C— Julian Kantor, 22, waits at a bus stop in the Noe Valley San Francisco, California, on Monday, June 1, 2026. Around him, the city continues at its usual pace as buses arrive, passengers come and go, and daily life moves forward. For Julian, the ability to navigate San Francisco independently represents years of learning, growth and determination. Through his mother, Lucia Kantor, who helped communicate his thoughts due to his cognitive disability, Julian said he wants many of the same things as other adults: to travel independently, spend time with friends, participate in his community and feel safe while doing so. Yet he says those goals are sometimes complicated by other people’s assumptions about disability. “I want people to see me for who I am,” Julian said through his mother. “I want to go places on my own, be with my friends and be part of my community.”