Standing firm in power and pride

A week ago we were graced by the presence of the force of nature that is Jason Jones at the latest in a series of fantastic collaborations between Journey LGBTQ+ in Transport, KPMG,

Department for Transport and Transport for London at the KPMG offices in Canary Wharf.

The event marking Black History Month 2025 was opened by Director General of Rail Alex Hynes reflecting on the power of cross-industry collaboration and the importance of senior LGBTQ+ visibility and representation of all under-represented groups. Alex then handed to the KPMG African & Caribbean network leader Louisa Villeneuve who spoke powerfully about the personal significance of Black History Month and gave the audience an insight into Jason Jones’ journey.

Before Jason and interviewer Robert Allen from TfL took to the stage, we watched a short film from 2018; ‘Judgment Day: Jason Jones v the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago’ Directed by Francesca Hawkins, which captured one day of Jason’s life following his filing a constitutional challenge against Sections 13 and 16 of Trinidad & Tobago’s Sexual Offences Act, laws which criminalised consensual same-sex intimacy.

In this landmark 2018 ruling, the High Court declared the laws unconstitutional, marking a historic victory for LGBTQ+ rights in the English-speaking Caribbean. This ruling in turn was cited when India followed suit later in 2018, and the dominoes continue to topple most recently with St Lucia following suit in July 2025: simply, Jason has directly brought about the liberation of millions of LGBTQ+ people around the world. The film showed the vociferous opposition and hostility outside the court, and then the joy amongst the LGBTQ+ community as a triumphant Jason emerged following the victory.

Born in Port of Spain in 1964, Jason Jones grew up in a media-savvy, politically aware household. His father, Mervyn Telfer, was a prominent broadcaster, and his stepfather, Rex Lassalle, was a key figure in Trinidad’s 1970 Black Power Revolution. Jones was outed as gay during his youth and faced intense bullying, which shaped his lifelong commitment to LGBTQ+ rights. He shared with us a key moment in his life, where in his late teens he was a driver for Nina Simone during a visit to Trinidad & Tobago. Nina encouraged Jason to “get off this rock” and leave, and so in 1985 Jones moved to London to escape Trinidad’s homophobic climate and pursue a career in the arts. He studied theatre and became active in protests against Section 28, the law that banned the "promotion" of homosexuality. Marching alongside figures like Ian McKellen, Jones began building his activist credentials.

Returning to Trinidad in the early 1990s, Jones co-founded The Lambda Group, which focused on AIDS awareness and LGBTQ+ rights during a time when the country had one of the highest AIDS-related death rates globally. His public drag performance in 1992 made newspaper headlines and led to family estrangement and homelessness.

Jason returned to the UK and joined London Underground as a Customer Service Assistant in 1997, and he proudly showed us his uniform issue hat which he had kept safe since leaving the company 20 years ago. It was wonderful to see Jason’s transport links embodied and to hear his reflections about this time.

Jason spoke powerfully about the intersection between different civil rights movements and how mutual support is more vital today than ever. He highlighted the erasure of the queer black story, from the founder of Rock n’ Roll Little Richard to Bayard Rustin, Martin Luther King’s advisor and organiser, to Ivor Cummings: ‘The gay father of the Windrush generation’. Ivor was a connection between Jason Jones and Robert Allen from TfL, who expertly posed the insightful questions: Jason told Ivor’s  story at the ‘Schools Out’ LGBTQ+ History Month theme launch a year ago and in turn Robert told Ivor’s story for Journey at our LGBTQ+ History Month webinar in February.

Robert ended with a volley of quick-fire questions, the effervescent Jason left the audience with hope for the future: while the world right now appears frightening and regressive not just to the LGBTQ+ community but to many marginalised and disadvantaged groups, the younger generation and their freedom of thought points to a brighter tomorrow. Pioneers like Jason have paved the way for LGBTQ+ people to live authentic, free, lives around the world and for this we are eternally grateful.

Despite receiving death threats and facing exile from Trinidad & Tobago, Jones continues to advocate for equality across the Caribbean and UK. His work bridges legal reform, public education, and cultural resistance, making him a vital figure in global LGBTQ+ activism. A captivating speaker and storyteller, it was truly a privilege to hear from Jason Jones – an unforgettable event.