Dan Habib
Directing
Biography
Dan Habib (pronounced "Habeeb") is the creator of the award-winning nationally broadcast documentary films Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey?, Mr. Connolly Has ALS, Intelligent Lives, and many other short films on disability-related topics. Habib is a project director at the Westchester Institute for Human Development. Habib's films have been nominated for Emmy awards, translated into 17 languages, and used worldwide to support inclusive education and disability rights. Before becoming a full time documentary filmmaker in 2008, Habib was the photography editor of the Concord Monitor (NH). He was twice named the national Photography Editor of the Year and has been a judge of the Pulitzer Prizes. In 2012, Habib received the Champion of Human and Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association, and in 2013 he received the Justice for All Grassroots Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. Habib delivered a widely viewed TEDx talk titled "Disabling Segregation" on the benefits of inclusion to students with and without disabilities. From 2014-2017, Habib served on President Barack Obama's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities-a committee that promotes policies and initiatives that support independence and lifelong inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. Habib and his wife, Betsy, live in Concord, NH, with their sons, Isaiah, 24, and Samuel, 21.
Known For
Samuel Habib, 21, wants to date, leave home, go to college. But he drives a 350-pound wheelchair, uses a communication device, and can have a seizure at any moment. Determined to find his path forward, he seeks out guidance from America's most rebellious disability activists. Will they empower him to launch the bold adult life he craves?
The Ride Ahead
A high school principal is embraced by his community as he continues to lead the school, despite rapidly losing his ability to walk and speak due to the debilitating effects of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Mr. Connolly Has ALS
Three pioneering young adults with intellectual disabilities - Micah, Naieer, and Naomie - challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce.
Intelligent Lives
Photojournalist Dan Habib rarely thought about the inclusion of children with disabilities before he had his son Samuel eight years ago. Now he thinks about inclusion every day. Habib documented his family's efforts to include Samuel in every facet of their lives, a journey that transforms each of them.
Including Samuel
Kelsey Carroll has one goal--to graduate from high school--and plenty of reasons why she shouldn't. She attends a school with one of the highest dropout rates in New Hampshire and has dealt with homelessness, abuse, and ADHD. As a freshman, she didn't earn a single academic credit, but she did get suspended for dealing drugs. 'Who Cares About Kelsey?' is the story of Kelsey's transformation from a defiant and disruptive 'problem student' to a motivated and self-confident young woman. Along the way, critical figures in her personal and educational life shape her coming of age and play important roles in an education revolution that's about empowering--not overpowering--our most emotionally and behaviorally challenged youth.
Who Cares About Kelsey?
Samuel Habib strives for an independent life, but as a young man with a disability and a 500-pound wheelchair, navigating the world is a complex undertaking. Samuel is determined and armed with advice and encouragement from some bad-ass people with disabilities. He's ready to set himself on the road to his best life.