Read the statement of EDF’s Youth Committee on the passing of the US disability activists and one of the forces behind the Americans with Disabilities Act, Judy Heumann.
On March 4, 2023, the disability community lost one of its pioneers, Judith “Judy” Heumann. Judy was one of the leading forces of the independent living movement since the 1970s, advocating for major changes in legislation both in the United States (US) and internationally.
As members of the EDF Youth Committee, we are honoured to have had someone like Judy who pave the way we are on, building the foundation of the independent living movement rooted in disability rights and a human rights-based approach.
We hope to continue the legacy of strong voices of change because, as Judy said:
If you don’t demand what you believe in for yourself, you’re not gonna get it!
The EDF’s Youth Committee
March 6, 2023
About Judy Heumann
Judy Heumann was a lifelong advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities both in the US and internationally. She contracted polio in 1949 and began to use a wheelchair for her mobility.
Ms Heumann was an internationally recognised leader in the disability rights community. She was instrumental in the development and implementation of legislation, such as Section 504, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which have been advancing the inclusion of persons with disabilities around the world.
Since 2018, Ms Heumann served as co-chair of Human Rights Watch’s Disability Rights Advisory Committee and joined the Board of Directors in 2020.
More about her life on Judy Heumann’s website.
Credit featured image: HolLynn D’Lil, scene from “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution.”