Honouring Judy Heumann

Judy Heumann, the legendary activist who fought tirelessly to secure legislation protecting the rights of disabled people, passed away at the age of 75. Her death was announced on her website and social media accounts and was later confirmed by her brother Rick. Heumann had been in the hospital for a week, with heart issues that may have been related to post-polio syndrome. She contracted polio at an early age and lost her ability to walk when she was two years old. However, this did not stop her from becoming one of the most important advocates for disability rights in history.

Heumann was a pioneer in the disability rights movement, and her lifelong advocacy helped pave the way for major legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Rehabilitation Act. She also served as the assistant secretary of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in the Clinton administration from 1993 until 2001.

Heumann's advocacy work extended far beyond the United States. She was involved in the passage of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was ratified in May 2008. She helped found the Berkeley Center for Independent Living, the Independent Living Movement, and the World Institute on Disability, and served on the boards of several related organizations including the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Humanity and Inclusion, and the United States International Council on Disability.

Heumann's passion for disability rights was rooted in her own experience. Born in Philadelphia in 1947 and raised in New York City, she was the daughter of German-Jewish immigrants who had fled Nazi Germany. She contracted polio at an early age and lost her ability to walk when she was two years old. Heumann's parents initially had to homeschool her because kids with disabilities were considered a hardship economically and socially. Heumann went on to graduate from high school and earn a bachelor’s degree from Long Island University and a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley.

Heumann's legacy will continue to inspire future generations of disability rights activists. She was featured in the 2020 documentary film, “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” which highlighted Camp Jened, a summer camp she attended that helped spark the disability rights movement. The film was nominated for an Academy Award. Heumann also won a lawsuit against the New York Board of Education in the 1970s, becoming the first teacher in the state who was able to work while using a wheelchair, which the board had claimed was a fire hazard. She was also a leader in a historic, nonviolent occupation of a San Francisco federal building in 1977 that set the stage for the passage of the ADA.

Heumann's impact on the disability rights movement cannot be overstated. She was a true trailblazer who never stopped fighting for the rights of disabled people. Her advocacy work helped transform the way that society views and treats people with disabilities, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of activists.

To honor Heumann's legacy, it is important that we continue to work towards creating a more inclusive and accessible world. This means fighting for equal access to education, employment, healthcare, and public spaces for disabled people. It means challenging ableism and discrimination wherever it exists. And it means uplifting the voices and experiences of disabled people in all aspects of society.

In conclusion, Judy Heumann was a true hero who dedicated her life to fighting for disability rights. Her advocacy work helped change the world for the better, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of activists. We owe it to her to keep fighting for a more just and inclusive world for all.