to earn one's home. 107 00:13:19,290 --> 00:13:31,590 Well, Dr. Hutson, I can tell you 40 years later that seed that you planted in me has come to fruition. 108 00:13:31,590 --> 00:13:47,120 Let's bring it up now to 2012. When kerb was taken, a delegation to the oddly name White Privilege Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 109 00:13:47,120 --> 00:14:01,240 We're learning, I learnt when Phil and I were giving a talk on structural racism in Bermuda and on that trip was none other than Dr. Watson. 110 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:08,470 And she said to me. You know, I'm really motivated to find a tool. 111 00:14:08,470 --> 00:14:15,570 That will help us deal with internalised racism. 112 00:14:15,570 --> 00:14:21,800 And so I said, OK, well, let's see what we can find. 113 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:29,390 And we attended a workshop, she won't remember this with, neither do I, but I went last night, they actually found a programme. 114 00:14:29,390 --> 00:14:34,640 I went online. It was in the programme and we attended this workshop and was titled The People of Colour, 115 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:42,430 Identity Development, White Supremacy and Internalised Racial Oppression. 116 00:14:42,430 --> 00:14:48,650 And it was a caution there that this come that seminar was only for people of colour, 117 00:14:48,650 --> 00:14:58,480 and that's something I'll mention bring come back to in just a minute. And so he went to this session. 118 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:10,630 And after that session, Dr. Hudson said to me, I think I found the tool that we can use for internalised racism. 119 00:15:10,630 --> 00:15:13,630 And she said to me, I want to hold a workshop. 120 00:15:13,630 --> 00:15:25,060 On that, an internalised racism racism so that we can help our people deal with our past hurts and oppression. 121 00:15:25,060 --> 00:15:29,350 So I said to her, Dr. Hudson, if you're going to hold a workshop, I'm going to help you with it. 122 00:15:29,350 --> 00:15:40,840 And so we came back and I can't remember the tool that she we found, but we did some research and kerb organise a workshop at the Leopards club. 123 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:46,660 And Dr. Hutson had only intended for it to be one session. 124 00:15:46,660 --> 00:15:59,630 And we went there and we had about 40 people in attendance and we sat in a circle and we utilise a technique, and that was it. 125 00:15:59,630 --> 00:16:05,920 But the audience said, What do you mean, that's it. You can't start something. 126 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:16,250 And not finish it. And when we advertised for this, it was in the paper that it was for blacks only. 127 00:16:16,250 --> 00:16:22,240 Well, you can imagine the pushback that we got. 128 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:27,580 And so I said to that and they said we ought to open this up because people are complaining and this and that the other. 129 00:16:27,580 --> 00:16:36,680 And in truth, Dr Hutson fashion, I got a stern rebuking, she said to me. 130 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:43,450 You see, when white people push back, black people have a tendency to cave in. 131 00:16:43,450 --> 00:16:50,180 And so that was one of my first lessons working with Dr. Hutson. 132 00:16:50,180 --> 00:16:55,680 And so we decided based on the audience response, that we would continue these workshops, 133 00:16:55,680 --> 00:17:04,010 and I remember she's at that stage in her 80s driving herself, people wanting to have this workshop continue. 134 00:17:04,010 --> 00:17:10,070 And so we met at the lab club and she said to me, as long as people come, I will be there. 135 00:17:10,070 --> 00:17:16,760 And so for the next six weeks, we started off with 40 and then by the time we got to the six weeks, 136 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:24,280 six week, it was Dr. Hudson and I in the room at seven o'clock looking at each other. 137 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:33,340 And then it's 7:30. One other person shows up and we said, well, that was the end of that. 138 00:17:33,340 --> 00:17:37,240 But that demonstrates her commitment. 139 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:49,420 In this struggle for racial justice and black economic empowerment that even though she is in her, I know we're not supposed to tell a woman's age, 140 00:17:49,420 --> 00:18:00,520 but you know, ninety fifth year she is still soldiering on and doing whatever she can to help her people. 141 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:06,190 And for that, we are internally grateful. 142 00:18:06,190 --> 00:18:14,380 I want to leave a quote from somebody who's not necessarily known in the racial justice arena. 143 00:18:14,380 --> 00:18:25,630 Oprah Winfrey. And Oprah said this, I am where I am because of the bridges that I have crossed. 144 00:18:25,630 --> 00:18:31,810 Sojourner Truth was a bridge. Harriet Tubman. 145 00:18:31,810 --> 00:18:41,690 Was a bridge, Ida B. Wells. Was a bridge, Madam C.J. Walker was a bridge. 146 00:18:41,690 --> 00:18:54,490 Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge. And to this, I add, doctor, even hardship on Titan is a bridge. 147 00:18:54,490 --> 00:19:00,580 That I have cross and many of you in this room have also crossed this bridge. 148 00:19:00,580 --> 00:19:22,010 Thank you very much. But our next tribute to Dr. Hudson. 149 00:19:22,010 --> 00:19:30,170 Please join me in welcoming Mr. Raj Addenbrooke performing artists who will perform a monologue with excerpts from Storm in a teacup. 150 00:19:30,170 --> 00:19:38,040 And Second Class Citizens. First Class Men. 151 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:54,190 Bermuda's policy of segregation was intended to ensure that black Bermuda and believe themselves to be as innately and inevitably. 152 00:19:54,190 --> 00:20:05,750 Inferior and powerless as the Bermudian oligarchy made certain that they were economically, politically and socially. 153 00:20:05,750 --> 00:20:13,370 The deliberate. And determined policy of segregation. 154 00:20:13,370 --> 00:20:20,220 Can only be fully appreciated by those who experienced it. 155 00:20:20,220 --> 00:20:28,150 Comedians, for example, were not allowed to use the tennis stadium built with public money. 156 00:20:28,150 --> 00:20:40,720 Because they were apparently polluted for whites. Black remedies were not allowed to use the Bermuda Public Library. 157 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:47,080 Black unions were excluded from all white collar jobs in the government and in the private sector, 158 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:59,170 with the exception of teachers in black schools and any black person who through hard work or miracles could become a doctor or a lawyer. 159 00:20:59,170 --> 00:21:08,100 There was total separation and segregation in churches and places of entertainment. 160 00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:12,270 Black people, black comedians could not enter hotels or restaurants, 161 00:21:12,270 --> 00:21:21,620 and the stores that they could enter ensured that they would always end at the back of any queue, no matter when they might have arrived to segregate. 162 00:21:21,620 --> 00:21:34,100 Two separate. To ensure that black and white comedians had totally divergent experiences and self-interest was the goal. 163 00:21:34,100 --> 00:21:42,730 Those experiences, those experiences will later be seen as superior and inferior. 164 00:21:42,730 --> 00:21:48,190 Black and white comedians often had no concept of how the other lived unless there 165 00:21:48,190 --> 00:21:53,560 were blacks who worked as maids or handyman in white kitchens or on white grounds. 166 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:59,810 Education. Was totally segregated. 167 00:21:59,810 --> 00:22:09,680 The Board of Education believed that trying to educate some people was like knocking their head against a stone wall. 168 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:17,390 Black from unions, we're meant to believe that they were unethical. 169 00:22:17,390 --> 00:22:29,830 It was only a few years after the emancipation of the black men that James Christy Easton, Chief Justice and. 170 00:22:29,830 --> 00:22:37,840 President of the Council of Bermuda made an impassioned plea to provide at least a minimum of education 171 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:45,400 for the free Negro as a moral obligation and as a self-interested necessity to the white wealthy. 172 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:50,050 Former slave owners James Christy Easton argued his case well. 173 00:22:50,050 --> 00:22:56,400 However. He didn't convince the government as he had attempted to. 174 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:02,090 That they must be educated in a manner that's equal to whites. 175 00:23:02,090 --> 00:23:10,320 The decision had been made. That while the children of slaves must become citizens. 176 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:21,610 They must become second class citizens. Second class education, therefore became and remained essential in Bermuda. 177 00:23:21,610 --> 00:23:30,790 The first essential of a segregated education policy is the first essential of a second class educational system is a segregated pattern. 178 00:23:30,790 --> 00:23:37,310 Hence, education in Bermuda became and remained segregated. 179 00:23:37,310 --> 00:23:42,140 Cinemas, of course, were also segregated. 180 00:23:42,140 --> 00:23:47,810 One, the Opera House was not segregated because it was owned by one of the black friendly societies. 181 00:23:47,810 --> 00:23:58,560 The other, the Playhouse, was segregated, with whites sitting upstairs and downstairs in the centre and blacks sitting downstairs on the outsides. 182 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:03,630 The Island Theatre was built later. There. 183 00:24:03,630 --> 00:24:22,660 White said upstairs and the coloureds set downstairs with coloured children complaining that those who sat upstairs would often spit on them. 184 00:24:22,660 --> 00:24:33,420 The stupidity. Of the policy of racial segregation was occasionally underscored when, as in South Africa, 185 00:24:33,420 --> 00:24:40,920 one sibling would be sold a ticket for the coloured section during the war, when everybody had to have an identity card. 186 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:48,450 One member of the family could have their card stamped as white, while another would have their stamped as coloured. 187 00:24:48,450 --> 00:24:59,370 It's important to recognise. That racial segregation is a social phenomenon, socially determined. 188 00:24:59,370 --> 00:25:09,790 It's not a biological one. Black and white permutations have never been physically separate since the days of slavery, 189 00:25:09,790 --> 00:25:15,670 but when white men lay with black women and black women bore their half caste children. 190 00:25:15,670 --> 00:25:20,120 This was not integration. 191 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:29,150 When black women would nurse and care for white children of white wives and cook meals in their kitchens, this was not integration. 192 00:25:29,150 --> 00:25:35,630 Some blacks insist on the occasional interracial marriage or the legitimate tortures of mixed blood as integration, 193 00:25:35,630 --> 00:25:45,080 but not all of these children were legitimate. And even when they were, they were not in and of themselves indications of an integrated society. 194 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:54,170 Black men and white men, black men and white men built ships together, sailed together, fish together and farm together. 195 00:25:54,170 --> 00:26:08,720 But this was obviously not integration. Integration should have meant black sharing proportionately in the wealth and power of Bermuda. 196 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:20,750 Genuine integration would have meant a slight numerical majority of blacks in every aspect of the society, not just in prisons. 197 00:26:20,750 --> 00:26:27,890 But in managerial roles, political roles, as well as in financial. 198 00:26:27,890 --> 00:26:43,080 And labouring roles, this isn't exactly the case. 199 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:49,050 Apologies, I forgot to put my notes on the podium. Thank you. 200 00:26:49,050 --> 00:26:55,050 The formation of political parties and the institutionalised divisiveness amongst the people 201 00:26:55,050 --> 00:27:02,980 who did not need it gave whites a wonderful opportunity to invite blacks to join them. 202 00:27:02,980 --> 00:27:14,770 To integrate. While still retaining control over events and there were those blacks who did join them and thought that they were truly integrated. 203 00:27:14,770 --> 00:27:20,220 The Bermudian society in terms of race has changed dramatically. 204 00:27:20,220 --> 00:27:31,130 Nevertheless. The racial and social stratification in very fundamental ways has not changed. 205 00:27:31,130 --> 00:27:44,270 Throughout Bermuda's history. There have been men and women who stood against the unjust social and racial reality that they found themselves in. 206 00:27:44,270 --> 00:27:51,500 Bringing criticism, resentment and resistance against them. 207 00:27:51,500 --> 00:28:00,010 In 2018. The solutions are probably now more difficult. 208 00:28:00,010 --> 00:28:07,110 And the solutions will probably bring even more criticism and more resentment and more resistance. 209 00:28:07,110 --> 00:28:14,640 But it is the only path that will lead to greater social and racial justice in our country. 210 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:20,330 And will give us the less violent society that we deserve. 211 00:28:20,330 --> 00:28:37,560 Thank you. I now welcome as Lisa Reid, executive officer of the Human Rights Commission. 212 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:48,360 On behalf of the Human Rights Commission, I wish to reinforce my appreciation for the significant convening a special thank you to our partners 213 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:59,280 for your commitment to ensuring this wonderful opportunity to collaborate today before we begin. 214 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:14,310 I invite us all to hold a moment of silent reflection. I invite you to close your eyes if you are comfortable to descend. 215 00:29:14,310 --> 00:29:21,670 Let us send gratitude and love to our ancestors since ancestors. 216 00:29:21,670 --> 00:29:28,780 To those whose story has been silenced, stolen. 217 00:29:28,780 --> 00:29:37,550 And denied. To all those who came before. 218 00:29:37,550 --> 00:29:47,980 Let us give thanks for today's gathering. For the chance to be present curious. 219 00:29:47,980 --> 00:29:59,650 And urgently engaged. And especially for the opportunity to learn from. 220 00:29:59,650 --> 00:30:10,651 And with each other, thank you.