In 1963, Lomax visited his mother's family in Alabama, a center of civil rights activism at the time.
[2] In 1968, he considered joining the military and ultimately chose to attend Howard University, citing opposition to the racist treatment of Black soldiers during the Vietnam War.
[1] The inaccessibility of public spaces due to a lack of ramps and other accommodations became a significant issue for Lomax.
[8] After moving to Oakland, he encountered significant accessibility barriers, as the city lacked sufficient infrastructure to accommodate wheelchair users.
As part of these efforts, he worked to establish a chapter of the Center for Independent Living, an organization run by and for disabled individuals, in collaboration with the Black Panther Party.
[7] Lomax became involved in the disability rights movement at a time when existing laws provided limited protections.
While some legislation was enacted in the 1970s, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, its impact was restricted due to vague definitions of terms like "disabled" and "discrimination".
Toward the end of his life, Lomax focused on advocating for changes in the education system to improve access for disabled students.