Mayor Lurie Celebrates Opening of the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center
News Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today celebrated the opening of the country’s first publicly funded disability cultural center, creating a groundbreaking community gathering space that will provide both in-person and virtual programs. Rooted in decades of disability rights and cultural organizing in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center (DCC) grew from a collaboration between community members, city leaders, including at the Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS), and disability justice advocates.
The opening of the DCC builds on Mayor Lurie’s work to drive San Francisco’s recovery by investing in many of the city’s vibrant communities. In his proposed budget, Mayor Lurie protected important support for legal services for the city’s immigrant community, LGBTQ+ community, and families. Last month, he celebrated the opening of a community resource center that will provide services preparing young people for higher education and employment, and support community-based services, driving the city’s economic recovery.
“San Francisco is leading the way in creating public spaces for people with disabilities,” said Mayor Lurie. “This new cultural center will be a place to build community and lead through collaboration, and I can’t wait for San Franciscans to thrive in this new space.”
The DCC will be housed inside the Kelsey Civic Center, a new disability-forward housing development across from City Hall. The DCC features design elements intended to make the space welcoming to people with disabilities, with an event space, a hybrid meeting room available for free community rentals, and a patio to include immunocompromised guests. DCC programming will include activities for those experiencing chronic pain and lectures on disability studies, with additional in-person and virtual programming to come.
“We’re proud to be home to this first-of-its-kind Disability Cultural Center, promoting inclusion and belonging for all,” said District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. “We celebrate not only the opening of the DCC, but the example it sets for other cities on how to create spaces for all of us.”
“The San Francisco Disability Cultural Center is more than a physical space; it’s a bold declaration of belonging,” said Kelly Dearman, Executive Director of the Department of Disability and Aging Services. “From the beginning, our department believed in the power of this center and its potential. We are proud to partner with the leadership of our Office on Disability and Accessibility to have helped the DCC offer this groundbreaking space for the disability community—one that will enrich our entire city.”
The DCC began as a vision in 2017 led by DAS and the Office on Disability. A strategic plan by the Longmore Institute followed in 2019, grounded in community input. Despite pandemic delays, a partnership with the Kelsey secured space for the center. In 2023, Haven of Hope and a team of co-directors were selected to lead the DCC. Since its virtual launch in 2024, the center has engaged nearly 5,000 people across 110 programs, building momentum toward its physical opening.
“As the DCC opens its doors, it is also opening a new chapter in history for the disability rights movement,” said Eli Gelardin, Director of the Office on Disability and Accessibility. “We look forward to partnering with the DCC to advance accessibility, celebrate community, and build a future where disabled people are seen, valued, and included in all aspects of civic life.”
The grand opening of the DCC coincides with the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act, the landmark civil rights legislation. July is also Disability Pride Month, which will be celebrated at the center.
“As a trailblazer, the San Francisco Disability Cultural Center will provide a model for other cities,” said Alice Wong, Founder and Director of the Disability Visibility Project. “The future is disabled, and the future is the SF DCC.”
“We believe that disability cultural programming is essential,” said Mika Weissbuch, Co-Director of the DCC. “Having a place that provides a sense of belonging to fight ableism, both internal and external, can be lifesaving and lifegiving.”
“At L.C. and Lillie Cox Haven of Hope, we cultivate belonging by centering the inherent dignity, creativity, and strength of individuals too often marginalized by traditional systems,” said Darcelle Lahr, Executive Director of Haven of Hope. “We pursue our mission through this incredible opportunity at the Disability Cultural Center."
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