Haben Girma

Haben Speaks at the University of New South Wales

Two women sit on stage facing each other, and a small table with flowers is between their chairs. Nas has a laptop wired to an earpiece that allows her to read questions and notes using her screenreader. Haben sits with her fingers on a Braille computer, listening as Nas asks a question. Seeing Eye dog Mylo rests by Haben's feet.

Will you try vegemite? ABC journalist Nas Campanella posed this question during our keynote at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. We discovered many similarities in the Australian and American disability experiences. Disability camps facilitate connection, allowing disabled people to share adaptive techniques and disability pride. But disability organizations need to do more to include those of us with multiple marginalized identities. The blind camp I attended regularly instructed campers to use their hearing, and I remember the disappointment of not knowing how to make hearing-centered activities like goalball accessible. Nas has a disability that makes reading Braille difficult, and at the blind camp she attended she faced the stifling expectation that all blind people should read Braille. Increasing accessibility at disability camps and beyond starts with acknowledging our rich diversity.

Thank you to everyone who joined us! I loved meeting people from across Australia, and I appreciated all your recommendations for what I should do during my visit. Tremendous gratitude goes to the UNSW Centre for Ideas @unswcentreforideas, and they will be publishing a recording and transcript soon! Last but not least, thank you for the wonderful conversation @nascampanella! I promise to taste vegemite!

Thanks to photographer Maria Boyadgis.