Being Heumann centers on Judy Heumann's leadership of the 1977 federal building sit-in to enforce Section 504, portraying the protesters as clear heroes confronting systemic barriers through sustained community action and legislative demands. The narrative emphasizes themes of collective organizing, accessibility as a right, and the intersection of different disabilities while presenting the push for government intervention as essential to achieving equal opportunities in education, employment, and public spaces.

Being Heumann centers an ensemble of disabled actors portraying 1977 disability-rights activists during the San Francisco sit-in for Section 504, highlighting varied needs, intersectionality, and collective action against unyielding officials while treating disability as one facet of ordinary life rather than inspirational spectacle.