25 Years Ago, Lillibeth Navarro Had a Vision.

Twenty-five years ago, disability rights activist Lillibeth Navarro founded Communities Actively Living Independent & Free (CALIF) around a powerful belief:

Disabled people should have the freedom, resources, choices, and power to direct our own lives.

Lillibeth knew that fight personally. A wheelchair user and longtime disability rights organizer, she fought for accessible transportation, personal assistance services, community living, and the civil rights of people with disabilities.

Before she passed away, I made a commitment to Lillibeth and her family: we would keep that work moving forward.

Today, I'm asking you to help us do exactly that.

— Keith Miller, Executive Director

CALIF Staff with the Navarro Family 09/28/2026

What Now?

Today, CALIF helps disabled Angelenos navigate the real-world barriers that can determine whether someone is able to live independently in their community.

Our team provides:

Housing advocacy and support for community living
Benefits advocacy including IHSS, Medi-Cal, Medicare and Social Security
Independent living skills and peer support
Assistive technology and durable medical equipment resources
Employment and education support
Information and referral
Accessible transportation advocacy
Systems-change and disability-rights advocacy

And sometimes, as one of our consumers explained, "CALIF is simply a safe place where someone with a disability knows they will be heard."

Why We're Asking Now

The landscape around CALIF is changing.

Government grants and traditional funding sources are increasingly competitive and uncertain, while the need for independent living services, advocacy, and community support continues.

That's why, during our 25th anniversary year, we're working to build something equally important for CALIF's future:

A stronger community of people willing to invest in independent living.

Our goal is to raise at least 25,000 through the CALIF 25th Anniversary Campaign.

These are flexible philanthropic dollars that help CALIF respond to community needs, strengthen our programs and advocacy, and continue the work Lillibeth started 25 years ago.

A $25,000 Challenge to Our Community

CALIF's work has always been strengthened by people and organizations willing to stand alongside the disability community.

For years, CALIF has worked tirelessly to improve accessible transportation, housing and emergency preparedness in metro Los Angeles at CALIF. Two of our generous partners and stakeholders offered to launch our campaign with a generous $15,000 contribution

That partnership has included accessible transportation advocacy, community engagement, public events, and efforts to ensure people with disabilities have a meaningful voice in how our transportation systems and communities are designed.

Now, our partners are helping CALIF take the next step.

The challenge to our community is simple:
Can we come together and raise another $10,000—and then keep going?

We have already stepped forward with the first $15,000 toward our $25,000 goal. Now we're asking CALIF's friends, partners, families, and supporters to join her.

Help us meet the $25,000 challenge and build the momentum CALIF needs for its next 25 years.

A Special 25th Anniversary Thank You

As CALIF celebrates 25 years, Lillibeth Navarro's family is also preparing to release her biography—the story of the woman whose advocacy helped build CALIF and advance disability rights in Los Angeles and beyond.

Her family has generously provided CALIF with 200 copies to share with our supporters.

Donate $25 or more and receive a complimentary copy of Lillibeth Navarro's biography.
Available to the first 200 qualifying donors, while supplies last.

It's our way of saying thank you—and sharing the story behind the work your donation helps carry forward.

(Note: All books will ship on or after November 1st.)

Help Us Build the Next 25 Years

CALIF has spent 25 years fighting alongside disabled Angelenos for independence, access, opportunity, and the right to live in our communities on our own terms.

We're proud of what Lillibeth started. We're proud of what this community has built. And we're ready for what comes next.

Our goal: $25,000.

Make a gift. Unlock the match. Share this campaign. Help CALIF build the next 25 years. Together, we are stronger.

CALIF 25th Anniversary

Honoring Lillibeth Navarro's legacy. Celebrating 25 years of disability-led advocacy. Building what's next.