Our History

 

For nearly four decades, Access Living has impacted the lives of thousands with disabilities

In 1980, Access Living brought the independent living movement to Illinois when our organization was founded as part of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) – now the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. We remained a department within the RIC until 1987 when we became an independent nonprofit. With early support from the RIC, we took on the challenge of removing the obstacles that stood in the way of people with disabilities in Chicago.

By the mid-1980’s, Access Living was a vocal advocate at the forefront of local and national change. Our staff played key roles in many disability-related improvements that took place in Chicago and across the country.

A black and white photo of disability rights activist Marca Bristo in a meeting with Mayor Richard Daley and Maggie Daley.
Access Living’s Marca Bristo talks with Mayor Richard Daley and Maggie Daley.

Nationally, we focused on housing and civil rights

We developed an innovative fair housing testing program, designed to identify barriers against people with disabilities in the housing sales and rentals. This program, as well as our youth program, have served as models for the development of similar programs throughout the country.

Marca Bristo and Justin Dart leading a candlelight vigil outside the White House in the 1980s.
In 1989, Marca Bristo and Justin Dart led a march for the ADA to the White House that resulted in a meeting with the Bush administration.

In our 40 years, Access Living has made unparalleled contributions to pursue greater opportunities for all, empowering Americans with disabilities to work, innovate, and thrive. Our commitment remains as strong as ever.