The Ride Ahead

ALL CIFF SCREENINGS OF THE RIDE AHEAD WILL INCLUDE OPEN CAPTIONS21-year-old college student Samuel Habib is itching to become an independent member of society, but he lives with a rare genetic mutation that necessitates 24/7 care and the use of a wheelchair. Witness how he sets out to manage a world that ignores the needs of people with disabilities.Samuel Habib’s goals are pretty typical for a 21-year-old. Moving out of his family’s New Hampshire home. College. Establishing his career. Dating. Sex. Yet every rite of passage is fraught with challenges—unexpected seizures and uncontrollable movements caused by his rare genetic disorder. Friends’ homes are inaccessible to his wheelchair. His labored speech and use of a communication device are barriers to a social life. He craves more independence and a family of his own one day. “But no one tells you how to be an adult,” he says, “let alone an adult with a disability.” Samuel is determined to avoid the statistical realities: unemployment, isolation, institutionalization. A turning point comes when he starts talking to disabled adults, who have been through all he is going through now. And when he begins to channel their insights, a roadmap for himself—and for other young adults like him—begins to take shape.GUEST(S) ARE SCHEDULED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR Q&APost-screening Panel:Stick around after the screening for a panel discussion with our community partners around disability rights, advocacy, and opportunities in our community. Moderated by Ideastream's Kabir Bhatia. In partnership with The Superhero Project, Vocational Guidance Services, Achievement Centers for Children, and HELP Foundation.