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SaturdaY, October 28, 2023

Social Justice Bermuda Statement of Solidarity with the People of Palestine


Social Justice Bermuda (SJB) stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine. We must be clear in calling this situation what it is: this is not a conflict, this is not a war, this is a genocide. Social Justice Bermuda joins other global social justice movements and human rights groups calling for an immediate ceasefire to allow for humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. The atrocities committed by Hamas militants on Saturday, October 7th do not, in any way, justify atrocities in kind by the Israeli State against Palestinian civilians.


The conflict between Palestine and Israel occurs within the context of a brutal 56 year occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel, the implementation of an Apartheid regime in Israel towards Palestinians, and the provocations over the last 12 months of the most far-right Israeli Government of recent times, one that includes (as Cabinet Ministers) outright fascists who have advocated for genocide of the Palestinian people. This is not in any way to condone the actions of October 7th, only to provide context – the events did not happen in a vacuum. One does not have to condone them to understand how they occurred. The ongoing, brutal war crimes against the Palestinian civilians are not justified. 


SJB does not condone antisemitism but we are critical of the actions of Israel and Zionism, which are very different from Judaism itself. Likewise, it is important to note that not all Palestinians are Hamas or Islamic Jihad. We have strong concerns about the media sharing unverified and inflammatory stories (i.e., rape, beheadings). This strikes us as an attempt to inflame Islamophobic and anti-Arab prejudices so as to manufacture consent for war crimes against Palestinians.


Social Justice Bermuda also recognizes there is a direct line between the Israeli Apartheid regime and the ongoing police brutality epidemic in the USA, as noted by Amnesty International. 


Social Justice Bermuda recognizes that the illegal occupation of Palestine represents an unlawful use of force/aggression by Israel, the occupying power, and as such the people of Palestine have the continuous right to resist the occupation and to self-defense by any and all means. Additionally, SJB recognizes that the UN General Assembly in Resolution 2105 of 1965 requires all States to provide material and moral assistance to the national liberation movements in colonial territories. SJB further recognizes that UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 of 1970 recognises the right to resist against any foreign forcible actions that deprive people of their right to self-determination, inclusive of the Palestinian people. This right is further enshrined by the 1982 UN General Assembly Resolution 37/43, which affirms the legitimacy of the struggle for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation by all available means, including armed struggle against illegal occupation, inclusive of the Palestinian people. 


SJB also recognizes the importance of the Additional Protocol 1 of the 1977 Geneva Convention, in which Article 1(4) classifies conflicts in which peoples are fighting against alien occupation and racist regimes as armed conflicts. Individuals engaging in such fighting, if captured, should be afforded the status of prisoners of war, meaning their fighting is legitimate. 


SJB further notes that acts of collective punishment and targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure (including schools, hospitals, power plants, water treatment plants, apartment buildings, etc.) constitute war crimes.

SJB also notes that while the use of white phosphorus is legal in certain war situations, its use in densely populated areas with high risk of civilian endangerment, is prohibited and constitutes war crimes in the form of the use of chemical warfare against civilians. 


To this end, SJB calls for the following:


In addition, Social Justice Bermuda endorses the global Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law. To that end, SJB has identified the following companies that have a Bermuda-based presence that are complicit in the occupation, war crimes and maintenance of Apartheid in Palestine:



We call on the people of Bermuda to join us and stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine in their pursuit of self-determination and freedom from apartheid and human rights abuses. #FreePalestine #CeasefireNow


Download Statement as a PDF

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

Social Justice Bermuda Supports Bermuda pride


Social Justice Bermuda stands in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ neighbours, family and friends against ongoing discrimination and prejudice faced by members of their community. The issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression affect all members of society, regardless of how one identifies. 


We recognise that we cannot achieve social, economic and environmental justice without overcoming discrimination and structures of oppression everywhere. No one is free until everyone is free. 


Members of SJB will be participating in Bermuda Pride events and encourage everyone to participate and learn more by visiting https://pride.bm.

Monday, June 27, 2022

Social Justice Bermuda Statement on Reproductive Justice


Although the writing had been on the wall, it was still with shock and horror that people around the world watched America’s Supreme Court overturn Roe v Wade.  Immediately numerous states put total bans on abortion, including in cases of rape and incest, and abortion clinics in those areas had to call thousands of patients to cancel necessary medical procedures. 


Social Justice Bermuda would like to add our voices of support to our comrades in America fighting for reproductive justice.  Activists fought long and hard for rights that are being crushed overnight, and we are watching in real time as our closest neighbour’s socio-political structure shifts drastically.   We are devastated at how this will disproportionately impact Black, brown, poor, LBGTQ+, immigrant and other vulnerable residents of America. 


America’s culture and influence is always felt in Bermuda, so SJB wanted to issue this statement about our views on the island’s local reproductive justice system. 


In Bermuda, abortions are legal. There are only two doctors who will perform the procedure, and those seeking abortions must get a medical form signed which speaks to your ‘mental fitness’, a form which stays in your records.  In some cases, women have reported being told their ‘husband has to give permission’. It is a tedious and lengthy process and, if someone is under/uninsured, it is prohibitively expensive.   As many Bermudians know, for decades people have flown to the United States to have this medical procedure instead of going through the agonising wait. 


SJBs platform states, “We believe that healthcare is a right, and that every person should have access to the resources they need to stay well.”  Abortion care is healthcare and access to healthcare is a basic human right.  Nobody in any country, regardless of their personal socioeconomic status or their country's GDP, should be denied medical procedures under any constitution.  


As we watch what is unfolding across the Atlantic, it is imperative that Bermudians continue to push for an expansion of our rights and fight for a decolonised healthcare system.


In the coming weeks, Social Justice Bermuda will meet with legislators and key healthcare stakeholders to advocate streamlining the process, adding on the option for medical abortions and ensuring that access to all healthcare is protected under the constitution of Bermuda.  



WHAT CAN YOU DO? 




Download Statement as a PDF

Monday, march 14, 2022

Social Justice Bermuda Statement on Privy Council Ruling on Marriage Equality


Social Justice Bermuda supports marriage equality. We see marriage as a binding contract between two consenting adults to combine their strengths, talents and commitment with one another. There should be no legal basis where anyone on the outside of that agreement should have anything to say or any action they can make that goes against these individuals making a significant decision to bind their personal worlds together. There is only one outcome in this ruling that could be considered appropriate. That is the freedom for anyone that wishes to marry should be allowed to do so, as long as the person they are to be married to is of legal age and consenting willingly. To that end, we are disappointed by today’s ruling.


We’d also like to point out that recently, in a progressive move, the government made it easier for consenting adults to end an unhappy marriage. That this same government would prevent two people from pursuing happiness on their own terms is steeped in hypocrisy.


Social Justice Bermuda looks forward to the day that all LGBTQIA+ people of Bermuda can legally celebrate and protect their unions in marriage; equally to any other citizen, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with it.


Download Statement as a PDF

Wednesday, MArch 2, 2022

Social Justice Bermuda Statement on Marcus Jones & Cole Simons


Social Justice Bermuda says the OBA problem remains and was clearly bigger than Marcus Jones.


It was just over a year ago that SJB first called for his resignation over his support of disgraced former President Trump in the aftermath of the January 6th, 2021 coup attempt. We argued at the time that Marcus Jones was not fit to serve in the Senate and that as long as the OBA kept him in the Senate, then they are guilty by association. We stand by that position and regret that it took a year for his removal. The signal that sends to those appalled by the unhinged and oppressive values of Trumpism still remains.


That is the problem. The values that are given a safe harbour by the OBA leadership. The Opposition Leader’s defense of Marcus Jones’s vile victim-blaming behaviour must not be swept under the rug. Marcus’s comments were offensive and an apology for abuse. There are no ifs or buts about that, and for the Opposition Leader to even try to justify the comments of HIS Senator speaks to a wider problem within the OBA. Quite frankly, based on the excuses of the Opposition Leader, it seems clear to us that the resignation is not because they genuinely disagree with the sentiments expressed by their Trump supporting Senator, but solely in reaction to political optics.


We believe that the entire OBA leadership needs to attend SCARS training immediately in order to begin the process of changing their mindset around these issues. Marcus Jones’s comments in the Senate were those of an apologist for abusers everywhere and through history. He came across himself as a predator. That there were many comments online defending him is disgusting to us and highlights the problem of abuse and abuse excusers that wreaks havoc across all segments of our community.


We believe this needs to be a moment for genuine learning and change and we encourage all people of all political affiliations to support the Centre Against Abuse, SCARS and the CyberTips initiative who all do amazing work to counter the blight of abuse in our society.



Download Statement as a PDF

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Social Justice Bermuda Statement on Saltus lesson


Educators help shape how students see and understand the world and history. We are all responsible for our intention as well as our impact, and as all educators should be aware of, language matters. Word choices and assignments have a way of perpetuating harmful beliefs, and subtly erasing lived experiences, when not chosen with consideration.


The enslavement of Africans in the Americas and Caribbean left two legacies behind: the social and economic barriers that the Black community continues to face; and the racism, lack of accountability, and feeling of superiority that infects the White community. Any lessons taught in schools on the topic of enslavement of African peoples should seek to reflect the true horrors and lasting effects as well as correct the ill-taught language which removes responsibility from the enslavers. Often it can be difficult to perceive the structures of oppression in the present, and it is through understanding the structures of oppression in the past that it is possible to shed a light on present structures of oppression. 


SJB supports the global movement to decolonize the problematic language typically used in discussions of enslavement to more accurately reflect the truth, while placing the onus where it belongs without dampening the humanity of the victims. For example, language such as ‘slave holder/owner/master’ must be replaced with “enslaver”, and ‘slave’ must be replaced with ‘enslaved person’. Education about history should not be to pacify and placate the uncomfortable feelings that arise in response to uncomfortable truths. Doing so deprives  learners of the necessary insights that lead to growth and change, and as a result, upholds systems of supremacy and structural racism.  Rather, the purpose of education should be to build on the knowledge and progress of the activists and ancestors that came before us. It should empower the next generation to learn from past mistakes, become anti-racist, and bring about necessary change to create a just society. Anti-racist education helps students identify the structures of oppression in the past so as to identify not just the lingering consequences of such tyrany, but also to identify new forms of oppression - and to use that knowledge to realize their full humanity through confronting these structures.


SJB Education Team acknowledges that it is not the job of school children to do the dirty work of minimizing the horrors of enslavement and perpetuating these legacy lies that attempt to clear the white community of feelings of guilt and shame around race issues.  Lessons on racism and its history should educate about the rise of the concept of race, as a justification for enslavement. As Ta- Nehisi Coates said, “Race is the child of racism, not the father.” If we deny ourselves the discomfort of the truth, then we deny ourselves the opportunity to grow. Truth and Reconciliation practices, at no point, suggest that truth must be downplayed for repair to take place. No assignment should suggest that any positive aspects resulted from the dehumanizing, brutalizing, and traumatizing of enslaved peoples. 

  In order to be authentic and ensure honest learning is taking place, educators must be clear on their own knowledge. They must speak to how African people’s lives were in pre-colonial Africa in contrast to the horrific middle passage, and ensuing enslavement. “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced,” James Baldwin.

 When teaching about the history of enslaved people in Bermuda and other parts of the world,  we must tell the truth. 


The horrors of slavery and segregation must not be white-washed. It is uncomfortable to discuss them, but it is even more uncomfortable to continue ignoring them and their legacies that continue to poison our society and relationships today. SJB is committed to confronting structures of oppression everywhere. 


Download Statement as a PDF

Monday, November 8, 2021

Social Justice Bermuda Statement on Police Misconduct


SJB is enraged, dismayed and disgusted to learn that a police officer violated their professional and moral obligations by sharing the CCTV footage of Jahtino Richardson-Martin’s final moments on social media. This is abhorrent for anyone to have done, and exponentially so when done by a police officer. It is impossible to have an effective police service if the public cannot trust the integrity, discretion and impartiality of the police service.


SJB notes that this is hardly the first instance of such abuse of power by police officers. Following the death of MP Shawn Crockwell in July 2017, a police officer leaked the news of Mr. Crockwell's death on social media before the next of kin had even been notified. In addition, photos of Mr. Crockwell’s personal effects, including documents and emails, were shared on social media. All of this occurred while these were in police possession. We understand that these incidents remain unaddressed by the police.


The trauma of finding out about the death of your loved one through rumor and hearsay or of reliving your loved one's death as his last moments circulate through social media cannot be understated. These gross violations display a wanton disregard of the deceased and  exacerbate the grief and anguish of those left behind at a time when they may already be facing the worst moments of their lives. They also erode the public's trust in the integrity and impartiality of the police service, which has far reaching consequences in the investigation and prosecution of crime, as well as for society as a whole. As noted by Lord Justice Maurice Kay, Vice President of the English Court of Appeal, in Neil Salter v The Chief Constable of Dorset [2012] "Although police officers do not have a fiduciary client relationship with individual members of the public or the public at large, they do carry out vital public functions in which it is imperative that the public have confidence in them. It is also obvious that the operational dishonesty or impropriety of a single officer tarnishes the reputation of his Force and undermines public confidence in it."


We believe that this violation reaches the level of gross misconduct and the police officer who leaked this CCTV footage is no longer qualified to be a police officer and should be relieved of their position. This behaviour violates at least three of the Standards of Professional Behaviour (see attached), as set forth in the Schedule to the Police (Conduct) Orders 2016:

-Standard 1 (Honesty and Integrity), as these actions clearly do not demonstrate integrity;

-Standard 7 (Confidentiality), as the video obviously was not disclosed in the proper course of police duties; and

-Standard 9 (Discreditable Conduct), as this breach undermines public confidence in the police service. 


Furthermore, the police service needs to undergo some serious reform. This was evident in its handling of the December 2nd 2016 protests, its handling of the Barbi Bishop case, its handling of Shawn Crockwell’s death, this case, and its intransigence in providing crime statistics – which reduces their transparency and accountability to the people.


SJB also notes that this revelation occurred on the same day that the Throne Speech was released, which included a commitment to “advance a new island-wide CCTV system, which will include newer features to assist the police in tackling road traffic offences and violent crime”. While there are many concerns about civil liberties and the effectiveness of CCTV as opposed to investments in community development, rehabilitation services and other policies, this and other behaviour begs the question of whether the police service can be trusted not to abuse its powers in relation to CCTV footage, sharing it on social media or otherwise using it for unlawful purposes.


Download Statement as a PDF

Monday, November 1, 2021

Social Justice Bermuda Statement on Gun Violence


Social Justice Bermuda was, like most of us, shocked and dismayed to learn of the multiple shootings and subsequent double homicide at Robin Hood on Tuesday evening. We join our community in mourning the lives of these young men, and offer our deepest condolences to those who loved them.


We would like to add our voices to those highlighting that our country must address the root causes of gangs in Bermuda: structural inequality. This remains the root cause of much tragedy and injustice in our island home.


At the same time, we feel the need to warn against a reactionary mentality in response to this tragedy. Knee-jerk reactions and draconian policies will not solve our problems. If anything they will make things worse – at best just sweep the problems under the carpet until they emerge once more, more often than not worse than before.


Nor should we seek to contain violence to areas where they consider it ‘acceptable’, as we see in comments such as: “What I think is of concern is that the problem is no longer back of town. You’re dealing with an element that knows no boundaries.”


This thinking betrays a prejudice that violence is okay ‘there’ but not okay ‘here’.  We must agree that such violence is not okay anywhere on our 21 square miles.


So what next? No part of our community is without ways to help. Pledge to get engaged with the young people in your life and provide support, mentorship and love. Donate to organisations whose programmes address systemic inequality and support young people. 


As a community, pressure our leadership to have a real conversation about how to address the root cause:

- The introduction of a living wage.

- An end to the war on drugs and an adoption of the Portuguese approach to drugs as a public health issue.

- The introduction of a progressive tax system that taxes all sources of wealth.

- An investment in social welfare services to address structural inequalities.

- The payment of reparations for slavery and segregation.

- An investment in rehabilitation services to reduce recidivism.


We must act now to stem the rising tide of violence and antisocial behavior that’s been intensified by the pandemic induced recession.



Download Statement as a PDF

Monday, August 30, 2021

fire Barbi TODAY.

From the beginning,  Social Justice Bermuda maintained that the priority course of action was for PC Barbi Bishop to be fired. We were told that the Bermuda Police Force was awaiting the result of this trial to determine if PC Bishop was no longer fit to serve as an officer, and in the meantime, she would be ‘suspended WITH pay’.


Here are the facts.  PC Bishop is a former US soldier with advanced weapons training.  At the same time that a peaceful demonstration for social justice and support for the global BLM movement was underway in Bermuda, she was sharing a far-right meme advocating for the use of vehicles as a weapon of terror against these same demonstrators. Far-right and white supremacist groups in the USA were sharing this (and similar) memes, while also actively advocating the tactic of driving vehicles into BLM demonstrators. And, in fact, there were several incidents in the USA at this time.


We also feel the need to note that this meme and tactic was itself inspired by the murder of Heather Heyer - as well as the wounding of 19 others - by a neo-Nazi and white supremacist on August 12th, 2017 in Charlottesville. 


Over the course of this sham trial, PC Bishop did not argue that she didn’t post the image, but rather that it was her RIGHT to do so, as part of ‘freedom of expression.’  Her lawyer even nonsensically pointed out that Social Justice Bermuda posted the same image (which of course we did to bring awareness to PC Bishop, not because we shared the same violent sentiment!). 


The fact that the trial has been thrown out is frankly IRRELEVANT to whether or not PC Bishop should still be employed by the Bermuda Police Service. Not only should she be fired, but her entire case file should be reviewed as this woman clearly harbours anti-Black sentiments. 


How could it have EVER been argued that the BPS had to wait for this trial to decide to remove this woman from the police force?  The BPS should have taken immediate action to remove this officer from their ranks. This has little to do with this court case and everything to do with the employment of officers who can carry out the important duty of keeping our island and her inhabitants safe from harm.


FIRE BARBI TODAY.



Download Statement as a PDF

Monday, August 23, 2021

SJB on Bernews Panel re: PRC proposal

On behalf of Social Justice Bermuda, Monique Lister joined a Bernews News and Views (BNV) Panel Discussion to discuss the proposed changes to the Permanent Resident's Certificate (PRC) process. If you missed the live discussion, you can catch the replay here! 

Wednesday June 2, 2021

Social Justice Bermuda ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Stream replay

Monday, May 31, 2021

Social Justice Bermuda ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Last year, on May 31, a group of Bermudians organised a Zoom meeting to discuss the growing Black Lives Matter uprising, occurring as a direct response to the murder of George Floyd by the Minnesota Police Department. Additionally, we were aggrieved that a Trump-supporting crony with zero diplomatic experience, a man that had been rejected for a role in Barbados by his own Republican senate, was being appointed as Bermuda’s new US Consul General. 


During that meeting, the group decided to organise a series of marches to take urgent action against the appointment and to establish further advocacy efforts, especially in partnership with other community organisations, to shed light on local issues of social injustice.


We chose the name Social Justice Bermuda, and hosted our first march the following day, on June 1, 2020.


Over the last year, Social Justice Bermuda has been vocal about a number of issues, and have also been a quiet force behind the scenes, lobbying for change and serving on strategic action committees.  Our 2020 platform highlighted our vision and values in a wide range of areas, including criminal justice reform, healthcare and food, economic equity and public education.  


For a full overview of our press statements, events, and advocacy work, please visit the various sections of our website http://socialjusticebda.com    


Tune into our discussion with Bernews (www.bernews.com) on Wednesday, June 2 at 8pm.


Download Statement as a PDF

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Funding Private Schools is not Black Education Empowerment

Social Justice Bermuda commends Clarien Bank for its voiced support to invest in educational endeavours for Black Bermudians. However, we fundamentally disagree with Clarien’s approach of funding private school bursaries as the way to do this. The idea that the best way to promote educational endeavours, improve representation and access to opportunity is by funding a select few Black Bermudians to attend traditionally white private schools is rooted in the same racist ideologies that lead to Aboriginal and Native children being removed from their homes and communities in Australia, Canada and the United States to be educated at Anglo schools. 

The vast majority of Black Bermudian students attend public school. If Clarien wants to support Black Bermudian educational endeavours in Bermuda, its $100,000 ($25,000 per year for the next 4 years) would be more effective if invested directly into the public education system, where it could impact far more Black Bermudians, or by addressing root causes of racial inequality in Bermuda generally. Instead of schools receiving $5,000 that will only address a fraction of school fees for a single child, that same $5,000 or any portion of that annual $25,000 commitment could be invested in projects that could impact hundreds of Black Bermudian children in the public school system. 

All this does is help the private schools with their image problem – a legacy of centuries of entrenched racial power. It is not lost on us that all the private schools in question are traditionally white schools, while the primarily Black private schools are conspicuously excluded from this financial support. 

This isn’t about Black education empowerment – it is mere tokenism that does nothing to address the inequality on our island and in our education system. 

Furthering the educational endeavours of Black Bermudians is certainly a worthy cause. However, this isn’t that. We call on Clarien to seriously rethink their approach to addressing this matter and to commit to actually addressing racial inequality in Bermuda rather than subsidizing private schools and engaging in tokenism which excludes the majority of Bermuda’s Black student population. 

https://bernews.com/2021/05/clarien-donates-150k-local-causes/ 

Download Statement as a PDF

Monday, May 17, 2021

Compulsory prayer in public schools - panel discussion TODAY

Join us for a conversation about ‘Compulsory Prayer in Schools’, featuring faith leaders, parents and activists.  The panel discussion will be moderated by Social Justice Bermuda member and Religion Columnist for the Royal Gazette, Juanae Crockwell.


Panelists: Pastor Dwayne Hassell - AME, Emir Saleem Talbot - BDA Islamic Cultural Center, Iyalode IyaLe Olamide, Aziza Furbert, and Mike Hind.


Date: May 17, 2021

Time: 12:00 PM Bermuda Time


You can watch the discussion LIVE on our Facebook page. If you would like to submit a question, please email socialjusticebda@gmail.com or submit questions anonymously here.

Learn more about this event

Read Social Justice Bermuda's statement on ending Compulsory Worship in Schools

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Social Justice Bermuda statement on May Day


May Day – also known as International Labour Day – celebrates the labour struggles of the past, struggles that have led to desegregation, fairer working conditions, health and safety regulations, human rights advances and other things that we today take for granted, such as weekends and the 8 hour day. The red thread running through all of the struggles of the past has been that of human dignity through the realization of social and economic justice for all. 

Social Justice Bermuda takes this opportunity to express our solidarity with workers everywhere and to reinforce our commitment to realizing social, economic and environmental justice for all.

This year marks over a year of the covid-19 pandemic, and we meet it once more in the midst of a serious outbreak and resulting public health restrictions. 

As we reflect on the pandemic, we are reminded that the pandemic has not impacted all equally. Rather, it has not just demonstrated the inequities of our system, it has exacerbated them. 

While we all long for a return to the normality of pre-pandemic times, we take the position that we cannot simply go back to the pre-pandemic status quo. Rather, the ‘new normal’ must be one that puts addressing social and economic inequalities as central to building back better for all. 

We welcome the Government’s commitment to introducing unemployment insurance and a living wage. These are long overdue and should be expedited as part of rebuilding from the devastation the pandemic has wrought. 

We must avoid the short-term gains of austerity. In the long-term, austerity is a fools errand which leads to greater inefficiencies and greater inequality in our society. Short-term gains are not worth the long-term losses. This is a lesson we should all have learned from the errors in responding to the 2008 economic crisis. 

Rather, we must focus on realizing a more equal society for all. And key to this is the redistribution of wealth through progressive taxation on corporations, income, property and inheritance.

Similarly, Government should use the revenue generated to realise the following policies, in addition to the introduction of unemployment insurance and the living wage already mentioned:

1) Greater job and skill training for all workers.

2) Greater support for low-income residents to escape fuel poverty, through funding installation of energy efficient systems and solar panels. Similarly, Government should reduce its own carbon footprint and reduce the amount of public monies paying for private electricity. 

3) Introduction of universal healthcare through a national health system.

4) Greater support for public housing to resist the gentrification of the island and ensuring basic housing is a human right.

5) The introduction of a Workforce Equity Act.

Happy International Labour Day to workers everywhere.


Download SJB May Day Statement as a PDF

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Compulsory prayer in public schools - panel discussion on april 12


Join us for a conversation on April 12 about ‘Compulsory Prayer in Schools’, featuring faith leaders, parents and activists.  The panel discussion will be moderated by Social Justice Bermuda member and Religion Columnist for the Royal Gazette, Juanae Crockwell.


Panelists: Pastor Dwayne Hassell - AME, Emir Saleem Talbot - BDA Islamic Cultural Center, Iyalode IyaLe Olamide, Aziza Furbert, Danielle Frith and Mike Hind.


Date: April 12, 2021

Time: 12:00 PM Bermuda Time


You can watch the discussion LIVE on our Facebook page. If you would like to submit a question, please email socialjusticebda@gmail.com or submit questions anonymously here.


Read Social Justice Bermuda's statement on ending Compulsory Worship in Schools

Thursday, MArch 18, 2021

SOCIAL JUSTICE BERMUDA CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF CUSTOMS DUTY ON ESSENTIAL MOTHERHOOD AND MENSTRUATION PRODUCTS


Social Justice Bermuda (“SJB”) commends Ms. Tylasha DeSilva for launching We BLead Bermuda to fight period poverty, break down the stigma attached to periods and provide menstruation products to people in need. We encourage the community to support this project, and look forward to this project developing over time as it is sure to effect change towards a more socially just society.


In this same vein, our 2020 Platform called on the Government to “revamp the customs duty system to be more equitable, including reviewing the rates on essential motherhood and menstruation products.”


In light of the issue of period poverty and the Government’s platform promise to “reduce selected customs duties… to relieve pressure on working and middle class families,” we call on the Government to take a small step towards addressing this issue by changing the custom duty rates for all goods under the tariff heading 96.19, which covers “sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins and napkin liners for babies and similar articles of any materials,” to 0%.


Currently, duties rates under this heading range from 0% (for adult incontinence products) to 6.5% (for baby articles) to a prohibitive 25% for all other products, including menstrual products. Reducing the entire tariff head to 0% would extend the need already identified by the government of duty relief for adult incontinence products to key products required by women and families as a whole. SJB believes that the resulting minor loss in Government revenue, will be more than offset by the benefits to women and families, especially those that are working and middle-class, consistent with the Government’s platform promise.


In further support of women and families, we also look forward to the Government

acting on its election promises to:



Download statement as a PDF

Monday, March 8, 2021

Social Justice Bermuda Chooses to Challenge Acts of Violence Against Women


Today as the world acknowledges International Women’s Day, people have been asked what they will ‘choose to challenge’. How will each of us forge a gender equal world? 


Social Justice Bermuda has a number of policies in our platform rooted in gender-equity, including salary transparency, teaching gender equality and integrating more stories of women in school lessons.  Our ‘Criminal Justice’ section also calls for the reformation of domestic violence laws, and in light of the many acts of violence against women over the last year, this is what we will highlight for IWD.


Gender-based violence is one of the worst forms of social injustice, institutionally and culturally entrenched in societies.  Inequalities in power structures, rape culture (the ways in which society normalizes sexual violence, which includes a continuum of threatened violence that ranges from sexual remarks to sexual touching to rape itself) and various forms of discrimination, contribute to violence against women.  


When Social Justice Bermuda marched for Black Lives on 13 June 2020, part of our mission was to join with others who were bringing attention to the case of Chavelle Dillon-Thomas, who has been missing since April 2020.  During that march we helped raise money to increase the reward for information,  we spoke her name, and reinforced that her life mattered.  Finally, an arrest has been made and we are hopeful that there will be justice for Chavelle.  We applaud the community organisations, including Safe Spaces Bermuda, and the Bermuda Police Service who continued the search for answers, and we send our love and support to Chavelle’s family.  


In addition to Chavelle’s murder, our tiny island continues to see more cases of violence against women and girls.


In July 2020, a mother of two was the victim of a machete attack. In September 2020, a woman was sexually assaulted at knifepoint on her way to work. On September 29, 2020, Garrina Cann was brutally shot and killed at her home.  To date, although arrests have been made, no one is in custody for her murder, and the case remains unsolved. 


Our Criminal Justice Reform Team has also noticed a number of cases being dismissed. 


In October 2020, a man received probation for threatening to slit his wife’s throat. In December 2020, a man received a conditional discharge after he assaulted a 12 year old girl. In January 2021, a man received a suspended sentence for assaulting his 14 year old daughter.  In February 2021, a man who filmed himself beating and torturing his estranged wife last year, even breaking her arm, also received a suspended sentence. 


We are angered and saddened by these acts of violence. 


If you would like to join us in choosing to challenge violence against women, here are four things you can do: 



Earlier this year, Centre Against Abuse indicated that the numbers of domestic violence cases has risen and the organisation is supporting a study being led by Catherine Cooke, an MPhil student at the University of Cambridge who is researching the impact of gender violence against women in Bermuda. There are two anonymous online surveys, and we encourage as many people as possible to participate. 

Please see the survey links below for survivor or friends/family:

Survivors: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3t3nvOkVrFJyRtX

Friends and Family: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YRrQEPEkEF7Kst


Lawyer Tawana Tannock wrote a letter to the editor in June 2020 which highlighted the current limitations within the domestic violence legislative framework, and issued several suggestions for ways to address these gaps.  They include training Bermuda Police Officers in domestic-abuse risk identification and evidence collection and the introduction of a Specialist Domestic Violence. Read the letter to find out more, and lobby your MP to implement these changes. 



Obtaining a protection order is a lengthy legal process, and Center Against Abuse (CAA) has helped hundreds of women to receive one, fifty in 2020 alone. While lawyers charge from $2000-5000 for this service, CAA charges their clients only $250.  Please donate to CAA so that they are able to waive this charge for women in vulnerable situations who are unable to afford the fee. 

Transfer to their account. 

Centre Against Abuse 

HSBC a/c 

010 284636 001.



“Rape culture” is a term that describes an environment where rape is pervasive, normalized and accepted as inevitable. Rape culture does not necessarily mean that society or individual people promote sexual violence in an outward, active manner. Rather rape culture is largely perpetuated via unexamined and false beliefs. Watch this video to learn more, and to learn how you can be part of dismantling rape culture in Bermuda. 


Download statement as a PDF

Watch the Video: What is Rape Culture?

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Cannabis Reform Task Force Response to Cannabis Licensing Act 2020 

An Open Letter to the Senate, AG and Ministry of Legal Affairs & Constitutional Reform


Dear President of the Senate, The Hon. Joan E. Dillas-Wright, Members of the Senate, Attorney General & Minister of Legal Affairs, Kathy Lynn Simmons and the Ministry of Legal Affairs & Constitutional Reform,


Social Justice Bermuda’s Cannabis Reform Task Force is writing to provide a response for your consideration to the revised Bill entitled the Cannabis Licensing Act 2020, as tabled in the House of Assembly (Friday, December 11th, 2020), herein referred to as “the Act”. 


Social Justice Bermuda (SJB) is a non-hierarchical collective of Bermudians who are inspired by the global Black Lives Matter Movement and the way that communities around the world are standing together to tackle and dismantle oppressive systems of injustice and racism. We are an advocacy group with no political affiliation. While some of our members have publicly identified themselves, others choose to contribute anonymously; there is no official leader of the group.  


The SJB Cannabis Reform Task Force has been raising awareness of the ongoing Cannabis consultation process, educating in partnership with subject matter experts on the proposed Cannabis Licensing Act and how it will affect the community.


In addition to this, we have encouraged the community to participate in the process by submitting proposals for how the Act can better achieve the Government’s stated aims of “progressively liberalising Cannabis laws, rectifying legacy demonization of the plant and persons who use it, satisfying Bermuda’s international obligations; protecting young persons and providing economic opportunities for our citizens.”


Please find our responses to the Act [in the attached PDF]. We have organized them into sections according to importance as it pertains to social justice, as follows: Appendix A (most critical), B (important) and C (informational). Note that within each section, our recommendations are sorted by page number.


In addition to our responses to the current Act, we also request the addition of a co-operative cultivation licensing tier to support the idea of community cultivation wherein multiple residents can purchase a license collectively, including those for the purposes of non-profit cultivation and exchange. This move would limit the discriminatory impact on renters and those whose current living situation excludes them from application for personal cultivation licenses.


Download the full letter here: Social Justice Bermuda Cannabis Reform Task Force Response to Cannabis Licensing Act 2020 - An Open Letter to the Senate [.PDF]


Visit the Cannabis Reform page on our website for more information. 

Friday, February 19, 2021

Video: End Compulsory Worship in Schools 

On February 1st, 2021 Social Justice Bermuda issued a press statement calling for an end to collective worship in schools, as it is a breach of students’ freedom of religion and beliefs. This is part of our broader call for Education Reform and for The Bermuda Government to secularise the Bermuda Public School System. 

On February 17th the Minister of Education, The Hon. Diallo Rabain, responded to our statement and expressed his support of the current legislation - The Education Act 1996 - which mandates collective worship within public schools. 

The collective worship found in Bermuda’s public school system is overtly Christian. Social Justice Bermuda reiterates our call for an end to compulsory collective worship. This video summarises our position and includes feedback from former and current teachers, students, and parents within the Bermuda public school system. 

This is just one of several initiatives that Social Justice Bermuda is working on. We remain committed to advocating and organising on a number of community issues, including criminal justice, economic equity, healthcare and food and education reform.

Monday, February 15, 2021

Reminder: Marcus Jones believes Donald Trump was appointed by God

On January 17, One Bermuda Alliance Senator Marcus Jones posted that he is praying for America and President Trump, saying that ‘since he was elected President in 2016, Holy Spirit has prompted me to be an intercessor for your President who in that time has become my President.”  Senator Jones goes on to say that, unlike him, “most cannot see God’s hand” in Trump’s appointment. This Bermudian senator felt it was good and proper to declare himself a ‘staunch supporter’ of Trump, even after he was impeached for inciting an insurrection that killed seven people.

Senator Jones felt called to give this ‘prayer’ on behalf of ‘God’s cherished nation, America’ after listening to Dutch Sheets, a self-declared ‘prophet’ that has been repeatedly highlighted by ‘Right Wing Watch’, an organisation dedicated to monitoring and exposing the activities and rhetoric of right-wing activists and organizations in order to expose their extreme agenda. On January 7, Dutch Sheets posted this video, called ‘The Day After’, where he spouts conspiracy theories that Trump won the election, speaks with pleasure about the activities of the prior day, and prays that God will intervene and not allow Joe Biden to be inaugurated. 

In other videos, Dutch Sheets expresses how upset he is in the Democrat’s pro-choice view, but, like so many others, ignore’s Trump’s racist, sexist and fascist record.

It’s clear that Senator Jones’ Facebook post goes beyond ‘different political views’.  It shows he’s been indoctrinated into cultish beliefs that are in a territory beyond fact and reason.  We cannot ignore the context of this dangerous right-wing extremism, which has been declared a security threat. His position clearly calls his judgement into question and we are once again calling on the OBA to remove this man from the Senate.

Download the full press statement in our Documents section.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Marcus Jones is not fit to sit in the Senate


A few months ago, SJB called out the appointment of Rolfe Commissiong to the Senate, as we considered him not fit to sit in the Senate on the basis of his sexual harassment history. 

Today, we are equally calling for the OBA Senator Marcus Jones to be removed from the Senate. Quite frankly, he is not fit to sit in the Senate. 

Marcus Jones signed his peon to Trump explicitly in his capacity as Senator Marcus Jones. He cannot hide behind personal opinion when he sought to bolster his craven devotion to the fascist Trump with the authority of his Senate position. 

He declared himself a staunch supporter of:

How can we accept as a Senator someone who does not respect democratic elections? 

How can we accept as a Senator someone who supports the violent overthrow of parliament based on refusing to accept democratic elections?

How can we accept as a Senator someone who supports breaking international law?

How can we accept as a Senator someone who supports Apartheid?

How can we accept as a Senator someone who supports the use of concentration camps?

Quite simply, we cannot. And neither should you. 

If the OBA thinks someone who supports such rightwing populist positions is fit to represent them in Bermuda’s Senate, we can only conclude that the OBA as a party also supports these positions. Positions that have no place in Bermuda today, and that are the antithesis of social justice. 

Marcus Jones must go. He is not fit to serve, and if the OBA support him, they are not fit to be part of Bermuda’s politics. It is not enough for him to be removed of his Senate seat – he also needs to be disciplined by the OBA for brining their party into public disrepute.

We also note that the personal is political, and the OBA were quick to call out the PLP when it suited their purposes. Unless they take action against Marcus Jones, it is clear their positions previously where nothing but opportunistic and hypocritical statements. 

So, what is it OBA? Principles or opportunistic politics? Respect for democracy, human rights and international law or craven support for fascist Trump?

Download the full press statement in our Documents section.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

End compulsory Worship in Schools


The Education Committee of Social Justice Bermuda calls for an end to compulsory worship within the public schools. It is time to repeal Section 28 of the Education Act 1996.

What is Section 28?

Section 28 of the Education Act 1996 refers to ‘Collective Worship’. The essence of this Section is to require all public (aided or maintained) schools to start the day with a period of collective worship– this is the legislative basis for the morning school assembly.

While there is a clause of this Section (28-7) that states that ‘the collective worship shall not be distinctive of any particular religious group’ in practice these assemblies have been dominated by explicitly Christian theology. Beyond this, the period of worship is also explicitly theistic – they exclude any atheistic or humanistic beliefs and make acceptance of a God the expectation.

Section 28 does provide for a student to be excused from collective worship, provided the parent formally requests it. However, this is only allowed if the student attends worship elsewhere (with the school making allowance for this during the school day). Furthermore, many students face exclusion, bullying and harassment should they elect for this option.

Why are we opposed to it?

School assemblies are long standing and often essential components of the school day, and they should be inclusive and seek to foster a sense of community. Assemblies, when well structured, serve an important role in promoting the ethical and social development of students.

However, acts of worship are neither necessary nor desirable methods of achieving this. Rather, compelling students to engage in collective worship constitutes a breach of students’ freedom of religion and belief. By normalizing theistic beliefs, and Christianity in particular, these acts of collective worship are exclusionary and have led to the isolation, harassment and bullying of those students who are not Christian or theists. Worse, these acts of isolation, harassment and bullying are often led by teachers and principals – the very people who should be looking after our students and encouraging their intellectual development and ensuring a safe learning environment. Additionally, certain interpretations of Christianity are given prominence, leading to non-Christian or non-heterosexual students being particularly vulnerable to bullying.

Schools should be institutions that are respectful and inclusive of all students, regardless of their religious beliefs or non-belief. Public monies should not be spent on forcing theology on our children. If parents wish their children to engage in regular religious practice, the place for that is in their home and in their places of worship, not the BPSS.

That the law allows parents to withdraw their children is not enough, especially as it requires their children to attend alternative worship and exposes them to being ‘othered’, with all the consequences of harassment and bullying that such exclusion invariably invokes.

Nor is it sufficient to simply say that the worship shall not be distinctive of any particular religious group when, in practice, Christianity (and often fundamentalist interpretations of it) are the de facto norm.

The Education Act, as it stands, is an anachronism – a remnant of the theocratic and authoritarian nightmare of the British Empire at its might. It has no place in the 21st Century, here in Bermuda or anywhere else. School or teacher directed worship is inherently coercive and oppressive.

SJB also notes that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Children have singled out the British Empire as being unique amongst Western ‘democracies’ in mandating collective worship in public schools. The UNRC has called for this law to be repealed throughout the British Empire, as it is a breach of the Rights of Children. SJB agrees and calls on Bermuda to be progressive in the service of its children, rather than awaiting imperial action.

To be clear, SJB also now calls for an end to prayers being given over the Public Announcement system. For example, at one BPSS school, there are up to four prayers a day over the PA system, during which students are expected to stand at attention or face disciplinary action. All such prayers are overtly Christian focused ‘in Jesus name’ and include the Lord’s Prayer. These practices of forced religious worship are unacceptable in a 21st Century liberal democracy.

How is this a Social Justice Issue?

Social justice is about justice. This means fighting oppression everywhere and in all its forms. Coercive collective worship in the BPSS is a social injustice disguised as tradition and celebrated as culture. It contributes to injustices against non-Christians, non-theists, and LGBTQ youth. Furthermore, this pattern of coercion contributes to learned behaviors of submission in later life which can help reinforce inequality and injustice.

Simply put, no student should be coerced into collective worship or face harassment, isolation and bullying as a result of such collective worship. Schools should be safe places for our children and this form of oppression, however cloaked, must be removed.

What about morals and ethics?

It is not necessary to coerce students into collective worship to teach students lessons about ethics and community. Formal worship is neither necessary nor conducive (when coerced) to spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development and inclusion.

In place of coercive collective worship, SJB Education Committee calls for Section 28 to be repealed and replaced with guidelines for inclusive community activities such as:

1.       School Assemblies – A gathering of all or part of the school focused solely on communicating information and engage in themes relevant to the school community. While assemblies may feature religious leaders as guests, the school should approach these as opportunities for students to learn about different religions, and as such the school should seek to have such figures only occasionally and ensure that those invited represent different religions and belief systems throughout the year – i.e., Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taosim, Secular Humanism, etc.

2.       Time for Reflection – A school community activity involving engagement with and reflection on an ethical, social, or culturally relevant topic.

3.       Personal Reflection – A silent time-period where individuals may engage in personal worship/belief reflection in response to an ethical, social, or culturally relevant topic in a manner consistent with their own religion/belief.

4.       Extra-curricular Organised Worship – Students may form clubs concerning their religion or belief practices during free time, provided doing so does not breach the rights of others. The school may facilitate these clubs but not lead them.

 

Bermuda, it is time for coerced collective worship, under the regulations of Section 28 of The Education Act, 1996, to be removed from the BPSS. SJB does not now, nor will it ever advocate to prevent those who wish to engage in collective worship from doing so. SJB advocates for a school environment that is inclusive and promotes a student experience which fosters well-rounded spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. 

Download the full press statement in our Documents section.

Wednesday, November 12, 2020

A Conversation on the Cost of Cannabis Prohibition planned for sunday, November 15 

A Conversation on Cannabis Legislation: Join Social Justice Bermuda on Facebook Live for a discussion about the social and economic costs of Cannabis Prohibition and how it affects the community.

We will be joined by three guests: Barristers, Marc Daniels and Peter Sanderson, and Bermuda Police Service Deputy Commissioner (Acting), Darrin Simons.

Have your voice heard! Drop your questions in the live stream comments, or submit questions anonymously here: https://forms.gle/7HUregLy64PhRjN29 

Date: Sunday November 15, 2020
Time: 8pm
Location: Social Justice Bermuda Facebook Live

Visit the Cannabis Reform page on our website for more information. 

Friday, November 6, 2020

Social Justice Bermuda releases Throne Speech Update: Next Hundred Days

As our elected leaders identify goals and initiatives for their next term, we would like to highlight pressing social justice concerns that we hope will be short-term priorities for this government.  These have been taken from commitments made by the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) in their recent platform, as well as suggestions from our own (SJB) platform. 

We ask: What is achievable in their first hundred days?

Download our Throne Speech Update: Next Hundred Days HERE. 

Social Justice Bermuda (SJB) is a collective of Bermudians who are inspired by the global Black Lives Matter Movement and the way that communities around the world are standing together to tackle and dismantle oppressive systems of injustice and racism. We are an advocacy group with no political affiliation.

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Real talk with Social Justice Bermuda and Bermuda Health Council

Food insecurity is a social justice issue! Access to healthy food should be a right.

Social Justice Bermuda Food Fight Project Team and Bermuda Health Council hosted a conversation this week discussing the ways we can increase access to healthy food and reduce health inequalities.

REAL TALK topics include:

Watch the replay here:

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Social Justice Bermuda Addresses the Appointment of Rolfe Commissiong to the Cabinet

Over the last week, Social Justice Bermuda along with the rest of the island reflected on the election results that saw the Progressive Labour Party emerge with 30 seats, over 80% of the Members of Parliament.  

Even though many SJB members were individually supportive of the PLP, as a lobby and advocacy group that is pressuring for fair and equal representation and governance, we share the concerns of many Bermudians about the lack of a strong Opposition.  As several people expressed on social media, citizen action groups like ours will have an even greater role to play as part of a collective responsibility to hold our elected officials accountable. 

All that said, we have been eager to get started working with the Government, especially as they have been very welcoming towards us and were the only party to reach out to SJB in advance of the election.  We have been planning to engage the public around advocacy regarding the ‘First 100 Days’ of the new Cabinet.

However, we listened in abject horror today as The (Dis)Honourable Rolfe Commissiong, JP MP, an unelected member of the party, was appointed as the new Minister of Community Affairs and Sports AND Senate Leader, despite the still-unaddressed allegations of sexual harassment that have been levied against him by two civil servants in separate cases and a member of the public! 

About a month ago, when confronted about these allegations, Mr. Commissioning agreed that his behaviour had been inappropriate, resigned so as not to be a ‘distraction’, only to now be appointed to key roles by Premier David Burt, who’d previously said this issue “ is something that I take very seriously.” 

Sadly, it appears he does not take it seriously enough. It truly begs the question, with 30 MPs to choose from and a slate of talented party members as options for the Senate, WHY was this man given such an important Ministerial role? 

This is not a good start for this team that has pledged to ‘rebuild Bermuda with Bermudians at heart’.  

Has the PLP taken to ‘heart’ the Bermudian civil servants that experienced sexual harassment from a man in a position of power, a Member of Parliament, providing a work atmosphere so toxic that both sought reassignment in different Departments?  What about their very own female senators, new to the senate and to politics, who must now serve with Commissiong as their leader? 

The PLP’s 2020 platform said that one of their accomplishments was that they ‘reviewed the recommendations by the Joint Select Committee on Women’s Issues’. The chair of this committee, Ms. Kim Wilson JP, MP, shared that their report found “women throughout Bermuda have expressed concerns relating to factors facing them in the workplace such as sexual harassment...” We also note that the BPSU's 2018 report 'Sexual Harassment in the Workplace' (which should be mandatory reading for the new Senators), implied Government was working on sexual harassment legislation. 

So, it seems the PLP’s accomplishment of reviewing these recommendations meant simply reading them without a plan of actual implementation, because nowhere was it suggested that an individual whose conduct has been called into question multiple times should be rewarded with a Ministry and a Senate Leadership position!

Social Justice Bermuda urgently calls for this selection to be rescinded, and a response from the PLP Government to reassure the women of this country that it is indeed committed to addressing the rampant sexism and harassment that they experience on a daily basis. 

We also want to highlight the recent commitment by the Speaker of the House to table the Ministers and Members Code of Conduct and wish for it to be reviewed and implemented by the end of 2020 to include language that will safeguard civil servants as well as members of the house from future incidents of this nature.  

And, with this decision by the government, we would like to amend our own platform, which calls for gender equality lessons within the education system, as clearly we must now expand this curriculum to include sessions with the Government themselves.

Monday, September 21, 2020

Social Justice Bermuda releases 2020 Platform

Social Justice Bermuda (SJB) is a collective of Bermudians who are inspired by the global Black Lives Matter Movement and the way that communities around the world are standing together to tackle and dismantle oppressive systems of injustice and racism. We are an advocacy group with no political affiliation.

Download our 2020 platform HERE. 

Tune in to The Daily Hour tomorrow morning, Tuesday, September 22, at 8:00 am as SJB member Katura Horton-Perinchief discusses the SJB 2020 platform.


Note: THIS IS A GUIDING DOCUMENT.

IT DOES NOT ENCOMPASS THE TOTALITY OF OUR HOPES & DREAMS FOR OUR COUNTRY AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND EVOLVE AS WE DO. WITH THIS DOCUMENT, WE SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT OUR VALUES AND DRAW OUR COMMUNITY AND ELECTED LEADERS' ATTENTION TO SOME PRESSING SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, ALONG WITH POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS THEY HAVE THE POWER TO ENACT.

Monday, August 3, 2020

I Marched... Now What? lineup of events planned for august 2020

There are so many events this week to root us in activism and engagement, to ground us in healing, and prepare us to move forward collectively. Our event I Marched. Now What? is being held TOMORROW (Tuesday 4th August) evening via Zoom.

Visit our Events Page for full details.

Other event highlights:

Wednesday 5th August, 7:30pm: Drawing From Our Legacy, Moving forward in Challenging Times, hosted by Bernews.com and Imagine Bermuda


Thursday 6th August, 5:00pm: Bermudian Heartbeats - Viewing of the Mashpee Nine Documentary hosted by Department of Community and Cultural Affairs


Saturday 8th August, 8:00am: Grounding and Connecting with Nature through Hiking (hosted by Living Roots)


Saturday 8th August, 12:00pm: The Stories we Tell our Children-  Free Webinar hosted by Bermuda National Library, Latoya Shelton and Department of Community and Cultural Affairs


Saturday 8th August, 8:00pm: A Moment of Reflection - We invite the local community to pause for a moment of reflection on the 8th day of the 8th month at 8pm or 8 minutes to answer these questions:



Share your thoughts on our Facebook page from 8.08pm. Use the #bermudareflections hashtag on Twitter and Instagram


Sunday 9th August, 6:00pm: Afterall Virtual Poetry Lounge hosted by Department of Community and Cultural Affairs


Sunday 9th August, 730pm: Ancient African History, Uniting Community, Kinetic Movement - A Free Family Event at Astwood Cove hosted by Carbon Collective


Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Take Action this Week for Education Reform! (POSTPONED)

THIS WEEK'S ACTION: DECOLONISING EDUCATION: A DISCUSSION

As part of our Education Reform efforts, Social Justice Bermuda are hosting a discussion with two Bermudian educators who have extensive experience in and knowledge of our public education system.

What would a decolonised education system look like? Celebrated retired Bermuda educators Ellen-Kate Horton and Dr. Joseph Christopher will share their expertise, talk about the evolution of our public education system, and what they believe needs to change.

We invite you to join us on Zoom.

� When: Wednesday, July 22, 7 PM Atlantic Time

� Where: Zoom ID: 914 9362 5416

Sign up for our email updates and join a task force! 

We will keep you in the loop by sending periodic updates via email on our next actions, campaigns, and initiatives. At the moment, we are focusing on the areas of Education Reform, Economic Equity, Criminal Justice, Healthcare and Food, and Youth and Family. We hope you read these messages and see how to take action. We want you to participate as best you can. This may look like donating.  Or attending an event to listen and learn.  Or reposting and sharing our messages. Activism takes consistency, and real sustained change will take all of us.

Vist www.socialjusticebda.com for more information.

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

URGENT UPDATE - Lobby with us on Tuesday to Reject Rizzuto!

Thank you again for signing our petition. We're glad you agree that it's time to take action. Please SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES on next action items our website: www.socialjusticebda.com

We will keep you in the loop by sending periodic updates on our next actions, campaigns, and initiatives.

At the moment, we are focusing on the areas of Education Reform, Economic Equity, Criminal Justice, Healthcare and Food.

If you have not signed up for a specific task force, please do so here. Soon, project leaders will reach out with regards next steps for their task force.

This week's URGENT ACTION: Lobby with us on TUESDAY, June 30 from 5 - 7pm Atlantic/Bermuda Time to #RejectRizzuto.  Our petition to ask the UK to refuse the appointment of Leandro Rizzuto Jr. as Bermuda's new US Consul General received over 93k signatures. Let's raise our voices digitally to send another loud message.

MEDIA:

This Tuesday, send a message to international media, asking them to write a story!  These journalists have previously covered stories about Lee Rizzuto Jr, and we need them to let the world know that we do not want him here! 

Send an Email to:

Kirk Semple (NYT): semplek@nytimes.com

Zachary Cohen (CNN): zachary.cohen@cnn.com

Andrew Kaczynski (CNN): andrew.k.kaczynski@gmail.com

HERE'S WHAT TO SAY [EMAIL EXAMPLE]:

Hello, I am writing to you regarding your article detailing the appointment of Leandro Rizzuto Jr to the US Consul General role in Bermuda. Bermudians have expressed their disappointment with unqualified, conspiracy theorist Rizzuto receiving this position as a favor to Donald Trump. There were protest marches and the Governor of Bermuda was presented with a petition, signed by over 93k people from around the world, to REJECT RIZZUTO.

We are asking that you write a follow-up story detailing Bermudians’ displeasure at being forced to accept Rizzuto as our new US Consul General.

Social Justice Bermuda, an advocacy group, has been leading the Reject Rizzuto campaign. I urge you to contact them for a story soon socialjusticebda@gmail.com.

Tweet to these journalists: 

Kyle Griffin (Washington Post) @kylegriffin1

Conor Finnegan (ABC News): @cjf39 

Zachary Cohen (CNN): @ZcohenCNN

Andrew Kaczynski (CNN): @KFILE

Kirk Semple (NYT): @KirkSemple

HERE'S WHAT TO SAY [TWITTER EXAMPLE]:

Please write a followup article re: Lee Rizzuto Jr as US Consul General in Bermuda. We #RejectRizzuto - an unqualified conspiracy theorist receiving this position as a favor to Donald Trump. 93k people agree. @SocialJusticeBM @kylegriffin1 @cjf39 @ZcohenCNN @KFILE @KirkSemple 

Other ways to take action this week:


Sunday, June 14, 2020

Yesterday, Social Justice Bermuda hosted a Black Lives Matter event which achieved a number of objectives. We engaged people in our action projects. We reminded them that we are seeking justice for Chavelle and provided a place to donate to raise the Crimestoppers reward for information about her case. We celebrated national heroes that were champions for Black people. And told stories of our ancestors, to call on their acts of heroism and bravery to help us for the work ahead.

It was a lovely day. We want to thank everyone who came out to be part of it, especially the Ministry of Health who had a COVID-19 testing station; Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda (CURB); Black Lives Matter Bermuda; The Griot; The Human Rights Commission, Mr. Glenn Fubler; Ms. Maxine Esdaille; Latoya Bridgewater; the Bermuda Police Service Community Action Team; The Ministry of National Security; and the Corporation of Hamilton.

After our event ended, we returned home and saw the videos of our young Bermudians fighting. Heard about gunshots in St. George’s. More gunshots in Middletown. Videos and headlines like these circulate and we feel upset, and then, we feel overwhelmed. The problem is so huge - where can we even start? And before we know it, things go back to normal.

Not this time.

This time, we take our collective energy and outrage - the energy that caused SEVEN THOUSAND OF US to march in the streets, and we decide to try something different.

Here is what we believe:

We need to demonstrate to our young Black people that we truly believe their lives matter by ensuring they have access to the resources and support to succeed. We need to address the root causes and not the symptoms. Our country has failed, we have failed, in this regard. We have abandoned our roles as stewards and champions for our children. OUR CHILDREN.

There are no quick answers or easy solutions.

But we want to do the work. We are ready to do the work.