The Disability Justice Culture Club is an activist house in East Oakland, California designed with accessibility in mind. It serves as a gathering place for disabled queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (QTBIPOC) via community events, meetings, and meals.
DJCC works in service of their community, dreaming of a world where disabled Black and Brown people — and everyone for that matter — have what they need to thrive. They organize on social issues where disabled people of color are often the most impacted people, such as in the climate crises, emergency preparedness, police violence, and mental health systems, through a frame that positions relationships as key not just to our ability to live but to grow a disability justice movement. Founded as a radically accessible and affordable home for disabled people of color, DJCC acts as a hub for disability justice organizing and cultural events, as well as a pivotal space for mutual aid projects in moments of crisis.
The DJCC Hub
"The home was originally purchased by our late friend and DJCC co-founder Stacey Park Milbern, whose dream was to create both a radically accessible, affordable haven for low-income disabled BIPOC in a rapidly-gentrifying Bay Area, and space in the East Bay for community building and movement work. She fundraised to pay for the renovations needed to make the home accessible and keep herself firmly planted here, and the community came through to support her vision.
As a community and organizing hub, it has been put to many uses: storage and distribution for DJCC’s various mutual aid projects; a venue for fundraising events, holiday celebrations, and parties for and by the local disabled community; emergency housing for sick and disabled folks during wildfires evacuations, power outages, and other climate crises; sign-making parties and tactical meetings for direct action; and as a classroom, theatre, and kitchen [for movement work]." 1
Mutual Aid
In 2020, DJCC ran a 17-person coordinated support system for 65+ people with disabilities, primarily people of color. Most people received support at least weekly from low-risk volunteers living in homes where everyone was sheltering in place. Volunteers shopped for groceries, picked up medicine, and pitched in on household tasks and light cleaning. Almost 400 people signed up to volunteer. Additionally, DJCC made and distributed hand sanitizer, masks, and meal kits to high-risk and unhoused people. 2
"Oftentimes, disabled people have the solutions that society needs. We call it crip — or crippled — wisdom," said Stacy Milbern, the late DJCC founder. "It is such a painful experience to be left behind or disregarded," she said. "I have experienced feeling neglected by systems and society, and I don't want that to continue. If I can use my skills developing care networks to keep someone a little more safe, it was all worth it." 3
Sources
1 DJCC
2 Awesome Foundation
3 Matthew Green, Coronavirus: How These Disabled Activists Are Taking Matters Into Their Own (Sanitized) Hands," KQED, March 17, 2020