She Owes Her Activism To A Brave Mom, The ADA And Chocolate Cake
To Haben Girma's grandmother, back in East Africa, it "seemed like magic." Her granddaughter, born deaf and blind, is a graduate of Harvard Law School and works as a civil rights attorney. It's easy to understand
To Haben Girma’s grandmother, back in East Africa, it “seemed like magic.” Her granddaughter, born deaf and blind, is a graduate of Harvard Law School and works as a civil rights attorney.
It’s easy to understand why the grandmother feels that way. Years before, she had tried to find a school in Eritrea for Girma’s older brother, who was also born deaf and blind. She was turned away. There were schools for blind children and schools for deaf children. But no school would teach a child who was deaf-blind (that’s the preferred terminology in the disability community). Girma describes that brother as “brilliant.”
Girma told the story last week at the White House, when she introduced President Obama during a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
By the time Girma was born in 1988, six years younger than her brother, her mother had made a refugee’s journey from Eritrea to the United States. And in California, a deaf-blind girl like Girma had a legal right to an education.
In public schools in Oakland, she was educated alongside other students, leaving her mainstream classes for an hour a day to learn Braille. In an interview with NPR, Girma….
Read More: She Owes Her Activism To A Brave Mom, The ADA And Chocolate Cake
weygud August 19, 2015
It is very moving to hear such sad story where disabled citizens get deprived of their basic rights in their own native country. On the other hand, I am glad to hear their success stories in the land of opportunity (USA).
wedi nakfa August 21, 2015
When are you going to stop milking the chicken?I doubt you understood what asse3na has brought to you, it says there is “a blind and school as well as deaf school but not for deaf and blind” hope this clarifies to correct your dim comment.
AHMED SALEH !!! August 19, 2015
Born deaf and blind Harvard graduate female to become civil right
lawyer for people with disabilities . It is amazing accomplishment.
But I wonder why she couldn’t get access to visit Eritrea if she
could reach Ethiopia to promote the awareness for civil right of
such kind people . We should take her achievement as Eritrean with
pride but unfortunately we are stuck at wrong dark box blinded from
real life .
Thanks Assenna for this inspiring information ?
Haftna Haben , God bless you for bringing hope to people in need .
wedi nakfa August 21, 2015
Ahmed the picture tells it all!
k.tewolde August 19, 2015
When a deaf and blind youngster is able to achieve this astounding accomplishment , let her be an inspiration to her generation with robust physical health that is living in squalor across the globe.
Truth August 19, 2015
Sister Haben,
What an inspiration you have become to Africans particularly to those who are in the disability community. Indeed its an amazing accomplishment and you make us proud.
Aman August 20, 2015
it is a miracle achievement,God bless you Haben , you are great and wonderful.