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Center for Independent Living - Berkeley

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Center for Independent Living - Berkeley

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CIL supports and empowers people who aspire to achieve beyond the boundaries of the expectations

The Center for Independent Living (TheCIL) provides advocacy and services that increase awareness, collaboration, and opportunity among people with disabilities and the community. Our programs provide people with skills, knowledge, and resources that empower them to eliminate damaging and stereotypical notions of disability to strive toward realizing their full human potential. We emerged from the independent living movement of the 1960s as a powerful social catalyst on the University of California at Berkeley campus. There, Ed Roberts, Hale Zukas, and Jan McEwan Brown joined forces to lead a movement that made the university's full academic and social life accessible to all. On March 3, 1972, these students and community members joined The Center for Independent Living, Inc. From 1975 to 2011, our headquarters were located near the UC Berkeley campus on 2539 Telegraph Avenue. There, we provided services for people with disabilities that included wheelchair repair, assistance finding accessible and affordable housing, and vocational training. TheCIL also hosted the first national conference on independent living in 1975. Our peer-based services were so successful that today we serve as a model for roughly 400 independent living centers nationwide, as well as similar programs in 20 countries.

10/20/2026

The Single Rider WAV Program Is Launching!

Join the Center for Independent Living (CIL) as we celebrate the official launch of our Single Rider Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) Program!

📅 Friday, October 23, 2026
🕐 1:00 – 4:00 PM PT
📍 Ed Roberts Campus
3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94703

Come meet our Single Rider WAV Program team, learn how the service works, and discover how to sign up for your first ride!

🚐 About the Program

Designed to fill gaps in traditional paratransit, the Single Rider WAV Program offers on-demand, same-day, door-through-door transportation for people with physical disabilities, with rides starting in Northern Alameda County and extending beyond the area.

🎉 Enjoy light refreshments, raffle prizes, and an opportunity to connect with our community!

RSVP: https://bit.ly/4hSEdbz

Accessibility & Health Information:
🌿 Fragrance-free event
😷 Masks are required and will be provided
🧪 COVID-19 tests will be available

We look forward to celebrating with you!

10/19/2026

💀🎨 Celebrate Creativity & Tradition!

Join us at CIL's Fruitvale Office for a fun sugar skull painting activity! Decorate your own colorful sugar skull, get creative, and enjoy time with our community.

📅 Wednesday, October 28, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 CIL Fruitvale Office
1470 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland, CA

Light refreshments will be provided!

📞 Please confirm your attendance with Britney at 510-422-5067.

We look forward to seeing you!

💀🎨 ¡Celebra la creatividad y la tradición!

¡Acompáñanos en la oficina de CIL en Fruitvale para una divertida actividad de pintura de calaveritas de azúcar! Decora tu propia calaverita, deja volar tu creatividad y comparte un momento especial con nuestra comunidad.

📅 Miércoles, 28 de octubre de 2026
🕙 10:00 a. m. – 12:00 p. m.
📍 Oficina de CIL en Fruitvale
1470 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland, CA

¡Se ofrecerán refrigerios ligeros!

📞 Confirma tu asistencia con Britney al 510-422-5067.

¡Te esperamos!

10/14/2026

The Center for Independent Living (CIL) mourns the passing of Gerald Baptiste Sr., former CIL Deputy Director and a dedicated leader in the disability rights movement, who passed away on October 12, 2026.

Since joining CIL in 1979, Gerald devoted more than 30 years to advancing independent living, advocating for greater inclusion of Black disabled people, and strengthening our community. His leadership helped shape the movement and played a vital role in establishing the Ed Roberts Campus.

Gerald's compassion, advocacy, and lifelong commitment to disability rights leave a lasting legacy.

Our hearts are with his family, friends, and everyone whose life he touched. 💛

Rest in power, Gerald.

Read more about Gerald's life and legacy: https://bit.ly/3TEAjKt

10/07/2026

NEW EPISODE | The Independent

What does it truly mean to build a society where everyone belongs?

In the latest episode of The Independent, Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Ariel Simms, President and CEO of Disability Belongs, for a conversation about moving the disability movement from intention to action.

Drawing on their lived experience as a disabled and q***r leader, Ariel discusses leadership rooted in care and empathy, the power of authentic disability stories, coalition building, and the importance of ensuring disabled people are not only included in decision-making spaces—but leading in them.
Victor and Ariel also explore “Nothing without us,” the role of non-disabled allies, key policy priorities, and a vision for “effortless inclusion”, where accessibility is designed in from the start.

Watch or listen to Episode 11 now:

YouTube: Watch on YouTube
Spotify: Listen on Spotify
Apple Podcasts: Listen on Apple Podcasts

10/01/2026

Need an accessible ride?

Something new is coming!

The Single Rider Program, powered by The CIL, is launching soon!

Designed for people with physical disabilities, this new program will provide same-day, door-through-door, wheelchair-accessible rides, helping fill gaps left by traditional paratransit.

Rides begin in Northern Alameda County and can take riders to destinations well beyond the area, whether you’re heading to an appointment, accessing essential services, or simply getting where you need to go.

Your Ride. Your Choice.

For more information: [email protected] / (510) 422-5075

09/22/2026

Our Transit Justice Workshop is back for a second session!

Impacted by cuts to Berkeley Rides for Seniors and the Disabled? Come share your story and make your voice heard.

Join the Center for Independent Living (CIL) for our second Transit Justice Workshop, a space for seniors, people with disabilities, and community members to share their experiences and discuss how transportation changes are affecting our community.

📅 October 1
⏰ 3:30–5:00 PM
📍 Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch Library
1901 Russell St, Berkeley, CA 94703

Hybrid — attend in person or via Zoom

Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit bit.ly/4xqHWSe to join on Zoom.

Questions? Contact Julia Newton at [email protected] or (510) 422-5087.

Your story matters. Join the conversation for transit justice in Berkeley.

09/18/2026

♿ Disability Community Town Hall

Your experiences matter and they can help shape decisions affecting disabled communities across the Bay Area.

The Center for Independent Living (CIL), Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL), Independent Living Resources of Solano & Contra Costa Counties (ILRSCC), and Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) invite you to a Virtual Disability Community Town Hall led by the Peer Power for Disability Equity in Governance: Peer Ambassador Program.

Come share your lived experiences and perspectives on:

🚍 Transportation
🏠 Housing
🚨 Emergency Preparedness
🌎 Climate Resilience

Your input will help inform local and regional planning, including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Policy Advisory Council and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Regional Planning Committee, helping ensure disability perspectives are centered in decisions that impact our communities.

📅 October 7
⏰ 5:00–7:00 PM
💻 Virtual via Zoom

🎁 Raffle: One $100 Lyft voucher and two $50 Trader Joe’s gift cards will be raffled during the event.

📲 Register today! Scan the QR code, visit bit.ly/4cQ90TI, or use the link in bio.

For access needs, please contact [email protected].

Your voice. Your experience. Your community. Join the conversation.

♿ Foro Comunitario sobre Discapacidad

Tu experiencia importa y puede ayudar a dar forma a las decisiones que afectan a las comunidades de personas con discapacidad en toda el Área de la Bahía.

El Center for Independent Living (CIL), Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL), Independent Living Resources of Solano & Contra Costa Counties (ILRSCC) y Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) te invitan a participar en un Foro Comunitario Virtual sobre Discapacidad, liderado por el Peer Power for Disability Equity in Governance: Peer Ambassador Program.

Comparte tus experiencias y perspectivas sobre:

🚍 Transporte
🏠 Vivienda
🚨 Preparación para emergencias
🌎 Resiliencia climática

Tu participación ayudará a informar la planificación local y regional, incluyendo el Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Policy Advisory Council y el Association of Bay Are

09/17/2026

🎙️ NEW EPISODE | The Independent

What does authentic disability representation really look like in Hollywood and who gets to shape the stories we see on screen?

Nathan Varni, EVP of Drama Development and Current Programming at ABC and Hulu, joins Dr. Victor Pineda for Episode 10 of The Independent: Meeting the Moment for Disability Justice.

With more than two decades in television and his own lived experience with disability, Nathan shares an inside perspective on storytelling, representation, and what it will take to move beyond performative inclusion.

They discuss authentic vs. performative disability representation, how storytelling can shift public attitudes, the role of disabled people in shaping narratives, and what’s next for disability representation in Hollywood.

🎬 Plus, Nathan and Victor imagine what disability storytelling could look like next, including a sitcom set inside an independent living center.

♿ Nothing about us without us—including the stories told about us.

🎧 Watch or listen to Episode 10 now:

Spotify: Listen on Spotify
YouTube: Watch on YouTube
Apple Podcasts: Listen on Apple Podcasts

09/10/2026

Tonight, the Toronto International Film Festival opens with our family story. 💛

Being Heumann premieres as TIFF’s Opening Night film.

- Judy Heumann was our Deputy Director.
- Kitty Cone was our organizer.
- The historic 504 Sit-In was planned at the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley.

And tonight, that story opens one of the biggest film festivals in the world.

But here’s the part we love: while the film premieres in Toronto, we’ll be celebrating disability culture in the very building where this movement lives, at DREDF’s gala at the Ed Roberts Campus, with Lachi taking the stage.

Two rooms. Three thousand miles apart. One movement.

To Siân Heder, Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo, and everyone who carried this story to the screen: Berkeley is cheering loudly tonight. ♿✊

--------------------------------------------------------------

Want to go deeper into the story behind the film?

🎙️ Go beyond the film. Watch Dr. Pineda’s exclusive conversation with Siân Heder, director of Being Heumann. Scan the QR code or visit the link in our bio to watch the full interview.

Nearly 50 years later, the story of 504 is reaching a new generation. And the movement continues.

Comment “26” if you know why that number matters. 💛

09/03/2026

The CIL is hiring! Join our team in Berkeley, California, and help expand independence, access, and opportunity for people with disabilities.

Current openings:

• Community Independent Living Specialist
Berkeley, CA | Full-time | $33.99/hour

Provide direct services, advocacy, resource navigation, and community outreach to support people with disabilities in living independently.

• Bilingual (Spanish) WAV Driver – Single Rider Program
Berkeley, CA | Full-time | $30.90/hour

Provide safe, reliable, and accessible transportation for people with disabilities. Fluency in English and Spanish and a valid driver’s license are required.

• Youth Programs Specialist
Berkeley, CA | Part-time | $30.90/hour

Support youth with disabilities under 30 through workshops, independent living and self-advocacy skill-building, community outreach, and social programming.

•Youth & Elder Travel Training Specialist
Berkeley, CA | Full-time | $30.71/hour

Help youth and older adults with disabilities build confidence, mobility skills, and independence through personalized travel training and real-world public transit experiences.

People with disabilities, bilingual and bicultural candidates, and individuals from historically marginalized communities are encouraged to apply.

Learn more about each position and apply through the link in our bio.

Address

3075 Adeline Street Suite 100
Berkeley, CA
94703

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.thecil.org/

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