Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist

by Judith Heumann

If you were to acquire a disability tomorrow it would be a change. But I can tell you this: it wouldn’t have to be a tragedy. We are all human. Why do we see disability differently from any other aspect of being human?

In the brief period of time he spoke, President Trump’s lack of respect for others came clearly through.

Do we want to be the people creating the government we believe in, or do we want to be the people simply accepting whatever comes our way?

Donald Trump’s actions are good examples of how attacks on civil rights can happen. These kinds of attacks don’t always come through the front door; often they slide stealthily through any crack they can find.

When laws and policies get less visible, it becomes more and more difficult to know whether an action is even considered a violation of your civil rights.

Not only is it outrageous to blame the needs of disabled children for the problems of the American school system, but also Sessions was clearly implying that the education of children with disabilities was not of equal priority with the education of other children.

We can design our cities and our society in a way that fosters belonging and community, rather than segregation and isolation.

How could we ever begin to achieve the American dream when we were not being given the same opportunities as others?

When we were united, it was as if progress happened overnight.