<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Greetings everyone.</div><div><br></div><div>I hope this email finds you all well. Most of us are parents whether is of a child or an adult. We have gone through it. We know the challenges and barrier put in our way due to our blindness. For this reason, I urge all of you who have a bit of time to read the message below and write a testimony if possible for the disabled parents bill. These testimonies are as individuals who have experiences whether are positive or negative of being parents. Let hope the current and future generation of parents of young kids with their rights. </div><div>Thank you for your time and have a fantastic Friday!</div><div><div dir="ltr"><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Stephanie Barrera Valdes</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Coordinator, <a href="https://nfbma.org/bell-academy">NFB BELL Academy of Massachusetts</a></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">President, <a href="https://nfbma.org/chapters-divisions/massachusetts-parents-blind-children">Massachusetts Parents of Blind Children</a></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">A proud division of the National Federation Of The Blind Of Massachusetts</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">781-839-0628</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">stephanie.p.valdes@gmail.com </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s2" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></p></div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Sam Fein <sfein@dpcma.org><br><b>Date:</b> May 15, 2025 at 4:27:47\u202fPM EDT<br><b>To:</b> Sam Fein <sfein@dpcma.org>, Katherine Nemens <knemens@mhlac.org>, anna@veteranslegalservices.org, Jamie Sabino <jsabino@mlri.org>, Finn Gardiner <fgardiner@autismandrace.com><br><b>Cc:</b> cspaulding5@gmail.com, Daisy <siobhan.daisyrussell@gmail.com>, jennifer.bertrand@mass.gov, Ellice Patterson <ellicepatterson@gmail.com>, president@alumni.ecu.edu, efemmeravt@yahoo.com, liz.karsok@gmail.com, esantalucia@gmail.com, nicolelomerson@brandeis.edu, remonsciu@gmail.com, Richard.Rodriguez@cityoflawrence.com, Sandy Novack <sandyanovack@gmail.com>, stacyrogershart@gmail.com, stephanie.p.valdes@gmail.com, tamara.huntley2@mass.gov, Ivy Vélez <askivyvelez@gmail.com>, suemj518@gmail.com, betsymisch@theunitedarc.org, vitacbrown@gmail.com, haiandyoume@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> <b>H.1852/S.869 Parenting Antidiscrimination Bill Update - Seeking testimony!</b><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">\ufeff
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Hello everyone,</div>
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Here is an important update regarding <b>H.1852/S.1164 - An act preventing discrimination on the basis of disability in juvenile and family court proceedings</b>. The bill was scheduled for hearing on April 22, directly following a holiday weekend, and we were
only given a few days' notice prior to the hearing date. While both Senator Joan Lovely and I testified in favor of the bill, we unfortunately did not have enough time to coordinate a larger group of community members to testify at the State House. </div>
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<b><u>Please help us present more community voices to the legislature by submitting written testimony!</u></b> It is essential that legislators hear from their constituents about how these decisions affect real people's lives. Attached to this email is the
fact sheet and guide to submit written testimony. Please reach out to me if you need more assistance, have questions, or would like feedback. Many of you submitted written testimony last session, and I have copies of that testimony if you would like to use
it as a reference point. The deadline for submitting testimony is<b> June 22.</b></div>
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If you know other community members who would be interested in submitting testimony, feel free to forward this email and attached information. Thank you all so much for your ongoing efforts and support of disabled parents' rights!</div>
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Kind regards,</div>
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Sam</div>
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Samantha Fein (she/her)</div>
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Community Organizer</div>
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Disability Policy Consortium</div>
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(617) 624-3277</div>
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25 Kingston St., 4<sup>th</sup> Floor</div>
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Boston, MA 02111</div>
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<a href="https://www.dpcma.org/" id="OWA25fde47f-8f3a-a171-c6ee-3cba9a839691" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.dpcma.org/">dpcma.org</a></div>
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