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  • Being Heumann

  • An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist
  • Written by: Judith Heumann, Kristen Joiner
  • Narrated by: Ali Stroker
  • Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (9 ratings)

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Being Heumann

Written by: Judith Heumann, Kristen Joiner
Narrated by: Ali Stroker
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Publisher's Summary

Tony-Award winning actress Ali Stroker reads the story of Judy Heumann - one of the most influential disability-rights activists in US history.

A story of fighting to belong in a world that wasn't built for all of us and of one woman's activism - from the streets of Brooklyn and San Francisco to inside the halls of Washington - Being Heumann recounts Judy Heumann's lifelong battle to achieve respect, acceptance, and inclusion in society.

Paralyzed from polio at 18 months, Judy's struggle for equality began early in life. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a "fire hazard" to later winning a lawsuit against the New York City school system for denying her a teacher's license because of her paralysis, Judy's actions set a precedent that fundamentally improved rights for disabled people.

As a young woman, Judy rolled her wheelchair through the doors of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in San Francisco as a leader of the Section 504 Sit-In, the longest takeover of a governmental building in US history. Working with a community of more than 150 disabled activists and allies, Judy successfully pressured the Carter administration to implement protections for disabled peoples' rights, sparking a national movement and leading to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Candid, intimate, and irreverent, Judy Heumann's memoir about resistance to exclusion invites listeners to imagine and make real a world in which we all belong.

©2020 Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner (P)2020 Random House Audio

What the critics say

“Thoughtful and illuminating, this inspiring story is a must-read for activists and civil rights supporters.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“Consider this book an inspiring call for inclusiveness, courage, equity, and justice as well as a reminder of people’s power to change the world for the better.” (Booklist)

“A driving force in the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act looks back on a long career of activism...A welcome account of politics in action, and for the best of causes.” (Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Being Heumann

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YES to a great author sharing her life story

Understanding Author who paved the way ❤ Thank-you for enlightening the path for others. Some women are just gifts of persistent . Honor for staying the path and forcing change.

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