Ed Roberts Day

On January 23rd we celebrate Ed Roberts Day to honor the man frequently called the father of the Independent Living movement. Ed Roberts (January 23, 1939-March 14, 1995) was an advocate and an activist. He was a leader in the civil rights movement and championed the rights of people with disabilities. He was the founder of the Berkeley Center for Independent Living (CIL), the first independent living service and advocacy program run by and for people with disabilities, and the World Institute on Disability. He believed in empowering others to become advocates and activists. “We know that even the most severely disabled folks can live in the community, and it’s up to us – those of us who are lucky enough to be out and who feel the power of the process. Because every time we reach out to help someone else we empower them for ourselves,” he said.