There is a saying that crisis equals threat plus opportunity. It reminds us that even in our most difficult seasons, within every problem lies the possibility of transformation.

Bermuda’s crisis of violence among youth of African descent has been long seen only through the lens of threat — to safety, to order, to community. Yet, if we look deeper, this crisis also reveals an opportunity: a chance to repair something far more fundamental — our collective sense of identity, belonging and purpose.

The first two parts of this series explored how William E. Cross Jr’s Nigrescence Theory helps us understand the roots of that identity fracture and how the Ghana Immersion Experience offers a pathway towards healing. Together, they point to a truth we can no longer ignore: that lasting change does not begin with punishment or fear, but with reconnection — reconnection to culture, to community and to self.

For too long, we have addressed violence as a behavioural issue, not a developmental one. We have tried to control outcomes without nurturing identity. What if our response shifted from crisis management to character cultivation? What if, instead of asking, “How do we stop the violence?” we asked, “How do we help our young people remember who they are?”

The opportunity before us is to create programmes and policies that heal rather than harden — that view “at risk” not as a label of limitation but as a signal of potential waiting to be guided. The Ghana Immersion model is one example of how this can look: immersive, restorative, rooted in belonging. The larger goal is for Bermuda itself to become that kind of environment — a living classroom of mentorship, heritage and hope.

This is not work for the Government alone, but for all of us — educators, parents, faith communities and mentors. Healing identity requires collective effort. Each of us must play a part in reminding our youth that their value is inherent and their story is unfinished.

Crisis, then, becomes our teacher. It exposes what is broken, but also points to what can be built. The threat is that we do nothing and allow the cycle to continue. The opportunity is that we choose differently — to see our young people not as lost, but as searching; not as violent, but as vital.

If we take that opportunity, this crisis may yet be remembered not for what it destroyed, but for what it inspired: a new approach, a renewed commitment and a reawakened community.

• Quinton Sherlock Jr is the deputy leader of the Free Democratic Movement and the candidate for St George’s West (Constituency 2) in the February 2025 General Election. This is the last in a three-part series