Jordan Hall, the Mobility coordinator for the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, has personally encountered obstacles to mobility and transportation as a person who uses a motor wheelchair. She discusses with us her path to this position of mobility coordinator at SILCGA, and how being hired was an introduction to the resources provided by Centers for Independent Living, which she had spent her life living without. She also explains why sharing her experiences and listening to the experiences of others with disabilities have been some of her greatest assets in fostering change. To close, she shares with us the biggest obstacle that she is trying to address in terms of mobility for Georgians with disabilities.

Dana Lloyd, an advocate with the Georgia Advocacy Office, shares her journey into the vital civil rights work of advocating for people with disabilities. From her early days of providing direct support to her current role as a Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (PADD) advocate, Dana discusses the evolution of mindsets about the disability community and how these attitudes influence societal treatment of people with disabilities. She provides an overview of PADD and the Georgia Advocacy Office's role. We also discuss current advocacy issues her office is addressing.

Jimmy Peterson is the Executive Director of the Georgia Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and he is also a person who is deaf himself. We discuss the advocacy and services they provide to Georgians and how translation is the number one need for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Additionally, he shares insights on what people with hearing should know about communicating with deaf individuals. The GCDHH also facilitates and participates in various festivals and live events, such as DEAFest, a biannual event that provides opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing people to network and share their businesses, art, and performances. Hearing people are invited to gain an immersive experience of deaf culture. In this interview, we also explore some nuances of American Sign Language (ASL) and the national need for more interpreters. This interview was conducted through an interpreter.

In this episode, we dive into the journey of Garrick Scott, the Executive Director of Multiple Choices in Athens, Georgia. Born with retinitis pigmentosa, Scott shares how his vision loss led him to become a passionate advocate for the disability community. Through initiatives like accessible transportation and community-building events, Multiple Choices under Scott's leadership, is innovating ways to enhance accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Join us as we explore how Garrick Scott and Multiple Choices are making Georgia a more inclusive place for everyone.

Living Independence for Everyone, the Savannah-based CIL serving Coastal Georgia, is growing strong. They’re making new hires, building new inroads into the community and practicing truly active listening with their consumers.

We spoke with three of their staff, Executive Director Neil Ligon, Associate Director Angel Denardi, and Students for LIFE coordinator Maggie Meade, about the work they’re doing and the results they’re seeing at LIFE.

The Georgia Advocacy Office is a key player in the fight for independent living. They lead accessibility and advocacy initiatives, take on cases, and spearhead investigations into disability rights issues. We sat down with Cheri Mitchell, a GAO advocate specializing in housing, to talk about her 18-year career, her philosophy, and her organization’s work toward making life in Georgia better for all of us.

For many of our episodes of Accessibility Now, we've consulted the expertise of SILCGA's executive director Shelly Simmons.

Finally, we've spoken with Shelly about her own story — from California to Georgia, from TV commercial production to disability advocacy — as part of our new segment, States of Accessibility, that will profile the directors of SILCs in each state.

Phoenix Station, a new affordable housing project by LDG, will be an apartment complex in Decatur, just outside downtown Atlanta. It's on track for completion in 2024, with applications opening December 2023.

Unlike most affordable housing, 30% of its units will be mobility-accessible, and all units will have the "bones" for easy conversion for accessibility needs.

We talked to Shelly Simmons, SILCGA executive director, and Chris Byrd, LDG director of development in the Southeast, about the collaboration that informed the build philosophy of Phoenix Station.