PROFILE |
Alumni News & Notes
Dan Habib hadn’t given much thought to the
experiences of people with disabilities. Their
lives rarely intersected with his. That
changed in 2000, when his second son,
Samuel, then 1 year old, was diagnosed with
cerebral palsy. Days began to fill with
insurance paperwork, doctor visits, and
helping Samuel negotiate everyday life.
Caring for his son could have become an
obstacle to Habib’s career. Instead, it thrust
the photojournalist into a new career as a
documentary filmmaker, which included
him in Samuel’s world.
In the 2007 film “Including Samuel,”
Habib, ’87, tells the story of several young
people with varied disabilities—Samuel
among them—and the benefits and
challenges of inclusion in schools and
communities. Public television showed the
Emmy-nominated film nationally in 2009,
and it was translated into 17 languages.
“Kids are inherently inclusive, but you
can’t get to know somebody who passes
through the cafeteria in a wheelchair,” Habib
said. Numerous studies confirm that when
students with disabilities are included in
general education classes, they’re more likely
to graduate from high school, become
employed, and have social relationships.
What’s more, students without disabilities
learn better in integrated classes, too.
These issues were far from Habib’s mind
when he was a U-M student, where he
majored in political science after a stint in
the School of Art and Design. “Art history,
philosophy, all the liberal arts, somehow
contribute to the work I do now,” he said. He
integrated these interests at the Michigan
Daily, honing his skills and telling stories
through photography.
Daily co-worker Andi Schreiber, ’88,
recalls Habib “with his camera bag packed,
ready to cover any and all campus activities.
His energy level, positive outlook, and
enthusiasm knew no bounds.”
Habib worked for a daily newspaper in
Portland, Oregon, before becoming a staff
photographer, then photo editor, at the
Concord Monitor in New Hampshire.
Former colleague Felice Belman, a Boston
Globe political editor, said his work,
including a long-running series about local
teens, was sometimes edgy and risk-taking.
PHOTO CREDIT
Including Dan
After his son Samuel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Dan Habib, ’87, turned to
filmmaking as a means to advocate for people with disabilities.
“He found a way to show the community to
itself in ways they hadn’t seen before.”
“Even before I had Samuel, I loved
photographing in schools and capturing the
lives of young people,” said Habib. As he
began work on “Including Samuel,” he took a
journalist’s approach to learning a new craft,
cold-calling filmmakers to ask questions.
Filmmaker Ken Burns’ film studio suggested
an editor. “The secret to filmmaking is
surrounding yourself with talented people—
film editors, music composers, and sound
engineers,” Habib said.
He remained photo editor at the Monitor
while he shot, directed, and produced
“Including Samuel.” Then he left the paper to
travel to screenings of the film, advocating
for inclusion.
Habib impressed Dawn DeAngelis, chief
content officer at New Hampshire Public
Television, with his “focus and clarity and
real human stories” and even more with the
way he used his films to create community
conversations. “He totally understands that
the value of producing a film isn’t just about
the film.”
Mary Schuh, director of consumer affairs
and development at the University of New
Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, knew “a
film has the ability to influence hearts and
minds in a way that a PowerPoint presentation
or research paper can’t do.” She added that
“Including Samuel” inspires viewers to
question how society welcomes, values, and
supports diversity. So when Habib suggested
creating a position for a resident filmmaker,
she jumped at the chance.
Habib’s recent films include “Restraint
and Seclusion: Hear Our Stories,” about
the physical and emotional injuries
sustained when schools restrain students
with disabilities, and “Who Cares About
Kelsey?” about a high school student who
lived with homelessness, self-mutilation,
abuse, and ADHD. Habib created these
two recent films to “spark new
conversations about empowering, not
overpowering, youth with emotional and
behavioral disabilities.” His current
project, with the working title “Intelligent
Lives,” explores destructive assumptions
about intelligence.
His extracurricular work also centers
on disability. He gave a TEDx talk, titled
Disabling Segregation; helped organize a
summit in Washington, D.C., for 20 youth
leaders to develop a national inclusion
campaign (I Am Norm); and serves on the
President’s Committee for People with
Intellectual Disabilities. He is also the
filmmaker for SWIFT, a national center
that provides academic and behavioral
support to promote the learning and
academic achievement of all students,
including those with the most extensive
needs.
Whatever the project, Habib aspires to
include those with disabilities. “I truly
believe it will be the greatest civil and
human rights movement of the 21st
century.”
Davi Napoleon, ’66, MA’68
Michigan Alumnus | Summer 2015 | umalumni.com
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