09/03/2026
“We don’t understand the physical [or emotional impact of their trauma.] However, Carlos does… people really connect and lean into him”
That’s how the Executive Director of Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center describes LACCOD President Carlos Benavides. Today, Carlos gives back to the very facility that supported his own recovery from a traumatic injury.
Check out this inspiring documentary by Disability Rights California highlighting Carlos’s story, his disability advocacy, and why healthcare programs like Medi-Cal and Medicare are vital.
Full story: ow.ly/WE6l50ZIWvE
Watch with ASL: ow.ly/W8lM50ZIWxv
Audio Description version: ow.ly/5PUl50ZIWxM
Check out the episode three of DRC's new documentary short series, "The Power Healthcare Gives Us"! Each episode follows a different person with a disability as they share how critical support programs like Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) empower them to live full lives and contribute greatly to their communities.
Watch the full episode at the link: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/custom-page/the-power-healthcare-gives-us
Versions are available in American Sign Language (ASL) and with audio descriptions.
In this episode we follow Carlos, an artist, veteran, and leader of several disability and patient advocacy groups. As someone who became disabled later in life, Carlos learned vital skills about navigating life in a wheelchair at Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center. Now, he gives back to the place that supported him, volunteering over 25,000 hours at the center.
This series is made possible with the support from The California Endowment.
Image Description: Quote Text: "I’m a firm believer there’s only two types of people in this world. There’s TABS and Disabled. A TAB is just a Temporarily Able-Bodied person." Blue/green DRC logo. Title Text: The Power Healthcare Gives Us | Carlos. Cut out photo of Carlos, a smiling older Latino man with gray hair and a mustache, wearing a black hat and a blue button shirt. He is sitting in a power wheelchair with a headrest.
![“We don’t understand the physical [or emotional impact of their trauma.] However, Carlos does… people really connect and...](https://img4.govern1.com/486/555/916490974865551.jpg)
