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Just 55 years ago the island was a divided country. There were two Bermudas, one black and one white.

Much of the 1950s, '60s and '70s was a time of segregation, intolerance and racial injustice. Young, black Bermudians who returned from their studies overseas quietly and secretly tried to bring about change.

The Theatre Boycott, the BIU strikes, the BELCO riots, the creation of political parties, Bermuda's first Black Power Conference, the Black Berets, universal adult suffrage, race riots and a Constitutional Conference all occurred in this volatile period of our history. The fight for racial equity and justice was passionate, moral, emotional and deeply spiritual.

It was an extraordinary time of social change.

Today, racism has morphed and has a new face.

We now fight the legacy of racism and how it continues to exist in our institutions, organizations, workplaces, and in ourselves, be we black or white. Racism is like the root system of an old Indian Laurel tree - it has grown insidiously under and through our walls and it requires the precision of a tree surgeon to seek out the roots and remove them.

The '60s and '70s brought changes to our laws but laws don't change beliefs.

They cannot force people to come together to talk about the past and how to reconcile.

In his book, A Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes: "We choose to be as close to God and the people of God as we want to be."

Thus, reconciliation is a choice and can only happen if we want it and are willing to work at it. Reconciliation requires a change of heart, a shift in perception and a willingness to listen.

We need community and to create relationships.

Alienation can turn into appreciation and the need and desire for truth and reconciliation can grow.

Community requires safe places for dialogue and safe conversation to occur, where we can build trust and form relationships so that the real work of racial reconciliation can begin.

There must be a sustainable learning environment, non-judgmental and supportive, allowing for personal and community growth.

Community building requires change. Change can create fear but it also brings awareness, unity and a sense of respect.

Each of us live within our own paradigm - our experiences have created the way we view our world.

Community building requires us to shift our paradigm, to understand that although what we see is 'our' truth, for others the experience is different.

We can all be a part of the process of community building, whether it is through interfaith dialogue, participating in workshops about racial equality, reading books about our segregated past or faith or ensuring the history we display in our museums is fully inclusive.

By opening ourselves up to these experiences, we build a new understanding of each other.

It is only through relationships and building true community can we achieve a deeper dialogue about racial justice and equity.

It is only by allowing ourselves to be vulnerable with those we hardly know can we hope to build greater trust and understanding.

In order for us to move to truth and reconciliation there must be a yearning to forge a better world for ourselves and our children.

We must want to share and open our lives to all people. If we are unwilling to share our inner heart, how can we expect others to share with us?

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