Once again, Spanish Town would like to express our deepest regards for all the families and friends directly affected by the violence, and hope someday the pain will lessen; we are doing our best to assist: stand firm.

We also give thanks to the editor of The Royal Gazette, Bill Zuill, for the opportunity to tell our story in our own words.

Last week in this newspaper, we explained why we use music as a means to an end. We gave several reasons why and how "music" can be utilised as an effective tool to promote positive social healing. This week's article will focus more on the organisational experience that will be used to enable the successful delivery of the grassroots programme named "SOUNDS of SANCTUARY".

"When manners and habits are changed without any commands or directives being issued, that can only be by the influence of kindness – laws and punishments are insufficient to bring it about."

(The Taoist Classics - On State and Society).

Spanish Town is part of an umbrella entity named the "Emperial Group of Companies". Emperial's interest is driven by our concerns for a healthier and friendlier social, economic, religious, political and environmental community, across all racial lines both, local and foreign, rich and poor. Our mantra is, "Unity in the Community, World Vibe, Fighting with Peace, Not For It."

We are comprised of individuals of varying backgrounds, both religious and/or spiritual, including racial, educational and political, with skill sets ranging from law to I.T., and from blue to white collar. Our practice is to work harder at working better with as many, if not all peoples and groups towards building better and stronger social relationships. We feel the more we work with all people the better chance we have at understanding each other and find peace and healing.

Some people may not know us simply because we've worked in very many cases, quietly, behind the evolving social and political scenes. In the early seventies Bermuda was a very different social and political place. However, change at that time, both politically and culturally was taking place very fast with young black adults and with young black males in particular. There was a lot of soul- searching at that time for identities that were more relative to their African roots, and very similar to the present violent social climate, the public then was as gravely concerned as they are now about the direction some youths were taking. In the early seventies, the murders were also committed by youths; but the use of "guns" had a totally different flavour from what we are experiencing now.

We were very active and closely involved with the various movements of that time, at both the social and community levels, including black power, socialists and civil rights groups, etc. We were also willing to listen to gain insight and understanding of the new religious groups including Rasta, Islam, Hebrews etc., that were budding in those early years. This enabled us to build trust with a broad range of groups and individuals to form The United Cultural Committee – in spite of everyone's doubts – around the original theme "unity in the community". And we were able – in spite of the great odds against us – to deliver and sustain these relationships by producing a programme called "Culture Fest". In the nineties Culture Fest grew to become a national event that drew up to 6,000 people a day over two days from every persuasion – tourists included. What made achieving Culture Fest as a national event so extraordinary at that time was that we did it under the auspices of Wayne Furbert's Cultural Ministry and with the support of the UBP Government. Culture Fest went on to become the birth place of the now "Music Fest" because we partnered with tourism to share and host the first one, then named the "Jazz Fest". The absence of any polarisation between these projects can easily be taken for granted – "Half the story has never been told".

Further along our social journey we formed another group called "Dred & Baha (GROWL) Animal Productions!!! This group became the number one promotional entity of its time, catering to both "hardcore" and "softcore" youth in the Islands. We broke all sorts of social records, like persuading the UBP to open parks to youth concerts. These venues included parks such as Spanish Point Pontoons, Ferry Reach, Horseshoe Bay, Clearwater, etc, etc, etc! We broke records for people attendance and bridging racial barriers alike. Even the likes of Choy Aming, said it couldn't be done.

As early as the year 1996 – with the encouragement of both the UBP and PLP to register voters – we developed a voters registration campaign and mobilised the youth to register. For every one (1) voter the PLP registered Dred & Baha signed up fifteen (15). People's memories are not as short as some think – I get reminders all the time, especially now in light of all the violence and the fact that Spanish Town has come on line with the "Sounds of Sanctuary". Our supporters are asking us about the promises that were made at the time. I could go on and on, but that's another story for another time. "You shall know the truth, and ..."

Last year, we had the very great honour to manage the visit of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to Bermuda. Farrakhan is a world renowned figure and certainly no stranger to Bermudians on all fronts. Some people in our immediate camp showed sharp concern for us taking on the task; which was very understandable. They wished to know why we would take on such an obvious socially, politically, religiously and racially (etc.) explosive project. If you could imagine members of our own crew having huge reservations about Spanish Town managing the Farrakhan visit, then you wouldn't be surprised how much more these concerns were echoed outside of our crew. One significant entity working in tandem with us was certain that the Farrakhan visit would polarise the whole social spectrum and, again, it would not be difficult to understand why they felt that way.

I asked a crazy question at that point, and the question was "What if the experience with Farrakhan doesn't go the way you and everyone else expects it to go?" Given that so many sceptics were certain that the Farrakhan visit would have all the media, white folks and opposition parties in an uproar, I repeated the question: "What if it doesn't happen that way?" One particular individual in turn asked, "Why are we having this conversation? Water's wet, Glad!" They were adamant the Farrakhan visit would be racially charged. I then asked them to humour me and they in turn said "If the Farrakhan visit does not go the way we say it's going to go and you in turn are right, we will make you the head of our marketing firm". And I said "Bet".

Farrakhan's visit was an extraordinarily different experience because none of the negative expectations were realised. In fact, the opposite occurred...he was embraced as an enthusiastic advocate of "unity in the community".

As we prepare to challenge our youths to embrace non-violence under the banner of "Sounds of Sanctuary", we now find it appropriate to highlight the common sense reality that "experience is the best teacher". Our experience in "fighting with peace, not for it" has proved that it is indeed entirely possible to "kill with kindness" in order to achieve an otherwise impossible goal.

Spirit is the source of knowing; when the spirit is pure, knowledge is clear. Knowing is the capital of the heart; when knowledge is objective and impartial, the heart is peaceful.

(The Tao Classics - On Leadership & Strategy)