Current Events > a blind & deaf Harvard Law School graduate came to speak at a local college

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.kcra.com/article/deafblind-activist-delivers-message-inclusion-to-sac-state-students/31107223

Sacramento State students heard from Haben Girma on Tuesday, who gave everyone watching a message of inclusion.
Girma grew up in the Bay Area and is the first blind and deaf person to graduate from Harvard Law School.

Shes made it her mission to champion equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
President Obama named Girma a White House Champion for Change. She has also received the Helen Keller Achievement awards and has a spot in the Forbes 30 under 30 list.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haben_Girma

if it wasn't for work, I definitely would have been interested in watching her lecture

---

I always wondered how a blind and deaf person processes anything growing up

---

She's strong. If I was blind and deaf I would certainly end it.

---

blind & deaf

so how tf do they function and communicate efficiently in the school or workplace? cos i dont think i would even be able to function with my regular daily activities even if i was allowed to become a NEET who collect disability.

Do they end up just being affirmative action hires and are just there or do they actually end up contributing just as much as someone without the disabilities?

imagine using the goofy term "affirmative action hires" unironically
you should change your name to Daimler-Chrysler and stop sullying the good quality of toyota.

---

she must not be entirely deaf

---

^ why do you say that?

and looking at her wiki page, she has an older brother who's also deaf and blind.

---

toyota posted...

so how tf do they function and communicate efficiently in the school or workplace? cos i dont think i would even be able to function with my regular daily activities even if i was allowed to become a NEET who collect disability.

Do they end up just being affirmative action hires and are just there or do they actually end up contributing just as much as someone without the disabilities?

"Maybe I could try to learn something.

Pfft nah I'll just wipe my ass on a keyboard"

---

bump

---

I guess I don't understand how you could communicate without being able to hear or see? I'd like to know how she did it, she's amazing. Can she hear at all? Like, not 100% deaf? If you've heard some deaf people speak it's obvious they can't hear their own voice, but she seems to do very well with speech.

I read that she became blind and deaf as a young child, so maybe that has something to do with it

---

Artisan1990 posted...

I guess I don't understand how you could communicate without being able to hear or see? I'd like to know how she did it, she's amazing. Can she hear at all? Like, not 100% deaf? If you've heard some deaf people speak it's obvious they can't hear their own voice, but she seems to do very well with speech.

There are specific programs for blind-deaf people. Communication is based on touch. Never saw or read anything on Hellen Keller? Same basic principles. Take a recognized object, then associate it with braille, and a hand gesture.

---

Guide posted...

There are specific programs for blind-deaf people. Communication is based on touch. Never saw or read anything on Hellen Keller? Same basic principles. Take a recognized object, then associate it with braille, and a hand gesture.

I did know of Helen Keller, but never actually read up on how she was able to communicate like she did. If you can't see, hear, or even speak of the object, how is association possible? Through touch alone? The human brain really is amazing.

i don't believe this. She must hear or see at least something in order to learn stuff.

Good for her.

I'd rather be dead then deafblind, but I'm speaking as someone who has always had the senses.

---

Artisan1990 posted...

I did know of Helen Keller, but never actually read up on how she was able to communicate like she did. If you can't see, hear, or even speak of the object, how is association possible? Through touch alone? The human brain really is amazing.

We have the programming for association of sight and speech, but we're still capable with other senses. You probably figured out what an apple was, and what it was called, very early on, just cause someone probably showed you an apple, and then said the word "apple" while gesturing at it.

In this case, they gave you an apple to hold, and then make a gesture in your hand, and show you how to make the gesture.

---

Guide posted...

We have the programming for association of sight and speech, but we're still capable with other senses. You probably figured out what an apple was, and what it was called, very early on, just cause someone probably showed you an apple, and then said the word "apple" while gesturing at it.

In this case, they gave you an apple to hold, and then make a gesture in your hand, and show you how to make the gesture.

Right, but I'm not blind and deaf... How does a blind deaf person see the apple or hear someone tell them what it is?

Artisan1990 posted...

Right, but I'm not blind and deaf... How does a blind deaf person see the apple or hear someone tell them what it is?

Er, that's what I'm explaining with that last line. The gesture is made in their hand, to feel, and then their hand is shaped in the same way.

---

Guide posted...

Er, that's what I'm explaining with that last line. The gesture is made in their hand, to feel, and then their hand is shaped in the same way.

Ah, now I see (no pun intended, I swear).

lmao

---

one more~

---

fohstick posted...

i don't believe this. She must hear or see at least something in order to learn stuff.

apparently she has a bit of high frequency hearing. she says thats why she has a high voice. idk

@3mins
https://www.today.com/video/meet-haben-girma-the-deafblind-woman-who-made-harvard-history-65327173813

---