Haben's story is immediately gets us enthralled in her Ethiopian Eritrean historical roots, her family's viewpoint as immigrants, and how that and her disability shaped her determination from her youngest age. As she walks us through her unique life; we discover a woman who has left no stone un-turned when deciding how to best craft her skillset, to be a kind, productive, un-inhibited woman that she wanted to be. Breaking the taboo and being willing to talk about womans issues in a mainstream memoire is hugely impactful. Letting us know how she used braille from a young age, how she had advocates for her education, how she learned to dance Salsa well because she was taught by a blind dance instructor this is a jam-packed guide book of 'what to do when' for anyone dealing with similar issues. Cane usage, guide dog walking, and also volunteering in other countries are all things she did growing up. Her education was relentlessly pursued; it is not surprising that a deaf blind person could finish law school. This is a vibrant story that absolutely needs to be heard by typical people and those on a spectrum of disability. My favorite part is when she tells a tampon story without shame and shows women how we need to carry ourselves with this pride. The pride that everything a man can do; I can do bleeding. (Not even to get into the deaf and blindness aspects) It's such a strong message. Teamwork = Achievement.
Reviewed by Ellen A on Dec 5, 2019
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