Center for Independent Living - Berkeley 88d ago

In this episode of The Independent, Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Vilissa Thompson — a nationally recognized disability justice advocate, writer, and founder of Ramp Your Voice!. With her signature clarity and conviction, Vilissa invites us into the experiences that shaped her work: navigating the world as a Black disabled woman, challenging systems that overlook marginalized voices, and creating space where intersectionality is not an afterthought, but the foundation. Together, they explore how lived experience fuels advocacy, what it means to center those most often excluded, and why movements for justice must reckon with race, gender, and disability together. Vilissa reflects on the origins of #DisabilityTooWhite, the impact it sparked, and the ongoing work to transform representation, policy, and power. This thoughtful, energizing conversation continues the mission of The Independent: elevating voices with lived expertise, honoring resilience, and building a deeper sense of belonging across our communities. Tune in for a candid and powerful discussion with one of today’s leading voices in intersectional disability justice. If you believe in disability justice, community empowerment, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work. Make a donation today: https://thecil.org/donate/