<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from My IPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Emily Gindlesperger via NFBP-Talk <nfbp-talk@nfbnet.org><br><b>Date:</b> March 11, 2021 at 7:28:49 PM EST<br><b>To:</b> Nfbp-talk <Nfbp-talk@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Emily Gindlesperger <SkewBDoBDo@verizon.net><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[NFBP-Talk] Please read this wonderful article written by our own Lisa Bryant</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> "NFB of Pennsylvania Talk, state list" <nfbp-talk@nfbnet.org><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><h1 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 58px; font-size: 50px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 950px; color: rgb(49, 49, 49); clear: both; text-align: center; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Meeting with legislators is ‘the only way things will be addressed’ for blind and visually impaired citizens</h1><div class="excerpt" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 25px auto 45px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 25px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px; color: rgb(100, 100, 100); text-align: center; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Congressman Dwight Evans confirms he will co-sponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act — one of four legislative acts the National Federation of the Blind has on its priority list for 2021.</div><div class="byline " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; border-width: 1px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(148, 148, 148); border-bottom-color: rgb(148, 148, 148); font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 60px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; position: relative; color: rgb(100, 100, 100); height: 60px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="authors" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="authors-avatar" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: middle; border-top-left-radius: 35px; border-top-right-radius: 35px; border-bottom-right-radius: 35px; border-bottom-left-radius: 35px; height: 35px; width: 35px; overflow: hidden; display: inline-block;"><img src="https://generocity.org/philly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Lisa-Andrews-rotated.jpg" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: top; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;" data-unique-identifier=""></div> By <span class="author-wrap" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://generocity.org/philly/author/landrews" title="Posts by Lisa Bryant" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">Lisa Bryant</a> <span class="staff-title" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgb(148, 148, 148);">/ CONTRIBUTOR</span></span></div></div><div><br></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 25.5px; letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Each year hundreds of people with white canes and guide dogs descend on the Capitol for what is known as </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-agenda/fact-sheet-medical-device" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size: 25.5px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease; letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Washington Seminar</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 25.5px; letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Since 1973, the </span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size: 25.5px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfb.org/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">National Federation of the Blind</a> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 25.5px; letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(NFB) has led its members to face to face meetings with their respective congressmen, where they present the group’s legislative priorities of the year.</span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 25.5px; letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 25.5px; letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">The NFB President determines the priorities that would most affect its more than 50,000 members nationwide. In pre-pandemic days, meetings were crunched within a 2–3-day period in January or February. With this year’s virtual platform, meetings extended throughout the month of February. The Pennsylvania affiliate is meeting with Congresswoman <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Mary Gay Scanlon</span> later this month.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">“In some ways we had a lot more flexibility this year,” said <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Emily Gindlesperger</span>, the legislative director for the NFB of Pennsylvania. Gindlesperger has coordinated the Pennsylvania meetings for the past 10 years.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">As the mother of a blind teenager and visually impaired herself, getting in front of lawmakers is a personal labor of love for Gindlesperger. Angelina, her 15-year-old daughter has also been an active participant since she was about 10 years old.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">The NFB’s 2021 priorities are:</p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro, "Lucida Bright", "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; width: 484px; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><li aria-level="1" class="check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none;"><span class="fas fa-check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -25px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: "Font Awesome 5 Free"; font-weight: 900; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 13px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline-block; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-rendering: auto; color: rgb(148, 148, 148);"></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/fact-sheet-access" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">The Access Technology Affordability Act</a></span>. First introduced last year, this act would provide a refundable $2,000 tax credit to be used within a three-year period. This bill would help offset the high costs for assistive software and devices which are not typically covered by insurance.</li><li aria-level="1" class="check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none;"><span class="fas fa-check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -25px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: "Font Awesome 5 Free"; font-weight: 900; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 13px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline-block; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-rendering: auto; color: rgb(148, 148, 148);"></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-agenda/fact-sheet-medical-device" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">The Medical Devices Nonvisual Accessibility Act</a></span> seeks a uniform accessibility standard for home medical devices. The initiative requests that the <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Food and Drug Administration</span> lead the charge, collaborating with manufacturers and people with disabilities</li><li aria-level="1" class="check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none;"><span class="fas fa-check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -25px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: "Font Awesome 5 Free"; font-weight: 900; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 13px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline-block; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-rendering: auto; color: rgb(148, 148, 148);"></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-agenda/fact-sheet-accessible-websites-act" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">The 21st Century Mobile Apps and Website Accessibility Act</a> </span>would strengthen current federal accessibility guidelines. It would also empower the <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Department of Justice</span> to investigate complaints.</li><li aria-level="1" class="check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 25px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none;"><span class="fas fa-check" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -25px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-family: "Font Awesome 5 Free"; font-weight: 900; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 13px; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline-block; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-rendering: auto; color: rgb(148, 148, 148);"></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/fact-sheet-voting-act" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">The Americans With Disabilities Voting Rights Act</a></span>addresses all inaccessible aspects of the voting process. Among other recommendations, the Act would require accessible machines for in-person voting. It also recommends electronic voting registration and balloting. </li></ul><div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Ideally the group secures sponsorship from the chair of the committee overseeing the act. From there, NFB members push for as many cosponsors as possible. The more cosponsors an act receives, the easier it moves out of committee and to the full house.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Considering the backdrop of the January 6 raid on the Capital, the impeachment trial and a pandemic that put staff in a myriad of remote locations, the Pennsylvania team secured meetings with the offices of 16 of the 18 Pennsylvania representatives. They also met with aides from both Senators <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Pat Toomey</span> and <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Bob Casey</span>.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Efforts are already paying off. The Access Technology Act has been assigned a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/431?s=1&r=15" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">bill number in the House</a>, while a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/212?s=1&r=3" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(79, 132, 191); text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s ease;">Senate version</a> was introduced during the Seminar.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Congressman <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Dwight Evans</span>’ office has met with NFB members for several years and said, “I’m pleased to continue working with NFB Philadelphia members — it’s important to me to hear about their needs and priorities.” Evans confirmed he will co-sponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Esther Gillyard</span> is new to the NFB and attended her first seminar. She lost her sight in 2015 while a student at <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Temple University</span>. Now a mother, she shared her experience of having to withdraw from school due to the lack of accommodations, and the challenges of being a blind parent.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Gillyard hopes her story dispels any generalizations about the blind community. “I think it’s really important that they hear other perspectives. That’s the only way things will get addressed,” she said.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">The scheduling process is hectic and changes at a second’s notice but Gindlesperger believes it is well worth the time.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">“If they don’t hear it from us, they won’t hear our passion and our needs. There’s no one else better to tell our story but us,” she said.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><a href="https://generocity.org/philly/2021/03/08/meeting-with-legislators-is-the-only-way-things-will-be-addressed-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-citizens/">https://generocity.org/philly/2021/03/08/meeting-with-legislators-is-the-only-way-things-will-be-addressed-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-citizens/</a></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 605px; caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: rgb(37, 37, 37); letter-spacing: 0.25px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Thank you</p></div></div><br><div dir="ltr"><b>Emily W. Gindlesperger</b></div><div dir="ltr"><b>2nd Vice President</b></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><b>Legislative Director </b></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><b>National Federation of the Blind Of Pennsylvania </b><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><b><i>Please note that all or any portion of this message may have been dictated using speech to text technology. Do not hesitate to request clarification if necessary.</i><br></b><div><b></b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sent from my iPad</span></div><div><b><br></b></div></div></div></div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>NFBP-Talk mailing list</span><br><span>NFBP-Talk@nfbnet.org</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbp-talk_nfbnet.org</span><br><span>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFBP-Talk:</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbp-talk_nfbnet.org/dbrown8827%40aol.com</span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>