Today we’d like to introduce you to The Trinidad & Tobago Association.
Hi The Trinidad & Tobago Association, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
With over 30 years in the making, the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Texas (TTAT) has come a long way since its establishment in 1989 by James “Jamsie” Taylor and Kenny Rod. The founders held a deep affection for their home country of Trinidad & Tobago and held their first meeting in Jamsie’s garage located in Southwest Houston. From humble beginnings, the association has now grown to over 100 members spread across Texas. Our maturation to a non-profit entity would not be possible without the commitment made by our previous serving presidents: James Taylor, Milton Branford, Chester David, Coral Alleyne, Seth Lalmamsingh, Virginia Wall, Leon Simeon, Faizah Perry, Wendell Wilson, Ertha Bruce, Dane McCalpin, Cherryann Donigan and Beverly Gill. Our current president Michelle Joseph Paul leads with solid, strategic goals to create opportunities for the Trinbago diaspora within the greater Houston area.
In 1997, a Scholarship Program was implemented under President Chester David. The Board got together and determined means to raise funds for high school graduates of Trinbagonian descent. That same year, the TTaT held its first Independence Day Gala where proceeds of the event benefited scholarship applicants. Since then, the TTaT hosts an annual Scholarship Gala in commemoration of Trinidad and Tobago Independence and continues to award deserving students.
In 2021, the TTaT became an active non-profit organization with a mission to deliver community service through education, cultural awareness and sharing of resources. These three building blocks continue to guide our daily operations. Our Vision is to develop, engage and connect the greater Texas community to the culture of Trinidad and Tobago. We are diligently working together to achieve our long-term goals of increasing scholarship opportunities, empowering and informing constituents with relevant and impactful information and building community networks in Texas.
This year we proudly celebrate Trinidad and Tobago’s 60 years of Independence and we will be hosting our event entitled “Celebration of a Nation”. Join us on August 27th, 2022 for an evening of culture, food, music and fashion. Proceeds of the event benefit our TTaT scholarship winners.
Tickets for this event can be purchased via the link listed here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/375674331037
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Challenge #1: The changing face of fundraising Event fundraising is critical to our nonprofit organization, and with the adjustments created by the pandemic, donations have been directly impacted. We are concerned that this decline in fundraising will create a significant gap in financial forecasts. We need to adapt and adjust, leverage technology and social media to encourage the Trinbago diaspora to be part of our mission.
Challenge #2: Retention of donors and members
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in the era of “wants” vs. “needs”. Individuals and organizations are still adapting to this new economic reality. For nonprofits, particularly among membership organizations and associations, it means members are scrutinizing how they spend their money and are carefully evaluating the value they’re receiving in return. Similarly, donors are tending to be more careful with their contributions. We plan to improve our retention rate by offering flexible payment options, solid onboarding processes, and an inviting web presence that makes it easy for new members.
Challenge #3: Staff and Volunteers.
Recruiting and retaining volunteers for the TTaT is challenging. It’s an ongoing process that we are constantly working on. Volunteers usually rotate out due to changes in their work or personal circumstances. Nevertheless, finding and retaining good volunteers is a priority for us and we warmly welcome those who are ready to fulfill the building blocks of our mission (Refer to: https://www.tnt-texas.org/about-us.html)
We’ve been impressed with The Trinidad & Tobago Association of Texas, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Trinidad and Tobago Association of Texas aims to emulate the culture of diversity and inclusion that T&T enjoys and replicate tradition throughout the Association from the Board to its membership and other stakeholders. Ultimately we want to establish and perpetuate a legacy of our Trinbagonian heritage in the State of Texas.
Three building blocks guide our operations and work: Education, Cultural Awareness, and Resource Referral. Education is powerful, personal, and accessible. Research shows that higher education plays an important role in moving immigrant groups out of lower-income jobs and/or poverty. Achieving a college degree or pursuing vocational training is a stepping stone to higher-earning jobs and increases the possibility of fulfilling the American dream of success. As an immigrant group, our aim is to encourage upward mobility among nationals and descendants of T&T residing in our service area and support our constituents by providing undergraduate and vocational education scholarships. Over the years, the TTaT has given out multiple scholarships to deserving college and high school students. This year, we are extremely proud of our TTaT members, Nairobi and Afrika Lewis, star basketball athletes who recently accepted full scholarships to LeMoyne-Owen College. As an organization, we were honored to support them throughout their journey and see the results of their hard work from high school to college. Our long-term goals are to increase scholarship opportunities and continue to build community networks in Texas.
Through the Association, we want to make our culture known in the State of Texas. Though small in geographic size, the twin island nation’s contribution to the world is influential and substantial. The culture of Trinidad and Tobago is rich, vibrant, eclectic, and unique. Trinbagonians are celebratory and our goal is to provide an array of activities that ignite our spirits and feed our souls with the warmth of our culture. Annually, the organization hosts a Thanksgiving potluck to feed Trinbagonian immigrant families and students.
As a trusted anchor in the community, it is our goal to provide our members with access to noteworthy and trusted resources. We understand that individuals new to Texas may not always have the answers or know how to request assistance from relevant entities. Our goal is to build strong partnerships to benefit Trinbago communities living in Texas. To become a member, please refer to our website: https://www.tnt-texas.org/membership.html
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tnt-texas.org/membership.html
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfjlFd0rkAf/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=
Image Credits
Reggie Clarke of www.jugglersnited.com
