Haben Girma

This was the second time I’ve read Haben Girma’s memoir, Haben. I first read it in 2020 and I thought this time around I would just skim it as our Accessibility Book Club selection for August.

Well, that lasted about one chapter! In no time, I was drawn into Haben’s life story just as much as I was first time around. And, once again, I was rewarded by the richness of her experience, a deafblind American woman of Ethiopian and Eritrean heritage who ended up graduating from Harvard Law show more School, feted by President Barack Obama as a Champion of Change.

Haben’s is a powerful story, well told, that in one sense is a classic “achieving a dream against all odds” tale. What makes the book special, though, is that she doesn’t see herself as a hero, just someone determined to reach her goals.

Personally, I really enjoyed the stories of her early life, coming to terms with her cultural heritage as much as her disability. Understanding her own family history and social background feeds her determination as much as the ableism and discrimination she faces.

Australian activist Stella Young famously decried “inspiration porn”, where non-disabled people fawn over how “amazing” and “brave” disabled people are. Haben remains down to earth as she describes her ambitions and how she achieved them. It’s difficult to see how anyone could NOT be inspired by her story but it’s based on her character, her self respect, and her intellect rather than her disability.

I did wonder whether the book’s subtitle, “The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law“, was perhaps more the work of marketers than the author – the text of the book didn’t conjure up “conquering” to me.

It’s also worth noting that Haben is still just 37 years old. I’d say she still has a lot of “conquering” to do and I, for one, look forward to that. As a disability rights activitist and public speaker, Haben posts regularly on LinkedIn and is well worth following. Her day to day tales of life with deafblindness are as funny, engaging and (sorry, Stella) inspiring as this book. show less

*E-ARC received from Edelweiss Plus with the understanding that I would post an honest review. No money or other goods were exchanged, and all views are my own.*

Haben Girma is the first generation American daughter of immigrants from Ethiopia and Eritrea. She's also Deafblind, which means that much of her experience of the world has to come from touching and feeling, and that she deals with ableism every day. Nonetheless, she is determined to overcome any any obstacle this world we live in, show more that puts so much emphasis on sight, throws her way.

When I was in college, I started out with a concentration in Deaf Studies. I remember a lot of my Deaf teachers talking about their community with pride and insisting that Deafness was only a disability because it made for a communications problem in a hearing world. If everyone spoke ASL, there would be no disadvantage. Haben's story similarly breaks down stereotypes of her disability and shows ways in which we have made sight important to our communities, placing barriers in her way that would not be there if we modified our behavior based on how she can interact with the world. She is smart, determined, and explains ways in which ableism permeates our consciousness, and how much energy it takes to constantly be advocating for herself. Her story caused me to rethink my attitude towards not just deafblindness but also other disabilities, and want to take steps to be more inclusive. show less

An incredible story that was pretty well written. I found it fascinating to get a sense of what Haben's world is like. This offers a good perspective on disability rights and ableism.

Haben Girma grew up in a tight-knit family of Eritrean immigrants. The only thing separating her from being a typical California teen with friends, chores and homework, is that her vision and hearing have been steadily diminishing since her early childhood. Yet, Haben is always up for an adventure. She travels to Mali to build a school, and to Alaska just to explore. When she becomes an adult, she becomes the first Deafblind woman to graduate from the prestigious Harvard Law School. Now she show more is a disability-rights lawyer, activist, and public speaker.

Haben is a coming of age story that reads like a old-fashioned, didactic YA novel (I say "old-fashioned," because today's YA novels tend to be edgier than this book is). Tales of Haben's adventures and achievements are interspersed with advice about how to interact with people with disabilities. The author does not go into any detail about her medical condition, romantic life, or emotions surrounding her vision and hearing loss. These omissions must have been deliberate choices on her part, but including them might have resulted in a more well-rounded portrait.

Nonetheless, I recommend this book to all who are interested in disability rights. show less