RIP, Judy Heumann (1947–2023)

We are devastated to hear of the death of Judy Heumann at the age of 75. A longtime advocate, organizer, and mentor, Judy Heumann galvanized disability activists and the broader community through her dedication to disabled people’s civil rights and liberties, both within the United States and abroad. 

Judy’s passion for disability activism was sparked at a young age. Alongside her parents, she fought to receive a mainstream education in the 1950s and 1960s, when there were no laws guaranteeing the right of disabled students to receive a free and appropriate education as they do now. These acts of defiance against the systematic exclusion of disabled people laid the groundwork for her later advocacy for disability rights and justice. 

Through her fight to carry out fully the Rehabilitation Act, Judy held the government accountable for its stalling and reminded us that we cannot—must not—be satisfied by government policies that do not result in concrete actions. The San Francisco sit-in made the activists’ message loud and clear: President Carter and his administration could no longer ignore the demands of disabled people to be treated equitably. Through her work for various government organizations, including the State Department and the Senate, she used her proximity to state power to advance policies that protected disabled people from discrimination. And through Crip Camp, she reminded us that disability need not be merely about suffering; we can also find community with people who, like us, struggle to fit in an inaccessible society. We can laugh with each other, break bread together, draw close to one another when we are threatened by outside forces that threaten to deny us our human rights and our very lives. 

As Judy returns to the Universe that birthed her, we remember her tenacity and indefatigable spirit. Judy left the world better off than when she entered it, and we are grateful to have existed alongside her in our collective struggle for liberation and inclusion in a society that frequently discounts and marginalizes disabled people. 

Judy’s impact was immeasurable, and it was a privilege to work alongside her. 

As Mother Jones said, “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” May Judy’s memory be a blessing.