Faithful Friday: How Samuel Is Hoping To “Flip” The Script On How People View The Disabled Community
By: Debbie Waltz
Nobody prepares you for adulthood, especially if you have a disability. For some individuals, the next logical step in life after school often involves relocating, pursuing higher education, and securing employment. For people with disabilities, this phase can be challenging, as they learn to balance their desire for autonomy with their personal care needs. This idea forms the core of Samuel Habib’s feature film, “The Ride Ahead,” which was broadcast on PBS’s POV series two days prior to this post.
Born with GNAO1 Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Samuel has never let that stop him from pursuing his dreams of becoming a director and telling his own story . Due to this unusual genetic disorder, he experiences conditions like cerebral palsy and epilepsy, as well as speech problems; he has found other ways to express himself. With two GoPros fixed to his chair, we can see Samuel’s perspective and the view in front of him. Even though the film focuses on Samuel’s personal experiences, it also involves disabled advocates and famous disabled individuals to help promote open conversations about what it is like to live with a disability in modern society.
Samuel begins by interviewing Judy Heumann. She was widely regarded as “the mother” of the Disability Rights Movement. Judy was instrumental in the development and implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act. She was instrumental in founding the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Judy served in the Clinton Administration as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the Department of Education. President Obama appointed Judy as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State. While acknowledging the significant progress, she conceded that further efforts are necessary to guarantee equal access for all, especially in terms of overall accessibility and job prospects.
Samuel had a conversation with Bob Williams, too. Having retired after a forty-year career in federal and state government, Bob served as the primary advisor for the Americans with Disabilities Act, working alongside Donna Shalala, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Bob, who has used an AAC device for more than six decades, has seen America’s progress from physical communication boards to electronic voices, which assist individuals with communication challenges.
Besides legal considerations, Samuel stresses the significance of self-esteem for those living with a disability.
Samuel interviewed several more disabled individuals with CP and other disabilities. They expressed appreciation for how far the United States has come in helping the disabled, and the importance of each person accepting their disability. They also identified ways that the United States can continue to improve the services for disabled people.
The film follows Samuel from his childhood through moving out of his family’s New Hampshire home to go to college, and the challenges he faced as a disabled person in college and then in his career. You can find the film online at: https://www.rideaheadfilm.com/