As someone who was born blind and deaf, there is nothing that 27-year-old Haben Girma can’t do.
Girma graduated from Harvard Law School (the first deaf-blind person to do so) and is now a disability rights attorney.
As one of the leading civil rights advocates for people with disabilities, and as a White House Champion of Change, Girma introduced President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Her Ted Talk has been viewed almost 200,000 times and that number is quickly rising.
Girma has no problem handling herself in the rough White House waters, but what about the Pacific waters?
Always eager to learn something new, Girma, who is a Berkeley, Calf. resident, decided she wanted to give surfing a shot.
With a helpful hand from instructor Matt Hoffman, from the Maui Surf School, she was standing up on her first day and could feel the cool ocean breeze on her face.
“Success comes about through lots of failure, and I’m not afraid to fall. I’m not afraid to get in the water, try something new, look silly for a little bit because I know in the end, we’re going to learn something and develop skills in the process,” she told CBS 8.
Anything is possible.
