From kellytalk at gmail.com  Mon Jul  1 02:36:31 2019
From: kellytalk at gmail.com (Kelly Pierce)
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2019 21:36:31 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] A question about public charge or assistance
In-Reply-To: <359AFC87-A154-4AD1-BECC-0E76E9AE8F11@gmail.com>
References: <359AFC87-A154-4AD1-BECC-0E76E9AE8F11@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAOQRLb-B7N9hTAs+CZ3JskQXiK0BTHfjTSxFqRbQmNNBWNePOA@mail.gmail.com>

The reason people cannot give an answer is because the rules are
changing.  In the past, the answer would be no. Under proposed rules,
the assessment for a public charge will also include an evaluation of
a person?s ability to work, attend school or care for themselves.
Under the new rule, paratransit eligibility itself would not be a
program that would prohibit a change in status under the new public
charge rule.  It likely could be used as one of a variety of factors
that a government official could consider in whether or not someone
will be dependent on taxpayer funded government services.  If someone
used paratransit regularly instead of the fixed route transit service,
I would not be surprised if the usage was explored to learn how
independent the individual was in the community without expensive
government supports.

In Illinois, we have two kinds of reduced transit fare programs for
people with disabilities. The first is based on one?s status as a
person with a disability.  The transit agencies use the Social
Security definition of blindness, even if the person is not on Social
Security.  The second reduced fare program provides free transit
service if someone has an income below a certain threshold.  While
state and local government programs will not be considered under the
public charge test of the new rule, someone?s income level will be
viewed positively or negatively when reviewing the immigration
application.  Thus, if you qualify for the free transit program you
may have an income low enough to be viewed negatively under the new
rules. The free transit program may not be the issue, but the low
income to qualify for the program would likely be. If you use the
paratransit program, you may be viewed that your disability prevents
you from being economically independent without expensive government
supports.

Therefore, your question under the proposed new rules cannot be
answered simply. The answer is more appropriate to say it depends.
Even if the new rules were adopted as proposed, the administration, if
elected for a second term, could roll out more rules that are stricter
than the ones they proposed and will eventually adopt in some form.

Kelly
<div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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height="1"></a></div>

On 6/27/19, Ayoub Zurikat via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello friends,
> I wonder if someone can be so kind as to help me find the answer to this
> question. So far the hunt for this answer seems to be impossible. I want to
> know if the subsidized or discounted Pace and especially paratransit
> services are considered to be public charge or public assistance.
> Please, if possible, someone let me know as soon as possible.
> Blessings.
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/kellytalk%40gmail.com
>



From marilynvgreen at gmail.com  Tue Jul  2 15:29:05 2019
From: marilynvgreen at gmail.com (Marilyn Green)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2019 10:29:05 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] At Large chapter meeting-July 2019-Cancelled
Message-ID: <A841AEA7-F6F9-43A8-BEDA-81E0E00BA201@gmail.com>

Greetings fellow federationists,

Please let this e-mail serve as your remeinder that the At Large chapter will not have a July 2019 meeting. 

We will meet next month on Sunday, August 4 at 7pm. 

See you at the National Convention...

Marilyn Green



From hansen.robert70 at gmail.com  Tue Jul  2 15:34:51 2019
From: hansen.robert70 at gmail.com (Robert Hansen)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2019 10:34:51 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] The Chicago chapter picnic
Message-ID: <CAEBckdTtGAH1UqXUUjabQLSzrhgo03-UFGQtsixACi4drsyDiA@mail.gmail.com>

Let me know when you want to begin the fan out calls for the Chicago
chapter picnic. I'll gladly tell people to call and spread the word about
it.

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen


From deejay3697 at gmail.com  Tue Jul  2 16:10:44 2019
From: deejay3697 at gmail.com (Halley Richmond)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2019 11:10:44 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] At Large chapter meeting-July 2019-Cancelled
In-Reply-To: <A841AEA7-F6F9-43A8-BEDA-81E0E00BA201@gmail.com>
References: <A841AEA7-F6F9-43A8-BEDA-81E0E00BA201@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <1A88F16F-DE61-49FF-93B7-3AB26CDA3263@gmail.com>

thanks for the notice I will put it in my calendar. Have fun at national convention.

sent from my IPhone 8 plus

> On Jul 2, 2019, at 10:29 AM, Marilyn Green via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Greetings fellow federationists,
> 
> Please let this e-mail serve as your remeinder that the At Large chapter will not have a July 2019 meeting. 
> 
> We will meet next month on Sunday, August 4 at 7pm. 
> 
> See you at the National Convention...
> 
> Marilyn Green
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/deejay3697%40gmail.com



From datemeyer at sbcglobal.net  Tue Jul  2 18:49:38 2019
From: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net (David Meyer)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2019 13:49:38 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] The Chicago chapter picnic
In-Reply-To: <CAEBckdTtGAH1UqXUUjabQLSzrhgo03-UFGQtsixACi4drsyDiA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAEBckdTtGAH1UqXUUjabQLSzrhgo03-UFGQtsixACi4drsyDiA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <003201d53106$e74a51f0$b5def5d0$@sbcglobal.net>

When you be coming back from convention? I thought that maybe you could
begin fan-out calls when you get back, whenever that is. Steve should
probably know about thepeople coming around July 21 or 22 so tht he can get
in touch with the caterer to give him numbers.

Also, thank you very much for the reminder. I shouldcontact some folks from
the ICB to let them know as well, as a number of their members attended this
picnic last year. 

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert Hansen
via IL-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2019 10:35 AM
To: nfb il talk; Iabs talk
Cc: Robert Hansen
Subject: [IL-Talk] The Chicago chapter picnic

Let me know when you want to begin the fan out calls for the Chicago
chapter picnic. I'll gladly tell people to call and spread the word about
it.

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen
_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/datemeyer%40sbcglobal.n
et




From hansen.robert70 at gmail.com  Tue Jul  2 19:20:31 2019
From: hansen.robert70 at gmail.com (Robert Hansen)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2019 14:20:31 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] The Chicago chapter picnic
In-Reply-To: <003201d53106$e74a51f0$b5def5d0$@sbcglobal.net>
References: <CAEBckdTtGAH1UqXUUjabQLSzrhgo03-UFGQtsixACi4drsyDiA@mail.gmail.com>
	<003201d53106$e74a51f0$b5def5d0$@sbcglobal.net>
Message-ID: <CAEBckdSBm=CO0zmdkSv7Vj90F4=_dKOnWY0a7zgRpA+QUbg+WQ@mail.gmail.com>

Okay good that sounds like a good plan.

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen

On Tue, Jul 2, 2019, 1:50 PM David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> When you be coming back from convention? I thought that maybe you could
> begin fan-out calls when you get back, whenever that is. Steve should
> probably know about thepeople coming around July 21 or 22 so tht he can get
> in touch with the caterer to give him numbers.
>
> Also, thank you very much for the reminder. I shouldcontact some folks from
> the ICB to let them know as well, as a number of their members attended
> this
> picnic last year.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert
> Hansen
> via IL-Talk
> Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2019 10:35 AM
> To: nfb il talk; Iabs talk
> Cc: Robert Hansen
> Subject: [IL-Talk] The Chicago chapter picnic
>
> Let me know when you want to begin the fan out calls for the Chicago
> chapter picnic. I'll gladly tell people to call and spread the word about
> it.
>
> Sincerely
> Robert A. Hansen
> hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
> Robert A. Hansen
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/datemeyer%40sbcglobal.n
> et
> <http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/datemeyer%40sbcglobal.net>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/hansen.robert70%40gmail.com
>


From marilynvgreen at gmail.com  Thu Jul  4 15:13:29 2019
From: marilynvgreen at gmail.com (Marilyn Green)
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2019 10:13:29 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Federal Legislation update
Message-ID: <F964AD24-12AC-42A3-8C9C-5AA965D27D30@gmail.com>

Greetings fellow federationists,

We are excited to report that Rep. Jan Schakowsky has agreed to co-sponsor HR 2086, Access Technology Affordability Act. If you live in the district, please send the Congresswoman a big thank you.

What a wonderful way to lead into the Independence Day weekend and our national convention.

See you in Vegas...

Marilyn Green, your "Legislative Queen"



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Thu Jul  4 15:21:46 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2019 10:21:46 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Federal Legislation update
In-Reply-To: <F964AD24-12AC-42A3-8C9C-5AA965D27D30@gmail.com>
References: <F964AD24-12AC-42A3-8C9C-5AA965D27D30@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <049201d5327c$31f6d090$95e471b0$@gmail.com>

Hello everyone,
This is wonderful news. This is Steve Hastalis' congresswoman, and we just
met with her on Tuesday afternoon. It is important that anyone living in
Congresswoman Schakowsky write or call to thank her. She has proven to be a
great friend, listener and supporter of NFB. I hope all of you are still
reaching out to your representatives.



Denise R. Avant, Esq.
President,
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-991-8050
Live the life you want.

For more information about NFBI,
Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Marilyn Green via
IL-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2019 10:13 AM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>; iabs-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Marilyn Green <marilynvgreen at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] Federal Legislation update

Greetings fellow federationists,

We are excited to report that Rep. Jan Schakowsky has agreed to co-sponsor
HR 2086, Access Technology Affordability Act. If you live in the district,
please send the Congresswoman a big thank you.

What a wonderful way to lead into the Independence Day weekend and our
national convention.

See you in Vegas...

Marilyn Green, your "Legislative Queen"

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/davant1958%40gmail.com




From datemeyer at sbcglobal.net  Thu Jul  4 16:10:15 2019
From: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net (David Meyer)
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2019 11:10:15 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] bowling with the weekenders
Message-ID: <000001d53282$f8213200$e8639600$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello Everyone,

 

Just wanted to let you all know of another bowling event. This outing will
be with the Weekenders, a social group under the auspicis of Horizons for
the Blind.

 

The date for this outing is Saturday, July 20, and the place is Timber
Lanes, 1851 West Irving Park Road, Chicago. The cost for this event is $10
plus a yet to be determined charge for pizza. The original $10 charge
entitles one to two games of bowling plus shoes. If you wish to attend this
event, please let me know off list. My e-mail address is
datemeyer at sbcglobal.net.

 

So that I might notify the bowling alley with an accurate count, I am asking
that you let me know no later than July 15.

 

The weekenders did this event last year, with many of them telling me it was
one of their favorite events. Timber Lanes features a comfortable air
conditioned environment with adult beverages at reasonable prices. Hope some
of you can mekt it.

 

David Meyer, NFB of Illinois

Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine

Chicago Chapter President

 



From dkent5817 at att.net  Thu Jul  4 16:52:34 2019
From: dkent5817 at att.net (Deborah Kent Stein)
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2019 11:52:34 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Federal Legislation update
In-Reply-To: <F964AD24-12AC-42A3-8C9C-5AA965D27D30@gmail.com>
References: <F964AD24-12AC-42A3-8C9C-5AA965D27D30@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <181f01d53288$e1759c20$a460d460$@att.net>



Awesome news! Thank you to everyone who contacted Rep. Schakowski about
this!

Debbie


-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marilyn Green
via IL-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2019 10:13 AM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>; iabs-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Marilyn Green <marilynvgreen at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] Federal Legislation update

Greetings fellow federationists,

We are excited to report that Rep. Jan Schakowsky has agreed to co-sponsor
HR 2086, Access Technology Affordability Act. If you live in the district,
please send the Congresswoman a big thank you.

What a wonderful way to lead into the Independence Day weekend and our
national convention.

See you in Vegas...

Marilyn Green, your "Legislative Queen"

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/dkent5817%40att.net


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
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From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Sun Jul  7 12:55:50 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2019 07:55:50 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] LIFE Group Braille  Reading.   Tonight!  Sun, July 7th.
Message-ID: <001701d534c3$4df24dd0$e9d6e970$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

We will continue reading in our book, tonight.  Sun, July 7th.

We will start on page 213.  Time is at 5.

Please call 605-313-4819.  Code 5433.

Hope to see you there.

Linda



From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Sun Jul  7 13:27:24 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2019 08:27:24 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: LIFE Group Braille  Reading.   Tonight!  Sun,
 July 7th.
Message-ID: <003e01d534c7$b789df20$269d9d60$@sbcglobal.net>

Sorry.  But, didn't see this the first time in my in box.  So, sending it
again.

Hope it got through.

Linda

 

From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net <iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net> 
Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2019 7:56 AM
To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: LIFE Group Braille Reading. Tonight! Sun, July 7th.

 

Hello everyone,

We will continue reading in our book, tonight.  Sun, July 7th.

We will start on page 213.  Time is at 5.

Please call 605-313-4819.  Code 5433.

Hope to see you there.

Linda



From rgardner4 at gmail.com  Tue Jul  9 22:29:59 2019
From: rgardner4 at gmail.com (rgardner4 at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2019 17:29:59 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Meeting, Saturday, July 13
Message-ID: <000401d536a5$d88387a0$898a96e0$@gmail.com>

THIS MONTH

Please join us, the NFBI Blackhawk Chapter, at our monthly meeting on
Saturday, July 13. The meeting is open to everyone, and starts at 1 PM. We
meet at the Hope Creek Care Center at 4343Kennedy Drive, East Moline, IL. 

 

This month our program will feature Josh Mitton talking about his
experiences at the IL training center, ICRE Woods.

 

UNABLE TO ATTEND?

Feel free to call in and interact with us by teleconference. Please call
605-313-4819. Use code HAWK, or 4295. Note this conference number is
different from the one used previously for some time. 

 

FUTURE EVENTS    

On July 26th, the Illinois/Iowa Center for Independent Living will be having
their annual ADA Celebration from 11 AM - 2 PM. We will have a table at this
event. Please sign up to volunteer for half hour segments or longer. Please
inform Patrick Olson if you are willing to help.   

 

On July 27th, the chapter will have a game day at Hope Creek at 1 PM. Please
bring accessible games. In addition to games, we will need snacks, drinks,
and paper products. Pat Olson will not be there to provide them.

 

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact the chapter president, Patrick Olson, at 309-592-1313. 

 



From kellytalk at gmail.com  Wed Jul 10 18:15:42 2019
From: kellytalk at gmail.com (Kelly Pierce)
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 13:15:42 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals
Message-ID: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>

PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the Chicago
Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to attend an Open House
Public Meeting regarding a pilot project to install Accessible
Pedestrian Signals (APS) in the Central Loop and Citywide. APS provide
information in non-visual formats (such as audible tones, speech
messages, and/or vibrating surfaces) to pedestrians who have visual
disabilities as an aid to cross streets at signalized locations. The
goal of this pilot project is to install APS equipment at various
environments throughout the city to gain insight on best practices for
design and installation.

Date:	Thursday, July 18, 2019
Time:	4:30 p.m. ? 7:30 p.m.
Location: 	City of Chicago
	Chicago City Hall
	121 N LaSalle Street, Room 1103
	Chicago, IL 60602

The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the project, APS
prioritized locations, and sample equipment, and to receive input on
the proposed improvements.  The meeting will be an open house format
(with no formal presentation). City representatives will be available
to discuss the project and answer your questions.

Comments can be provided at the time of the meeting and will be
accepted through August 1, 2019.  More info is available at:

www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/aps.html
or
tinyurl.com/ChicagoAPS

In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and other
Federal and State laws, the Public Meeting will be accessible to those
with disabilities. If you need additional assistance or a reasonable
accommodation, please contact Laurie Dittman by telephone at
312-744-4495 or by email at Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org at least
five (5) days prior to the meeting.



From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Thu Jul 11 10:39:30 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2019 05:39:30 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Test.
Message-ID: <001001d537d4$ec4559a0$c4d00ce0$@sbcglobal.net>

   Hello everyone, No need to reply.  Just testing to see if I receive  this
in my in box.

Thank you,

Linda



From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Sat Jul 13 11:02:15 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2019 06:02:15 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] LIFE Group Braille Reading.  Sunday, July, 14th.
Message-ID: <000201d5396a$6e68dba0$4b3a92e0$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

We will continue reading in our book.  Tomorrow.  Sun, July 14th.

We will start on page 241.

Time is at 5.  Please call 605-313-4819.  Code 5433.

Hope to see you there.

Linda



From lisaburns1220 at gmail.com  Sun Jul 14 16:14:29 2019
From: lisaburns1220 at gmail.com (Lisa Burns)
Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2019 12:14:29 -0400
Subject: [IL-Talk] National convention
Message-ID: <6A94FD68-2B3F-4F1C-8342-E958EB6B8771@gmail.com>

Hi all, just wanted to say I hope you guys had fun at national convention. Sorry I couldn?t be there, but I was there in spirit LOL. I hope everyone had a good time and let me know how it went.



From dan.tevelde at comcast.net  Mon Jul 15 01:37:19 2019
From: dan.tevelde at comcast.net (Dan Tevelde)
Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2019 20:37:19 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Picnic
Message-ID: <C3EA34A4-E467-473E-9973-B9CB1B8B6F9B@comcast.net>

Hello all,

Has there been an official announcement about the picnic?

I hope everyone is doing well.

Thanks,
Dan

Sent from my iPhone



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Mon Jul 15 04:11:30 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2019 23:11:30 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention
Message-ID: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>

Hello all, 

Those of us who were able to attend national convention have made it safely
back home. It was a wonderful convention. I hope those of you who could not
attend had an opportunity to listen to the stream, and in particular hear
President Riccobono' s great banquet speech.

I am grateful to have been elected by my federation family to serve on our
national board for a second term. It is truly an honor and a privilege, and
I am looking forward to the next two years, and helping President Riccobono
build the National Federation of the Blind.

I want to thank Marilyn Green,  Debbie Stein, Francisco Chang, and Patti
Chang for helping  me run the Sunday night social. I thought it was a great
event. I hope those of you who attended had a great time. I certainly did.

The National Federation of the Blind is a diverse organization dedicated to
improving the lives of all blind people.  To highlight our commitment to
diversity, this year at our national convention, we had over 12 hours of
programming specifically devoted to diversity and inclusion.

I serve on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Black Leaders Serving for
Advancement. The first summit was this year, and the first keynote speaker
was our own Marilyn Green. She gave a great speech, and she should be
congratulated.

I hope to see all of you in 2020 at next year's national convention in
Houston, and before that, Springfield from October 18-20.

 

 

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From eileentruschke at yahoo.com  Mon Jul 15 13:21:45 2019
From: eileentruschke at yahoo.com (eileen Truschke)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:21:45 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention
In-Reply-To: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
References: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <2092033557.2061708.1563196905722@mail.yahoo.com>

 Yes, Denise, I listened to a bit of the convention live stream.? It was nice to catch the general sessions and the banquet online.? President Riccoboo's presidential report and banquet speech were fine.? The banquet speech was worth staying up late for.? Ken Schad was able to listen to parts of the convention via Newsline.??
By the way, congratulations to you on your reelection to the national board and to Marilyn Green on her'speech.? I'm glad that you made it home OK.? ?Eileen Truschkd    On Sunday, July 14, 2019, 11:13:29 PM CDT, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:  
 
 Hello all, 

Those of us who were able to attend national convention have made it safely
back home. It was a wonderful convention. I hope those of you who could not
attend had an opportunity to listen to the stream, and in particular hear
President Riccobono' s great banquet speech.

I am grateful to have been elected by my federation family to serve on our
national board for a second term. It is truly an honor and a privilege, and
I am looking forward to the next two years, and helping President Riccobono
build the National Federation of the Blind.

I want to thank Marilyn Green,? Debbie Stein, Francisco Chang, and Patti
Chang for helping? me run the Sunday night social. I thought it was a great
event. I hope those of you who attended had a great time. I certainly did.

The National Federation of the Blind is a diverse organization dedicated to
improving the lives of all blind people.? To highlight our commitment to
diversity, this year at our national convention, we had over 12 hours of
programming specifically devoted to diversity and inclusion.

I serve on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Black Leaders Serving for
Advancement. The first summit was this year, and the first keynote speaker
was our own Marilyn Green. She gave a great speech, and she should be
congratulated.

I hope to see all of you in 2020 at next year's national convention in
Houston, and before that, Springfield from October 18-20.

 

 

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/eileentruschke%40yahoo.com
  

From marylougrunwald at gmail.com  Mon Jul 15 13:25:58 2019
From: marylougrunwald at gmail.com (Mary lou Grunwald)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 08:25:58 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention
In-Reply-To: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
References: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <F2CB7BEF-51C8-4EA3-B18F-28FA1AD96C3F@gmail.com>

It was a great convention! I got to hang out with a lot of people who are very special to me and some new ones and the speeches and presentations were awesome!

Sent from my iPad

> On 14 Jul 2019, at 11:11 PM, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello all, 
> 
> Those of us who were able to attend national convention have made it safely
> back home. It was a wonderful convention. I hope those of you who could not
> attend had an opportunity to listen to the stream, and in particular hear
> President Riccobono' s great banquet speech.
> 
> I am grateful to have been elected by my federation family to serve on our
> national board for a second term. It is truly an honor and a privilege, and
> I am looking forward to the next two years, and helping President Riccobono
> build the National Federation of the Blind.
> 
> I want to thank Marilyn Green,  Debbie Stein, Francisco Chang, and Patti
> Chang for helping  me run the Sunday night social. I thought it was a great
> event. I hope those of you who attended had a great time. I certainly did.
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind is a diverse organization dedicated to
> improving the lives of all blind people.  To highlight our commitment to
> diversity, this year at our national convention, we had over 12 hours of
> programming specifically devoted to diversity and inclusion.
> 
> I serve on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Black Leaders Serving for
> Advancement. The first summit was this year, and the first keynote speaker
> was our own Marilyn Green. She gave a great speech, and she should be
> congratulated.
> 
> I hope to see all of you in 2020 at next year's national convention in
> Houston, and before that, Springfield from October 18-20.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Denise R. Avant, Esq.
> 
> President,
> 
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> 
> 773-991-8050
> 
> Live the life you want.
> 
> 
> 
> For more information about NFBI,
> 
> Go to www.nfbofillinois.org
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/marylougrunwald%40gmail.com



From pattischang at gmail.com  Mon Jul 15 14:07:27 2019
From: pattischang at gmail.com (Patti S Chang)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 09:07:27 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention
In-Reply-To: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
References: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <01a401d53b16$a2ad8de0$e808a9a0$@gmail.com>

Amazing convention. Please send me any good stories about convention. We
want to know how Federation conventions change lives. 


Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.
Treasurer
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-307-6440
Pattischang at gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Denise Avant
via IL-Talk
Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2019 11:12 PM
To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>; 'Illinois
Association of Blind Students List' <iabs-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: davant1958 at gmail.com
Subject: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention

Hello all, 

Those of us who were able to attend national convention have made it safely
back home. It was a wonderful convention. I hope those of you who could not
attend had an opportunity to listen to the stream, and in particular hear
President Riccobono' s great banquet speech.

I am grateful to have been elected by my federation family to serve on our
national board for a second term. It is truly an honor and a privilege, and
I am looking forward to the next two years, and helping President Riccobono
build the National Federation of the Blind.

I want to thank Marilyn Green,  Debbie Stein, Francisco Chang, and Patti
Chang for helping  me run the Sunday night social. I thought it was a great
event. I hope those of you who attended had a great time. I certainly did.

The National Federation of the Blind is a diverse organization dedicated to
improving the lives of all blind people.  To highlight our commitment to
diversity, this year at our national convention, we had over 12 hours of
programming specifically devoted to diversity and inclusion.

I serve on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Black Leaders Serving for
Advancement. The first summit was this year, and the first keynote speaker
was our own Marilyn Green. She gave a great speech, and she should be
congratulated.

I hope to see all of you in 2020 at next year's national convention in
Houston, and before that, Springfield from October 18-20.

 

 

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gmail.com




From davant1958 at gmail.com  Mon Jul 15 14:10:24 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 09:10:24 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Membership Contact Information
Message-ID: <0d8f01d53b17$0c8c1010$25a43030$@gmail.com>

Hello all,

By now you all know that we are entering member contact information into our
database. Please let your chapter President, myself or Patti Chang know
whenever your address, phone or e-mail address changes. It is important that
we keep you apprised of NFB happenings.

Thank you.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From pattischang at gmail.com  Mon Jul 15 15:33:57 2019
From: pattischang at gmail.com (Patti S Chang)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 10:33:57 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals
In-Reply-To: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>

Kelly, 

Thanks for posting this. Do I do hope we have great representation. 

PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to attend an Open House Public Meeting regarding a pilot project to install Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) in the Central Loop and Citywide. APS provide information in non-visual formats (such as audible tones, speech messages, and/or vibrating surfaces) to pedestrians who have visual disabilities as an aid to cross streets at signalized locations. The goal of this pilot project is to install APS equipment at various environments throughout the city to gain insight on best practices for design and installation.

Date:	Thursday, July 18, 2019
Time:	4:30 p.m. ? 7:30 p.m.
Location: 	City of Chicago
	Chicago City Hall
	121 N LaSalle Street, Room 1103
	Chicago, IL 60602

The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the project, APS prioritized locations, and sample equipment, and to receive input on the proposed improvements.  The meeting will be an open house format (with no formal presentation). City representatives will be available to discuss the project and answer your questions.

Comments can be provided at the time of the meeting and will be accepted through August 1, 2019.  More info is available at:

www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/aps.html
or
tinyurl.com/ChicagoAPS

In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and other Federal and State laws, the Public Meeting will be accessible to those with disabilities. If you need additional assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Laurie Dittman by telephone at
312-744-4495 or by email at Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org at least five (5) days prior to the meeting.

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gmail.com




From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Mon Jul 15 15:50:38 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 10:50:38 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention
In-Reply-To: <2092033557.2061708.1563196905722@mail.yahoo.com>
References: <050301d53ac3$624042f0$26c0c8d0$@gmail.com>
	<2092033557.2061708.1563196905722@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <000b01d53b25$0d4ebb70$27ec3250$@sbcglobal.net>

It was great to hear some of the Convention on Newsline!  
Congrat's Denise for being re elected to the National Board, and to Marilyn for her speech too!
Also, glad all who went made it home safely.
Linda

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of eileen Truschke via IL-Talk
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2019 8:22 AM
To: Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: eileen Truschke <eileentruschke at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] Back from Convention

 Yes, Denise, I listened to a bit of the convention live stream.  It was nice to catch the general sessions and the banquet online.  President Riccoboo's presidential report and banquet speech were fine.  The banquet speech was worth staying up late for.  Ken Schad was able to listen to parts of the convention via Newsline.  
By the way, congratulations to you on your reelection to the national board and to Marilyn Green on her'speech.  I'm glad that you made it home OK.   Eileen Truschkd    On Sunday, July 14, 2019, 11:13:29 PM CDT, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:  
 
 Hello all, 

Those of us who were able to attend national convention have made it safely back home. It was a wonderful convention. I hope those of you who could not attend had an opportunity to listen to the stream, and in particular hear President Riccobono' s great banquet speech.

I am grateful to have been elected by my federation family to serve on our national board for a second term. It is truly an honor and a privilege, and I am looking forward to the next two years, and helping President Riccobono build the National Federation of the Blind.

I want to thank Marilyn Green,  Debbie Stein, Francisco Chang, and Patti Chang for helping  me run the Sunday night social. I thought it was a great event. I hope those of you who attended had a great time. I certainly did.

The National Federation of the Blind is a diverse organization dedicated to improving the lives of all blind people.  To highlight our commitment to diversity, this year at our national convention, we had over 12 hours of programming specifically devoted to diversity and inclusion.

I serve on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Black Leaders Serving for Advancement. The first summit was this year, and the first keynote speaker was our own Marilyn Green. She gave a great speech, and she should be congratulated.

I hope to see all of you in 2020 at next year's national convention in Houston, and before that, Springfield from October 18-20.

 

 

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/eileentruschke%40yahoo.com
  
_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/iwannacu2%40sbcglobal.net




From davant1958 at gmail.com  Mon Jul 15 19:06:04 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:06:04 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Lighthouse Summer Speaker Series
Message-ID: <0e4d01d53b40$59e87550$0db95ff0$@gmail.com>

Summer speaker series.pdf

SUMMER 

Speaker Series

July 17 - August 21

The Chicago Lighthouse 

1850 West Roosevelt Road, Chicago

You are invited to attend the Summer Speaker Series that provides valuable
information on employment and resource opportunities for individuals who are

blind and/or visually impaired, persons with disabilities, Veterans and
their families. 

2020 U.S. CENSUS - RECRUITING FOR EMPLOYMENT AND REPORTING 

Wednesday, July 17 1:30PM - 3:30PM

This session will cover the importance of getting individuals with
disabilities and Veterans to report for the 2020 U.S. Census. We will
discuss employment

opportunities with the U.S. Census and how to apply for available positions.


ABLE ACT ACCOUNTS

Wednesday, July 31 1:30PM - 3:30PM

Come learn about ABLE accounts established by Federal Law to cover costs
associated with disability related expenses and daily living expenses such
as

housing, food, and medication. 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Wednesday, August 7 1:30PM - 3:30PM

Want to start a business as an employment goal? This session will cover
available resources to develop a business plan to be successful in exploring
entrepreneurship

opportunities. 

FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

Wednesday, August 21 1:30PM - 3:30PM

Experts will discuss how to achieve financial independence such as
understanding cash flow; how to manage debt and building savings.

242

QUESTIONS OR RSVPs PLEASE CONTACT:

Maureen Reid, Job Placement Counselor & Scholarship Coordinator (312)
666-1331 x 3655 | maureen.reid at chicagolighthouse.org

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From kellytalk at gmail.com  Tue Jul 16 03:06:22 2019
From: kellytalk at gmail.com (Kelly Pierce)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2019 22:06:22 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals
In-Reply-To: <000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>
	<000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAOQRLb9+OLc8bT0TtCvRK=eEYdsSSsDkr29QoGd1ss-eJ8xfBw@mail.gmail.com>

I will be there and hope to see you as well.  For anyone interested in
this topic, this is the opportunity to learn, offer feedback, have
your voice heard, and have all your questions answered. The major
people in city government on this issue will be at the meeting and be
able to answer any question someone has.

Kelly <div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
<table style="border-top: 1px solid #D3D4DE;">
	<tr>
        <td style="width: 55px; padding-top: 13px;"><a
href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=icon"
target="_blank"><img
src="https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange-animated-no-repeat-v1.gif"
alt="" width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;"
/></a></td>
		<td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e;
font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
line-height: 18px;">Virus-free. <a
href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=link"
target="_blank" style="color: #4453ea;">www.avast.com</a>
		</td>
	</tr>
</table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1"
height="1"></a></div>

On 7/15/19, Patti S Chang <pattischang at gmail.com> wrote:
> Kelly,
>
> Thanks for posting this. Do I do hope we have great representation.
>
> PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
>
> The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the Chicago
> Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to attend an Open House
> Public Meeting regarding a pilot project to install Accessible Pedestrian
> Signals (APS) in the Central Loop and Citywide. APS provide information in
> non-visual formats (such as audible tones, speech messages, and/or vibrating
> surfaces) to pedestrians who have visual disabilities as an aid to cross
> streets at signalized locations. The goal of this pilot project is to
> install APS equipment at various environments throughout the city to gain
> insight on best practices for design and installation.
>
> Date:	Thursday, July 18, 2019
> Time:	4:30 p.m. ? 7:30 p.m.
> Location: 	City of Chicago
> 	Chicago City Hall
> 	121 N LaSalle Street, Room 1103
> 	Chicago, IL 60602
>
> The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the project, APS prioritized
> locations, and sample equipment, and to receive input on the proposed
> improvements.  The meeting will be an open house format (with no formal
> presentation). City representatives will be available to discuss the project
> and answer your questions.
>
> Comments can be provided at the time of the meeting and will be accepted
> through August 1, 2019.  More info is available at:
>
> www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/aps.html
> or
> tinyurl.com/ChicagoAPS
>
> In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and other Federal and
> State laws, the Public Meeting will be accessible to those with
> disabilities. If you need additional assistance or a reasonable
> accommodation, please contact Laurie Dittman by telephone at
> 312-744-4495 or by email at Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org at least five
> (5) days prior to the meeting.
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gmail.com
>
>



From datemeyer at sbcglobal.net  Tue Jul 16 13:21:04 2019
From: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net (David Meyer)
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 08:21:04 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] chapter picnic
Message-ID: <000001d53bd9$52881650$f79842f0$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

 

Our summer picnic is close at hand. The date for this event is July 27, the
time is noon to 4:00 P.M. and the place is St. Andrews Greek Orthodox
Church, 5649 North Sheridan Road in Chicago.

 

Those who attended this event last year had great things to say about it and
attendance is strong. We will be in the Presidents Room of this facility so
we need not worry about heat or rain. The cost for this event is $10. If you
plan to attend, please give your money to Steve Hastalis who is organizing
this event. Also please make your reservation with Steve by calling him at
773-848-5307. You may also e-mail him at steve.hastalis at gmail.com.

 

Please make all reservations by July 23. I am using this date as a cutoff
date because the caterer needs some lead time to purchase food and other
items for this event.

 

I am certain that a good time will be had by all.

 

David Meyer, NFB of Illinois

Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine

Chicago Chapter President

 



From hansen.robert70 at gmail.com  Tue Jul 16 18:12:22 2019
From: hansen.robert70 at gmail.com (Robert Hansen)
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:12:22 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Be my eyes app
Message-ID: <CAEBckdS2AVtNAeYa8iRz6rEZNw=Et0bXr_gMaMG=hcapWf-MUw@mail.gmail.com>

Good afternoon everyone. I'm really glad and grateful that the be my eyes
app is now available on Android. I was doing my slot down at the wizard
this morning and had a question about one of the songs I played. I launch
the app and a helpful person read it to me. So that's about the fourth or
fifth time I used the app. I use the app yesterday at a grocery store to
find some spinach. I had an idea where it was but I just wanted to make
sure. They're real helpful and friendly people. Even if you're the user of
the other product still the be my eyes app is very friendly also. I'm glad
I have it.

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen


From aliherky at gmail.com  Tue Jul 16 23:52:32 2019
From: aliherky at gmail.com (Ali)
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 16:52:32 -0700
Subject: [IL-Talk] Be my eyes app
Message-ID: <5d2e4722.1c69fb81.4b64f.849a@mx.google.com>

It's about time they had that available for you guys!

Ali

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Hansen via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org
To: nfb il talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:12:22 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Be my eyes app

Good afternoon everyone. I'm really glad and grateful that the be 
my eyes
app is now available on Android. I was doing my slot down at the 
wizard
this morning and had a question about one of the songs I played. 
I launch
the app and a helpful person read it to me. So that's about the 
fourth or
fifth time I used the app. I use the app yesterday at a grocery 
store to
find some spinach. I had an idea where it was but I just wanted 
to make
sure. They're real helpful and friendly people. Even if you're 
the user of
the other product still the be my eyes app is very friendly also. 
I'm glad
I have it.

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen
_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/aliherky%40g
mail.com



From debbiepittman99 at gmail.com  Tue Jul 16 23:24:43 2019
From: debbiepittman99 at gmail.com (Debbie Pittman)
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 18:24:43 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Be my eyes app
In-Reply-To: <5d2e4722.1c69fb81.4b64f.849a@mx.google.com>
References: <5d2e4722.1c69fb81.4b64f.849a@mx.google.com>
Message-ID: <0D2FDBF0-57EB-45FB-948A-1AEE6D673ACC@gmail.com>

I agree. Hello Oli.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 16, 2019, at 6:52 PM, Ali via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> It's about time they had that available for you guys!
> 
> Ali
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Robert Hansen via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org
> To: nfb il talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:12:22 -0500
> Subject: [IL-Talk] Be my eyes app
> 
> Good afternoon everyone. I'm really glad and grateful that the be my eyes
> app is now available on Android. I was doing my slot down at the wizard
> this morning and had a question about one of the songs I played. I launch
> the app and a helpful person read it to me. So that's about the fourth or
> fifth time I used the app. I use the app yesterday at a grocery store to
> find some spinach. I had an idea where it was but I just wanted to make
> sure. They're real helpful and friendly people. Even if you're the user of
> the other product still the be my eyes app is very friendly also. I'm glad
> I have it.
> 
> Sincerely
> Robert A. Hansen
> hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
> Robert A. Hansen
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/aliherky%40g
> mail.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/debbiepittman99%40gmail.com



From billreif at ameritech.net  Wed Jul 17 01:32:48 2019
From: billreif at ameritech.net (Bill Reif)
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2019 20:32:48 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Be my eyes app
In-Reply-To: <CAEBckdS2AVtNAeYa8iRz6rEZNw=Et0bXr_gMaMG=hcapWf-MUw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAEBckdS2AVtNAeYa8iRz6rEZNw=Et0bXr_gMaMG=hcapWf-MUw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <968cad41-526f-75a1-42af-1ad4b698effc@ameritech.net>

When my wife Roberta was hospitalized last year, I used the app to read 
my employee's hand written list so I could place a product order for my 
business. It was a long list of several columns, but we got it done with 
the volunteer's patience. The partnerships with others who want to make 
their products and services accessible are impressive. This is a great 
app for those who don't need the level of assistance offered through 
Aira, though that product is very much worth its cost.


Cordially,

Bill


On 7/16/2019 1:12 PM, Robert Hansen via IL-Talk wrote:
> Good afternoon everyone. I'm really glad and grateful that the be my eyes
> app is now available on Android. I was doing my slot down at the wizard
> this morning and had a question about one of the songs I played. I launch
> the app and a helpful person read it to me. So that's about the fourth or
> fifth time I used the app. I use the app yesterday at a grocery store to
> find some spinach. I had an idea where it was but I just wanted to make
> sure. They're real helpful and friendly people. Even if you're the user of
> the other product still the be my eyes app is very friendly also. I'm glad
> I have it.
>
> Sincerely
> Robert A. Hansen
> hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
> Robert A. Hansen
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/billreif%40ameritech.net
>



From datemeyer at mysero.net  Wed Jul 17 14:08:50 2019
From: datemeyer at mysero.net (David Meyer)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 10:08:50 -0400
Subject: [IL-Talk] Picnic
Message-ID: <76ba553a.ce23.4e7a.bac2.77c016d31068@samobile.net>

Dan,The picnic is indeed official. If you and Chris wish to attend, 
please call Steve Hastalis to make your wishes known. His number is 
773-848-5307.  The date is July 27 and the time is 2:00-4:00 P.M.



From dan.tevelde at comcast.net  Wed Jul 17 19:24:26 2019
From: dan.tevelde at comcast.net (Dan Tevelde)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 14:24:26 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] chapter picnic
In-Reply-To: <000001d53bd9$52881650$f79842f0$@sbcglobal.net>
References: <000001d53bd9$52881650$f79842f0$@sbcglobal.net>
Message-ID: <1D2F9DAD-94AD-43F1-8A93-2DA5F16D7FA7@comcast.net>

Thanks,

I contacted Steve so Chris and I are signed up.

Dan

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 16, 2019, at 8:21 AM, David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> 
> 
> Our summer picnic is close at hand. The date for this event is July 27, the
> time is noon to 4:00 P.M. and the place is St. Andrews Greek Orthodox
> Church, 5649 North Sheridan Road in Chicago.
> 
> 
> 
> Those who attended this event last year had great things to say about it and
> attendance is strong. We will be in the Presidents Room of this facility so
> we need not worry about heat or rain. The cost for this event is $10. If you
> plan to attend, please give your money to Steve Hastalis who is organizing
> this event. Also please make your reservation with Steve by calling him at
> 773-848-5307. You may also e-mail him at steve.hastalis at gmail.com.
> 
> 
> 
> Please make all reservations by July 23. I am using this date as a cutoff
> date because the caterer needs some lead time to purchase food and other
> items for this event.
> 
> 
> 
> I am certain that a good time will be had by all.
> 
> 
> 
> David Meyer, NFB of Illinois
> 
> Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine
> 
> Chicago Chapter President
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/dan.tevelde%40comcast.net




From hansen.robert70 at gmail.com  Thu Jul 18 18:24:27 2019
From: hansen.robert70 at gmail.com (Robert Hansen)
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:24:27 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals
In-Reply-To: <000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>
	<000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAEBckdQ04XDJ9xKqwO=UwOhr--W4NmWBXvm6NaRqssjYdndrAA@mail.gmail.com>

I plan to attend this. How many others are going to this?



On Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:35 AM Patti S Chang via IL-Talk <
il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Kelly,
>
> Thanks for posting this. Do I do hope we have great representation.
>
> PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
>
> The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the Chicago
> Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to attend an Open House
> Public Meeting regarding a pilot project to install Accessible Pedestrian
> Signals (APS) in the Central Loop and Citywide. APS provide information in
> non-visual formats (such as audible tones, speech messages, and/or
> vibrating surfaces) to pedestrians who have visual disabilities as an aid
> to cross streets at signalized locations. The goal of this pilot project is
> to install APS equipment at various environments throughout the city to
> gain insight on best practices for design and installation.
>
> Date:   Thursday, July 18, 2019
> Time:   4:30 p.m. ? 7:30 p.m.
> Location:       City of Chicago
>         Chicago City Hall
>         121 N LaSalle Street, Room 1103
>         Chicago, IL 60602
>
> The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the project, APS prioritized
> locations, and sample equipment, and to receive input on the proposed
> improvements.  The meeting will be an open house format (with no formal
> presentation). City representatives will be available to discuss the
> project and answer your questions.
>
> Comments can be provided at the time of the meeting and will be accepted
> through August 1, 2019.  More info is available at:
>
> www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/aps.html
> or
> tinyurl.com/ChicagoAPS
>
> In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and other Federal
> and State laws, the Public Meeting will be accessible to those with
> disabilities. If you need additional assistance or a reasonable
> accommodation, please contact Laurie Dittman by telephone at
> 312-744-4495 or by email at Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org at least
> five (5) days prior to the meeting.
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gmail.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/hansen.robert70%40gmail.com
>


From mnowicki4 at icloud.com  Thu Jul 18 19:28:34 2019
From: mnowicki4 at icloud.com (Michael Nowicki)
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:28:34 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals
In-Reply-To: <CAEBckdQ04XDJ9xKqwO=UwOhr--W4NmWBXvm6NaRqssjYdndrAA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>
	<000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>
	<CAEBckdQ04XDJ9xKqwO=UwOhr--W4NmWBXvm6NaRqssjYdndrAA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <BBDBA5D7-280D-4089-B632-981D1F84D357@icloud.com>

I will be there.
Michal

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 18, 2019, at 1:24 PM, Robert Hansen via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I plan to attend this. How many others are going to this?
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:35 AM Patti S Chang via IL-Talk <
> il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>> Kelly,
>> 
>> Thanks for posting this. Do I do hope we have great representation.
>> 
>> PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
>> 
>> The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the Chicago
>> Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to attend an Open House
>> Public Meeting regarding a pilot project to install Accessible Pedestrian
>> Signals (APS) in the Central Loop and Citywide. APS provide information in
>> non-visual formats (such as audible tones, speech messages, and/or
>> vibrating surfaces) to pedestrians who have visual disabilities as an aid
>> to cross streets at signalized locations. The goal of this pilot project is
>> to install APS equipment at various environments throughout the city to
>> gain insight on best practices for design and installation.
>> 
>> Date:   Thursday, July 18, 2019
>> Time:   4:30 p.m. ? 7:30 p.m.
>> Location:       City of Chicago
>>        Chicago City Hall
>>        121 N LaSalle Street, Room 1103
>>        Chicago, IL 60602
>> 
>> The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the project, APS prioritized
>> locations, and sample equipment, and to receive input on the proposed
>> improvements.  The meeting will be an open house format (with no formal
>> presentation). City representatives will be available to discuss the
>> project and answer your questions.
>> 
>> Comments can be provided at the time of the meeting and will be accepted
>> through August 1, 2019.  More info is available at:
>> 
>> www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/aps.html
>> or
>> tinyurl.com/ChicagoAPS
>> 
>> In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and other Federal
>> and State laws, the Public Meeting will be accessible to those with
>> disabilities. If you need additional assistance or a reasonable
>> accommodation, please contact Laurie Dittman by telephone at
>> 312-744-4495 or by email at Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org at least
>> five (5) days prior to the meeting.
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> IL-Talk mailing list
>> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> IL-Talk:
>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gmail.com
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> IL-Talk mailing list
>> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> IL-Talk:
>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/hansen.robert70%40gmail.com
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40icloud.com




From davant1958 at gmail.com  Thu Jul 18 19:36:02 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:36:02 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals
In-Reply-To: <BBDBA5D7-280D-4089-B632-981D1F84D357@icloud.com>
References: <CAOQRLb9SB18SenCbmYDsswbuBSyT-uTAapQ4QeKqR1_zci-_iw@mail.gmail.com>	<000701d53b22$b8883a00$2998ae00$@gmail.com>	<CAEBckdQ04XDJ9xKqwO=UwOhr--W4NmWBXvm6NaRqssjYdndrAA@mail.gmail.com>
	<BBDBA5D7-280D-4089-B632-981D1F84D357@icloud.com>
Message-ID: <001001d53da0$08ea9270$1abfb750$@gmail.com>

I will be attending as well.


Denise R. Avant, Esq.
President,
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-991-8050
Live the life you want.

For more information about NFBI,
Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Michael Nowicki via IL-Talk
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2019 2:29 PM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Michael Nowicki <mnowicki4 at icloud.com>
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] Chicago Meeting on Accessible Traffic Signals

I will be there.
Michal

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 18, 2019, at 1:24 PM, Robert Hansen via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I plan to attend this. How many others are going to this?
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 10:35 AM Patti S Chang via IL-Talk < 
> il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>> Kelly,
>> 
>> Thanks for posting this. Do I do hope we have great representation.
>> 
>> PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
>> 
>> The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the 
>> Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to attend an 
>> Open House Public Meeting regarding a pilot project to install 
>> Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) in the Central Loop and Citywide. 
>> APS provide information in non-visual formats (such as audible tones, 
>> speech messages, and/or vibrating surfaces) to pedestrians who have 
>> visual disabilities as an aid to cross streets at signalized 
>> locations. The goal of this pilot project is to install APS equipment 
>> at various environments throughout the city to gain insight on best practices for design and installation.
>> 
>> Date:   Thursday, July 18, 2019
>> Time:   4:30 p.m. ? 7:30 p.m.
>> Location:       City of Chicago
>>        Chicago City Hall
>>        121 N LaSalle Street, Room 1103
>>        Chicago, IL 60602
>> 
>> The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the project, APS 
>> prioritized locations, and sample equipment, and to receive input on 
>> the proposed improvements.  The meeting will be an open house format 
>> (with no formal presentation). City representatives will be available 
>> to discuss the project and answer your questions.
>> 
>> Comments can be provided at the time of the meeting and will be 
>> accepted through August 1, 2019.  More info is available at:
>> 
>> www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/aps.html
>> or
>> tinyurl.com/ChicagoAPS
>> 
>> In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and other 
>> Federal and State laws, the Public Meeting will be accessible to 
>> those with disabilities. If you need additional assistance or a 
>> reasonable accommodation, please contact Laurie Dittman by telephone 
>> at
>> 312-744-4495 or by email at Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org at least 
>> five (5) days prior to the meeting.
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> IL-Talk mailing list
>> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> IL-Talk:
>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gm
>> ail.com
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> IL-Talk mailing list
>> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> IL-Talk:
>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/hansen.robert70%
>> 40gmail.com
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40iclou
> d.com


_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/davant1958%40gmail.com




From datemeyer at mysero.net  Thu Jul 18 23:25:37 2019
From: datemeyer at mysero.net (David Meyer)
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 19:25:37 -0400
Subject: [IL-Talk] Fw: Picnic Announcement, Draft
Message-ID: <610f8ace.f847.400a.985d.c6493b9350b6@samobile.net>


Forwarded message:

From: "Steve Hastalis" <steve.hastalis at gmail.com>
to: <datemeyer at mysero.net>
Cc: "'Holly Frisch'" <Holly at volunteersfortheblind.org>
Subject: Picnic Announcement, Draft
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 21:23:21 -0400


Hello Everyone,

The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, Chicago Chapter, once 
again will hold its annual summer picnic. This year, we again will meet 
at Saint Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 North Sheridan Road, in 
the Edgewater community of Chicago. The building is on the east side of 
Sheridan Road, south of Hollywood.

The picnic will take place on Saturday, July 27.

Activities begin at 11:30 in the President's Room, at the south end of 
the building.

We will begin serving lunch at 12 noon. Lunch will consist of various 
salads, corn on the cob, barbecued chicken, brattwursts, all-beef 
hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Beverages will include soft drinks, 
lemonade and water. Desserts will include brownies and apple pie.

The building has two accessible entrances. The south entrance, on the 
west side of the building, faces Sheridan Road. It has a ramp next to 
five steps. The north entrance, on the east side of the building, faces 
the parking lot. It has a ramp next to three steps. Washrooms also are 
accessible.

If you come in from Sheridan Road, please do not use the north entrance 
close to Hollywood, immediately behind the bus shelter. Rather, use the 
south entrance closer to the middle of the block.

We will charge only ten dollars ($10) for this wonderful meal. Please 
RSVP no later than Wednesday, July 24. If you reserve but do not come 
or cancel, we still will hold you responsible for the cost of this lunch.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates two bus routes on Sheridan 
Road ? 147 Outer Drive Express and 151 Sheridan. Northbound buses stop 
before crossing Hollywood. Southbound buses stop after crossing Hollywood.

CTA also operates Route 84 Peterson, eastbound and westbound on Bryn 
Mawr, south of the church. Eastbound buses stop before crossing 
Sheridan, and wetbound buses stop after crossing Sheridan.

The Red line stops at Bryn Mawr. Walk east on Bryn Mawr. Cross 
Winthrop, Kenmore Sheridan. Turn left and go north to the church. Cross 
the driveway to the parking lot and proceed to the south entrance 
facing Sheridan. It has five steps up and a ramp to the right or south, 
as you face the building.

Pace Paratransit vehicles and private autos may use the parking lot on 
the east side of the building.

We have reserved the room until 4 o'clock. Come join us! Contribute to 
the success and good fellowship of this event!

Please let me know if you wish to attend. I must notify the caterer 
Wedesday, July 24. If you have questions or need further directions, 
please call Steve Hastalis at: Home, (773) 508-5307; Cell, (773) 
848-5307; E-mail: steve.hastalis at gmail.com.

From hansen.robert70 at gmail.com  Fri Jul 19 03:08:26 2019
From: hansen.robert70 at gmail.com (Robert Hansen)
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 22:08:26 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Fw: Picnic Announcement, Draft
In-Reply-To: <610f8ace.f847.400a.985d.c6493b9350b6@samobile.net>
References: <610f8ace.f847.400a.985d.c6493b9350b6@samobile.net>
Message-ID: <CAEBckdRrc4_v+EeCtzyUH8nqYpX_ZnzYdc3ZVF4AqEW5DKHMLA@mail.gmail.com>

I like it I think it's fine. Great job!!

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen

On Thu, Jul 18, 2019, 6:27 PM David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

>
> Forwarded message:
>
> From: "Steve Hastalis" <steve.hastalis at gmail.com>
> to: <datemeyer at mysero.net>
> Cc: "'Holly Frisch'" <Holly at volunteersfortheblind.org>
> Subject: Picnic Announcement, Draft
> Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2019 21:23:21 -0400
>
>
> Hello Everyone,
>
> The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, Chicago Chapter, once
> again will hold its annual summer picnic. This year, we again will meet
> at Saint Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 North Sheridan Road, in
> the Edgewater community of Chicago. The building is on the east side of
> Sheridan Road, south of Hollywood.
>
> The picnic will take place on Saturday, July 27.
>
> Activities begin at 11:30 in the President's Room, at the south end of
> the building.
>
> We will begin serving lunch at 12 noon. Lunch will consist of various
> salads, corn on the cob, barbecued chicken, brattwursts, all-beef
> hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Beverages will include soft drinks,
> lemonade and water. Desserts will include brownies and apple pie.
>
> The building has two accessible entrances. The south entrance, on the
> west side of the building, faces Sheridan Road. It has a ramp next to
> five steps. The north entrance, on the east side of the building, faces
> the parking lot. It has a ramp next to three steps. Washrooms also are
> accessible.
>
> If you come in from Sheridan Road, please do not use the north entrance
> close to Hollywood, immediately behind the bus shelter. Rather, use the
> south entrance closer to the middle of the block.
>
> We will charge only ten dollars ($10) for this wonderful meal. Please
> RSVP no later than Wednesday, July 24. If you reserve but do not come
> or cancel, we still will hold you responsible for the cost of this lunch.
>
> The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates two bus routes on Sheridan
> Road ? 147 Outer Drive Express and 151 Sheridan. Northbound buses stop
> before crossing Hollywood. Southbound buses stop after crossing Hollywood.
>
> CTA also operates Route 84 Peterson, eastbound and westbound on Bryn
> Mawr, south of the church. Eastbound buses stop before crossing
> Sheridan, and wetbound buses stop after crossing Sheridan.
>
> The Red line stops at Bryn Mawr. Walk east on Bryn Mawr. Cross
> Winthrop, Kenmore Sheridan. Turn left and go north to the church. Cross
> the driveway to the parking lot and proceed to the south entrance
> facing Sheridan. It has five steps up and a ramp to the right or south,
> as you face the building.
>
> Pace Paratransit vehicles and private autos may use the parking lot on
> the east side of the building.
>
> We have reserved the room until 4 o'clock. Come join us! Contribute to
> the success and good fellowship of this event!
>
> Please let me know if you wish to attend. I must notify the caterer
> Wedesday, July 24. If you have questions or need further directions,
> please call Steve Hastalis at: Home, (773) 508-5307; Cell, (773)
> 848-5307; E-mail: steve.hastalis at gmail.com.
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From dkent5817 at att.net  Fri Jul 19 19:21:24 2019
From: dkent5817 at att.net (Deborah Kent Stein)
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 14:21:24 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Illinois Independent, Summer 2019
Message-ID: <001001d53e67$294ddd20$7be99760$@att.net>

ILLINOIS INDEPENDENT

Summer 2019

s

 

 

 

 

THE ILLINOIS INDEPENDENT

 

The Newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

Summer 2019

 

 


Editors: Deborah Kent Stein and Robert Gardner


Deborah:         773-203-1394   <mailto:Dkent5817 at att.net> Dkent5817 at att.net

Robert:            309-236-6606   <mailto:rgardner4 at gmail.com>
rgardner4 at gmail.com

Formatting: Janna Mary Stein and Robert Gardner

NFB Newsline Edition: David Meyer 

Print Edition: Bill Reif 

Braille Edition: Horizons for the Blind

 

 

THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF ILLINOIS (NFBI)

 

President: Denise R. Avant:   773-991-8050  <mailto:Davant1958 at gmail.com>
Davant1958 at gmail.com

Website: www.nfbofillinois.org

Webmaster: Bryan Mackey

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS


 

Carrying Out Our Mission, by Denise Avant                         

 


Owning Our Future: The 2019 Midwest Student Seminar    


 

Own Your Present, by Marilyn Green                                    

 

To Become a Nurse, by Lindsey Fritz                                    

 

The Next Big Step: How to Keep Your Job                           

and Thrive in the Workplace, by Yusef Dale

 

A Walk down the Runway, by Mary Lou Grunwald             

 

Going Back to Work, by Kira O?Bradovich                           

 

How I Became a Substitute Teacher, by Robert Hansen       

 

In Memoriam: Joe and Mary Monti                                        

 

 

***

 


CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION


by Denise Avant

 

The constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois states
that we are not a social organization. As an organization of the blind, we
are to formulate programs and work actively to promote the economic and
social betterment of the blind. Certainly we can plan occasional social
events and attend social outings. However, critical to our identity is our
mission to advocate on behalf of blind people in Illinois. Whether you live
in Springfield or Chicago, the Quad Cities, Belleville, or any other place
in our state, you should engage in advocacy within your community. 

 


REHABILITATION SERVICES


One of our most important advocacy efforts is communicating with the
Illinois Bureau of Blind Services (IBBS). Debbie Stein, David Meyer, and I
have been talking to IBBS Chief John Gordon and Assistant Bureau Chief
Ingrid Halvorsen about building quality rehabilitation services in Illinois.
Many newly blinded adults and even some who have been blind for a number of
years do not realize that their blindness need not hold them back. We
continue to push for rehabilitation services at the Illinois Center for
Rehabilitation and Education (often referred to as ICRE Wood) that raise the
expectations of trainees. As blind people we need to be able to travel
confidently and independently using the long white cane, to take care of our
daily living needs, to use a computer effectively, and to read and write
Braille. Members of our organization have spoken to the last two ICRE
classes about our NFB philosophy and the programs we offer as an advocacy
organization. 

 

The NFBI also has advocated for the right of blind people to seek advanced
training in blindness skills at one of the NFB training centers in
Louisiana, Colorado, or Minnesota. For a number of years, blind Illinoisians
who wanted to attend one of these training centers were routinely turned
down and sent to ICRE Wood instead. In the past two years, at least six
people from Illinois have been able to attend the training centers in
Colorado and Minnesota. 

 

To learn more about the state of rehabilitation services for the blind in
Illinois, we invite Mr. Gordon and Ms. Halvorsen to our state convention
each year. We also express any concerns we have about the services. At the
2019 convention we hope to have a counselor or perhaps Ms. Halvorsen
available to sign people up for state rehabilitation services. Patti Chang,
NFB outreach chair, has discussed with Mr. Gordon and Ms. Halvorsen the
possibility of agency workers attending the employment seminar at the 2019
national convention. 

 

The Bureau of Blind Services is looking to provide transitional services to
youth between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two. Under the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), IBBS is attempting to develop direct
and/or support programs to assist blind youth in making the transition from
high school to competitive integrated employment. The required transitional
services to eligible students are as follows: 

(1)        Job exploration counseling 

(2)        Work-based learning experience 

(3)        Counseling on postsecondary education 

(4)        Workplace readiness training 

(5)        Instruction in self-advocacy. 

 

I would like to talk with Chief Gordon about having IBBS customers attend
the employment seminar at the 2020 NFB national convention. This seminar
meets the pre-employment criteria of WIOA. 

 

At last year?s face-to-face board meeting, the NFBI voted to participate in
a career mentoring program if such a program is developed by IBBS. Many of
us have had and still have successful careers, and we believe that we would
make excellent mentors for blind students. Our board chose not to seek
direct WIOA reimbursement for our Freedom Link program, winner of a 2017 Dr.
Jacob Bolotin Award. However, we have talked to Mr. Gordon and Ms. Halvorsen
about signing up Freedom Link students for pre-employment services under
WIOA. We want to make sure that each of our eligible Freedom Link students
has a IBBS counselor and can seek vocational rehabilitation services from
IBBS upon graduation from high school. We have successfully received
reimbursement for four students who attended the 2019 Midwest Student
Seminar, as the state determined that we met the pre-employment services
criteria. 

 


INDEPENDENT TRAVEL


Recently NFB members in Chicago have been working with the city regarding
various initiatives and pilot programs centered around orientation and
mobility. The city is in the process of installing audible traffic signals
at several intersections throughout the city. Many companies make these
signals, and we believe that some are effective while others are not. The
National Federation of the Blind is not opposed to audible signals, but we
want to ensure that they meet the needs of the blind community. The signals
should be uniform throughout the city, they should be placed only at complex
or noisy intersections, they should be activated on demand, and they should
not cause unnecessary disruption to others. Steve Hastalis and Michal
Nowicki have been representing the NFBI at meetings with the city to ensure
that quality signals are installed in places where they are needed. Their
advocacy is ongoing. 

 

Many cities, including Chicago, now permit the use of electric scooters for
travel purposes. In Chicago ten vendors are participating in a pilot project
that involves these electric scooters. A person uses a smartphone app to
rent a scooter to ride from Point A to Point B. The app also can be used to
report any complaints or problems regarding a scooter. These electric
scooters make very little sound at all. The blind person must rely on the
driver?s awareness that a blind person is crossing the path. 

 

The drivers of these scooters are not to ride or leave the scooters parked
on sidewalks. But there is a difference between what should happen and what
actually does happen. In many cities scooters are frequently ridden on
sidewalks, and they often are left in front of homes, businesses, and
restaurants. It appears that Chicago officials rolling out the pilot scooter
project have not considered all of the ramifications that affect blind
people. 

 

Recently, I wrote a letter to Karen Tamley, Commissioner of the Mayor?s
Office for People with Disabilities. I set out our concerns and asked a
number of questions. Commissioner Tamley has agreed to discuss our concerns
in an upcoming telephone call. Officials from one of the scooter companies,
Lime, have scheduled a conference call to discuss our concerns and to see
what steps can be taken to provide accessible information to blind citizens.
We need the app on smartphones to be fully accessible with Voiceover for IOS
and Talk Back for Android so that blind persons can file complaints or rent
scooters if desired. We need Braille and large print signage on these
scooters so we can have the number and name of the company involved should a
complaint need to be filed. The city suggested that a person employed by the
city take our complaints, but there are a couple problems with this
solution. How would the blind population know who to contact? And if a
sighted person can complain directly to the scooter company, a blind person
should be able to do the same. 

 

For the past eighteen months the city of Chicago has been considering
providing the visual interpreting service, AIRA, free of charge to blind
users at O?Hare Airport. A blind person would simply use an app on the
smartphone to call an AIRA agent to get visual information while traveling
at O?Hare. The AIRA agent provides visual information but does not make
choices for the blind person. Cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and
Boston have purchased a block of minutes that allows blind people to use
AIRA free of charge in airports and subway stations. We are still waiting
for Chicago city officials to provide blind travelers with AIRA access. 

 

Meanwhile, Karen Tamley has asked members of our organization and other
stakeholders to test a service from Boni Loud Steps. This is an application
to be used with WIFI on a smartphone to give blind people information about
their surroundings. Little information is known about Boni or its
application. But a check of Boni?s website suggests that the company has a
misunderstanding about blind people and how we travel. For example, the
company states, ?Most venues are complicated for the visually impaired,
overloaded information for sighted people is not accessible to the visually
impaired in an indoor space.? The company invites visitors to click on a
link that says, ?See how our app arms individuals with confidence in complex
areas.? Aside from being grammatically incorrect, the messaging seems to
claim that the app will provide confidence to a blind traveler rather than
simply be an aid. Some of our members will work with Boni to explore the app
and learn about its possible advantages and disadvantages.

 

For as long as I can remember, I have heard that the National Federation of
the Blind is not an organization speaking for the blind; it is an
organization of blind people speaking for ourselves. I have come to
appreciate why we are of the blind, rather than for the blind. We as blind
people have the right and the responsibility to speak for and against issues
that have an impact on our lives; to speak to local, state, and national
officials about policies, programs, and legislation that affect us; and to
make our own life choices. 

 

 

***


 


OWNING OUR FUTURE:


The 2019 Midwest Student Seminar


 

On the weekend of March 15-17, 2019, the National Association of Blind
Students (NABS) held its second annual Midwest Student Seminar. The seminar
took place at the Holiday Inn O?Hare, and the NFB of Illinois was the host
affiliate. 

 

The seminar brought together blind students from six midwestern
states?Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana?for a
weekend of learning, sharing, and fun. The seminar began with a dinner
outing on Friday night that introduced the students to the CTA (Chicago
Transit Authority) and the independence it offers to blind travelers. On
Saturday and Sunday, the students heard presentations about transitioning to
college, public speaking, interviewing for a job, and much more. On Saturday
night participants were invited to take part in a talent show or try their
hand at sculpting and drawing.

 

Many of the presentations at the seminar were of such high quality that we
want to share them with a wider audience. The following three articles are
based on presentations at the seminar: ?Own Your Future,? by Marilyn Green;
?To Become a Nurse,? by Lindsey Fritz; and ?The Next Big Step,? by Yusef
Dale.

 

 

***


 


OWN YOUR PRESENT


by Marilyn Green

 

Namaste. At the end of this talk I will tell you what that means, if you
don?t know already. 

 

When I started looking for something to do for physical fitness, I went to
the gym. I got tired of having to ask for help with the machines and trying
to figure out where the buttons were. Then I talked to a friend who was in
love with yoga. At that time I was stressed out at work, and I was reeling
from the deaths of my parents. I said, ?Okay, let me try this yoga thing.? 

 

The place where I practice is called Core Power Yoga. They have a lot of
locations here in Chicago. They offer a seven-day free trial, because yoga
can be expensive. So I said, ?Okay, I?m going to do this,? and I tried it. 

 

It was heated yoga, and it?s hot! Our unheated class, as we call it, is at
85 degrees Fahrenheit. Our heated classes go up to 102 degrees, and add to
that 20 percent humidity! Afterward I was literally sweating for an hour! It
detoxifies everything!

 

After my first class I was so intimidated I waited about six months before I
went back. When I finally went back, I got so involved I became a fixture. I
was there three to five days a week. All the instructors knew me. Everyone
there knew me. 

 

Then the instructors started talking to me about teacher training! I said,
?You do realize that I?m blind, right?? and they said, ?But your practice is
so wonderful! You have such body awareness, much better than most people
we?ve seen!? I was talking to instructors who had been teaching for years. I
was like, ?Hey, I do what feels good in my body.? 

 

I don?t have a stereotypical yoga body, mind you. I?m a curvy girl, and I?m
not a twenty-something. I said, ?What are you guys thinking?? I thought,
they just want my money, right? They want me to pay thousands of dollars to
do this training. So I said, ?No, I?m not doing it. But I love being here. I
love the community.? 

 

After a while I started to lose more vision. I was doing yoga a lot, trying
to cope with everything, and I realized that these people really see me.
They don?t see me as a blind person. They see me as a person, and they feel
that I have something to offer. This was before my NFB days, and it was the
first place where I felt I was accepted. They didn?t just see that I?m
blind; they saw that I love doing yoga there. I could go there and talk to
people about whatever, and they just listened. It was an awesome experience,
and I believe in giving back. 

 

Recently online I found a Huffington Post article where people talked about
the thirty-five quotes from Maya Angelou that changed their lives. One of
those quotes speaks to me especially, for yoga and for NFB. ?When you get,
give; when you learn, teach.? So I decided to do the teacher training. 

 

The training was twelve hours a week for eight weeks of intensive learning,
and it involved a lot of physical practice. I didn?t just have to learn it,
I had to do it! I had to feel it in my body. It was the hardest thing! In my
first classes, I found out that the girl who couldn?t see and needed all the
verbal cues couldn?t give verbal cues herself! I?d say, ?Okay, root your
feet, move your legs . . . oh, just look at what I?m doing!? I didn?t have
the language skills, so I worked on it. I worked really, really hard. By the
end of my teacher training the feedback was, ?Your verbal cues are on
point!? That was the best thing they ever said to me. 

 

Then there was hands-on position adjustment. I said, ?How do you expect me
to adjust people when I can?t see them?? But we worked that out, too. I
always had someone in my classes who could assist me with direction. I knew
how to adjust, it was just the visual aspect of adjusting people that was a
challenge sometimes. 

 

I did my two hundred hours of teacher training, and I graduated in 2016. I
started teaching at a place in downtown Chicago called Second Sense. I enjoy
it, and the students enjoy it, too. The staff say it?s one of their best
attended classes. When I went back about eight weeks ago, I had nine
students. Nine students is a big deal in that little board room that we use!
We were staggering mats?and mind you, my students are blind, and the
majority are over fifty. It?s a challenge for me a lot of times, and it?s a
challenge for them, but we make it work. A lot of times I do the poses in my
own body so I can feel what it feels like. 

 

So right now, because we?ve been sitting for an hour and some, I?d like you
all to stand up and feel it in your body! Are you all with me? 

 


Stand tall! We are owning our futures this weekend, right? 


 

Root your heels in the floor beneath you. Sway from side to side, and begin
to feel comfortable in your space. 

 

Hug your thighs together?squeeze tight! Melt your belly button toward your
spine. 

 

Float both arms up over your head. Rotate your pinkies in toward one
another. 

 

Find your drishti, which is Sanskrit for your point of focus and
concentration. Breathe deep in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Let your breath go. Deep inhale through your nose, even deeper exhale
through your mouth. Inhale, exhale. 

 

Continue these breaths on your own, and in these few minutes that we have,
find your space. Own your future. Own your present. Whatever it shall be,
this moment, just breathe and take the time. 

 

That is the thing that I love about this practice?the time. Time for
yourself, time to breathe, time to explore. We all know with NFB it?s about
exploring, it?s about being curious, it?s about challenging yourself. Right
now, if you?re still with me, this is your challenge. This is your moment,
right here, right now. Own it. Be comfortable in it. Challenge yourself to
be right here. 

 

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, reach your fingertips to the ceiling. Exhale, reach
your arms wide like a cactus. Inhale, raise your arms to the ceiling;
exhale, reach your heart center. Inhale, bring your thumbs to your third eye
space between your eyebrows. Your space of all knowing, your space of
ownership. Namaste.

 

Namaste in Sanskrit means, ?I see you.? What yoga and NFB mean to me is to
be seen. It?s not being seen as the blind girl or the curvy girl or the girl
who can?t do a headstand. It?s being seen for who I am and what I am. So at
this moment I say to you truly, Namaste. The light within me bows to the
light within you. Namaste.

 

 

***


 


TO BECOME A NURSE


by Lindsey Fritz

 

I am from Madison, Wisconsin, and currently I am a fulltime nursing student
at Madison Area Technical College. I?m completing the first semester of my
program while working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Belmont
Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. 

 

I grew up in the Federation, and early on my family taught me that hard work
was required if I was to become successful. I want to join the handful of
blind people working in the nursing field. Right now I am thinking about
specializing in trauma treatment or labor and delivery. 

 

My mother has been a paramedic for a long time, and she is my major
inspiration for going into the medical field. One of my role models is Dr.
Tim Cordes, a totally blind medical doctor who works in Madison, Wisconsin. 

 

Because of my boyfriend, Nathan, I?ve decided to take my education farther
than obtaining my Registered Nursing (RN) license. Nathan is a Type I
diabetic who was diagnosed much later than most. He lost a bunch of weight
and got severely sick out of nowhere. Some people even thought he was on
drugs, which was not the case. I am able to check his sugars and make sure
he is getting the correct amount of insulin by using accessible meters and
insulin pens. The pens click, and with every click the dial adds one unit of
insulin. 

 

My classes include advanced anatomy-physiology and microbiology. I struggle
with these classes because we use microscopes, and I am unable to see the
slide and the arrows pointing to the parts of a cell that I need to
identify. As an alternative technique I use my phone to take a picture
through the microscope. I blow up the photo with my computer so I can see
it. We also use tactile diagrams and models of cells so I can learn through
touch how certain body mechanics work. 

 

Madison College has a great disability resource office; I work with Kevin
Carini, who has helped me get the specialized technology I need. For
example, in my organic chemistry class last semester, I needed to know how
much chemical I was adding to a beaker or flask. I was not able to feel or
see the lines on the beaker. Kevin ordered me some large-print chemistry
equipment, extra large petri dishes for culturing microorganisms, and gloves
that would not be affected by some of the harsh chemicals we used. In my
anatomy and physiology classes our instructor is a medical doctor. This is
nice because I?m not only learning about the body and how it works, but I?m
also learning how to relate my knowledge to the medical field. 

 

My education plans include obtaining my Registered Nurse license and
eventually moving on to get my Nurse Practitioner license. I will have to go
to graduate school to get my master?s degree. 

 

In the fall of 2017 I obtained my Certified Nursing Assistant certification,
which is required in order to become a registered nurse in the state of
Wisconsin. The CNA course was accelerated, and it only took three weeks. I
spent two weeks in class and one week in clinicals. In clinicals I worked
from 0700 to 1700 hours every day. This may sound strange until I explain
that we use 24-hour time in the medical field to avoid confusion, especially
when it comes to giving medications. So I worked from 7 AM to 5 PM every
weekday. 

 

After I completed the class and my clinical work I had to take a written
state exam and a skills exam. For the skills exam I had to perform some
tasks on a mannequin in front of two board certified representatives from
Pearson Vue. Pearson Vue is the state board that certifies nursing
assistants in Wisconsin. To take the written exam I had the option for
listening to a recording of the questions, and I was able to mark my answers
on the paper. 

 

I learned along the way that I had to find my own methods of completing
certain nursing tasks. One skill that challenged me was vitals, or taking
the patient?s vital signs. I am not able to use our standard medical
thermometers or blood pressure cuffs because they do not speak and the print
is far too small for me, even with my magnifier. Therefore I use my own
equipment, which I leave at work on the nurse?s carts. I have a talking
automatic blood pressure cuff, and I use a pulse oximeter that tells me the
patient?s O 2 intake, also known as oxygen intake. When I use a stethoscope
I place my hand on the patient?s shoulders to count the respirations,
because I am unable to see the chest or shoulders rising and falling as
sighted CNA and nursing students do. 

 

My biggest challenge as a CNA does not pertain to my blindness at all. My
biggest challenge is my height. I know?laugh it up! Well . . . it is funny.
Many of the beds in the facility where I work don?t go low enough for me to
reach the patient easily. This is an issue, since I stand only 4 feet 10
inches tall. 

 

When I walked into my interview for my job as a certified nursing assistant
with my long white cane, the first thing the Director of Nursing said to me
was, ?Oh, you?re blind.? What kind of statement is that? She asked me some
questions pertaining to my training, and she checked my credentials. At
first she was very timid toward me and didn?t seem very interested. I knew
that I had lost her interest in hiring me. Then I started telling her about
the adaptations I use for assisting residents with certain tasks. Her face
just lit up! She seemed astonished that someone like me, with my blindness,
was able to obtain my certification on the first try for both exams. 

 

Then she offered me less money than CNAs in the Madison area earn on
average. I told her I could go somewhere else, and that I had other places
interested in me. I thanked her for her time, and I got up to leave. As I
turned toward the door she said, ?Hold on.? That?s when she gave me a better
offer, and I was hired on the spot. 

 

All of my residents except in the dementia unit know me, and they know I do
things a little differently than the other CNAs. They see me with my cane,
and they know not to be afraid of me. They know that I am more than capable
of assisting them in anything they need. When you?re working as a CNA, trust
is a big deal. 

 

At first some residents were uneasy about allowing me to assist them. This
was understandable, and I needed to respect it. That uneasiness is an
unfortunate response in society. That?s where establishing trust comes into
play. 

 

Having some simple conversations with people, calling them by name, and
asking how their families are doing usually does the trick. It took about
two weeks for my residents to get to know me and for them to start trusting
me to care for them. Now I?m no different from any other CNA. I can come
into their rooms, we greet each other, and I assist them with what they
need. 

 

Blind people have entered many professions, but the medical field has hardly
been touched. I plan on changing that. I want to pave the way for more blind
students to enter the world of medicine. 

 

 

***

 

THE NEXT BIG STEP: 

How to Keep Your Job and Thrive in the Workplace

by Yusef Dale

 

At this seminar you?ve heard quite a bit about interviewing and getting
hired for your first job. only This morning I?d like to talk about what
happens next. Once you get that job, you have to do some key things in order
to retain that employment and to advance. 

 


REPUTATION: THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE


It may surprise you, but when it comes to keeping a job and advancing in the
workplace, the guiding principle is reputation. 

 

What do I mean by reputation? Reputation is part of the human condition in
almost every institution. People talk. As a blind person, you?re going to be
scrutinized more carefully than most, and people are going to talk about you
more than they talk about other people. You have to be prepared for that
reality. 

 

Reputation has its own momentum, and that momentum is exponential. When you
start on the job, you need to get your reputation rolling in the right
direction. To build that favorable momentum you have to be excellent at what
you do, and you have to be excellent early! 

 

Let me assure you that being excellent does not mean you have to be perfect.
There?s no such thing as perfection! Excellence, though, does mean striving
for perfection and striving for it sincerely, with everything you have.

 

In the workplace reputation is key for everyone, whether you?re blind or
sighted. But when you are blind, people will attribute any mistake you make
to your blindness. And guess what?you cannot undo your blindness! You are
going to have to take your reputation seriously in the beginning and be
excellent. 

 


NO SHORTCUTS!


What steps do you need to take in order to be excellent? The first thing I
want to say is no shortcuts! No shortcuts! I cannot tell you how important
this is! 

 

I work at the US Attorney?s office in Chicago. It?s a very prestigious
office, one of the top litigation offices in the country, maybe just behind
the Southern District of New York. Pat Fitzgerald was the US attorney when I
started, and he is legendary. When he was working in New York he prosecuted
some of the biggest bomb terrorism cases. When I came to the US attorney?s
office, I knew right away that I was going to be scrutinized. I said to
myself, ?Yusef, no shortcuts!? 

 

The first thing you have to do to implement the no-shortcuts strategy is
read, read, read! When you start a job you?re going to undergo a training
program for new employees. You?re going to go to lectures, you?re going to
take notes, and you?re going to get a vast amount of written material.
Inevitably you?ll be tempted not to read it all. You might think: I?ll go to
the lectures, and I?ll take notes on everything the trainers talk about.
I?ll learn that way. 

 

Don?t do that! Read everything, and make sure you understand it all. If you
don?t understand something, ask questions of someone whose trust you have
gained so that they don?t judge you. 

 

Once you start with the substance of your job, you?re going to get what we
call ?go-by?s.? Everything has a go-by. For instance, in my office somebody
has prosecuted a multi-defendant gang case, and they all pled out. What does
the plea agreement look like? What does the cooperation agreement look like?
If I?m flipping one person against another, what does that look like? Give
me a document I can go by. 

 

Go-by?s are part of what everyone does, but sometimes you?re tempted not to
read those documents all the way through. You might think: This paragraph is
in every plea agreement?I don?t have to understand it. I?ll just put it in. 

 

Don?t do that! Read and make sure you understand every statute. Don?t fall
to the temptation of not reading everything and not understanding
everything. Remember that your reputation is everything, and if it gets
rolling in the wrong direction, you?re done. 

 

As blind people we cannot afford the leeway of taking shortcuts. Question
everything. Research everything. Make sure you know that everything in your
document is right! Be excellent!

 


ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION 


The next thing I want to tell you is to ask the right question, and ask it
in the right way. Everyone has questions starting out in a new job. But
everything applies to us disproportionately as blind people, so what we ask
and how we ask it is very important. 

 

What does it mean to ask the right question in the right way? No one
respects a person who comes into their office and says, ?Hey, what?s the
answer to this?? When you ask a question in the workplace, particularly if
you?re blind, you need to demonstrate that you have context for your
question. You need to show that you have tried to answer the question before
you go into your colleague?s office. 

 

Soon after I started at the US Attorney?s office, I dropped by the office of
Lisa, one of my coworkers. I said, ?I?m having an issue with understanding
the safety-valve proffer. I?ve read Guidelines Section 5K1.1. I?ve read the
statute that applies. Here?s what the statute says, and the seminal case
says this. Here?s what I don?t understand.? I didn?t just walk in and ask
Lisa a question. I made sure she knew I had tried hard to get the answer. I
showed her that I was thinking and that I?m not lazy. 

 

I cannot tell you how important it is to ask the right question in the right
way. Guess what?s going to happen? The next time Lisa talks to one of her
buddies, she?ll say, ?Wow! That new hire who?s blind, he came into my office
with a question, and you could tell he had read and researched before he
asked me.? Because we?re blind, people are not going to expect that from us.
There?s a lot of depth to the ignorance out there in the work world. They
will assume the worst unless you ask the right question in the right way.

 


BE INTENTIONAL


Be intentional about demonstrating your work ethic. Make sure people know
you?re willing to work long hours. When I first got to the US Attorney?s
office, I worked seven days a week a lot of the time. I worked till seven,
eight, or nine every night, and people knew it. You can?t be phony about it.
Don?t send a 10 PM email if you don?t have to send a 10 PM email! People
will see through that! But if you have to send an email at 10 or 11 PM, send
it! You want people to know you have a strong work ethic, that you?re
willing to work long hours, and you?re willing to work hard. 

 

As a blind person coming into a new job, you have to deal with one huge
issue that other people aren?t dealing with. You have to learn to do your
job without sight. That?s an additional challenge that requires some extra
work. Don?t be ashamed to let people know you work hard. They?re going to
tell their friends, ?Hey, I see him here on the weekends! I see him here
late at night!? They respect you for that, and your reputation gets rolling
in the right direction. 

 


NO EXCUSES!


My next point is really a big one. Don?t allow others to make excuses for
you! I know you folks in here are not going to make excuses for yourselves.
You?ve achieved a certain amount of success, and you?re used to not making
excuses for yourselves?at least you should be! 

 

But a sneaky thing happens in the work world. People will try to make
excuses for you. It can be very subtle, and you might not notice at first.
Your boss might come to your office say, ?You?re doing great work here. But
we?ve got these mortgage fraud cases, and they have a gigantic document
load. We?ll give you some other cases instead. You?ll be doing the same
amount of work as everyone else. We?re just not going to assign you these
document-heavy cases.? 

 

When that happens, the answer is no! Never let people make excuses for you
and tell you what you cannot do. They may sound like they?re complimenting
you, but they?re setting you up for failure. They?re saying to themselves,
?There are certain things I can?t ask that employee to do.? I don?t want to
sound melodramatic, but that is going to doom you to failure. 

 

Once I got a lecture about this issue from someone I really liked and
respected. So when that assignment came up I said, ?I can do mortgage fraud
cases. I?ve got this.? And when you do the mortgage case and do it well,
your reputation gets rolling! It?s cooking now! It?s cooking! So never let
anyone make excuses for you!

 

Here?s another example that was important in my career. I was handling a
case with a really great prosecutor. She clerked for a Supreme Court
justice. I always strive for excellence, but this time I understood I?d be
measured by an especially tall yardstick. Whatever this prosecutor said
about me?and she would say something, because that?s human nature!?whatever
she said, I needed it to be good!

 

The case was a more or less straightforward bank robbery, but a lot of
surveillance video was involved. Dealing with video is one of the biggest
challenges for a blind person in this profession. You have to figure out how
to explain it to a jury. She said, nicely, ?I?ll handle this main FBI agent,
because there?s this video. But we?ll still question the same number of
witnesses.? 

 

I said no. Once I knew she thought I?d have trouble with the FBI agent, I
insisted that I take that witness. I was really direct with her because I
liked and trusted her. I said, ?If I don?t do this, you?ll have doubts about
whether I can do it. It?s important that you not have those doubts.? 

 

I went out to the bank like we always do. I looked at the terrain. I had an
assistant explain to me what was in the video, exactly what time things were
happening. I went over and over it in my head. I went back to the bank. I
walked the terrain again to make sure I understood it, and I put that FBI
witness on the stand. It came out fine, and that?s the point. The prosecutor
was ready to make an excuse for me. But once I knew she thought I couldn?t
deal with the video, I insisted that I do it.

 


WRITE IT RIGHT!


The last thing I want to talk about is proofreading your written work. If
something goes wrong, you will not get the benefit of the doubt. I know,
because I?ve been there. I know other blind professionals who?ve gone
through it. When you?re writing something in an email, be very, very careful
about your grammar and your spelling! Make sure you have automatic
spell-check turned on before you send an email. If you know you confuse
certain words in your head, make sure you don?t confuse them when you send
out emails or when you turn in written product. 

 

All day I write, write, write! People think lawyers spend all their time in
court. But mostly I write. I write motions and sentencing memos. I write a
prosecution memo at the beginning. I draft the indictment. Frankly, writing
is not one of my gifts. I?ve become a good writer, but I had to work on it.
For instance, I know the difference between except and accept, but when I?m
typing like crazy at my computer, for some unknown reason I?ll write except
when I mean accept, like to accept an agreement. I?ve got to double-check it
every time. 

 

Listen, you might make a mistake. I?ve made one or two! But if your
reputation gets rolling in the right way, people know you?re a person who
works hard. Then you?ll get the benefit of the doubt. 

 


HUMAN ASSISTANTS


Now I want to talk quickly about working with a human assistant, such as a
reader or a driver. In the law business we have secretaries. The duties of
my assistant sometimes extend a little beyond the usual, but it?s not a big
deal. 

 

One thing an assistant can do for you is proofread your documents for
formatting, because weird things happen sometimes when you?re typing. One
time I had two pages that were all in italics. I had no idea how it
happened! When your document goes to the court or to your supervisor, you
want it to be impeccable. 

 

Make sure your assistant knows his or her role. Your assistant?s job is not
to think for you. Your assistant?s job is to serve as your eyes. Carefully
and delicately make sure your assistant understands that. In the work world
people will sometimes try to give your assistant credit for the work you do.
It?s shocking, but it?s something we all live with as blind people. When you
refer to your assistant in your workplace, make sure people understand his
or her role. I might say casually, ?She sees well, and that?s all I really
need.? 

 

These are the things I think are really important about retaining employment
once you have it. Get your reputation going, be excellent, no shortcuts,
make sure you?re doing things the right way, ask the right questions. I want
to end with a story that speaks to these points. 

 

I got to the US Attorney?s office in 2007. I had previously worked for the
Social Security Administration. I went to the US Attorney?s office on what
they call a detail. The Social Security Administration sends over an
attorney to prosecute criminal fraud against Social Security. So you?re
sitting in the US Attorney?s office, but you still work for Social Security.


 

Anybody who goes to the US Attorney?s office from Social Security wants to
stay there. It?s a very prestigious office. You?ll never have another job
like it! I knew that once I worked for Pat Fitzgerald I could say that for
the rest of my career! So I went there with the attitude that I was going to
be excellent. 

 

One of my first trials was a complicated bank fraud case. The defendant was
accused of embezzling money from a bank where she worked and shuffling funds
among various accounts. Then she orchestrated a bank robbery to try to cover
up the theft! I was on that trial, and I actually put the bank witness on
the stand. It was hugely complicated! There were rows and rows of debits and
credits, numbers all over the place! I had to explain it during my direct
testimony, and then I had to explain it at closing. My closing argument was
not as good as I would have liked it to be, but I had those numbers down
pat! I was able to explain everything to the jury. I showed them where those
debits went and how this woman set up the bank robbery so she could pretend
the money had been stolen. 

 

The judge in that case was a former prosecutor from our office. She saw all
the work I?d done. I didn?t take any shortcuts. She saw that.

 

At the end of my two years, when my detail was nearly over, I wrote Pat
Fitzgerald a letter. I said I wanted to stay on and become an assistant
United States attorney. Pat Fitzgerald said, ?You?ve done good work here.
Let me go back and do my due diligence, and I?ll let you know the decision
of the office.? 

 

Later he came back and said, ?We?d like to have you stay on. You?re an
addition to the office.? Then I went next-door to Lisa. I said, ?Wow! I?ve
got some good news! I?m actually staying on!? And she said, ?I know. I?m on
the hiring committee.? So all that time I was working and asking questions,
she was assessing me. And, because the judge on that bank embezzlement trial
was a former prosecutor in the office, and because she randomly happened to
be assigned to a few of my cases, it would not have been unusual for her to
share her impressions with the office. I feel pretty certain that, if she
did so, she had favorable things to say. 

 

That?s the point of the story. You never know who you?re talking to. It?s
important to remember that. Be excellent, and get your reputation going in
the right way. It will lead you to success in the workplace. 

 

 

***


 


WALKING THE RUNWAY


by Mary Lou Grunwald

 

I enjoy shopping, and one of my favorite stores is Talbot?s out at the Old
Orchard Shopping Mall. Going out there is a good travel experience. I take a
couple of buses to get there, and I have the chance to do quite a bit of
walking.

 

I really like the clothing selection at Talbot?s, and as a vendor myself I
appreciate that they know how to display their merchandise. Sometimes they
ask customers to model outfits in the store, and I overheard the salespeople
talking about it. I went to a couple of their fashion shows to find out what
was involved, and I thought, Hey, I could do this! I?d always thought I?d
like to do some modeling, and this might be my chance.

 

First I laid some groundwork. I?d visit the store wearing really nice
outfits to get the salespeople?s attention. Finally I got up my courage and
told one of the stylists that I would like to model clothes in the store.
She looked startled at first, but then she thought about it, and she said,
?Well, you?re an active boomer, and that?s the image we want to promote.
Let?s think about it.? 

 

About a month later the stylist gave me a call. We talked for a little
while, and she asked, ?Do you really think you can do this?? I knew that was
a blindness-related question, even though she didn?t ask it directly. I told
her I had attended some of their fashion shows, and I was sure there
wouldn?t be any problem. She said I seem to shop in the store a lot, and I
commented that my credit card isn?t too happy about that!

 

At first when I considered the idea of modeling, I was just thinking about
myself. But as I talked to the stylist, I realized this could be a chance to
educate people about blindness and maybe open up opportunities for other
people. I told the stylist I wanted to use my long white cane as I walked
down the runway.

 

She really hesitated about that. She wanted to give it a lot of thought.
Actually I was pretty sure I could walk down the runway without my cane. The
lighting was good, and I was pretty sure I could maneuver just using my
residual vision. But my cane is part of who I am. It?s because of my cane
that I can travel out to places like Old Orchard. So I felt that it was
important for me to use my cane in the show. 

 

We left the decision up in the air. Finally they called me back and said I
could use my cane as long as I didn?t stick it out too far. They didn?t want
me to distract from the merchandise! I reassured them about that, and they
said they would schedule me to model.

 

You never know how these things are going to go, so I didn?t tell many
people what I was going to do. I thought I better just keep it quiet till I
knew how it turned out. 

 

I modeled two outfits in the spring show in April. One was business casual,
and the other one was a sporty boomer-on-the-go outfit. The next day someone
from the store called to tell me they had received several calls from
customers who said they enjoyed seeing me. They said they really liked the
way I presented the merchandise, and they appreciated that I smiled and
seemed to be having a good time. I was thrilled! The callers didn?t even
mention that I?m blind! 

 

After the spring show I told our state president, Denise Avant, what I had
done, and she was very excited. She encouraged me to share my experience
with our community. This really is an example of following a dream I?ve had
for a long time. I want all blind people, especially our young people, to
realize the possibility of doing things they might not believe they can do.
Modeling, dancing, acting?all of those things are possible for us, just as
they are for anybody else. You?ve always got to be open to new things. You
never can predict what?s going to happen in life!

 

I?m going to model in another show at Talbot?s in the fall. This time I plan
to let everybody know ahead of time. I hope lots of my friends in the NFB
will come to see me and cheer me on! We can live the lives we want! 

 

 

***


 


GOING BACK TO WORK


by Kira O?Bradovich

 

I moved back to Chicago in the summer of 2018. I was back in the Humboldt
Park neighborhood, and my former roommate lived just around the corner. But
it may as well have been a different world. After two-and-a-half years
living at home with my parents in Omaha and working part-time between eye
surgeries and recoveries, I was ready for independence and, I hoped, for
full-time employment. 

 

A child of the lost generation, I was fully prepared to take whatever
position I could find. However, now that I had a visual impairment, applying
for positions was a brand-new experience. At the beginning I stuck to the
nonprofit sector. My rationale was twofold. My education and past work
experience were primarily in this sector, and I hoped that those in the
nonprofit world would be more receptive than others and more understanding
of the accommodations I might need. In addition, I focused on positions that
required less experience and education than I actually had. I assumed that
employers would believe I needed a less challenging position, and I set my
sights low, hoping to improve my chance of being hired. 

 

As the months passed and dozens of applications proved fruitless, I went
through the arduous process of navigating the Social Security system. I
decided it was time to reach out to others in my situation. Finding the
Chicago Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind and attending
young-adult support group meetings at Blind Services Association gave me
more than a social and therapeutic resource. My concept of what my
disability meant for my future expanded. I met blind people who lived
incredibly full, completely normal lives, and through them I found hope and
confidence. I realized that my own ableism kept me from recognizing that I
was still the same person I?d always been. 

 

I decided I could and should apply for positions that I actually wanted. I
began to seek challenging jobs that fit or even exceeded my education and
skill set. Thanks to my former roommate, I learned about an opening with a
federal government bureau here in Chicago. I discovered that, if I were
hired, under federal law I could not be fired based upon my disability, and
I could expect reasonable accommodations to be made?at least in theory.
Equipped with this knowledge, I felt far more confident when I received a
call for a phone interview. That interview led to my current position. 

 

Of course, being hired was only half the battle. When I arrived on my first
day, I discovered that I was the only person in my department who did not
own a car. In fact, I was the only person who was unable to drive. My
position required frequent travel to conduct meetings on behalf of my
bureau. However, since the travel would be in Chicago and the nearby
suburbs, I was confident that I could use public transit to get where I
needed to go. My coordinator was not so sure. He could not conceive that any
amount of accessibility would allow me to meet the demands of the position.
Fortunately, his superior and others within the office were willing to work
around my transit limitations. As I began to prove my usefulness and my
abilities on the job, my coordinator started to recognize his error. 

 

The largest battle I fought was outside my direct office, and it involved
obtaining reasonable accommodations with technology. The first step was
simple. I filled out a form and was contacted almost immediately by a
wonderful specialist. She explained what she had to have from me to prove my
needs, and she told me what they could offer. After sending her a document
containing my diagnosis, I was approved for accommodations. 

 

>From that point on, the specialist had to work with a company to establish
my need for specific aids that would make my position accessible. This
became an ongoing issue. For instance, I?d been issued a projector for
meetings, and the assumption was made that I could use it as a substitute
for the larger monitor I needed in order to see the tiny laptop screen. As
one sighted employee explained, their understanding of blindness was, ?the
letters just need to be really, really big.? Supervisors kept telling me
that the installation of Zoomtext on a government laptop was too complicated
for security reasons. This was of course untrue, because people all over the
United States work for the government using Zoomtext and many other programs
on their computers. The reasonable accommodations specialist, fully aware of
this fact, worked diligently on my behalf for the next four months until
Zoomtext was finally installed and my large monitor arrived. 

 

As in so many scenarios, those of us with disabilities must be constant
advocates for ourselves and for others. I know that many have gone before me
into these battles to find employment and gain accessibility in the
workplace. My hope remains that these firsts for my organization will become
steps on a more accessible and inclusive path for those who will follow. A
number of pieces had to fall into place to create this opportunity for me,
and it took no small effort for me to have my accommodations needs met.
However, I believe that living with disabilities endows us with a level of
self-confidence and resourcefulness that can serve to strengthen our search
for productive and meaningful employment.

 

 

***


 


HOW I BECAME A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER


by Robert Hansen

 

I had never considered anything like substitute teaching before. As a matter
of fact, I did not even know it was a possibility for me. I had heard of
people substituting, but I was unsure how the hiring process worked. I
thought I would need an actual teaching degree. Once I filled out the
paperwork and followed the procedures, the wheels were set in motion.

 

I had been struggling for a few years to find my niche in life after
finishing a long overdue bachelor?s degree. I earned my degree from
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in their Non-Traditional Degree
Program. They serve older students who have years of work and life
experience. I did all of the coursework in the social sciences, which led me
to think I would get involved in social justice movements and change the
world. However, I became tired of this and moved on. 

 

At Northeastern I built up a number of years working in student media at the
student-run radio station, and I thought I could pursue a career in
broadcasting. After submitting a number of r?sum?s and auditions and getting
rejections, I decided to move on. I gave up for a couple of years and did
nothing for a while. 

 

My woman friend had been working for the Evanston Public Schools, first as a
lunchroom/playground supervisor and then as a teacher?s assistant. She
mentioned to me that she spoke with a couple of substitute teachers who
worked full-time up there. She directed me to the website with the forms to
fill out so I could get a license from the State of Illinois to become a
sub. 

 

At first I was hesitant and did not believe her. I thought she was kidding
me. It could not be that easy! But I found myself going to the website and
filling out the online application. I paid the necessary application fees
and submitted a copy of my official transcript from NEIU. Within three days
I had been approved for a license! 

 

The next step was to register my license with a district. I wanted the
district that paid the best per day. I also wanted to be able to get to
places easily, so I chose the Chicago Public Schools.

 

A big factor in my success with the job is using a number of blindness and
low-vision techniques. I often work in several different schools within a
week, and I do not have time to familiarize myself with each location in
advance. Everything I do is on the fly. It has to be that way. I ask
questions of people who work at each location. First I ask where the main
office is. I swipe in each morning and swipe out each time I leave for the
day. The time clock is not accessible. My welcome packet contained diagrams
and descriptions of the time clock and its functions. 

 

Someone from the main office often shows me where the room I will be working
in is located. I am sure they do this for other subs as well, and I don?t
mind their help at all. It?s a little like boarding an airplane; I
familiarize myself with the features of the room where I will be working,
including rosters and emergency folders. Arriving ahead of time allows me to
look over the lesson plans for the day. I use the KNFB Reader and other apps
as well as a portable CCTV. I have to move quickly, because when the bell
rings, it?s show time! 

 

 

***


 


IN MEMORIAM


Joseph and Mary Monti


 

In June 2019 the NFB of Illinois lost two longstanding members, Joseph and
Mary Monti. Joe Monti died on June 8 at the age of eighty-one. Mary Monti,
age seventy-six, died on June 16. Joe and Mary had been married for
fifty-seven years.

 

Joe Monti earned a Bachelor?s Degree in Physics at the Illinois Institute of
Technology and a Master?s in Education at DePaul University. For thirty-four
years he taught high school science and math at the LaSalle Institute in
Chicago, where he also coached the chess team.

 

In his late teens Joe began to experience vision loss due to retinitis
pigmentosa. He became an active member of the NFB Chicago Chapter in the
1990s. He served on the boards of the Chicago Chapter and the Illinois
affiliate. For several years Joe coordinated a successful NFBI fundraiser
through the Manna Gift Certificates program. He also organized the Wonton o?
Fun, an annual Chinese dinner fundraiser, for the Chicago Chapter.

 

Mary M. Monti trained in ballet and danced professionally with the Illinois
Ballet Company in the late 1950s and early 1960s. She taught dance in
Evanston and opened her own dance studio in Cicero in the early 1970s. After
the death of the Monti?s? young daughter, Amy, Mary returned to school to
become a nurse. She worked as a pediatric nurse for more than twenty years
at Loretto Hospital, the University of Illinois Pediatrics Clinic, and La
Rabida Children?s Hospital, all in Chicago. 

 

The Monti?s loved to attend operas and orchestra concerts, and Joe was an
accomplished pianist. Joe and Mary were active members of St. Christopher?s
Church in Oak Park and later of St. Michael?s in Berwyn. They had three
children: Joseph, David, and Amy (deceased). 

 

Due to their numerous health problems, Joe and Mary were unable to be active
in the chapter and affiliate during recent years. But news of their passing
brought forth a flood of memories and condolences from their Federation
family. ?This has been quite a shock!? wrote Pat Olson. ?I always enjoyed
when Mary helped with the Significant Others group at state conventions.?
Mary Grunwald wrote, ?Joe and Mary were very special people. They
contributed much to our affiliate, and they will both be missed.? Eileen
Truschke added, ?Mary was a definite asset to the Chicago Chapter. We always
could count on her to lend a helping hand.?

 

?The last time we saw the Monti?s, they came to an Oktoberfest fundraiser,?
recalled Patti Chang. ?They both were happy to be there, even though Mary
was on oxygen at the time. I will always remember Mary?s efficiency and
Joe?s sense of humor. Joe was very committed to helping mentor our young
people. We will all miss them both!?

 

A double funeral for Joe and Mary Monti was held on June 20, and they were
buried in Oak Park. The family requests that donations be made to Lurie
Children?s Hospital of Chicago (luriechildrens.org), Southern Poverty Law
Center ( <http://www.splcenter.org> www.splcenter.org), the Chicago
Lighthouse for the Blind (chicagolighthouse.org/donate), or the National
Federation of the Blind (nfb.org).

 

 

 



---
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From marylougrunwald at gmail.com  Fri Jul 19 20:15:08 2019
From: marylougrunwald at gmail.com (Mary lou Grunwald)
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 15:15:08 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Illinois Independent, Summer 2019
In-Reply-To: <001001d53e67$294ddd20$7be99760$@att.net>
References: <001001d53e67$294ddd20$7be99760$@att.net>
Message-ID: <58EF2373-B805-41E5-A5E6-8D21C234FEC6@gmail.com>

Hi Debbie,
It says that the message cannot be displayed because errors are occurring. I wonder if it?s my system or the programs fault. In any event I am not able to read it.

Sent from my iPad

> On 19 Jul 2019, at 2:21 PM, Deborah Kent Stein via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> ILLINOIS INDEPENDENT
> 
> Summer 2019
> 
> s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> THE ILLINOIS INDEPENDENT
> 
> 
> 
> The Newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> 
> Summer 2019
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Editors: Deborah Kent Stein and Robert Gardner
> 
> 
> Deborah:         773-203-1394   <mailto:Dkent5817 at att.net> Dkent5817 at att.net
> 
> Robert:            309-236-6606   <mailto:rgardner4 at gmail.com>
> rgardner4 at gmail.com
> 
> Formatting: Janna Mary Stein and Robert Gardner
> 
> NFB Newsline Edition: David Meyer 
> 
> Print Edition: Bill Reif 
> 
> Braille Edition: Horizons for the Blind
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF ILLINOIS (NFBI)
> 
> 
> 
> President: Denise R. Avant:   773-991-8050  <mailto:Davant1958 at gmail.com>
> Davant1958 at gmail.com
> 
> Website: www.nfbofillinois.org
> 
> Webmaster: Bryan Mackey
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> TABLE OF CONTENTS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Carrying Out Our Mission, by Denise Avant                         
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Owning Our Future: The 2019 Midwest Student Seminar    
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Own Your Present, by Marilyn Green                                    
> 
> 
> 
> To Become a Nurse, by Lindsey Fritz                                    
> 
> 
> 
> The Next Big Step: How to Keep Your Job                           
> 
> and Thrive in the Workplace, by Yusef Dale
> 
> 
> 
> A Walk down the Runway, by Mary Lou Grunwald             
> 
> 
> 
> Going Back to Work, by Kira O?Bradovich                           
> 
> 
> 
> How I Became a Substitute Teacher, by Robert Hansen       
> 
> 
> 
> In Memoriam: Joe and Mary Monti                                        
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION
> 
> 
> by Denise Avant
> 
> 
> 
> The constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois states
> that we are not a social organization. As an organization of the blind, we
> are to formulate programs and work actively to promote the economic and
> social betterment of the blind. Certainly we can plan occasional social
> events and attend social outings. However, critical to our identity is our
> mission to advocate on behalf of blind people in Illinois. Whether you live
> in Springfield or Chicago, the Quad Cities, Belleville, or any other place
> in our state, you should engage in advocacy within your community. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> REHABILITATION SERVICES
> 
> 
> One of our most important advocacy efforts is communicating with the
> Illinois Bureau of Blind Services (IBBS). Debbie Stein, David Meyer, and I
> have been talking to IBBS Chief John Gordon and Assistant Bureau Chief
> Ingrid Halvorsen about building quality rehabilitation services in Illinois.
> Many newly blinded adults and even some who have been blind for a number of
> years do not realize that their blindness need not hold them back. We
> continue to push for rehabilitation services at the Illinois Center for
> Rehabilitation and Education (often referred to as ICRE Wood) that raise the
> expectations of trainees. As blind people we need to be able to travel
> confidently and independently using the long white cane, to take care of our
> daily living needs, to use a computer effectively, and to read and write
> Braille. Members of our organization have spoken to the last two ICRE
> classes about our NFB philosophy and the programs we offer as an advocacy
> organization. 
> 
> 
> 
> The NFBI also has advocated for the right of blind people to seek advanced
> training in blindness skills at one of the NFB training centers in
> Louisiana, Colorado, or Minnesota. For a number of years, blind Illinoisians
> who wanted to attend one of these training centers were routinely turned
> down and sent to ICRE Wood instead. In the past two years, at least six
> people from Illinois have been able to attend the training centers in
> Colorado and Minnesota. 
> 
> 
> 
> To learn more about the state of rehabilitation services for the blind in
> Illinois, we invite Mr. Gordon and Ms. Halvorsen to our state convention
> each year. We also express any concerns we have about the services. At the
> 2019 convention we hope to have a counselor or perhaps Ms. Halvorsen
> available to sign people up for state rehabilitation services. Patti Chang,
> NFB outreach chair, has discussed with Mr. Gordon and Ms. Halvorsen the
> possibility of agency workers attending the employment seminar at the 2019
> national convention. 
> 
> 
> 
> The Bureau of Blind Services is looking to provide transitional services to
> youth between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two. Under the Workforce
> Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), IBBS is attempting to develop direct
> and/or support programs to assist blind youth in making the transition from
> high school to competitive integrated employment. The required transitional
> services to eligible students are as follows: 
> 
> (1)        Job exploration counseling 
> 
> (2)        Work-based learning experience 
> 
> (3)        Counseling on postsecondary education 
> 
> (4)        Workplace readiness training 
> 
> (5)        Instruction in self-advocacy. 
> 
> 
> 
> I would like to talk with Chief Gordon about having IBBS customers attend
> the employment seminar at the 2020 NFB national convention. This seminar
> meets the pre-employment criteria of WIOA. 
> 
> 
> 
> At last year?s face-to-face board meeting, the NFBI voted to participate in
> a career mentoring program if such a program is developed by IBBS. Many of
> us have had and still have successful careers, and we believe that we would
> make excellent mentors for blind students. Our board chose not to seek
> direct WIOA reimbursement for our Freedom Link program, winner of a 2017 Dr.
> Jacob Bolotin Award. However, we have talked to Mr. Gordon and Ms. Halvorsen
> about signing up Freedom Link students for pre-employment services under
> WIOA. We want to make sure that each of our eligible Freedom Link students
> has a IBBS counselor and can seek vocational rehabilitation services from
> IBBS upon graduation from high school. We have successfully received
> reimbursement for four students who attended the 2019 Midwest Student
> Seminar, as the state determined that we met the pre-employment services
> criteria. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
> 
> 
> Recently NFB members in Chicago have been working with the city regarding
> various initiatives and pilot programs centered around orientation and
> mobility. The city is in the process of installing audible traffic signals
> at several intersections throughout the city. Many companies make these
> signals, and we believe that some are effective while others are not. The
> National Federation of the Blind is not opposed to audible signals, but we
> want to ensure that they meet the needs of the blind community. The signals
> should be uniform throughout the city, they should be placed only at complex
> or noisy intersections, they should be activated on demand, and they should
> not cause unnecessary disruption to others. Steve Hastalis and Michal
> Nowicki have been representing the NFBI at meetings with the city to ensure
> that quality signals are installed in places where they are needed. Their
> advocacy is ongoing. 
> 
> 
> 
> Many cities, including Chicago, now permit the use of electric scooters for
> travel purposes. In Chicago ten vendors are participating in a pilot project
> that involves these electric scooters. A person uses a smartphone app to
> rent a scooter to ride from Point A to Point B. The app also can be used to
> report any complaints or problems regarding a scooter. These electric
> scooters make very little sound at all. The blind person must rely on the
> driver?s awareness that a blind person is crossing the path. 
> 
> 
> 
> The drivers of these scooters are not to ride or leave the scooters parked
> on sidewalks. But there is a difference between what should happen and what
> actually does happen. In many cities scooters are frequently ridden on
> sidewalks, and they often are left in front of homes, businesses, and
> restaurants. It appears that Chicago officials rolling out the pilot scooter
> project have not considered all of the ramifications that affect blind
> people. 
> 
> 
> 
> Recently, I wrote a letter to Karen Tamley, Commissioner of the Mayor?s
> Office for People with Disabilities. I set out our concerns and asked a
> number of questions. Commissioner Tamley has agreed to discuss our concerns
> in an upcoming telephone call. Officials from one of the scooter companies,
> Lime, have scheduled a conference call to discuss our concerns and to see
> what steps can be taken to provide accessible information to blind citizens.
> We need the app on smartphones to be fully accessible with Voiceover for IOS
> and Talk Back for Android so that blind persons can file complaints or rent
> scooters if desired. We need Braille and large print signage on these
> scooters so we can have the number and name of the company involved should a
> complaint need to be filed. The city suggested that a person employed by the
> city take our complaints, but there are a couple problems with this
> solution. How would the blind population know who to contact? And if a
> sighted person can complain directly to the scooter company, a blind person
> should be able to do the same. 
> 
> 
> 
> For the past eighteen months the city of Chicago has been considering
> providing the visual interpreting service, AIRA, free of charge to blind
> users at O?Hare Airport. A blind person would simply use an app on the
> smartphone to call an AIRA agent to get visual information while traveling
> at O?Hare. The AIRA agent provides visual information but does not make
> choices for the blind person. Cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and
> Boston have purchased a block of minutes that allows blind people to use
> AIRA free of charge in airports and subway stations. We are still waiting
> for Chicago city officials to provide blind travelers with AIRA access. 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, Karen Tamley has asked members of our organization and other
> stakeholders to test a service from Boni Loud Steps. This is an application
> to be used with WIFI on a smartphone to give blind people information about
> their surroundings. Little information is known about Boni or its
> application. But a check of Boni?s website suggests that the company has a
> misunderstanding about blind people and how we travel. For example, the
> company states, ?Most venues are complicated for the visually impaired,
> overloaded information for sighted people is not accessible to the visually
> impaired in an indoor space.? The company invites visitors to click on a
> link that says, ?See how our app arms individuals with confidence in complex
> areas.? Aside from being grammatically incorrect, the messaging seems to
> claim that the app will provide confidence to a blind traveler rather than
> simply be an aid. Some of our members will work with Boni to explore the app
> and learn about its possible advantages and disadvantages.
> 
> 
> 
> For as long as I can remember, I have heard that the National Federation of
> the Blind is not an organization speaking for the blind; it is an
> organization of blind people speaking for ourselves. I have come to
> appreciate why we are of the blind, rather than for the blind. We as blind
> people have the right and the responsibility to speak for and against issues
> that have an impact on our lives; to speak to local, state, and national
> officials about policies, programs, and legislation that affect us; and to
> make our own life choices. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OWNING OUR FUTURE:
> 
> 
> The 2019 Midwest Student Seminar
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the weekend of March 15-17, 2019, the National Association of Blind
> Students (NABS) held its second annual Midwest Student Seminar. The seminar
> took place at the Holiday Inn O?Hare, and the NFB of Illinois was the host
> affiliate. 
> 
> 
> 
> The seminar brought together blind students from six midwestern
> states?Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana?for a
> weekend of learning, sharing, and fun. The seminar began with a dinner
> outing on Friday night that introduced the students to the CTA (Chicago
> Transit Authority) and the independence it offers to blind travelers. On
> Saturday and Sunday, the students heard presentations about transitioning to
> college, public speaking, interviewing for a job, and much more. On Saturday
> night participants were invited to take part in a talent show or try their
> hand at sculpting and drawing.
> 
> 
> 
> Many of the presentations at the seminar were of such high quality that we
> want to share them with a wider audience. The following three articles are
> based on presentations at the seminar: ?Own Your Future,? by Marilyn Green;
> ?To Become a Nurse,? by Lindsey Fritz; and ?The Next Big Step,? by Yusef
> Dale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OWN YOUR PRESENT
> 
> 
> by Marilyn Green
> 
> 
> 
> Namaste. At the end of this talk I will tell you what that means, if you
> don?t know already. 
> 
> 
> 
> When I started looking for something to do for physical fitness, I went to
> the gym. I got tired of having to ask for help with the machines and trying
> to figure out where the buttons were. Then I talked to a friend who was in
> love with yoga. At that time I was stressed out at work, and I was reeling
> from the deaths of my parents. I said, ?Okay, let me try this yoga thing.? 
> 
> 
> 
> The place where I practice is called Core Power Yoga. They have a lot of
> locations here in Chicago. They offer a seven-day free trial, because yoga
> can be expensive. So I said, ?Okay, I?m going to do this,? and I tried it. 
> 
> 
> 
> It was heated yoga, and it?s hot! Our unheated class, as we call it, is at
> 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Our heated classes go up to 102 degrees, and add to
> that 20 percent humidity! Afterward I was literally sweating for an hour! It
> detoxifies everything!
> 
> 
> 
> After my first class I was so intimidated I waited about six months before I
> went back. When I finally went back, I got so involved I became a fixture. I
> was there three to five days a week. All the instructors knew me. Everyone
> there knew me. 
> 
> 
> 
> Then the instructors started talking to me about teacher training! I said,
> ?You do realize that I?m blind, right?? and they said, ?But your practice is
> so wonderful! You have such body awareness, much better than most people
> we?ve seen!? I was talking to instructors who had been teaching for years. I
> was like, ?Hey, I do what feels good in my body.? 
> 
> 
> 
> I don?t have a stereotypical yoga body, mind you. I?m a curvy girl, and I?m
> not a twenty-something. I said, ?What are you guys thinking?? I thought,
> they just want my money, right? They want me to pay thousands of dollars to
> do this training. So I said, ?No, I?m not doing it. But I love being here. I
> love the community.? 
> 
> 
> 
> After a while I started to lose more vision. I was doing yoga a lot, trying
> to cope with everything, and I realized that these people really see me.
> They don?t see me as a blind person. They see me as a person, and they feel
> that I have something to offer. This was before my NFB days, and it was the
> first place where I felt I was accepted. They didn?t just see that I?m
> blind; they saw that I love doing yoga there. I could go there and talk to
> people about whatever, and they just listened. It was an awesome experience,
> and I believe in giving back. 
> 
> 
> 
> Recently online I found a Huffington Post article where people talked about
> the thirty-five quotes from Maya Angelou that changed their lives. One of
> those quotes speaks to me especially, for yoga and for NFB. ?When you get,
> give; when you learn, teach.? So I decided to do the teacher training. 
> 
> 
> 
> The training was twelve hours a week for eight weeks of intensive learning,
> and it involved a lot of physical practice. I didn?t just have to learn it,
> I had to do it! I had to feel it in my body. It was the hardest thing! In my
> first classes, I found out that the girl who couldn?t see and needed all the
> verbal cues couldn?t give verbal cues herself! I?d say, ?Okay, root your
> feet, move your legs . . . oh, just look at what I?m doing!? I didn?t have
> the language skills, so I worked on it. I worked really, really hard. By the
> end of my teacher training the feedback was, ?Your verbal cues are on
> point!? That was the best thing they ever said to me. 
> 
> 
> 
> Then there was hands-on position adjustment. I said, ?How do you expect me
> to adjust people when I can?t see them?? But we worked that out, too. I
> always had someone in my classes who could assist me with direction. I knew
> how to adjust, it was just the visual aspect of adjusting people that was a
> challenge sometimes. 
> 
> 
> 
> I did my two hundred hours of teacher training, and I graduated in 2016. I
> started teaching at a place in downtown Chicago called Second Sense. I enjoy
> it, and the students enjoy it, too. The staff say it?s one of their best
> attended classes. When I went back about eight weeks ago, I had nine
> students. Nine students is a big deal in that little board room that we use!
> We were staggering mats?and mind you, my students are blind, and the
> majority are over fifty. It?s a challenge for me a lot of times, and it?s a
> challenge for them, but we make it work. A lot of times I do the poses in my
> own body so I can feel what it feels like. 
> 
> 
> 
> So right now, because we?ve been sitting for an hour and some, I?d like you
> all to stand up and feel it in your body! Are you all with me? 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stand tall! We are owning our futures this weekend, right? 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Root your heels in the floor beneath you. Sway from side to side, and begin
> to feel comfortable in your space. 
> 
> 
> 
> Hug your thighs together?squeeze tight! Melt your belly button toward your
> spine. 
> 
> 
> 
> Float both arms up over your head. Rotate your pinkies in toward one
> another. 
> 
> 
> 
> Find your drishti, which is Sanskrit for your point of focus and
> concentration. Breathe deep in through your nose and out through your mouth.
> Let your breath go. Deep inhale through your nose, even deeper exhale
> through your mouth. Inhale, exhale. 
> 
> 
> 
> Continue these breaths on your own, and in these few minutes that we have,
> find your space. Own your future. Own your present. Whatever it shall be,
> this moment, just breathe and take the time. 
> 
> 
> 
> That is the thing that I love about this practice?the time. Time for
> yourself, time to breathe, time to explore. We all know with NFB it?s about
> exploring, it?s about being curious, it?s about challenging yourself. Right
> now, if you?re still with me, this is your challenge. This is your moment,
> right here, right now. Own it. Be comfortable in it. Challenge yourself to
> be right here. 
> 
> 
> 
> Inhale, exhale. Inhale, reach your fingertips to the ceiling. Exhale, reach
> your arms wide like a cactus. Inhale, raise your arms to the ceiling;
> exhale, reach your heart center. Inhale, bring your thumbs to your third eye
> space between your eyebrows. Your space of all knowing, your space of
> ownership. Namaste.
> 
> 
> 
> Namaste in Sanskrit means, ?I see you.? What yoga and NFB mean to me is to
> be seen. It?s not being seen as the blind girl or the curvy girl or the girl
> who can?t do a headstand. It?s being seen for who I am and what I am. So at
> this moment I say to you truly, Namaste. The light within me bows to the
> light within you. Namaste.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> TO BECOME A NURSE
> 
> 
> by Lindsey Fritz
> 
> 
> 
> I am from Madison, Wisconsin, and currently I am a fulltime nursing student
> at Madison Area Technical College. I?m completing the first semester of my
> program while working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at Belmont
> Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. 
> 
> 
> 
> I grew up in the Federation, and early on my family taught me that hard work
> was required if I was to become successful. I want to join the handful of
> blind people working in the nursing field. Right now I am thinking about
> specializing in trauma treatment or labor and delivery. 
> 
> 
> 
> My mother has been a paramedic for a long time, and she is my major
> inspiration for going into the medical field. One of my role models is Dr.
> Tim Cordes, a totally blind medical doctor who works in Madison, Wisconsin. 
> 
> 
> 
> Because of my boyfriend, Nathan, I?ve decided to take my education farther
> than obtaining my Registered Nursing (RN) license. Nathan is a Type I
> diabetic who was diagnosed much later than most. He lost a bunch of weight
> and got severely sick out of nowhere. Some people even thought he was on
> drugs, which was not the case. I am able to check his sugars and make sure
> he is getting the correct amount of insulin by using accessible meters and
> insulin pens. The pens click, and with every click the dial adds one unit of
> insulin. 
> 
> 
> 
> My classes include advanced anatomy-physiology and microbiology. I struggle
> with these classes because we use microscopes, and I am unable to see the
> slide and the arrows pointing to the parts of a cell that I need to
> identify. As an alternative technique I use my phone to take a picture
> through the microscope. I blow up the photo with my computer so I can see
> it. We also use tactile diagrams and models of cells so I can learn through
> touch how certain body mechanics work. 
> 
> 
> 
> Madison College has a great disability resource office; I work with Kevin
> Carini, who has helped me get the specialized technology I need. For
> example, in my organic chemistry class last semester, I needed to know how
> much chemical I was adding to a beaker or flask. I was not able to feel or
> see the lines on the beaker. Kevin ordered me some large-print chemistry
> equipment, extra large petri dishes for culturing microorganisms, and gloves
> that would not be affected by some of the harsh chemicals we used. In my
> anatomy and physiology classes our instructor is a medical doctor. This is
> nice because I?m not only learning about the body and how it works, but I?m
> also learning how to relate my knowledge to the medical field. 
> 
> 
> 
> My education plans include obtaining my Registered Nurse license and
> eventually moving on to get my Nurse Practitioner license. I will have to go
> to graduate school to get my master?s degree. 
> 
> 
> 
> In the fall of 2017 I obtained my Certified Nursing Assistant certification,
> which is required in order to become a registered nurse in the state of
> Wisconsin. The CNA course was accelerated, and it only took three weeks. I
> spent two weeks in class and one week in clinicals. In clinicals I worked
> from 0700 to 1700 hours every day. This may sound strange until I explain
> that we use 24-hour time in the medical field to avoid confusion, especially
> when it comes to giving medications. So I worked from 7 AM to 5 PM every
> weekday. 
> 
> 
> 
> After I completed the class and my clinical work I had to take a written
> state exam and a skills exam. For the skills exam I had to perform some
> tasks on a mannequin in front of two board certified representatives from
> Pearson Vue. Pearson Vue is the state board that certifies nursing
> assistants in Wisconsin. To take the written exam I had the option for
> listening to a recording of the questions, and I was able to mark my answers
> on the paper. 
> 
> 
> 
> I learned along the way that I had to find my own methods of completing
> certain nursing tasks. One skill that challenged me was vitals, or taking
> the patient?s vital signs. I am not able to use our standard medical
> thermometers or blood pressure cuffs because they do not speak and the print
> is far too small for me, even with my magnifier. Therefore I use my own
> equipment, which I leave at work on the nurse?s carts. I have a talking
> automatic blood pressure cuff, and I use a pulse oximeter that tells me the
> patient?s O 2 intake, also known as oxygen intake. When I use a stethoscope
> I place my hand on the patient?s shoulders to count the respirations,
> because I am unable to see the chest or shoulders rising and falling as
> sighted CNA and nursing students do. 
> 
> 
> 
> My biggest challenge as a CNA does not pertain to my blindness at all. My
> biggest challenge is my height. I know?laugh it up! Well . . . it is funny.
> Many of the beds in the facility where I work don?t go low enough for me to
> reach the patient easily. This is an issue, since I stand only 4 feet 10
> inches tall. 
> 
> 
> 
> When I walked into my interview for my job as a certified nursing assistant
> with my long white cane, the first thing the Director of Nursing said to me
> was, ?Oh, you?re blind.? What kind of statement is that? She asked me some
> questions pertaining to my training, and she checked my credentials. At
> first she was very timid toward me and didn?t seem very interested. I knew
> that I had lost her interest in hiring me. Then I started telling her about
> the adaptations I use for assisting residents with certain tasks. Her face
> just lit up! She seemed astonished that someone like me, with my blindness,
> was able to obtain my certification on the first try for both exams. 
> 
> 
> 
> Then she offered me less money than CNAs in the Madison area earn on
> average. I told her I could go somewhere else, and that I had other places
> interested in me. I thanked her for her time, and I got up to leave. As I
> turned toward the door she said, ?Hold on.? That?s when she gave me a better
> offer, and I was hired on the spot. 
> 
> 
> 
> All of my residents except in the dementia unit know me, and they know I do
> things a little differently than the other CNAs. They see me with my cane,
> and they know not to be afraid of me. They know that I am more than capable
> of assisting them in anything they need. When you?re working as a CNA, trust
> is a big deal. 
> 
> 
> 
> At first some residents were uneasy about allowing me to assist them. This
> was understandable, and I needed to respect it. That uneasiness is an
> unfortunate response in society. That?s where establishing trust comes into
> play. 
> 
> 
> 
> Having some simple conversations with people, calling them by name, and
> asking how their families are doing usually does the trick. It took about
> two weeks for my residents to get to know me and for them to start trusting
> me to care for them. Now I?m no different from any other CNA. I can come
> into their rooms, we greet each other, and I assist them with what they
> need. 
> 
> 
> 
> Blind people have entered many professions, but the medical field has hardly
> been touched. I plan on changing that. I want to pave the way for more blind
> students to enter the world of medicine. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> THE NEXT BIG STEP: 
> 
> How to Keep Your Job and Thrive in the Workplace
> 
> by Yusef Dale
> 
> 
> 
> At this seminar you?ve heard quite a bit about interviewing and getting
> hired for your first job. only This morning I?d like to talk about what
> happens next. Once you get that job, you have to do some key things in order
> to retain that employment and to advance. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> REPUTATION: THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE
> 
> 
> It may surprise you, but when it comes to keeping a job and advancing in the
> workplace, the guiding principle is reputation. 
> 
> 
> 
> What do I mean by reputation? Reputation is part of the human condition in
> almost every institution. People talk. As a blind person, you?re going to be
> scrutinized more carefully than most, and people are going to talk about you
> more than they talk about other people. You have to be prepared for that
> reality. 
> 
> 
> 
> Reputation has its own momentum, and that momentum is exponential. When you
> start on the job, you need to get your reputation rolling in the right
> direction. To build that favorable momentum you have to be excellent at what
> you do, and you have to be excellent early! 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me assure you that being excellent does not mean you have to be perfect.
> There?s no such thing as perfection! Excellence, though, does mean striving
> for perfection and striving for it sincerely, with everything you have.
> 
> 
> 
> In the workplace reputation is key for everyone, whether you?re blind or
> sighted. But when you are blind, people will attribute any mistake you make
> to your blindness. And guess what?you cannot undo your blindness! You are
> going to have to take your reputation seriously in the beginning and be
> excellent. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NO SHORTCUTS!
> 
> 
> What steps do you need to take in order to be excellent? The first thing I
> want to say is no shortcuts! No shortcuts! I cannot tell you how important
> this is! 
> 
> 
> 
> I work at the US Attorney?s office in Chicago. It?s a very prestigious
> office, one of the top litigation offices in the country, maybe just behind
> the Southern District of New York. Pat Fitzgerald was the US attorney when I
> started, and he is legendary. When he was working in New York he prosecuted
> some of the biggest bomb terrorism cases. When I came to the US attorney?s
> office, I knew right away that I was going to be scrutinized. I said to
> myself, ?Yusef, no shortcuts!? 
> 
> 
> 
> The first thing you have to do to implement the no-shortcuts strategy is
> read, read, read! When you start a job you?re going to undergo a training
> program for new employees. You?re going to go to lectures, you?re going to
> take notes, and you?re going to get a vast amount of written material.
> Inevitably you?ll be tempted not to read it all. You might think: I?ll go to
> the lectures, and I?ll take notes on everything the trainers talk about.
> I?ll learn that way. 
> 
> 
> 
> Don?t do that! Read everything, and make sure you understand it all. If you
> don?t understand something, ask questions of someone whose trust you have
> gained so that they don?t judge you. 
> 
> 
> 
> Once you start with the substance of your job, you?re going to get what we
> call ?go-by?s.? Everything has a go-by. For instance, in my office somebody
> has prosecuted a multi-defendant gang case, and they all pled out. What does
> the plea agreement look like? What does the cooperation agreement look like?
> If I?m flipping one person against another, what does that look like? Give
> me a document I can go by. 
> 
> 
> 
> Go-by?s are part of what everyone does, but sometimes you?re tempted not to
> read those documents all the way through. You might think: This paragraph is
> in every plea agreement?I don?t have to understand it. I?ll just put it in. 
> 
> 
> 
> Don?t do that! Read and make sure you understand every statute. Don?t fall
> to the temptation of not reading everything and not understanding
> everything. Remember that your reputation is everything, and if it gets
> rolling in the wrong direction, you?re done. 
> 
> 
> 
> As blind people we cannot afford the leeway of taking shortcuts. Question
> everything. Research everything. Make sure you know that everything in your
> document is right! Be excellent!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION 
> 
> 
> The next thing I want to tell you is to ask the right question, and ask it
> in the right way. Everyone has questions starting out in a new job. But
> everything applies to us disproportionately as blind people, so what we ask
> and how we ask it is very important. 
> 
> 
> 
> What does it mean to ask the right question in the right way? No one
> respects a person who comes into their office and says, ?Hey, what?s the
> answer to this?? When you ask a question in the workplace, particularly if
> you?re blind, you need to demonstrate that you have context for your
> question. You need to show that you have tried to answer the question before
> you go into your colleague?s office. 
> 
> 
> 
> Soon after I started at the US Attorney?s office, I dropped by the office of
> Lisa, one of my coworkers. I said, ?I?m having an issue with understanding
> the safety-valve proffer. I?ve read Guidelines Section 5K1.1. I?ve read the
> statute that applies. Here?s what the statute says, and the seminal case
> says this. Here?s what I don?t understand.? I didn?t just walk in and ask
> Lisa a question. I made sure she knew I had tried hard to get the answer. I
> showed her that I was thinking and that I?m not lazy. 
> 
> 
> 
> I cannot tell you how important it is to ask the right question in the right
> way. Guess what?s going to happen? The next time Lisa talks to one of her
> buddies, she?ll say, ?Wow! That new hire who?s blind, he came into my office
> with a question, and you could tell he had read and researched before he
> asked me.? Because we?re blind, people are not going to expect that from us.
> There?s a lot of depth to the ignorance out there in the work world. They
> will assume the worst unless you ask the right question in the right way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BE INTENTIONAL
> 
> 
> Be intentional about demonstrating your work ethic. Make sure people know
> you?re willing to work long hours. When I first got to the US Attorney?s
> office, I worked seven days a week a lot of the time. I worked till seven,
> eight, or nine every night, and people knew it. You can?t be phony about it.
> Don?t send a 10 PM email if you don?t have to send a 10 PM email! People
> will see through that! But if you have to send an email at 10 or 11 PM, send
> it! You want people to know you have a strong work ethic, that you?re
> willing to work long hours, and you?re willing to work hard. 
> 
> 
> 
> As a blind person coming into a new job, you have to deal with one huge
> issue that other people aren?t dealing with. You have to learn to do your
> job without sight. That?s an additional challenge that requires some extra
> work. Don?t be ashamed to let people know you work hard. They?re going to
> tell their friends, ?Hey, I see him here on the weekends! I see him here
> late at night!? They respect you for that, and your reputation gets rolling
> in the right direction. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NO EXCUSES!
> 
> 
> My next point is really a big one. Don?t allow others to make excuses for
> you! I know you folks in here are not going to make excuses for yourselves.
> You?ve achieved a certain amount of success, and you?re used to not making
> excuses for yourselves?at least you should be! 
> 
> 
> 
> But a sneaky thing happens in the work world. People will try to make
> excuses for you. It can be very subtle, and you might not notice at first.
> Your boss might come to your office say, ?You?re doing great work here. But
> we?ve got these mortgage fraud cases, and they have a gigantic document
> load. We?ll give you some other cases instead. You?ll be doing the same
> amount of work as everyone else. We?re just not going to assign you these
> document-heavy cases.? 
> 
> 
> 
> When that happens, the answer is no! Never let people make excuses for you
> and tell you what you cannot do. They may sound like they?re complimenting
> you, but they?re setting you up for failure. They?re saying to themselves,
> ?There are certain things I can?t ask that employee to do.? I don?t want to
> sound melodramatic, but that is going to doom you to failure. 
> 
> 
> 
> Once I got a lecture about this issue from someone I really liked and
> respected. So when that assignment came up I said, ?I can do mortgage fraud
> cases. I?ve got this.? And when you do the mortgage case and do it well,
> your reputation gets rolling! It?s cooking now! It?s cooking! So never let
> anyone make excuses for you!
> 
> 
> 
> Here?s another example that was important in my career. I was handling a
> case with a really great prosecutor. She clerked for a Supreme Court
> justice. I always strive for excellence, but this time I understood I?d be
> measured by an especially tall yardstick. Whatever this prosecutor said
> about me?and she would say something, because that?s human nature!?whatever
> she said, I needed it to be good!
> 
> 
> 
> The case was a more or less straightforward bank robbery, but a lot of
> surveillance video was involved. Dealing with video is one of the biggest
> challenges for a blind person in this profession. You have to figure out how
> to explain it to a jury. She said, nicely, ?I?ll handle this main FBI agent,
> because there?s this video. But we?ll still question the same number of
> witnesses.? 
> 
> 
> 
> I said no. Once I knew she thought I?d have trouble with the FBI agent, I
> insisted that I take that witness. I was really direct with her because I
> liked and trusted her. I said, ?If I don?t do this, you?ll have doubts about
> whether I can do it. It?s important that you not have those doubts.? 
> 
> 
> 
> I went out to the bank like we always do. I looked at the terrain. I had an
> assistant explain to me what was in the video, exactly what time things were
> happening. I went over and over it in my head. I went back to the bank. I
> walked the terrain again to make sure I understood it, and I put that FBI
> witness on the stand. It came out fine, and that?s the point. The prosecutor
> was ready to make an excuse for me. But once I knew she thought I couldn?t
> deal with the video, I insisted that I do it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WRITE IT RIGHT!
> 
> 
> The last thing I want to talk about is proofreading your written work. If
> something goes wrong, you will not get the benefit of the doubt. I know,
> because I?ve been there. I know other blind professionals who?ve gone
> through it. When you?re writing something in an email, be very, very careful
> about your grammar and your spelling! Make sure you have automatic
> spell-check turned on before you send an email. If you know you confuse
> certain words in your head, make sure you don?t confuse them when you send
> out emails or when you turn in written product. 
> 
> 
> 
> All day I write, write, write! People think lawyers spend all their time in
> court. But mostly I write. I write motions and sentencing memos. I write a
> prosecution memo at the beginning. I draft the indictment. Frankly, writing
> is not one of my gifts. I?ve become a good writer, but I had to work on it.
> For instance, I know the difference between except and accept, but when I?m
> typing like crazy at my computer, for some unknown reason I?ll write except
> when I mean accept, like to accept an agreement. I?ve got to double-check it
> every time. 
> 
> 
> 
> Listen, you might make a mistake. I?ve made one or two! But if your
> reputation gets rolling in the right way, people know you?re a person who
> works hard. Then you?ll get the benefit of the doubt. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HUMAN ASSISTANTS
> 
> 
> Now I want to talk quickly about working with a human assistant, such as a
> reader or a driver. In the law business we have secretaries. The duties of
> my assistant sometimes extend a little beyond the usual, but it?s not a big
> deal. 
> 
> 
> 
> One thing an assistant can do for you is proofread your documents for
> formatting, because weird things happen sometimes when you?re typing. One
> time I had two pages that were all in italics. I had no idea how it
> happened! When your document goes to the court or to your supervisor, you
> want it to be impeccable. 
> 
> 
> 
> Make sure your assistant knows his or her role. Your assistant?s job is not
> to think for you. Your assistant?s job is to serve as your eyes. Carefully
> and delicately make sure your assistant understands that. In the work world
> people will sometimes try to give your assistant credit for the work you do.
> It?s shocking, but it?s something we all live with as blind people. When you
> refer to your assistant in your workplace, make sure people understand his
> or her role. I might say casually, ?She sees well, and that?s all I really
> need.? 
> 
> 
> 
> These are the things I think are really important about retaining employment
> once you have it. Get your reputation going, be excellent, no shortcuts,
> make sure you?re doing things the right way, ask the right questions. I want
> to end with a story that speaks to these points. 
> 
> 
> 
> I got to the US Attorney?s office in 2007. I had previously worked for the
> Social Security Administration. I went to the US Attorney?s office on what
> they call a detail. The Social Security Administration sends over an
> attorney to prosecute criminal fraud against Social Security. So you?re
> sitting in the US Attorney?s office, but you still work for Social Security.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody who goes to the US Attorney?s office from Social Security wants to
> stay there. It?s a very prestigious office. You?ll never have another job
> like it! I knew that once I worked for Pat Fitzgerald I could say that for
> the rest of my career! So I went there with the attitude that I was going to
> be excellent. 
> 
> 
> 
> One of my first trials was a complicated bank fraud case. The defendant was
> accused of embezzling money from a bank where she worked and shuffling funds
> among various accounts. Then she orchestrated a bank robbery to try to cover
> up the theft! I was on that trial, and I actually put the bank witness on
> the stand. It was hugely complicated! There were rows and rows of debits and
> credits, numbers all over the place! I had to explain it during my direct
> testimony, and then I had to explain it at closing. My closing argument was
> not as good as I would have liked it to be, but I had those numbers down
> pat! I was able to explain everything to the jury. I showed them where those
> debits went and how this woman set up the bank robbery so she could pretend
> the money had been stolen. 
> 
> 
> 
> The judge in that case was a former prosecutor from our office. She saw all
> the work I?d done. I didn?t take any shortcuts. She saw that.
> 
> 
> 
> At the end of my two years, when my detail was nearly over, I wrote Pat
> Fitzgerald a letter. I said I wanted to stay on and become an assistant
> United States attorney. Pat Fitzgerald said, ?You?ve done good work here.
> Let me go back and do my due diligence, and I?ll let you know the decision
> of the office.? 
> 
> 
> 
> Later he came back and said, ?We?d like to have you stay on. You?re an
> addition to the office.? Then I went next-door to Lisa. I said, ?Wow! I?ve
> got some good news! I?m actually staying on!? And she said, ?I know. I?m on
> the hiring committee.? So all that time I was working and asking questions,
> she was assessing me. And, because the judge on that bank embezzlement trial
> was a former prosecutor in the office, and because she randomly happened to
> be assigned to a few of my cases, it would not have been unusual for her to
> share her impressions with the office. I feel pretty certain that, if she
> did so, she had favorable things to say. 
> 
> 
> 
> That?s the point of the story. You never know who you?re talking to. It?s
> important to remember that. Be excellent, and get your reputation going in
> the right way. It will lead you to success in the workplace. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WALKING THE RUNWAY
> 
> 
> by Mary Lou Grunwald
> 
> 
> 
> I enjoy shopping, and one of my favorite stores is Talbot?s out at the Old
> Orchard Shopping Mall. Going out there is a good travel experience. I take a
> couple of buses to get there, and I have the chance to do quite a bit of
> walking.
> 
> 
> 
> I really like the clothing selection at Talbot?s, and as a vendor myself I
> appreciate that they know how to display their merchandise. Sometimes they
> ask customers to model outfits in the store, and I overheard the salespeople
> talking about it. I went to a couple of their fashion shows to find out what
> was involved, and I thought, Hey, I could do this! I?d always thought I?d
> like to do some modeling, and this might be my chance.
> 
> 
> 
> First I laid some groundwork. I?d visit the store wearing really nice
> outfits to get the salespeople?s attention. Finally I got up my courage and
> told one of the stylists that I would like to model clothes in the store.
> She looked startled at first, but then she thought about it, and she said,
> ?Well, you?re an active boomer, and that?s the image we want to promote.
> Let?s think about it.? 
> 
> 
> 
> About a month later the stylist gave me a call. We talked for a little
> while, and she asked, ?Do you really think you can do this?? I knew that was
> a blindness-related question, even though she didn?t ask it directly. I told
> her I had attended some of their fashion shows, and I was sure there
> wouldn?t be any problem. She said I seem to shop in the store a lot, and I
> commented that my credit card isn?t too happy about that!
> 
> 
> 
> At first when I considered the idea of modeling, I was just thinking about
> myself. But as I talked to the stylist, I realized this could be a chance to
> educate people about blindness and maybe open up opportunities for other
> people. I told the stylist I wanted to use my long white cane as I walked
> down the runway.
> 
> 
> 
> She really hesitated about that. She wanted to give it a lot of thought.
> Actually I was pretty sure I could walk down the runway without my cane. The
> lighting was good, and I was pretty sure I could maneuver just using my
> residual vision. But my cane is part of who I am. It?s because of my cane
> that I can travel out to places like Old Orchard. So I felt that it was
> important for me to use my cane in the show. 
> 
> 
> 
> We left the decision up in the air. Finally they called me back and said I
> could use my cane as long as I didn?t stick it out too far. They didn?t want
> me to distract from the merchandise! I reassured them about that, and they
> said they would schedule me to model.
> 
> 
> 
> You never know how these things are going to go, so I didn?t tell many
> people what I was going to do. I thought I better just keep it quiet till I
> knew how it turned out. 
> 
> 
> 
> I modeled two outfits in the spring show in April. One was business casual,
> and the other one was a sporty boomer-on-the-go outfit. The next day someone
> from the store called to tell me they had received several calls from
> customers who said they enjoyed seeing me. They said they really liked the
> way I presented the merchandise, and they appreciated that I smiled and
> seemed to be having a good time. I was thrilled! The callers didn?t even
> mention that I?m blind! 
> 
> 
> 
> After the spring show I told our state president, Denise Avant, what I had
> done, and she was very excited. She encouraged me to share my experience
> with our community. This really is an example of following a dream I?ve had
> for a long time. I want all blind people, especially our young people, to
> realize the possibility of doing things they might not believe they can do.
> Modeling, dancing, acting?all of those things are possible for us, just as
> they are for anybody else. You?ve always got to be open to new things. You
> never can predict what?s going to happen in life!
> 
> 
> 
> I?m going to model in another show at Talbot?s in the fall. This time I plan
> to let everybody know ahead of time. I hope lots of my friends in the NFB
> will come to see me and cheer me on! We can live the lives we want! 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GOING BACK TO WORK
> 
> 
> by Kira O?Bradovich
> 
> 
> 
> I moved back to Chicago in the summer of 2018. I was back in the Humboldt
> Park neighborhood, and my former roommate lived just around the corner. But
> it may as well have been a different world. After two-and-a-half years
> living at home with my parents in Omaha and working part-time between eye
> surgeries and recoveries, I was ready for independence and, I hoped, for
> full-time employment. 
> 
> 
> 
> A child of the lost generation, I was fully prepared to take whatever
> position I could find. However, now that I had a visual impairment, applying
> for positions was a brand-new experience. At the beginning I stuck to the
> nonprofit sector. My rationale was twofold. My education and past work
> experience were primarily in this sector, and I hoped that those in the
> nonprofit world would be more receptive than others and more understanding
> of the accommodations I might need. In addition, I focused on positions that
> required less experience and education than I actually had. I assumed that
> employers would believe I needed a less challenging position, and I set my
> sights low, hoping to improve my chance of being hired. 
> 
> 
> 
> As the months passed and dozens of applications proved fruitless, I went
> through the arduous process of navigating the Social Security system. I
> decided it was time to reach out to others in my situation. Finding the
> Chicago Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind and attending
> young-adult support group meetings at Blind Services Association gave me
> more than a social and therapeutic resource. My concept of what my
> disability meant for my future expanded. I met blind people who lived
> incredibly full, completely normal lives, and through them I found hope and
> confidence. I realized that my own ableism kept me from recognizing that I
> was still the same person I?d always been. 
> 
> 
> 
> I decided I could and should apply for positions that I actually wanted. I
> began to seek challenging jobs that fit or even exceeded my education and
> skill set. Thanks to my former roommate, I learned about an opening with a
> federal government bureau here in Chicago. I discovered that, if I were
> hired, under federal law I could not be fired based upon my disability, and
> I could expect reasonable accommodations to be made?at least in theory.
> Equipped with this knowledge, I felt far more confident when I received a
> call for a phone interview. That interview led to my current position. 
> 
> 
> 
> Of course, being hired was only half the battle. When I arrived on my first
> day, I discovered that I was the only person in my department who did not
> own a car. In fact, I was the only person who was unable to drive. My
> position required frequent travel to conduct meetings on behalf of my
> bureau. However, since the travel would be in Chicago and the nearby
> suburbs, I was confident that I could use public transit to get where I
> needed to go. My coordinator was not so sure. He could not conceive that any
> amount of accessibility would allow me to meet the demands of the position.
> Fortunately, his superior and others within the office were willing to work
> around my transit limitations. As I began to prove my usefulness and my
> abilities on the job, my coordinator started to recognize his error. 
> 
> 
> 
> The largest battle I fought was outside my direct office, and it involved
> obtaining reasonable accommodations with technology. The first step was
> simple. I filled out a form and was contacted almost immediately by a
> wonderful specialist. She explained what she had to have from me to prove my
> needs, and she told me what they could offer. After sending her a document
> containing my diagnosis, I was approved for accommodations. 
> 
> 
> 
> From that point on, the specialist had to work with a company to establish
> my need for specific aids that would make my position accessible. This
> became an ongoing issue. For instance, I?d been issued a projector for
> meetings, and the assumption was made that I could use it as a substitute
> for the larger monitor I needed in order to see the tiny laptop screen. As
> one sighted employee explained, their understanding of blindness was, ?the
> letters just need to be really, really big.? Supervisors kept telling me
> that the installation of Zoomtext on a government laptop was too complicated
> for security reasons. This was of course untrue, because people all over the
> United States work for the government using Zoomtext and many other programs
> on their computers. The reasonable accommodations specialist, fully aware of
> this fact, worked diligently on my behalf for the next four months until
> Zoomtext was finally installed and my large monitor arrived. 
> 
> 
> 
> As in so many scenarios, those of us with disabilities must be constant
> advocates for ourselves and for others. I know that many have gone before me
> into these battles to find employment and gain accessibility in the
> workplace. My hope remains that these firsts for my organization will become
> steps on a more accessible and inclusive path for those who will follow. A
> number of pieces had to fall into place to create this opportunity for me,
> and it took no small effort for me to have my accommodations needs met.
> However, I believe that living with disabilities endows us with a level of
> self-confidence and resourcefulness that can serve to strengthen our search
> for productive and meaningful employment.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HOW I BECAME A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
> 
> 
> by Robert Hansen
> 
> 
> 
> I had never considered anything like substitute teaching before. As a matter
> of fact, I did not even know it was a possibility for me. I had heard of
> people substituting, but I was unsure how the hiring process worked. I
> thought I would need an actual teaching degree. Once I filled out the
> paperwork and followed the procedures, the wheels were set in motion.
> 
> 
> 
> I had been struggling for a few years to find my niche in life after
> finishing a long overdue bachelor?s degree. I earned my degree from
> Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in their Non-Traditional Degree
> Program. They serve older students who have years of work and life
> experience. I did all of the coursework in the social sciences, which led me
> to think I would get involved in social justice movements and change the
> world. However, I became tired of this and moved on. 
> 
> 
> 
> At Northeastern I built up a number of years working in student media at the
> student-run radio station, and I thought I could pursue a career in
> broadcasting. After submitting a number of r?sum?s and auditions and getting
> rejections, I decided to move on. I gave up for a couple of years and did
> nothing for a while. 
> 
> 
> 
> My woman friend had been working for the Evanston Public Schools, first as a
> lunchroom/playground supervisor and then as a teacher?s assistant. She
> mentioned to me that she spoke with a couple of substitute teachers who
> worked full-time up there. She directed me to the website with the forms to
> fill out so I could get a license from the State of Illinois to become a
> sub. 
> 
> 
> 
> At first I was hesitant and did not believe her. I thought she was kidding
> me. It could not be that easy! But I found myself going to the website and
> filling out the online application. I paid the necessary application fees
> and submitted a copy of my official transcript from NEIU. Within three days
> I had been approved for a license! 
> 
> 
> 
> The next step was to register my license with a district. I wanted the
> district that paid the best per day. I also wanted to be able to get to
> places easily, so I chose the Chicago Public Schools.
> 
> 
> 
> A big factor in my success with the job is using a number of blindness and
> low-vision techniques. I often work in several different schools within a
> week, and I do not have time to familiarize myself with each location in
> advance. Everything I do is on the fly. It has to be that way. I ask
> questions of people who work at each location. First I ask where the main
> office is. I swipe in each morning and swipe out each time I leave for the
> day. The time clock is not accessible. My welcome packet contained diagrams
> and descriptions of the time clock and its functions. 
> 
> 
> 
> Someone from the main office often shows me where the room I will be working
> in is located. I am sure they do this for other subs as well, and I don?t
> mind their help at all. It?s a little like boarding an airplane; I
> familiarize myself with the features of the room where I will be working,
> including rosters and emergency folders. Arriving ahead of time allows me to
> look over the lesson plans for the day. I use the KNFB Reader and other apps
> as well as a portable CCTV. I have to move quickly, because when the bell
> rings, it?s show time! 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IN MEMORIAM
> 
> 
> Joseph and Mary Monti
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In June 2019 the NFB of Illinois lost two longstanding members, Joseph and
> Mary Monti. Joe Monti died on June 8 at the age of eighty-one. Mary Monti,
> age seventy-six, died on June 16. Joe and Mary had been married for
> fifty-seven years.
> 
> 
> 
> Joe Monti earned a Bachelor?s Degree in Physics at the Illinois Institute of
> Technology and a Master?s in Education at DePaul University. For thirty-four
> years he taught high school science and math at the LaSalle Institute in
> Chicago, where he also coached the chess team.
> 
> 
> 
> In his late teens Joe began to experience vision loss due to retinitis
> pigmentosa. He became an active member of the NFB Chicago Chapter in the
> 1990s. He served on the boards of the Chicago Chapter and the Illinois
> affiliate. For several years Joe coordinated a successful NFBI fundraiser
> through the Manna Gift Certificates program. He also organized the Wonton o?
> Fun, an annual Chinese dinner fundraiser, for the Chicago Chapter.
> 
> 
> 
> Mary M. Monti trained in ballet and danced professionally with the Illinois
> Ballet Company in the late 1950s and early 1960s. She taught dance in
> Evanston and opened her own dance studio in Cicero in the early 1970s. After
> the death of the Monti?s? young daughter, Amy, Mary returned to school to
> become a nurse. She worked as a pediatric nurse for more than twenty years
> at Loretto Hospital, the University of Illinois Pediatrics Clinic, and La
> Rabida Children?s Hospital, all in Chicago. 
> 
> 
> 
> The Monti?s loved to attend operas and orchestra concerts, and Joe was an
> accomplished pianist. Joe and Mary were active members of St. Christopher?s
> Church in Oak Park and later of St. Michael?s in Berwyn. They had three
> children: Joseph, David, and Amy (deceased). 
> 
> 
> 
> Due to their numerous health problems, Joe and Mary were unable to be active
> in the chapter and affiliate during recent years. But news of their passing
> brought forth a flood of memories and condolences from their Federation
> family. ?This has been quite a shock!? wrote Pat Olson. ?I always enjoyed
> when Mary helped with the Significant Others group at state conventions.?
> Mary Grunwald wrote, ?Joe and Mary were very special people. They
> contributed much to our affiliate, and they will both be missed.? Eileen
> Truschke added, ?Mary was a definite asset to the Chicago Chapter. We always
> could count on her to lend a helping hand.?
> 
> 
> 
> ?The last time we saw the Monti?s, they came to an Oktoberfest fundraiser,?
> recalled Patti Chang. ?They both were happy to be there, even though Mary
> was on oxygen at the time. I will always remember Mary?s efficiency and
> Joe?s sense of humor. Joe was very committed to helping mentor our young
> people. We will all miss them both!?
> 
> 
> 
> A double funeral for Joe and Mary Monti was held on June 20, and they were
> buried in Oak Park. The family requests that donations be made to Lurie
> Children?s Hospital of Chicago (luriechildrens.org), Southern Poverty Law
> Center ( <http://www.splcenter.org> www.splcenter.org), the Chicago
> Lighthouse for the Blind (chicagolighthouse.org/donate), or the National
> Federation of the Blind (nfb.org).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---
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From kellytalk at gmail.com  Sat Jul 20 02:05:06 2019
From: kellytalk at gmail.com (Kelly Pierce)
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 21:05:06 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Overview Presentation on Chicago APS
Message-ID: <CAOQRLb-1PvTxz6t78ad1eDXbvQP8F17faTLoSstQgGa+mdTDuQ@mail.gmail.com>

For those who could not make it to the Chicago open house on
accessible pedestrian signals, I have pasted below the script for the
PowerPoint presentation that was delivered to attendees.  Feedback is
encouraged to the e-mail address listed at the end of the document.


Kelly



Slide 1
Accessible Pedestrian Signals Pilot Project ? Citywide and Central Loop
Public Meeting Open House
July 18, 2019
Welcome to the public meeting open house for the Accessible Pedestrian
Signals pilot project.

Slide 2
TODAY?S GOALS
Provide a project overview
Present the design process and evaluation criteria
Discuss schedule and next steps
Present prioritized locations
Receive your input!
Today, we will introduce the Accessible Pedestrian Signals pilot
project. This project is being led by the Chicago Department of
Transportation (CDot) in collaboration with the Mayor?s Office for
People with Disabilities (MOPD).
During this presentation, we will provide an overview of the project
and Accessible Pedestrian Signals and present the design process and
evaluation criteria used to develop prioritized locations. We will
also review the project schedule and the next steps. Finally, we are
looking for your input on the proposed project.
Following this presentation, we invite you to visit the other stations
in the room.  At these stations, you can review the list of
prioritized intersection locations identified for installation and how
the Accessible Pedestrian Signal equipment operates. Finally, we are
looking for your input on the proposed project.
Project team members are available to answer any questions and receive
your input.  Exhibits from today?s meeting will be available online at
TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS.  Additional feedback can be submitted via
email to CDotAPS at CityOfChicago.org.
Slide 3
PROJECT GOALS
Support people with visual and hearing disabilities
Support CDot?s initiative for citywide APS implementation
Develop best practices
The goals of the project are to:
Support people with hearing and visual disabilities accessing transit
within the City of Chicago;
Support CDot?s initiative to integrate Accessible Pedestrian Signals
citywide in future projects; and
Develop best practices for the design and installation of Accessible
Pedestrian Signals.

Slide 4
PROJECT OVERVIEW
What are Accessible Pedestrian Signals?
Audible tones
Speech messages
Vibrating surfaces
APS Benefits
Enhance pedestrian safety
Enhance pedestrian mobility
Enhance pedestrian accessibility
What are Accessible Pedestrian Signals?
Accessible Pedestrian Signals (commonly referred to as APS)
communicate information about the WALK phase in non-visual formats
such as audible tones, speech messages, and-or vibrating surfaces to
enhance accessibility and enable pedestrians with visual and-or
hearing disabilities to safely cross the street at signalized
intersections.  Enhanced pedestrian accessibility is particularly
important at intersections that have some of the following
characteristics:
complex layout and-or signal phasing,
right turns on red, or
are in areas with excessive background noise.
These characteristics are particularly challenging for pedestrians
with visual disabilities who may rely on audible cues in traffic noise
for when to safely cross the roadway.
More specifically, APS systems enhance pedestrian safety, mobility,
and accessibility by providing information about:
The existence and location of the pushbutton
The status of the pedestrian phase
The beginning of the WALK interval
The alignment of the crosswalk; and
The location of the destination sidewalk
APS additionally provides enhancements that are in line with Chicago's
Vision Zero commitment to eliminate death and serious injury from
traffic crashes.

Slide 5
PROJECT OVERVIEW
APS Investigation
Design Guidelines
Equipment
Project Design Requirements
M U T C D Compliant
Active Detection
Audible Indications
Vibro-tactile Push Button
The groundwork for moving the project forward is based on the project
team?s investigation of current APS standards, guidelines, and
equipment. The project?s design is grounded in the Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (M U T C D), which defines federal standards
for traffic control devices in the United States.  The project also
relies on guidelines published by the National Cooperative Highway
Research Program (NCHRP) and the US Access Board.    Current APS
technologies have been surveyed to identify products that conform to
the project?s design requirements and goals.
Requirements for use of APS technologies on this project include, but
are not limited to:
M U T C D Compliance,
Active Detection, which requires a pedestrian to push a button to
initiate a WALK phase,
Audible indications, which includes either a percussive tone or speech
walk message, and
Vibro-tactile push buttons, which includes a tactile arrow that
vibrates during the WALK phase.

Slide 6
DESIGN PROCESS
Stakeholder coordination
Draft locations
Near public transportation
Six location environments
Evaluation criteria developed
Starting in 2011, CDot and MOPD engaged community stakeholders to
develop a draft list of pilot APS locations. With two funding grants
from the Federal Transit Administration coming online in 2015 and 2017
for design and construction, proximity and connectivity to public
transit were key factors in determining the locations. Additionally,
to better gauge challenges and effectiveness of APS at various types
of intersections found citywide, the draft locations were further
categorized based on their respective environment. The location
environments include: Central Business District, Institutional,
Six-Legged intersections, University Campus, and Stakeholder
suggestions. Ultimately, 113 draft locations were developed for
further evaluation.
The project team evaluated and prioritized the draft locations
utilizing APS prioritization tools adapted from NCHRP Project 3-62,
which was a national project to develop guidelines for implementing
APS. The results from the APS prioritization were shared with the
stakeholder group. Based on feedback from the group, evaluation
criteria and scoring values were refined to better reflect needs and
concerns within the local community.
Based on available funding and preliminary cost estimates, no more
than 65 locations will proceed into the engineering design phase, and
no fewer than 25 locations are expected to proceed to construction.





Slide 7
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Prioritization Worksheet Tool
Intersection Factors
Geometric Factors
Signal Control Factors
To select the top 65 locations for consideration of APS installation,
the project team scored the candidate locations with the refined
Prioritization Worksheet Tool adapted from the NCHRP.  The
Prioritization Worksheet Tool calculates a prioritization score for
each intersection and is based on various observable criteria and
their assigned values.
The various intersection criteria and basis of the evaluation are
grouped into three design parameters:   intersection factors,
geometric factors, and signal control factors.
Slide 8
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Intersection Factors
Intersection Configuration
Type of Traffic Signalization
Distance to Transit Facilities
Distance to Visually Impaired Facilities
Distance to High Pedestrian Generators
The intersection factors evaluated at each location are:  intersection
configuration, type of traffic signalization, distance to transit
facilities, distance to facilities for people with visual
disabilities, and distance to high pedestrian generators.
The intersection configuration evaluation was based on the number of
legs at an intersection or whether the location is a midblock
crossing.
The type of traffic signalization evaluation was based on how the
existing traffic signal operates at the intersection. Consideration
was given at each location based on whether:  the intersection has a
pre-timed traffic signal; the signal has vehicle or pedestrian
actuation that triggers changes in the signal patterns; split phasing
of the signal causes alternate traffic movements; an exclusive
pedestrian phase is present; and, a leading pedestrian interval (LPI)
is present at the location, which can affect the crossing time.
Distance to transit facilities considered the type and number of
facilities within 4 blocks of the intersection.
Distance to programs for people with visual disabilities and high
pedestrian generators, such as civic buildings or hospitals, were also
considered within 4 blocks of the intersection.

Slide 9
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Geometric Factors
Curb radius greater than 25?
Pedestrian islands or medians
Apex curb ramps
Crosswalk skews
Crossing distance
Greater than 75 ft
Greater than 100 ft
Greater than 120 ft
The geometric factors evaluated at each intersection location are:
curb radii greater than 25 ft, presence of pedestrian islands or
medians, presence of apex curb ramps (which are curb ramps that lead
toward the middle of the intersection), skewed crosswalk, and crossing
distance.
With exception of crossing distance, each of the crosswalk factors can
create orientation problems and cause confusion for pedestrians with
visual disabilities.
Actual crossing distances were evaluated at each crosswalk.
Prioritization was weighted based on the measured lengths and when the
crossing distance exceeded 75 ft, 100 ft or 120 ft.
Slide 10
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Signal Control Factors
Right turns permitted on red
Leading protected left turn phase
Non-concurrent WALK intervals
Protected right turn or right turn overlap phases
Channelized right turn lane under signal control
The signal control factors evaluated at each intersection include:
right turns permitted on red, the Presence of leading protected left
turn phases, the Presence of non-concurrent walk intervals, the
presence of a protected right turn or right turn overlap phase, and
whether there is a channelized right turn under signal control.
Complex signal phases or vehicles turning right on red are
particularly challenging for pedestrians with visual disabilities, who
may rely on audible cues from traffic noise.
Slide 11
PRIORTIZED LOCATIONS
Prioritized list of 65 locations
APS Locations to be installed
APS Locations likely to be installed
APS Locations funding dependent
CDot committed to install 25 to 50 locations
Utilizing the evaluation criteria developed for the project, the top
65 APS locations to proceed into design were selected proportionally
across all 6 location environment types. The locations were further
grouped into three separate categories based on funding availability:
APS Locations to be installed; APS locations likely to be installed;
and APS Locations to be installed if funding allows.
For this project, CDot is committed to installing APS at 25 to 50
intersections dependent on final construction cost estimates, with
additional locations to be installed if funding allows.
The complete list of APS locations considered for installation are
presented at the next station.
Slide 12
SCHEDULE AND NEXT STEPS
Finalize APS locations ? August 2019
Complete Design ? 2020 Quarter 1
Complete Construction ? 2021
Over the next month, the project team will incorporate your input from
this meeting as they finalize APS locations and continue into
engineering design. Design is anticipated to be completed the 1st
quarter of 2020 with construction anticipated to be completed in 2021.

Slide 13
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK!
View other presentations
Talk with project team members
Provide a formal written comment
Written comments will be accepted through Aug. 1
We encourage you to view the other presentations and talk with the
project team members in the room.
If you would like to provide feedback on this project, please speak
with a project team member or visit the city website ?
TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS.  Comments will be accepted through August 1st,
2019 for consideration in final designs.

Slide 14
THANK YOU!
Email
 CDotAPS at CityOfChicago.org
Website
 www.Chicago.gov/city.en/depts/CDot/supp_info/aps.html
 or
TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS
Twitter
@CDotNews
Facebook
 facebook.com/CDotNews
We appreciate your interest in the Accessible Pedestrian Signals pilot
project and thank you for attending today?s meeting.



From kellytalk at gmail.com  Sat Jul 20 02:26:24 2019
From: kellytalk at gmail.com (Kelly Pierce)
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 21:26:24 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations
Message-ID: <CAOQRLb_tpopCDm8d36aO0L32pPqcALfXZxEE_+KrVLLuMbuVRg@mail.gmail.com>

Pasted below is the list of proposed locations for accessible
pedestrian signals in Chicago.  A list of currently installed
locations can be found at:

TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS

The locations are listed in rank order with the ones with the lower
numbers being installed first.  Higher numbers will be installed
later, depending on funding.  If anyone disagrees with the order of
priority or the locations themselves and believes other locations
should be included and others removed, please write to the city with
feedback and your rationale.  Feedback is welcome and will be
thoroughly considered.  The e-mail address for feedback is:

CDotAPS at CityOfChicago.org

The deadline for feedback is August 1, which is when engineering will
begin for the initial locations.

Kelly



ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS (APS) PILOT PROJECT
PROPOSED APS LOCATIONS
JULY 18, 2019
APS Locations Expected to be Installed
1.	Ashland and Roosevelt
2.	Canal and Madison
3.	Canal and Washington
4.	Cicero and Archer
5.	Cicero, Milwaukee and Irving Park
6.	Clinton and Washington
7.	Damen and Roosevelt
8.	Halsted, Broadway and Grace
9.	Halsted, Lincoln and Fullerton
10.	Kimball and Belmont
11.	LaSalle and Washington
12.	Michigan and Congress
13.	Michigan and Jackson
14.	Michigan and Lake
15.	Michigan and Randolph
16.	Michigan and Washington
17.	Oakley, Ogden and Roosevelt
18.	Paulina and Roosevelt
19.	Sheridan and Arthur
20.	Sheridan, Broadway and Devon
21.	State and Congress
22.	Stony Island and 89th
23.	Stony Island, South Chicago and 79th
24.	Wabash and Roosevelt
25.	Wabash and Wacker Place

APS Locations Likely to be Installed
26.	420 West Randolph (at Riverside Plaza)
27.	420 West Madison (at Riverside Plaza)
28.	432 West Washington (at Riverside Plaza)
29.	Ashland and Flourney
30.	Ashland and Polk
31.	Ashland and Taylor
32.	Ashland, Clark and Devon
33.	Ashland, Lincoln and Belmont
34.	Clinton and Madison
35.	Clinton and Randolph
36.	Glenwood and Devon
37.	LaSalle and Lake
38.	Michigan and Madison
39.	Michigan and Roosevelt
40.	Natchez and Irving Park
41.	Ogden and Polk
42.	Pine Grove and Diversey
43.	Racine and Harrison
44.	State and Washington
45.	Wabash and Adams
46.	Wabash and Monroe
47.	Wabash and Randolph
48.	Wabash and Washington
49.	Wacker and Madison
50.	Wacker and Washington

APS Locations to be Installed Depending on Funding
51.	410 West Lake (at Riverside Plaza)
52.	432 West Jackson (at Riverside Plaza)
53.	Broadway, Clark and Diversey
54.	Canal and Randolph
55.	Central and Archer
56.	Clinton and Jackson
57.	Michigan, Wacker Place and South Water
58.	Narragansett and Berteau
59.	Sheridan and Albion
60.	State and Van Buren
61.	Wabash and Lake
62.	Wacker and Adams
63.	Western and Roosevelt
64.	Western, Elston and Diversey
65.	Wood and Polk



From pamelacberman at gmail.com  Sat Jul 20 03:11:46 2019
From: pamelacberman at gmail.com (Pam Berman)
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 22:11:46 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations
In-Reply-To: <CAOQRLb_tpopCDm8d36aO0L32pPqcALfXZxEE_+KrVLLuMbuVRg@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb_tpopCDm8d36aO0L32pPqcALfXZxEE_+KrVLLuMbuVRg@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <008a01d53ea8$ddb59370$9920ba50$@gmail.com>

Kelly,
Thanks for posting this stuff. I was at City Hall yesterday, but found the
open House to be useless for me. It was way too difficult for me to hear
what was important.
Thanks Again,
Pam


-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce
via IL-Talk
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2019 9:26 PM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List
Cc: Kelly Pierce
Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations

Pasted below is the list of proposed locations for accessible
pedestrian signals in Chicago.  A list of currently installed
locations can be found at:

TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS

The locations are listed in rank order with the ones with the lower
numbers being installed first.  Higher numbers will be installed
later, depending on funding.  If anyone disagrees with the order of
priority or the locations themselves and believes other locations
should be included and others removed, please write to the city with
feedback and your rationale.  Feedback is welcome and will be
thoroughly considered.  The e-mail address for feedback is:

CDotAPS at CityOfChicago.org

The deadline for feedback is August 1, which is when engineering will
begin for the initial locations.

Kelly



ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS (APS) PILOT PROJECT
PROPOSED APS LOCATIONS
JULY 18, 2019
APS Locations Expected to be Installed
1.	Ashland and Roosevelt
2.	Canal and Madison
3.	Canal and Washington
4.	Cicero and Archer
5.	Cicero, Milwaukee and Irving Park
6.	Clinton and Washington
7.	Damen and Roosevelt
8.	Halsted, Broadway and Grace
9.	Halsted, Lincoln and Fullerton
10.	Kimball and Belmont
11.	LaSalle and Washington
12.	Michigan and Congress
13.	Michigan and Jackson
14.	Michigan and Lake
15.	Michigan and Randolph
16.	Michigan and Washington
17.	Oakley, Ogden and Roosevelt
18.	Paulina and Roosevelt
19.	Sheridan and Arthur
20.	Sheridan, Broadway and Devon
21.	State and Congress
22.	Stony Island and 89th
23.	Stony Island, South Chicago and 79th
24.	Wabash and Roosevelt
25.	Wabash and Wacker Place

APS Locations Likely to be Installed
26.	420 West Randolph (at Riverside Plaza)
27.	420 West Madison (at Riverside Plaza)
28.	432 West Washington (at Riverside Plaza)
29.	Ashland and Flourney
30.	Ashland and Polk
31.	Ashland and Taylor
32.	Ashland, Clark and Devon
33.	Ashland, Lincoln and Belmont
34.	Clinton and Madison
35.	Clinton and Randolph
36.	Glenwood and Devon
37.	LaSalle and Lake
38.	Michigan and Madison
39.	Michigan and Roosevelt
40.	Natchez and Irving Park
41.	Ogden and Polk
42.	Pine Grove and Diversey
43.	Racine and Harrison
44.	State and Washington
45.	Wabash and Adams
46.	Wabash and Monroe
47.	Wabash and Randolph
48.	Wabash and Washington
49.	Wacker and Madison
50.	Wacker and Washington

APS Locations to be Installed Depending on Funding
51.	410 West Lake (at Riverside Plaza)
52.	432 West Jackson (at Riverside Plaza)
53.	Broadway, Clark and Diversey
54.	Canal and Randolph
55.	Central and Archer
56.	Clinton and Jackson
57.	Michigan, Wacker Place and South Water
58.	Narragansett and Berteau
59.	Sheridan and Albion
60.	State and Van Buren
61.	Wabash and Lake
62.	Wacker and Adams
63.	Western and Roosevelt
64.	Western, Elston and Diversey
65.	Wood and Polk

_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
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om




From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Sat Jul 20 13:13:46 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2019 08:13:46 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] LIFE Group Braille Reading!  Sunday.  July 21st.
Message-ID: <001001d53efc$f76b6930$e6423b90$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

We will continue reading in our book, "In Plain Sight", by C.J Box,
tomorrow.  Sun, July 21st.

Time is at 5.  We will start on page 271.  Please call 605-313-4819.  Code
5433.

Hope to see you there.  Stay cool all!      

Linda



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Sun Jul 21 01:16:16 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2019 20:16:16 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: This Weekend - Shuttle Service Jefferson Park to
 Montrose or Addison
In-Reply-To: <DM5PR09MB372039D4272D3BC792BB3A69AACB0@DM5PR09MB3720.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
References: <DM5PR09MB372039D4272D3BC792BB3A69AACB0@DM5PR09MB3720.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <017401d53f61$e5398f70$afacae50$@gmail.com>

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

From: Access <access at transitchicago.com> 
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2019 10:49 AM
Subject: This Weekend - Shuttle Service Jefferson Park to Montrose or
Addison

 

Hello:

 

Please note the below information for this weekend, Friday - Monday, July
19-22, 2019.

 

Jefferson Park to Montrose Blue Line Construction

and Bus Substitute Shuttle

 

Due to signal work, there will be a temporary interruption in O'Hare branch
Blue Line service between Jefferson Park and Montrose stations from 10:00
p.m. Fri. July 19 to 4:00 a.m. Mon. July 22, 2019. There will be no rail
service in either direction between these two stations.

 

To accommodate passengers, CTA will provide the following free bus
substitute shuttle service:

1.	Jefferson Park Station to Montrose Station (Montrose does NOT have
elevator access).
2.	Jefferson Park Station to Addison Station (Addison DOES HAVE
elevator access).

 

Additionally, customers can choose to connect between Jefferson Park and
Addison Stations via the #56 Milwaukee bus and the #152 Addison bus. Regular
fares will apply for this option.

 

CTA encourages customers to allow for extra travel time.

 

This service interruption is due to signal work occurring between the two
stations as part of the $492 million Your New Blue program. Considered the
largest investment in the Blue Line since it was extended to O'Hare
International Airport 30 years ago, Your New Blue is modernizing and
improving stations along this critical line as well as making track and
signal system improvements to increase service reliability for customers.

 

The CTA apologizes for any inconvenience.

 

Thank you.

CTA ADA Compliance Programs

 

Please do not respond to this e-mail.

 

Customers may also sign up for elevator, bus and other alerts by visiting
CTA's website, transitchicago.com. The Elevator Status Line (1-888-YOUR CTA,
1-888-968-7282, then, Option 6) provides updates regarding elevator outages
in real time.

 



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Sun Jul 21 01:19:17 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2019 20:19:17 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: Rescheduled Maintenance - Washington Wells Street to
 Mez Elevator
In-Reply-To: <DM5PR09MB37200182F5C7F3F2AE22C7C1AACB0@DM5PR09MB3720.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
References: <DM5PR09MB37200182F5C7F3F2AE22C7C1AACB0@DM5PR09MB3720.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <019401d53f62$51b8fb40$f52af1c0$@gmail.com>

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

From: Access <access at transitchicago.com> 
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2019 10:00 AM
Subject: Rescheduled Maintenance - Washington Wells Street to Mez Elevator

 

Hello Everyone:

 

Please be advised that the Street to Mezzanine Elevator at the Washington
Wells Station will be taken out of service for sill support replacement on
Monday, 7.29.19. The anticipated returned to service date is Friday, 8.2.19.

 

The CTA apologizes for any inconvenience.

 

Thank you.

CTA ADA Compliance Programs

 

Please do not respond to this e-mail.

 

Customers may also sign up for elevator, bus and other alerts by visiting
CTA's website, transitchicago.com. The Elevator Status Line (1-888-YOUR CTA,
1-888-968-7282, then, Option 6) provides updates regarding elevator outages
in real time.

 

 

 

Access Benefits Everyone!

 

Amy J. Serpe

Manager, ADA Compliance Programs

Chicago Transit Authority

567 W. Lake Street, #10-31-08

Chicago, IL 60661

312-681-2608 (Work)

312-350-2301 (Cell & Text)

 

This email and the attachments hereto contain confidential preliminary
drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which
opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated and is
intended for internal use only.  The contents of this email and its
attachments should not be disseminated without prior approval from the
Chicago Transit Authority.

 

 



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Sun Jul 21 12:09:42 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2019 07:09:42 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Door Prizes For State Convention
Message-ID: <023f01d53fbd$2e6b7220$8b425660$@gmail.com>

Hello all,

Our state convention is under a little under two months away. One of the fun
things about the convention is the awarding of door prizes during our
general sessions and banquet. This year's door prize chair is NFBI 2d Vice
President and At Large President,  Marilyn Green. She will be assisted by
Mary Grunwald, who will also man our information table.  

Please donate door prizes for the upcoming  convention. We take cash, gift
cards that can be used anywhere, and gently used small items. Please give
your door prizes to Marilyn , and Braille them if you are able to do so. If
you want to let Marilyn know what you plan to donate her e-mail address is
marilynvgreen at gmail.com .  Please do not leave door prizes at the
information table. If you would like a door prize letter, please contact
your chapter president.

Thank you. 

 

 

Denise R.

 

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Sun Jul 21 12:33:46 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2019 07:33:46 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] State Convention announcements - October 18-20
Message-ID: <025801d53fc0$8ae9da70$a0bd8f50$@gmail.com>

Hello all,

Our state convention is October 18-20. I am currently working on our agenda
for state convention.

Thanks to all of you who submitted your ideas for convention topics and
themes. All ideas are much appreciated.

I have a few announcements.

1. Request for financial Assistance is due to me by September 1, 2019. If
you wish to apply for financial assistance to State convention, go to our
webpage, www.nfbofillinois.org <http://www.nfbofillinois.org> , and download
and submit the Chappell Dennis form. Please submit an accessible copy and
fill it out completely. My e-mail address is davant1958 at gmail.com.

You can now pre-register for the State convention. Go to our website at
www.nfbofillinois.org <http://www.nfbofillinois.org> . You must pre-register
by October 4, 2019 to receive all discounted rates.

2. You can register at our convention hotel, the Wyndham Springfield City
Center, 700 E. Adams St. The cutoff for hotel registration is September 27,
2019.

Please call the following number, and ask for Shayna or leave a message for
her. 

217-789-1530 x4511 or extension 2

Remember state convention pre-registration is separate from hotel
registration.

3. We need door prizes. Please contact 2d Vice President, Marilyn Green if
you have a door prize.

Thank you.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From datemeyer at sbcglobal.net  Mon Jul 22 12:28:47 2019
From: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net (David Meyer)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 07:28:47 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] ACB MC fundraiser july 31
Message-ID: <000a01d54089$030564c0$09102e40$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

 

Ready for some Beggars Pizza? The American Council of the Blind Metro
Chicago Chapter will be having a fundraiser on July 31 at Beggars Pizza, 310
South Clinton, Chicago.

 

It works as our fundraiser does in that 20% of all food orders on that day
will be donated to aCB MC. One no longer needs to bring a flyer in order to
take part in fundraising events at Beggars. Simply tell the host that you
are their to support theACB MC.

 

The aCB MC has strongly supported our fundraisers for the ChicagoChapter at
Beggars for a number of years now. Let us do our part inassisting aCB MC.
This fundraiser represents one more opportunity to come together and have
fun.

 

Hope to see many of you in the Chicago Chapter on July 31. 

 

David Meyer, NFB of Illinois

Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine

Chicago Chapter President

 



From marylougrunwald at gmail.com  Mon Jul 22 13:43:45 2019
From: marylougrunwald at gmail.com (Mary lou Grunwald)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 08:43:45 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] ACB MC fundraiser july 31
In-Reply-To: <000a01d54089$030564c0$09102e40$@sbcglobal.net>
References: <000a01d54089$030564c0$09102e40$@sbcglobal.net>
Message-ID: <41F7FC96-9B0E-4317-81E7-B6546C676536@gmail.com>

I intend to be there.

Sent from my iPad

> On 22 Jul 2019, at 7:28 AM, David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> 
> 
> Ready for some Beggars Pizza? The American Council of the Blind Metro
> Chicago Chapter will be having a fundraiser on July 31 at Beggars Pizza, 310
> South Clinton, Chicago.
> 
> 
> 
> It works as our fundraiser does in that 20% of all food orders on that day
> will be donated to aCB MC. One no longer needs to bring a flyer in order to
> take part in fundraising events at Beggars. Simply tell the host that you
> are their to support theACB MC.
> 
> 
> 
> The aCB MC has strongly supported our fundraisers for the ChicagoChapter at
> Beggars for a number of years now. Let us do our part inassisting aCB MC.
> This fundraiser represents one more opportunity to come together and have
> fun.
> 
> 
> 
> Hope to see many of you in the Chicago Chapter on July 31. 
> 
> 
> 
> David Meyer, NFB of Illinois
> 
> Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine
> 
> Chicago Chapter President
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/marylougrunwald%40gmail.com



From mnowicki4 at iCloud.com  Mon Jul 22 14:17:02 2019
From: mnowicki4 at iCloud.com (Michal Nowicki)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 09:17:02 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] ACB MC fundraiser july 31
In-Reply-To: <41F7FC96-9B0E-4317-81E7-B6546C676536@gmail.com>
References: <000a01d54089$030564c0$09102e40$@sbcglobal.net>
	<41F7FC96-9B0E-4317-81E7-B6546C676536@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <mailman.68.1593444447.13590.il-talk_nfbnet.org@nfbnet.org>

I plan to be there too.

Michal

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Mary lou Grunwald via IL-Talk
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2019 8:45 AM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List
Cc: Mary lou Grunwald
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] ACB MC fundraiser july 31

I intend to be there.

Sent from my iPad

> On 22 Jul 2019, at 7:28 AM, David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> 
> 
> Ready for some Beggars Pizza? The American Council of the Blind Metro
> Chicago Chapter will be having a fundraiser on July 31 at Beggars Pizza, 310
> South Clinton, Chicago.
> 
> 
> 
> It works as our fundraiser does in that 20% of all food orders on that day
> will be donated to aCB MC. One no longer needs to bring a flyer in order to
> take part in fundraising events at Beggars. Simply tell the host that you
> are their to support theACB MC.
> 
> 
> 
> The aCB MC has strongly supported our fundraisers for the ChicagoChapter at
> Beggars for a number of years now. Let us do our part inassisting aCB MC.
> This fundraiser represents one more opportunity to come together and have
> fun.
> 
> 
> 
> Hope to see many of you in the Chicago Chapter on July 31. 
> 
> 
> 
> David Meyer, NFB of Illinois
> 
> Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine
> 
> Chicago Chapter President
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/marylougrunwald%40gmail.com

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40icloud.com



From datemeyer at sbcglobal.net  Mon Jul 22 17:58:04 2019
From: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net (David Meyer)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 12:58:04 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] last call for picnic
Message-ID: <001201d540b7$033a1a70$09ae4f50$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

 

If you wish to attend the summer picnic at St. Andrews Greek Orthodox
Church, you have today and tomorrow to make your reservations. The caterer
needs to pick up and prepare supplies. He will begin these tasks on
Wednesday. Remember that the cost for the picnic is $10 per person. Please
give your money to Steve Hastalis at the picnic if you hav not paid him
already. Finally, if you wish to make reservations, please call steve at
773-848-5307 or e-mail him at steve.hastalis at gmail.com.

 

 

 

David Meyer, NFB of Illinois

Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine

Chicago Chapter President

 



From hansen.robert70 at gmail.com  Tue Jul 23 04:58:07 2019
From: hansen.robert70 at gmail.com (Robert Hansen)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 23:58:07 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] ACB MC fundraiser july 31
In-Reply-To: <000a01d54089$030564c0$09102e40$@sbcglobal.net>
References: <000a01d54089$030564c0$09102e40$@sbcglobal.net>
Message-ID: <CAEBckdSteEXoqnFMqzp5EwASJmLzQwcC+mNd8c8TJfhLpC6CWA@mail.gmail.com>

And it's just a good excuse to have another slice or two of that favorite
piece of pizza you like. Yum yum yum!

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen

On Mon, Jul 22, 2019, 7:33 AM David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
>
>
> Ready for some Beggars Pizza? The American Council of the Blind Metro
> Chicago Chapter will be having a fundraiser on July 31 at Beggars Pizza,
> 310
> South Clinton, Chicago.
>
>
>
> It works as our fundraiser does in that 20% of all food orders on that day
> will be donated to aCB MC. One no longer needs to bring a flyer in order to
> take part in fundraising events at Beggars. Simply tell the host that you
> are their to support theACB MC.
>
>
>
> The aCB MC has strongly supported our fundraisers for the ChicagoChapter at
> Beggars for a number of years now. Let us do our part inassisting aCB MC.
> This fundraiser represents one more opportunity to come together and have
> fun.
>
>
>
> Hope to see many of you in the Chicago Chapter on July 31.
>
>
>
> David Meyer, NFB of Illinois
>
> Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine
>
> Chicago Chapter President
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/hansen.robert70%40gmail.com
>


From davant1958 at gmail.com  Tue Jul 23 11:02:18 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 06:02:18 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Upcoming Guide Dog meeting
Message-ID: <028901d54146$186731f0$493595d0$@gmail.com>

Hello all,

Please see this important message from Pam Berman regarding the next Guide
Dog Users Group meeting. 

Someone from NFBI should attend.

Thank you.

 

 

 

The quarterly Guide Dog group is taking it on the road! We'll be meeting
Tuesday, August 13, from 5:30pm to 7pm at Access Living (115 W. Chicago
Ave., 2nd floor conference room). 

Bring your ideas & guides as we plan for what's ahead for our group. Can you
think of a creative name for us? How about some new guest speakers? Or some
advocacy work for us to dig our paws into?! 

Everyone is welcome regardless of what school your dog is from, or even if
you're just considering the guide dog lifestyle!

Thank You to BSA for hosting us for the past 6.5 years! It's time for us to
explore new territory now...see you at Access Living on 8/13/19!  

 

To RSVP reply to this email or call Pam Berman 773-671-6624. 

Sincerely,

Pam Berman & Gumbo 

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From rgardner4 at gmail.com  Wed Jul 24 20:53:22 2019
From: rgardner4 at gmail.com (rgardner4 at gmail.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 15:53:22 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: [NFBMN-News] SSB Job Opening: Rehabilitation Teacher
In-Reply-To: <06dc01d540fb$6c90b710$45b22530$@nfbmn.org>
References: <DM5PR09MB375213E314CB8C18ABE20F44C5C40@DM5PR09MB3752.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>	<DM5PR09MB1385A088F955EA2C25C4D5B0ECC40@DM5PR09MB1385.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>
	<06dc01d540fb$6c90b710$45b22530$@nfbmn.org>
Message-ID: <006a01d54261$d53f1600$7fbd4200$@gmail.com>

FYI. Interested in moving to the Twin Cities? 

 

 

From: NFBMN-News <nfbmn-news-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of NFBMN
President via NFBMN-News
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2019 9:08 PM
To: nfbmn-news at nfbnet.org
Subject: [NFBMN-News] SSB Job Opening: Rehabilitation Teacher

 

From: Hulet, John (DEED) 
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2019 6:32 AM
To: #DEED_SSB-AllStaff <SSB-AllStaff.DEED at state.mn.us
<mailto:SSB-AllStaff.DEED at state.mn.us> >
Subject: SSB Job Opening: Rehabilitation Teacher 

 

Good Morning. 

 

SSB is seeking an energetic and passionate self-starter to join its team as
a  Rehabilitation Teacher in its St. Paul Office. 

 

Job ID  34139

 

This posting will close at midnight on 7/29/2019. More information can be
found at https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/. 

 

Please help us in our recruitment efforts by sharing this information.   

 

Thank you.

 

 

John Hulet | Director | Business Enterprises Program
State Services for the Blind - Department of Employment and Economic
Development 
2200 University Avenue West, Suite #240, St. Paul MN 55114
Direct: 651-539-2284; Cell: 612-384-7460

 <http://mn.gov/deed> Web |
<https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.co
m%2Fmndeed&data=02%7C01%7Cdavid.b.andrews%40state.mn.us%7C42c582056bb1449a8e
fd08d70e9825c6%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C6369939194767486
50&sdata=QSCx28gBRCZEgMR%2BehLytRXLhdvdwzOXZLmJqpwURqE%3D&reserved=0>
Twitter |
<https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffacebook.c
om%2Fmndeed&data=02%7C01%7Cdavid.b.andrews%40state.mn.us%7C42c582056bb1449a8
efd08d70e9825c6%7Ceb14b04624c445198f26b89c2159828c%7C0%7C0%7C636993919476758
663&sdata=1hiiQrdnn9yzML2Cftf6LYmEF9TKJvlvPoKp3kNXB1c%3D&reserved=0>
Facebook



 

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From rgardner4 at gmail.com  Wed Jul 24 21:30:18 2019
From: rgardner4 at gmail.com (rgardner4 at gmail.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:30:18 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Games Day
Message-ID: <007b01d54266$fee4c2c0$fcae4840$@gmail.com>

Please join us, the NFBI Blackhawk Chapter, at our social event for July on
Saturday, the 27th. The meeting is open to everyone, and starts at 1 PM. We
will meet at the Hope Creek Care Center at 4343Kennedy Drive, East Moline,
IL. 

 

"Games Day" features us coming together and playing a variety of accessible
games. Everyone is encouraged to bring any game they like, and think is
appropriate. Also, bringing snacks, drinks, and paper products to share
would be appreciated.

 

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact the chapter president, Patrick Olson, at 309-592-1313. 

 

 



From rgardner4 at gmail.com  Wed Jul 24 21:35:36 2019
From: rgardner4 at gmail.com (rgardner4 at gmail.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:35:36 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: [NFB-Seniors] Free Money Readers - Curtesy of the USA
 Government
In-Reply-To: <006e01d540ae$a14357d0$e3ca0770$@gmail.com>
References: <006e01d540ae$a14357d0$e3ca0770$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <008601d54267$bb6300b0$32290210$@gmail.com>

FYI


-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Seniors <nfb-seniors-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Robert
Leslie Newman via NFB-Seniors
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2019 11:58 AM
To: 0senior division listserv <nebraska-senior-blind at nfbnet.org>; NFB Senior
Division list <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Robert Leslie Newman <robertleslienewman at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFB-Seniors] Free Money Readers - Curtesy of the USA Government

Hi You All

RE: Free money reader apps for your phone, and the iBill, a free device that
you can hold in your hand

 

I know many of us already have one or both of these options going for us.
But. some do not! Here is the information that came from the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing,  where I visited them in the exhibit hall at
convention:  

 

#1 Attached is a fillable application for the free currency identifier
(iBill), as our nationwide network of Talking Book library's  no longer
distributes the iBill for our government.  

 

#2 Below are specifics on the downloadable apps for both the iPhone and
Android systems.

 

APPLE: EyeNote - is a free mobile app which runs on iOS devices and can be
downloaded from the App Store.  

 

ANDROID: The IDEAL Currency Identifier is free, and works on Android phones
and is available on Google Play. 

 

 

Respectfully yours,

Robert Leslie Newman

NFBN Senior Division, President

Second Vice President, NFB Seniors Division

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From moonriver at mchsi.com  Wed Jul 24 23:28:40 2019
From: moonriver at mchsi.com (moonriver at mchsi.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 19:28:40 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Games Day
In-Reply-To: <007b01d54266$fee4c2c0$fcae4840$@gmail.com>
References: <007b01d54266$fee4c2c0$fcae4840$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <1186925549.77602216.1564010920490.JavaMail.zimbra@mchsi.com>

I'm sending paper products and krispie treats to Patrick.  
Pat Olson

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Gardner via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: rgardner4 at gmail.com, il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 17:30:18 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Games Day

Please join us, the NFBI Blackhawk Chapter, at our social event for July on
Saturday, the 27th. The meeting is open to everyone, and starts at 1 PM. We
will meet at the Hope Creek Care Center at 4343Kennedy Drive, East Moline,
IL. 

 

"Games Day" features us coming together and playing a variety of accessible
games. Everyone is encouraged to bring any game they like, and think is
appropriate. Also, bringing snacks, drinks, and paper products to share
would be appreciated.

 

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact the chapter president, Patrick Olson, at 309-592-1313. 

 

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/moonriver%40mchsi.com




From davant1958 at gmail.com  Thu Jul 25 12:58:14 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2019 07:58:14 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Games Day
In-Reply-To: <1186925549.77602216.1564010920490.JavaMail.zimbra@mchsi.com>
References: <007b01d54266$fee4c2c0$fcae4840$@gmail.com>
	<1186925549.77602216.1564010920490.JavaMail.zimbra@mchsi.com>
Message-ID: <007201d542e8$9fca2a50$df5e7ef0$@gmail.com>

Pat,
I hope Patrick is getting better.


Denise R. Avant, Esq.
President,
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-991-8050
Live the life you want.

For more information about NFBI,
Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Pat Olson via
IL-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2019 6:29 PM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: moonriver at mchsi.com; dono at mchsi.com
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Games Day

I'm sending paper products and krispie treats to Patrick.  
Pat Olson

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Gardner via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: rgardner4 at gmail.com, il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wed, 24 Jul 2019 17:30:18 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [IL-Talk] NFBI Blackhawk Chapter Games Day

Please join us, the NFBI Blackhawk Chapter, at our social event for July on
Saturday, the 27th. The meeting is open to everyone, and starts at 1 PM. We
will meet at the Hope Creek Care Center at 4343Kennedy Drive, East Moline,
IL. 

 

"Games Day" features us coming together and playing a variety of accessible
games. Everyone is encouraged to bring any game they like, and think is
appropriate. Also, bringing snacks, drinks, and paper products to share
would be appreciated.

 

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact the chapter president, Patrick Olson, at 309-592-1313. 

 

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/moonriver%40mchsi.com


_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/davant1958%40gmail.com




From davant1958 at gmail.com  Thu Jul 25 13:32:52 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2019 08:32:52 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations
In-Reply-To: <CAOQRLb_tpopCDm8d36aO0L32pPqcALfXZxEE_+KrVLLuMbuVRg@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb_tpopCDm8d36aO0L32pPqcALfXZxEE_+KrVLLuMbuVRg@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <011101d542ed$7648e9f0$62dabdd0$@gmail.com>

Hello all,
The audible pedestrian signals will certainly enhance our travel skills as
they are installed and we travel throughout the city. But we of course must
use our travel skills.
There is a audible pedestrian signal just outside of my home as you cross
Lake Shore Drive, which has not only inner lsd traffic but also outer lsd
traffic. So, the audible traffic signal definitely helped. Recently, the
signal for LSD stopped working. I have reported this to MOPD as of Tuesday.
I don't know how long it will take the signal to be fixed. 
The point is there is no substitute for good travel skills.



Denise R. Avant, Esq.
President,
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-991-8050
Live the life you want.

For more information about NFBI,
Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce via
IL-Talk
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2019 9:26 PM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations

Pasted below is the list of proposed locations for accessible pedestrian
signals in Chicago.  A list of currently installed locations can be found
at:

TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS

The locations are listed in rank order with the ones with the lower numbers
being installed first.  Higher numbers will be installed later, depending on
funding.  If anyone disagrees with the order of priority or the locations
themselves and believes other locations should be included and others
removed, please write to the city with feedback and your rationale.
Feedback is welcome and will be thoroughly considered.  The e-mail address
for feedback is:

CDotAPS at CityOfChicago.org

The deadline for feedback is August 1, which is when engineering will begin
for the initial locations.

Kelly



ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS (APS) PILOT PROJECT PROPOSED APS LOCATIONS
JULY 18, 2019 APS Locations Expected to be Installed
1.	Ashland and Roosevelt
2.	Canal and Madison
3.	Canal and Washington
4.	Cicero and Archer
5.	Cicero, Milwaukee and Irving Park
6.	Clinton and Washington
7.	Damen and Roosevelt
8.	Halsted, Broadway and Grace
9.	Halsted, Lincoln and Fullerton
10.	Kimball and Belmont
11.	LaSalle and Washington
12.	Michigan and Congress
13.	Michigan and Jackson
14.	Michigan and Lake
15.	Michigan and Randolph
16.	Michigan and Washington
17.	Oakley, Ogden and Roosevelt
18.	Paulina and Roosevelt
19.	Sheridan and Arthur
20.	Sheridan, Broadway and Devon
21.	State and Congress
22.	Stony Island and 89th
23.	Stony Island, South Chicago and 79th
24.	Wabash and Roosevelt
25.	Wabash and Wacker Place

APS Locations Likely to be Installed
26.	420 West Randolph (at Riverside Plaza)
27.	420 West Madison (at Riverside Plaza)
28.	432 West Washington (at Riverside Plaza)
29.	Ashland and Flourney
30.	Ashland and Polk
31.	Ashland and Taylor
32.	Ashland, Clark and Devon
33.	Ashland, Lincoln and Belmont
34.	Clinton and Madison
35.	Clinton and Randolph
36.	Glenwood and Devon
37.	LaSalle and Lake
38.	Michigan and Madison
39.	Michigan and Roosevelt
40.	Natchez and Irving Park
41.	Ogden and Polk
42.	Pine Grove and Diversey
43.	Racine and Harrison
44.	State and Washington
45.	Wabash and Adams
46.	Wabash and Monroe
47.	Wabash and Randolph
48.	Wabash and Washington
49.	Wacker and Madison
50.	Wacker and Washington

APS Locations to be Installed Depending on Funding
51.	410 West Lake (at Riverside Plaza)
52.	432 West Jackson (at Riverside Plaza)
53.	Broadway, Clark and Diversey
54.	Canal and Randolph
55.	Central and Archer
56.	Clinton and Jackson
57.	Michigan, Wacker Place and South Water
58.	Narragansett and Berteau
59.	Sheridan and Albion
60.	State and Van Buren
61.	Wabash and Lake
62.	Wacker and Adams
63.	Western and Roosevelt
64.	Western, Elston and Diversey
65.	Wood and Polk

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/davant1958%40gmail.com




From lhamric930 at comcast.net  Thu Jul 25 14:12:07 2019
From: lhamric930 at comcast.net (Leslie Hamric)
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2019 09:12:07 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations
In-Reply-To: <011101d542ed$7648e9f0$62dabdd0$@gmail.com>
References: <CAOQRLb_tpopCDm8d36aO0L32pPqcALfXZxEE_+KrVLLuMbuVRg@mail.gmail.com>
	<011101d542ed$7648e9f0$62dabdd0$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <149CC972-BC13-4E58-B32A-3961CE060540@comcast.net>

Yes, having good orientation mobility skills and the must no matter what technology is present.
Leslie 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 25, 2019, at 8:32 AM, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello all,
> The audible pedestrian signals will certainly enhance our travel skills as
> they are installed and we travel throughout the city. But we of course must
> use our travel skills.
> There is a audible pedestrian signal just outside of my home as you cross
> Lake Shore Drive, which has not only inner lsd traffic but also outer lsd
> traffic. So, the audible traffic signal definitely helped. Recently, the
> signal for LSD stopped working. I have reported this to MOPD as of Tuesday.
> I don't know how long it will take the signal to be fixed. 
> The point is there is no substitute for good travel skills.
> 
> 
> 
> Denise R. Avant, Esq.
> President,
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> 773-991-8050
> Live the life you want.
> 
> For more information about NFBI,
> Go to www.nfbofillinois.org
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce via
> IL-Talk
> Sent: Friday, July 19, 2019 9:26 PM
> To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
> Subject: [IL-Talk] List of Proposed Chicago APS Locations
> 
> Pasted below is the list of proposed locations for accessible pedestrian
> signals in Chicago.  A list of currently installed locations can be found
> at:
> 
> TinyURL.com/ChicagoAPS
> 
> The locations are listed in rank order with the ones with the lower numbers
> being installed first.  Higher numbers will be installed later, depending on
> funding.  If anyone disagrees with the order of priority or the locations
> themselves and believes other locations should be included and others
> removed, please write to the city with feedback and your rationale.
> Feedback is welcome and will be thoroughly considered.  The e-mail address
> for feedback is:
> 
> CDotAPS at CityOfChicago.org
> 
> The deadline for feedback is August 1, which is when engineering will begin
> for the initial locations.
> 
> Kelly
> 
> 
> 
> ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS (APS) PILOT PROJECT PROPOSED APS LOCATIONS
> JULY 18, 2019 APS Locations Expected to be Installed
> 1.    Ashland and Roosevelt
> 2.    Canal and Madison
> 3.    Canal and Washington
> 4.    Cicero and Archer
> 5.    Cicero, Milwaukee and Irving Park
> 6.    Clinton and Washington
> 7.    Damen and Roosevelt
> 8.    Halsted, Broadway and Grace
> 9.    Halsted, Lincoln and Fullerton
> 10.    Kimball and Belmont
> 11.    LaSalle and Washington
> 12.    Michigan and Congress
> 13.    Michigan and Jackson
> 14.    Michigan and Lake
> 15.    Michigan and Randolph
> 16.    Michigan and Washington
> 17.    Oakley, Ogden and Roosevelt
> 18.    Paulina and Roosevelt
> 19.    Sheridan and Arthur
> 20.    Sheridan, Broadway and Devon
> 21.    State and Congress
> 22.    Stony Island and 89th
> 23.    Stony Island, South Chicago and 79th
> 24.    Wabash and Roosevelt
> 25.    Wabash and Wacker Place
> 
> APS Locations Likely to be Installed
> 26.    420 West Randolph (at Riverside Plaza)
> 27.    420 West Madison (at Riverside Plaza)
> 28.    432 West Washington (at Riverside Plaza)
> 29.    Ashland and Flourney
> 30.    Ashland and Polk
> 31.    Ashland and Taylor
> 32.    Ashland, Clark and Devon
> 33.    Ashland, Lincoln and Belmont
> 34.    Clinton and Madison
> 35.    Clinton and Randolph
> 36.    Glenwood and Devon
> 37.    LaSalle and Lake
> 38.    Michigan and Madison
> 39.    Michigan and Roosevelt
> 40.    Natchez and Irving Park
> 41.    Ogden and Polk
> 42.    Pine Grove and Diversey
> 43.    Racine and Harrison
> 44.    State and Washington
> 45.    Wabash and Adams
> 46.    Wabash and Monroe
> 47.    Wabash and Randolph
> 48.    Wabash and Washington
> 49.    Wacker and Madison
> 50.    Wacker and Washington
> 
> APS Locations to be Installed Depending on Funding
> 51.    410 West Lake (at Riverside Plaza)
> 52.    432 West Jackson (at Riverside Plaza)
> 53.    Broadway, Clark and Diversey
> 54.    Canal and Randolph
> 55.    Central and Archer
> 56.    Clinton and Jackson
> 57.    Michigan, Wacker Place and South Water
> 58.    Narragansett and Berteau
> 59.    Sheridan and Albion
> 60.    State and Van Buren
> 61.    Wabash and Lake
> 62.    Wacker and Adams
> 63.    Western and Roosevelt
> 64.    Western, Elston and Diversey
> 65.    Wood and Polk
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/davant1958%40gmail.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/lhamric930%40comcast.net




From derek2872 at gmail.com  Fri Jul 26 20:39:17 2019
From: derek2872 at gmail.com (Jemal Powell)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 15:39:17 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Here's an article which I think would be of interest to
 this list.
Message-ID: <CACMASsz_9-ifO1Whuo+E1DNzJ_4K6rzCdbBdMozj6NZ=mf-dQw@mail.gmail.com>


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From davant1958 at gmail.com  Fri Jul 26 23:03:48 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 18:03:48 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Celebrating the Americans With Disabilities Act
Message-ID: <025301d54406$62cf4120$286dc360$@gmail.com>

Hello all,

I had the honor of meeting Mayor Laurie Lightfoot during a celebration
commemorating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mayor
Lightfoot came to the Chicago Lighthouse to celebrate the ADA and to promote
the implementation of the audible pedestrian traffic signals taking place
across Chicago over the next two years. Commissioner Tamley invited members
of various stakeholder groups to join in the celebration. I received my
invitation yesterday afternoon. I certainly appreciate Commissioner Tamley's
invitation to be present at this event. It was wonderful to shake hands with
the mayor of Chicago. I am told that my picture has been on the news, as
Mayor Lightfoot was speaking.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From dkent5817 at att.net  Fri Jul 26 23:10:18 2019
From: dkent5817 at att.net (Deborah Kent Stein)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 23:10:18 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [IL-Talk] Celebrating the Americans With Disabilities Act
In-Reply-To: <025301d54406$62cf4120$286dc360$@gmail.com>
References: <025301d54406$62cf4120$286dc360$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <864904279.2128939.1564182618497@mail.yahoo.com>

Congratulations! What a memorable moment that must have been! It?s heartening that the mayor is showing an interest in disability issues.


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone


On Friday, July 26, 2019, 6:03 PM, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

Hello all,

I had the honor of meeting Mayor Laurie Lightfoot during a celebration
commemorating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mayor
Lightfoot came to the Chicago Lighthouse to celebrate the ADA and to promote
the implementation of the audible pedestrian traffic signals taking place
across Chicago over the next two years. Commissioner Tamley invited members
of various stakeholder groups to join in the celebration. I received my
invitation yesterday afternoon. I certainly appreciate Commissioner Tamley's
invitation to be present at this event. It was wonderful to shake hands with
the mayor of Chicago. I am told that my picture has been on the news, as
Mayor Lightfoot was speaking.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/dkent5817%40att.net





From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Fri Jul 26 23:26:46 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 18:26:46 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Celebrating the Americans With Disabilities Act
In-Reply-To: <025301d54406$62cf4120$286dc360$@gmail.com>
References: <025301d54406$62cf4120$286dc360$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <000001d54409$98476d70$c8d64850$@sbcglobal.net>

Congrat's Denise!  It is great to see the Mayor taking an interest in
Blindness issues!   and wonderful that you were able to meet and shake hands
with her.
Happy Anniversary A D A too!
Sincerely,
Linda
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Denise Avant via
IL-Talk
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2019 6:04 PM
To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>; 'Illinois
Association of Blind Students List' <iabs-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: davant1958 at gmail.com
Subject: [IL-Talk] Celebrating the Americans With Disabilities Act

Hello all,

I had the honor of meeting Mayor Laurie Lightfoot during a celebration
commemorating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mayor
Lightfoot came to the Chicago Lighthouse to celebrate the ADA and to promote
the implementation of the audible pedestrian traffic signals taking place
across Chicago over the next two years. Commissioner Tamley invited members
of various stakeholder groups to join in the celebration. I received my
invitation yesterday afternoon. I certainly appreciate Commissioner Tamley's
invitation to be present at this event. It was wonderful to shake hands with
the mayor of Chicago. I am told that my picture has been on the news, as
Mayor Lightfoot was speaking.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 

_______________________________________________
IL-Talk mailing list
IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IL-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/iwannacu2%40sbcglobal.n
et




From lhamric930 at comcast.net  Sat Jul 27 04:38:45 2019
From: lhamric930 at comcast.net (Leslie Hamric)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2019 23:38:45 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Celebrating the Americans With Disabilities Act
Message-ID: <mailman.69.1593444448.13590.il-talk_nfbnet.org@nfbnet.org>

Great. Congrats!
Leslie
On Jul 26, 2019 6:03 PM, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Hello all, 
>
> I had the honor of meeting Mayor Laurie Lightfoot during a celebration 
> commemorating the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mayor 
> Lightfoot came to the Chicago Lighthouse to celebrate the ADA and to promote 
> the implementation of the audible pedestrian traffic signals taking place 
> across Chicago over the next two years. Commissioner Tamley invited members 
> of various stakeholder groups to join in the celebration. I received my 
> invitation yesterday afternoon. I certainly appreciate Commissioner Tamley's 
> invitation to be present at this event. It was wonderful to shake hands with 
> the mayor of Chicago. I am told that my picture has been on the news, as 
> Mayor Lightfoot was speaking. 
>
>
>
>
>
> Denise R. Avant, Esq. 
>
> President, 
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois 
>
> 773-991-8050 
>
> Live the life you want. 
>
>
>
> For more information about NFBI, 
>
> Go to www.nfbofillinois.org 
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________ 
> IL-Talk mailing list 
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org 
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk: 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/lhamric930%40comcast.net 

From iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net  Sat Jul 27 16:15:39 2019
From: iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net (iwannacu2 at sbcglobal.net)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2019 11:15:39 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] LIFE Group Braille Reading.  Sunday.  July, 28th.
Message-ID: <000301d54496$88da9ff0$9a8fdfd0$@sbcglobal.net>

Hello everyone,

We will continue reading in our book.  Tomorrow.  Sun, July, 28th.

Time is at 5.  We will start on page 301.  Please call 605-313-4819.  Code
5433.

Hope to see you there.

Linda



From rgardner4 at gmail.com  Sat Jul 27 16:21:13 2019
From: rgardner4 at gmail.com (rgardner4 at gmail.com)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2019 11:21:13 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: [NFBMN-News] The CW / Casting Visually Impaired Male
In-Reply-To: <00e501d54345$66b65f10$34231d30$@nfbmn.org>
References: <Fyxccow9Qc-qbQEbHgs1fg@ismtpd0010p1iad1.sendgrid.net>	<CAHg2fxQ0pWbUxy8QW=QN6SQv=tkPHxDSdkMtDzom6L5R_Kth5g@mail.gmail.com>	<CAMgshFHgZyOAXf4ncgnh5=goVo23u_U2d1Hnrg8FQJhQ0GFoMw@mail.gmail.com>	<5d35d4af.1c69fb81.adf9f.0c54SMTPIN_ADDED_MISSING@mx.google.com>
	<00e501d54345$66b65f10$34231d30$@nfbmn.org>
Message-ID: <002c01d54497$4f4c2b40$ede481c0$@gmail.com>

FYI

 

From: NFBMN-News <nfbmn-news-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of NFBMN President via NFBMN-News
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2019 7:02 PM
To: nfbmn-news at nfbnet.org
Subject: [NFBMN-News] The CW / Casting Visually Impaired Male

 

Fellow federationists,

Some of you may find this interesting.



Name: Jason Crow
Email Address: jason.stcasting at gmail.com <mailto:jason.stcasting at gmail.com> 

Hello! I hope all is going well. I?m reaching out to ask for your assistance in casting a new role on a television series for The CW Network and CBS Studios. We are searching for talent that is VISUALLY IMPAIRED. Please pass this email and information to members, alumni, associates, students, etc...you think might be right or interested. I would be incredibly grateful if you would post the notice on any message board, Facebook, Instagram, email blast etc... Do let us know if anyone comes to mind that you feel we should audition. PLEASE help us discover a new actor! We are OPEN TO NEW TALENT from ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! TELEVISION SERIES CASTING VISUALLY IMPAIRED MALE for ?IN THE DARK? Role of JOSH: MALE, 20s to early 30s. Charismatic, Cute. We are searching for an actor who is Visually Impaired -- this to include LOW VISION (degenerating vision), LEGALLY BLIND or Totally BLIND. Josh is smart, confident and unbothered by nonsense. Chatting with him is like dancing double time. You gotta keep up. It?s not easy for Josh when he learns that his sight is slowly degenerating, but with his vibrant life of the mind, Josh may struggle, but he isn?t gonna be victimized by his diagnosis?LARGE RECURRING GUEST STAR. First episode for this role shoots 9/11 ? 9/20 in Toronto, Canada (may work up to 5 episodes). TO AUDITION and/or ask QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL: team at inthedarkcasting.com <mailto:team at inthedarkcasting.com>  WE?LL REPLY with answers, audition scene & info for submitting a self-tape for ?JOSH? NOTES: You DO NOT have to be a member of the union to be considered We are OPEN TO NEW TALENT There is NEVER A COST TO SUBMIT AN AUDITION FOR A LEGITIMATE CASTING Auditions remain private, viewed only by casting directors, producers, studio & network ?In The Dark? airs on The CW, Season 1 is available on The CW app & is streaming on Netflix Casting from July 8 to July 28, 2019 PROJECT DETAILS: ?IN THE DARK? (Role of JOSH), 1-hour Episodic Drama Network: The CW Studio: CBS Studios Production Company: Red Hour Films PAY: SAG-AFTRA Union Rates (includes transportation, flight, hotel, per diem) LOCATION: Toronto, Canada DATES: Josh?s First Episode Shoots: 9/11 ? 9/20 (may shoot up to five episodes) Filming of Season 2 spans August 2019 to January 2020 Exec Prods: Corinne Kingsbury, Ben Stiller, Nicky Weinstock, Jackie Cohn, Michael Showalter, Brian Dannelly Casting: Barbara Stordahl CSA, Angela Terry CSA, Jason Crow (Associate) Word of mouth is everything! PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!! Many Thanks, Jason Crow

 

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From debbiepittman99 at gmail.com  Sat Jul 27 18:54:25 2019
From: debbiepittman99 at gmail.com (Debbie Pittman)
Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2019 13:54:25 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] LIFE Group Braille Reading.  Sunday.  July, 28th.
In-Reply-To: <000301d54496$88da9ff0$9a8fdfd0$@sbcglobal.net>
References: <000301d54496$88da9ff0$9a8fdfd0$@sbcglobal.net>
Message-ID: <1CCD8DA7-FA0D-4D72-A7AB-592376A7F831@gmail.com>

See you there Linda.  For those who have not read it, it?s a good book despite its slow start.


Debbie P.









Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 27, 2019, at 11:15 AM, iwannacu2--- via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> We will continue reading in our book.  Tomorrow.  Sun, July, 28th.
> 
> Time is at 5.  We will start on page 301.  Please call 605-313-4819.  Code
> 5433.
> 
> Hope to see you there.
> 
> Linda
> 
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for IL-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/debbiepittman99%40gmail.com



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Mon Jul 29 14:25:43 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 09:25:43 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Reports for national Convention
Message-ID: <00c401d54619$81aa3540$84fe9fc0$@gmail.com>

Hello everyone,

If you attended the NFB convention, and have reports to submit to the board
for our upcoming face-to-face board meeting, August 17 at 10:00 Est, please
submit them to me so I can send them in advance to the board. Thanks for all
you do.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From davant1958 at gmail.com  Mon Jul 29 14:33:03 2019
From: davant1958 at gmail.com (davant1958 at gmail.com)
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 09:33:03 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] Face-to-Face NFBI board meeting, August 17, 2019
Message-ID: <00cd01d5461a$8859acd0$990d0670$@gmail.com>

Hello everyone,

The face-to-face board meeting will be held on August 17, 2019 at 10:00 am
EST to 3:30 Est. Many of our board members will be visiting our national
center in Baltimore from August 15-18. But we will still have our board
meeting that Saturday, August 17, 2019. You can join the meeting by calling
605-313-4819, and the Code is 6324. 

An agenda will follow in the upcoming weeks. 

If there is something you wish to have added to the agenda, please send it
to me by August 5. Thank you.

 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.

President,

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-991-8050

Live the life you want.

 

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

 



From pattischang at gmail.com  Mon Jul 29 19:26:39 2019
From: pattischang at gmail.com (Patti S Chang)
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 14:26:39 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] [IABS-Talk] Face-to-Face NFBI board meeting, August 17,
 2019
Message-ID: <003801d54643$8c63edd0$a52bc970$@gmail.com>

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From webmaster at nfbofillinois.org  Mon Jul 29 20:34:26 2019
From: webmaster at nfbofillinois.org (webmaster at nfbofillinois.org)
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 16:34:26 -0400
Subject: [IL-Talk] [IABS-Talk] Face-to-Face NFBI board meeting, August 17,
 2019
Message-ID: <02a901d5464d$04517110$0cf45330$@nfbofillinois.org>

I have a prior commitment that day, so I am unavailable to dial in. Let me
know if there is anything I should be aware of in regards to the website.

-----Original Appointment-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Patti S Chang
via IL-Talk
Sent: Monday, July 29, 2019 3:27 PM
To: 'Illinois Association of Blind Students List'; 'NFB of Illinois Mailing
List'
Cc: Patti S Chang
Subject: [IABS-Talk] Face-to-Face NFBI board meeting, August 17, 2019
When: Saturday, August 17, 2019 10:00 AM-3:30 PM (UTC-06:00) Central Time
(US & Canada).
Where: one touch mobile 6053134819,,6324 or (605) 313-4819 code 6324



Hello everyone,

The face-to-face board meeting will be held on August 17, 2019 at 10:00 am
EST to 3:30 Est. Many of our board members will be visiting our national
center in Baltimore from August 15-18. But we will still have our board
meeting that Saturday, August 17, 2019. You can join the meeting by calling
605-313-4819, and the Code is 6324. 
An agenda will follow in the upcoming weeks. 
If there is something you wish to have added to the agenda, please send it
to me by August 5. Thank you.
 

 

Denise R. Avant, Esq.
President,
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-991-8050

Live the life you want.
 

For more information about NFBI,
Go to www.nfbofillinois.org <http://www.nfbofillinois.org> 
 

_______________________________________________
IABS-Talk mailing list
IABS-Talk at nfbnet.org <mailto:IABS-Talk at nfbnet.org> 
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/iabs-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
IABS-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/iabs-talk_nfbnet.org/pattischang%40gmail.c
om


From moonriver at mchsi.com  Mon Jul 29 21:22:15 2019
From: moonriver at mchsi.com (moonriver at mchsi.com)
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 17:22:15 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [IL-Talk] Face-to-Face NFBI board meeting, August 17, 2019
In-Reply-To: <00cd01d5461a$8859acd0$990d0670$@gmail.com>
References: <00cd01d5461a$8859acd0$990d0670$@gmail.com>
Message-ID: <1851881711.98438396.1564435335600.JavaMail.zimbra@mchsi.com>

I will not be available that day.  Sorry to miss it.   Pat Olson



From pattischang at gmail.com  Tue Jul 30 09:54:52 2019
From: pattischang at gmail.com (Patti S Chang)
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 04:54:52 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] IMPORTANT - We need BELL volunteers
Message-ID: <00de01d546bc$d611e2b0$8235a810$@gmail.com>

Dear all, 

 

We do not have enough volunteers for our Chicago BELL fieldtrips. If you can
volunteer on Thursday this week, Tuesday or Thursday next week please reach
back to me offline. You must be good with kids and have good mobility
skills. 

 

 

 

Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.

Treasurer

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

773-307-6440

Pattischang at gmail.com <mailto:Pattischang at gmail.com> 

 



From marilynvgreen at gmail.com  Tue Jul 30 16:03:39 2019
From: marilynvgreen at gmail.com (Marilyn Green)
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 11:03:39 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] At Large chapter meeting-August 4
Message-ID: <CAA1YOE1VJGqT9w9HO2H6_h-deZyJd-2wG3-EWWWqrx7H2zXb7Q@mail.gmail.com>

Hello everyone,

The next At Large chapter meeting is scheduled on Sunday, August 4 at
7pm. Call 605-313-4819, 6324 is the code. All are welcome to join us.

The agenda is as follows:

Approval of June 2019  minutes
Presidential Release-August 2019
State Report/Denise Avant
Program-White Cane Travel/Solo travel or sighted guide
Old Business
New Business/September meeting date?
Adjournment

Talk to you then?
Marilyn Green



From rgardner4 at gmail.com  Tue Jul 30 22:23:23 2019
From: rgardner4 at gmail.com (rgardner4 at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 17:23:23 -0500
Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: Please share with your network
In-Reply-To: <db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d.db85a5553a.20190730134332.e6871192db.f6d94b03@mail216.atl61.mcsv.net>
References: <db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d.db85a5553a.20190730134332.e6871192db.f6d94b03@mail216.atl61.mcsv.net>
Message-ID: <004d01d54725$66d7fa10$3487ee30$@gmail.com>

FYI

 

 

 

From: En-Vision America <sglass at envisionamerica.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2019 8:44 AM
To: rgardner4 at gmail.com
Subject: Please share with your network

 
















Have you heard?


Walmart Announces Nationwide Rollout of ScripTalk Service


 






Walmart has officially announced the nationwide rollout of ScripTalk audible prescription labels as a free service for their low vision, blind and print impaired pharmacy customers.  This expansion of services means all pharmacists and locations should now be aware of the service which will make requesting the service at any Walmart location a lot easier!!

No forms to fill out, no proof of vision loss necessary: just tell the pharmacist you have trouble reading your prescriptions and would like ScripTalk labels added.

Help Us Spread This Life-Saving News By: 

*	Emailing the links to family, friends, organizations and service groups;
*	Posting to your social media pages and encouraging your friends to share;
*	Sharing the links with your local media, encouraging them to do an article;
*	Hashtag everyone and anyone who you think will benefit from this service; and
*	Hashtag us so we can follow and share your successes!  #ScripTalk

 




Links to Share:

 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=eb97985bfa&e=db85a5553a> Walmart Press Release: Walmart and Sams Club Set Standard for Providing Accessible Prescription Labels Across US

 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=85fe772d39&e=db85a5553a> A Different Kind of Vision:  Why We're Working to Make Prescription Labels more Accessible 

 




Thank you for everything you do!!

Sharla Glass
En-Vision America
Public Policy and Community Outreach Liaison 

 


	

 


	

 


	

 



 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=3ca54dc89c&e=db85a5553a> Find Out More About ScripTalk 












 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=fef309c035&e=db85a5553a> 




 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=7b2715cdfb&e=db85a5553a> 




 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=b1631e1229&e=db85a5553a> 




 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=a253560f02&e=db85a5553a> 

 


	

 




Copyright ? 2019 En-Vision America, Inc., All rights reserved. 
You are receiving this email because you are an advocate for the elderly, low vision and/or blind. If you are no longer in this position or you wish to no longer receive information regarding assistive technology from us you can unsubscribe or change your status here. 

Our mailing address is: 

En-Vision America, Inc.

825 4th Street West

Palmetto, FL 34221


 <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/vcard?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=462b78f81a> Add us to your address book



Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can  <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/profile?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=462b78f81a&e=db85a5553a> update your preferences or  <https://envisionamerica.us3.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=db4dd6006ff4b508c6e63c45d&id=462b78f81a&e=db85a5553a&c=e6871192db> unsubscribe from this list. 



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