<html class="apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Sent from Maryann Migliorelli's iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> "Migliorelli - CDLE She Her, Maryann" <maryann.migliorelli@state.co.us><br><b>Date:</b> July 20, 2026 at 10:28:21\u202fAM MDT<br><b>To:</b> Maryann Migliorelli <maryannmigs@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>Fwd: Becoming a Knight \u2014 Haben\u2019s Acceptance Speech</b><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">\ufeff<div dir="ltr"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Haben Girma</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:contact@habengirma.com">contact@habengirma.com</a>></span><br>Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2026 at 9:36\u202fAM<br>Subject: Becoming a Knight \u2014 Haben\u2019s Acceptance Speech<br>To: <<a href="mailto:maryann.migliorelli@state.co.us">maryann.migliorelli@state.co.us</a>><br></div><br><br><div class="msg-4398397844349155582"><u></u>
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<p>Bonjour!</p>
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<p>When I was learning Braille as a child, I never imagined that reading letters with my fingers would one day lead to becoming a Knight. France recently held a beautiful ceremony where Consul General Valérie Brisset presented me with the insignia of Chevalière de l\u2019Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. In my acceptance speech, I called on communities around the world to invest in Braille. We have Amharic Braille, Italian Braille, Japanese Braille, and Braille systems in many other languages. Yet in the age of AI, critics are calling Braille old-fashioned to justify cutting instruction and production. Braille is more relevant than ever, and in the speech below I connect the dots.</p>
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<img src="https://images.habengirma.com/7518559d-283a-4de9-8893-6b43b669b658.jpg" alt="A video play button appears over an image of French Consul General Valérie Brisset smiling at Haben. Her left hand is on Haben\u2019s shoulder and her right is on Haben\u2019s hand, which is reading from her Braille display. Haben looks toward her with an attentive expression. The silver medal on her dress sparkles. Behind them, the French, EU, and US flags are partially visible above the room\u2019s wood paneling and stone fireplace." width="440" style="display:block;width:100%;max-width:440px;height:auto;border:0" data-unique-identifier="">
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<span class="m_-4398397844349155582letterdrop-link-preview-title" style="display:block;font-size:16px;line-height:19.2px;font-weight:700">France made me a Knight, and my mission is Braille!</span>
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<p><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__habengirma.com_2026_07_13_france-2Dmade-2Dme-2Da-2Dknight-2Dand-2Dmy-2Dmission-2Dis-2Dbraille_&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=hCdnR5kIMcKiU8_urh3_LF4O801RO8oAkmvXPRpK1h0&m=8mwp1KI5R2FYi_gJkyvnDkqnVg4bRwV2c2jvE8leGchUcaCeVUoINrDOfMHHJV-M&s=AkJzh59jZQYlQrWDAel1Z1evvRg_b7jdpBgfUkiAJiA&e=" target="_blank">Descriptive transcript.</a></p>
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<h2><strong>Knighthood FAQ</strong></h2>
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<h3>Q: What do we call you now\u2026 Dame Haben? Chevalière Haben?</h3>
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<p>A: Call me Haben. In France, Chevalière de l\u2019Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an honor, not a title. Though I may consider a guide horse.</p>
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<h3>Q: How can I help advance Braille access?</h3>
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<p>A: Ask your elected representatives to support funding for Braille instruction, qualified teachers of blind and Deafblind students, and accessible educational materials. If you work in technology, include Braille compatibility and testing throughout the development process. If you work in publishing, education, libraries, museums, theaters, or other cultural institutions, make books, signs, and other materials available in Braille.</p>
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<h3>Q: What\u2019s next for you?</h3>
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<p>A: On July 23 in Oakland, California, I\u2019ll join MacArthur Fellow Josh Miele and disability rights attorney Lainey Feingold for the First Bay Area event for the new book <em>Digital Accessibility Ethics: Disability Inclusion in All Things Tech</em>. It\u2019s a <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__luma.com_qn23ra0k&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=hCdnR5kIMcKiU8_urh3_LF4O801RO8oAkmvXPRpK1h0&m=8mwp1KI5R2FYi_gJkyvnDkqnVg4bRwV2c2jvE8leGchUcaCeVUoINrDOfMHHJV-M&s=mEEZNoE4mFkOrpPTAWJ8mbHNKMUNBzCh0e8PDoA2Yqo&e=" target="_blank">public event</a> with ASL interpretation, captioning, and wheelchair access.</p>
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<p>I\u2019d be honored if you shared my knighthood acceptance speech with someone who cares about literacy, technology, or accessibility.</p>
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<p>With gratitude,</p>
<p>Haben</p>
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<p style="text-align:left;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica';font-size:12px">Hability, LLC, 405 El Camino Real #209, Menlo Park, CA 94025</span></p>
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</div></div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal">At your service,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maryann Migliorelli </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She, Her, Hers</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Labor & Employment Specialist II</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Claims Processing</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Maryann.Migliorelli@state.co.us" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563c1">Maryann.Migliorelli@state.co.us</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Phone: 303-318-9181 ext 0736</p>
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