Why Caged Bird, Rise?
The name Caged Bird, Rise reflects both the realities disabled people face and the collective future we are working to build.
For generations, disabled people across the Caribbean and beyond have been confined by societal barriers, exclusionary systems, limiting beliefs, and decisions made without us. The cage is not disability itself. The cage is the prejudice, inaccessibility, neglect, and unequal distribution of power that restricts our ability to participate, lead, and thrive fully.
Throughout history, disabled people have continued to resist, create, organize, and transform their communities. Rise is both a declaration and a call. It is a call to disabled people to claim our power, leadership, and self-determination. It is a call to communities and institutions to dismantle the barriers they have created and to embrace accountability, access, and justice.
Caged Bird, Rise represents our belief that disabled people are not waiting to be included. We are already leading the way toward a more equitable future. We rise together through collective action, community care, and the transformation of the systems that shape our lives.
Our Symbol
Our organization’s symbol, a phoenix formed from blue fire and water, tells a story of transformation, resilience, and renewal. It reflects our vision for a more just future while honouring the ancestors, advocates, and community members whose efforts have made this work possible.
The blue flame symbolizes an intense and unwavering determination. It is a fire that burns with purpose and fuels our commitment to change. Water, in contrast, represents steadiness, reflection, and strength. It reminds us that not all power is forceful; sometimes it is found in patience, adaptability, and the ability to remain grounded in the face of adversity.
Together, fire and water embody the balance we strive to hold: the courage to challenge injustice and the wisdom to move with care, intention, and accountability. Like the phoenix, we believe in the possibility of rising again and again, transforming hardship into collective strength and hope for the future.
The Founders
Dawn Munroe
Dawn Munroe is a Barbadian legal professional, disability advocate, and community researcher whose work is grounded in equity, inclusion, and social justice. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, a Bachelor of Laws, and a Legal Education Certificate.
Her advocacy is deeply shaped by her lived experiences as both a mother and a community leader, particularly in the areas of autism support, disability inclusion, education, and family well-being within Barbados. Through her community-based initiatives and research, she is committed to creating sustainable systems of support for children with disabilities and the families who care for them. Her work centers on empowering marginalized communities, advancing access to resources and services and promoting meaningful social change through compassion, policy and action.
"My work is driven by a commitment to transform compassion into action, ensuring that vulnerable children and families are not simply supported in moments of crisis, but empowered to thrive within inclusive and equitable communities."
Tailyn Osorio
Tailyn Osorio is a Cuban and Puerto Rican disability advocate and scholar. She is a PhD candidate in Applied Anthropology, currently conducting dissertation research on deafness and autism in Barbados. She holds a bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language Interpreting and a master’s degree in Applied Anthropology. Her work focuses on disability, education, policy, and wellbeing within the Caribbean context. As a disability justice advocate, she remains committed to advancing equity, access, and meaningful systemic change.
Tailyn's dedication to disability justice efforts in the Caribbean and beyond comes from her lived experience as an autistic and ADHD person. She has witnessed, firsthand, the disabling effects of a society that does not value difference. It is from this point she strives to engage in the communion and mobilization of disabled folks who want more.
"In my work, I strive to reach the most marginalized, because that is where true equity lies. It is not enough to ensure that no one falls through the cracks; we must work intentionally and proactively to eliminate the cracks altogether."