Kristen Joiner

A story of fighting to belong in a world that wasn't built for all of us and of one woman's activism--from the streets of Brooklyn and San Francisco to inside the halls of Washington--Being Heumann recounts Judy Heumann's lifelong battle to achieve respect, acceptance, and inclusion in society. Paralyzed from polio at eighteen months, Judy Heumann began her struggle for equality early in life. From fighting to attend grade school after being described as a "fire hazard" to later winning a lawsuit against the New York City school system for denying her a teacher's license, to leading the section 504 sit-in that led to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Judy's actions set a precedent that fundamentally improved rights for disabled people around the globe.Candid, intimate, and irreverent, Judy Heumann's memoir about resistance to exclusion invites readers to imagine and make real a world in which we all belong.

One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong in school and society -a powerful role model for young adults with a passion for activism This young readers edition of her memoir, Being Heumann, introduces young readers to the disability rights movement through the lens of Judy Heumann's life. It centers on the universal yearning for connection and belonging that all young people experience as they navigate the trials of adolescence. Judy's wry personality leaps off the page in this fast-paced and engaging memoir that shows young readers that they have the power and strength to demand equal access in an unequal world. As a young woman, Judy Heumann rolled her wheelchair through the doors of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare in San Francisco and demanded the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which protected the rights of all people with disabilities. But before that, Judy was a kid making her way through a school system that wasn't designed to include people with disabilities. Paralyzed from polio and raised by her Holocaust-surviving parents, Judy's drive for equality was instilled early in her life. She was barred from starting kindergarten with her friends because the principal deemed her a fire hazard, and had to be homeschooled until her parents found a program for disabled kids. She then fought her high school when they initially denied her a diploma because of her inability to participate in gym, and she fought her college when she was described as a fire hazard once again. Rolling Warrior is a powerful story of fighting for what you deserve, and is a must-read for all young readers with a passion for activism and equal rights.

As featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp, and for readers of I Am Malala, one of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong. "If I didn't fight, who would?" Judy Heumann was only 5 years old when she was first denied her right to attend school. Paralyzed from polio and raised by her Holocaust-surviving parents in New York City, Judy had a drive for equality that was instilled early in life. In this young readers' edition of her acclaimed memoir, Being Heumann, Judy shares her journey of battling for equal access in an unequal world--from fighting to attend grade school after being described as a "fire hazard" because of her wheelchair, to suing the New York City school system for denying her a teacher's license because of her disability. Judy went on to lead 150 disabled people in the longest sit-in protest in US history at the San Francisco Federal Building. Cut off from the outside world, the group slept on office floors, faced down bomb threats, and risked their lives to win the world's attention and the first civil rights legislation for disabled people. Judy's bravery, persistence, and signature rebellious streak will speak to every person fighting to belong and fighting for social justice.

A powerful memoir of one of the most influential disability rights activists in U.S. history and her mission to create a more accessible world for all. From fighting for educational access as a young person, to laying the foundation of the Americans with Disabilities Act as an activist, to ultimately working in Washington to establish disability rights as human rights, Judy's story will inspire readers to continue to fight for an accessible world for all. Paralyzed from polio and raised by her Holocaust surviving parents, Judy Heumann's fight for equal access began early in life. She fought her high school, who initially denied her a diploma because of her inability to participate in gym; she fought her college who described her as "a fire hazard;" and she filed a lawsuit against the New York City school system, who denied her a teacher's license because of her paralysis, which she won. As a young woman, Judy rolled her wheelchair through the doors of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare in San Francisco to demand protection for disabled peoples' rights, and organized what would be the longest takeover of a federal building in U.S. history. Judy's story is a powerful reminder of the hard-fought battle to lay the groundwork for disability rights: the right to receive an education, have a job, ensure mobility access, and to just be human. Her memoir is a call to action for us to continue to fight for equal rights for all.