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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hi,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Do you have any idea how long your testimony will last? I am teaching a virtual RA class at 1pm.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Annette<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>rothmanjd--- via Blind-Gov<br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, September 15, 2023 12:53 PM<br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov@nfbnet.org><br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> rothmanjd@gmail.com<br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Blind-Gov] FW: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>FYI – please consider attending in person if you are local and viewing virtually if you are not. I am testifying on behalf of this division, so it is your stories that I’ll be telling.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;font-weight:bold'>Ronza Othman, </span></font></b><font color="#1f497d"><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none'>President<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none'>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none'>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none'>Pronouns: she, her, hers</span></font><span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> Pare, John <<a href="mailto:JPare@nfb.org">JPare@nfb.org</a>> <br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, September 15, 2023 12:25 PM<br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> State President, District of Columbia <<a href="mailto:callaway.shawn@gmail.com">callaway.shawn@gmail.com</a>>; State President, Maryland <<a href="mailto:President@nfbmd.org">President@nfbmd.org</a>>; State President, Virginia <<a href="mailto:tracy.soforenko@gmail.com">tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</a>><br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> President, National Federation of the Blind <<a href="mailto:OfficeOfThePresident@nfb.org">OfficeOfThePresident@nfb.org</a>><br><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Colleagues: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging will be conducting a hearing regarding accessible technology for people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans on Thursday, September 21 at 10:30 a.m. Our very own Ronza Othman will be testifying on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind. Along with serving as the President of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Ronza is the President of our National Association of Blind Government Employees and her testimony will address many of the accessibility issues faced by blind and low vision government workers. The hearing will take place in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., room SD-106, or can be viewed virtually at <a href="https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/unlocking-the-virtual-front-door-ensuring-accessible-government-technology-for-people-with-disabilities-older-adults-and-veterans"><font color=blue><span style='color:blue'>Unlocking the Virtual Front Door: Ensuri... | Senate Committee On Aging</span></font></a>. The hearing is open to the public and we want to fill the room with as many Federationists as possible. We will be providing round-trip transportation to the hearing from the Jernigan Institute. If you would like to ride in our van, please contact Jeff Kaloc at <a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org">jkaloc@nfb.org</a> or call him at 410-659-9314, extension 2206 by noon on Tuesday, September 19. For those providing your own transportation, you should plan to arrive at the hearing room no later than 10:00 a.m. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Warm regards, <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>John <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>John G. Paré Jr. </span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy</span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230</span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>(410) 659-9314, extension 2218 | <a href="mailto:Jpare@nfb.org">Jpare@nfb.org</a> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=262 height=95 style='width:2.7291in;height:.9895in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D9E7E8.739C91D0" alt="Image removed by sender. National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=30 height=30 style='width:.3125in;height:.3125in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D9E7E8.739C91D0" alt="Image removed by sender. Facebook"></span></a></font><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=30 height=30 style='width:.3125in;height:.3125in' id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D9E7E8.739C91D0" alt="Image removed by sender. Twitter"></span></a><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=30 height=30 style='width:.3125in;height:.3125in' id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D9E7E8.739C91D0" alt="Image removed by sender. Youtube"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. </span><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>