Life is change.Growth is optional.Choose wisely.— Karen Kaiser ClarkOn February 21, 1965, Malcolm X (el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz) was assassinated. He was one of four public figures targeted in the United States within a five-year period. John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr and Robert F. Kennedy all affected that era of significant global change.Malcolm X was a transformative figure whose autobiography appeared on Time’s top-ten list of the most influential non-fiction books of the 20th century. I read that book at 16, sparking my own journey of personal growth. For me, Malcolm’s most significant legacy for present generations is his modelling that we all have the power to transform our own lives — to choose wisely.Born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska, Malcolm Little grew up facing challenges. His father led the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which was founded by Marcus Garvey, and nurtured his children’s sense of self. However, their independence, as a small minority, exposed them to harassment from extremists who eventually firebombed their home. Subsequently, his father died in a “suspicious” streetcar accident. This, all by the time Malcolm was 6. When Malcolm was 13, his mother experienced a mental breakdown and was put in hospital — for 26 years. The seven children were put into various foster homes, marking a slide into criminality for the exceptional student and turning his rage against society. By the age of 20, Malcolm was imprisoned for eight years for burglary.That incarceration marked a shift. Malcolm had spent his teens rebelling against society’s impact on his family. He had chosen a life of crime: drugs, numbers, pimping. This led to the “wilderness” of prison, where an introduction to the teachings of the Nation of Islam offered a new beginning.Released in 1952 as Malcolm X, he was quickly promoted through the group’s hierarchy, as a protégé of leader Elijah Muhammad. This organisation mirrored aspects of the philosophy of Malcolm’s father: it espoused black separatism, black pride and self-help. It both reacted to the reality of the violence of segregation and called for the separation of the races. Malcolm quickly became the face of the Nation of Islam, trumpeting its successful programmes to reform addicts, promoting its small businesses and knocking the Civil Rights Movement for its goal of integration. Malcolm’s history had shaped his philosophy, which was focused backward at that stage and unable to see “the dream”. However, his leadership sparked a healthy pride for people of African ancestry, an impetus for the marginalised to find their voices and an appreciation for the global nature of movements to transform oppression.It was Malcolm’s choosing growth that brought him to a significant crossroads. The rigidly authoritarian nature of the Nation of Islam disempowered the membership. By March 1964, Malcolm, “choosing wisely”, overcame “loyalties” and moved on.Subsequently, he became busy exploring the bigger picture. He carried out a Haj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, where he saw fellow Muslims of all races. He also travelled to various parts of the globe: Africa, France and Britain. There he had the opportunity to meet personally with a number of the emerging leaders. From that resultant growth, Malcolm began collaborating with civil rights groups and was able to shift beyond just race and “focusing backwards”, but towards the possibilities.Two days before his death, Malcolm spoke with Ebony photographer, Gordon Parks, reflecting on his growth: “Brother, remember the time that white college girl came to the restaurant — the one who wanted to help the [black] Muslims and the whites get together — and I told her there wasn’t a ghost of a chance and she went away crying? Well, I’ve lived to regret that incident. In many parts of Africa, I saw white students helping black people ... I did many things I’m sorry for now. I was a zombie then ... the sickness and the madness of those days ... I’m glad to be free of them.” It is worth noting that Malcolm didn’t need to go to Africa to see whites helping blacks. Just a number of months before, more than 1,000 white students travelled to Mississippi for “Freedom Summer” (1964) facing terrorism and working in solidarity with black students to establish the right to vote for all.Like us all, Malcolm had his blind spots. However, the key is to accept ourselves, including our flaws and blind spots, taking the option of growth.Malcolm, during his last days, offers reflections that could benefit us in Bermuda today. We can move beyond any madness, honestly helping each other with our blind spots and then be glad to be free of them. Choosing wisely will help us both personally and collectively.Future generations would be glad.