<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> Suzanne Turner via NFB-Announce <nfb-announce@nfbnet.org><br><b>Date:</b> October 3, 2021 at 5:28:59 PM EDT<br><b>To:</b> nfb-announce@nfbnet.org, nfb-seniors@nfbnet.org, State Affiliate Leadership List' <state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org>, <Chapter-Presidents <chapter-presidents-bounces@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> smturner.234@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[NFB-Announce] THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION 2021</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> Suzanne Turner <smturner.234@gmail.com><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION 2021</span><br><span></span><br><span>BY SUZANNE TURNER <></span><br><span></span><br><span>Editor's note: Suzanne Turner is vice president of the NFB of Ohio. She also</span><br><span>chairs the convention planning committee. After investing months of planning</span><br><span>for an in-person convention this November, she has accepted the covid</span><br><span>handwriting on the wall and changed gears to organize a virtual convention.</span><br><span>This is what she says:</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Happy birthday, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. You are 75 in this</span><br><span>year of 2021. We honor and celebrate your outstanding accomplishments,</span><br><span>innovation, and advocacy. Through your members' active participation you</span><br><span>have continued to keep our pledge by fighting for equality, opportunity, and</span><br><span>security for the blind. Without you blind Ohioans would not have the</span><br><span>opportunity to witness confident blind people living the lives they want, so</span><br><span>we salute you and invite anyone who has interest or concerns for the blind</span><br><span>to come and help us celebrate your birthday. More details are below.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>You are cordially invited to a birthday party at the Ohio annual state</span><br><span>convention. The theme this year is "back to the basics and engaging the</span><br><span>future." the location and time of this grand event is anywhere and</span><br><span>everywhere on November 5 and 6, 2021. We will shine bright like a diamond</span><br><span>because it is Ohio's 75th anniversary.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Considering the ongoing impact and wide-ranging effects of the COVID-19</span><br><span>pandemic, the 2021 state convention will be held virtually. Registration is</span><br><span>now open and free. Go to nfbohio.org to register now.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Come one and all and join us as we celebrate on a virtual platform this</span><br><span>year. We will expand our circle of participation, connecting blind</span><br><span>Americans, not only across the state, but anywhere and everywhere for what</span><br><span>we expect will be the largest gathering of blind people in the history of</span><br><span>Ohio.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>All events will be held on the Zoom Platform and in the Eastern Standard</span><br><span>Time Zone.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Zoom Meeting Connection Information</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>One meeting link will be used for the Board Meeting, General Sessions, and</span><br><span>the Banquet. Closed Captioning will be available in these sessions.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Here are helpful commands:</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Phone command to mute and unmute: *6</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Phone command to raise and lower hand for speaking: *9</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>PC shortcut to mute and unmute: Alt A, Mac command: command shift A</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>PC shortcut to raise and lower hand: Alt Y, Mac command: option Y</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Zoom Meeting Etiquette</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Keep in mind that, when joining convention, you will be placed on mute. If</span><br><span>you wish to speak and are not on the agenda, you may raise your hand. A host</span><br><span>will get to you as soon as possible; do not unmute yourself until you are</span><br><span>prompted to do so. If you are on the agenda, the host will unmute you as we</span><br><span>approach your presentation. Stay on mute if you are not a presenter. If on</span><br><span>video, please do not eat or move about in any way that could be a</span><br><span>distraction to others watching. We recommend that you not activate your</span><br><span>video unless you are speaking.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>About the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio: The NFB-O is a 501 (c)3</span><br><span>not for profit organization and a founding affiliate of the National</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind. We are proud to be an integral part of the oldest</span><br><span>and largest organization of the blind in the United States. We are a diverse</span><br><span>group of people dedicated to changing what it means to be blind. Our members</span><br><span>work tirelessly to break down the legal, social, and personal barriers to</span><br><span>living the lives we want.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>The mission of the National Federation of the Blind is to achieve widespread</span><br><span>emotional acceptance and intellectual understanding that the real problem of</span><br><span>blindness is not the loss of eyesight but the misconceptions and lack of</span><br><span>information which exist. We do this by bringing blind people together to</span><br><span>share successes, to support each other in times of failure, and to create</span><br><span>imaginative solutions.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Those who pre-register for the Ohio convention by October 27, 2021, will be</span><br><span>eligible for door prizes. Door prizes will be drawn during pre-convention</span><br><span>festivities, general sessions, and the banquet. Registration is required,</span><br><span>and you must be present to win. When your name is called, please virtually</span><br><span>raise your hand or email ohioprize@gmail.com <mailto:ohioprize@gmail.com></span><br><span><mailto:ohioprize@gmail.com> within two minutes, which is the designated</span><br><span>window of time to claim your prize. Also, if you would like to donate a door</span><br><span>prize, please alert Ohio's door prize facilitator, Annette Lutz, at</span><br><span>president.capital.nfboh@gmail.com <mailto:president.capital.nfboh@gmail.com></span><br><span><mailto:president.capital.nfboh@gmail.com>.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Resolutions: All resolutions must be submitted to the Resolutions Committee</span><br><span>chair, Barbara Pierce, no later than October 24. Resolutions will be</span><br><span>considered at the general session on Saturday, November 6, 2021.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>If you plan to vote in the election or on issues brought to the Convention,</span><br><span>you must opt in to vote by registering your name, the phone number you will</span><br><span>use, your chapter or division, and an email address at the NFB of Ohio</span><br><span>website, nfbohio.org. You will receive an email acknowledgement. This means</span><br><span>that you can call in to vote. You must opt in to vote by October 24. I</span><br><span>reiterate that this is a separate procedure from registering for the</span><br><span>convention, which you must have already done before going to the website to</span><br><span>opt in.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>The Ohio affiliate is pleased to have Everette Bacon as our national</span><br><span>representative for 2021. We extend a warm welcome to Everette, who is a</span><br><span>national leader in the National Federation of the Blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Everette Bacon was born in Huntington Beach, California. At the age of five</span><br><span>he was diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, a condition which had run in his</span><br><span>family on his mother's side for thirteen generations, causing rapid-onset</span><br><span>blindness primarily in female family members. Despite the diagnosis</span><br><span>Everette's family took the advice of teachers and medical experts, believing</span><br><span>(or, more accurately, hoping) that, since Everette was male and his vision</span><br><span>was not deteriorating rapidly like that of other family members, he was</span><br><span>unlikely to go blind. As a result Everette did not learn Braille or other</span><br><span>alternative techniques during his school years. Looking back, Everette says,</span><br><span>his mother and other family members wish that they had encouraged him to</span><br><span>learn Braille and other blindness skills.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>When Everette was about eighteen, his entire family moved to Texas. Everette</span><br><span>pursued a degree in church music at Dallas Baptist University. He jokes that</span><br><span>he was pushed toward music because "you know, blind people sing." His first</span><br><span>job was teaching a seventh grade choir, but he found teaching not to his</span><br><span>liking. Searching for other employment in order to earn money to help his</span><br><span>wife through medical school, Everette ultimately accepted a management</span><br><span>position with Blockbuster Video in 1997. He was very successful in this</span><br><span>position, winning several awards and steady promotions. By 2004 he was</span><br><span>managing ten stores in the Houston area.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Everette's eye condition began to worsen, but instead of giving up, he</span><br><span>adapted by using alternative techniques. "I started carrying a cane, mainly</span><br><span>for identification, but I was using it when I felt I needed it." "I was</span><br><span>never embarrassed or ashamed about becoming blind because I grew up around</span><br><span>blind people, adapting was something you just became accustomed to doing."</span><br><span>However, when he asked for reasonable accommodations from his employer,</span><br><span>instead of granting these accommodations, Blockbuster terminated his</span><br><span>employment despite his outstanding record. The company even went so far as</span><br><span>to describe Everette's conduct as "fraudulent," implying that he had</span><br><span>deceived the company about his capabilities, even though he had previously</span><br><span>been praised and awarded for his work.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>This experience traumatized Everette and his family. His wife, mother, and</span><br><span>other family members sent angry emails to everyone they could; urging</span><br><span>readers to avoid shopping at Blockbuster based on discrimination against the</span><br><span>blind. One of these emails found its way to Scott LaBarre, the president of</span><br><span>the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado and a successful disability</span><br><span>rights attorney. Scott took Everette's case, and ultimately Everette</span><br><span>received a settlement from Blockbuster. More important, though, he learned</span><br><span>about the National Federation of the Blind and the many battles the</span><br><span>organization has fought in the effort to advance and protect the civil</span><br><span>rights of blind people. "I had heard of the Federation and been told that</span><br><span>they were militant," Everette says, "but my experience taught me the</span><br><span>importance of our advocacy." There are so many reasons to be proud of who we</span><br><span>are as blind people, and the Federation has paved the way for our climb to</span><br><span>the top of the mountain of civil rights!</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>In 2004 Everette and his wife, Dr. Angela Peters, moved to Salt Lake City,</span><br><span>Utah. Everette became involved in the Utah affiliate of the NFB and</span><br><span>developed what he describes as life-changing relationships with dedicated</span><br><span>Federationists like Nick Schmitroth, Karl Smith, and Deja Powell. These</span><br><span>friends helped Everette improve his blindness skills and grow in the</span><br><span>movement. Everette was also looking for new employment opportunities in Utah</span><br><span>and heard about a job opening as a Blindness Skills Teacher at the Utah</span><br><span>Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Everette remembers</span><br><span>speaking with Ray Martin about the fact that he knew nothing about teaching</span><br><span>blind people; Martin told him that being blind was the most important</span><br><span>qualification. The agency supported Everette in his pursuit of a master's</span><br><span>degree in rehabilitation. He went from teaching technology to supervising</span><br><span>the technology staff and now serves as the agency's field services</span><br><span>coordinator, overseeing all of the agency's technology and employment</span><br><span>services, supervising a staff of nine.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Everette began advocating for Utah's blind residents with an effort to</span><br><span>encourage a prominent local cinema chain to incorporate audio description</span><br><span>technology into its theaters so that blind people who wanted to experience</span><br><span>movies with audio description could do so. An avid movie fan with an</span><br><span>extensive collection dating from his Blockbuster days, he believes that</span><br><span>audio description can enable blind people to connect more easily with their</span><br><span>sighted peers when discussing entertainment. "One of the most valuable</span><br><span>lessons I have learned from the NFB is the understanding that blending into</span><br><span>society is an important skill. Being able to relate to our sighted</span><br><span>colleagues about movies, television, politics, and sports are excellent</span><br><span>paths to opportunities that help change common misconceptions about</span><br><span>blindness."</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>In 2012 Everette was elected president of the National Federation of the</span><br><span>Blind of Utah <https://nfb.org/about-us/state-affiliates/utah>. He is proud</span><br><span>of the affiliate's successful advocacy for a state mini-508 law requiring</span><br><span>accessibility of new state websites and procurement of accessible electronic</span><br><span>and information technology, subject to fines when agencies fail to comply.</span><br><span>His advocacy for accessibility made him an outstanding candidate to serve as</span><br><span>the Federation's representative on the Disability Advisory Committee to the</span><br><span>Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He was nominated for appointment to</span><br><span>this committee by President Riccobono and duly appointed to serve by the FCC</span><br><span>in 2015. Everette is also chair of the Utah Library Advisory Board. He also</span><br><span>sits on the Utah Assistive Technology Council and the Library of Congress'</span><br><span>National Library Service for the Blind's Audio Equipment Advisory Committee</span><br><span>(Western Region). He was unanimously elected to the Board of Directors of</span><br><span>the National Federation of the Blind at the organization's 2015 convention.</span><br><span>He and Angela and their two dogs live in Salt Lake City, but Everette still</span><br><span>roots for his beloved Dallas Cowboys.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Convention Highlights and Activities:</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Rookie Roundup: Wednesday, November 3 at 6:30</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Exhibit Seminar: Thursday, November 4, at 3:00 pm</span><br><span></span><br><span>Lab Computers, Inc, Ohio Dept. of Insurance, Vispero, Vanda Pharmaceuticals,</span><br><span>and more: these and more vendors will be on hand to demonstrate their</span><br><span>high-tech and low-tech products for blind and visually impaired users.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Happy Hour: Thursday, November 4 at 7:00 pm</span><br><span></span><br><span>Music, BYOB, Door Prizes, and More</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Here are a few convention opportunities:</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>. Network with blind people from all parts of the country.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>. Encourage blind people to expand their knowledge of resources.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>. Attend workshops designed to promote leadership, membership-building,</span><br><span>and successful employment strategies and attitudes.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>. Attend the banquet and cheer three blind students as they receive</span><br><span>scholarships.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>. Visit the Hospitality Room, which will be open virtually to mix and</span><br><span>mingle Friday, November 5, from 9:00 to 10:15 am and on Saturday, November</span><br><span>6, from 12:00 noon to 1:45 P.M.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>. Enter a drawing when you register online to win one hundred dollars</span><br><span>by donating ten dollars or more to assist with the work of the Ohio</span><br><span>affiliate. Each ten dollars donated will add your name that many times into</span><br><span>the pot.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>The gavel will fall on Friday, November 5, promptly at 2:00 pm for the</span><br><span>opening ceremonies and general session. We will have a series of speakers</span><br><span>covering a wide range of topics, including a report from our Ohio president,</span><br><span>a welcome to Columbus by the Capital Chapter, our national representative,</span><br><span>Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), and educational and</span><br><span>inspirational presentations. Annette Lutz will have exciting door prizes as</span><br><span>well.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Friday evening will see a flurry of activities. The At-Large Chapter, the</span><br><span>Ohio Community Service Committee, the Ohio Association of Blind Students,</span><br><span>and the Ohio Association of Blind Merchants will hold their annual business</span><br><span>meetings that evening. The Nominations and Resolutions Committee meetings</span><br><span>will also take place.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Saturday morning, November 6, we will begin with a breakfast meeting of the</span><br><span>Diabetes Action Network (DAN) and its business meeting at 7:30 a.m. If you</span><br><span>are interested in becoming a member of this division, you should strongly</span><br><span>consider attending.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>The gavel falls again promptly at 9:00 am to continue general sessions. We</span><br><span>will break at 12 noon for lunch. The NFB of Ohio Senior Division and the</span><br><span>Ohio Association of Guide Dog Users (OAGDU) will conduct their annual</span><br><span>business meetings. The afternoon includes workshops on promoting leadership,</span><br><span>membership building, and successful employment strategies. Therefore, this</span><br><span>year we are offering an exciting opportunity for businesses, nonprofits, and</span><br><span>employers to attend the ability seminar that will offer awareness of the</span><br><span>tools and techniques that members of the blind community use to interact in</span><br><span>formal and informal settings; to provide descriptions of how blind people</span><br><span>perform professional tasks in paid or volunteer work; and Explain the vital</span><br><span>role that a positive philosophy and attitudes about blindness play in the</span><br><span>development of capable successful blind individuals. Finally, chapters and</span><br><span>divisions will also have the opportunity to conduct fundraisers during the</span><br><span>afternoon as well.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Saturday night's banquet will surely be the highlight of the convention.</span><br><span>This is an opportunity for fellowship and for all of us to share a meal. Our</span><br><span>keynote speaker for the evening will be our national representative Everette</span><br><span>Bacon. We will also have our Gavel Awards ceremony to celebrate chapter and</span><br><span>division accomplishments from the past year. The finale of the banquet will</span><br><span>be the announcement of the 2021 scholarship winners and the annual Money for</span><br><span>the Movement fundraiser that supports Ohio's programs and services. Be sure</span><br><span>to order or prepare your convention banquet meal before you come into the</span><br><span>Zoom Room. Don't worry, the night is not over-plans are in the works for an</span><br><span>exciting after-banquet activity.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Finally, our Convention Planning Committee is committed to making your</span><br><span>convention experience memorable and enjoyable. Therefore our goal is to</span><br><span>bring you the most up-to-date information on the convention. So please feel</span><br><span>free to contact the committee chair, Suzanne Turner, with any questions,</span><br><span>concerns, or requests for accommodations at SMTurner.234@gmail.com</span><br><span><mailto:SMTurner.234@gmail.com> <mailto:SMTurner.234@gmail.com>. Anette</span><br><span>Lutz , president, along with the Capital Chapter will be ready to greet you</span><br><span>bright and early at 8:30 am on Friday morning, November 5, 2021. Please</span><br><span>notify Anette Lutz of any donated door prizes. You can email her at</span><br><span>president.capital.nfboh@gmail.com <mailto:president.capital.nfboh@gmail.com></span><br><span><mailto:president.capital.nfboh@gmail.com>. Eric Duffy and the tech team</span><br><span>will ensure that all technological issues are addressed. Consult the</span><br><span>convention agenda on how to connect to all meetings and how to contact the</span><br><span>team.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>The Ohio President, Richard Payne, along with our affiliate Board of</span><br><span>Directors, will be on hand to welcome you. We are excited and looking</span><br><span>forward to seeing you at the 2021 75th annual virtual Ohio convention.</span><br><span>Together, with love, hope, and determination, the members of the National</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind transform dreams into reality. You can live the life</span><br><span>you want; blindness is not what holds you back.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>NFB-Announce mailing list</span><br><span>NFB-Announce@nfbnet.org</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-announce_nfbnet.org</span><br><span>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFB-Announce:</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-announce_nfbnet.org/dbrown8827%40aol.com</span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>