For individuals with disabilities, the road to becoming an independent adult can be especially challenging. A new film finds one man on the cusp of this transition seeking advice from notable disability activists.
“The Ride Ahead” will premiere next week on PBS. The documentary features Samuel Habib, who has a rare genetic disorder, as he navigates his early 20s.
“I was in general education classes all the way through school, and I had a lot of friends and was part of clubs and sports. But things felt confusing after I graduated,” Samuel Habib said. “But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability.”
Samuel Habib wants to move out of his parents’ home, start a career, and find a girlfriend, but he’s struggling to see how to fulfill his dreams amid the threat of unexpected seizures, barriers that come with relying on a communication device, and the limits of moving about in a wheelchair.
In the film, which Samuel Habib co-directed with his father, filmmaker Dan Habib, he interviews “strong adults with disabilities,” including Judy Heumann, who was instrumental in fighting for civil rights protections for people with disabilities, Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stoker, and comedian Maysoon Zayid, about their experiences transiting to adulthood.
Judy Heumann, left, is interviewed by Samuel Habib in February 2020 as his co-director and father, Dan Habib, looks on. Heumann, the legendary disability rights pioneer, died in March of 2023. (Dan Habib/LikeRightNow Films)
“Samuel’s mentors revealed so much to him because he is disabled. They wanted to tell it like it is — cut through the bullshit,” said Dan Habib. “I hope when young people with disabilities watch the film, they feel encouraged and empowered to find their own disabled mentors, and feel welcomed into the disability justice movement.
For the general public, I believe ‘The Ride Ahead’ will build awareness, promote understanding of ableism, and become a catalyst for lasting and meaningful cultural change toward a society more inclusive of disabled people.”
The documentary is an expanded version of the Emmy Award-winning “My Disability Roadmap,” a 2022 short film featured in The New York Times.
“The Ride Ahead” will air on POV on PBS on Monday, July 21.
“The Ride Ahead” resonates with us at the Special Education Foundation since much of our work supports students as they transition into adulthood, including our Adaptive and Assistive Equipment program.
This article was written by Shaun Heasley for Disability Scoop, and was published on July 8, 2025
