Boston Center for Independent Living

05/13/2026

Advocacy Action Alert! Support PCA services today and tomorrow!

The PCA program needs your support today and tomorrow!

The proposed state budget being debated in the state Senate would cut PCA services by $68 million. PCA services enable over 50,000 people with disabilities to live independently in their own homes. Cuts could cause some people to lose services and see their independence and health put at risk.

Please scan the QR code below, developed by our friends at 1199SEIU, to send a message to your state senator to support a budget amendment introduced by Senator Julian Cyr that would stop the cuts to PCA services. We need your messages sent by the end of the day on Thursday!

If you are unable to use a QR code, you can go to https://seiumass.salsalabs.org/pcasenatebudget27/index.html or call your state Senator and urge them to support amendment #413.

For more information contact BCIL at contactBCIL@bostoncil.org or 617-338-6665.

05/12/2026

Have you benefited from REquipment? We need your voice!

Have you ever received a wheelchair or other durable medical equipment through REquipment? If so, we need your voice! Please contact Rachael Cowan at rcowan@stavros.org to briefly share your story.

For many people with disabilities across Massachusetts, REquipment has been a critical lifeline, especially for wheelchair users often left waiting months for repairs. The program provides free refurbished wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment to people who need it most. Unfortunately, its $500,000 in state funding was cut by the Governor and not restored in the House budget. As attention now turns to the Senate budget, we are fighting to restore funding and ensure REquipment can continue helping people maintain their mobility, independence, health, and dignity.

05/12/2026

Living Dr. Marie Feltin's Legacy

Tonight we celebrate the work and legacy of Dr. Marie Feltin at the 29th Annual BCIL Marie Feltin Award Ceremony by giving this annual award to:

• Mic Cepeda - Community Activist and Vital Plaintiff in the MBTA Lawsuit
• Vicky Pulos - Steadfast Attorney with Mass Law Reform Institute
• Reggie Clark - Advocate Who Left Fernald and Became a Champion of Disability Rights

Dr. Marie Feltin, was a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and those with chronic health conditions. She was a modern-day pioneer, helping found Boston’s Community Medical Group, East Boston Health Center’s Home Care Program, and the Urban Medical Group, focusing on care for marginalized and vulnerable populations. This year's winners exemplify her spirit and work.

The ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 12 from 6:00 – 8 :00 p.m. in the union hall of SEIU 32BJ, 26 West Street, Boston. To purchase a ticket or to become an event sponsor or donor go to https://bostoncil.org/marie-feltin/ or contact Susan at ssmith@bostoncil.org.

We also express gratitude for the sponsors and donors for tonight's event. They include Host Sponsor Commonwealth Care Alliance, Platinum Sponsors 1199 SEIU and Tempus Unlimited, and Gold Sponsors Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Phil and Kate Villers, and Steve Rosenfeld and Margot Botsford.

05/11/2026

2026 BCIL Marie Feltin Award Ceremony

There's still time to register to support the 2026 BCIL Marie Feltin Award Ceremony, an event honoring individuals exemplifying the spirit of the late Dr. Marie Feltin, a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and those with chronic health conditions. She was a modern-day pioneer, helping found Boston’s Community Medical Group, East Boston Health Center’s Home Care Program, and the Urban Medical Group, focusing on care for marginalized and vulnerable populations.

The ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 12 from 6:00 – 8 :00 p.m. in the union hall of SEIU 32BJ, 26 West Street, Boston. The ceremony will have a real grassroots flavor— which reflects the great work of our award winners and the work before us in very challenging times.

Please note that with increasing financial pressures on organizations such as independent living centers and a very significant need to advocate for people with disabilities, we elected to gather BCIL’s constituency and friends in a decidedly grassroots way this year. The site of the event evokes advocacy and organizing— it will be distinct in appearance from past ceremonies, though for sure embracing the spirit of community that the BCIL Marie Feltin Ceremony embraces.

This year’s award winners are:
• Mic Cepeda, Community Activist and Vital Plaintiff in the MBTA Lawsuit
• Vicky Pulos, Steadfast Attorney with Mass Law Reform Institute
• Reggie Clark, Advocate Who Left Fernald and Became a Champion of Disability Rights

Space will be limited so you must register to attend. To purchase a ticket or to become an event sponsor or donor go to https://bostoncil.org/marie-feltin/ or contact Susan at ssmith@bostoncil.org

05/10/2026

Phil Eng, general manager of the MBTA and the state’s interim transportation secretary, said the project would “improve the quality of life for communities and the public we serve.”

“We know that construction and temporary closures of the station affect our riders, but when finished, Symphony Station will be a bright, modernized, and fully accessible station that all can be proud of for generations to come,” he said in the statement.

The station currently has no step-free pathways from the entrances to the platforms, making it virtually impossible to access for people using wheelchairs, the agency said.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/05/06/metro/symphony-mbta-station-closing/?s_campaign=8315:varf

Article:https://bostoncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Symphony-MBTA-Green-Line-station-to-close-for-3-years.pdf

The MBTA announced Wednesday that one Green Line station will be closed for nearly three years for construction.

05/07/2026

On April 22, RTAG / BCIL Transit Advocates attended a rally outside Boston City Hall before a City Council hearing addressing the pause on Boston’s street safety and infrastructure projects. Advocates called on the administration to provide updates, noting that many of these projects include critical accessibility improvements.

Photo taken by David Ryan of the Boston Globe.

(The Riders’ Transportation Access Group (RTAG) is a community-based group within BCIL that advises the MBTA on transportation matters impacting people with disabilities and older adults.)

05/05/2026

The Boston Center for Independent Living's Transition to Adulthood Program is hosting a workshop about how intersectionality relates to disability and other self-identities. This workshop is for youth with disabilities and their families to learn about different parts of our identities and how they shape who we are.

Date: Tuesday June 2nd, 2026
Time: 4:00-5:00 PM
Virtual: On Zoom

Student Eligibility: High school students, ages 14-22 with a documented disability (i.e. Individualized Education Plan, 504 plans, other disability documentation). You are not required to submit your disability documentation to participate in this group.

Family Eligibility: Family members of transition-aged (14-22) youth with disabilities

To register: Click here or scan the QR code above. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link in your email.

05/03/2026

The Boston Center for Independent Living's Transition to Adulthood Program is hosting a workshop for youth with disabilities to learn how to speak up for themselves at their IEP meetings.

You will learn about:
• Who is at your IEP meeting
• Tips and tricks
• How to prepare for your meeting
• What happens after your IEP meeting
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Time: 4:00-5:00 PM

Virtual: On Zoom

Eligibility: High school students, ages 14-22 with a documented disability (i.e. Individualized Education Plan, 504 plan, other disability documentation). You are not required to submit your disability documentation to participate in this group.
To register: Click here or scan the QR code above. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link in your email.

05/02/2026

2026 BCIL Marie Feltin Award Ceremony

We invite you to support the 2026 BCIL Marie Feltin Award Ceremony, an event honoring individuals exemplifying the spirit of the late Dr. Marie Feltin, a tireless advocate for people with disabilities and those with chronic health conditions. She was a modern-day pioneer, helping found Boston’s Community Medical Group, East Boston Health Center’s Home Care Program, and the Urban Medical Group, focusing on care for marginalized and vulnerable populations.

The ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 12 from 6:00 – 8 :00 p.m. in the union hall of SEIU 32BJ, 26 West Street, Boston. The ceremony will have a real grassroots flavor— which reflects the great work of our award winners and the work before us in very challenging times.

Please note that with increasing financial pressures on organizations such as independent living centers and a very significant need to advocate for people with disabilities, we elected to gather BCIL’s constituency and friends in a decidedly grassroots way this year. The site of the event evokes advocacy and organizing— it will be distinct in appearance from past ceremonies, though for sure embracing the spirit of community that the BCIL Marie Feltin Ceremony embraces.

This year’s award winners are:
• Mic Cepeda, Community Activist and Vital Plaintiff in the MBTA Lawsuit
• Vicky Pulos, Steadfast Attorney with Mass Law Reform Institute
• Reggie Clark, Advocate Who Left Fernald and Became a Champion of Disability Rights

Space will be limited so you must register to attend. To purchase a ticket or to become an event sponsor or donor go to https://bostoncil.org/marie-feltin/ or contact Susan at ssmith@bostoncil.org

04/22/2026

Next week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives will debate the FY2027 state budget.

Amendment #803, filed by Rep. O’Day, is about something simple but critical: making sure wheelchair users are no longer stuck at home for months waiting for repairs or forced to use unsafe equipment.

At its core, the amendment would hold wheelchair providers accountable so people with disabilities can maintain their mobility, independence, health and dignity.

With over 1,730 amendments filed, this one needs visible support to stand out.

👉 Ask your State Rep to co-sponsor Amendment #803 by noon on Friday, April 24.

👉 Find your Rep by entering your home address at: bit.ly/Legis-Search

The more co-sponsors, the stronger the signal to House leadership that this matters.

Lead with your personal story or the story of someone you know. A few sentences can go a long way: what happens when a wheelchair breaks down? What gets missed, delayed, or put at risk? How does it affect access to the community, work, and mental and physical health? Real examples help decision-makers understand what’s at stake beyond the policy.

This is a time-sensitive opportunity, and a real chance to move this forward for full House consideration.

For questions or help, contact Kay at kays@bostoncil.org

04/19/2026

The annual IL Education Day is on Thursday, April 23, 2026, 10am - 3pm at the Massachusetts State House, Great Hall, 24 Beacon Street Boston.

Join this event to educate MA legislators about issues important to the independent living community.

Schedule:
Registration: 10:00 AM
Speakers: 11:00 AM
Lunch: 12:00 PM
Legislative Visits: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

CART and ASL will be provided. A bagged lunch will be served.

The registration link is https://masilc.formstack.com/forms/2026iledday

We hope to see you there!