The 190th anniversary of emancipation offered an opportunity to promote cross-generational connections. The liberation of thousands of enslaved people was the result of a significant movement of many diverse people in various countries across generations. The passing of the “torch of freedom” transcended boundaries so that the Haitian success over Napoleon’s troops in 1804 proved key in the passage of the Bill for Emancipation at Westminster in 1833.

The legacy of the sustained effort to bring about that paradigm shift was a classic example of global solidarity.

Intending to sustain the intergenerational relay during my presentation celebrating the 190th anniversary of emancipation, I spoke to the exemplary activism of Aaron Crichlow, cofounder of Bermuda Is Love.

August 8, 1970 is a lesser-known milestone offering some pointers for subsequent generations. Its legacy provides some foundational elements, sustaining present efforts such as those of Bermuda Is Love. On that midsummer Saturday, a 20-year-old me joined six other members of the Black Beret Cadre canvassing Nellie’s Walk, distributing leaflets and protesting the newly elected British Government. That Conservative Cabinet had published its intention to ignore United Nations sanctions by selling weapons to the apartheid regime of South Africa.

The leaflets explained that the UN General Assembly had voted to ban sales of military equipment to the apartheid regime on the documented evidence that South African soldiers had shot in the back and killed 69 peaceful protesters in the town of Sharpeville in 1960, injuring 180 others. The protesters made the case that the British Government’s intended violation of the UN blatantly supported apartheid. The protest concluded with the burning of a Union Jack.

While the Black Berets’ founder, Hilton Bassett, was charged and imprisoned for the flag-burning, some weeks after the protest he was released on appeal.

Bermuda Is Love demonstrates parallels with groups such as the Berets. Their agenda includes wonderfully engaging activities; such as their community garden projects promoting food security. The Berets engaged the North Hamilton neighbourhood with a Liberation School, promoting social consciousness among children.

While the Berets were the only group in the 1970s to challenge British support for apartheid South Africa during the 1980s, that legacy led to the development of a globally recognised and island-wide anti-apartheid movement.

Bermuda Is Love is engaged in a community-wide collaboration supporting efforts towards ending the existing apartheid in Gaza. Key in this regard is ending the weapons supply by Britain and the United States for unbridled Israeli military action that makes Sharpeville look like a Sunday school picnic.

In recognition of these links — in the names of all the Berets involved in the August 8, 1970 protest — and in the spirit of fostering cross-generational bridges to promote solidarity at home and abroad, I pass forward the recognition of The Bermudian’s Best of Bermuda Community Activist 2023 Award to Aaron Crichlow.

• Glenn Fubler represents Imagine Bermuda