Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
Bob Kafka’s death at 79 is a loss precisely because his life centered rights over charity. A Vietnam veteran with a disability, he organized with ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today), insisting that public life be accessible and using direct action at protests to challenge exclusion named in the article.
After paralysis from a 1973 car crash, Kafka and his wife, Stephanie Thomas, prioritized dignity and practical support for People with Disabilities — from helping someone tie shoes or eat to guiding people through new lives — proving that independence and belonging are rights that community systems must enable.
Friends remembered Kafka as a “policy wonk” who could leave a march and then negotiate with federal officials, showing that change comes from grassroots power and rules that stick. That sustained Advocacy turns access from a favor into enforceable practice for People with Disabilities.
He also pushed culture to shift: too many hear “disability” and think deficit. By claiming identity and pride, Kafka countered negative rhetoric toward People with Disabilities that feeds exclusion. Community Builders can honor him by organizing locally to remove barriers in housing, transit, and services — and by building spaces where disabled identity is welcomed as strength.
Read the Full Article: Disability rights advocate Bob Kafka dead at 79.
By: Alana Wise
