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In 'Being Heumann,' Siân Heder and Ruth Madeley channel the spirit of a disability rights pioneer
Compiled Nov 6
What happened
Siân Heder directed "Being Heumann" as her follow-up to "CODA"
The detail
Judy Heumann died in 2023 at age 75
The detail
Heumann led a 1977 sit-in occupying San Francisco offices of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare
The detail
Ruth Madeley plays Heumann in the film and has spina bifida; Heumann had contracted polio as an infant
How it unfolded
as an infant: Judy Heumann contracted polio · 1977: Heumann led about 150 protesters in a sit-in occupying San Francisco's Department of Health, Education and Welfare offices · 2010: President Obama selected Heumann to lead international disability rights diplomacy for the State Department · 2020: The documentary "Crip Camp," produced by Obama, was released, drawing on Heumann's charisma · 2020: Heumann's autobiography "Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist" was published · 2023: Judy Heumann died at age 75 during production collaboration with Heder
By the numbers
2 years Heder's collaboration time with Heumann · 150 protesters · 1977 year of the sit-in protest · 75 Heumann's age at death · 39 Ruth Madeley's age