<div dir="ltr"><div>Hello all,</div><div><br></div><div>The next meeting of the NFBMD at large chapter will be on Tuesday February 16. The National President's message begins at 7:30 followed by the meeting at 8 to 9 PM. <br></div><div><br></div><div>Anil Lewis will be our special guest speaker tomorrow so don't miss his thoughtful presentation. Remember the call in number is 339-209-4083. Don't forget to pay your dues. You can either send a check to Sharon at 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia 21045. If it is easier for you, go to <a href="http://nfbmd.org/dues">nfbmd.org/dues</a>. A Celebration of Life service will be held for Dana Diaz on Wednesday January 17 from 10:30-11:30 AM. Join the service by zoom: <br></div><div>
<p class="gmail-m_-5507838783790703372yiv0356862440msonormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://zoom.us/j/6248138327?pwd=eTZlYUgwR3ZQVVl1dXBLSHcrbml1QT09" target="_blank"><span style="color:purple">https://zoom.us/j/6248138327?pwd=eTZlYUgwR3ZQVVl1dXBLSHcrbml1QT09</span></a></p><p class="gmail-m_-5507838783790703372yiv0356862440msonormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Meeting ID: 624 813 8327</p><p class="gmail-m_-5507838783790703372yiv0356862440msonormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Passcode: 63263</p><p class="gmail-m_-5507838783790703372yiv0356862440msonormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">One tap mobile</p><p class="gmail-m_-5507838783790703372yiv0356862440msonormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><a href="tel:+13017158592,,6248138327%23" target="_blank"><span style="color:purple">+13017158592,,6248138327#</span></a> US (Washington D.C)</p>
</div><div>Read the minutes below for a reminder about our Washington and Annapolis issues. <br></div><div><br></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">NFBMD At Large Chapter Meeting Minutes for January 19, 2021 <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Presidential Release was started at 7:30 PM <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The meeting was started at 8:00 PM by Marguerite Woods,
President <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Round Robin took place, and each member announced their
favorite winter soup. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Ronza gave the following General announcements for state of Maryland.
<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Washington Seminar <span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>February 8<sup>th</sup> is The Great Gathering
In at 5 PM <span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>February 9<sup>th</sup> and 10 <span style="line-height:107%;color:black">Maryland will be
meeting with our Congressional Delegation.</span><span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The four issues being discussed this year
are:<span> </span><span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:normal;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span style="color:black">the Access Technology Affordability Act. </span><span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:normal;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span style="color:black">the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act.</span><span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height:normal;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span style="color:black">the Americans with Disabilities Voting Rights Act; and</span><span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height:107%;color:black">the 21<sup>st</sup> Century Mobile Apps and
Website Accessibility Act</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">If you have not Paid your 2021 dues, please pay them to
Sharon by sending her a check or use the dues portal found on the NFBMD
website. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">NFB and Maryland Scholarship program <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt 0in 1.5pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="line-height:107%;color:black">The National Federation of the Blind and the National Federation of the
Blind of Maryland each administer a separate scholarship programs for
post-secondary students. The deadline to apply for an NFB scholarship is
March 31, 2021, and the deadline to apply for an NFBMD Scholarship is April 15,
2021.</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt 0in 1.5pt;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="line-height:107%;color:black"> </span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Ronza spoke about the <span style="line-height:107%;color:black">allegations of sexual harassment and other
misconduct that has surfaced in the last month. She </span>gave a presentation
on consent. She spoke about the code of conduct and mentioned that all board
members will be going through training.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">A Day in Annapolis <span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>This year it will be a week because all meetings
will he held virtually. <span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>January 21<sup>st</sup> through January 28<sup>th</sup>
<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The three issues this year are:<span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 1in;line-height:normal;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="color:black">The Accountability Act for
Accessible K-12 Education</span><span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 1in;line-height:normal;background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="color:black">Desegregating voting based
on disability.</span><span><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 1in;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span style="line-height:107%;color:black">Funding Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access
(CENA) to education, commerce, and public information</span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Respectfully Submitted by Danielle Earl, Secretary <span></span></p>
</div><div><br></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><b><font size="2">Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy</font></b></div><div><font size="2">National Federation of the Blind of Maryland</font></div><div><font size="2">410-715-9596</font></div><div><font size="2"><br></font></div><div><font size="2">The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday 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.<br></font></div><div><b><font size="2"></font></b></div><div><b><font size="2"><br></font></b></div></div></div></div></div></div>