“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!” — Marcus Garvey

Emancipation Day, August 1, 1834, the day the English “granted” freedom to the Africans they had enslaved for four centuries. Freedom that they never had any moral justification to take from our ancestors in the first place.

Emancipation Day, August 1, 1834, the day the English took our ancestors out of forced slavery and transferred them into forced indentured servitude.

Indentured servitude to force the Africans to pay rents for the very lands they were forced to work for 400 years.

One thing that is crystal clear is that 181 years later, those of African descent have yet to see full emancipation.

Likewise, it is clear that we cannot wait for those who descend from slave owners to decide to emancipate us on their terms. Our full emancipation will come about only of our own volition.

Education

One primary path of emancipation is education. Whether it be academic, cultural or technical qualifications, we much continuously seek to better ourselves in every way possible.

If it means to sacrifice every materialistic urge — trips, new cars, the latest gadgets — so be it.

More importantly, we must ensure that our future generations are fully qualified to meet the inevitable changes of the world that will come about with advances in technology.

Education should not merely be a path to become a great employee. We must look to move beyond being workers, managers or vice-presidents.

Entrepreneurship

We work to buy a new car. We work to buy groceries. We work to buy clothes. We simply work to consume.

Something is wrong with this equation when all we do is work to enrich others.

That is no different from indentured servitude, which was one step from slavery.

A few generations ago, there was a very healthy black business sector of Bermuda.

Through a combination of factors, this business sector has nearly disappeared.

In a country with a majority black population, it is inconceivable to understand how blacks do not control any major sector of this economy.

Blacks must move beyond simply working to be good employees.

We must seek economic emancipation.

Cultural emancipation

Over the past decade or so, many Bermudians have fully accepted and fully embraced their Caribbean heritage.

It is time to take a step farther. Those of Caribbean heritage should take trips to the island(s) of their forefathers to trace their family lineage and get to meet their families throughout the Caribbean.

We have much to share with and learn from them.

Collectively, they have embraced the concept of self-determination and have forged their futures on nation-building.

For decades, we of Caribbean decent were told that we should have nothing to do with the Caribbean.

Ironically, some of the same persons who were telling us to look down on our relatives were they themselves heavily investing in multiple Caribbean islands and now control major industries throughout the region.

“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” — Bob Marley

One hundred and eighty-one years after the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 came into law, we have to take a serious look at the state of ourselves and ask ourselves some honest questions:

Who is still dictating to us?

Are we truly in charge of our destiny?

Are we truly emancipated?