Judith Heumann “doesn’t take no for an answer.” She learned from a very young age that to participate fully in society, she would have to break down barriers standing in the way of persons with disabilities. She did, and today Heumann is an internationally renowned leader of the disability rights movement.
As the the U.S. Department of State’s special adviser for international disability rights, Heumann advocates tirelessly on behalf of the 1 billion people worldwide who live with a disability.
On December 3 at 13:00 UTC, join Heumann and Donald Steinberg from the organization World Learning for an interactive webchat. They’ll take questions online and in advance to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Heumann’s advocacy work is legendary. In college, she participated in civil rights and anti-war protests and organized her own rallies for disability rights. In 1970, the New York City Board of Education rejected Heumann’s application to be a public school teacher. It said her wheelchair would be a fire hazard. Heumann sued, and she won.
She also founded and was active in several disability rights groups, organized a sit-in, and helped write legislation to further her quest for accessibility and an end to discrimination.
After years of effort, in 1990 advocates secured passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It ensures the right of Americans with disabilities to participate fully in the life of their communities and their nation, and it has brought dramatic improvements over the past 25 years.
“But there is so much more to do,” Heumann said. Join her December 3 and find out what’s next. Please submit your questions in advance to @IntDisability or www.Facebook.com/SAHeumann.
