The Camera’s Eye: Telling the Story of Disability through the Power of Film

Before his son Samuel Habib was diagnosed with a disability at age 1, Dan Habib rarely thought about the inclusion of people with disabilities. Since then, he and his family have advocated for Samuel’s inclusion nearly every day – in their schools, city, college, and even in their extended family.

Samuel (24), who was featured in his father Dan’s seminal 2008 film “Including Samuel,” is now leading the advocacy charge for his own life.

Samuel and Dan will share several films – including their Emmy Award Winning film, My Disability Roadmap – and discuss their strategies for creating a culture of inclusion in the family, school district, and community, and plan for a full adult life. Their films vividly document inclusive practices such as universal design for learning, assistive technology, positive behavioral supports, family engagement, youth leadership, and cultural responsiveness.

This webinar will be open captioned and ASL interpretation will be provided upon request. Please email info@wpdhac.org if you require ASL interpretation or any additional accommodations.

About the Presenters

Dan Habib

Dan Habib is the Inclusive Communities Project Director at the Westchester Institute for Human Development and the founder of LikeRightNow Films. He is the Director and Producer of the nationally broadcast documentary films Intelligent Lives, Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS and many other films on disability-related topics. Dan’s films have been featured in dozens of film festivals, translated into 17 languages, and used worldwide to support inclusive education and disability rights.

His current project is Emmy Award winning My Disability Roadmap, which he co-directed with his son Samuel Habib. The film follows Samuel as he navigates the path to work, college, and relationships while seeking out wisdom from disability activists across the country. My Disability Roadmap premiered as an Op-Doc film on the New York Times website on May 17, 2022. They are also working on a feature-length version of the film, titled The Ride Ahead, for mid-2024 release.

Habib gave the TEDx talk, “Disabling Segregation” in 2014. He has received the Champion of Human and Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association, and the Justice for All Grassroots Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. Habib served on President Barack Obama’s President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities from 2014-2017. Habib and his wife, Betsy McNamara, live in Concord, NH, and have two sons: Isaiah, 27, and Samuel, 24.

Samuel Habib

Samuel Habib, 24, is a filmmaker and community college student, midway towards an associate degree in liberal arts. He is the Emmy Award winning co-director of the New York Times Op-Doc My Disability Roadmap and the upcoming feature film, The Ride Ahead. In 2016, he made a film about disability rights leader Judy Heumann that was featured in the Breaking Down Barriers Film Festival in Moscow, Russia. Samuel was also a story consultant on his father Dan Habib’s nationally broadcast film Mr. Connolly Has ALS. His short film on his encounter with then-candidate Joe Biden was featured in Forbes Magazine and other publications (Forbes also profiled Samuel as a filmmaker). Samuel has been a Concord Monitor newspaper video columnist and has presented nationally on disability rights, inclusive education, and his educational and social transition to adulthood. Samuel uses a wheelchair for mobility and a communication device (as well as his voice) to express himself. In addition to exploring his current and future academic and career options, Samuel also navigates significant, chronic health challenges.

About the Gather for Change Event Series

The “Gather for Change” project will feature a series of six free educational and empowering events, all aimed at advancing awareness of critical topics for people with disabilities, their families, disability activists, and anyone interested in disability rights and history. Five of the events will be held virtually and one event held in person. This project is funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council.