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  • On the left is the book cover for Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. On the right, Mychal stands beside Haben and they are both smiling. Mychal, with an eye-catching Afro and snazzy tie, does a thumbs-up. Haben signs ILY with one hand and with her other hand holds the leash of her Seeing Eye dog. Text on the flyer reads: Author talk with Haben Girma moderated by Mychal Threets. Saturday, Jan 11, 2 pm. West Branch Library 1125 University Ave.

    Haben Will Speak at the Berkeley Public Library

    Literacy ambassador Mychal Threets will chat with Haben Girma, author of Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. Serving up captivating stories sprinkled with humor, their conversation will cover…

  • Dr. O smiles as he holds up a copy of Haben’s book, and she smiles as she leans toward him. Haben is a Black woman in her thirties wearing a blue dress and long, dark hair. Dr. O is a Black man in his thirties wearing a dark blazer, dark-rimmed glasses, and short black hair. They’re sitting at a table in a ballroom.

    Yes, Disabled People Can Be Doctors

    Dr. O uses a wheelchair, and he’s working toward a future where the idea of disabled people becoming doctors no longer surprises people. I had the honor of sharing the…

  • Trying Vegan Donuts in Berlin

    Trying Vegan Donuts in Berlin

    Video description I’m sitting at a picnic table with three colorful round pastries in front of me. Behind me is my German Shepherd Seeing Eye dog, and a cobblestone square…

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Author

The book cover shows Haben Girma in profile, confidently facing forward in a blue dress. The background is a warm red, and white text over the bottom half of the image says, ‘Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. Haben Girma.’

The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, and TODAY Show featured her best-selling book, 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 talking with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating book is a testament to Haben’s determination to resist isolation and find the keys to connection.

Get the Book

Speaking & Consulting

Choosing accessibility is not just about legal requirements, it’s also good business. Disabled people are the largest historically underrepresented group, numbering over one billion worldwide. Reaching a group of this scale creates value for everyone. Organizations that prioritize accessibility benefit by gaining access to a much larger audience, improving the experience for both disabled and nondisabled people, and facilitating further innovation. Haben explains in this article, originally published in the Financial Times, “People with disabilities drive innovation.”

Haben believes disability is an opportunity for innovation, and she travels the world teaching organizations the importance of choosing inclusion. She has spoken at Apple, Bottega Veneta, Disney, Gartner, Oxford University, Visa, and so many more. Her engaging presentations ignite audiences to make positive changes in their communities.

Haben talks with President Obama at the White House 25th Anniversary celebration of the ADA.
Haben and President Obama stand together at celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the ADA at the White House

What People Say About Haben

“Thank you so much, Haben, for that amazing introduction, and for working to make sure that students with disabilities get a world-class education, just like you have. So please give Haben a big round of applause.”

President Barack Obama

“She got out of Harvard, and you know what she’s doing? She is an advocate for opportunities for people with disabilities. Because in fact they have enormous ability, and all over the world that ability is going untapped, diminishing their lives and the rest of ours as well. So let’s give her a big round!”

President Bill Clinton

“I wish to take this opportunity, as well, to recognize you for your lifelong advocacy for people with disabilities, especially for the deaf-blind community. As a teacher and Prime Minister, I am particularly grateful for your work to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the tools they need to thrive at school and beyond. When our society is inclusive, we are all better off.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau