The Independent: Meeting the Moment for Disability Justice

The Center For Independent Living

The Independent is a podcast series dedicated to disabled activism, culture, and community. Each episode features authentic conversations with leaders who shape disability rights and visibility, including advocates in public policy, innovators in accessible technology, creative thinkers, organizers, athletes, and individuals with disabilities who are making a meaningful impact in their fields. The Independent amplifies voices often overlooked, explores systemic barriers, and celebrates the brilliance, resilience, and influence of the disability community.

Episodes

  1. Jun 2

    Episode 7 - Disability Justice, Belonging, and Local Leadership with Mayor Adena Ishii

    In this episode of The Independent, host Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Mayor Adena Ishii of Berkeley to explore what it means to lead a city through the lens of disability justice, belonging, and community care. As the birthplace of the independent living movement, Berkeley occupies a unique place in disability history. Mayor Ishii reflects on her journey into public service, the values that shape her leadership, and how Berkeley's legacy of activism continues to inform its future. This conversation explores: What belonging means in city governance and community lifeThe challenges disabled residents face amid housing, economic, and climate crisesHow disability justice intersects with housing, racial, and climate justiceThe role of local government in advancing access, equity, and inclusionWhy community organizations and resident engagement are essential to meaningful changeTogether, Victor and Mayor Ishii discuss how cities can become more responsive, accessible, and accountable—and what it takes to build communities where everyone can thrive. Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of inclusive communities. Support the work of CIL and help sustain conversations like this: Donate today at https://thecil.org/donate/

    30 min

  2. May 5

    Episode 6 - Reframing Disability, Leadership & Innovation Through a Broader Lens

    In this episode of The Independent, host Dr. Victor Pineda speaks with Jonathan Kaufman - founder of J Kaufman Consulting, licensed psychotherapist, executive coach, and thought leader working at the intersection of leadership, organizational culture, and disability inclusion. Born with cerebral palsy, Jonathan brings a powerful perspective that reframes disability not as a limitation, but as a lens for innovation, strategy, and belonging. His work bridges personal experience with business insight, helping organizations move beyond compliance toward meaningful culture change. This conversation explores:• How disability shapes identity, leadership, and worldview• The concept of “Accessibility Intelligence” and why inclusion must go beyond checklists• How organizations can rethink culture, belonging, and psychological safety• The role of disability in business strategy, innovation, and the evolving future of work• Why interdependence and community are essential to building resilient systems Together, they examine how disability justice principles can transform not only workplaces, but how we understand leadership, value, and human connection. Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of access. Support the work of CIL and help sustain conversations like this:Donate today at https://thecil.org/donate/

    32 min

  3. Apr 2

    Episode 5 - Intersectional Justice: Race, Gender & Disability with Vilissa Thompson

    In this episode of The Independent, Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Vilissa Thompson — a nationally recognized disability justice advocate, writer, and founder of Ramp Your Voice!. With her signature clarity and conviction, Vilissa invites us into the experiences that shaped her work: navigating the world as a Black disabled woman, challenging systems that overlook marginalized voices, and creating space where intersectionality is not an afterthought, but the foundation. Together, they explore how lived experience fuels advocacy, what it means to center those most often excluded, and why movements for justice must reckon with race, gender, and disability together. Vilissa reflects on the origins of #DisabilityTooWhite, the impact it sparked, and the ongoing work to transform representation, policy, and power. This thoughtful, energizing conversation continues the mission of The Independent: elevating voices with lived expertise, honoring resilience, and building a deeper sense of belonging across our communities. Tune in for a candid and powerful discussion with one of today’s leading voices in intersectional disability justice. If you believe in disability justice, community empowerment, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work.Make a donation today: https://thecil.org/donate/

    39 min

  4. Mar 3

    Episode 4 — Ed Roberts, An Independent Man, and the Movement

    In this episode of The Independent, host Dr. Victor Pineda speaks with Scot Danforth, author of An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights (University of California Press). Ed Roberts helped ignite the independent living movement — from organizing with the Rolling Quads at UC Berkeley to founding the first Center for Independent Living in Berkeley. But beyond the history, who was he? And what does his vision of independence mean today? This conversation explores:• Roberts’s journey from polio survivor to movement architect• The birth of peer-led independent living services• How grassroots activism shaped milestones like the 504 Sit-Ins and the ADA• Why independence is rooted in self-determination — and sustained through interdependence• What today’s disability movement can learn from Roberts’s legacy An Independent Man offers a powerful, human portrait of how a movement grows — and how leadership grounded in community can reshape policy and culture. Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of access. Support the work of CIL and help sustain stories like this:Donate today at https://thecil.org/donate/

    47 min

  5. Feb 2

    Episode 3 – Intersectionality in Action: Bridging Disability and Racial Justice with Keri Gray

    In Episode 3 of The Independent, Dr. Victor Pineda is joined by Keri Gray — a powerful cross-movement strategist, speaker, and advocate whose work sits at the vital intersections of disability, race, gender, and justice. With honesty and depth, Keri reflects on how her lived experience as a Black disabled woman, cancer survivor, and movement leader has shaped her understanding of advocacy and belonging. She shares the early experiences that grounded her commitment to justice, and how her leadership has been guided by the belief that those most marginalized must be centered in the disability movement’s future. Together, Victor and Keri explore the current moment for disability justice — a time marked by political rollbacks, economic precarity, and growing threats to equity and inclusion. Keri offers a clear-eyed analysis of what disabled people at the intersections are facing right now, and why movement strategy must expand beyond traditional approaches to meet this moment with resilience and power. Keri also speaks candidly about the internal changes disability organizations must embrace, the “trapdoors” that can reinforce exclusion even in well-intentioned spaces, and what it truly means to move from compliance-based inclusion toward transformative justice. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of leadership pipelines, trust networks, and sustained cross-community solidarity. This episode continues the mission of The Independent: uplifting intersectional lived expertise, honoring movement power, and spotlighting the leaders building a more just and liberated world. Tune in for a bold, inspiring conversation with one of today’s most important disability justice voices — and a reminder that the future of the movement depends on who we choose to center, support, and follow. If you believe in disability justice, community power, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work. Make a donation today: ⁠⁠https://thecil.org/donate/⁠⁠

    37 min

  6. Jan 5

    Episode 2 - Disability Rights and Policy Power with Andy Imparato

    In Episode 2 of The Independent, Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Andy Imparato — a nationally respected disability rights leader and the CEO of Disability Rights California — for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, policy, and the long arc of change. With clarity and conviction, Andy reflects on what first drew him into disability rights work and what has sustained him through decades of advocacy. He shares how listening to disabled people with lived experience shaped his leadership, how Disability Rights California became a vehicle for systemic change, and why persistence — even in the face of resistance — remains essential to progress. Together, Victor and Andy explore the current moment for disability rights, unpacking the challenges and opportunities emerging across politics, culture, and public policy. Andy also speaks candidly about the systems that continue to exclude — from housing and healthcare to education and employment — and what meaningful reform could look like if disabled people are truly centered in decision-making. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the power of collective action and the role everyday people play in shaping a more just future. This episode continues the mission of The Independent: uplifting lived expertise, honoring movement history, and spotlighting the leaders and ideas building a more inclusive world. Tune in for an honest, insightful conversation with one of the disability rights movement’s most steadfast voices — and a reminder that lasting change is built through community, courage, and care. If you believe in disability justice, community power, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work. Make a donation today: ⁠https://thecil.org/donate/⁠

    26 min

  7. 12/02/2025

    Episode 1 - Lateefah Simon: A Life of Service, Leadership & Unwavering Community Commitment

    In our very first episode of The Independent, Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Lateefah Simon — a nationally recognized civil rights advocate, lifelong community organizer, and champion for equity and inclusion. With her signature honesty and warmth, Lateefah invites us into the experiences that shaped her journey: growing up in the Bay Area, stepping into leadership at a young age, and learning to navigate systems not built with everyone in mind. Together, we explore how personal history can ignite a commitment to service, what it truly means to lead with integrity, and why community power remains her driving force. Lateefah reflects on the mentors who pushed her forward, the obstacles that sharpened her focus, and the lessons she carries into every room she enters. This intimate, inspiring conversation sets the tone for The Independent: elevating voices with lived expertise, honoring resilience, and centering stories that often go untold. Tune in to hear a candid, deeply human conversation with one of the Bay Area’s most trusted community leaders — and to help us celebrate the launch of our new podcast. If you believe in disability justice, community empowerment, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work. Make a donation today: https://thecil.org/donate/

    32 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

The Independent is a podcast series dedicated to disabled activism, culture, and community. Each episode features authentic conversations with leaders who shape disability rights and visibility, including advocates in public policy, innovators in accessible technology, creative thinkers, organizers, athletes, and individuals with disabilities who are making a meaningful impact in their fields. The Independent amplifies voices often overlooked, explores systemic barriers, and celebrates the brilliance, resilience, and influence of the disability community.

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