Ed Roberts was both an advocate and an activist.  He was a leader in the civil rights movement and championed the rights of people with disabilities.  He was the founder of the first Center for Independent Living and the World Institute on Disability.  He is often thought of as the father of the Independent Living Movement.  Ed advocated for his right to attend the University of Berkley,  and participated in the 504 sit-in held in San Francisco.  He was known for a lot of things but most importantly he believed in empowering others to become advocates and activists.
Here are a couple of videos on YouTube: