Before dedicating her life to disability justice, Vilissa Thompson had dreams of becoming a therapist with her own private practice. But, when she finished graduate school with a master’s degree in social work, she realized the job market was not accessible to her.

Thompson, a licensed master social worker, was born with osteogenesis imperfecta — a rare genetic condition, also known as brittle bone disease, that causes bones to break easily.

She often uses a wheelchair to get around. With home visits being a central part of social work, she quickly realized that navigating clients’ homes — many of which aren’t wheelchair accessible—would be nearly impossible. Thompson knew she would need to get creative with her career trajectory.

Today, she is the founder of Ramp Your Voice, a disabili

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