Judy Heumann | Disability Rights Advocate

Judith (Judy) Heumann is an internationally recognized disability advocate. She served in the Clinton and Obama Administration and was a Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation. Judy's story was also featured in the documentary "Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution," a 2020 American award winning documentary film produced by the Obama Higher Ground Production. She recently released her memoir "Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist," written with Kristen Joiner. Judy is now the producer of The Heumann Perspective, a podcast and YouTube channel that aims to share the beauty of the disability community.

An illlustration of Judy Heumann done for The Cut

Judy Heumann Interview with The Cut: How I Get it Done

Film art for Crip Camp featuring a scene from Camp Jened with two campers

Featured in Award winning Netflix Documentary, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution directed by Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham, produced by Higher Ground Productions.

Available Now!

"Being Heumann" and "Rolling Warrior" are available in paperback, hardcover, large print, E-book and Audiobook!

A PODCAST AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL FEATURING DISABLED CHANGEMAKERS

A wholesome picture of Judy and her husband Jorge. Judy is a white disabled women who uses a motorized wheelchair. Jorge is a Mexican disabled man who uses a wheelchair. Jorge is wearing a blue shrit and is holding Judy's hand.

Learn More About Judy

Judith (Judy) Heumann is a lifelong advocate for the rights of disabled people. She contracted polio in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York and began to use a wheelchair for her mobility. She was denied the right to attend school because she was considered a "fire hazard" at the age of five. Her parents played a strong role in fighting for her rights as a child, but Judy soon determined that she, working in collaboration with other disabled people, had to play an advocacy role due to continuous discrimination.