Haben Girma advocates for equal opportunities for people with disabilities. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. She has received the Helen Keller Achievement Award and a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Her work has been featured in the Financial Times, BBC, The Washington Post, NPR, and more. Girma grew up spending summers with her family in the Eritrean city of Asmara. She defines disability as an opportunity for innovation, and she proved that by learning nonvisual techniques for everything from dancing salsa to handling an electric saw. She developed a text-to-braille communication system that created an exciting new way to connect with people. Girma pioneered her way through obstacles, graduated from Harvard Law and now uses her talents to advocate for people with disabilities. Her new book is “Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law” (Twelve).
Watch Video