For individuals with disabilities, the road to becoming an independent adult can be especially challenging. A new film finds one man on the cusp of this transition seeking advice from notable disability activists.
“The Ride Ahead” will premiere this month on PBS. The documentary features Samuel Habib, who has a rare genetic disorder, navigating his early 20s.
“I was in general education classes all the way through school, and I had a lot of friends and was part of clubs and sports. But things felt confusing after I graduated,” Samuel Habib said. “But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability.”
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Samuel Habib wants to move out of his parents’ home, start a career and find a girlfriend, but he’s struggling to see how to fulfill his dreams amid the threat of unexpected seizures, barriers that come with relying on a communication device and the limits of moving about in a wheelchair.
In the film, which Samuel Habib co-directed with his father, filmmaker Dan Habib, he interviews “badass adults with disabilities” including Judy Heumann, who was instrumental in fighting for civil rights protections for people with disabilities, Tony Award winning actress Ali Stoker and comedian Maysoon Zayid about their experiences transiting to adulthood.
“Samuel’s mentors revealed so much to him because he is disabled. They wanted to tell it like it is — cut through the bullshit,” said Dan Habib. “I hope when young people with disabilities watch the film, they feel encouraged and empowered to find their own disabled mentors, and feel welcomed into the disability justice movement. For the general public, I believe ‘The Ride Ahead’ will build awareness, promote understanding of ableism and become a catalyst for lasting and meaningful cultural change toward a society more inclusive of disabled people.”
The documentary is an expanded version of the Emmy Award winning “My Disability Roadmap,” a 2022 New York Times short.
“The Ride Ahead” will air on POV on PBS July 21.
