Inclusive Communities

Inclusive Communities leverages WIHD’s expertise and the power of documentary film to promote greater acceptance and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in schools and communities through curriculum, training, public awareness, and worldwide outreach. Inclusive Communities is directed by the WIHD’s Filmmaker, Dan Habib. Habib is the creator of the award-winning documentary films The Ride Ahead, My Disability Roadmap, Intelligent Lives, Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS, and many other short films on disability-related topics.

Films Dan Habib has developed include:

Dan and Samuel co-directed a feature-length film about Samuel’s transition to adulthood, titled THE RIDE AHEAD, which has been distributed nationally by PBS and is screening around the U.S. and internationally at festivals and events. They also co-directed the Emmy-winning short film, MY DISABILITY ROADMAP. The 23-minute film is featured in the New York Times website as an Op-Doc and can be viewed on the New York Times website (with captions) or on the film’s website (with captions and audio description).

Meet Our Inclusive Communities Team

Dan Habib
Inclusive Communities Director

Dan Habib is the Emmy Award winning Director and Producer of the documentary films Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS, My Disability Roadmap, The Ride Ahead, and many other films on disability-related topics. His current projects are the Emmy Award winning short NYT film My Disability Roadmap and the expanded feature film The Ride Ahead, both co-directed with his son Samuel Habib. The films follow Samuel as he navigates the path to work, college, and relationships while seeking out wisdom from disability activists across the country. Habib gave the TEDx talk, “Disabling Segregation” in 2014. He has received the Champion of Human and Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association, and the Justice for All Grassroots Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. Habib served on President Barack Obama’s President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities from 2014-2017. Habib and his wife, Betsy, live in Concord, NH, with their sons Isaiah, 28, and Samuel, 25.

Samuel Habib
Multi-Media Production Assistant and Presenter

Samuel Habib, 26, is the Emmy Award winning co-director of the New York Times Op-Doc My Disability Roadmap and the feature film, The Ride Ahead. Samuel was also a story consultant on his father Dan Habib’s nationally broadcast film Mr. Connolly Has ALS. His short film on his encounter with then-candidate Joe Biden was featured in Forbes Magazine and other publications (Forbes also profiled Samuel as a filmmaker).  Samuel has been a Concord Monitor newspaper video columnist and has presented nationally on disability rights, inclusive education, and his educational and social transition to adulthood. Samuel uses a wheelchair for mobility and a communication device (as well as his voice) to express himself. In addition to exploring his current and future college and career options, Samuel also navigates significant, chronic health challenges (including epilepsy, and speech and movement disorders) due to his underlying GNAO1 Neurodevelopmental Disorder. He is one of only about 350 people in the world diagnosed with this rare disorder.

For information about Dan and Samuel’s presentations and professional development, contact Dan at dhabib@wihd.org.