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</style> </head> <body> <div id="header"> <h1 class="title">The Braille Monitor,
April 2023</h1> </div> <h1 id="braille-monitor">BRAILLE MONITOR</h1> <p>Vol. 66,
No. 4 April 2023</p> <p><em>Gary Wunder, Editor</em></p> <p>Distributed by email,
in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the</p> <p>NATIONAL FEDERATION
OF THE BLIND</p> <p>Mark Riccobono, President</p> <p>telephone: 410-659-9314</p>
<p>email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a></p> <p>website
address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a></p> <p>NFBnet.org:
<a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a></p> <p>NFB-NEWSLINE®
information: 866-504-7300</p> <p>Like us on Facebook: <a
href="http://Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind</a></p>
<p>Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice</p> <p>Watch and share our videos: <a
href="http://YouTube.com/NationsBlind">YouTube.com/NationsBlind</a></p> <p>Letters
to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB
literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the <em>Monitor</em>
and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national office or may be emailed
to <a href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.</p> <p><em>Monitor</em>
subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year. Members are invited,
and nonmembers are requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be
made payable to <strong>National Federation of the Blind</strong> and sent to:</p>
<p>National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>200 East Wells Street<br /> Baltimore,
Maryland 21230-4998</p> <p><strong>THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT
BLINDNESS IS NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE
RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES
BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT; BLINDNESS IS
NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND—IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.</strong></p>
<p><em>ISSN 0006-8829</em></p> <p>© 2023 by the National Federation of the
Blind</p> <p>Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick
or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a National
Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots—the familiar
book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and a second slot
located on the right side near the headphone jack. This smaller slot is used to
play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad covering this slot and insert
the thumb drive. It will insert only in one position. If you encounter resistance,
flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when
you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once
the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading
digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges,
when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.</p>
<p>You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to your
computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb drives can be
used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in order to stretch our
funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with the drive when you return
the device.</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Hilton Americas-Houston Convention Center
Hotel]</p> <h2 id="convention-bulletin-2023">Convention Bulletin 2023</h2> <p>There
are plenty of reasons one might travel to Houston, Texas, the fourth most populous
city in the United States. The city’s vibrant arts scene boasts the largest
concentration of theater seats outside of New York City. And no Houston resident
would let a visitor forget that the city is home to the 2022 World Series Champion
Houston Astros. There is little question that Houston has a great deal going for
it. The city’s real draw, however, is that it will play host to the National
Federation of the Blind’s 2023 National Convention.</p> <p>It has now been
more than fifty years since the largest gathering of the organized blind last
convened in Houston, Texas, and our return in 2023 will be an event not to be
missed. The Hilton Americas-Houston hotel (1600 Lamar Street, Houston, TX 77010)
will serve as our convention headquarters hotel. Situated in the heart of downtown
Houston across the street from the beautiful twelve-acre Discovery Green Park,
the Hilton Americas is an ideal location for our annual event. Ballrooms, breakout
space, and sleeping rooms are all stacked in the same tower housed on a single
city block, simplifying navigation and minimizing travel distances. In-room internet
is complimentary to all attendees as is access to the health club and swimming
pool on the 22nd floor. There are several dining options on the hotel’s
lobby level (including a Starbucks for those of you requiring a caffeine fix) and
many more choices within easy walking distance from the Hilton’s front
door.</p> <p>The nightly rate at the Hilton Americas-Houston is $119 for singles,
doubles, triples, and quads. In addition, the sales tax rate is 8.25 percent, and
the hotel occupancy tax rate is 17 percent. To book your room for the 2023
convention, call 1-800-236-2905 after January 1 and ask for the “NFB
Convention” block. For each room, the hotel will take a deposit of the
first night’s room rate and taxes and will require a credit card or a
personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your
card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Thursday, June 1, 2023,
half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.</p>
<p>We have also secured overflow space at the wonderful Marriott Marquis Houston.
The Marriott is only a three-block walk directly across Discovery Green, or
attendees can walk entirely indoors through the George R. Brown Convention Center,
connecting both hotels on the second level. You will find many of the same amenities
at the Marriott as well as a Texas-shaped lazy river pool. The room rate at the
Marriott Marquis is also $119 per night for singles, doubles, triples, and quads.
To book a room, call 1-877-622-3056 after January 1. Again, ask for the “NFB
Convention” block. Similarly, the same deposit and cancellation policies
apply.</p> <p>The 2023 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be
a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication
to the goals and work of our movement. A wide range of seminars for parents of
blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick
the week off on Saturday, July 1. Convention registration and registration packet
pick-up will also open on Saturday. Breakout sessions continue on Sunday along
with committee meetings. Monday, July 3, will kick off with the annual meeting,
open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind.
National division meetings will follow the board meeting that afternoon and evening.
General convention sessions will begin on Tuesday, July 4, and continue through
the afternoon of Thursday, July 6. Convention ends on a high note with the banquet
Thursday evening so be sure to pack your fancy clothes. The fall of the gavel at
the close of banquet will signal convention’s adjournment.</p> <p>Remember
that, as usual, we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and
individuals. Once again, prizes should be small in size but large in value. Cash,
of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a rule, we ask that prizes of
all kinds have a value of at least $25 and not include alcohol. Drawings will
occur steadily throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a
Texas-sized grand prize to be drawn at the banquet. You may bring door prizes with
you to convention or send them in advance to the National Federation of the Blind
of Texas at 1600 E Highway 6, Suite 215, Alvin, TX 77511.</p> <p>The best collection
of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups,
committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and provocative program items of
any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships in our
Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action
is and where decisions are being made—all of these mean you will not want
to miss being a part of the 2023 National Convention. To assure yourself a room
in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, make your reservations early. We
plan to see you in Houston in July.</p> <p>Vol. 66, No. 4 April 2023</p> <h2
id="contents"> Contents</h2> <p>Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem</p> <p>by
Norma Crosby</p> <p>Celebrating 2023 Women’s History Month: Two Women Share
a Historical Position on how a Leader in the National Federation of the Blind has
Helped to Shape their Vision into Reality</p> <p>by Suzanne Turner and Rachel
Kuntz</p> <p>Growing My Federation Heart Started with a Scholarship</p> <p>by
Kinshuk Tella</p> <p>Normality: The Key to Low Expectations</p> <p>by Cricket
Bidleman</p> <p>A Moving Report from the Director of the National Library Service
for the Print-Disabled</p> <p>by Jason Broughton</p> <p>Accessible Pharmacy Labeling
in Each State</p> <p>by Sharla Glass</p> <p>NFB BELL® Academy: Raising
Expectations, Changing Lives</p> <p>by Karen Anderson</p> <p>Federal Tech Is
Inaccessible, but Now Blind People Can Do Something about It</p> <p>by Eve Hill</p>
<p>Supreme Action to Shatter Low Expectations: Living Blind and Serving on the
Bench</p> <p>by Richard Bernstein</p> <p>Cooking Is My Passion</p> <p>by Regina
Mitchell</p> <p>The Right to Participate Fully in Twenty-First Century America</p>
<p>by Anne Raish</p> <p>Remarkably Unremarkable</p> <p>by David Andrews</p>
<p>Lessons from my Federation Family</p> <p>by Cassie McNabb McKinney</p>
<p><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures</p> <p>-------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Norma
Crosby]</p> <h2 id="houston-we-dont-have-a-problem">Houston, We Don’t Have
a Problem</h2> <p><strong>by Norma Crosby</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor:
Norma Crosby requires little introduction given she is the treasurer of the National
Federation of the Blind and the president of our Texas Affiliate. If you had any
doubts about whether there are things to see and do in Houston in addition to our
annual convention, read on:</strong></p> <p>H-Town and Space City are just two of
the names you’ll hear used for Houston. This dynamic city may be a little
different from what you imagine. Do people wear hats and boots? Well, some do. Do
we all ride horses? Mostly during the trail rides associated with the world’s
biggest rodeo. Oh, and some of our police officers in the downtown area ride them
as well, but most people drive cars or take the bus or train. Do we all speak with
a Texas drawl? Not really. Lots of folks from other parts of the country and around
the world move to Houston every day, and about 145 languages are spoken here. So,
some of us sound like we were born here, but what Houston sounds like is changing.</p>
<p>Houston is a city with a world-class symphony, ballet, opera, and theater scene.
It is the epitome of southern cool, with a food scene that is the envy of most
American cities. It is a mix of old and new, oil barons and tech geniuses. It
boasts the world’s largest medical center, and best of all, it is host to
the 2023 convention of the National Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>As every
<em>Braille Monitor</em> reader knows, the Hilton Americas is the headquarters
hotel for the convention, and it sits just across the street from the twelve-acre
Discovery Green Park. Discovery Green is a mix of beautiful gardens, art installations,
and family-friendly fun. It plays host to free musical events, yoga classes, and
a playground for the kids. There is a scent garden, the listening vessels, weekly
jazz concerts, and more. There are two restaurants in the park. They are The Grove
and The Lake House. This oasis in the middle of downtown is not to be missed, and
you can walk to everything it has to offer from either the Hilton or the Marriott
Marquis, our overflow hotel. For more information, go to <a
href="http://www.discoverygreen.com">discoverygreen.com</a>.</p> <p>Of course,
Houston’s 665 square miles offers much more than Discovery Green, and
I’ll tell you a little more about some attractions you might want to visit
while in town. Some of what I’ll describe will be nearby, and, fair warning,
some won’t. We have a saying here, and hearing it might help you understand
what traveling around Houston is like. We say, “It takes an hour to get to
Houston from Houston.” That means it is a spread-out city, y’all.
With that in mind, here are some things to know about visiting Houston.</p> <p>Space
Center Houston is a main attraction in Space City. It sits approximately twenty-five
miles south of downtown and has daily tours. Our affiliate is working to develop
a scheduled tour with transportation to and from the Center. For more information,
check our website at nfbtx.org, after May 1.</p> <p>Galveston isn’t inside
the vast area that is Houston. In fact, it is about fifty miles South, but I am
mentioning it here because we know some of our members use convention time as
vacation time. Galveston is Houston’s playground, and it is a great place
to visit if you love the beach, waterparks, shopping, rides, and more. We
aren’t likely to be able to arrange a tour because, even though it’s
close, you’ll probably want to spend more than one day there. We recommend
that you look at Galveston.com to decide what you want to do while you are there.
You can also call our office at 281-968-7733 for suggestions about Galveston. We
go every chance we get.</p> <p>The Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) is
working with our affiliate to make sure visitors have a great time when they visit.
We are planning to provide a tour on Saturday, July 1, and other activities
associated with the museum may happen throughout the week. The museum’s
King Tut exhibit includes an accessible 3-D piece built by John Olson and his team
at 3-D Photo Works, and that exhibit will be available during our tour. The staff
at HMNS wants to make our members feel welcome just as our affiliate does. So we
hope you’ll join us for the tour we have planned. You’ll be able to
learn more about registering and paying for your tour on our website, <a
href="http://www.nfbtx.org">nfbtx.org</a>, after May 1.</p> <p>The Children’s
Museum of Houston has been rated the number one children’s museum in the
nation by <em>Parents</em> magazine. With over 90,000 feet of interactive exhibit
space, kids twelve and under are welcome to explore all the museum has to offer,
and their parents are welcome too.</p> <p>The world champion Houston Astros play
baseball less than a half mile from our hotel, and while I’m not encouraging
you to miss the great evening activities and meetings, I will say that the Astros
will be home on the weekend following our convention. We are currently exploring
the possibility of getting a group together for the game versus the Seattle Mariners
scheduled for July 7. If you’re interested, let me hear from you. Just send
a quick email to <a href="mailto:astros@nfbtx.org">astros@nfbtx.org</a>, with the
subject line “I want to see a great baseball game.” You can write
beautiful prose about your love for the Astros in the body of the email, and
I’ll touch base with you if there is enough interest to get a group together.
A decision will be made by May 15, so respond soon.</p> <p>I’ve told you
some about what you can do while you are here, but let me give a short bit of
advice for getting here. Houston has two airports. George Bush Intercontinental
Airport is north of the city. It is approximately twenty-two miles from our hotel.
William P. Hobby Airport, commonly called Hobby, is less than ten miles from the
hotel. If you are flying, you’ll save cab or rideshare fares by flying into
Hobby if you can. If you live close enough to ride a bus or a train, both the
Greyhound station and the train station are located downtown. In fact, the Greyhound
station is so close that your driver may not be super happy about the one-mile
trip.</p> <p>President Riccobono and our team at the national office, the Texas
affiliate, and everyone who is planning a meeting or seminar are all working hard
to make certain you leave the convention with a renewed spirit and a desire to go
and build the Federation. The City of Houston is determined to welcome our members
with open arms, and we promise you’ll leave town reinvigorated for the
coming year.</p> <p>Come back next month for more information about what to expect
at NFB 2023, and go to <a href="http://www.nfbtx.org">nfbtx.org</a> after May 1
for tour information. Feel free to call our office with questions before the
convention. We can’t wait to see all of you in Houston, and we will enjoy
hearing from you before you get here.</p> <p>-------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Suzanne
Turner]</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Dick Davis]</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Rachel Kuntz]</p>
<h2
id="celebrating-2023-womens-history-month-two-women-share-a-historical-position-on-how-a-leader-in-the-national-federation-of-the-blind-has-helped-to-shape-their-vision-into-reality">Celebrating
2023 Women’s History Month: Two Women Share a Historical Position on how
a Leader in the National Federation of the Blind has Helped to Shape their Vision
into Reality</h2> <p><strong>by Suzanne Turner and Rachel Kuntz</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor:</strong> <strong>This is an interesting perspective
on celebrating Women’s History Month, an unexpected thank-you at an unexpected
time. What a tribute to the person they celebrate and we give a tribute to them
for doing this. This article is one in which a man is thanked for his commitment
to the cause of women in employment:</strong></p> <p><strong>Suzanne Turner is a
member of the NFB Employment Committee from the Ohio affiliate and here are her
thoughts</strong>.</p> <p>The slogan “behind every great man there's a
woman” was adopted in the 1960/70s feminist movement, first having been
used in the 1940s. The implication behind the saying is that the great woman is
often ignored or taken for granted. Since that time, women have been making enormous
strides, and that motto today is now a humorous cliché. Although women are
continuing to fight for equality in every aspect, there are men who have aided
them in that pinnacle fight. Those men who help you to raise your expectations,
seize your potential, and help to shape your future are a value to women’s
history. Therefore, I want to take liberty in turning the tables on the slogan to
talk about a great man behind two blind women.</p> <p>The month of March gives
recognition to women across the world who have achieved significant contributions.
The 2023 theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." This theme recognizes
"women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling
including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social
media."</p> <p>As I write this article, it is only fitting that I share with a
dear and honored friend in its creation. She and I respect and are grateful for
the National Federation of the Blind for supporting our groundbreaking ideas.
Although we reside in affiliates on separate coasts across the country, we serve
together in spirit. We also share in the love for inspiring, the hope to motivate,
and the determination to make a difference in the lives of the blind. However,
our greatest privilege is to work within the framework of the Employment Committee
chaired by Dick Davis, who is blind at heart.</p> <p>In 2011 I met Dick at a
national convention by attending my first employment seminar. I was elated to be
in the room with those who were collaborating on solutions for assisting the blind
with employment opportunities. I left refreshed, reborn, and ready to pull up my
sleeves and get to work. As a benefit counselor and employment coordinator at a
nonprofit, I knew that talking about sourcing for jobs was cheap. Needless to say,
I had a plan and pitched it to Dick. He graciously gave me the green light to
facilitate a job fair at the 2012 National Convention. There were twelve employers
providing on the spot interviews and taking resumes. Although I am not sure if
any of the attendees back then were successful, it was the start of what now is
the National Federation of the Blind Career Fair. In 2022 over thirty employers
were present, hosting over one hundred job applicants. Consequently, each year
there are three National Federation of the Blind Career Fairs that are open to
all job seekers within and outside the Federation.</p> <p>Dick Davis is the
innovator for creating seminars on resume writing, job preparation, upper mobility,
and more. He has created a network of successful blind individuals who are committed
and dedicated to assist the blind with getting, keeping, advancing, and regaining
a job. Moreover, his article on the “70 Percent Solution” states
that, “Employers don’t want to know what they can do for a blind
job applicant; they want to know what the applicant can do for them.” This
is why the Employment Committee’s focus is driven by communicating the
importance of interpersonal skills, mobility training, self-care, self-work,
tolerance, and work direction, which mirrors a vocational prospective.</p> <p>Dick
gave me an ability to share a dream that had been festering within for years. I
am an African-American blind female who was a victim of Section 14(c) who found
herself packing spoons and forks in a box for less than the minimum wage in 1985.
I was told that I would never be a competitive employee and this by someone who
should have provided me with an informed choice. After all, I graduated at the
top of my class in high school and was accepted into the University of Alabama.
Despite those setbacks in the workshop, I obtained a graduate degree, retired
twice from the federal sector, and now am living the life I want. Dick took a
chance on me, giving me an opportunity to prove that my talents and energy were
valued. Without the man behind this woman, I would not be completely invested in
the Federation. His confidence in my abilities has not waivered. I have known Dick
over a decade, and his leadership is a treasure. His manners and civility should
be taught since it is such an important life skill in how we relate to one another.
He has the ability to disagree without disrespecting the opposing side, then
offering a resolution. Dick truly cares about people.</p> <p>As I stated, there
are two women that have been affected by Dick’s influence, discipline, and
dedication. In 2016 during the Ohio annual state convention, I invited him to
participate in a panel discussion called “Career Building Exchange
Symposium” where he and six experienced professionals in blindness discussed
topics on career exploration, sourcing and networking, and the importance of the
first impression to name a few. Dick also spoke to the general assembly, introducing
programs and services at BLIND Inc. His dialog captured the imagination of a young
woman who was newly blind and exploring her vocational options. Rachel Kuntz was
captivated by his presentation and soon enrolled as a student at BLIND Inc. She
was so impressive that the organization made her a job offer. After accepting,
Rachel is thriving professionally and fulfilling her purpose as a confident and
successful blind woman.</p> <p>So, the great man behind the two women from Ohio
has extended greatness within us by providing equality, security, and opportunity,
yes to Rachel and me, but also to the Employment Committee and blind job seekers
everywhere. It is Dick’s passion for the blind that binds us together
because he has shown us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves; we
are colleagues determined to help transform dreams into reality.</p> <p>Rachel
Kuntz is also a member of the Employment Committee from the Arizona Affiliate and
here is her tribute.</p> <p>As Suzanne has thoughtfully noted, Dick Davis has been
instrumental in changing the course of my life. At the 2016 Ohio affiliate
convention, I was carefully reviewing my list of things to do, and I was interrupted
by a man who wanted to tell me a joke. I cannot remember the joke now, but I do
remember that I was so busy and focused that the joke went over like a lead balloon.
Who was this ill-timed jokester? I am sure that you could guess that it was none
other than Dick Davis.</p> <p>Since our first meeting, Dick has never wavered in
his support of me and wholeheartedly encourages my ambitions. I am privileged to
call him a mentor and friend. I will never forget how Dick cared for me during
those early days of COVID quarantine while my family lived states away. His
occasional visits bringing me dinner made it possible to endure the isolation. I
can never repay him for his acts of kindness. He and his wife Pat have been an
important part of my life now for eight years.</p> <p>Suzanne mentioned some of
Dick’s many accomplishments that have been a key component to the success
of the Employment Committee and job seekers. I am going to take a moment to
enlighten readers to lesser known work he does behind the scenes. On any given
day Dick will receive dozens of phone calls, text messages, and hundreds of emails
that will ask him for help with their resume, job search, or job interview. No
matter what he is doing at any given moment, Dick will stop to give a job seeker
a few words of encouragement and helpful advice. If you have ever reviewed the
jobs list, you will no doubt note the volume of work this has entailed over the
years.</p> <p>Dick has taken many road trips to visit with an employer or business
interested in hiring a blind person for the first time. He has a straightforward
way about him that makes the employer feel as though they have known him forever.
Dick is tremendous at creating opportunities at places like FedEx and elsewhere,
assuring them that with the appropriate accommodations blind people are capable
of working on the same level as their sighted employees. This action alone has
opened more doors than could be counted in our community.</p> <p>Dick, who came
to the organization by working for Kenneth Jernigan in Iowa, holds a steadfast
belief in the limitless potential of blind people. I can only imagine that throughout
his tenure as the Employment Committee chair, he has helped thousands of
people gain the knowledge and courage to land that first job. This year, he is at
last passing the torch to a new Employment Committee chair. Because of his legacy
of success, we know that he has left every aspect of the committee strong and
prepared for the next generation of leadership. Thank you, Dick, for all that you
have done for our community and for continuing to be the great man behind great
women like Suzanne and me.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Kinshuk
Tella]</p> <h2 id="growing-my-federation-heart-started-with-a-scholarship">Growing
My Federation Heart Started with a Scholarship</h2> <p><strong>by Kinshuk
Tella</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: This article is gratefully reprinted
from <em>The Voice of the Nation's Blind</em>, Monday, March 7, 2022. As you can
tell from the title, the author is a winner of a national scholarship, but there
is so much more that he reveals. If I had to describe this contribution in one
word, that word would be wisdom. Enjoy:</strong></p> <p>For me, every day is Earth
Day. Nature always fascinated me. It began with catching insects in my backyard
as a child and constructing miniature rainforests in glass terrariums. It has now
led me to conducting research in the field of environmental geology at Miami
University.</p> <p>When I was growing up, I learned about the environmental issues
we face today: deforestation leading to the extinction of species, melting glaciers
leading to the decimation of our freshwater supplies, just to name a few. I am
driven to develop and apply science-based solutions for these environmental problems
and more. This drive is why I am on track to graduate with my Bachelor of Science
degree in geology and environmental science in the spring of 2023, with an additional
master's degree in environmental science, focused on policy analysis. It is what
takes me this summer to an internship in the Silicon Valley of northern California,
to ensure environmental compliance for Tesla, the world's largest electric vehicle
company. Above all, it is why I'm dedicating my life to fighting climate change,
personally and professionally, for decades to come.</p> <p>I didn't always have
the confidence to pursue these dreams. Growing up in an average suburban town in
southwest Ohio, I lacked the positive blind role models that I did not know I
needed. Being raised in a traditional South Asian household, my blindness was seen
as a shameful disease to be cured. My own parents unintentionally gave me vitamin
A toxicity from the gallons of carrot juice I was force-fed as a child. I internalized
this mindset of shame, sitting in the back of the classroom to look like I was
sighted, handwriting notes I could never actually read.</p> <p>This mindset only
changed when I found passions worth self-advocating for. I joined the marching
band in seventh grade and built confidence by finding pride in the hours of hard
work that I put into shows and concert performances. This coincided with my entry
into the natural sciences. I took advanced placement classes in related fields,
and finally I was able to put a career choice to what I have always enjoyed. But
despite these passions, I still was missing a community.</p> <p>Upon getting
involved with the National Federation of the Blind, I went from lacking role models
to having a community full of successful people who were breaking down the barriers
they faced. My love for advocacy has led me to get involved in leadership in
disability spaces at every level. I serve on the board for the National Association
of Blind Students (NABS), the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, and the
Miami Valley Chapter. I co-founded Prism Marching Arts, the first all-inclusive
special needs marching arts program in the Midwest. We put instruments in the
hands of people who otherwise never would have been given such opportunities in
their communities. In these ways I pay forward the opportunities that I have
received, to everyone, no matter who they are and where they come from.</p> <p>The
National Federation of the Blind's Scholarship Programs, at both the state and
national level, were the vessels that brought me into this community. This program
showed me that I was not alone, that there were thousands of other blind people
pursuing their dreams and redefining what it means to be blind. At first I simply
viewed this program as a monetary award for my educational pursuits. But oftentimes
the best experiences come as surprises. I quickly realized that the scholarship
program offered much more than that scholarship; it offered invaluable mentorship,
engaging community, and surplus fuel for my growing Federation heart. Blindness
is the characteristic that brings us together, brings us to fight for our rights,
and brings us to make the world an equitable place. I truly believe that programs
like the National Federation of the Blind's Scholarship Program help mold these
characteristics and experiences into a vessel for collective action and self-growth.</p>
<p>For me personally, I can say with certainty that the NFB Scholarship Program
has been a catalyst for allowing me to gain the confidence to pursue my dreams,
to take my career in the direction that I desire, and more.</p> <p>If there is
one lesson that I have learned, it is that we all live internally in different
worlds, but at the same time we live physically in the same world. Our perspectives
differ, but our resources and actions affect us the same. We live in an era in
which the Earth and its systems are at a critical point, a point where climate
change is arguably the greatest issue we face. This is why I dedicate my studies
and future work to the environmental issues humanity faces today. I hope to work
for the betterment of tomorrow and to make a world we can call our own.</p>
<p>----------</p> <h2 id="we-need-your-help">We Need Your Help</h2> <p><em>Very
soon after I went blind, I went to my first convention of the National Federation
of the Blind. Though as a six-year-old I was not scared about my future as a blind
person, learning about the NFB and going to conventions showed me tons of independent
blind people who I could look up to. Real life superheroes that I could aspire to
be like.</em> - Abigail</p> <p>Blind children, students, and adults are making
powerful strides in education and leadership every day across the United States,
but we need to continue helping kids like Abigail. For more than eighty years,
the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds
of thousands of blind people into reality. With support from individuals like you,
we can continue to provide powerful programs and critical resources now and for
decades to come. We hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by
including the National Federation of the Blind in your charitable giving and in
your estate planning. It is easier than you think.</p> <p> </p> <h3
id="with-your-help-the-nfb-will-continue-to">With your help, the NFB will continue
to:</h3> <ul> <li><p>Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille.</p></li>
<li><p>Mentor young people like Abigail.</p></li> <li><p>Promote independent travel
by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need.</p></li> <li><p>Develop
dynamic educational projects and programs to show blind youth that science and
math careers are within their reach.</p></li> <li><p>Deliver hundreds of accessible
newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary
to be actively involved in their communities.</p></li> <li><p>Offer aids and
appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence.</p></li>
</ul> <p>Below are just a few of the many tax-deductible ways you can show your
support of the National Federation of the Blind.</p> <p><strong>LYFT Round
Up</strong></p> <p>By visiting the menu, choosing donate, and selecting the National
Federation of the Blind, you commit to giving to the National Federation of the
Blind with each ride.</p> <p><strong>Vehicle Donation Program</strong></p> <p>We
accept donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational
vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements
to pick up your donation. We can also answer any questions you have.</p>
<p><strong>General Donation</strong></p> <p>General donations help support the
ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they
want. You can call 410-659-9314, extension 2430, to give by phone. Give online
with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit our Ways
to Give Page at: <a href="https://nfb.org/give">https://nfb.org/give</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Pre-Authorized Contributions</strong></p> <p>Through the Pre-Authorized
Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation
of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdrawal of funds
from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, call 877-NFB-2PAC,
or fill out our PAC Donation Form <a href="https://www.nfb.org/pac">https://www.nfb.org/pac</a>.</p>
<h3 id="plan-to-leave-a-legacy">Plan to Leave a Legacy</h3> <p>The National
Federation of the Blind legacy society, our Dream Makers Circle, honors and
recognizes the generosity and imagination of members and special friends who have
chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other planned giving option. You can
join the Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.</p> <p><strong>Percentage or
Fixed Sum of Assets</strong></p> <p>You can specify that a percentage or a fixed
sum of your assets or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind in
your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other
accounts.</p> <p><strong>Payable on Death (POD) Account</strong></p> <p>You can
name the National Federation of the Blind as the beneficiary on a Payable on Death
(POD) account through your bank. You can turn any checking or savings account into
a POD account. This is one of the simplest ways to leave a legacy. The account is
totally in your control during your lifetime, and you can change the beneficiary
or percentage at any time with ease.</p> <p><strong>Will or Trust</strong></p>
<p>If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation
of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.</p> <p>Visit our Planned Giving webpage
(<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving"><u>https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving</u></a>)
or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.</p> <h3
id="in-2022-our-supporters-helped-the-nfb">In 2022 our supporters helped the
NFB:</h3> <ul> <li><p>Send 371 Braille Santa and Winter Celebration letters to
blind children, encouraging excitement for Braille literacy.</p></li> <li><p>Distribute
over three thousand canes to blind people across the United States, empowering
them to travel safely and independently throughout their communities.</p></li>
<li><p>Deliver more than five hundred newspapers and magazines to more than 100,000
subscribers with print disabilities free of charge</p></li> <li><p>Give over seven
hundred Braille-writing slates and styluses free of charge to blind users.</p></li>
<li><p>Mentor 207 blind youth during our Braille Enrichment for Literacy and
Learning® Academy.</p></li> <li><p>Award thirty scholarships each in the
amount of $8,000 to blind students.</p></li> </ul> <p>Just imagine what we will
do next year, and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years to come.
Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to
transform dreams into reality.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Cricket
Bidleman]</p> <h2 id="normality-the-key-to-low-expectations">Normality: The Key
to Low Expectations</h2> <p><strong>by Cricket Bidleman</strong></p> <p><strong>From
the Editor: Cricket Bidleman is a name I think we will hear more often in these
pages. She is now our marketing coordinator, but many of us know her from her
winning of a national scholarship and her ongoing activity as a Federationist both
before and during her time at Stanford. She has interesting observations on
normality: is it something for which we should strive, or is it a barrier given
its definition and our difference as blind people. Here are some of her
thoughts:</strong></p> <p>“Wow, the way you did that was so efficient. I
almost forgot you’re blind.” This kind of rhetoric is annoyingly
common in society. The first time I heard something to this effect was when I was
very young. I was bothered, but not greatly so, and then I wondered why I was
bothered. I couldn’t articulate my feelings, so I actively tried quashing
them. After all, these kinds of things are normal.</p> <p>The explanation is
simple, and yet in some ways, not so. What does <em>normal</em> mean?</p> <p>I
read Dr. Kenneth Jernigan’s <em>Blindness: A Left-Handed Dissertation</em>,
which asserts that normality is the comparison of a minority to a majority. Jernigan
uses the example of most of society being geared toward right-handed people,
because right-handed people are in the majority, and are thus normal. He then
asserts, and rightly so, that society is geared toward the sighted
“normal.”</p> <p>Think about it. Windowpanes, visual art, technology,
movies, vehicles… very few of these are designed from the start keeping
the blind in mind. We are an afterthought because we are not “normal.”</p>
<p>This lack of universal design forces the blind to use alternative techniques,
which we must often create ourselves; or we are forced to ask for accommodations
for equal access, which again places the burden on us. In most cases, we must do
both of these.</p> <p>Even the language that society uses, though perhaps not
offensive, is still in favor of a sighted majority. “He’s blind to
the issue.” “I was blindsided by that.”… I am not
advocating for the elimination of such expressions but am using them to illustrate
a point: the word “blind” is clearly used as a negative here. Dr.
Jernigan uses the example of someone being “left behind,” or even
that it’s good to be “on the right side of history.” The
cases are similar.</p> <p>“Wow, the way you did that was so efficient. I
almost forgot you’re blind.” This, I believe, is intended to be a
compliment. However, I don’t view it as one, and I’m confident that
very few of my blind friends would either. Why is it good for someone to forget
an aspect of my identity? If they do this, it’s not unreasonable to guess
that they are also forgetting the obstacles that society puts in my way. It would
be different to say, “You did that efficiently, despite the extra steps
you had to take because of society’s lack of accommodations.” This
is ignoring the fact that many women wouldn’t be pleased with people saying,
“I almost forgot you’re a woman,” LGBTQ+ people wouldn’t
be happy with someone saying, “I forgot your sexuality,” etc. Why
does society expect me to be pleased with this language?</p> <p>When I told people
that I was accepted to Stanford, or later when I said I was going to/had gone
there, one of the common reactions was “I’m impressed. I bet most
blind people couldn’t do that.” I think that’s true, but not
because of our disability. It is true, once again, because of the expectations
that society has of us. The blind are expected to work in sheltered workshops,
not as movie directors; we are expected to let others take care of us rather than
to get independence training; we are even expected to let others dictate our needs,
because somehow blindness is associated with lack of intelligence, or hearing, or
speech.</p> <p>These expectations create notable obstacles between us and the
fulfilling of our potential. The world would have more blind movie directors if
society let go of the thought that blindness prevents us from doing it. If people
expected us to get independence training, the caretaker mentality would surely
lessen. If people asked directly what we need, listened to our replies, and then
internalized those, we wouldn’t be forced to shout into the void as often.</p>
<p>Circling back to the concept of the normal majority, I find the contradiction
between this constant comparison of blind people to sighted people and the low
expectations of the blind incredibly strange. The sighted cannot have it both
ways. If we are compared to the sighted, then the expectations should be the same.
If we are viewed as inferior as a product of our disability (which is, by the way,
out of our control), then why are we being compared to a different population?</p>
<p>Why is normality even important? The concept automatically forces a divide
between majorities and minorities. Universal design is less possible if people
try catering to the majority rather than to everyone. If anything, this concept
of normality is a way for the privileged majority to not stretch their horizons,
to seek comfort in the fact that so many others are like them.</p> <p>Blindness
can certainly be correlated with lack of success, but it should never be mistaken
as the cause. It is true that 70 percent of the blind remain unemployed. It is
true that blind people in general do not excel at heavily visual tasks and that
most blind people do not make a living through science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM). However, it is truest of all that this is not a product
of blindness but a product of society. Lack of proper education, lack of creativity,
an unwillingness on the part of the majority to stretch beyond what one perceives
to be our limits—the defeatist mindset that comes with the thought,
“Oh, they’re blind, so they do blind-people-stuff. They can’t
see, so why should we try to help them understand visual concepts?”</p>
<p>In the end blindness itself does not prevent us from doing anything. Low
expectations and lack of accommodations do. Start with the premise that blind
people should be held to the same standard as everyone else. Acknowledge the
difficulties that society puts in our way with lack of universal design, and add
that if this was not the case, we could do anything that our sighted counterparts
can. This is a much healthier mindset.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION:
Jason Broughton]</p> <h2
id="a-moving-report-from-the-director-of-the-national-library-service-for-the-print-disabled">A
Moving Report from the Director of the National Library Service for the Print
Disabled</h2> <p><strong>by Jason Broughton</strong></p> <p><strong>From the
Editor: In this presentation you will see many notes about laughter, cheering,
and applause, but I have removed many of them because they occurred so often that
at times they get in the way of the written message. It is clear that our librarian
also has talent as a comic, so as you read this, appreciate the uplifting feeling
that moved our audience. Here is what President Riccobono said to introduce our
presenter:</strong></p> <p><strong>We have just one more presentation this morning,
and it is one that we always look forward to, and the individual presenting to us
is at his first convention. The National Federation of the Blind has a long-standing
relationship with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.
After all, we're the customers! We're really pleased to note that the new director
of this important government program has made the relationship with the National
Federation of the Blind a priority, and he has elected to continue that
relationship.</strong></p> <p><strong>Prior to joining the Library of Congress in
2019, he became the first African American to serve as Vermont's state librarian.
For over a decade, he held numerous library roles in both South Carolina and
Georgia, where he used his prior training as an educator to focus on such issues
as workforce development and public outreach. I've had the opportunity to meet
with him a number of times since he took the role—I think even during maybe
his first week or so. It was my first time getting to meet him in person. He's
been here for a number of days—I think right before the Presidential Report,
he came up. So he's not just dipping in and dipping out. He's actually here to
participate. Here to speak to us from the Library of Congress is Jason
Broughton:</strong></p> <p>[Intro music: Take a look, it's in a book, a reading
rainbow! I can go anywhere, friends to know, and ways to grow, a reading rainbow!</p>
<p>I can be anything, take a look, it's in a book.</p> <p>JASON singing along:
It's in a book...</p> <p>[Music fades out]</p> <p>How nice to be welcomed with
that. [Applause] How nice! Oh, a microphone is a deadly thing for me to have,
because I like to talk! So just know that I hope to keep my comments concise and
informative and engaging.</p> <p>Well, good afternoon. My name is Jason Broughton,
and I'm the new director for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print
Disabled, and some would say I am the new Karen Keninger, who was the prior
director, whom I also know as well. If I had to use descriptive text to describe
myself, for those who want to know, Black male, bald headed, 6'4”, 225,
and the body of a Greek god! [Laughter and cheering, and applause] That's just
what you need to remember. Well, I did lie a bit. I'm only 6'1''. The rest is
true. [Laughter]</p> <p>As I said, I bring you greetings from the Library of
Congress, and with that, I'd like to thank you for having me here today. I and
our deputy director, Jason Yasner, are both in attendance, so there are two Jasons
at the NLS. [Applause] Thank you to President Riccobono and NFB leadership for
the invitation and the opportunity to talk about the importance of literacy,
collaborative partnerships, and the National Library Service.</p> <p>Literacy
begins with an understanding of one's world, which includes people, the environment,
and daily activities. Providing people with meaningful, diverse, and robust library
resources and collections helps to develop basic concepts and contributes to
independence as well as enhancing one's quality of life.</p> <p>As we know, literacy
is more than just reading and writing. I grew up in a rural area in South Carolina,
out in the boonies, known as Craws. In stating that, I loved learning, which meant
I enjoy reading a lot. But that sometimes was at odds with my parents and in the
community, because when you read a lot, sometimes you think you know a lot. I used
to get some feedback—so you might have heard the following phrases as well
if you enjoy reading—"How can you learn so much yet know so little?" "Book
sense is not common sense." And of course, my favorite that I heard on a show
known as the <em>Prairie Home Companion</em>: "To those people who think they know
all of it, it is especially annoying to those of us who do.”</p> <p>Communication
and literacy are interconnected; when you have a literary and literacy rich
environment, it supports people in being their best selves. It helps a person to
grow. Right now, in the library world, the new sexy thing is guess what? Accessibility.
It's the talk of the town in libraries! With that, however, at NLS, we believe
that accessibility should always be done at the beginning of a project or
process—[applause]—Not shoehorned in at the end. Accessibility leads
to discoverability, which aids in literacy. Democracy depends on literate people
navigating through the bureaucracy, dealing with the hypocrisy, being pushy about
equality, ensuring there is diversity, while keeping their curiosity. [Applause]
It's important!</p> <p>You have a lot of different choices—still not as
many as I think a lot of you would like to have. But there are more. And amongst
them is the National Library Service. So why choose us? Well, we celebrate our
ninety-first year this year for being the library for the blind and print disabled.
Thank you!</p> <p>I'm going to list off a few things as an update to let you know
what we're doing to help with literacy and ensure we are hearing from you. With
that, in conversation and collaboration with NFB, we work together to discuss with
the US Postal Service what Free Matter for the Blind should be with respect to
distribution of mail, packages, and parcels. You should expect an announcement
from them this month about what they plan to do to improve Free Matter for the
Blind. Our deputy said something interesting, however, during the conversation
that I think all of you should know, and I want him to take credit for this if it
makes it in the report. One of the things that became very unique is that in some
cases, people did not realize that free matter for the blind is a first-class mail
service. With that, the comment was made that maybe we should change it from
calling it Free Matter for the Blind and calling it First-Class Matter for the
Blind because we all know you are already first-class.</p> <p>Other actions that
we're doing: We are piloting Braille On Demand, where you can be provided one
Braille book a month. We are ensuring that our workforce at NLS, within the Library
of Congress, is representative of the service population. So we are still growing
and also working on that.</p> <p>When it comes to our collection, we've started
to modernize that through the Marrakesh Treaty. We now have over 2,800 new works
on our Braille Audio Reading Download, which you know as BARD. Thanks to you and
others, we've had over 41,000 patron downloads this year, and we've added 131,000
NLS titles to the World Intellectual Property Organization, known as WIPO. We also
have thirteen new foreign languages we have introduced. Something that has surprised
us in a wonderful way: some of you have personally emailed me and called me to
learn how to get into this pilot for our refreshable Braille displays. We now have
them in thirty-seven states, and that number is growing. Over 4,000 are now
distributed, and by the end of the year we hope to have an additional 6,000
deployed. The expectation has gone beyond what we could have ever imagined. It is
absolutely stunning, and we are reporting this to the Library of Congress and to
Congress itself, who is also aware.</p> <p>We have eased access for the reading
disabled. We now serve over 10,000 reading-disabled individuals, a 50 percent
increase to our service. We also have duplication on demand where you can have
one cartridge with multiple titles. That's going to be a cost-efficient item and
also a space-saving item for our network libraries.</p> <p>For the future, here's
what we're thinking. We have, in a sense, some updates that we're going to do to
BARD when it comes to microservices. We're also doing things with large print and
embossed Braille; tactile and graphic displays will be things of prominence in
our future.</p> <p>For those who have been waiting for us to research and hopefully
develop something that's really going to be a game changer that takes some time,
we are working to research a smart speaker, an Alexa for you to simply audibly
say "Alexa, I'd like to have..." and it becomes available. It is taking us some
time, but we are still in a positive mode to look to see when that will become
available.</p> <p>We're also expanding our collections. We're having wonderful
outreach and partnerships with the United States Postal Service, and one of our
biggest and most proud items is doing what we're doing with the Veterans Administration
in the form of a VA rapid signup. We hope this will help more people who, in a
sense, have unfortunately had vision or impairment come to them to ensure that
they understand that we are here to help assist in their quality of life.</p> <p>I
would like to thank NFB for your continued support on an effort that has been
going on, as I understand it, for over twenty years. For those who might not know,
and again, this is just what my staff tells me, we once were on the Capitol Complex
in DC, and we were temporarily moved for a unique little reason, and unfortunately,
fifty years later, we are still on that temporary move. Congress itself has the
decision to decide if NLS will relocate back to the Capitol Complex. [Cheering
and applause] Conversations continue. We are very optimistic. With that, I'd like
to thank NFB for your support and words and kindness.</p> <p>As I begin to close,
I'd also like to thank and give you an update on an award we give known as Library
of the Year, and with that, our regional winner was going to be, and is, the
Washington Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle, Washington, and the sub
regional was the Panelis Talking Book Library in Clearwater, Florida. I'm quite
sure that makes a lot of people happy, which is wonderful and a thing that we love
to have every year.</p> <p>As I begin to close, I want you to know that we have
a focus group that we're conducting from 12:30 to 1:30 in Gallery 4. We seek your
input, your insight, your comments, and also if you'd like to sign up for any beta
tests that we're looking at with our NLS technology. Because we want to hear from
you. As I tell my staff, one of the things that's really important that they need
to understand as I take the helm is that we don't need to worry about being right.
We need to GET it right. And that's very important in this business.</p> <p>I'm
making my comments concise because we are getting close to 12:00, and since we
are in an international food city, one thing I've learned is you do not come
between people and their food! So, as they say here in New Orleans, let the good
times roll! [Cheering and applause]</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Sharla
Glass]</p> <h2 id="accessible-pharmacy-labeling-in-each-state">Accessible Pharmacy
Labeling in Each State</h2> <p><strong>by Sharla Glass</strong></p> <p><strong>From
the Editor: At one time labeling by a pharmacy would have seemed nonsensical to
me. I only had a few bottles, and I could certainly label them myself. Then things
became more complicated: now I have a stack of prescriptions, and little techniques
such as looking at the pill size, looking for a unique bottle, or remembering
exactly where I keep a certain medication aren’t as reliable. Of course
I’ve never had good access to the instructions, so over time I’ve
come to learn how important they are. Enjoy this article by Sharla from Envision
about the way states are implementing legislation to see that we too have labels
we can read:</strong></p> <p>“We see what’s happening and know
it’s just a matter of time before our state has a mandate,” the
pharmacy executive said. These encouraging words are because NFB affiliates have
been approaching their legislatures and Boards of Pharmacy to say accessible
prescription labels are a health equity and health literacy issue which needs to
be addressed immediately.</p> <p>Due to the hard work of many NFB affiliates,
we’ve reached the point where the industry is anticipating a shift in public
policy nationwide in the near future. Who are these affiliates? What have they
done to create this shift in pharmacy thought? How do we push forward to make this
prediction a reality?</p> <p>The first two states to pass accessible prescription
labeling laws were Nevada in 2017 and Oregon in 2019. The pandemic didn’t
stop Frank Perez at the National Association for the Blind of Puerto Rico from
advocating over and over again to achieve a victory in Puerto Rico finally signed
by the governor in January 2023.</p> <p>In 2022 the NFB of Tennessee championed
a bill and navigated a unique situation because their state is one of the few that
actually owns and runs its own pharmacy services through TennHealth. This meant
having to make some amendments to avoid legislation getting caught up in fiscal
reports. In the end their law passed directing the Board of Pharmacy to do the
work of gathering stakeholders to help determine the rules. That rulemaking process
is just beginning.</p> <p>These were all quickly followed by an amazing collaboration
in Washington between the NFB, ACB, and Health Equity Circle to pursue accessible
prescription labeling and prescription label language access simultaneously. So
many people testified for this bill. Though it died on the House floor, advocates
so inspired the legislators and Board of Pharmacy that they committed to rulemaking
even without a bill. Rulemaking is officially underway, a rough draft and public
comment period already completed. One of the things that I will always remember
is the House Health Committee chair’s comment that she was appalled that
this was not already something being provided. She and many others assumed that
this was already standard practice.</p> <p>This has further inspired other affiliates
who have difficulty getting a bill sponsored to try this alternative route. In
January 2023 Camille Tate went before the Florida Board of Pharmacy and gave a
presentation. The Board’s first response was that they thought it would
cost too much to be implemented and needed to be legislated, but after more
questions about ADA and Braille technology, they agreed they would need to do more
research and discuss it again at a future meeting. Once again, like in Washington,
we found that people assumed that it was already being done or it was impossibly
difficult to do, but education is the key to progress!</p> <p>January also brought
Roger Crome and Sheila Wright in front of the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. They
gave a wonderful presentation which was followed by comments at length given by
Board Member Douglas Lang R.Ph., who, surprisingly, had served as a pharmacy
representative on the US Access Board working group that developed the <a
href="mailto:https://www.access-board.gov/rx.html">“Best Practices for
Making Prescription Drug Container Label Information Accessible to Persons Who
are Blind or Visually-Impaired or Who are Elderly”</a> (<a
href="https://www.access-board.gov/rx.html">https://www.access-board.gov/rx.html</a>)
in 2013. The board also had another pharmacist with a vision impairment who said
she herself could benefit from a large print or audible label. The board felt that
knowledge of labeling options and best practices are not widely known, and perhaps
a public relations campaign to pharmacists and the public would be a help. They
also agreed to work with the legislature on the multiple bills the NFB was able
to get introduced this session.</p> <p>We also are following efforts by the NFB
of Hawaii and the NFB of Maryland who both found sponsors and have bills scheduled
for committee hearings in the coming weeks. There are many other affiliates that
are seeking sponsors or gearing up to approach their Board of Pharmacy including
NFB of New York, NFB of Arkansas, and NFB of Michigan.</p> <p>Links to all the
bills mentioned and sample draft language can be found <a
href="https://www.staysaferx.org/p/blog-page_10.html">https://www.staysaferx.org/p/blog-page_10.html</a>.</p>
<p>If any other affiliates are interested in helping create the snowball effect
nationwide, you can find more resources at <a
href="http://www.StaySafeRx.org">www.StaySafeRx.org</a> and <a
href="file:///C:\Users\Gary%20Wunder\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\H63ZULFC\Medication%20Label%20Safety%20Awareness%20Campaign"><em>Medication
Label Safety Awareness Campaign</em></a>.</p> <p>If your affiliate or bill
wasn’t mentioned in this article or included on <a
href="http://www.StaySafeRx.org">www.StaySafeRx.org</a> or you would like help
tracking accessible labeling bills in your state, contact Sharla Glass at En-Vision
America, 941-702-6602 or <a
href="mailto:sglass@envisionamerica.com">sglass@envisionamerica.com</a>.</p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Karen Anderson]</p> <h2
id="nfb-bell-academy-raising-expectations-changing-lives">NFB BELL® Academy:
Raising Expectations, Changing Lives</h2> <p><strong>by Karen Anderson</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: The National Federation of the Blind is deeply committed
to building opportunities for blind children. One of our longstanding youth programs
is BELL<sup>®</sup> Academy. The program launched in Maryland in 2008, and
it quickly spread nationwide. In this article BELL coordinator Karen Anderson
shares her passion for the program and explains what it can mean for blind children
and their families.</strong></p> <p>"Every day we work to raise the expectations
for blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people
and our dreams."</p> <p>I have committed these words to my memory and to my heart.
When someone asks me what the National Federation of the Blind is, and, specifically,
what I do within the organization, these are some of the first words off my tongue.
I keep them in mind as I work with our members to develop our education programs.
High expectations for blind people are at the center of everything we build. Our
NFB BELL<sup>®</sup> Academy has been running for more than a decade now,
raising expectations for blind kids across the country. We have changed a tremendous
number of lives, and that number is growing all the time.</p> <h3 id="how-it-all-began">How
It All Began</h3> <p>The National Federation of the Blind Braille Enrichment for
Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy was started by members of the Federation in
Maryland. They realized that blind and low-vision children were being held back
by low expectations and weren't getting access to nearly enough Braille instruction.
For two weeks in the summer of 2008, kids came to the Jernigan Institute for
learning and fun. They made edible Braille dots, cooked using Braille recipes,
and listened to blind mentors read Braille stories. They didn't <em>have</em> to
learn Braille; they <em>got</em> to learn Braille alongside their peers in a space
where they were encouraged and challenged. These kids learned that Braille wasn't
just about boring worksheets; they discovered that literacy could be fun. Equally
as important, they learned a host of skills that helped them become independent.
These students learned to carry their own trays while they used their canes in
the lunch line. They learned to pour their own drinks, to open their own snacks,
and to clean up after themselves. All of these skills were modeled by blind adults
who used these skills every day and who had high expectations for the BELL
students.</p> <p>Over the following decade NFB BELL® Academy spread across
the country. Blind adults volunteered to show blind kids what is possible, and in
many cases those blind kids grew up and came back to the program as BELL volunteers.
Each summer we raised expectations for blind kids and their families.</p> <p>When
COVID-19 hit the world, we took NFB BELL® Academy to Zoom. From the extensive
BELL curriculum we chose lessons that we thought would work well in a virtual
setting. We sent boxes of materials for those lessons to hundreds of families
across the country. While the structure of the NFB BELL® Academy In-Home
Edition looked different, the core message was the same. The program promoted high
expectations for blind children, supported by blind mentors and role models.</p>
<h3 id="return-to-bell-in-person">Return to BELL in Person</h3> <p>In the summer
of 2023 bells will be ringing across the country once again. As we have since
2020, we again will hold our NFB BELL® Academy In-Home Edition. This year's
virtual BELL Academy will run for three weeks, from July 24 through August 11,
and it will be very similar to the programs of the past two summers. Students will
be placed in the beginner, intermediate, or advanced track, based on their current
Braille skills. Each participant will be sent a box containing materials specifically
geared for their track. Each track will meet on Zoom for an hour every weekday,
doing various lessons together along with a teacher and blind mentors. In addition,
because we know how important it is for blind kids to have a chance to talk with
one another, we will hold a social hour on Zoom every weekday. This social hour
is a space where students can talk with each other and with blind mentors. They
can discuss those things that are unique to the experience of blind students—what
do you do with your cane on the playground? How do you find a spot where you want
to sit in the lunchroom at school? During social hour we also learn things that
many sighted kids learn simply by observing, such as how to do popular dances. I
love hearing from former BELL participants that they were able to dance with their
peers at a birthday party or family wedding because of what they learned in
BELL.</p> <p>I am also delighted to share that several states are planning to hold
in-person NFB BELL® Academies this coming summer. Nothing is more powerful
for a blind child than being in the same room with other blind children and blind
adults. I look forward to hearing about all of the activities our BELL students
participate in with their blind mentors. I want to hear about their new ways of
decorating their canes and learning shades. I look forward to hearing about the
community-based instruction (or field trips, for those of us who don't speak
Educationese) that each BELL Academy goes on. I especially look forward to hearing
about the mentoring relationships and connections that will last far beyond the
summer of 2023.</p> <h3 id="making-a-difference">Making a Difference</h3> <p>I
know that what we do makes a difference. I know that our programs stand apart from
other programs offered to blind children. Still, talking with the parents and
students from previous NFB BELL® Academies impresses upon me just how much
of a difference we actually make.</p> <p>In January of 2022 I got a call from a
parent who was trying to figure out how to help her daughter, Lynn. This
twelve-year-old had spent her life struggling to read and process visual information.
Only recently had she been diagnosed with cortical visual impairment, or CVI. The
parent had started teaching Lynn Braille and it was going well, but the family
wasn't sure Lynn was eligible for BELL Academy. I beamed when I told Lynn's mother
that yes, absolutely, we would love to have Lynn join us for the 2022 NFB BELL®
Academy In-Home Edition. The family was actively working on Braille throughout
the winter and spring, so I agreed to touch base with them closer to the start of
BELL. At that point we could figure out which track Lynn should be placed in so
she could be challenged but not overwhelmed. By May this young lady, who had
struggled with reading for her entire life, had learned the entire Braille code
and was placed in the advanced track. She attended our social hour nearly every
day, and she was always eager to ask questions and give suggestions to her peers
and to the younger students. Almost every day she came back with a story about
how she had tried a new nonvisual technique she had learned in BELL Academy. I
saw her confidence grow throughout the three weeks of the program. This young lady
was realizing she was not a broken sighted person, but a blind person who could
use alternative techniques to live a full and happy life.</p> <p>Recently I talked
with Lynn's mom again, and we discussed what Lynn was going to do for the 2023
summer. She expressed surprise that so few programs she had found throughout the
past year demonstrated the high expectations her family had become accustomed to
during BELL. One program Lynn attended told students that, if they learned to do
their chores well at home, they could someday get a job doing piecework. Lynn's
mom knows that Lynn is capable of more. I am so glad that Lynn's family has
connected with the National Federation of the Blind and become surrounded by a
group of people who know that Lynn is capable of more as well.</p> <p>If you want
to register for the NFB BELL<sup>®</sup> Academy In-Home Edition or see
whether your state or a state near you is hosting an in-person BELL Academy, visit
<a href="https://nfb.org/bell">nfb.org/bell</a>. I look forward to hearing more
from Lynn and our other BELL participants about how their expectations have been
raised by participating in NFB BELL!</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Eve
Hill]</p> <h2
id="federal-tech-is-inaccessible-but-now-blind-people-can-do-something-about-it">Federal
Tech Is Inaccessible, but Now Blind People Can Do Something about It</h2>
<p><strong>by Eve Hill</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Eve Hill has been
a highlight of many convention sessions in her many roles as a litigator with
Brown, Goldstein & Levy, an official in the Department of Justice, and now as
the chief counsel of the National Federation of the Blind. Here she speaks directly
about whether the laws pertaining to accessibility are enforceable and ultimately
to whether the law is just the law or whether it can become our reality. Here is
the first of many articles that I hope she will write for the <em>Braille
Monitor.</em></strong></p> <p>The United States Department of Justice just released
a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/section-508-home-page-0">report</a> (<a
href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/section-508-home-page-0">https://www.justice.gov/crt/section-508-home-page-0</a>)
on the federal government’s compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act. Section 508 requires federal agencies to make sure all their technology is
accessible to people with disabilities.</p> <p>But the DOJ report shows that many
agencies are not taking this duty seriously, even twenty-five years after Section
508 was passed. For example, although across all tested agencies one out of ten
websites were inaccessible, if one agency were removed from the count that number
rose to three out of ten websites being inaccessible. Across the federal government,
two out of every three pdf documents on federal websites are inaccessible. Most
of the inaccessible pdfs aren’t even tagged—meaning there has been
no effort to make them accessible.</p> <p>Some agencies have dedicated virtually
no resources to accessibility, some barely test any of their external websites,
and several don’t even test the accessibility of their internal websites.
Less than half of internal (intranet) websites that were tested were compliant.
More than half of the agencies reviewed haven’t even made their accessibility
statements compliant with Office of Management and Budget requirements. This is
not a sign that compliance is difficult—it’s a sign that federal
agencies can’t be bothered.</p> <p>Part of the reason federal agencies take
their accessibility responsibilities so lightly may be that it has been hard to
enforce those obligations. But that is about to change. The District of Columbia
Circuit Court of Appeals just issued a decision that gives us the tools we need
to insist that these statistics improve. In <a
href="https://nfb.org/blog/understanding-orozco-v-garland-appeal-and-why-it-important"><em>Orozco
v. Garland</em></a> (<a
href="https://nfb.org/blog/understanding-orozco-v-garland-appeal-and-why-it-important">https://nfb.org/blog/understanding-orozco-v-garland-appeal-and-why-it-important</a>),
the Court held that a blind federal employee can sue his employer under Section
508.</p> <p>The federal government tried to argue, and the lower court agreed,
that federal employees could not enforce Section 508 against federal agencies
because it incorporated the “remedies, procedures, and rights” of
Section 504, which applied to federally-funded entities, not federal agencies
themselves. The DC Circuit disagreed, finding that such a reading would make no
sense, since Section 508 only applies to federal agencies, not federally-funded
entities. The court found that Section 508 only incorporates Section 504’s
“remedies, procedures, and rights.” It does not incorporate Section
504’s coverage limitations. The court also found that Section 508 enforcement
was available to federal employees, not just members of the general public with
disabilities.</p> <p>So federal employees with disabilities can now sue to enforce
their right to accessible technology. They can no longer be ignored by their
federal agency employers. They can no longer be forced to rely on part-time or ad
hoc work-arounds while the underlying technology they’re forced to use
remains inaccessible.</p> <p>The National Federation of the Blind was proud to
support Mr. Orozco’s case and looks forward to holding the federal government
accountable. Hopefully, as a result, the next Section 508 report from DOJ will
show more progress.</p> <p>--------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Richard Bernstein]</p>
<h2 id="supreme-action-to-shatter-low-expectations-living-blind-and-serving-on-the-bench">Supreme
Action to Shatter Low Expectations: Living Blind and Serving on the Bench</h2>
<p><strong>by Richard Bernstein</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: This was
a very moving presentation from a blind person who exercises the levers of power.
It is one that kept us in our seats as we were ready to bolt for the stairs in
preparation for the banquet. The presenter is a Supreme Court Justice on the
Michigan Supreme Court, and this is what President Riccobono said in introducing
him:</strong></p> <p>We've talked during this convention about the difficulties
in getting support through the courts of this nation for the viewpoints that we
hold about disability and equal access. One reason that we struggle with the courts
is that, when you look at the judiciary system, especially at the federal level,
you don't see any people who exhibit the qualities that we have, especially as it
relates to disability! In fact, you might think by the folks that are serving on
the bench that America doesn't have any people with disabilities! Well, our speaker
here is a blind person, and he's serving in a significant position on the court.
He's doing so in the state of Michigan. He's bringing his lived experience to the
effort, of course. You'll recall that in our leadup to the 2020 elections, one of
the states we worked in was Michigan on accessible voting. And, you know, blind
people face trouble with voting all the time. But when one of the blind people
who has trouble voting is a justice to the state supreme court, it gets a lot of
people's attention! [Laughter and applause] So don't think that just because he
serves in a significant position, he's immune from the problems that blind people
have. He's still a blind person, and he brings that authenticity, that lived
experience to the work he does every day, and it drives his passion. He uses his
legal talents to advance our nation, but also through his lived experience, our
cause as blind people.</p> <p>He has come to our convention. We're glad to have
him. And he is someone who I think is at this convention for the first time. Here's
the Honorable Richard Bernstein!</p> <p>I got a call a short time ago, and it was
a call that probably many of you have had—and a conversation that many of
you have had. It was a wonderful young prosecutor, and he told me, "I love practicing
law, I love being a prosecutor, and the thing that I want to do more than anything
is to serve as a judge. But I went before the committee,” and he said they
told him, “You have all the qualifications, would be an outstanding judge,
but we simply can't take you because you're blind.” [Crowd jeering and
booing].</p> <p>In what other situation, in what other group would that be okay?
Imagine to say to somebody, “The only reason you can't have this job, the
only reason you can't be promoted, the only reason you can't have advancement is
solely and exclusively because of the way that God made you and the way that you
were ultimately created?”</p> <p>I am certain that every single person in
this room, throughout their educational process or at their workplace has had to
contend with that self-appointed expert who feels that they know everything about
blindness—when they have no knowledge, no training, and no expertise. Yet,
so often in our workplaces, we have to be subservient to this mindset and to these
types of people.</p> <p>I would venture to say that even in our social lives,
blindness will always play a role. It's always so funny that as you're growing
up, people will say, "I found the perfect girl for you!" And I'll say, "Oh, that's
great, tell me all about her," and they'll say, "Oh, she's blind." [Laughter] And
I'll say, "What else?"</p> <p>"Well, she's blind." [Laughter] That's it! She's
blind. She's perfect for you because she is blind. [Laughter]</p> <p>You know,
it's interesting. We as blind people have to contend with so much. It is always
the same people who feel that we aren't capable of handling certain jobs or doing
certain things, and yet these are the same people that will always say things to
you like, “Oh, have you read about this blind guy that climbed Mount
Everest?” As wonderful and amazing as that is, we don't all climb Mount
Everest! And the irony that so many of us who are blind have to contend with each
and every day is this paradox. [Crowd agreeing]</p> <p>When we try to go for
employment, try to go for jobs, people have this natural instinct to exclude us
because they can't believe that we can actually perform the duties that are before
us. But then, at the same time, there are these ridiculous expectations that they
feel that we have to meet because they always know about that one blind guy:
“There's this ONE blind guy that I know! And he does all these things.”
So we get compared to people in an unrealistic fashion.</p> <p>I think the reason
that I am so excited to be a part of the NFB is I thank God for this organization;
thank God for its work! [Cheering and applause] Thank God for its efforts! But
most importantly, thank God for its advocacy. Because it's people like the NFB
who are making life better for each and every one of us. They're not exploiting
us. They're advocating for us. They're dedicated to doing the types of things that
make our life better.</p> <p>Listen: for all of us who are here today, whether
you were born blind or whether you're in a more challenging situation where you
have lost your vision suddenly and are now having to learn how to be blind, there
are real challenges that come with blindness. There are real difficulties that
come with blindness. It is something that we have to contend with and live with
and experience each and every day.</p> <p>Yes, there are so many people that are
out doing extraordinary things, and that is fantastic. But what we have to focus
on are the basics. We have to focus on the fact that, according to the Census,
over 80 percent of our population is currently unemployed. Now, that is not because
we are not capable. That is not because we are not talented. That is not because
we are not hardworking. It is solely and exclusively socioeconomic, which is
exacerbated by our disabilities.</p> <p>You know, I want to be very direct, because
I think it's important. The worst thing that someone can stand up here and say
is, "Well, if I can do it, you can do it," which I find to be infuriating. That
is so outrageous! [Laughter and applause] And it is so offensive, and so arrogant!
Because ultimately, what we know here at the NFB is that every one of us has our
own story. [Cheering] Every one of us has our own unique experience. And I just
like to be honest, direct. That's just my nature as a judge. You just say it
honestly and directly to people. Let's just put it out there. If I had not been
born and blessed to come from the family that I come from, where I had the absolute
best of everything—I had the best of schools, I had the best of teachers,
I had literally the best of everything because my family was able to provide
that—but if I hadn't been given those advantages, those unbelievable
socioeconomic advantages, there is no question that I would be part of the 80
percent who are currently unemployed and having to struggle. [Applause]</p> <p>So
I think the idea of this conference and the idea as to why we gather and as to
why we are together is because the NFB represents the reality of the world, and
the NFB represents the reality of what blind people have to face and contend with
each and every day. I don't have a lot of time to be with you today, because you've
got some extraordinary speakers, but I'm hoping that we will have much more time
in the future.</p> <p>There's a certain thing that I really do want to highlight,
and I really do believe needs to be focused. When people say—like they said
to this young prosecutor—that being a judge is simply unattainable for you
because how can you do this if you can't see, they are missing the most important
element of this. What makes a good judge is not your academics. It's not your
intellectualism. It's not your ability to research and to write and to publish,
and it is certainly not your ability to see. What makes a good judge, what makes
a good leader, is what every single person in this audience has. It is life
experience. Everyone here today understands what it means to truly have to struggle.
Everyone in this room understands what it feels like to be left out. Everyone in
this room understands the general feeling you have when people discriminate against
you for something that is beyond your control. [Applause] The reason that the NFB
has to be loud, the reason that the NFB has to be active, the reason that the NFB
has to be engaged is because often it's the case that, when you ask what makes a
good judge, when you ask what makes a good lawyer, when you ask what makes a good
doctor, when you ask what makes a good professional, when you ask what makes a
good person, it is solely and exclusively the notion of living with
struggle—understanding struggle, understanding adversity.</p> <p>Here's
what I want to say to everybody who is here at this conference. This is the notion.
If you learn to live with struggle, and you learn to face adversity like everybody
has here today, you can live your life with passion. You can live your life with
purpose. You can live your life with meaning. And you can live your life with a
mission that will allow you to transform the world which we know. You're here
because you have that mission. You're here because you have that passion. You're
here because you understand why you were ultimately created. We're a powerful
organization, for we are a powerful people. And when we go forth into society and
into the world at large, and people give us opportunities, they are not doing it
out of charity. They are doing it because we add to their organization. They're
doing it because we teach people the lesson of resilience. We teach people the
lesson of strength. We teach people the lesson of struggle. We teach people the
lesson of mission and purpose.</p> <p>I conclude with my favorite biblical story
that goes to the essence and heart of why we are here and why we're so dedicated
to doing what we do. It's the story of the angel coming upon Jacob deep into the
night. As the Bible teaches us, there existed an intense battle that ranged until
dawn. And when the sun rose, the angel blessed Jacob and gave him a new name, the
name of Israel, which translates to mean "one who struggles with God." But as
scripture teaches us, Jacob was not left uninjured. For after the struggle, he
was given a shattered hip. He would walk with a limp, and he would know great pain
for the remainder of his days.</p> <p>I believe that scripture teaches us this
valuable lesson because it was only through Jacob's struggle, it was only through
his setback, it was only through his frustration that he was able to connect,
appreciate, and understand the challenges and the hardships of his fellow man.
And it was only through that ability that he was able to become a leader and the
father of a nation.</p> <p>Let us go forth and take our struggle, find our passion,
and continue to do what we do as blind people: make the world better for everybody.
[Cheering and applause]</p> <p>---------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Wearing a
chef’s uniform, Regina Mitchell spoons food onto a plate.]</p> <h2
id="cooking-is-my-passion">Cooking Is My Passion</h2> <p><strong>by Regina
Mitchell</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: This is taken from the Spring
2023 issue of <em>Future Reflections</em>. This is what Debbie Stein said to
introduce the article:</strong></p> <p><strong>When Regina Mitchell received an
NFB National Scholarship in 2017, she planned to become a neurobiologist. Yet, as
so often happens, life led her in a very different direction, back to her true
passion—cooking. In this article she recounts the long journey of this
passion, from its roots in her early childhood to the work she is doing
today.</strong></p> <p>I've loved cooking for almost as long as I can remember.
I grew up as a fully sighted child in southern California, the oldest of four.
When I was very small, my mother allowed me to assist her in the kitchen when she
prepared small dishes such as salads and dressings. Later she taught me to make
meals that included more steps, such as tacos, enchiladas, spaghetti, and my
childhood favorites: sloppy joes and awesome tuna melt. I grew to appreciate every
process of cooking, and I loved creating dishes that my family enjoyed.</p> <p>Both
of my grandmothers lived within a few blocks of one another, and they shared their
knowledge and love of cooking with me. My maternal grandmother, born in Arkansas
and the mother of thirteen children, taught me the secrets of making southern
family-style meals such as casseroles, burritos, fried and smothered chicken,
gravy, biscuits, and fruit preserves. My paternal grandmother, born in New Orleans,
taught me the secrets of refined French Creole cuisine. She also introduced me to
the rustic fare of Cajun cooking with bold flavors of <em>étouffée</em>,
all kinds of gumbos, jambalayas, and seafood Creoles. In addition, I learned the
magic of cooking vegetables such as squash, green beans, beets, and the mysteries
behind great salads.</p> <p>After I got married, I learned more cooking secrets
from my husband's mother, who was born in Texas. She taught me to make a wide
variety of dishes such as smoked brisket, grilled salmon, pastas, and pilafs. One
dish for which I never got the recipe was her outstanding spaghetti sauce.</p>
<p>After a few years of marriage, my husband and I moved to British Columbia,
Canada, and we also lived in Seattle, Washington. The advantage of living between
two countries was that I discovered the totally different cuisine of the Pacific
Northwest. Instead of the Southwestern dishes I was used to, I began to enjoy the
abundance and varieties of fresh coastal seafood and the offerings of coffee
houses, vineyards, farmers' markets, and herb farms. My curiosity led me on a
quest for more knowledge of the fundamentals of food science. I took my passion
for cooking to another level; I decided to pursue it professionally. I followed
a lead and enrolled at the Seattle Culinary Academy.</p> <p>In culinary school we
were taught fundamental, technical, and safety skills. A huge emphasis was placed
on proper knife skills. We moved from basics to advanced lessons in stocks, soups,
sauces, international cuisines, culinary trends, and the use of fresh herbs (I
even started my own herb garden). I learned to cook for vegans, vegetarians, and
pescatarians, and I studied organization, discipline, and time management. I
learned how to run a kitchen, and I received training in how to manage a restaurant.
Although I chose culinary cuisine, courses in the baking school were required. I
hadn't had much experience in baking, and I found it a bit challenging, yet it
was a powerful tool in my creativity and understanding. During my two years in
culinary training, I learned well over 120 lessons, concluding with several
externships. All of my training began with basic skills, then layered those skills
upon others, just as one builds a dish by layering flavors.</p> <p>When I completed
my schooling in Seattle, I applied for a fellowship to train under master chefs
in Great Britain. I lived and worked in Scotland for four months while I trained
at the Stakis Hilton Hotel in Edinburgh. From there I went on to train at the
Metropole Hotel in London. I studied in Paris, Barcelona, and Rome, and I finished
my fellowship at the film festival in Cannes on the French Riviera. Altogether I
trained in Europe for eighteen months.</p> <p>I finally returned to the United
States in the late 1990s. In the early 2000s I worked with master chef Julia Child
and Emeril Lagasse at NOLA's. At Sur La Table in Seattle, I worked with local and
guest celebrity chefs, and I assisted chefs behind the scenes at food shows on
Seattle stations. Eventually, I created a wildly successful niche for myself,
providing a restaurant-style service in the homes of elite clients and creating
corporate executive team building experiences.</p> <p>One day I got a call from
the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. They were building a new boutique hotel in Las
Vegas, and they wanted to hire people who were used to dealing with high-end
clientele. I had worked with several Fortune 500 executives and many celebrities,
and I felt I would be a good fit. I went to Las Vegas for the interview.</p> <p>The
interview was a grueling process that stretched over three days. In the end I was
one of fourteen people who were hired. My family packed up and relocated to Las
Vegas. I transitioned from being a chef in the culinary profession to being a
butler in the hospitality industry that specialized in personalized elite services
to global nomads, royalists, celebrities, and gamers. My favorite guests were
those who saved for months to enjoy just one night of luxurious pampering.</p>
<p>Then my life underwent a dramatic change. Between 2012 and 2013 I was diagnosed
with an autoimmune disease called lupus. Lupus can affect any system in the body.
In my case I started to have severe eye pain. In 2014 I was diagnosed with bilateral
panuveitis (inflammation of all layers of the uvea, from the front to the back of
the eye). To my consternation my doctors suggested that I take a medical retirement.
They were convinced that my work in hospitality would be impossible due to my
vision loss.</p> <p>So I left my job. I sat at home week after week, month after
month. While sitting there I realized my losses; I had lost my sight, lost my
career, and lost the independence of driving, cooking, and navigating my previous
world. I was utterly disheartened, discouraged, and disappointed that life had
dealt me such a traumatic blow. I was a burden to myself, and I felt I was a burden
to my family and friends.</p> <p>There had to be something I could do to become
active again! I made a decision to return to school to finish my bachelor's degree.
I enrolled in classes at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).</p> <p>I had
no idea what was ahead of me as a returning blind student. I still had some residual
vision, but I soon realized it wouldn't be enough. I sat in class and could barely
see my professor's face. I ordered textbooks and could barely see the print on
pages. I truly didn't understand the gravity of my circumstances.</p> <p>One day
I met with one of my professors about the problems I was having. He referred me
to the Disability Resource Center (DRC) on campus. There I met my advisor, Raquel
O'Neill. Raquel was the first blind person I ever knew. Almost overnight my life
was transformed. The DRC reformatted my books and showed me how to use a CCTV and
the speech output on my smartphone. I learned many other skills that I needed for
academic success. Raquel later referred me to BlindConnect, the only blindness
training program in Las Vegas, which provides life skills training, employment
training, and peer support programs. At BlindConnect I learned the basics of daily
living skills and the use of a long white cane. I signed up for paratransit services
and gained peer support.</p> <p>In 2017, nearing my last year at UNLV, I found
myself running low on funds. I did a Google search for scholarships for blind
students, and I found a scholarship program run by an organization called the
National Federation of the Blind. I applied for a national scholarship, and to my
joy and amazement, I received a call from Julie Deden in Colorado. She told me I
was a finalist, and I would be attending the national convention of the NFB in
Orlando, Florida.</p> <p>In July of 2017, I flew to Orlando and attended my first
NFB National Convention. I was the oldest student in my scholarship cohort, but
blindness and NFB have no age barriers. At the convention I found a safe place
where I truly belonged! The whole experience was inspiring and beautiful! I was
honored to receive a STEM scholarship contributed by Oracle.</p> <p>When I returned
home from the convention, I was eager to get involved with the NFB of Nevada
Southern Chapter. It wasn't long before I became president of the Southern Las
Vegas Chapter.</p> <p>In 2018 I graduated with honors from UNLV. In addition to
the general commencement ceremony, I was asked to present as a guest speaker in
the African American Heritage commencement ceremony.</p> <p>In the summer of 2019
I returned to BlindConnect to attend weekly peer support meetings. Shortly, I
shared with Raquel O'Neill my desire to join in partnership with BlindConnect and
share my cooking skills and passion with this new community I am embracing. I had
exceptional culinary skills, but I needed some techniques specific to blindness,
which in time I would learn.</p> <p>A few months later, however, the COVID-19
pandemic brought face-to-face classes to a halt for several months. The cooking
classes later resumed on Zoom, and for eight weeks I taught theory and techniques.
People really enjoyed the classes, but I wanted to give more. I decided to
demonstrate, describing my cooking process step by step. I tried to describe
everything I was doing as I went along. I call it, "Intuitive Cooking." I give an
audio description of what an ingredient should feel like and how it should taste
and smell. The students were thrilled. Many had never cooked on the stove or in
the oven. Now they began recreating the same meals in their own kitchens.</p>
<p>Because I held my classes online, geography was no barrier. My classes opened
up to people all over the country. The media was curious: Who is this blind chef
who is teaching blind people? The media began to pursue interviews for podcasts.
The <em>LA Times</em> ran an article about my work. CNN flew down and observed
one of my classes and later featured a small segment on <em>The Human Factor</em>
with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the local paper's <em>Review Journal</em>.</p> <p>National
Federation of the Blind President Mark Riccobono invited me to chair a group for
cooking and food enthusiasts. We called it the NFB in the Kitchen Group.</p> <p>As
I reflected on my long history with cooking, I realized that it's very important
to give children experience in the kitchen from an early age. The Wisconsin Parents
of Blind Children reached out to me to teach a few cooking sessions to their
families. We started with monthly sessions during the summer. I've taught them
blindness skills and tool use, such as using a pizza cutter and a food processor
in place of a knife. Safety always comes first! We've learned how to make lava
cake, meatballs, smoothies, quiche, and pumpkin pie. Currently my youngest student
is eight years old. These children are fearless, learning independence in their
own kitchens and challenging obstacles!</p> <p>I feel tremendously blessed as I
look back over my life! Blindness has brought its challenges, but it has enriched
my life as well. I've often said that one of my superpowers is welcoming new
experiences, and so it is here! I have met many amazing people, people I never
would have known if I hadn't lost my sight. I have learned new skills I never
would have mastered as a sighted chef.</p> <p>I'll do whatever I can to encourage
people to get into the kitchen! I tell students to start without heat: making
salads, sandwiches, and vinaigrettes. Visit the deli and find out what's available
to taste. Discover herbs such as lavender, verbena, basil, and rosemary. Be open
to spices such as anise and cardamom, and try leeks, golden beets, wild mushrooms,
and other produce. Experiment with making your own spice blend. Don't be intimidated
by long-winded recipes. Read them carefully and pare them down to the essentials.
Just make something. Enjoy eating what you create.</p> <p>I learned patience from
my mother and grandmothers, and I learned to love what I do. I think my students
sense that. They understand that my knowledge is freely given.</p> <p>Sometimes
every day becomes the same as the one before. Sometimes in the midst of it all we
lose our joy of eating, let alone cooking. And we are desperate for a little dose
of kindness and an open, safe space.</p> <p>The table is central to our lives.
It's safe, open, and inviting. We believe in sharing life through great food at
our own table. Over food, stories are told, our days unfold, our family histories
are gleaned, and often we sort out our differences. The table is a safe space,
the place where we are nourished. As blind people we can take that step into the
heart of our homes, make the kitchen our friend. We can make space at the table
and fully take part in our nourishing traditions.</p> <p><strong>Editor's
Note:</strong> <strong>You can visit Regina Mitchell at her website, <a
href="http://chefregina.com">chefregina.com</a>. To get in touch, email her at <a
href="mailto:friendinthekitchen@gmail.com">friendinthekitchen@gmail.com</a>.</strong></p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Anne Raish]</p> <h2
id="the-right-to-participate-fully-in-twenty-first-century-america">The Right to
Participate Fully in Twenty-First Century America</h2> <p><strong>by Anne
Raish</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Civil rights has no meaning if
there is no enforcement, and Anne Raish came to the 2022 Convention to say that
there would indeed be enforcement. These are the words President Riccobono used
to introduce her:</strong></p> <p><strong>Earlier this week, we talked about using
all of the tools at our disposal to secure equal access protections for blind
people from all branches of the federal government. We continue to recognize that
we do have many allies in our work, especially to secure 21st century access rights
for blind people, and one of those is our next presenter, who is the principal
deputy chief for the Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division in the United
States Department of Justice.</strong></p> <p><strong>She has been with the
Disability Rights Section since 2010, serving as a trial attorney before coming
to be in her currently appointed position. She has a long resume of contributions
to civil rights work. We're very honored to have her here at this convention,
especially as we continue to be very concerned and feel quite an urgency about
making sure that we set the standard for all websites, from employers, public
accommodations, and other public entities, that they be fully accessible to blind
people! [Applause] So we welcome her to discuss the right to participate fully in
21st century America. Here, from the Department of Justice, is Anne Raish.</strong></p>
<p>Good morning, everyone. I am really delighted to be here to have the opportunity
to speak with you all about the Justice Department's work to advance the right to
full participation in 21st century America. And I'm especially excited to be
gathering in person for the first time in a really long time! [Cheering and
Applause] At the Justice Department, we recognize that perhaps nothing is more
fundamental to participation in the 21st century than technology. Now more than
ever, technology is the cornerstone of how we communicate, learn, and do business.
This was made even more abundantly clear during the height of the pandemic. During
that time, to stay home and physically distance, we relied on technology even more
to do our grocery shopping, to work, and to consult with our health care providers.</p>
<p>We are at a critical point for people with disabilities and technology. The
pace of technological change is staggering. While advancing technology can open
doors for many people with disabilities and provide the means to move closer to
the goal of full, equal, and truly integrated access, cutting-edge technological
advances can leave people with disabilities behind, especially if the entities
that develop, manufacture, and offer them do not make their products and services
accessible on the front end.</p> <p>When Congress enacted the Americans with
Disabilities Act and Section 504, the internet and information technologies as we
know them today did not even exist. For that reason, although the ADA provides
and guarantees rights in a variety of acts and activities, it does not mention
the internet. Accessibility must be built into the digital environment just like
accessibility must be built into the physical environment. [Applause] Enforcement
of these laws by the Department of Justice has resulted in public entities,
businesses, and some technology developers taking new approaches to accessible
technology. My goal today is to share with you all the department's role and tools
as it relates to enforcing the ADA in accessible technology. I'm going to talk
about some recent work in this area, and then I'm going to talk about how we can
work together to enforce full participation</p> <p>The Disability Rights Section,
where I work, is in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. Our work
is to advance the rights of people with disabilities using the ADA. We have many
tools to achieve this. One of them is regulations. Congress tasked us to provide
regulations for the ADA, and we can clarify the obligations imposed by the ADA
and how those obligations can be met. Currently the Justice Department is working
on a rule to provide technical standards to help state and local governments comply
with their existing obligations to make their websites accessible to individuals
with disabilities. [Applause] But I want to make clear—because we hear this
from some entities—that even without final regulations, the ADA applies to
the accessibility of web information and services. [Applause] That's been the
long-standing position of the Justice Department, and courts around the country
have recognized that web information and services must be accessible to people
with disabilities, even without formal technical standards.</p> <p>As another tool
to advance disability rights, the department also provides information and technical
assistance to entities who have responsibilities to comply with the ADA. To that
end, the department has several technical assistance documents regarding web
accessibility and services. Most recently, in the spring, the department published
new guidance that explains that state and local governments who offer their
programs, services, and activities on the web must take steps to ensure that their
communications with people with disabilities are as effective as their communications
with others.</p> <p>This includes services like paying a parking ticket, registering
for school, applying for an absentee ballot, and any other government program
provided on the web. The guidance also explains that businesses open to the public
must ensure that individuals with disabilities have full and equal access to their
goods and services, including the services they offer on their websites. This
includes retail stores, banks, hotels, medical offices, entertainment venues, and
restaurants. The guidance provides examples of common barriers, such as poor color
contrast, using color itself to provide information, failing to provide text
alternatives to images, and inaccessible online forms, where the forms use labels
that can't be detected by screen readers. The guidance then provides a variety of
features that businesses and state and local governments can use to make their
websites accessible. It also discusses the deficiencies in automated accessibility
checkers and states that a manual check of a website can provide a better sense
of accessibility.</p> <p>This may sound like basic stuff. But our hope is that by
putting a document out like this from the Department of Justice, it will prompt
businesses and state and local governments to put a stronger focus on making their
web service accessible. [Applause]</p> <p>You can find this document on our website,
ada.gov, and if there are topics or areas where you feel that it would be helpful
for the department to issue guidance, please reach out and let us know. We value
your insights and your expertise, and we would like to know about recommendations
that you have.</p> <p>We have another tool that we can use when these other tools
fail to bring about sufficient compliance. We also have our enforcement tool, and
we can sue government entities under the ADA. [Applause] The department has
jurisdiction over all state and local government employers, the activities of all
of those state and local governments, and businesses open to the public, like
hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores, and others. We have jurisdiction
to enforce the ADA at all of these entities and have brought enforcement actions
against many of them. As you know, many technologies that have access barriers
include not only commercial and public websites, but mobile applications, educational
software, audio visual multimedia, self-service kiosks, e-books, and much more.</p>
<p>I'm going to talk about employment first. Employment is key to how so many of
us spend our days, make a living, and even define ourselves. Under the ADA,
employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities,
unless it would impose an undue hardship. Assistive technology and accessible
technologies are just some examples of reasonable accommodations. Employers must
also test in a way that tests skill and ability on the job, not just measuring
disability. Advances in technology have had an enormous impact, but new ways of
doing business, if not implemented with access in mind, can limit accessibility
or lead to discrimination.</p> <p>For example, many employers now use algorithm-driven
hiring tools to interview job applicants. Job applicants must answer interview
questions on video, and those video recordings are then analyzed to see how
applicants' facial and voice expression compare to the facial and voice expression
of “successful employees.” The risk that the tool might disqualify
individuals with speech impairments or facial tics is obvious, but less obvious
is how such tools may disqualify individuals with other disabilities. Perhaps more
troubling is that job seekers may not know that the tool was used or that it led
to their failure in the hiring process. Rejected applicants may have no way of
knowing that they have been discriminated against or that they could have asked
for a reasonable accommodation.</p> <p>The department also has many settlement
agreements with public employers including a requirement that online job applications
comply with web content accessibility guidelines, including Dekalb, Illinois; Isle
of Palms, South Carolina; and village of Ruidoso, New Mexico.</p> <p>Moving on to
Titles II and III of the ADA, state and local governments and public accommodations
must ensure that their communication with people with disabilities is as effective
as communications with others. To that end, they must provide auxiliary aids and
services to ensure effective communication. An example of those aids and services
are accessible electronic and information technology. They must provide those aids
and services in a timely manner and in a manner that protects the privacy and
independence of the individual.</p> <p>In an example of a recent case we did, the
Justice Department reached a settlement agreement with the Champaign-Urbana mass
transit system in Illinois. An individual who was blind noted that when the mass
transit redid their website, they did so in a way that reduced usability for blind
users. Specifically, it limited their ability to plan their trips online and travel
independently. The Justice Department conducted a survey of the district’s
website and identified sixteen different accessibility barriers, including
insufficient color contrast, inaccessible hyperlinks, and limited keyboard access.
We asserted that, because of the redesign of the district's mass transit website,
they excluded people who were blind and with other disabilities' ability to
participate in the mass transit program in violation of the ADA. Under the agreement,
the district must make the mass transit website accessible for blind users and
users with manual impairments. The agreement requires the district to comply with
WCAG2.1AA.</p> <p>Also in Illinois, the department is in ongoing litigation against
the city of Chicago to ensure that people who are blind or deafblind have equal
access to pedestrian crosswalks. It was filed in district court and last year the
Justice Department intervened as a plaintiff, alleging that there are no accessible
pedestrian signals at over 99 percent of Chicago intersections that have a crossing
signal. Chicago is the third largest city in America, and to put the number in
perspective, only fifteen of the city's roughly 2,700 crossing signals have
accessible signals.</p> <p>The lawsuit alleges that this widespread failure by
the city subjects people who are blind or deafblind to added risks and burdens
that are not faced by sighted pedestrians, such as fear of injury or death. We
are continuing to litigate that case, and it remains ongoing.</p> <p>I want to
also highlight some matters we've had with public businesses. During the height
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Justice Department learned of widespread problems
experienced by individuals with disabilities trying to access vaccine websites
for the COVID-19 vaccine. [Applause] These websites obviously provide critical
information about COVID vaccinations and enable people to schedule appointments
online. A number of major retailers operated vaccine registration portals that
were not accessible to people who use screen readers or have a hard time using a
mouse. [Applause] In response to this feedback, the Justice Department reviewed
the websites of several large businesses, including Rite Aid, Hy-Vee, Kroger, and
CVS. The department determined that these corporations' COVID-19 vaccine portals
were not accessible to people with some disabilities. For instance, the calendar
on Rite Aid's website used for scheduling vaccine appointments did not show screen
readers any available appointment times, and people who used the tab key instead
of a mouse could not make a choice on a consent form that they needed to fill out
before making their appointment. People who use screen readers could not hear the
questions on Hy-Vee's online medical screening forms, and people who used the tab
key instead of a mouse could not select appointment times. These are obviously
critical functions needed to make a vaccine appointment!</p> <p>The corporations
agreed to make content about the COVID-19 vaccine, including the forms for making
appointments, conform to WCAG2.1 level AA. [Cheering and applause] We have also
done work in the area of self-service kiosks. Last fall the department filed a
brief clarifying that the ADA requires public accommodations to provide auxiliary
aids and services so that individuals with disabilities can fully and equally
enjoy all of their services. Quest Diagnostics provides health care and diagnostic
testing services, and requires patients to use an electronic self-service kiosk
to check in, input personal information, choose where to wait, and perform other
tasks. No staff are allegedly present in the check-in area, so patients who are
blind must ask strangers for assistance or bring companions. Our brief explained
that the ADA prohibits public accommodations from treating individuals with
disabilities differently because of the absence of auxiliary aids and services,
including failing to provide effective communication with respect to services
offered through visual and electronic means, like self-service kiosks.</p> <p>I
want to mention one more case involving accessible technology, because on this
one we are specifically seeking your feedback if you have experience with it.
Several years ago, the Department of Justice issued a letter of findings to the
University of California at Berkeley, concluding that Berkeley's free online
content is inaccessible to individuals with disabilities in violation of the ADA.
Berkeley creates and publishes free online content, including courses on its
Berkeley X platform, and it provides thousands of hours of audio and visual content
featuring conferences, lectures, and other university events and programming. Its
online content is made available to the public for free, but much of it is
inaccessible to blind individuals and individuals with other disabilities. If you
have tried to access UC Berkeley's online content, but you were unable to do so
because it was inaccessible, we'd be interested in hearing about your experience.
I have an email address that I hope is easy to remember! If you would like to
reach out on this, that email address is <a
href="mailto:UCBerkeley@usdoj.gov">UCBerkeley@usdoj.gov</a>. I'll also leave the
information up here so you can reach out if you'd like to.</p> <p>I'd like to end
by talking about how we can work together to dismantle barriers to access in 21st
century American life. There are many ways that we can collaborate. As you may
have done in the past, you can report an ADA violation through the Civil Rights
Division's website, which is civilrights.justice.gov. You can contact us to inform
us of lawsuits filed under the ADA in which we might participate by filing a brief
or intervening as a plaintiff. You can recommend technical assistance, and you,
of course, can comment on our pending regulations when they are published. Together
we can have a significant impact in eliminating barriers to access. The Justice
Department will continue to use every one of its tools to advance full participation
in 21st century life. Thank you again for having me here today to share some of
our work in this important area, and we look forward to our continued collaboration.
[Cheering and applause].</p> <p>MARK RICCOBONO: Thank you very much, Anne. We
appreciate the work that the Department of Justice is taking on, and we certainly
appreciate the notion that regulations are not needed, that the law is very clear
about the requirement for the internet to be accessible. We agree with that!
[Cheering and applause] On the other hand, the Department of Justice has a lot of
weight and tools that it can apply in this area, and we just want to share by show
of voice our support for strong regulations from the Department of Justice protecting
our rights on the internet. How about it, folks? [Loud cheering and applause]</p>
<p>If you could just share that message back at the Department of Justice, we
would appreciate it! Thank you for being with us today. [Applause]</p> <p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: David Andrews]</p> <h2 id="remarkably-unremarkable">Remarkably
Unremarkable</h2> <p><strong><br /> by David Andrews</strong></p> <p><strong>From
the Editor: This article appeared in the Spring Issue of the <em>Minnesota
Bulletin</em>. Here is the way it was introduced:</strong></p> <p><strong>(Editors’
Note: Dave Andrews is a Federationist well-known for his management of the listservs
and technological acumen—and possibly just as famous for his talents as a
cook. In this article, we have the privilege of his thoughts on raising children
and advice to new and aspiring parents.)</strong></p> <p>We can read stories in
the <em>Braille Monitor</em> and other places about blind parents who have problems
with the medical or social services establishments believing that blind people
are unable to parent kids. It’s true that children do get taken away from
blind parents, and blindness can be used against us in divorce proceedings and
other legal matters.</p> <p>I am pleased to tell you that none of this happened
to me. I think there are a number of reasons that this was true including being
prepared, talking to other blind people who are parents, and having a spouse that
believes in the capacity of blind people to raise our kids. There is probably also
a dash of luck!</p> <p>First, I tried preparing myself to raise a baby. I practiced
things like changing diapers and feeding on a life-sized doll. My wife was extremely
helpful in showing me how to do things—thanks Michele!</p> <p>Second, I
talked to other blind people. Nadine and Steve Jacobson and others were very
helpful. Since I am also the owner of NFB lists, I asked questions there. There
are a number of lists which can be helpful. They include Blind Parents (<a
href="mailto:blparent-subscribe@nfbnet.org">blparent-subscribe@nfbnet.org</a>),
Blind Kid—for sighted parents of blind children (<a
href="mailto:blindkid-subscribe@nfbnet.org">blindkid-subscribe@nfbnet.org</a>),
and in Minnesota, Minnesota Parents (<a
href="mailto:mn-parents-subscribe@nfbnet.org">mn-parents-subscribe@nfbnet.org</a>).
On these mailing lists people help each other, and support each other. None of us
has all the answers—we now call this “crowd sourcing.”</p>
<p>This is not to say that everything was smooth sailing. For example, the kids
and I were at Lumberjack Days in Stillwater one year and went up to a ride for
the kids to get on. The operator said to Rosa, “Isn’t it wonderful
the way you are able to take care of your dad and lead him around.” Rosa
was five at the time. Who was leading whom? I calmly explained things to him. A
couple times in public parks I was told that I shouldn’t have kids because
I couldn’t adequately supervise them. This is a small sampling of the bumpy
road of a blind parent.</p> <p>This illustrates my first point, “be
prepared.” You need to think about these kinds of situations in advance
and rehearse possible answers. These incidents seemingly always come out of the
blue when you least expect them—so you need to be prepared. You don’t
want to answer out of anger or not answer at all. This is hopefully an educable
moment for people, and you don’t want to lose the opportunity. I always
want to come back with a sarcastic answer. But they may not get it, and if they
do, it will only make them mad. So stay calm and logical. Thinking of possible
situations that may occur in the future and their answers will help you keep your
wits about you.</p> <p>Finally, things did not ultimately work out between Michele
and me, but when we got divorced, we agreed we would try and do what was best for
the kids. I think she believed in me and knew I could take care of the kids when
they were with me. She has always been willing to give me advice in those areas
that I did not know much about.</p> <p>Together we have raised two bright, engaging,
and committed young adults. Carlos is a sophomore at Century College majoring in
computer science and doing well. Rosa joined the Navy and is about to be stationed
on the aircraft carrier George Washington. They say it takes a village—and
it does!</p> <p>---------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Cassie McNabb McKinney]</p> <h2
id="lessons-from-my-federation-family">Lessons from my Federation Family</h2>
<p><strong>by Cassie McNabb McKinney</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: This
article is taken from <em>Future Reflections,</em> Spring 2023. Many of us know
the message we send about being blind, but the Federation is so much more as it
shapes our view of life and the respect we have for every human being. Cassie is
the mother of two, and here is a moving and interesting story she relates about
being a mom:</strong></p> <p>The lessons that we are taught in life come from
those who are the closest to us, those in the inner circle with which we surround
ourselves. My parents and grandparents served as examples for me. They taught me
to be respectful of all people and to show love rather than hastening to anger.
Above all they taught me to believe in myself and the dreams and goals I had for
my life.</p> <p>During the summer of 2003, I extended my circle when I met the
National Federation of the Blind. Leaders in this organization reinforced the
lessons I had learned from my family. They set an example by living full and
productive lives as blind people.</p> <p>Throughout the years I have had many
opportunities to serve our organization in positions of leadership. Each time one
of these situations has arisen, I have learned even greater lessons about myself.
All of the roads I have journeyed within my Federation family have prepared me
for one of the most challenging and rewarding opportunities in life: parenthood.</p>
<p>On January 13, 2016, Robert Dennis McKinney came into this world. He was a
healthy baby boy with a lot to say and the lungs to make sure that everyone heard
him. As he grew it became evident that he had inherited not only my nose and my
sass; he also inherited my eye condition. This knowledge was not the stress to me
that it might have been without my growth through the Federation. My Federation
family had empowered me to be the very best advocate for Robert that I can be.</p>
<p>At seven years old Robert is now quite the self-advocate. He has no trouble
voicing his needs to his teachers and instructors. He tells them exactly what he
needs to be able to learn alongside his peers. His immersion in the Federation
from a young age has put all of this into motion.</p> <p>Now, fast forward two
years. On May 19, 2018, Timothy Otis McKinney made his grand entrance into the
world. His brother had been more vocal, but Timothy was simply a force to be
reckoned with. We soon learned that Timothy has autism. The day we received his
formal diagnosis, I froze in my seat. I was utterly speechless.</p> <p>Where had
all my courage gone? I had had the courage to fight for my oldest son, to get him
what he needed. Was it not the same for Timothy? Of course it was!</p> <p>The
Federation is a movement of the blind, for the blind, but it is so much more. At
its core the Federation supports individuals who struggle with so much more than
blindness. It is an organization that builds and empowers. It is an organization
whose core belief is that we are a family. A family does what it has to do to help
where help is needed.</p> <p>I have had wonderful support from my family and
friends throughout my life. My Federation family has taught me invaluable lessons
about advocacy and self-advocacy. It takes real courage to stand strong when the
rights of our children are on the line and it is our duty to protect them. Not
only must we defend the rights of our own children; we must fight for the rights
of the children of our nation.</p> <p>Years from now, when Robert and Timothy are
older, they may reflect on their lives and the people who have shaped who they
are. No doubt there will be a circle of people who have surrounded them, a circle
of people they have learned from. I know in my heart that when they think of those
important people in their lives, they will think of the National Federation of
the Blind.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2 id="monitor-miniatures"><em>Monitor</em>
Miniatures</h2> <h3 id="in-brief">In Brief</h3> <p><strong>Notices and information
in this section may be of interest to <em>Monitor</em> readers. We are not
responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space
and clarity.</strong></p> <p><strong>A Music Competition for the World</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: This comes from Rudolf Volejnik, Vice President Emeritus
of the Czech Blind United.</strong></p> <p>Dear music-loving and music-creating
community,</p> <p>You are cordially invited to take part in the International
Competition for Blind Composers 2023. All essential information, including the
Application Form, can be found under the link <a
href="https://jandeylconservatory.cz/competition-2023/index.php?lng=en">https://jandeylconservatory.cz/competition-2023/index.php?lng=en</a>.</p>
<p>The prize-winning compositions will be financially rewarded, appropriately
promoted, and performed live in public. Don't hesitate to apply; the deadline is
June 30, 2023. Together with our appreciative audiences, we look forward to
experiencing your best creative achievement.</p> <p>This new contest represents
the continuation of a long tradition of organizing prestigious international
performance and composition competitions of blind music professionals in the Czech
Republic dating back to the 1970s.</p> <p>This invitation message has been issued
by:</p> <ul> <li><p>Ondřej Štochl – the Jury Chair</p></li>
<li><p>Stanislava Lustyková – Jan Deyl Music Conservatory Principal
and</p></li> <li><p>Luboš Zajíc – President of Czech Blind
United</p></li> </ul> <p>----------</p> <h3 id="nfb-pledge">NFB Pledge</h3> <p>I
pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the
Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support
the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.</p>
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