In this episode of The Independent, host Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Nathan Varni, EVP of Drama Development and Current Programming at ABC and Hulu, to explore the power of storytelling and why authentic disability representation matters in Hollywood.

Nathan has spent more than two decades shaping television at the network level — from How I Met Your Mother to Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, General Hospital, and Will Trent. Blind in his left eye since childhood, he spent years staying quiet about his own disability in an industry that rarely portrayed disabled characters as anything more than a punchline, and now uses his role overseeing drama development across ABC and Hulu to push writers and producers toward more honest, organic representation.

This conversation explores:

• Nathan's journey from a 13-year-old in a sitcom studio audience to EVP of Drama Development at ABC and Hulu, and the lucky breaks and mentors along the way
• The difference between authentic and performative disability representation, and why disabled characters have so often been written as the easiest punchline in the room
• How Disney uses Disability Belongs to consult with writers across ABC, Hulu, FX, Freeform, and National Geographic, and what real collaboration with creative teams looks like in practice
• What's next for disability representation on screen, from Being Human — the upcoming film on CIL's origin story — to Victor and Nathan's own pitch for a sitcom set inside an independent living center
• A community shout-out to Disability Belongs, and Nathan's advice for aspiring disabled storytellers and executives

Together, Victor and Nathan discuss what it takes to move Hollywood from stereotypes and punchlines toward stories where disabled characters are simply, authentically, part of the world.

Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of inclusive communities.

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In this episode of The Independent, host Dr. Victor Pineda sits down with Leroy F. Moore Jr., poet, writer, and founder of Krip-Hop Nation, to explore the poetics of liberation and the future of disability justice in music, media, and the arts.

Leroy has spent decades building spaces where disabled artists — and especially disabled Black and brown creators — are seen, heard, and centered. As founder of Krip-Hop Nation and co-founder of Sins Invalid, he has reshaped how disability, race, sexuality, and art intersect in cultural and political life.

This conversation explores:

• How poetry and hip-hop became Leroy's mediums for justice, and the moments that shaped his voice as a Black disabled artist
• The founding and growth of Krip-Hop Nation, and what's changed — and what still hasn't — for disabled musicians globally
• How Sins Invalid shifted the cultural conversation around disability, sexuality, and beauty, and what real cross-movement solidarity looks like in practice
• What's at stake right now for disabled artists and organizers in media and cultural institutions, and how to counter ableism in the music and arts industries
• A practical resource listeners can use, and who Leroy wants to uplift in the movement

Together, Victor and Leroy discuss what it takes to build a culture where disabled artists don't just survive — they thrive.

Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of inclusive communities.

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Donate today at https://thecil.org/donate/

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Sian Heder, director of Being Heumann, joins Dr. Victor Pineda to explore the power of storytelling in preserving disability history and advancing disability justice.

Inspired by the life of Judy Heumann — one of the most influential leaders of the disability rights movement and a mentor to Dr. Pineda — Being Heumann brings to life the activists whose courage transformed civil rights history. Sian reflects on the responsibility of telling this story, collaborating with disabled creatives, and bringing authenticity to the screen, along with the lasting legacy of the 504 Sit-In and the Independent Living Movement.

Together, Victor and Sian discuss how film can preserve history, elevate disabled voices, and strengthen the movement for a more accessible and inclusive future.

Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of inclusive communities.

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Photo courtesy of Apple.

Mayor Adena Ishii of Berkeley — the birthplace of the independent living movement — joins Dr. Victor Pineda to explore what it means to lead a city through the lens of disability justice, belonging, and community care.

Mayor Ishii reflects on her journey into public service, the values that shape her leadership, and how Berkeley's legacy of activism continues to inform its future. Together, they discuss what belonging means in city governance, the challenges disabled residents face amid housing, economic, and climate crises, how disability justice intersects with housing, racial, and climate justice, and what it takes for cities to become more responsive, accessible, and accountable.

Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of inclusive communities.

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Jonathan Kaufman — founder of J Kaufman Consulting, licensed psychotherapist, executive coach, and thought leader at the intersection of leadership and disability inclusion — joins Dr. Victor Pineda for a conversation that reframes disability not as a limitation, but as a lens for innovation, strategy, and belonging.

Born with cerebral palsy, Jonathan brings a perspective that bridges personal experience with business insight, helping organizations move beyond compliance toward meaningful culture change. Together, they explore how disability shapes identity and leadership, the concept of "Accessibility Intelligence" and why inclusion must go beyond checklists, how organizations can rethink culture and psychological safety, and why interdependence and community are essential to building resilient systems and workplaces.

Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of access.

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Vilissa Thompson — disability justice advocate, writer, and founder of Ramp Your Voice! — joins Dr. Victor Pineda for a candid conversation on intersectionality, identity, and power.

With her signature clarity and conviction, Vilissa shares the experiences that shaped her work: navigating the world as a Black disabled woman, challenging systems that overlook marginalized voices, and creating space where intersectionality is the foundation, not an afterthought. She reflects on the origins of #DisabilityTooWhite, the impact it sparked, and the ongoing work to transform representation, policy, and power.

Together, they explore how lived experience fuels advocacy, what it means to center those most often excluded, and why movements for justice must reckon with race, gender, and disability together.

This thoughtful, energizing conversation continues the mission of The Independent: elevating voices with lived expertise, honoring resilience, and building a deeper sense of belonging across our communities.

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Scot Danforth, author of An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights (University of California Press), joins Dr. Victor Pineda to explore who Ed Roberts really was, beyond the history most people know.

Ed Roberts helped ignite the independent living movement — from organizing with the Rolling Quads at UC Berkeley to founding the first Center for Independent Living. Scot and Victor trace his journey from polio survivor to movement architect, the birth of peer-led independent living services, how grassroots activism shaped milestones like the 504 Sit-Ins and the ADA, and why independence is rooted in self-determination — and sustained through interdependence.

An Independent Man offers a powerful, human portrait of how a movement grows — and how leadership grounded in community can reshape policy and culture.

Subscribe to The Independent, produced by the Center for Independent Living (CIL), for more conversations on disability justice, leadership, and the future of access.

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Keri Gray — cross-movement strategist, speaker, and advocate whose work sits at the vital intersections of disability, race, gender, and justice — joins Dr. Victor Pineda for a candid, bold conversation on identity and movement power.

With honesty and depth, Keri reflects on how her lived experience as a Black disabled woman, cancer survivor, and movement leader has shaped her understanding of advocacy and belonging, and why those most marginalized must be centered in the disability movement's future.

Together, Victor and Keri explore the current moment for disability justice — political rollbacks, economic precarity, and growing threats to equity — and what it truly means to move from compliance-based inclusion toward transformative justice, through leadership pipelines, trust networks, and sustained cross-community solidarity.

This episode continues the mission of The Independent: uplifting intersectional lived expertise, honoring movement power, and spotlighting the leaders building a more just and liberated world.

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Andy Imparato — CEO of Disability Rights California and a nationally respected disability rights leader — joins Dr. Victor Pineda for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, policy, and the long arc of change.

With clarity and conviction, Andy reflects on what first drew him into disability rights work and what has sustained him through decades of advocacy. He shares how listening to disabled people with lived experience shaped his leadership, how Disability Rights California became a vehicle for systemic change, and why persistence — even in the face of resistance — remains essential to progress.

Together, Victor and Andy explore the current moment for disability rights, unpacking the challenges and opportunities emerging across politics, culture, and public policy, and what meaningful reform could look like if disabled people are truly centered in decision-making.

This episode continues the mission of The Independent: uplifting lived expertise, honoring movement history, and spotlighting the leaders and ideas building a more inclusive world.

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If you believe in disability justice, community power, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work.
Donate: https://thecil.org/donate/

Rep. Lateefah Simon — civil rights advocate, community organizer, and longtime Bay Area leader — joins Dr. Victor Pineda in the debut episode of The Independent, a disability justice podcast from the Center for Independent Living.

With her signature honesty and warmth, Lateefah shares the experiences that shaped her journey: growing up in the Bay Area, stepping into leadership at a young age, and learning to navigate systems not built with everyone in mind. Together, they explore what it means to lead with integrity, the mentors who pushed her forward, and why community power remains her driving force.

This intimate, inspiring conversation sets the tone for The Independent: elevating voices with lived expertise, honoring resilience, and centering stories that often go untold.

Support Our Work
If you believe in disability justice, community empowerment, and the stories we uplift on The Independent, please consider supporting our work.
Donate: https://thecil.org/donate/