By Iesha Musson, Constituency #20, Pembroke South West

When we talk about building a fairer Bermuda, we are not starting from scratch. We are continuing the work of heroes who came before us.
Heroes who stood up in the face of injustice.
Heroes who refused to be silent.
Heroes who believed that Bermudans deserved dignity, equality, and opportunity.

The Progressive Labour Party’s commitment to fairness is a continuation of the struggle led by Dame Lois Browne-Evans, Roosevelt Brown, Dr. E. F. Gordon, Gladys Morrell, and Mary Prince. We strive to honor their legacy by continuing their fight.

Dame Lois Browne-Evans

Dame Lois Browne-Evans was not just a trailblazer. She was a force of nature. The first female lawyer in Bermuda. The first woman to lead a political party in the Commonwealth. She fought for justice in the courts, in Parliament, and in the streets. She inspired and mentored women in leadership and stood up for the oppressed.

When we fight for affordable healthcare, affordable housing, stronger workers’ rights, and fair wages, we are following the path Dame Lois carved.

Dr. Paulu Kamarakafego

Dr. Paulu Kamarakafego was a warrior for liberation. He challenged not just colonial rule but the very mindset that told us we were inferior. He called for economic freedom, political independence, and pride in our African heritage. He was bold. He was uncompromising. And he was right.

As we work to ensure Bermudians are not locked out of opportunities in their own country and eventually master our own destiny, we honor his vision of self-determination.

Dr. E. F. Gordon

Dr. E. F. Gordon believed that all workers deserved fairness, regardless of race. When Black Bermudians were kept out of good jobs, he organized. When the elite told him to be quiet, he spoke louder. He laid the foundation for the Bermuda Industrial Union and the modern labor movement.

Today, the PLP carries that torch by raising the minimum wage, protecting and expanding workers’ rights, and fighting economic inequality.

Gladys Morrell

At a time when women were denied the right to vote, Gladys Morrell led the charge for suffrage. She stood up to a system designed to keep women silent and out of power. Because of her, generations of women now have a voice.

That fight is far from over. When we push for gender equity in leadership, modernize maternal leave for women, and fight to maintain a woman’s access to mammograms, we are continuing her struggle.

Mary Prince

Mary Prince, born into slavery, did something extraordinary. She told the truth. Her story opened the eyes of people across the world to the horrors of slavery. She used her voice, even when that voice was supposed to be silenced.

Today, her spirit lives on every time we speak out against injustice, every time we refuse to look away from inequality, every time we say that dignity is not a privilege but a right.

Our heroes were not satisfied with superficial change. They demanded transformation. And so must we.

A fairer Bermuda means ensuring that seniors who built this country can retire with security.
It means making sure young people are not forced to choose between staying in Bermuda and having a future.
It means healthcare that is affordable, jobs that pay a fair wage, and a community where no one is left behind.

We do not honor our heroes with just words.
We honor them by finishing what they started.
By standing with Bermudians.
By putting equity before privilege and the many before the few.