Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law

by Haben Girma

The incredible life story of Haben Girma, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, and her amazing journey from isolation to the world stage.Haben grew up spending summers with her family in the enchanting Eritrean city of Asmara. There, she discovered courage as she faced off against a bull she couldn't see, and found in herself an abiding strength as she absorbed her parents' harrowing experiences during Eritrea's thirty-year war with Ethiopia. Their refugee story inspired her to embark on a quest for knowledge, traveling the world in search of the secret to belonging. She explored numerous fascinating places, including Mali, where she helped build a school under the scorching Saharan sun. Her many adventures over the years range from the hair-raising to the hilarious.Haben defines disability as an opportunity for innovation. She learned non-visual techniques for everything from dancing salsa to handling an electric saw. She developed a text-to-braille communication system that created an exciting new way to connect with people. Haben pioneered her way through obstacles, graduated from Harvard Law, and now uses her talents to advocate for people with disabilities.HABEN takes readers through a thrilling game of blind hide-and-seek in Louisiana, a treacherous climb up an iceberg in Alaska, and a magical moment with President Obama at The White House. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating memoir is a testament to one woman's determination to find the keys to connection.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Disability, Biography, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

Audiobook

First published August 6, 2019

About the author

Haben Girma is an American disability rights advocate, and the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Haben" is the autobiographical story of Harvard's first deaf blind law school graduate. Her story, told in episodes from her childhood through professional life is one where she consistently proves that she could do what others said she couldn't, be it taking a college hike, learning to salsa dance from a blind instructor, or building a school in rural Mali. Now a disability rights advocate, who began her advocacy with demanding her college cafeteria provide an email menu that her computer could convert to Braille. She talks about a world designed for able-bodied people and the concept of "ableism." It's an eye-opening book, fairly short, and a rather easy read.

[RuthAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Libro.fm and Hachette Audio for my free audio copy for review!

A few notable aspects about this audiobook:

- Haben reads for this production! I assumed that a deafblind person wouldn't be able to speak, but my assumption got shot to pieces right away. I needed to adjust to her tone of voice, but I'm glad to have heard her story in her voice.
- I learned A LOT about what being deafblind is like. It reminded me of when I read El Deafo, and the physical, everyday reality was so foreign to me. This book is an empathy-building read for sure.
- This book is a powerful example of advocacy. Haben shares powerfully about her experiences in fighting ableism (like battling with her university dining services to get accessible menus) and litigating a landmark case for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Why only 3 stars? I was disappointed that there was so little content about her time at Harvard Law! It was the whole subtitle! I really wanted to hear more about how she decided to go there, what applying/interviewing was like, what classes she gravitated toward, what it was like to participate in the Socratic method, etc. There seemed to be a disproportionate amount of time spent in the book about her growing up. I think it's valuable to hear the back story, but then maybe don't subtitle it around something that really doesn't have that much real estate in the book. (I know, I know, marketing.)

[Mariah Roze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my to-read for a while! There was a long "hold" line at the library for this book, so I was super excited when I received it. The book definitely lived up to its expectations. I really enjoyed the read :)

"Born with deaf-blindness, Girma grew up with enough vision to know when someone was in front of her and enough hearing to know when someone close to her was talking. However, she had difficulty reading facial features or distinguishing people in group conversations. Relying on her own problem-solving skills, Girma overcame roadblocks while simultaneously obtaining her undergraduate and then law degree.
In the process, she developed new methods of communication and found her calling in advocating for the deaf and blind communities in more accessible communication, education, and employment opportunities. As a lawyer and advocate, Girma shares a collection of vignettes illustrating the defining points in her life. She peppers her writing with a witty sense of humor and showcases her strength in facing obstacles, along with challenging antiquated societal beliefs about people with disabilities, whether describing her experience climbing Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier or helping a drunk friend get to his dorm by using her seeing-eye dog that he adores as a lure."

[~:The N:~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Haben Girma has an incredible story, but I thought the book did not do a good job of telling her story. I didn't like the writing style. It felt flat and emotionless, and the chapters were choppy and disjointed. Also, this book's subtitle suggests that there might be more to tell about her life "conquering Harvard Law", but I was disappointed there wasn't a lot of time spent on her Harvard experience. Honestly, I thought the last part where Haben provides guidelines on disability was the most interesting part of the whole book.

I think that the stories in this book would be more interesting if they were told differently, or had a better editor.

[Nilsa Pacheco · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sure this young lady has a remarkable story worth telling, however, the way the book is written does not do it justice. The book reads like a poorly written comic book, with inconsequential dialog and lame lines. I didn't like it at all.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning a bit about Haben's journey as a deafblind person and about some of the cool accomplishments she's achieved so far. I listened to the audiobook after one of my law school professors said it was a good read.

Haben's voice is high-pitched, maybe in part because she is/was able to hear high-pitched noises easier than lower ones. I wasn't expecting it when I first started listening, but it takes no time at all before you get sucked in to hearing Haben talk about her loving family and her strong desire to help people.

The thing that took me more time getting used to was that it's written in present tense instead of past tense. It was difficult to get completely hooked because these aren't diary entries or anything like that, so it's Haben writing about her past experiences in the past but like they're presently happening... It makes me think about how witnesses are very compelling but are probably unreliable as human memory isn't always very accurate to how things were. It seemed weird to me, but I haven't read many memoirs that are written in present tense. That could just be me being weird.

I think the title is a little misleading as I went in thinking I would hear mostly about her time conquering Harvard's law school and then her work afterwards. It is mostly about her growing up, gathering experiences that would inspire her to later decide to pursue a career practicing law.

Those couple of things said, I really enjoyed this read. I liked hearing about Haben developing her passion to help people from her helping build infrastructure in another country to challenging the unaccommodating . I loved hearing about her pushing the boundaries that people tried to give her and paving the way for many disabled people to achieve so much more than what we, as a society, has allowed. I really liked hearing about her positive experiences with those who actively sought out her friendship, and I was saddened to learn about her negative experiences, especially about people who think they're allies but, in reality, try to put limits on people with disabilities out of concern. I think a lot of people would benefit from learning about Haben's beginning.

I think everyone should know that accessibility is often quite easy to achieve with a few adjustments, and it creates a much more beneficial, thriving community to do so. Haben's start of her journey shows that extremely well. I do wonder about what her siblings are up to as well since her brother is also deafblind, but I loved hearing Haben's story!

[Lizvette · Rating 2 out of 5]

The relief you feel when you finished a book that you haven’t enjoyed at all. 🤔🥴 This book should be under young adult genre. I don’t even categorize it an autobiography. They’re short stories, essays. Regardless of Haben's achievements and bravery, the writing is slow, silly and uninteresting. It needs editing!!!

[Glenda Nelms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, incredible and worth telling memoir of resilience and love. Haben Girma’s Story teaches us to embrace the unknown, never give up and stand up for yourself. She demonstrates that accessibility for all benefits all. Haben continues to advocates for equal opportunities for people with disabilities. One of my favorite quotes from her memoir “Writing is Advocacy. Writing is strength. Writing is power”Thank you Haben Girma for sharing your story and advocacy.

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Memoir is my absolute favorite genre, particularly when the obstacles and life challenges are immense, so I was looking very forward to reading Haben.

I think what she has accomplished is terrific and it requires grit, determination, and perseverance.

However, the writing style stymied me. I got over the present tense and was appreciative that it was mentioned that the entire book would be in present tense. But the writing style felt geared toward YA.

[Laura • lauralovestoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haben Girma has such an impactful life story to tell, and I was blown away by her memoir. As the first deafblind woman to graduate from Harvard Law School, Haben shares her experience in a moving way, and uses them to bring awareness and advocate for people with disabilities.

Thank you to the publisher, and to Libro.fm for the gifted copy and audiobook. All opinions are my own

[Hayley Stenger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I appreciate Haben Girma's experiences, and did learn from this book, I felt it was a bit shallow. Girma was informative with her audience, but lacked vulnerability and therefore it was more difficult for me to connect.

[Kenzie | kenzienoelle.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Haben Girma. The first deafblind person to ever graduate from Harvard Law. That right there tells you a lot about the type of person she is, but I loved unpacking even more about who Haben was.

“Disability is not something an individual overcomes. I'm still disabled. I'm still Deafblind. People with disabilities are successful when we develop alternative techniques and our communities choose inclusion.”- Haben Girma

*This book read more like chapters of short stories from her life (for example her whole Harvard journey was just one chapter). From terrifying moment of her dad being removed from the airplane when she was only 7 (with limited sight and hearing to communicate with attendants), the struggles of training a guide dog, the adventure of sliding down an iceberg, and the triumph of winning a court case. The reader also travels with Haben to the country of Eritrea, in Africa, where Haben’s family is from and as someone who had never even heard of that country, I loved that added learning!

*Selfishly, I did want a fuller memoir😅 BUT I still really recommend this book to anyone who wants to see what life is like for a deafblind woman.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haben is pronounced thusly: the Ha is like haha, and the ben as in Benevolent (ie it doesn't rhyme with RobIN).

If you are shocked that I only gave this three stars, so am I. Haben herself is a 5 star woman. Part of my disappointment is due to the poorly chosen subtitle because I was expecting a lot more about her application to and time at Harvard. Only ONE chapter discusses her time at Harvard Law School! This isn't to say that there was nothing interesting, but I know that Girma is brilliant so wasn't expecting it to feel more like I was reading something written to young adults--and I think that if it hasn't been marketed that way, it's a shame, because her story is quite inspirational. I think this ought to be marketed to the young adult market.

I am not going to count this for black lives matter even though she is black, because this is about an even larger American minority that gets shafted all the time--the disability community (she doesn't care for the term special needs from what I can garner), so it is addressing the very serious problem of ablism. I knew this already; a friend of mine has been in a wheelchair since the ripe old age of one year old after a car accident (and most people don't think to sit to look her in the eye to speak with her if there is a chair handy so she has to crane her neck, although many people just look past her). 70 percent of blind people (also her preferred term) are unemployed, and most schools that train the blind do very poor jobs--not because they are often taught by sighted people, but because those sighted people haven't been trained with sleep shades on until they can do what the blind are capable of doing, and other reasons.

Haben is a disability lawyer and was part of the team of lawyers who sued Scribdol for originally making their platform inaccessible to the blind (and especially the deafblind) because if they have computers that convert text and speech to Braille (and only 10 percent of the blind are taught to read Braille which causes illiteracy--she has met Blind people who think that "once upon a time" is one word, for example). Now I add this information to what I know about the exorbitant cost of wheelchairs (many people who need them are housebound because they can't even afford a proper chair--they have to be custom made--let alone a converted van), etc.

Much of this book is from Haben's childhood and teen years; some is during her first degree. I think if you go into this book knowing how little time is spent on the subtitle it might help you enjoy the book more than I did.

[Jj · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel terrible not liking this book, but it was truly awful. Certainly Haben the human is worth celebrating - anybody who gets through Harvard Law even with their senses working at max capacity, has one on me, but the writing is almost unbearably boring.

There is also the issue that Haben can actually hear - not well, she is clinically deaf, and prefers to use a Braille machine, but she can hear and does communicate with others using typical speech quite often. Not that I am downplaying her circumstance, just mentioning it in case you’re like me and were wondering how this all worked.

She also grew up in a relatively privileged and supportive situation on all fronts. That’s also wonderful, but as far as the story goes, there isn’t really an arc for her to overcome aside from the obvious issue of being deaf/blind. I did also feel that there was a sense of entitlement about her writing - not in regard to her disability - more just a general attitude. For example there were several pages dedicated to how she just couldn’t accept a guide dog (puppy) that still had occasional accidents, even though she was told they all have accidents when they are learning. She sort of had this vibe of “well mine shouldn’t”. I don’t know, maybe it was just me, but it wasn’t a likeable read.

Annnnnd I’m also aware that people who are deaf/blind don’t often learn language the same was hearing and sighted people do, so maybe that’s why the writing seemed stilted and the jokes really unfunny, but maybe an editor could have helped with that.

The good news was, I typically can spend wayyyy too much time reading and really end up procrastinating. I didn’t mind putting this down and getting back to work. Again - kudos the Haben the person, not so much to the book.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book to read. Haben interweaves much needed advice on the life of people with disabilities. She gives so many example about how she navigates life while having great adventures.
Best book I have read in a long time.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the memoir of the first deafblind woman to graduate from Harvard Law School. The daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, she grew up with limited vision and hearing which grew worse over the years. Covering about 2 decades, this had an episodic feel. I wanted more insight into her daily life, how her peers responded to her, her interior life, etc. I was impressed with the support she received from her public high school, her liberal arts college and Harvard Law School. She comes across as a bright, self-assured, hard-working, adaptable woman. Rarely do I say this when finishing a memoir, but I would like to have coffee with her. 3.5 stars

[Brittany Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book was incredible. Haben Girma's life so far is a story worth telling, and it is beautifully told. She has the rare ability to explain key moments in her life so clearly and vividly that one experiences them with her. (It is one thing to tell someone a story, and another thing entirely to help them feel it.) Girma's big heart and wonderful sense of humor as she describes the joys and frustrations of her life made this memoir a genuine pleasure to read. With kindness and patience, she illustrates again and again how the greatest barriers to individuals with disabilities can be the limited thinking of others rather than the disability itself. Includes a valuable guide in the back with easy steps to make digital resources more accessible for all.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last quarter of this memoir was great! Girma’s writing shines when she showcases her emotional depths, offers her profound understanding of what accessibility can give the disabled community, and the explains what the disabled community can give the world. She expresses an analytical intelligence that makes it clear how she excelled at Harvard Law.
Unfortunately, her storytelling often fell flat for me. The first half or so is filled with long anecdotes told in step-by-step detail that I really had to drag myself through. Sometimes it makes sense to describe everything so meticulously, like when she’s showing the exact process she goes through to use tactile tools when accomplishing a task. But there’s no reason to say “My mother took my water bottle, uncapped it, filled it up, replaced the cap, and gave it back to me” instead of “My mother refilled my water bottle.” Unfortunately, that kind of extreme detail was almost constant. There were also multiple anecdotes that were left strangely open-ended, like when she describes a man yelling at her in another language. It ultimately becomes a way for her to decide that she shouldn’t jump to conclusions about people, but then she never says what he turned out to be yelling about!
It is fascinating to get a glimpse into the experience of progressively losing more hearing and sight, and the style is simple enough that I think this book could be read by all ages.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar read! Haben has had a very interesting life and has been instrumental in changing how people with disabilities are viewed in American society. The book is full of great stories from her upbringing in California, her mission trip to Mali, her educational career and ADA expansion into a technological space. What a wonderful young woman, and I loved hearing her narrate the audiobook. 5 stars!

[Stella McKenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is very rare that I cannot finish a book...I usually HAVE to finish it, even if it is a book I am not enjoying. I really tried to give this book multiple chances as I was reading it, but I couldn't finish it. As a member of the vision and hearing impaired community, I was hearing so much buzz about this book. I couldn't wait to read her story. Unfortunately, I was beyond disappointed (WAY beyond) . The writing itself was subpar and almost felt as if I was reading a children's fiction book told from the perspective of a whiny, only-child. I also felt frustrated with Haben's lack of clear purpose in her storytelling. Many of her accounts felt inconsequential, and I felt a sense of superiority and a very shallow quality in all her writing. When she shared the cafeteria story (and many others), I got this sense that her approach in the legal world is "I don't care what you think, I am a person with deafblindness and I am RIGHT. If you get in my way I will SUE YOUR ASS". I know that is a little dramatic, but that is truly the vibe I felt. Part of why I didn't want to finish the book is I didn't want to read anymore of that behavior because I so so strongly disagree...especially as someone who is fighting for more viability and equality for people with disabilities.

It makes me want to write my own book about MY struggles as a member of this community. I don't want it to be a self-focused rant on "what makes me amazing in an ableist world". I want a book that illuminates the life experience of people in our community so others can understand how challenging it is to be a person with disabilities in the current world.

Some people might get upset with me about sharing this, but (and this is found in EVERY group of oppressed people in the world) many people in the deaf/blind communities have a very distinct culture and belief system. I have always struggled with this. I am a member of this community because of my disabilities, but there are so many situations I have faced that lead me to NOT feel a part of this community. There is a lot of judgment and "righteousness" and it can be really off putting. I get vibes of this in Haben's work, which is also probably part of the reason I was so put off. It represented an aspect of our community that I do not like. I got cochlear implants and was SHUNNED by many members of my community. Simply because I wanted to improve my hearing. WTF? I am my own person. Why can't I make my own choices?

Am I glad that books by people in my community are getting attention? Of course...but I feel mixed feelings with this book getting such rave reviews...because I think it's a terrible book and there are other books and stories that I wish got the hype Haben's book is receiving. (Helen Keller is still my lifelong historical bff. )

Okay, rant over. 1 star for sure.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy books that let me see the world through someone else's eyes, though in this case it might be more accurate to say this book let me feel the world through someone else's hands. I didn't always agree with her opinions on what is the most just/ideal outcome for difficult situations, but I did love hearing her life story, and even the places I disagreed were good for making me think through specific situations and how I DO think they should be handled.

Content concerns would be very low for this book. There are some references to the violence of war and a blunt reference to a bull's sexual organ. Overall, I think this book could be appreciated by most teens, and in some cases, even younger readers.

[Jaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book teetered between 3 and 4 stars for me. Parts of it extremely good, but as a whole a little bit snapshot-y. As others have mentioned, was hoping to see more of the "conquering Harvard Law" aspect but it was only briefly discussed in short anecdotes towards the end.

Definitely learned more about the challenges faced by deafblind (/deaf/blind) people. Some chapters I wish had gone into more in depth, some I wished had been shorter. There is a lot of information dumping about Ethiopia vs. Eritrea in the first quarter or so of the book, which while useful to understand the context of Haben's family, was one example where the pacing and presentation felt uneven.

Listened to audiobook from my local public library. Read by the author, which is always a plus for memoirs!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quick read. Haben's family history is as interesting as her childhood is as intriguing as her journey to adulthood. Being a deafblind woman, Haben's story guides the reader to understand civil right issues for persons with disabilities. It made me constantly think about my library - how user-friendly is it to persons with disabilities? What if Haben walked in and asked us for assistance - how would we react and provide her with the outstanding customer service we pride ourselves on?

I liked reading about her determination and slow successes - this book seemed one of the most honest biographies I've read in a long time.

Definitely worth the read!

[Lindsey Guevel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. There were so many different quotes I could relate to. I am not one to typically read autobiographies, but this one was worth it. I highly recommend others to read this as it can change your perspectives around deafblind individuals as it did for me.

I think this individual is someone I can look up to who is bold to change things and pave the way for others.

[Lindsay Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was wonderful to read a little bit more about one of the many influential disability rights advocates after meeting her at an event in Los Angeles.

[Carly Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had Haben Girma’s book on my TBR pile for over a year. This month it’s been Tash @jouljet and my #DisabilityReads.

Haben is the first Deaf Blind woman to graduate from Harvard Law. She’s American born, and her parents are Eritrean and Ethiopian - and she talks a lot of her Eritrean and Ethiopian heritage in the book. I really loved the references to food in the book.

Haben details a lot of her life growing up, and so her experience in Harvard Law is a very small part of the book. She also writes about her time spent with Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Haben writes about inaccessible barriers that she and others face - taking a book company to court for breaching the Americans with Disability Act, and also highlighted TedX’s inaccessiblity during her own TedX talk.

It was also interesting to read about the travel she has done, her fierce independence, and of course defying the expectations of her capabilities as a young Deaf Blind woman.

A standout chapter for me was when Haben wrote about menstruation, and the stigma surrounding it when she was in Mali. We don’t often hear about the stigmas around menstruation, and it’s rare I hear disabled people talking about it.

I also loved reading about how she was challenged when starting out with Maxine, her seeing eye dog, and how she later bonded and fully trusted her.

This is an important book for disabled people, as well as those who work in education, politics and any organisation committed to access and inclusion. She has included a brief guide to creating accessibility, which is so useful.

I listened to the audiobook - narrated by Haben. She really recalled conversations well, and I enjoyed the dialogue she has written. It was like being there while she was having those interactions.

Haben is an incredibly accomplished disability advocate and I’m proud to call her a friend.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a teacher of students with hearing loss, and someone who interpreted for several years, I tend to stay away from books regarding those with hearing loss because, so often, it feels like it’s all the good things and how wonderful it is that a disabled person can do a normal thing. (Not denying the amazing ness of technology or legislation....but people with disabilities have many strengths and don’t have to be defined by their lack of hearing, sight, etc.)
Haben Grima tells a series of life stories-the terror of her dad being removed from the airplane when she was only 7(with limited sight and hearing to communicate with attendants),the frustration of needing to request accommodations multiple times, the struggles of training a guide dog, the exhilaration of sliding down an iceberg, and the triumph of winning a court case. The stories were generally short, but were able to make a good point-generally with a pointed question or statement that made me realize how much those with disabilities have struggled and fought for barely equal treatment through the years.
This is definitely a good read for those of us in education, but it would be a great eye opener for any person.

[Anne Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing depiction of a seriously intelligent woman with a progressively worsening disability who just keeps saying YES to life. Not an ounce of self-pity to be found, and even a love affair hinted at if you follow the names of the people in her life.

The world is fortunate to have her in it. Her persistence, her intellectual capacity and creativity, her forthrightness make Haben Girma a total winner. Her thoughtful observations of what is available and what is necessary to provide disabled people the means to make their own way are enlightening and (pace, Ms Girma) inspiring.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly powerful memoir about one Deafblind Eritrean-American woman who overcame her challenges and is doing amazing things as a disability rights lawyer. Great on audio read by the author herself and highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn about the everyday obstacles faced by so many people with disabilities and the essential need for greater accessibility, understanding and emphathy in our society.

Favorite quote (that I relate to viscerally):
"I cringe inwards, people with disabilities get called inspiring so often, usually for the most insignificant things, the word now feels like a euphemism for pity."

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this memoir by Haben Girma who was the first Deafblind woman to attend Harvard (and succeed). Although I have always been fascinated with law school, and I had wished that she had discussed more about her time at Harvard (I have read One L by Scott Turow 3 times), I am so glad she wrote this book about her experiences.