Kevin Williams, a pioneer for disability rights in Colorado, died Tuesday after battling a short illness.
Williams, 57, founded the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition’s, or CCDC, legal program after finishing law school in 1997. An attorney for 26 years, Williams is remembered as a leader in changing the landscape of Colorado disability rights.
Williams grew up in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland and moved to Colorado in 1990, the same year the American with Disabilities Act was passed.
Williams, as a result of a spinal cord injury, was paralyzed from the chest down and used a powered chair during his work. But nothing stopped him from advocating for ADA rights, the Rehabilitation Act, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act and the Fair Housing Act.
The disability rights activist is described by those close to him as “a compelling and hilarious teacher and lecturer on these subjects,” a CCDC news release said.
Williams was a loud voice helping push ADA access at public venues, including the Red Rocks Amphitheater, major Colorado stores and restaurants, multiple public transit systems, theaters, arenas and transportation centers.