0:00:01.335,0:00:05.008
- [Interviewer] Now, do you see[br]the record button in the corner?

0:00:05.008,0:00:08.818
Up in the corner it should say[br]"Recording," and so-

0:00:08.818,0:00:09.559
- [Leroy] Yep.

0:00:09.559,0:00:12.290
- [Interviewer] Okay, cool.[br]And then I'm gonna mute myself

0:00:12.290,0:00:13.929
while you introduce yourself.

0:00:13.929,0:00:18.144
You're going to tap on the table[br]or make a noise before you start.

0:00:18.144,0:00:19.204
- [Leroy] Okay.

0:00:23.802,0:00:28.557
Hello, my name is[br]Leroy Franklin Moore, Jr.

0:00:28.557,0:00:32.709
and I live in Berkeley, California.

0:00:32.709,0:00:41.583
I am an author, activist, founder[br]of many organizations,

0:00:41.583,0:00:46.195
founder of Krip Hop Music with a K

0:00:46.195,0:00:49.894
to, back in the day,[br]I had a nonprofit called

0:00:49.894,0:00:54.270
Disability Advocates[br]of Minorities Organization,

0:00:54.270,0:00:59.928
and I also helped to start[br]what's called Sins Invalid.

0:00:59.928,0:01:05.707
I'm a journalist with POOR Magazine,

0:01:05.707,0:01:12.826
and yeah, just an activist and a writer[br]of many books.

0:01:12.826,0:01:18.558
The latest book is[br]Black Disabled Ancestors.

0:01:18.558,0:01:24.382
And I'm also a lecturer[br]on college campuses.

0:01:26.952,0:01:28.455
- [Interviewer] Great, Leroy, thank you.

0:01:28.455,0:01:34.315
Okay, so the first question is[br]tell of your first memory realizing

0:01:34.315,0:01:40.594
that there were accessibility issues,[br]discrimination, or lack of inclusion.

0:01:40.594,0:01:44.686
What is your personal story or connection[br]to the Americans with Disabilities Act?

0:01:44.686,0:01:49.087
What do you remember about the day[br]that it was signed, if applicable,

0:01:49.087,0:01:54.174
and what was the impact on you[br]and on others?

0:01:57.182,0:02:05.308
- [Leroy] So the first example that[br]I realized that there was discrimination

0:02:05.308,0:02:15.894
was back in the early '80s[br]when me and two other Black disabled boys

0:02:15.894,0:02:19.948
decided to a letter campaign,

0:02:19.948,0:02:24.235
and this was before computers[br]so we had to write.

0:02:24.235,0:02:30.313
So we did a letter campaign[br]to a lot of Black organizations

0:02:30.313,0:02:33.613
and Black leaders at the time

0:02:33.613,0:02:43.347
asking why there was no[br]Black disabled people on TV or anywhere.

0:02:43.347,0:02:51.048
So that was the first time[br]that I, you know, put it on my shoulders

0:02:51.048,0:02:56.171
and challenged the system.

0:02:56.171,0:03:07.048
So the other time when I realized[br]that there was a lack of accessibility

0:03:07.048,0:03:19.419
is when I was attending my father's[br]activist meetings in the early '80s,

0:03:19.419,0:03:23.362
and they were talking[br]about police brutality

0:03:23.362,0:03:28.382
and other stuff that happens[br]to Black community.

0:03:28.382,0:03:37.142
And when I left that meeting,[br]I was approached by a disabled group

0:03:37.142,0:03:44.415
that wanted me to join their group to[br]talk about, to advocate about curb cuts.

0:03:44.415,0:03:51.792
And I asked them, "Well, you know,[br]I just left a meeting with my father,

0:03:51.792,0:03:54.949
"and they were talking[br]about police brutality,

0:03:54.949,0:03:59.227
"and a lot of Black disabled people[br]can't enjoy the curb cuts.

0:03:59.227,0:04:04.661
"They can't go outside, because[br]they're getting shot by the police."

0:04:04.661,0:04:08.464
And the group said,[br]"Well, we can't deal with that.

0:04:08.464,0:04:11.363
"We're dealing with curb cuts."

0:04:11.363,0:04:14.128
So that's when I really found out, like,

0:04:14.128,0:04:22.179
wow, this is two different worlds[br]and two different issues.

0:04:22.179,0:04:29.428
So that's the first time that I[br]found out there's, you know, difference.

0:04:29.428,0:04:36.536
And with the ADA, you know,[br]when the ADA was signed

0:04:36.536,0:04:38.930
and that picture was everywhere,

0:04:38.930,0:04:43.045
once again, I looked at the picture[br]and I was like,

0:04:43.045,0:04:46.566
"Huh. Nobody looks like me."

0:04:46.566,0:04:53.869
And back in the late '90s,

0:04:53.869,0:05:00.766
I had an organization called Disability[br]Advocates of Minorities Organization,

0:05:00.766,0:05:07.197
and we had tons of copies[br]of the cover of the ADA,

0:05:07.197,0:05:16.287
and we put on the top of the ADA[br]who is, what is missing from this picture.

0:05:16.287,0:05:23.069
And, of course, we all knew the answer[br]is people of color,

0:05:23.069,0:05:32.592
so, you know, that was the first statement[br]that I made about the ADA.

0:05:32.592,0:05:40.695
You know, it was like where is[br]people of color in the picture of the ADA?

0:05:43.882,0:05:47.006
- [Interviewer] Yay![br]Beautiful, thank you.

0:05:47.006,0:05:49.450
- [Leroy] Yeah.

0:05:49.450,0:05:50.933
- [Interviewer] The present.

0:05:50.933,0:05:54.062
Has the ADA made a difference?

0:05:54.062,0:05:57.758
Tell us about your a-ha moment[br]that told you that the ADA

0:05:57.758,0:06:00.733
is or is not making a difference.

0:06:00.733,0:06:07.331
And to what extent, based on your passions[br]and areas of expertise, where do you see

0:06:07.331,0:06:11.999
or not see the impact of the ADA?

0:06:16.253,0:06:21.075
- [Leroy] So, yeah, of course the ADA[br]has made a difference in society,

0:06:21.075,0:06:24.742
in, you know, the global society.

0:06:24.742,0:06:32.209
You know, you can see it with[br]accessibility in public places.

0:06:32.209,0:06:39.272
You can see it in communication, you know,

0:06:39.272,0:06:48.761
especially during these social network[br]life that we're living in

0:06:48.761,0:06:51.960
with Google and Twitter, you know,

0:06:51.960,0:06:59.234
all of them are making their products[br]more accessible, so that's good.

0:06:59.234,0:07:02.507
You know, we see a little-

0:07:02.507,0:07:09.120
We're in the airlines a lot,[br]but, you know, yes, we see it.

0:07:09.120,0:07:12.445
And the place that it needs more growth

0:07:12.445,0:07:17.824
is, of course, people of color, you know,

0:07:17.824,0:07:24.147
people that are poor,[br]people that are "immigrants."

0:07:24.147,0:07:30.580
And they still, the ADA do not reach them,

0:07:30.580,0:07:37.542
and that's why my organization[br]in the '90s and early 2000s

0:07:37.542,0:07:41.004
had the Other Side Rally.

0:07:41.004,0:07:44.659
It was the other side of the ADA,

0:07:44.659,0:07:55.130
to give the voices of communities[br]that hadn't felt the good of the ADA.

0:07:55.130,0:07:59.310
So yeah, it needs a lot of work,

0:07:59.310,0:08:05.984
especially when it comes to our cities,[br]our inner cities.

0:08:05.984,0:08:08.846
You know, I live in Berkeley.

0:08:08.846,0:08:16.451
Berkeley's like a utopia place[br]for people with disabilities.

0:08:16.451,0:08:21.860
You know, you see curb cuts,[br]we've got the Ed Roberts building.

0:08:21.860,0:08:35.254
But if you go to East Oakland, you know,[br]there's only a handful of curb cuts.

0:08:35.254,0:08:43.115
The roads are still bumpy;[br]stores are still small.

0:08:43.115,0:08:49.017
So you can see the difference[br]between communities.

0:08:49.017,0:08:53.091
And so that needs to change.

0:08:53.091,0:09:00.011
Of course, the high unemployment rate[br]of people with disabilities

0:09:00.011,0:09:03.460
hasn't changed since the '80s.

0:09:03.460,0:09:08.810
Talking about Black[br]and brown disabled people,

0:09:08.810,0:09:14.374
it's still a high 90% unemployment rate.

0:09:14.374,0:09:18.032
So that still hasn't changed.

0:09:18.032,0:09:20.911
And I can go on and on, but yeah.

0:09:20.911,0:09:30.318
There needs to be more push of the ADA[br]in certain communities.

0:09:30.318,0:09:36.285
And also I think our leadership[br]more actually needs to change.

0:09:36.285,0:09:42.094
Not only the president, but our[br]disabled lobbyists needs to change.

0:09:42.094,0:09:46.116
We need more young people[br]with disabilities

0:09:46.116,0:09:53.451
taking over the leadership[br]who won't compromise,

0:09:53.451,0:09:58.251
because I think that's one[br]of the biggest things that we lose

0:09:58.251,0:10:02.511
is that, when we compromise,[br]we look back and it's like,

0:10:02.511,0:10:06.679
"Oh my God, we didn't get nothing[br]for that compromise."

0:10:06.679,0:10:15.665
So I think we need more leaders[br]that don't compromise.

0:10:17.861,0:10:22.789
- [Interviewer] Well said, Leroy.[br]You're doing great, thank you.

0:10:22.789,0:10:28.603
For the future, and you may have already[br]covered what you want of this,

0:10:28.603,0:10:30.478
but you can just listen,

0:10:30.478,0:10:33.464
and if there's more you want to say,[br]then go for it.

0:10:33.464,0:10:35.681
With the work you've been doing,

0:10:35.681,0:10:39.529
you've seen a lot[br]in terms of progress and barriers.

0:10:39.529,0:10:42.618
If you could pick one thing to change[br]or that needs to occur

0:10:42.618,0:10:46.789
to have access and equality present[br]in the lives of people with disabilities,

0:10:46.789,0:10:48.938
what would that be?

0:10:54.031,0:10:57.833
- [Leroy] I think people with disabilities[br]in key roles.

0:10:57.833,0:11:01.817
I think we need a disabled president.

0:11:01.817,0:11:07.129
You know, in key roles,[br]we need disabled people in the media.

0:11:07.129,0:11:16.476
We need disabled people in the DOJ,[br]the Department of Justice.

0:11:16.476,0:11:20.170
The DOJ enforces the law,

0:11:20.170,0:11:27.686
so we need strong people[br]that will enforce the laws.

0:11:27.686,0:11:34.195
We need more disabled people[br]in all kinds of areas.

0:11:34.195,0:11:42.912
Education, mental health, legislators,

0:11:42.912,0:11:52.649
people that are passing budgets, you know.[br]Yeah.

0:11:53.589,0:11:55.160
- [Interviewer] Thank you, Leroy.

0:11:55.160,0:11:58.925
And for the call to action,

0:11:58.925,0:12:03.916
what steps can we[br]as community members take right now?

0:12:04.898,0:12:12.789
- [Leroy] Well, right now it's hard,[br]because of this COVID-19.

0:12:12.789,0:12:16.924
Right now, people need to be safe,

0:12:16.924,0:12:23.636
you know, that's basically, from COVID-19.

0:12:23.636,0:12:26.702
Really think of what they're doing,

0:12:26.702,0:12:31.683
really think, you know,[br]if it's necessary to go outside,

0:12:31.683,0:12:33.805
if it's necessary to protest.

0:12:33.805,0:12:40.265
Yeah, we definitely need to think[br]what's really necessary

0:12:40.265,0:12:45.026
and what's not necessary.

0:12:45.026,0:12:50.413
So I think, at this time,[br]we can't think of anything else,

0:12:50.413,0:12:54.583
because it's life or death, you know?

0:12:54.583,0:12:57.647
The media is talking about the elections,

0:12:57.647,0:13:04.965
talking about other things,[br]but, if we don't live,

0:13:04.965,0:13:08.841
then we can't enjoy[br]anything on this Earth.

0:13:08.841,0:13:15.617
So I think people really[br]to take serious on this COVID.

0:13:15.617,0:13:22.769
Because t's not over,[br]and that includes about all the services

0:13:22.769,0:13:31.636
and the laws and the lifestyles[br]of people with disabilities.

0:13:31.636,0:13:37.110
So, yeah, that's on my plate.

0:13:37.110,0:13:39.517
The only thing that's[br]on my plate right now.

0:13:39.517,0:13:42.104
It's, you know, trying to stay safe

0:13:42.104,0:13:47.905
and trying to stay in contact[br]with people with disabilities.

0:13:51.107,0:13:53.923
- [Interviewer] Very nice, Leroy.[br]Very nice.

0:13:53.923,0:13:59.264
Is there anything else that you want[br]to say that you didn't say?

0:14:01.957,0:14:06.494
- [Leroy] I think also there needs to be

0:14:06.494,0:14:13.027
more mentorship[br]for young disabled people coming up.

0:14:13.027,0:14:19.511
And mentorship in the public domain,

0:14:19.511,0:14:25.128
not only in the disability community,[br]but in the community wide open

0:14:25.128,0:14:29.578
so people know about about it[br]in other communities.

0:14:29.578,0:14:41.344
That and I also think that, going back[br]to Black and brown disabled communities,

0:14:41.344,0:14:48.447
there needs to be a national campaign,[br]national awareness campaign,

0:14:48.447,0:14:52.192
for the Black and brown community[br]around disability,

0:14:52.192,0:14:56.368
because we do not get it through the ADA.

0:14:56.368,0:14:59.358
We do not get it through 504.

0:14:59.358,0:15:11.326
And, because of that, our communities[br]are slowly becoming not important

0:15:11.326,0:15:15.678
for Black and brown disabled people.

0:15:15.678,0:15:21.088
We have to leave our communities[br]to get services.

0:15:21.088,0:15:27.636
We have to leave our communities[br]just to be recognized as disabled people.

0:15:27.636,0:15:32.819
So I think there needs to be[br]a national campaign

0:15:32.819,0:15:35.798
in the Black and brown communities

0:15:35.798,0:15:41.067
so disabled people can return home

0:15:41.067,0:15:45.788
and really educate our[br]Black and brown communities.

0:15:45.788,0:15:57.051
And what I call "Black ableism"[br]is one thing that is a roadblock

0:15:57.051,0:16:03.943
for a lot of Black and brown disabled[br]activists that want to come back home

0:16:03.943,0:16:05.817
and work in our communities.

0:16:05.817,0:16:16.504
So we need a national campaign[br]so we can get rid of the Black ableism.

0:16:19.852,0:16:24.122
- [Interviewer] Awesome, Leroy.[br]Awesome.

0:16:24.289,0:16:29.577
I appreciate you taking your time out[br]to just share your thoughts,

0:16:29.577,0:16:34.309
and I think this is gonna be eye-opening[br]for a lot of people.

0:16:34.309,0:16:36.252
I love it, thank you.

0:16:36.252,0:16:39.515
- [Leroy] Yeah![br]So when is this gonna go up?

0:16:39.515,0:16:40.490
- [Interviewer] So let me-