FEB 07, 2018 10:41 AM PST

Deaf-Blind Harvard Law Grad Challenges Tech Companies To Innovate


Haben Girma is a wonder, and though she might cringe at the wording, she is indeed an inspiration (watch the video to catch the inside joke). Born to Eritrean refugees, Girma is the first Deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School - and her accomplishments certainly didn't stop there. Pointing out that people with disabilities represent the largest minority, with over 1 billion people worldwide, Girma commends the way that technology has played a crucial role in her life.

Named by President Obama a White House Champion of Change and by Forbes in the Forbes 30 Under 30, Girma is a voice for people with disabilities. She has consulted for tech companies, including Apple, on how to better incorporate people with disabilities' needs into their innovation strategies. In fact, at Apple's 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference, she challenged 4,000 developers to take a broader stance in their design in order to consider the entrepreneurial connection between disability and innovation. Want to learn more about Girma? Be on the look-out for her memoir, which will be published in 2019 by Grand Central Publishing!
About the Author
Bachelor's (BA/BS/Other)
Kathryn is a curious world-traveller interested in the intersection between nature, culture, history, and people. She has worked for environmental education non-profits and is a Spanish/English interpreter.
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