Since 1972

Creating a Movement

The Independent Living Movement grew out of the civil rights struggle of the Disability Rights Movement
of the 1960’s. The first Center for Independent Living, established in 1972 in Berkeley, California, was
established through the efforts of disabled college students on the campus of the University of California at
Berkeley to get an education and be fully integrated into the academic and social life of the university.
Students Ed Roberts, Hale Zukas and Jan McEwan Brown emerged as major leaders in this movement for
the full inclusion of people with disabilities into community life. Before the disability rights movement,
medical and clinical professionals had seen disability primarily as a medical issue that required professional
intervention, treatment and oversight. People with disabilities had been seen primarily as the objects of
medical care, paternalism and charity.

Hear from those we helped:

Kristen

Kristen first came to the center six years ago seeking assistance with her mounting medical bills which were not covered by her insurance. Kristen was working full time but still having difficulty managing her medical expenses.

She and her Independent Living Advocate developed an independent living plan and worked on household management and an application for Social Security. She decided to continue her employment, worked on her financial plan and over the course of a year was able to get out of debt.

Independence Northwest assisted Kristen to obtain a portable ramp so she could be more independent in the community when places were inaccessible for her wheelchair.