Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) is a non-profit, non-residential organization which servers all people with all types of disabilities, including seniors with disabling conditions, who live in Santa Clara county. SVILC provides residents with support tools and resources needed to live interdependently, and advocates for policies that ensure equal access and opportunity for all.
We are a peer-agency run by and for people with disabilities. We are one of 28 independent living centers across the State of California, and over 400 nationwide. We are committed to the principles of self-advocacy, personal empowerment, and independent living.
Our main office is located on 14th St. & East Santa Clara St. in San Jose. Our South County Branch is located on Church St. in Gilroy.
History
SVILC was established in 1976 as a community-based, consumer-controlled, grassroots nonprofit organizations run by and for people with disabilities. For over three decades, SVILC has provided much-needed independent living skills training for people with disabilities, and has worked to improve accessibility in Santa Clara County.
SVILC has held the belief that people with disabilities should have the same freedoms as their non-disabled peers. This includes the right to live in the community with their families and friends, to experience life.
Disability is a strength. Our number one issue is still old attitudes toward us, and those old attitudes see us as helpless and unable and disability can make you very strong and very able.
-Ed Roberts, the “father of independent living”
Independent Living Philosophy
The philosophy of independent living is the belief that each person with a disability is unique and has the same civil rights as people who do not have a disability.
A few guiding principles are:
- People with disabilities know their needs best and can be met most effectively by comprehensive programs that advocate for the rights and needs of people with disabilities and provide a variety of supportive services.
- People with disabilities should have a choice on how they integrated in their community.
- People with disabilities have the same aspirations as people who do not have disabilities.
- People with disabilities expect equal access to social, economic, and political opportunities for people with disabilities.
- People with disabilities are in the best position to guide, direct, and control programs for people with disabilities.
Disability Justice
SVILC is a disability justice, rather than a disability rights, organization. The difference is subtle yet critical. Disability rights, as the name implies, focuses on one thing: disability. Disability rights activists fight for things like ramps, curb cuts, and personal attendant services.
In disability justice, we recognize that all those things are important, but they don’t go far enough! We work with other social justice groups outside the disability realm, from organized labor, the LGBTQ community, the immigrant community, and more.
Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash