vimeo.com/.../436582706

- [Interviewer] Now, do you see
the record button in the corner?

Up in the corner it should say
"Recording," and so-

- [Leroy] Yep.

- [Interviewer] Okay, cool.
And then I'm gonna mute myself

while you introduce yourself.

You're going to tap on the table
or make a noise before you start.

- [Leroy] Okay.

Hello, my name is Leroy Franklin Moore, Jr.

and I live in Berkeley, California.

I am an author, activist, founder
of many organizations,

founder of Krip Hop Music with a K, too.

Back in the day, I had a nonprofit called

Disability Advocates
of Minorities Organization,

and I also helped to start
what's called Sins Invalid.

I'm a journalist with POOR Magazine,

and yeah, just an activist and a writer
of many books.

The latest book is Black Disabled Ancestors.

And I'm also a lecturer
on college campuses.

- [Interviewer] Alright, Leroy, thank you.

Okay, so the first question is
tell of your first memory realizing

that there were accessibility issues,
discrimination, or lack of inclusion.

What is your personal story or connection
to the Americans with Disabilities Act?

What do you remember about the day
that it was signed, if applicable,

and what was the impact on you
and on others?

- [Leroy] So the first example that
I realized that there was discrimination

was back in the early '80s
when me and two other Black disabled boys

decided to a letter campaign,

and this was before computers
so we had to write.

So we did a letter campaign
to a lot of Black organizations

and Black theatres at the time

asking why there was no
Black disabled people on TV or anywhere.

So that was the first time
that I, you know, put it on my shoulders

and challenged the system.

So the other time when I realized
that there was a lack of accessibility

is when I was attending my father's
activist meetings in the early '80s,

and they were talking
about police brutality

and other stuff that happens
to Black community.

And when I left that meeting,
I was approached by a disabled group

that wanted me to join their group to
talk about, to advocate about curb cuts.

And I asked them, "Well, you know,
I just left a meeting with my father,

"and they were talking
about police brutality,

"and a lot of Black disabled people
can't enjoy the curb cuts.

"They can't go outside, because
they're getting shot by the police."

And then the group said,
"Well, we can't deal with that.

"We're dealing with curb cuts."

So that's when I really found out, like,

wow, this is two different worlds
and two different issues.

So that's the first time that I
found out there's, you know, difference.

And with the ADA, you know,
when the ADA was signed

and that picture was everywhere,

once again, I looked at the picture
and I was like,

"Huh. Nobody looks like me."

And back in the late '90s,

I had an organization called Disability
Advocates of Minorities Organization,

and we had tons of copies
of the cover of the ADA,

and we put on the top of the ADA
who is, what is missing from this picture.

And, of course, we all knew the answer
is people of color,

so, you know, that was the first statement
that I made about the ADA.

You know, it was like where is
people of color in the picture of the ADA?

- [Interviewer] Yay!
Beautiful, thank you.

- [Leroy] Yeah.

- [Interviewer] The present.

Has the ADA made a difference?

Tell us about your a-ha moment
that told you that the ADA

is or is not making a difference.

And to what extent, based on your passions
and areas of expertise, where do you see

or not see the impact of the ADA?

- [Leroy] So, yeah, of course the ADA
has made a difference in society,

in, you know, the global society.

You know, you can see it with
accessibility in public places.

You can see it in communication, you know,

especially during these social network
life we're living in

with Google and Twitter, you know,

all are making their products
more accessible, so that's good.

You know, we see a little-

We're in the airlines a lot,
but, you know, yes, we see it.

And the place that it needs more growth

is, of course, people of color