Judy Heumann is a disability rights activist and advocate who had dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of people with disabilities. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947, Heumann contracted polio at the age of 18 months, which left her paralyzed from the neck down. Despite her physical limitations, Heumann was determined to live a full and active life, and she has become a powerful force in the disability rights movement.

Heumann began her activism career in the 1970s, at a time when discrimination against people with disabilities was rampant. She became a leader in the fight for disability rights, advocating for equal access to education, employment, transportation, and other essential services. She was a key figure in the disability rights protests that took place in the 1970s and 1980s, including the famous 504 Sit-in, which resulted in the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal funding.

Heumann had continued to be a tireless advocate for disability rights throughout her career, serving in numerous leadership positions, including as the Director of the Department of Disability Services for the District of Columbia and as the Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the US Department of State. She had also been a key player in the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted in 2006.

She died on March 4, 2023, in Washington D.C. She was known as “The Mother of Disability Rights Movement”. Throughout her life, Heumann had been a trailblazer and a role model for people with disabilities around the world. Her work has helped to break down barriers and promote greater inclusion and equality for people with disabilities in all aspects of society today.