Brad Lomax (1950-1984) was a civil rights and disability rights leader who had multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair. He was a member of the Black Panther Party and a founder of the East Oakland Center for Independent Living in the 1970s, an organization focused on assisting people with disabilities to live on their own, […]
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Brad Lomax in a wheelchair at the 504 sit-in in San Francisco in 1977.
An experienced organizer, Lomax also built a Black Panther health clinic in DC and was in charge of the first aid tent at the Black Panther Convention and at the 1972 African Liberation parade. Lomax was one of the key protesters during the historic 26-day 504 sit-in at the Federal Building in San Francisco in 1977, which demanded the government enforce regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, to prohibit discrimination of people with disabilities. He brought in the Black Panther Party to feed the protestors, which many credit for the success of the sit-in. The sit-in resulted in entities receiving federal funds being required to make their programs and spaces accessible, and paved the way for the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Despite his pivotal role in the disability justice movement, the story of Brad Lomax is largely overlooked, and descriptions of the Black Panther Party’s alliance with the 504 demonstrators rarely mention Lomax’s previous work in civil rights and disability justice, and his coalition building efforts.
The episode features interviews with: Glenn Lomax, Lomax’s brother; Corbett O’Toole, disability rights advocate and a contemporary of Lomax who participated with him in the 504 sit-in; Cara Reedy, Director of the Disabled Journalists Association; Sami Schalk, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Gender & Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, whose book Black Disability Politics provides scholarship and perspective on Brad Lomax’s life and legacy.
Renegades is a series of five 12-minute short films showcasing the lives of diverse, lesser-known historical figures with disabilities, exploring not only their impact on and contributions to U.S. society, but also the concept of disability culture, which honors the uniqueness of disability. Hosted and narrated by the musician and disability rights advocate Lachi, who is blind, and created and produced by a team of D/deaf and disabled filmmakers, the series is designed to increase public knowledge of disability history, and encourage cross-cultural understanding between non-disabled people and those with disabilities – who make up 1 in 4 adults in America today.
Infused with the spirit of the disability movement’s mantra, “Nothing About Us Without Us,” Renegades places a focus on authentic storytelling, with a cast and crew composed almost entirely of disabled people, and a talent incubator model of filmmaking to mentor emerging directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors with disabilities.
Markus Essien is the director and producer of Renegades: Brad Lomax. With a diverse and accomplished career in filmmaking, theater, music, and education, he is a creative force driven by passion and purpose. His journey in film has seen him contribute to both feature and short films, culminating in his recent role as the writer and director of a forthcoming film Teranga: An African Homecoming. Beyond filmmaking, he has left his mark on the stage, directing the U.S. premiere of “The Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and the New York premiere of “Philomel” for Opera Works. A multifaceted artist, Essien is also the founder and bassist of the Equity and Social Justice Quartet, an ensemble dedicated to raising awareness and funds for non-profit organizations. Notably, he composed the theme for Jeffrey Robinson’s podcast, “Who We Are.” In education, Essiens brings over two decades of experience as a teacher and leader. His expertise has been sought by prominent organizations globally, including Chan Zuckerberg, Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted, Gifted Institute (Denmark), Kind en Beeld, and African Leadership Group. Currently, Essien is shaping the future of filmmaking through an incubator program with FWD-Doc for filmmakers with disabilities. His journey is a testament to the transformative power of creativity, education, and advocacy.
Cara Reedy is the writer and producer of Renegades: Brad Lomax. She is the founder and Director of the Disabled Journalists Association, a member organization of Storyline Partners. She is a journalist and producer who spent ten years of her career at CNN producing documentaries as well as writing for various verticals including Eatocracy and CNN Business. In 2019, she produced her most recent short doc for The Guardian entitled Dwarfism and Me, which was an exploration of the treatment of Dwarfs in American society. Reedy has spent the last three years studying disability and its coverage in the media. Along the way, she has had the opportunity to teach disability reporting in newsrooms. She also works in narrative change in the film and TV industry and is a member of the TV Academy Diversity Committee. Reedy is a mentor in the Disability Justice Project fellowship program which trains disabled disability rights advocates in the Global South how to be journalists. She is an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and spends her time between NYC and St. Louis.
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