[MD-AtLarge] Congratulations to Sharon Maneki - 2023 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Winner!

[rothmanjd at gmail.com]

Federation Family,

I am delighted to share that Sharon Maneki, Immediate Past President of the
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, was awarded the Dr. Jacob
Bolotin Award on July 6, 2023.  Sharon received this very prestigious award
for her tremendous work to advance legislation to protect and advance the
civil rights of blind people in Maryland.

 

Sharon Maneki has served as the Legislative and Policy Advocacy Lead in
Maryland since 1986 and continuing to the present.  In this capacity, she
has led the NFB of Maryland's work to advocate for, draft, and get the
General Assembly to pass literally dozens of bills that improve the lives of
blind people.  She also has handled thousands of individual cases for blind
Marylanders from Social Security to employment to state benefits to
reasonable accommodations.  

 

Here are some of the legislative initiatives that she championed:

*	Maryland was the first state to pass a bill that requires all blind
students, regardless of visual acuity, to receive Orientation and Mobility
training;
*	Maryland was the first state to pass a Braille bill, which requires
all blind students to receive Braille instruction, regardless of visual
acuity;
*	Maryland was among the first states to pass a Blind Parents Bill,
which prohibits judges from considering blindness as a factor when making
custody decisions;
*	Maryland was the first state to require that all Teachers of Blind
Students be Braille certified and receive recertification every five years;
*	Maryland was the first state to pass a bill that set a standard for
Braille instruction for reading, writing, and mathematics.
*	Maryland was the first state to pass a law requiring the State
government to procure only accessible software, hardware, and platforms,
consistent with the standards in the Federal Section 508 requirements;
*	Maryland was the first state to pass a law requiring all K - 12
school districts to procure only accessible software, hardware, and
platforms, consistent with the standards in the Federal Section 508
requirements;
*	Maryland was the first state to require the inclusion of an
accessible textbook mandate for college and professional students;
*	Maryland was the first state to require the inclusion of an
accessible textbook and learning resources mandate for K - 12 students;
*	Maryland was the first state to enhance protections for guide dog
users so that retired guide dogs have the same housing protections as active
guide dogs;
*	Maryland was among the first states to pass an accessible
prescription labels bill;
*	Maryland was among the first states to make it a crime to injure or
kill a service animal;
*	Maryland was the first state to pass legislation requiring
accessible tactile markings on electric scooters as well as accessible
complaint procedures;
*	Maryland has passed literally dozens of other laws that protect our
civil rights, give us access to information, enable us to compete on terms
of equality, and undue harmful policies.  These include areas from
employment to health care, to life and health insurance, to procurement, to
access to rehabilitation services, and so much more.

 

Because of Sharon's efforts, including the guide dog housing and accessible
prescription label bills that just passed in the Maryland General Assembly
in April of 2023, the over 112,000 blind and low vision Maryland population
experiences access to information, civil rights protections, and so much
more.  Sharon's contributions have been incredible and sweeping.

 

The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards honor individuals and organizations that are a
positive force in the lives of blind people. Each year the National
Federation of the blind presents the awards at its annual convention. The
Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards are funded by the National Federation of the Blind
with assistance from the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust, which was
created by a bequest left to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the NFB by Dr.
Jacob Bolotin's niece-in-law, author Rosalind Perlman.

 

Dr. Jacob W. Bolotin (1888-1924) was the world's first physician who was
blind from birth. He achieved that goal despite the tremendous challenges
faced by blind people in his time. Not only did he realize his own dream,
but he also went on to support and inspire many others.

 

Sharon Maneki exemplifies Dr. Bolotin's vision, and her work is a true
demonstration of the initiatives and contributions this award celebrates.

 

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

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

 

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