Diversity and the Bar

Haben wants people to realize that
disability is just another facet of the
human condition. “We can always
find alternative techniques to reach
goals and accomplish tasks. These
creative solutions are equal in value to
mainstream solutions.”
One of her messages is that “dis-
ability” is the source of innovation,
and the story that she likes to tell deals
with the invention of the first working
typewriter. An Italian inventor named
Pelligrino Turri invented a typing
machine so that his blind lover could
send him letters. “Disability drives
innovation,” said Haben, “encouraging
people like Turri to think of new ways of
communicating information.”
“All of us are different in some way,”
she said, “and when you bring people who
are different together, you have new per-
spectives and new ideas. This difference
drives innovation.”
Haben has experienced this herself,
having developed a communication
system that uses a braille display and
keyboard. People type on a standard
QWERTY keyboard while she reads their
words in braille.

“Knowledge,” she points out, “can be
communicated through sight, sound, and
touch, which is how I obtain knowledge.”
Using her highly developed sense
of touch, Haben enjoys dancing. “I do
partner dances,” she said. “I feel the beat
through the people I dance with. My
favorite is Salsa.”
A story that she likes to tell, which led
to her role as an advocate for disability
rights involved her resolution of a person-
al problem.

For her undergraduate years, Haben
attended Lewis and Clark College in
Portland, Oregon. The food company
managing the college cafeteria refused to
provide access to the menus, so often the
cafeteria would serve chocolate cake and
Haben would miss out.

Frustrated, she took matters into her own hands and explained to the cafeteria manager that she deserved access to the menus like every other paying customer. The company resisted, saying they were too busy and that she needed to stop complaining.

“I told the manager that if he would
not send emails consistently, I would sue,”
she said, explaining to the cafeteria man-
ager that the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) required businesses to make
reasonable accommodations for those
with disabilities. After learning about the
ADA, the cafeteria complied. Life was
once again, “delicious.”
It was this early personal experi-
ence that led her on the path to be-
coming an educator and advocate for
disability rights.

Perhaps a greater turning point in her
life came when she was in high school
and went to Mali, through buildOn, a
non-profit that encourages students to
make a difference in the world.

“We helped build schools in develop-
ing countries and when we returned, we
did presentations about our experiences. I
learned that stories are powerful ways for
people to take action.”
Haben found her voice through these
buildOn presentations. On stage, she
comes alive, exuding charisma. She said
she can perceive her audience’s reaction,
as she is able to hear high-pitched sounds.
“I’m very focused on the audience. I
can hear loud applause or loud laughter,
but not chuckles or giggles.”
Following graduation from Harvard
Law School, Haben worked as a civil
rights attorney for Disability Rights Advo-
cates in Berkeley, California. However, last
year, she took a leap of faith and struck out
on her own as an educator and speaker.
“I’m communicating important mes-
sages so this is my form of lawyering,” she
said, “and I also do consulting for people,
creating my own ways of teaching and
helping the world.”
For her efforts, Haben has been rec-
ognized by President Obama as a White
House Champion of Change, a Forbes®
30 under 30, and a BBC Women of
Africa Hero.

“I teach people to see disability as an asset that can contribute to their organization. I want people to see the story of disability driving innovation, inspiring new technologies, bringing people together, and connecting everyone.” ■