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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Fellow Federationists,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Two weeks have past since our 56<sup>th</sup> Annual State Convention, and I hope you are just as fired up as I am about where we are and where we are headed. We are the fire!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I wanted to thank each of you for your participation and contributions to making this convention the best one so far. Your energy and enthusiasm was palpable.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It takes a village to put on a convention such as ours, with all of its moving parts. Every person played a significant role, whether handling logistics, working registration, serving as a marshal, taking tickets, running a seminar, participating in a seminar, reminding colleagues and friends to mask up, performing in the play, attending the play, performing at CRAB Idol, attending Crab Idol, networking at a breakfast or luncheon, working door prizes or auction or crab race, selling candy or love notes or cell phone holders or raffle tickets or snacks, helping someone find a room, reading an agenda or menu to someone, and so on. You are the heartbeat of the Federation, and your love, energy, and enthusiasm pumped loud and proud!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In the coming weeks, we will be posting highlights of the convention on our website. Please visit <a href="https://nfbmd.org">https://nfbmd.org</a> to listen to many of the key moments of the convention. We will also be summarizing many key moments and printing the transcripts of key presentations in the Spring 2023 Braille Spectator.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We formally reorganized the Baltimore County Chapter during the convention. We are very excited to see what the chapter will do in the coming years and months. The chapter will meet at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland in Baltimore County, and I know that the chapter’s long-time President, the late Ruth Sager, would have loved this tribute to her.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We held an election at the Convention, and below please find the individuals who were elected. We are particularly grateful to Dezman Jackson for his years of service to the Board, most recently serving as Second Vice President. Dezman has cycled off the Board, but he is still very present and active as our affiliate Membership Chair and the new President of our Baltimore County Chapter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President: Ronza Othman<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>First Vice President: Debbie Brown<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Second Vice President: Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Secretary: Judy Rasmussen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Treasurer: Jenivieve White<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Board Members:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharon Maneki<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Melissa Riccobono<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mildred Rivera<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The board positions occupied by Qualik Ford, James Garret Mooney, and Marguerite Woods were not up for election this year, and those individuals remain in their positions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are grateful for your support and are working hard on your behalf to harness the fire.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you for all you do, all you bring, and all your love.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yours,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>