Message From The Chair 

Photo description: Peter Mendoza, SILC Chairperson 

Greetings Valued Independent Living (IL) Leaders and Community Members, 

Happy Pride Month! Let me begin by thanking each of you for your tireless dedication to supporting the rights and independence of people with disabilities and those aging in to disability every day. I also honor LGBTQI+ advocates, without their contribution to Disability Rights/ Independent Living movements many of the gains our community has made would not have been possible. We are forever in your debt. 

Back in March 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and to establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Throughout 2020, and into 2021, we have all been dealing with the devastating impacts of the pandemic and looking forward to California reopening. 

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated long standing issues such as the service gaps in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, severely impacting people with disabilities and older adults. Many people with severe disabilities who receive home and community-based long-term services and supports require nursing home levels of care and have fought to stay out of institutions, but this pandemic has threatened their independence. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that people who receive direct care support and other services through the Regional Centers have also reported significant gaps in their services and supports during the pandemic which also places their independence in jeopardy. In the Disability Rights/ Independent Living movement one of our founding principles is that access to long-term services and supports is a fundamental RIGHT. In my view the philosophy governing programs like IHSS needs to change. People with disabilities who are recipients of IHSS have to advocate for every hour of service for their basic needs to remain independent in their community. I know I am preaching to the choir; people without disabilities can get in and out of bed when ever they want, eat whenever they want, stay out late and have fun whenever they want, go to the bathroom whenever they want, shower, get dressed, and even change their clothes whenever they want. However, people with disabilities who depend on programs like IHSS do not have the same privilege. This is an issue of equity and rights. People on IHSS have reported having to stay in bed for a few days, weeks, and even months because of the insufficient supply of IHSS providers. This must change. We must do better. 

With that said, I want to honor everyone who is working on initiatives to expand long term services and supports with the goal of making these vital services available to and affordable for all who need them. It’s important in our work, and a fundamental principle of our movement that we listen to the lived experience of people with disabilities when crafting policy to address the very important issues which are part of our lived experience every day. 

Despite the barriers the pandemic caused, it also provided some opportunities. We have recently seen increases in federal funding to Home and Community Based Services in the state; we have seen more investment in the people with disabilities in California, and in our Independent Living Centers; we have seen system alignment between agencies serving our communities; we have had "wins" in the vaccine arena; we have begun to initiate changes to access that were long overdue. In response to the pandemic we have seen more attention on the local, State, and Federal level to disparities faced by people with disabilities, older adults, Black and Brown communities, and Asian American Pacific Islander communities. 

The SILC will continue to fight for the rights of people with disabilities in our state, to drive the Independent Living philosophy in everything we do, and to work to continue the fight for equality and equity in the state for people with disabilities. If this sounds like something you are passionate about, reach out! We are currently recruiting for 3-4 Council positions which will open in September. Please reach out to us today. 

You can reach us by emailing to SILC@calsilc.ca.gov or by contacting the SILC Executive Director, Carrie England, at Carrie@calsilc.ca.gov. 

In Unity and Solidarity, 

Peter T. Mendoza

SILC Chairperson