April 3, 2025
The Boost News
A video released late last month, “Paul and Hava: A Pathway to Marriage,” is a must-see for people interested in disability inclusion and equality.
A beautiful look at two consenting adults whose “ability to marry was constantly called into question” because they both have developmental disabilities, it focuses on their loving relationship and the work it took to ensure they could live together. It would be no surprise to anyone that their “dedicated and tenacious parents” were a big help in their journey.
The video was created by the NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) in partnership with the Office of General Services, Digital and Media Services division. It was inspired by a meeting Paul, Hava and their families had with Council Membership, which a spokesperson says, “left a big impact on our council membership.”
Subsequently, members approved the creation of the video to preserve Paul and Hava’s story as well as bring awareness to the topics of marriage, sexuality and consent as they relate to people with developmental disabilities. It was released March 31, 2025, as part of CDD’s celebrations of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.