[Home-on-the-range] An article from www.kansas.com

Fri Aug 12 04:02:41 UTC 2011

Very well stated, Dianne! We each have our story of victory and struggle and
we can all learn from each other.

Susan

From: home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dianne Hemphill
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 9:42 AM
To: NFB of Kansas Internet Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Home-on-the-range] An article from www.kansas.com

Good morning all - I've been thinking about Maryse suggestion about
showcasing NFB facility grads at the upcoming state convention ...this would
be, of course wonderful. Because it is somewhat  rare for someone to have
had this opportunity, I've been thinking of sharing how the NFB has impacted
my life, not having the opportunity to go through one of these life changing
programs...on the other hand, I've had life changing redirection, due to my
contact with this organization and its members. Though I grew up with major
vision loss, I never went to specialized schools or training, other than my
one summer at the Kansas Rehab Center in Topeka,  the summer following high
school graduation and entering college- that summer resulted in gaining
absolutely no skills used by successful blind people. I didn't want to go
through mobility training, so I talked them out of it - actually cried like
a big baby and they didn't want to deal with me...I knew I would benefit
from learning to type, but since everyone else knew how to type, the staff
wouldn't provide this training...and on and on. Susie Stanza was also in
attendance that same summer, and we frequently laugh at the curriculum which
consisted of studying Psalms 23 and making a bacon splatter screen and
welcome mat in shop class. What a waste but we both knew the game and that
was to simply endure the 10 weeks so we could receive financial assistance
for  our college programs. We both did so and got through college in the 4
year time frame not often accomplished these days, for some reason. Susie
got involved with the NFB before I did and called me about this incredible
organization that she thought I should get to know...I was reluctant because
I had never been involved in any group comprised with a bunch of blind guys
and I was really, really busy with 3 little girls.  Anyway,  I can only say
that was the life changing experience that I didn't know I needed. I believe
just being around and interacting with these self-confident, well spoken and
political and community involved federationists spurred me on to my own
careers and even more powerful, attitudes about blindness that had never
occurred to me before. I was shy (hard to believe, huh!) and fearful of
speaking in public. I had no real dreams of a fulfilling future outside of
my family which I did and  do love dearly - yet yearned for more. It is not
just a saying that the most important thing about being blind is one's
attitude, it is the truth. Until we are comfortable in our own skin, others
won't believe that we can do much more  to contribute to the community and
business...Donna, Susie, Tom, I and others have been able to maximize our
careers and build fulfilling, involved lives by knowing that the blind  have
a lot to offer- and I believe we learned it by going to local NFB meetings,
state and national conventions, reading the Braille Monitor and talking to
other federationists about how they got to where they are today. Having the
opportunity to go to  a NFB training Center would be the best option, but
our roads to success were forever changed and positively positively impacted
through our involvement with NFB. Some of you might not know that Donna
worked for State of Kansas as both a Rehab Teacher f/t Blind and as a
Special Investigator with the Human Rights Commission - probably the first
blind the state has ever hired for this position: Susie has now worked for
the Federal government with the Department of Agriculture as a computer
programmer - and this was long before speech programs were  available -
you'll want to hear how she creatively used an elastic band and pins to
produce braille from her computer to allow her to work: Tom runs his own
music business both producing his and others work and working as a
professional musician: I had a small studio for 10 years, teaching children
ballet, tap and floor gymnastics, changing career to become a VR  Counselor
for 10 years and then in Administration until retirement. I, for one, think
each of us four were able to carve our our own  professional careers because
we learned from   our federationists leaders and brothers and sister how to
go about it and be successful. Anyway, I hope we can find those that have
had the special opportunity of receiving training from a NFB Center but
wanted to remind us all that being around others with the positive, can do
attitude that exudes from our organizations members can also make all the
difference in the world...Dianne

On Aug 8, 2011, at 9:50 AM, maryse figueroa wrote:

Good morning everyone,

     This article also appeared in Sunday's edition of the Wichita Eagle.

      Based on m understanding of this article on Jean, it is a very subtle
way for Envision, as her parents took her to that facility, at a very tender
age.  There is no mention of the NFB, in the Wichita Eagle article.

     we must remember hat there are no definitive rehab services for the
blind in Kansas, and that envision is vying for that contract.  I hear a lot
of grumbling about Envision, be it their employment, retail store or rehab
services.  So, what, each and everyone of us are doing to change this
climate?  Why don't we showcase those individuals who went to NFB rehab
centers either in Colorado or Louisiana?

Thank you

Maryse Home-On-The-Range monitor

On Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 6:31 AM, Stanzel, Susan - Kansas City, MO
<susan.stanzel at kcc.usda.gov> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I read the entire article and it was wonderful. 

Susie

From: home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan Tabor
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 11:42 PM
To: 'NFB of Kansas Internet Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Home-on-the-range] An article from www.kansas.com
<http://www.kansas.com/> 

My mom called me from Wichita about this story today. Has NFB had some
contact with her? Just curious; I hope Virginia gets ahold of her.

Susan

From: home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:home-on-the-range-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Floyd
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 11:25 PM
To: home-on-the-range at nfbnet.org; eejomes4 at wichita.edu
Subject: [Home-on-the-range] An article from www.kansas.com
<http://www.kansas.com/> 

Floyd has sent you the following story:

Another sicess story from the NFB of Ks.

 <http://www.kansas.com/?story_link=email_msg> <~WRD038.jpg>

Posted on Sunday, Aug. 07, 2011

Blind West High grad speaks at White House

By ANNIE CALOVICH 

Sighted people may not think they understand Alysha Jeans, blind from birth,
but she seems to understand them all right. Jeans, a 2006 West High School
graduate, got to speak at the White House last month at a celebration
marking the 21st anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. She
followed Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Tina Tchen, chief of staff for
the first lady. And she told the audience of government officials and
interns that there is a tremendous depth to people that doesn't always meet
the eye.

"I'm totally blind. I was born blind. And I said that I think a lot of
people have never even met a person with a disability or interacted with
them, so they don't understand the capabilities," Jeans said in a phone call
from her home in Vienna, Va., recalling her speech. 

She is 23 years old and one year into a job with the FBI in Quantico, Va.,
working in forensic audio analysis.

Read More...
<http://www.kansas.com/2011/08/07/1964906/blind-west-high-grad-speaks-at.htm
l?story_link=email_msg> 

_______________________________________________
Home-on-the-range mailing list
Home-on-the-range at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/home-on-the-range_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Home-on-the-range:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/home-on-the-range_nfbnet.org/marysefiguero
a%40gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Home-on-the-range mailing list
Home-on-the-range at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/home-on-the-range_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Home-on-the-range:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/home-on-the-range_nfbnet.org/diannehemphil
l%40cox.net

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/home-on-the-range_nfbnet.org/attachments/20110811/f6ec1c47/attachment.html>