Caption: President Christine Kangaloo with participants at the World Down Syndrome Day conference

Summary

• A Personal Plea: President Christine Carla Kangaloo made a heartfelt call for the inclusion of persons with disabilities, revealing her deep personal connection to the cause through her three-year-old goddaughter who has Down syndrome.
• Tackling Loneliness: Speaking at the Down Syndrome Family Network’s (DSFN) 15th Anniversary Conference, the President addressed the theme Standing Together Against Loneliness, urging society to move beyond ‘surface inclusion’ to ensure full participation in everyday life.
• Inclusion as Social Justice: Praising the DSFN and local self-advocates, President Kangaloo said that true inclusion is not an act of charity, but a matter of fundamental social justice that enriches the entire nation.

 

By Prior Beharry

MAKING a heartfelt plea for the true inclusion of persons with disabilities, President Christine Carla Kangaloo revealed a deeply personal connection to the cause during the Down Syndrome Family Network’s (DSFN) 15th Anniversary Conference on Thursday at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain.

Delivering the feature address ahead of World Down Syndrome Day 2026, the President shared that her three-year-old goddaughter has Down syndrome, a fact that makes her advocacy for the community “deeply personal.”

“She is a beautiful child, whom I love with all my heart. And what I want for her is simple, but profound: that she not be locked out of opportunities, but for her to be welcomed into them—to learn, to play, to laugh, to grow, and to belong, just like any other child,” President Kangaloo told attendees. “I want her life to be defined, not by limits imposed by others, but by the fullness of her own potential.”

Speaking on this year’s theme, “Standing Together Against Loneliness,” the President noted that loneliness is a quiet but profound challenge that is often especially acute for persons with disabilities. She pointed out that barriers of stigma, misunderstanding, and exclusion frequently leave these individuals on the margins of society.

The antidote to this loneliness, she argued, is not “surface inclusion” but deep, meaningful participation in everyday life, including in schools, workplaces, places of worship, and friendships.

Kangaloo praised the DSFN for its 15 years of pioneering work, noting that the organization has consistently led the charge for change rather than waiting for it. She commended the Network for being the first in the region to host a World Down Syndrome Day Conference and an annual Buddy Walk, as well as for creating sustained training and advocacy programmes.

“You have set a standard for others to follow, and you have transformed countless lives. For all of this, you have my admiration and a nation’s thanks,” she said.

Highlighting the achievements of self-advocates such as Matthew Schwab, Daniel Gulston, Tyrese, Christy, Pedro, Kelly, Rochelle, and Surya, the President said they are living proof of what becomes possible when inclusion is real.

She stressed that their stories serve as a reminder that inclusion is “not an act of benevolent charity; it is an act of fundamental social justice.”

Kangaloo called for all citizens to open their spaces, challenge their assumptions, and build communities where everyone is valued.

“Let us therefore continue to build a Trinidad and Tobago in which every person with Down syndrome is not only present, but embraced; not only accommodated, but celebrated; not only included, but empowered to thrive,” she said.