Disability

Because of the racism and ableism in our country, Black people with disabilities face increased discrimination. Thus, it is important to recognize this and include disabled people in anti-racist movements. Here are some incredible disabled Black activists who continue to break barriers and spread awareness about intersectionality through their work.


  • Haben Girma is a Black woman who became the first Deafblind person to graduate Harvard Law School in 2013 and was awarded a White House Champion of Change by President Obama. She firmly believes that “disability is an opportunity for innovation”, and has written a book about her obstacles and achievements titled Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. Today, she continues to emphasize the need for inclusion in all spaces by working as a lawyer and activist.


  • Stephanie Thomas is a disabled Black woman who has created her own fashion company called Cur8able. As a congenital amputee, she has always been committed to finding solutions for challenges related to dressing with a disability. She continues to spread awareness about disability through her podcast titled “Cur8able”, her book titled Fitting in: The Social Implications of Fashion and Dressing with Disabilities, and her TEDtalk she presented in 2016 titled “Fashion Styling for People with Disabilities”.


  • Keah Brown is a Black journalist, author, activist, and influencer, and is well known for her creation of the hashtag #DisabledAndCute. Her book The Pretty One shares essays of her life living with cerebral palsy, growing up with an able-bodied identical twin, and more. Today, she continues to use her social media platforms to change the media’s narrative on disabled people in America.