About CAISO

CAISO: Sex & Gender Justice is a registered non-profit organisation in Trinidad and Tobago.

Founded in June 2009 as Coalition Advocating for the Inclusion of Sexual Orientation, CAISO changed its name in 2016 to
CAISO: Sex and Gender Justice to align closer with the growth in our areas of focus, namely wholeness, justice, and inclusion.

For over a decade, CAISO has offered the public a consistent voice and face for LGBTQI+ issues and human rights, shifting the needle measurably on how the nation imagines, understands, and talks about sex and gender diversity and sexual justice.

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MISSION

To mobilise a forward-thinking, visionary, and human rights approach to wholeness, justice, and inclusion for Trinidad and Tobago’s LGBTQI+ communities, through developing analysis, alliances, and advocacy.

VISION

To be a catalyst for political, cultural, and social transformation that secures and affirms LGBTQI+ rights and freedoms.

VALUES

CAISO is guided by core values that underpin how our work is designed, implemented, reported, and sustained.

These values – Wholeness, Justice, Imagination, Inclusion, Empowerment, Community, Accountability, & Feminism – also guide how CAISO and those who work with and in CAISO see and engage with our beneficiaries, stakeholders, and the wider world.

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OUR ROADMAP

2009

INCEPTION

• June 27: CAISO is formed as a coalition organisation to educate Trinidad & Tobago about diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
The coalition was created in direct response to the exclusion of sexual orientation in national policies and legislation, namely the National Gender Policy and the Equal Opportunity Act.
The acronym of CAISO evokes the national art form of kaiso and calypso music as play and power in speaking out and criticizing power.

• November: CAISO logo designed by graphic artist, Liam Rezende, in collaboration with members.

2010

THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA

• April 17: CAISO publishes 6 In 6: What CAISO Wants a New Government to Do by Nov. 25, 2010 (Policy & Leadership Steps on SOGI).

• May 17: Inaugural International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia commemoration.

• October 23: Protest against Pastor Phillip Lee (His Way Out Ministries) and the debut of The Homosexual Agenda T-shirt:
1. Buy Crix;
2. Spend time with family;
3. Work for equality.

2011

ADD ALL THREE!

• March: Received first support grant from Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.

• July: Add All Three Campaign launched at Pride Celebrations.

• August: LGBT Support Group launched (with Psychiatry Unit, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex).

• October: CAISO and Family Planning Association of Trinidad & Tobago (FPATT) participate in Trinidad and Tobago’s 1^st Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

2012

INCORPORATION

• March 6: Incorporation of the Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO).

• August: CAISO begins a four-year term as Secretariat for the regional LGBTI coalition, CariFLAGS (Caribbean Forum for Liberation & Acceptance of Genders & Sexualities).

• November: CAISO conducts 6-day “I Am a Citizen” advocacy and capacity-building training for LGBTQI+ activists.

2013

LAW REFORM COMMISSION

• April: CAISO/Silver Lining Foundation submission on homophobic bullying to Law Reform Commission.

• May: Co-designed CADRES Survey of “Attitudes Towards Homosexuals in T&T” with Peter Wickham.

• June: Hosted one-month cultural exchange between London-based photographer, Ajamu, and local artists and LGBTQI+ community members.

2015

ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE & DIVERSITY

• Convened the Alliance for Justice & Diversity (AJD), for collaboration among LGBTQI+ organisations and feminist group Womantra.

• Developed shared 2015 Policy Agenda – 12 Action Steps for Policy Makers.

2015 – 2016

UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW

• Partnered with the UN to mobilize local civil society organizations in action learning about Trinidad and Tobago’s 2nd Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

2016

REINCORPORATION

• CADRES Survey published online as part of the Caribbean Sexualities & Social Justice multi-media collection, “Attitudes Towards Homosexuals in T&T” (published in 2016 as part of a three-country survey).

• Final year as CariFLAGS Secretariat.

• December 13: Re-incorporation and name change to CAISO: Sex and Gender Justice to align closer with the growth in areas of focus, namely wholeness, justice, and inclusion.

2017

#KEEPSAFE

• March: #KeepSafe Campaign: Posters & Postcards (in collaboration with AJD).

• April: Lit On Fleek at Bocas Lit Fest in collaboration with AJD featuring Caribbean LGBT+ writers.

• April: Sexual Culture of Justice Project begins – EU-funded, human-rights, activity based project – led by UWI IGDS in collaboration with the partner organisations of AJD (until March 2021).

2018

PEACEFUL PROTEST AND PRIDE

• Feb – April: Demonstrations and Counter Protests in front of Parliament – organised by AJD.

• April: BackChat – Celebrating Caribbean LGBTQI+ Writers – programme partner with Bocas Lit Fest.

• July: Collaboration with other LGBTQI+ CSOs on Pride Arts Festival and 1^st TT Pride Parade.

• August 15-18: CAISO co-hosts CariFLAGS Leadership Academy, Cohort Two.

• October 17-18: CAISO leads Civil Society Collaborating on Human Rights: Strengthening Domestic Machinery & International Accountability (two-day human rights training)

2019

SAFER TOGETHER

• January: Initiated Safer Together, an LGBTQI+ safety needs assessment programme geared towards building community-generated solutions to pressing safety concerns.

• January: Colin Robinson is awarded the Institute of Law and Academic Studies (Trinidad & Tobago) ILAS Humanitarian Patriot Award 2018, for the pursuit of equality for the LGBTQI+ community.

• Collaborated with ACSOTT, the Inter-American Development Bank NextGen Board and the Cropper Foundation, to pilot a Civil Society Hub for Innovation, Collaboration & Leadership (CHICL) – CSO Go.

• Revamped Add All Three Campaign through Sexual Culture of Justice Project.

2020

INAUGURAL COLIN ROBINSON HARD HEAD AWARD

• March 4: Community Forum & Launch of the Wholeness & Justice Programme.

• July: Finding an Equal Place at Work Roundtable Discussion.

• July 12: CAISO & Silver Lining Foundation host the AJD “Talk Yuh Talk” Community Forum.

• August: Launched Inaugural Colin Robinson Hard Head Award.

• October: LGBTI Policy Agenda: 13 Policy Actions launched and sent to Government Officials.

• September – October: LGBTQI+ Training for Migrants and Refugees (for Living Water Community).

• November 21: Inaugural Hard Head Award Ceremony.

2021

IN MEMORIAM COLIN ROBINSON

• March 4: Death of founder and Director of Imagination, Colin Robinson.

• March 30-31: Curated Conversations on Sexual Culture of Justice Project (Reflections).

• May: Wholeness & Justice Programme launches Living Room, a virtual space for the LGBTQI+ community.

• June 1: Launch of CAISO-Astraea Caribbean Responsive Funding Mechanism.

• June 1: Sign Together Project begins.

• June 30: Launch of Finding an Equal Place at Work: A Model LGBTI+ Workplace Policy for Trinidad and Tobago (in collaboration with the British High Commission and Equal Opportunity Commission).

• August-October: CAISO Team develops Strategic Plan 2022-25.

• December 10: Human Rights Day – 2^nd Annual Hard Head Award Ceremony.

2022

A WAY FORWARD

• April: Virtual BackChat 2022 – Celebrating Caribbean LGBTQI+ Voices.

• May 17: IDAHOBIT. Published 1^st Insights Report from Wholeness & Justice.

• July 18: Launch of Implementing a Way Forward – Training Workshops, Toolkit & Video Series for Model Workplace Policy.

• December 1: Launch of Mind Yuh Business – 2022 Toolkit – HIV Care, Prevention, and Mental Health for the LGBTQI+ Community.

• December 10: 3^rd Annual Hard Head Award Ceremony & 1^st End of Year Celebration & Art Showcase.