Haben Girma ’13 named a White House Champion of Change

Harvard Law School student Haben Girma ’13 was recently named a White House Champion of Change for her advocacy on behalf of deafblind individuals and her efforts in promoting educational excellence for African Americans.

Each week, the White House Champions of Change Program honors ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things in their communities. Girma, who is deafblind, was honored on Feb. 26 along with nine other individuals whose work advances academic success for African-Americans.

At a White House reception, which included U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, award winners discussed important changes in education that would help students across the country. During her presentation, Girma stressed the importance of high-quality teachers for students with disabilities, the invaluable support of state deafblind projects, and the need for schools to consider accessibility when investing in emerging technologies.

Award winners also attended the African-American History Month reception at the White House, where musician Stevie Wonder applauded Girma’s work and encouraged her to become a UN Messenger of Peace.

Read more about Haben Girma and the event on the Harvard Law School website and watch her participate in a panel discussion with other Champions of Change honorees at the Feb. 26  White House event.