Communiqué
“No one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability,” says Samuel Habib in “The Ride Ahead” on POV – July 21 at 10 pm
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Film empowers young adults with disabilities navigating transition to adulthood
Monday, July 21 at 10:00 pm
THE RIDE AHEAD follows Samuel Habib, a typical 21-year-old, itching to move out, start a career, and find love. But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability.
Samuel is determined to avoid the statistical realities: unemployment, isolation, institutionalization. He seeks out wisdom through conversations with disabled mentors: comedian Maysoon Zayid, Americans with Disabilities Act legends Judy Heumann and Bob Williams; Tony-winning wheelchair-using pioneer Ali Stroker; hip-hop artist Keith Jones; autistic, queer activist Lydia X.Z. Brown; and marathon runner and disability activist Andrew Peterson.
U.S. national statistics show that, as youth with disabilities (currently estimated at seven million) become adults, educational and economic disparities widen: 40% of adults with disabilities age 18-64 are employed; one in four people with disabilities live in poverty; adults with disabilities are half as likely as adults without disabilities to have a college degree.
“We created this documentary and our impact campaign so that millions of young adults with disabilities will feel more seen and heard, and find their own mentors.” says Samuel. “I learned from my mentors that it’s not easy to be an adult with a disability. But one of the best pieces of advice I got was from Maysoon Zayid, a comedian and actor. She said, ‘You are not alone. Find your community.’”
THE RIDE AHEAD illustrates the compelling power of one person truly determined to live life on his own terms as he navigates the barriers before him, while energizing those around him. Together with a loving family and a community of friends, Samuel pushes forth his life’s “ride ahead.”
Samuel Habib co-directed the Emmy Award-winning My Disability Roadmap, a 2022 New York Times Op-Doc. The film was a Critics Choice nominee and featured at festivals including Hot Docs, Doc NYC, and Hot Springs. Samuel was also a story consultant on the nationally broadcast film Mr. Connolly Has ALS and has presented nationally on disability rights. Samuel is a college student who navigates significant, chronic health challenges due to his underlying GNAO1 Neurodevelopmental Disorder. He works at the Westchester Institute for Human Development.
Dan Habib produced and co-directed the Emmy Award-winning My Disability Roadmap, a 2022 New York Times Op-Doc featured at Hot Docs, Doc NYC, and Hot Springs. He is the Director/Producer/Cinematographer of the nationally broadcast (public television) documentary films Intelligent Lives, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS, and Including Samuel. He served on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities under President Obama. He is currently the Inclusive Communities Project Director at the Westchester Institute for Human Development.