This month, FREED is celebrating our 40th anniversary. We were founded in 1985 through the efforts of people with disabilities in Nevada County and the Nevada County Committee on the Disabled. This was a natural outgrowth of the Independent Living Movement, which grew out of Berkeley in the 1970s. FREED was one of California’s first rural independent living centers.

To celebrate our 40th anniversary, we’re hosting a fun-filled night of music and storytelling at the Gold Miners Inn in downtown Grass Valley on Saturday, September 27, from 5 to 9 p.m.. More about that event later in the show. But today, we’re joined by a very special roundtable of guests. Tony Sauer was the Executive Director of FREED from 1995 to 2001. He went on to be the Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation.

Ana Acton is also with us. Ana started at FREED in 2004 as the Disability Community Advocate and then was Executive Director of FREED for 11 years. She then went on to lead the Independent Living division at the California Department of Rehabilitation. She’s now with the California Department of Aging. Our Co-host Carl Sigmond spoke with Tony and Ana on Monday.

As we head into fire season here in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of Northern California, we decided to check back in with Brian Snyder, FREED’s own Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Brian supports people with disabilities to develop plans for what they will do during wildfires and other widespread emergencies. In addition, Brian runs FREED’s program that supports people who have life-sustaining medical devices - such as power wheelchairs or oxygen machines - during public safety power shut-off events and other natural disasters.

[Editor's Note: We aired this show on July 9, 2025 as a rebroadcast of our August 2020 show. One of our guests was Mark Fenicle, the Chair of FREED's Board of Directors. We are sad to share the news that Mark passed away on August 1, 2025. The following is a statement from FREED's Executive Director, Carly Pacheco: "Mark has been involved in Independent Living since his college days. He was a steadfast leader, passionate advocate, and dear friend to FREED. His dedication to our mission and our community was unwavering, and I will certainly miss his council and support both personally and for the organization. Mark knew the value of our work and reminded us regularly where we come from, both with critical direction and reminders, as well as hilarious stories from 'the good old days.'”]

In this episode of Disability Rap, we are looking back to 2020 and the 30th anniversary of the ADA. We assembled a panel of guests from across town and across the country who joined us remotely in studio for a live radio show. The discussion was so remarkable, we are bringing you the highlights to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ADA.

Our guests were FREED founding member Geeta Dardick, FREED board chair Mark Fenicle, Eddie Ytuarte from Pushing Limits Radio Collective and Ami Hyten who is now the director of the Lois Curtis Center in Topeka Kansas.

Reflecting on what life was like in the days before the ADA, and the struggles that brought the law to fruition, our guests shared both personal experiences and the historical reflections that place this important legislation in context. Their hopes for the current struggles and future of disability justice are as relevant now as they were five years ago.