Welcome to

Independent Living, Inc.

Promoting Choice, Self-determination and Total Participation

Serving the Mid-Hudson Region Since 1987

(Article from the Independent Life, Summer 1995)

Our longtime friend and the founder of the independent living movement, Ed Roberts passed away on March 14, 1995. Ed Roberts was an internationally recognized leader in the Independent Living/Civil Rights for People with Disabilities movement, and President of the World Institute on Disability, a public policy organization that promotes the inclusion of all people with disabilities into the mainstream of life.

Born Jan. 23, 1939, in California, Ed received his B.A. and M.A. in political science from the University of California at Berkeley. His work led UC Berkeley, in 1970, to be the first University to have a Disabled Students Program funded by the federal government.

Ed Roberts was a pioneer:

 

• He was one of the early directors of CIL, a self-help model for more than 400 national and international centers of advocacy and service by and for people of all disabilities. During his tenure as Executive Director at CIL, the organization's annual budget grew from $40,000 to $1,000,000.

• He was appointed Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation in 1975. When he left in 1983, the department had 2,500 employees and a $140 million annual budget. He implemented independent living programs on the state level and advocated for their adoption at the national level, influencing policies that are in place today.

• He co-founded the World Institute on Disability, an organization directed by people with disabilities and dedicated to the elimination of " handicappism" through equity of opportunity and full participation within our society.

• He helped organize and found Disabled People's International, a consumer directed international organization for people with disabilities.

• He was a MacArthur Fellow, an N. Pike awardee, a Giraffe, the undisputed father of the Independent Living Movement, a student of karate, a world traveler (having logged one million miles), a television star and loving father.

Ed Roberts was a man of extraordinary warmth, optimism, vision and humor. He encouraged all to take risks so that positive and creative action could improve all of our lives, whether we are temporarily able-bodied (affectionately called TAB) or people with disabilities. He improved the lives of millions of people.

Ed was our father, our brother, our friend.

Comments from Ed's friend and colleague Justin Dart

Ed Roberts died on March 14, 1995. He was a major prophet of the new revolution of independence, not for nations or groups, but for people as individuals. Ed declared that people with disabilities are fully human; that they have a right and a responsibility to throw off traditional paternalism, to take control of their own lives, to help build a new culture in which they and all people participate fully in the leadership, the labor and the fruits of society.

Like most great prophets, his ideas came not from books, polls and experts, but from the depths of his vulnerability, of his passion for life, of his love for people. Like most great prophets, the power of his message was not simply words and logic, but the example of his life, the profound power of principles lived. Like most great prophets he inspired others to institutionalize his agenda, and to plant its seeds around the world. Unlike most prophets, his life produced more than a new version of an old idea and a popular movement bearing his name.

Our revolution is expanding the definition and the process of human being itself, in the name of all. Millions have benefited. Billions will benefit. Let us celebrate this prophet. Not, as with prophets past, by monuments and rituals, but by living the dream of independence. Each one of us a prophet, each one of us a leader in the struggle to focus the full force of science and free enterprise democracy on the empowerment of individual humans. Let us unite as never before. Let us go forward in the spirit of Ed Roberts, with love, with truth, with courage, with absolute commitment to a society by all.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Olmstead ] 

General Websote Disclaimer
The Independent Living website is intended to provide a public service to Orange County and surrounding counties citizens, visitors, potential business owners, and any others who may be interested in our organization. This website is intended to provide general information about IL functions, programs, and services.

All reasonable measures are taken to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information presented here. However, due to the possibility of unauthorized modification of the data, transmission errors, HTML browser incompatibilities, changes made since the last update to the Website, or other aspects of electronic communication that are beyond IL’s control, IL does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided on its Website and is not liable for reliance on this information. In using this website, you agree that its information and services are provided "as is, as available" without warranty, express or implied, and that you use this site at your own risk.

The information and data included on IL’s website have been compiled by IL staff from a variety of sources and are subject to change without notice. Independent Living makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding the quality, content, completeness, or adequacy of such information and data. Official records and publications always take precedence over information contained in this website. Before making a decision based on information from this website, follow up with a review of official records to assure accuracy.

If misleading, inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate information is brought to our attention, a reasonable effort will be made to fix or remove it. Such concerns should be addressed to the webmaster.

Send mail to MIS@myindependentliving.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: October 15, 2008       

Copyright © 2007 Independent Living, Inc.