Remembering Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist

The appearance of her photograph, interview clips, or #ThankYouJudy may have slowed to a trickle in the past few weeks, but news of this Humble Heroine’s passing earlier this month is still affecting the disability community in ways we will not fully realize for years to come.

Video preview of Netflix clip how the ADA change the world with a photograph of Judy Heumann speaking into a microphone. The photograph is transposed over a black and white drawing of a woman in a wheelchair accessing an elevator

For myself, there was a time when Judy represented all the work that had been done. Past tense.When I started working in the independent living/disability rights arena when I was 24, I had to watch several videos and read articles written by activists like Judy: Ed Roberts, Justin Dart, etc. I teared up watching the video of protesters with disabilities during the 1977 sit in to fight for signage of the 504 section of the Rehabilitation Act or the video of people leaving their crutches and wheelchairs behind to climb the steps of the Capitol in Washington DC. Judy Heumann was often featured in these clips, well spoken and determined, I was glad that she had done this work on my behalf; I could move forward for myself and with my work helping people with disabilities discover more choices to increase their quality of life. When I was surrounded by people with disabilities, I was quickly disabused of the notion that the quest for a equal rights and opportunities that Judy began had reached its end.

For people with disabilities, the rights and opportunities we have come to depend on in this country can shift or stumble. I am proud to be part of an organization like Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America that continues to have their finger on the pulse of disability rights in Michigan and advocates when the health of these rights are at stake. To those reading about Judy's impact, I say, "Be inspired. Get involved. Do something."

Michael Harris, MPVA President

Mother of the disability rights movement, Judy Heumann

Mother of the Disability Rights Movement, Judy Heumann speaks at her TED talk. Judy is a light skinned woman wearing glasses, with short brown hair, wearing a red cardigan, beige shirt, and black pants and sitting in a power wheelchair

In fact, while the world mourns and takes time to reflect, our friend’s passing reminds us there is much to be done in the fight for equitable rights and opportunities for the disability community in the United States. There are many ways be inspired by the journey of Judith Heumann’s life and the choices she was defined by:

· Autobiography (Young Adult), Rolling Warrior

· Autobiography, Being Heumann

·       “The Heumann Perspective Podcast” https://judithheumann.com/heumann-perspective/

· Award-Winning Documentary, Crip Camp on Netflix

· Countless interviews and YouTube clips

Video clip description: black and white still image of Judy Heumann testifying before Congress. She wears large rimmed glasses and has shoulder length hair. The text on the screen reads the “mother of the disability rights movement”

You can read about Judith Heumann’s life, 1847-2023, in the press release/ obituary here.

The true legacy of Judy’s life is the impact that her activism has had on the individual lives of those with disabilities, as well as on the mindset of inclusion, opportunity, and equality everywhere. She writes in Being Heumann,

“Some people say that what I did changed the world. Really, I simply refused to accept what I was told about who I could be. And I was willing to make a fuss about it.”

#ThankYouJudy