In this episode of Accessibility Now, Parker Glick shares how a youth advisory council in Florida pulled him into disability advocacy and the independent living movement. Parker talks about working in Centers for Independent Living, serving with SILCGA, and helping young disabled leaders find their own voices. He also tells a powerful story about a car accident that nearly pushed him into a nursing home, and how community advocacy and home and community based services kept him living independently. The conversation closes with a focus on the personal care attendant crisis, the current political moment, and why community, mentorship, and self care are essential for staying in the fight.Chapters00:00 Welcome to Accessibility Now and intro to Parker00:55 Parker’s path into advocacy and the independent living movement05:00 Youth work, CIL experience, and moving to Georgia and SILCGA08:15 Georgia’s advocacy network and key SILCGA projects12:40 Employment First, 14(c), and policy lessons from SILC work16:35 Advice for young advocates and finding mentors19:10 Car accident, waivers, and community preventing institutionalization23:40 Mentors, relationships, and the personal care attendant crisis26:30 Today’s political moment, avoiding gatekeeping, and closing thoughts

In this episode of Accessibility Now, we speak with Lee Ann Pendergrass, who became the first Statewide Independent Living Coordinator for Georgia’s Division of Rehabilitation Services in the 1990s. Lee Ann worked closely with the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia (SILCGA) during its formation and played a behind-the-scenes but crucial role in shifting power and funding directly to community-led Centers for Independent Living (CILs). She reflects on the cultural and political shift that occurred as people with disabilities asserted control over their own services—and offers a call to action for the next generation to carry that work forward.

00:00 – Intro
01:08 – Lee Ann’s early work in Florida’s CIL network
03:00 – Becoming Georgia’s first statewide IL coordinator
05:00 – Partnering with Pat Puckett and the early formation of SILCGA
07:25 – Bridging tensions between the state and grassroots advocates
10:05 – Navigating “militant” advocacy and state constraints
13:05 – When the council and state began aligning toward shared goals
15:45 – Major milestone: local CILs gaining control from state employees
17:55 – Expanding advocacy: nursing homes, ramps, employment, and the ADA
19:55 – Georgia’s culture and the shift toward direct self-advocacy
22:30 – 30 years of SILCGA: why it matters and what it made possible
24:10 – A message to the next generation: “Don’t give up.”

In this heartfelt tribute, members of Georgia’s independent living community gather to celebrate the life and leadership of Shelly Simmons, the late Executive Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia (SILCGA). Through powerful reflections, they share how Shelly’s compassion, wisdom, and advocacy shaped their lives and the future of disability rights in Georgia.Featuring:Becky Tuttle – Executive Director, SILCGAReshell Baldini – Board Member, SILCGAEtrudy Taylor Mitchell – CEO, Whole InclusionJordan Hall – Mobility Coordinator, SILCGAEster Durante – Advocate & Outreach Coordinator, SILCGAVictor McRae – Housing Policy Coordinator, SILCGAChapters00:00 – Introduction00:00 – Becky Tuttle (SILCGA Executive Director): Remembering Shelly’s leadership and legacy02:53 – Reshell Baldini (SILCGA Board Member): A life of inclusion and laughter04:22 – Etrudy Taylor Mitchell (CEO, Whole Inclusion): Mentorship and inspiration for new leaders07:18 – Jordan Hall (SILCGA Mobility Coordinator): Finding opportunity and empowerment through Shelly’s belief13:42 – Ester Durante (SILCGA Advocate & Outreach Coordinator): Connection, growth, and living authentically18:36 – Victor McRae (SILCGA Housing Policy Coordinator): Compassion in action and Shelly’s everyday impact