Boston Center for Independent Living

07/19/2025

“When you have physical disabilities, when you’re older, it’s more than just finding a kind soul with a couch,” he said.

Many of the residents used wheelchairs, walkers or were on oxygen and struggled to escape.

07/17/2025

ADA35 Boston Sign Making Workshop at BCIL

Get ready for next weeks rally and march on July 23 by joining us at this afternoon's sign making workshop from 3-5 pm at our office located at 60 Temple Place, 5th Floor, Boston.

We will provide poster board, markers and paint. You are welcome to bring your own supplies if you would like too!

Come have an afternoon of community while making your sign for the rally and march.

Questions? Call 617-338-6665 or bostoncil@bostoncil.org.

07/16/2025

July RTAG General Meeting

This is a forum where riders can provide input and feedback regarding accessible transportation. The group meets with the MBTA, the T's Department of System-Wide Accessibility (SWA) and The RIDE.

Date: Thursday, June 17th, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/cELTbuAHQS2WzLo_BXfPtw #/registration

Agenda
1. Welcome & Introductions
2. Zoom Directions
3. RTAG Update
4. SWA Updates
5. Feedback Session: SWA
7. The RIDE Updates
Spare Software and Demo
8. Feedback Session: The RIDE
9. Closing Remarks

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing Zoom access information about joining the meeting.

RTAG meetings are accessible to people with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. American Sign Language (ASL) will be provided for this meeting. Other accessibility accommodations and language services will be provided free of charge, upon request, as available.

If you have any questions or to request a reasonable accommodation or language services, please contact Kat at rtagboston@bostoncil.org or by phone at 978-893-8100.

07/16/2025

One Week From Today!
Rally and march for civil rights and independence!

BCIL, the Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and many other groups will mark the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 23.—we must speak out as civil rights and services for people with disabilities face unprecedented challenges.

ADA35 Rally and March!
Wednesday, July 23, Boston City Hall Plaza
• 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM People gather at City Hall
• 12 -12:30 PM Raising of a Disability Rights Flag, Speakers, Call to Action, March begins
• 12:30 -1:30 PM March from Boston City Hall Plaza down Tremont Street to The Embrace on Boston Common (half a mile distance)
• 1:45 PM Speakers, Chants, Performance of We Shall Overcome.
• 2:30 PM Final call to action, songs, chants

This is a rain-or-shine event. The MBTA will provide cooling buses.
Water will be available at a city water truck so bring a bottle for refills.
More information is available at https://www.boston.gov/calendar/ada-35-boston.

The Embrace, a sculpture commemorating Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, “reflects the power of collective action, the role of women in the freedom movement, and the forging of solidarity out of mutual empathy and vulnerability,” per Embrace Boston.

Other logistical notes for the rally and march:
o The march route is approximately one-half mile long. The march route can be viewed at https://bit.ly/ADA35Boston_MarchRoute.
o Dropoff location for The Ride at City Hall Plaza is 5 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02203
o The pickup location for The Ride at The Embrace is 139 Tremont. We recommend picking an address on West Street though, which will be fully open to vehicles during the entire day.
o Accessible subway stations near the rally and march are Government Center, State Street, Downtown Crossing, and Park Street.
o Two cooling buses provided by the MBTA will be located on Tremont Street near West Street, adjacent of The Embrace.
o Accessible porta potties will be on Boston Common near The Embrace.
o Ambulance/medical care will be available on the Boston Common.

Contact BCIL for more information at contactBCIL@bostoncil.org or disability@boston.gov , and to add your group to the supporters list. Full details about the day including disability accessibility information, a schedule of events, and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at www.boston.gov/ada35.

Supporters include:
1199SEIU
Abilities Dance Boston
AbleYouth Alliance
Acton Commission on Disabilities
Advocates
App Drivers Union
Bay State Council of the Blind
Boston Center for Independent Living
Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities
Boston Labor Council
Boston Region MPO
Boston Self Help Center
Brain Injury Association of MA
Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD)
Center for Public Representation
DEAF, Inc.
Dignity Alliance Massachusetts
Disability Law Center
Disability Policy Consortium
Disability Resource Center
Easterseals Massachusetts
Federation for Children with Special Needs
Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS)
Institute for Community Inclusion
Institute for Human Centered Design
JVS Boston
Lifeworks
Lurie Institute on Disability Policy
MASILC
Mass Aging Access
Mass General Brigham
Mass General Employee Resource Group
Mass Senior Action Council
Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS)
Massachusetts Association for Mental Health
Massachusetts Association of People Supporting Employment First
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council
Massachusetts Office on Disability
MBTA
Metro West Center for Independent Living
New England ADA Center
Newburyport Disability Commission
Northeast Independent Living Program
Open Door Arts
Perkins School for the Blind
Requipment
SAG-AFTRA New England
SCI Boston
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Stavros Center for Independent Living
The ARC of Massachusetts
Think Outside the Vox
Vinfen
Winthrop Commission on Disabilities
WORK Inc.

07/16/2025

In Memoriam

BCIL notes the passing last week of Bill Allan, a founder of the Disability Policy Consortium (DPC), one of BCIL’s closest allies.

Bill organized, advocated, and agitated for good causes, notably dedicating countless hours to the DPC in its formative stages. BCIL collaborated often with Bill, feeling his passion and sincere friendship in the work of disability rights.

The obituary below provides more background on his life as well as information on visiting hours and his funeral service.

Our thoughts are with Bill and his family, including his wife, Mary Lou Maloney, a superstar disability advocate and activist in her own right.

____________________________________________

WILLIAM ALLAN Obituary https://www.mannandrodgers.com/obituary/WILLIAM-ALLAN

William Francis Allan III
September 11, 1941 – July 11, 2025

William Francis Allan III, of Jamaica Plain, passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes at his home in Roslindale, MA, on Friday, June 11, 2025, with his beloved wife, Mary Lou Maloney, by his side. He was 83.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, on September 11, 1941, Bill was the son of William Francis Allan II and Ruth Hoseley Allan. He was raised in Schenectady, New York, and went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree from Gordon College. He later completed a Master of Arts in Political Science from Northeastern University.

Bill dedicated his life to community activism and public service, especially within Boston’s inner-city neighborhoods. In the early 1990s, he founded the Hyde Square Task Force, a now-thriving nonprofit committed to empowering youth in the Hyde Square area of Jamaica Plain. Through after-school programs, educational initiatives, and housing advocacy, the organization continues to reflect his deep belief in justice, opportunity, and community. Bill led the initiative to establish a temporary skating rink at the Stony Brook T station, addressing a neighborhood need that continues to be met today through the nonprofit Friends of the Kelly Rink.

Alongside his wife Mary Lou, Bill co-founded the Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) of Massachusetts, which has become the state’s leading disability rights organization. He served as its Executive Director from 2003 to 2010, helping to shape policy, conduct community-based research, and lead successful grassroots advocacy campaigns. In 2012, the DPC honored Bill, Mary Lou, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino with a special Award of Honor for their visionary contributions—a legacy that continues today through an annual award given in their names.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lou Maloney, and his children: Scot Patrick Allan, Lindsay Eileen Allan, Linda Gunn Garnett, and Lucy Lucero. He was a proud grandfather to Isabelle Garnett, Henry Garnett, Princesa Diaz, Christian Lucero, Julian Lucero, and Sasha Lucero.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, July 18, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Mann & Rodgers Funeral Home, 44 Perkins Street, Jamaica Plain. A Church Service will follow on Saturday at 11:00 AM at St. John's Episcopal Church, 1 Roanoke Ave, Jamaica Plain.

In lieu of flowers, the family is establishing a trust in Bill’s honor to benefit the organizations he loved, including the Hyde Square Task Force, the Disability Policy Consortium, and other community partners.

Bill was a proud Bostonian whose tireless work left a lasting mark on the city and its people. His legacy of justice, advocacy, and compassion lives on in the lives he touched and the communities he helped build.

07/12/2025

ADA35 Boston Sign Making Workshop at BCIL

Join us on Thursday, July 17, from 3-5 pm at our office located at 60 Temple Place, 5th Floor, Boston, to make signs for the ADA35 Boston Rally and March on Wednesday, July 23.

We will provide poster board, markers and paint. You are welcome to bring your own supplies if you would like too!

Come have an afternoon of community while making your sign for the rally and march.

Questions? Call 617-338-6665 or bostoncil@bostoncil.org.

07/09/2025

Rally and march for civil rights and independence!

BCIL, the Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and many other groups will mark the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 23.—we must speak out as civil rights and services for people with disabilities face unprecedented challenges.

ADA35 Rally and March!
Wednesday, July 23, Boston City Hall Plaza
• 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM People gather at City Hall
• 12 -12:30 PM Raising of a Disability Rights Flag, Speakers, Call to Action, March begins
• 12:30 -1:30 PM March from Boston City Hall Plaza down Tremont Street to The Embrace on Boston Common (half a mile distance)
• 1:45 PM Speakers, Chants, Performance of We Shall Overcome.
• 2:30 PM Final call to action, songs, chants
This is a rain-or-shine event. The MBTA will provide cooling buses.
Water will be available at a city water truck so bring a bottle for refills.
More information is available at https://www.boston.gov/calendar/ada-35-boston.

The Embrace, a sculpture commemorating Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, “reflects the power of collective action, the role of women in the freedom movement, and the forging of solidarity out of mutual empathy and vulnerability,” per Embrace Boston.

Other logistical notes for the rally and march:
o The march route is approximately one-half mile long. The march route can be viewed at https://bit.ly/ADA35Boston_MarchRoute.
o Dropoff location for The Ride at City Hall Plaza is 5 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02203
o The pickup location for The Ride at The Embrace is 139 Tremont. We recommend picking an address on West Street though, which will be fully open to vehicles during the entire day.
o Two cooling buses provided by the MBTA will be located on Tremont Street near West Street, adjacent of The Embrace.
o Accessible porta potties will be on Boston Common near The Embrace.
o Ambulance/medical care will be available on the Boston Common.

Contact BCIL for more information at contactBCIL@bostoncil.org or disability@boston.gov , and to add your group to the supporters list. Additional information can also be found at https://www.boston.gov/calendar/ada-35-boston.

Supporters include:

Abilities Dance Boston
Acton Commission on Disabilities
Advocates
Bay State Council of the Blind
Boston Center for Independent Living
Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities
Boston Self Help Center
Brain Injury Association of MA
Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD)
Center for Public Representation
DEAF, Inc.
Dignity Alliance Massachusetts
Disability Law Center
Disability Policy Consortium
Disability Resource Center
Easterseals Massachusetts
Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS)
Institute for Community Inclusion
Institute for Human Centered Design
JVS Boston
Lurie Institute on Disability Policy
MASILC
Mass General Brigham
Mass General Employee Resource Group
Mass Senior Action Council
Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS)
Massachusetts Association for Mental Health
Massachusetts Association of People Supporting Employment First
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council
Massachusetts Office on Disability
MBTA
Metro West Center for Independent Living
New England ADA Center
Newburyport Disability Commission
Northeast Independent Living Program
Perkins School for the Blind
Requipment
SCI Boston
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Stavros Center for Independent Living
Think Outside the Vox
Vinfen
Winthrop Commission on Disabilities
WORK Inc.
1199SEIU

07/08/2025

🚨 Calling all current/former HST & PT-1 users, disability advocates, and healthcare professionals:

Testify at the public hearing for bill H.2403/S.1560, “An Act Establishing the HST Consumer Advisory Board” (Rep. Mindy Domb/ Sen. Robyn Kennedy), on Thursday, July 10, 9 AM–1 PM!

📍 In person: MA State House, Hearing Room A-1

💻 Virtually: Microsoft Teams

🕔 Register by Tuesday, July 8 at 5 PM to testify virtually: bit.ly/HSTregister

‼️ Registration for in-person testimony highly recommended as well

🔗 Hearing info: bit.ly/HSThearingDetail

🚌 What’s HST?
Human Service Transportation program is the second largest public provider of transportation services in Massachusetts after the MBTA, primarily serving people with disabilities. It provides vital non-emergency rides—to/from medical care, day programs & more.

📣 What the bill does:
✅ Creates a reliable space for ongoing rider input, ensuring feedback is built into how HST operates
✅ Restores trust in HST service for those who stopped using it due to poor past experience
✅ Ensures equitable, long-lasting, statewide improvements
✅ Formalizes current meetings between advocates and the HST office, providing wider reach, transparency and continuity

Please join BCIL, your voice can make a HUGE impact!

Questions? Contact Kay at kays@bostoncil.org / (617) 821-4394.

07/05/2025

The First Disability Pride event—and the call for action for ADA35!

In recognition of Disability Pride month as well as the coming ADA35 rally and march for disability rights, BCIL is sharing below comments by disability activist, professor, and author Alex Green, who provides great information and insights on the nation’s first Disability Pride event held in Boston.

****************

The First Disability Pride Parade: In Their Own Words
As the nation's first disability pride event turns 35, a founder, attendee, and speaker look back. By Alex Green https://substack.com/home/post/p-167341817

35 years ago, America’s first Disability Pride Day was held just a few miles from where I live, on the streets of downtown Boston. Its story is inseparable from the passage of the landmark 1990 disability civil rights law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the very same year.

On July 23, Disability Pride will be held again in Boston (details about that here, https://bostoncil.org/ada-35-celebration/). If you can’t make it, please spread the word that it’s happening, and if you can, you must come. This moment—as you know well from reading the news—demands solidarity between—and with—disabled people.

But if you’re wondering first what disability pride is, and how someone could be proud of their disability, you’re not alone. The organizers and participants of the first Disability Pride wondered and argued about the same things at the time. A few years ago, they shared their reflections with a remarkable group of high school students in my Disability History of America course at Gann Academy, a pluralistic Jewish high school outside of Boston. The interviewees’ reflections are the subject of this week’s (Un)Hidden, but I hope you’ll allow me a bit of reflection before we get there.

A few weeks ago, psychiatrist and writer Elissa Ely penned an op-ed in The Boston Globe about the impact that another Gann student project has had on her—our work in 2018 to uncover the names and tell the stories of every person in the MetFern Cemetery—an institutional burial ground where nearly 300 people were buried under stones marked only with a letter (C for Catholic and P for Protestant) and a number.
In her piece, Ely wrote about reading the students’ biographical sketches and how the imperative, insistent memories they crafted has committed her to a mournful ritual of continued remembrance and memorialization for the once-forgotten lives of the disabled dead. “The facts,” she writes, “are reported with such care, it is as if the researchers wore gloves to cradle the details.”

Rabbi Joshua Gutoff gave us our compass for that work by sharing the words of the great rabbi and philosopher, Maimonides, and we left them up on our classroom whiteboard all year, surrounded by the names of those whose lives consumed our days. “We bury the dead of non-Jews and comfort their mourners and visit their sick because of the ways of peace.”

The facts that Ely described can only be cupped from the ocean of time if the people looking for them are willing to swap the false search for some kind of objective historical truth with a genuine moral trajectory. This means that we must hone our responsibility to uncover history in ways that lead to change and action—what we call meaning—in this world.

The work that goes into (Un)Hidden is essentially about that very idea—replacing the false lens of objectivity with a moral trajectory and the result is that we can see the unseen in history and conjure it in the present. In this moment, where so many of us feel lost about what to do, I know that there is a need to close the loop of this idea of meaning-making by asserting clear visions of the future as well. In the weeks and months to come, where I can make those things out—painful as they may be to hear—I’ll be asserting them more often and more directly.

In honor of that approach, I ask that you share this post about Disability Pride, and if you are nearby, show up at Boston City Hall Plaza on July 23 at noon. March with us. Roll with us. Sing with us. Dance with us. Embrace the radical idea that, amid the very real challenges of being disabled on this planet at this moment, there is also space for the thing called disability pride that our forbears in this work envisioned 35 years ago. I hope you enjoy reading some of their words below.

To read the words and additional pictures, click here to find the entire article. https://substack.com/home/post/p-167341817

To connect with author Alex Green and see more of his work click here. https://substack.com/

As the nation's first disability pride event turns 35, a founder, attendee, and speaker look back

07/02/2025

Are you a City of Boston resident?
How would you spend $2 million to benefit your community?

The City of Boston wants to hear from the disability community! Join the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) on Tuesday, July 29, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM for a virtual idea collection workshop to explore what might be possible!

If you are a City of Boston resident and would like to participate, please register ASAP here: https://bit.ly/IdeasInAction.

What is Participatory Budgeting?
Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process that lets community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. In Boston, Participatory Budgeting empowers residents to propose project ideas that center social and racial equity. By engaging in Participatory Budgeting, Bostonians of all ages and backgrounds can help inform priorities and guide future City investments.

Examples of winning proposals from last year:
• Expand Access to Fresh Food in Boston – 1834 votes | $400,000 awarded.
• Rental Assistance for Boston Youth (Ages 16-24) – 1638 votes | $200,000 awarded.
• Install Benches at High-Ridership Public Transit Bus Stops in Boston – 1,505 votes | $150,000 awarded.

Your Voice. Your Neighborhood. Your $2 Million Decision. We hope you can join us!

06/30/2025

Your help is needed now! BCIL is participating in phone banks over Zoom to call constituents in key Congressional Districts who can tell their members of Congress why Medicaid is so critical and should not be cut by Congress.

This public education is needed now!

With just an hour or two of your time, you can make a real difference in the huge effort to protect Medicaid (known as MassHealth in Massachusetts). Please join BCIL members at 5pm, Tuesday 7/1 at 11am and 5pm, and Wednesday 7/2 at 5pm to make phone calls to defend Medicaid! Sign up here to defend Medicaid: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5UJ8n73-NdsKo4VDWHmHOAuZhNPgVZnuYDmlsVHZ9RzCwTA/viewform or see link in bio.