Center for Independent Living, Inc.

Honoring the Legacy and Impact of Zona Roberts Zona Roberts (1920-2025), a pioneer in the disability rights movement and mother of Ed Roberts, the father of independent living, passed away peacefully in her Berkeley home surrounded by loved ones on Friday, January 10th, 2025. Known as the “grandmother of the independent living movement,” Zona’s legacy is one of compassion, determination, and transformative impact. Her contributions will continue to resonate in the fight for equity and dignity for all. She is survived by her son, Mark Roberts; her grandchildren, Benjamin, Gavin, Ginger, Hana, Jon, and Lee; and five great-grandchildren (and one on the way). She was predeceased by her beloved sons, Ed, Ron, and Randy. She also leaves behind an endless number of friends who will miss her warm and welcoming smile. A committee will be put together to plan a memorial in her honor. Details will be shared as plans are finalized. For the full obituary, please visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gxWcBEtG [ID] Close up of Zona Roberts wearing a light blue turtleneck. Above, a banner of light purple with black text reading "Honoring the Legacy and Impact of Zona Roberts"

We’re thrilled to announce an incredible opportunity to become part of the Center for Independent Living (CIL) Board of Directors! As a pioneering force in disability rights, accessibility, and inclusion, CIL is seeking passionate, visionary individuals to help steer our organization into the future. Together, we can create transformative change for the disability community and beyond. Being a CIL Board Member is more than just a role—it’s a chance to lead, advocate, and build a more inclusive world. We’re looking for leaders who: - Share our commitment to disability justice and equity. - Bring expertise in areas like advocacy, community engagement, finance, fundraising, and more. - Are ready to dedicate their time, skills, and passion to advancing CIL’s mission. How to Apply We’ve created a simple application form to learn more about your interests and qualifications. Click below to apply: https://lnkd.in/g2ckDdwE The deadline to submit your application is Wednesday, January 15, 2025. We are excited to embark on this journey together and invite passionate individuals to help us shape the next chapter of disability justice and inclusion. Let’s work side by side to create meaningful change and build a stronger, more equitable future for all. For questions or more information, feel free to reach out to us at edoffice@thecil.org.

We're back for our 2nd Annual "Disability Justice is Beloved Community" gathering on Saturday, January 18th, from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley. "Disability Justice is Beloved Community" is brought to you by Disability Justice Culture Club, Disability Justice League - Bay Area, Peace Out Loud, Ability Now, the Anti-Police Terror Project, Hand in Hand, and The Center for Independent Living (CIL). This gathering of arts, culture, and political organizing will feature multi-cultural drumming, an open mic/variety show, bodyworkers, disabled artists and vendors, music, food, an art build for Reclaim MLK's Radical Legacy March, short film screenings, and more. The registration for the event is here: https://lnkd.in/gre_KGuT (case sensitive) Accessibility: Our Disability Justice is Beloved Community gathering is hybrid, held online via Zoom and in-person at the Ed Roberts Campus, a wheelchair-accessible and universally-designed space in Berkeley. ASL and CART will be available. Masks are required and KN95 masks will be available. All food and drink will be provided outdoors. Please share any other accommodations/access needs in the registration form. [ID] Orange, green, and white graphics with details about the event.

La oficina de CIL Fruitvale está organizando un Cafecito con Britney. Este evento servirá como una reunión comunitaria, brindando un espacio para hablar sobre cómo pasaron sus días festivos, y presentaremos sobre los servicios de CIL para construir comunidad. Además, habrá pan dulce, café y oportunidad para ganar una canasta de regalo! El evento será EN PERSONA y EN ESPAÑOL el 9 de ENERO 2025 de 2pm - 3pm adentro del Spanish Speaking Citizen's Foundation en Oakland. La dirección es 1470 Fruitvale Ave Oakland, CA 94601. Puede registrarse aquí: https://lnkd.in/gMcMBPqj -- The CIL Fruitvale office is hosting a Cafecito with Britney. This event will serve as a community gathering, providing a space to talk about how you spent your holidays, and we will present a mini overview of CIL's services. In addition, there will be sweet bread, coffee and a chance to win a gift basket! The event will be IN PERSON and IN SPANISH on JANUARY 9TH 2025 from 2pm - 3pm inside of the Spanish Speaking Citizen's Foundation in Oakland. The address is 1470 Fruitvale Ave. Oakland, CA 94601. You can register here: https://lnkd.in/gMcMBPqj [ID] Un gráfico con un fondo morado que muestra pan dulce y una taza de café. El volante da la bienvenida a las personas a la oficina de Fruitvale el 9 de enero de 2 pm - 3pm para conocer a nuestra Coordinadora de Programas Bilingüe, Britney. Center for Independent Living - BerkeleyCenter for Independent Living, Inc.cup of coffee on it. The flyer welcomes people to the Fruitvale office on January 9th from 2 pm - 3 pm to meet our Bilingual Program Coordinator, Britney.

“We have witnessed the power of Nothing About Us, Without Us when it comes to emergency preparedness and resiliency for people with disabilities. If we don’t see it in the world, we want—we need—to build it.” The Center for Independent Living (CIL) and the World Institute on Disability (WID) are thrilled to announce the launch of our report, “Disability Inclusive Emergency Preparedness and Community Perspectives: Research and Outcomes in Alameda County” into the world! This report is the outcome of a year-long process to better understand the current state of emergency preparedness and disaster resilience across our county’s diverse disability population, and identify needs, challenges, gaps, and opportunities for our communities, emergency management, and state and local governments. We hope that the data, summaries, and most importantly, stories we have gathered in this report will help open new possibilities for people with disabilities to contribute to and lead in the fields of disaster preparedness and resiliency. Please join us in reading and reflecting on this report, and sharing it far and wide with your networks! https://lnkd.in/gph-A_ZP [Image Description] Teal graphic with illustration of a woman in a electric wheelchair smiling with arms outstretched and title of report.

Get ready to shop, sip, and celebrate the season! 🛍️❄️ Join us this Friday, December 20th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley for a festive Holiday Market hosted by CIL! 🎄 ✨ What’s in store? 🛍️ Shop Local: Unique artisan goods & handmade crafts. ☕ Hot Cocoa Booth: Warm up with a cup of delicious hot chocolate. 🍪 Holiday Treats: Enjoy small desserts & festive snacks. 🎶 Festive Vibes: Holiday movies and music to spread the cheer! Bring your family and friends for a cozy afternoon full of joy, community, and holiday magic! 🎁🎶 📍 Location: 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94010 🗓️ Save the date! December 20th, 3:00–7:00 PM. [Image Description] A vibrant and festive flier promoting the Holiday Market at the Ed Roberts Campus. The design features a warm green color theme with holiday-inspired illustrations, such as twinkling lights, ornaments, and cheerful decorations, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The text highlights: Event title: "HOLIDAY MARKET" Hosted by: The Center for Independent Living (CIL) Date and time: December 20, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM Location: 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94010 Event attractions: Local artisan goods, handmade crafts, a hot cocoa booth, holiday treats, and a festive ambiance with holiday movies and music.

Join Our Team! Senior & Aging Engagement Specialist 🧓🏿👴🏼👵🏾 Employment Type: Full Time Location: Berkeley, CA Salary: $30 per hour As the Senior & Aging Engagement Coordinator, you’ll play a pivotal role in leading our Older Adult Program, working 1-on-1 with older adults to navigate resources, acquire information and referrals, and work towards goals for aging well.  In this role, you’ll facilitate several 10-week Living Well with a Disability workshop series at local community centers and lead a weekly peer support group for older adults. This is a unique opportunity to shape and grow CIL’s Older Adult Program by designing creative, community-focused initiatives and building innovative partnerships. You will also work closely with a dedicated team committed to making a positive impact in the lives of older adults and people with disabilities. For more information or to apply, visit: https://lnkd.in/gAUWNvYT [Image Description] Blurred photo of two people holding hands in the background, “We’re Hiring | Senior & Aging Engagement Specialist | Send your resume & cover letter to: hiring@thecil.org” in the foreground, with a decorative teal border.

Since its earliest days, CIL has spearheaded advocacy towards securing the resources and rights that people with disabilities need in order to navigate a world that is inaccessible, and to establish and maintain the ability to live and work independently and in community.  During the uncertain times ahead, CIL commits to increasing our role in bringing people together; defending these hard-won rights through advocacy and movement building; supporting and coordinating mutual aid for practical resources that might become threatened; and continuing our programming regardless of threats to the federal funding that supports them.

We need your support to do this. Please help us raise an additional $100,000 to match a generous gift from Supervisor Carson.   Our donors make it possible to not only weather these hard times but to advance our work in spite of them. Thank you for considering an end-of-year donation CIL. 💜 [Image Description] CIL's Jessica Lehman speaking into a mic at a protest. White text reads "Defending Our Rights: CIL's Legacy of Advocacy & Movement Building". A textured purple background and an illustration of a yellow first being held up.

Looking forward to this webinar happening next Thursday. Register today! https://lnkd.in/g9cKzP4E

🎨 Calling all artists! We're looking for local artisans, creators, and small businesses who are interested in being a vendor at our upcoming Holiday Market. This event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your products, connect with the CIL community, and support an inclusive market space for the community to shop for unique, handmade gifts and seasonal items. If you or anyone you know is interested in having a booth at our in-person event on December 20th, please check out the sign up form! And for those who are interested in doing some holiday shopping at the event or simply spending time in community, be on the look out for more event updates, coming soon! [ID] A festive, holiday-themed design with a vibrant green background accented by white and red decorations. The title, "HOLIDAY MARKET," is displayed prominently in bold, cheerful font. Below the title, the event details are clearly listed: "20 DECEMBER 2024, ED ROBERTS CAMPUS, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, 3075 ADELINE STREET, BERKELEY CA 94010." At the bottom of the flier, there's a large QR code with the text "Scan the QR Code to Apply as a Vendor!"