A Message from Theo Braddy: The Revolution is Now
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This is Theo Braddy, Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living, bringing you my latest message. It’s been a minute, but I believe you know why. This message I am calling “The Revolution is Now”.
Why does this year’s IL Conference hit me differently, and why does it matter? Good question. I am glad you asked.
A 20th-century philosopher once said that true change begins in the present moment, not in some distant future. “Transformation can only take place immediately; the revolution is now, not tomorrow.” That urgency is at the heart of this year’s Independent Living Conference.
This moment demands action — not later, not someday — but now.
That is why this conference hits differently. That is why it matters.
Recently, I sat in a room where each person was asked to speak about the current political climate and the threats we’re facing under the new administration. You could see it in people’s eyes — the weight of fear, frustration, and fatigue. When it was my turn to speak, I reflected on something I’ve said before:
When I first came to NCIL, I talked about the “one big thing” — the pivotal issue that would push the disability community and our allies to unite and rise together. In the past, it was the ADA. Then it was the fight to protect the Affordable Care Act. Later, it was the battle to save Medicaid.
I said we were waiting for that next, one big thing to bring us all together again.
I never imagined that the “one big thing” would be Donald Trump and the wave of dangerous, regressive policies his administration unleashed upon us. But here we are. His attacks have done what few others could: they have galvanized us. They have forced people to come together, to organize, to speak up, and to fight back with what I hope to soon be one unified voice.
That’s why this conference is not business as usual.
This year’s Independent Living Conference is not just a gathering — it’s a mobilization.
The IL Movement has always been about disrupting that status quo. This year, we’re turning up the volume.
This is a rallying cry for everyone who believes in freedom, dignity, and justice.
We are not waiting.
We are not asking.
We are not just sitting around.
We are reclaiming our power.
The theme for this year’s conference is Level Up: Building Tomorrow Together. It will be July 21 – 24 in Washington, DC. For more details, visit ncil.org/2025-conference.
Join us. Be part of the change. The Revolution is Now.
This is Theo Braddy. Executive Director of NCIL. Until next time, be well.
Theo Braddy
Executive Director
National Council on Independent Living
About NCIL
NCIL is the longest-running national cross-disability grassroots organization, driven by and dedicated to people with disabilities. Since its founding in 1982, NCIL has represented thousands of organizations and individuals, advocating tirelessly for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities across the United States.
