“Write if you will: but write about the world as it is and as you think it ought to be and must be — if there is to be a world. Write about all the things that men have written about since the beginning of writing and talking — but write to a point. Work hard at it, care about it. Write about our people: tell their story. You have something glorious to draw on begging for attention. Don’t pass it up. Use it. Our nation [Bermuda] needs your gifts; perfect them. Good luck to you!”— Lorraine Hansberry(To Be Young, Gifted, and Black, 1964)

Dear fellow Bermudian youth,

The Government has made it abundantly clear that it does not value your voice or at the very least does not care to provide you with opportunities to have your voice heard. The Opposition party isn’t fearing any better, as youth aren’t explicitly mentioned a single time within their “simplified” party platform that was launched late last year. The independent movement also has not taken any clear positions on the issues most affecting Bermuda’s youth. Both fortunately and unfortunately, the only party willing to engage with policy solutions that benefit Bermuda’s youth directly is the Free Democratic Movement, although it remains on far Right when it comes to social justice, equity and inclusion — or “woke culture”, as its leader and only announced candidate describes it.

Within this present landscape, you may feel lost. I am extremely unsure which party is most deserving of my vote. I’m even more uncertain which party or independent genuinely cares about the issues that are most important to Bermuda’s youth — ultimately Bermuda’s future — and with that the requisite understanding of public policy, social justice and intersectionality to propose and action sustainable and equitable solutions.

Despite this, I want you, I need you, to remain hopeful. I want you, I need you, to stay engaged. In fact, this utter disrespect for your voice should incite you to become even more engaged. If your political consciousness has not woken up yet, now is the time for you to open your eyes and your minds to Bermuda’s political reality. Use the anger and disappointment you will undoubtedly experience to further fuel your engagement and edification.

You must trust your self and your intuition above all else in the process of your political awakening and edification. There will be many older Bermudians, including your very own family members, who will try to hinder and block your development. There will be some who will actively try to disenfranchise you, strip you of your identity and voice, and beat down your confidence.

Even more frighteningly, there will be those who — when you do decide to ask questions and use your voice in public forums — will punish you. They will try to isolate you, they will try to lock you out of many opportunities, and they will look upon you as if you are the enemy.

You have every right to be afraid, but my experience should stand as a testament that no one can stop your greatness, no matter how hard they try. While my various academic and professional successes — including being the first Bermudian to serve on the World Health Organisation Youth Council, attending a double master’s degree programme at the London School of Economics, which accepts only 15 students per year from across the globe, being named on the inaugural list of Love Queers 100 Trailblazers of the Year — may not be recognised in Bermuda or valued by the sitting administration because of who I am, I still walk with my head held high and represent my home with pride. Any attempt at silencing me has only opened more doors on the global stage, so do not be fearful as I, you, we cannot be held back from achieving our full potential.

I was once one of the Progressive Labour Party’s most active young people, having played integral roles in the 2017 and 2020 general elections, and the rebirth in 2018 of the now very active youth wing, Progressive Minds, but for obvious reasons, I am now seen as persona non grata. I was admittedly naive and had faith that the PLP under the leadership of its youngest premier, David Burt, would serve the Bermudian community, particularly its youth, with integrity, dignity and transparency. But when working for the PLP, I suffered constant homophobia from many of its members and MPs alike, but I remained steadfast and committed to a vision of hope.

Both fortunately and unfortunately, I became deeply and rather quickly aware that the PLP under its present leadership would fail to live up to my hopes and dreams. Not only did this government hypocritically fight against my community’s access to equality under the law with its costly battle against same-sex marriage, but it has continuously, particularly since 2020, proved that it is not prepared to lead Bermuda into the future we deserve. The PLP has backtracked on countless manifesto promises and, most crucially, it has missed almost every opportunity to listen to the people of Bermuda, especially young people, and course correct.

I think if you ask many Bermudians the question, “Are you better off now in 2025, then you were in 2017 when this PLP government first took office?”, the answer would undoubtedly be no. The only measure of any government’s success is if the people it serves are better off and feel/know that they are better off then when you were elected. This PLP government has failed in this regard. But it will not know it has failed unless you use your voice and your vote to let them know.

You, as young people and citizens of Bermuda, have a duty to participate, whether by using your vote, voice or both. You have the responsibility of representing those of us who will be unable to participate because of the failure of various successive governments to make any movements towards mail-in ballots for Bermudians living and studying abroad. But don’t let anyone try to convince you that you are duty-bound to vote for any particular party or independent because that is simply incorrect.

I want to make it very clear that I’m not encouraging you to vote and I’m in no way suggesting how you should vote if you decide to. What I will say is that if you are on island and are registered to vote but are utterly dissatisfied with the objectively abysmal options available, I would encourage you to still show up to the polls and express your dissatisfaction directly to the candidates that will be standing outside each and every polling station to greet voters. And if you do decide to enter the voting booth, please be aware that you have the option to leave your ballot blank or spoil the ballot by writing anything on it outside of the designated box. I want to reiterate that I’m not encouraging you to do anything; I just want you know that you have other options besides not participating at all.

Above all else, I want to remind you that your voice does matter and it does have immense value. We the youth are not just the future of Bermuda but we are also the present. We are not and should not be viewed as simply beneficiaries of government policies and services; we are and must remember to view ourselves as paramount stakeholders worthy of consultation and as co-conspirators in the development of Bermuda’s social, political, environmental and economic present and future.

We as young people will for the most part be alone in the journey towards our individual political understanding. You may find some allies among the older generations, but your most valuable allies, educators and friends along this journey will be your peers. There are many non-governmental platforms organised and led by fellow young people that will help you to develop your ability to use your voice to effect meaningful change and give you a platform to have your voice heard. Tap into the networks that do exist, such as Bermuda Is Love, Bermuda Youth Connect, Future Leaders and/or political party youth wings. Or create your own.

We must remain optimistic about the future of our home. We must be politically and socially active; it’s not too late to start today. As a dear friend, recently had to remind me, our hope must spring eternal, as that is the only way our future will be bountiful.

• Taj Donville-Outerbridge is an award-winning Bermudian human rights activist, writer and student studying a double masters of public administration and global affairs at the London School of Economics and Political Science