Disability, Diversity, and Intersectionality in CILs

CILs are always striving to reach unserved and underserved populations and to better represent the vibrant, racial, ethnic, linguistic, and multi-cultural communities that we serve. If you would like effective, practical information on how to accomplish this at your CIL, then you simply cannot afford to miss this training.

At our core, Centers for Independent Living are community-based, civil rights organizations. Sure, we focus on the core services of Independent Living, but disability rights are civil rights, and the Independent Living Movement shares similarities and a sibling hood with other civil rights movements. We have a strong enough foundation in human rights to expand our celebration and inclusion of people with disabilities from other marginalized communities and identities in our organizations.

As Centers for Independent Living, we all believe in “Nothing About Us, Without Us!” We should abide by the same rules when it comes to including, serving, and being led by all of the diverse people with disabilities in our communities. We must engage in thoughtful conversations, strategic partnerships, proactive outreach, and organizational shifts to ensure that our organizations are reaching, serving, and welcoming to people with disabilities of all backgrounds in our communities. This is not only relevant to our consumers, but to ensure that our staff, decision-making staff, board members, volunteers, and community leaders represent those same backgrounds and life experiences.

Join us in Atlanta this August to learn from the Executive Directors of seven CILs, as well as other IL leaders that excel in this work, how they’ve created organizations that welcome and represent the broad communities that they serve.