SENATOR HANCOCK TO GATHER WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT UC BERKELEY FOR OBSERVANCE OF STATEWIDE “ED ROBERTS DAY” CELEBRATIONS

In 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill by Senator Loni Hancock proclaiming January 23rd of each year as Ed Roberts Day. In 2011, Ed Roberts was inducted into the California Hall of Fame, nominated by Governor Jerry Brown.

For the countless number of disabled people throughout the world, he is the symbol and embodiment of a movement for social justice, equality, inclusion and independence – and is often referred to as the father of the disability rights movement.

From being the first severely physically disabled student to attend UC Berkeley, establishing the Berkeley Disabled Students Program and Residents Program, founding the very first Center for Independent Living - which has been the model for others around the state, nation and world - to serving as Director for the CA Department of Rehabilitation for ten years and founding the World Institute on Disability, his lasting contributions to this state and to the independent living movement are undeniable.

WHAT:     More than 100 Bay Area disabled high school students will converge on UC Berkeley to celebrate “Ed Roberts Day” and learn about opportunities for students with disabilities.                                           

WHEN:       Monday, January 23, 2012, 11 a.m.

                     11:15 – Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland) speaks

     11:20 – Zona Roberts (Ed Roberts mother) speaks

WHERE:  Alumni House on the UC Berkeley Campus (next to Haas Pavilion, behind Zellerbach Hall)

WHO:      --more than 100 disabled local high school students

                --disabled UC Berkeley students

                --Senator Loni Hancock, author of the “Ed Roberts Day” bill

                --Zona Roberts, mother of Ed Roberts

                --UC Berkeley faculty and administrators