Happy #DisabilityIndependenceDay! To celebrate, we are putting the spotlight on our community partner, Jane Addams Senior Caucus (JASC). JASC is a power building 501c3 that supports the leadership of Chicago-area seniors and tenant families to transform their housing and communities. They cross neighborhood, racial, religious, and socio-economic lines to find common ground upon which to act on their values: a world where all seniors can age with dignity and safety, free of ageism, racism, and other forms of oppression.
We asked JASC’s Executive Director, Lilly Lerner, to share what Disability Independence Day means to their organization:
“Disability Independence Day, which marks the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, aligns directly with our mission to dismantle systems of oppression and create communities where everyone can thrive. Many of the seniors and families we organize with live with disabilities and face compounding barriers rooted in ageism, ableism, racism, and poverty. For our members, the fight for accessible housing, equitable treatment by HUD, and a voice in decisions about their homes is inseparable from the broader disability rights movement.”
We also asked how JASC supports disabled communities, Lilly shared that:
“JASC believes housing justice is disability justice, and no one should be forced to live in unsafe, inaccessible, or degrading conditions simply because they are disabled or low-income. Many of the residents we organize with live in Project-Based Section 8 housing, where systemic neglect, lack of accessibility, and unresponsive management create daily barriers to independent living. We don’t just help people survive poor housing—we help them fight back, speak out, and transform the systems that have failed them.”
As we celebrate Disability Independence Day, we're honored to highlight the powerful work of Jane Addams Senior Caucus. Their commitment to housing justice as a core component of disability justice reminds us that true independence means more than access – it means equity, dignity, and the power to shape the systems that affect our lives. We’re proud to partner with JASC in building a future where all people, regardless of age or ability, can live safely, independently, and with respect.