College of Adaptive Arts Co-Sponsors Accessibility Event Featuring the First Deafblind Graduate of Harvard Law
Michael Reisman • February 10, 2025
First Deafblind Graduate of Harvard Law to Speak at Bay Area Accessibility Event
Disability Advocate Haben Girma to Speak at West Valley College February 12
(Saratoga, Calif., January 22, 2025) Haben Girma, nationally recognized disability rights advocate and the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law, will be coming to the Bay Area for a free Assistive Technology Fair which will feature a special talk, book signing, and campus tours.
Girma is a Bay Area native and a human rights lawyer advancing disability justice. President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change, and the World Health Organization appointed her Commissioner of Social Connection. She has also received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks.
Harnessing the power of the written word to spark advocacy, Girma wrote and published the book that became a bestseller, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. The story takes readers on adventures around the world, including her parents’ homes in Eritrea and Ethiopia, building a school under the scorching Saharan sun, training with a guide dog in New Jersey, climbing an iceberg in Alaska, fighting for blind readers at a courthouse in Vermont, and working with President Biden and President Obama at The White House.
Harnessing the power of the written word to spark advocacy, Girma wrote and published the book that became a bestseller, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. The story takes readers on adventures around the world, including her parents’ homes in Eritrea and Ethiopia, building a school under the scorching Saharan sun, training with a guide dog in New Jersey, climbing an iceberg in Alaska, fighting for blind readers at a courthouse in Vermont, and working with President Biden and President Obama at The White House.
College of Adaptive Arts, a non-profit college serving over 250 adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), is sponsoring the event along with West Valley College’s DESP services, David Wang Educational Endowment and EOPS in an effort to provide information and programs to those experiencing disability.
“Haben Girma is a great example of how to transform perceptions of people with disabilities,” said Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts (CAA). “Like many of our students with IDD, she’s had challenges to overcome, but being able to access higher education was instrumental to her growth and success. She is a great example of the change one person can affect if just given the opportunity.”
“Haben Girma is a great example of how to transform perceptions of people with disabilities,” said Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts (CAA). “Like many of our students with IDD, she’s had challenges to overcome, but being able to access higher education was instrumental to her growth and success. She is a great example of the change one person can affect if just given the opportunity.”
The event is free to the public and takes place Wednesday, February 12 from 10am-2pm at West Valley College’s Campus Center at 14000 Fruitvale Avenue in Saratoga, CA. For additional information, or to RSVP, please visit www.bit.ly/wvc-atf2025
CAA's Director of the School of Communications
At only 5 years old, Andre lost his parents and began a long and painful stay in the foster care system, not really having anyone to trust or love him. Eventually he started hanging out with the wrong people and faced his share of troubles. Being developmentally and physically disabled, people often took advantage of him or tried extorting him for money. He met two friends, Nancy and Kristin, through his church and they began helping Andre turn his life around.. Both women began helping Andre at first with essentials, making sure he got meals and into a safe housing situation. Nancy helped Andre get set with a bank account and taught him basic budgeting skills, while Kristin got him involved in stable social environments like College of Adaptive Arts. Now, at age 67, Andre is one of the oldest students currently enrolled in College of Adaptive Arts (CAA), a nonprofit providing higher education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Every week, Andre looks forward to attending his Innercise class, which focuses on mindfulness, meditation and introspection. “The class helps me feel good about myself,” said Andre. “It helps me calm my mind.” According to Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts, students like Andre who have been sidelined from traditional education are exactly who they are trying to reach. “Andre is proof that education has no expiration date,” said Nicole Kim, Executive Director of College of Adaptive Arts. “No matter your age or ability level, you are never too old to learn, grow and cultivate meaningful relationships” According to Nancy and Kristin, CAA has helped Andre further his education but also regain the trust to make friends and find a safe community of like-minded friends. “After our church closed, Andre really missed being able to share things with others that were important or special to him, and I think he’s found that at CAA,” said Nancy. Since meeting both women and attending CAA, Andre has said he has made the choice to change his life, and that he chooses “The New Andre” everyday.
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