On January 23, 2017, the Google homepage was dedicated to Ed Roberts. As I went to Google to search something for school I realized I had absolutely no idea who this guy was. I figured he must've been pretty important to have received a Google page dedicated to him. So, I began to research Roberts and found he lived a very influential life and was a serious disability rights activist. Robert's work changed the community of those living with disabilities. His life truly had a last impact on the world.
Edward Verne Roberts was born on January 23, 1939, in California. When Roberts was fourteen years old he was diagnosed with polio and became paralyzed from the neck down. When he became paralyzed, Roberts did anything but give up. He attended high school by phone and attended school his senior year. Roberts faced a series of difficulties while he tried to live as normal of a lifestyle as possible. His high school refused to give him a diploma for graduation because he had not completed drivers education and physical education. After a petition, Roberts was granted a diploma.
Following his high school career, Roberts attended a two-year college before applying to University of California at Berkeley. The university was unaware of his condition when they chose to admit him. The college argued that Roberts' iron lung would not fit in a dormitory and refused to let him on the grounds. Roberts worked hard at Berkeley to form the Physically Disabled Students Program. This program was headed by physically disabled students and served to help benefit the physically disabled students of Berkeley. Roberts was very successful and used leadership skills to develop this program for a cause he was passionate about.
After his time at Berkeley in 1976, Ed Roberts became the director of the California Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. This is the same organization that fourteen years earlier had decided Ed was too disabled to hold a job. Ed Roberts worked hard at this job to create more independent living centers locally and nationally. Roberts' work served to benefit the people of California and the United States greatly.
Edward Roberts dedicated his life to a cause that he was very passionate about. Despite difficulty and medical opinions, Roberts persevered and really contributed to our nation. He never took the easy way out or accepted defeat, but continued to pursue his dreams. Edward Roberts should be an example to all of how to overcome hardship and persevere.
