The loss of family and friends to gang violence has spurred one man to launch an anti-violence magazine promoting peace in Bermuda.

Desmond Crockwell has realised his dream of a quarterly publication giving voice to those harmed by gang activity. It was launched with a non-political event at the Bermuda Public Service Union on Saturday evening.

Mothers of murdered men, gunshot victims, former convicts turned community workers, and many endangered by gangs crowded the room for Mr Crockwell’s message.

Supported by the Ministry of National Security, the magazine will appear in schools and shops around the island on May 1.

Attendees gave moving testimonies of the violence that has ravaged pockets of the island in recent years.

A gun victim extended an invitation to anyone mixed up in violence to reach out to him, while a grieving sister shared the moment she heard that her brother was dead.

An ex-convict shed a beacon of hope as he described how he managed to turn his life around.

Mr Crockwell Sr — chief editor — has lost no less than six cousins and “countless” friends to violence, and now works with at-risk children.

Introducing the evening, he noted the dignitaries present, including Minister of National Security Senator Jeff Baron — but paused, telling the room: “Everyone here is a dignitary.

“We are here to celebrate courage and appreciate everyone’s story.

“We are here because you care about somebody. It is not easy to listen — emotions get in the way. I want you to know you are not alone. I feel you and I want to promote that unity.

“This all started with a conversation with my uncle who lost his son. He said to me ‘something good has got to come out of it’.

“I want to thank you — it takes a lot of courage to come up here and speak. Young people want to be listened to, and we want you to know that someone is here to listen to you.”

The event opened with two songs by artist Ronae Burgess, aka Slanger, who was himself incarcerated for killing a man, but turned his life around in prison. His music carries an overriding message of peace, directly addressing those involved in crime.

Ceble Crockwell, who lost her brother Fiqre Crockwell on Father’s Day 2016, described the moment she found out.

“That day changed our lives for ever,” she said. “He was gunned down, shot five times. I got the call at five in the morning that we would never see him again. It plays in my mind every single day. When I am speaking to my niece and she asks me ‘auntie, why?’ I have no answers. My message this evening is to everyone to look within yourselves and ask, who do you affect?”

She stressed the value of role models in children’s lives, explaining that her brother had been active in cricket and football training with young people.

“Try to be that person. Can you look in the mirror and say that you will have your phone on 24/7 to be there for a young person? If not, change it. There are a lot of broken, fatherless homes and we need to get a grip on the rift in Bermuda.”

Hip-hop artist J’Silva spoke of having purpose and responsibility to others before singing Nothing But Love, dedicated to his family and community.

Michael Doucet, an ex-convict turned community worker, offered his own message of hope, saying that even after bad decisions, life could be turned to the better.

He said the title of his story was From Selling Drugs to Selling Snowballs.

Now the owner of a small business, Mr Doucet’s record was marred by drugs and violence. Although his history follows him, he aims to “direct the youth of today in a different direction”.

Youth pastor Aaron Lugo told the gathering that “we all have a past”, but added: “You have got to have hope. Our young people don’t feel like they have any hope.

“They need positive role models — someone to look up to.”

Mirrors co-ordinator Kim Jackson congratulated Mr Crockwell for “staying committed to his vision”, highlighting five contributors to social ills: substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, violence, dropping out of school and delinquency.

Saying that Bermuda had “relaxed our standards”, Ms Jackson continued: “The community needs to stand up. This magazine is the voice of the community; it is the voice of the people; it is the voice of those who have been hurt; it is the voice of those who say it won’t happen in my community”.

Greashena Spence spoke of the murder of her husband, saying she had witnessed gang life from both sides, and relating how people she had known as closely as family had become consumed by violence.

While her husband had no gang links, she said false rumours had spread, prompting her to leave the island.

But before he could follow her back to his native Jamaica, she received a call saying he had been shot nine times.

Each new killing left her sick to her stomach, she said.

Watching its effects on her son, she decided with her mother, Gina Spence, to work with the children mourning the loss of their fathers.

“My son never went back to his jovial self,” she said. “And he kept crying in the middle of the class”.

She recalled finding some closure by visiting the men charged but never convicted of killing her husband — an initiative she hoped would spread. Ms Spence told of standing up to men in the street to tell them of their wrongdoing, saying a room where crime was being discussed would fall silent when she came in.

Ralph Burrows, shot in 2010, spoke via video link, appealing to anyone affected by negativity to reach out.

Pointing to Mr Crockwell, Mr Baron told the room: “I am here for one reason — because I believe in that man.”

Mr Crockwell had approached the ministry with his idea for the magazine, which Mr Baron agreed to support, saying he was “honoured” to be associated.

The minister read stark statistics, including that 125 men shot and injured in the past decade.

Mr Crockwell hopes that distributing his magazine in schools will bring an early message out to young people. Many of the night’s testimonies can be found in its pages.

• To find out more, visit visionzmagazine.com