[MDABS] July 2022 Minute Message from the Movement
Maryland President
president at nfbmd.org
Tue Aug 2 02:33:15 UTC 2022
July 2022 Minute Message
Fellow Federationists:
We've just returned from our first in person national convention since the
pandemic began, and New Orleans didn't disappoint. We had over 60
first-time convention attendees. We are also two-thirds of the way through
our NFB BELL In Home Academy and halfway through our Maryland NFB BELL
Academy, taking place in Baltimore. The other volunteers and I have
thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our kiddos as they explore Braille,
cane travel, independent living skills, and other blindness techniques; we
all agree though that the most important benefit of the NFB BELL Academy is
the positive role models with which our students interact and form life-long
relationships.
We also just wound down our second week-long orientation and mobility
intensive training for our Narrowing the Gap participants. These teachers
are working towards receiving certification as Teachers of Blind Students.
Through a partnership between NFB, NFBMD, the Maryland State Department of
Education, and Louisiana Tech University, the Narrowing the Gap program
participants will receive tuition forgiveness in exchange for a multi-year
commitment to teach blind students in Maryland. Through this program, we
are narrowing the gap between the number and quality of teachers of blind
students we need in Maryland and the critical shortage we find we are
experiencing.
As we wind down the summer, we are as busy as ever in the Maryland
affiliate. In the coming weeks, we will host our annual Crab Feast, cohost
the NABS Mid-Atlantic Student Seminar, host the third offering of our
advocacy seminar, hold programs for our Sports and Rec Committee, Parents
Division, Student Division, Merchants Division, and Seniors Division, and
host a number of chapter outings. We are also eagerly preparing for our
56th annual state convention. Please read below for more information about
our programs and activities.
Get ready for Houston in 2023!
At the national board of directors meeting at the 2022 NFB National
Convention, it was confirmed that the 2023 National Convention will take
place from July 1 - 6, 2023 in Houston, Texas. Start planning so that you
can attend the 2023 convention.
Crabbing for Student Scholarships
You may still purchase your tickets online for the NFB of Maryland Annual
Crab Feast. This fundraiser supports the John T McCraw Scholarship Program,
which provides scholarships to blind post-secondary education students.
When: Friday, August 5, 2022 - 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Tall Cedars - 2501 Putty Hill Ave - Parkville, MD 21234
Tickets are $70. Children 6 and under are free.
Special Promotion: Buy or Sell 25 or more tickets and get your ticket FREE!
Dancing, 50 / 50 Raffle, Door Prizes, and more.
Menu Includes:
Steamed Crabs, Pit Beef, turkey breast, & Ham - All You Can Eat!
Plus a Buffet of Entrees Including Old Bay wings and Sausage, Sides, Salad,
Cake.
Yuengling and Miller beer
Carbonated Beverages, iced tea, and Coffee
To purchase tickets, visit <https://www.nfbmd.org/crabs>
https://www.nfbmd.org/crabs.
For additional information contact me at (443) 426-4110 or email
<mailto:President at NFBMD.org> President at NFBMD.org
Attend the NFBMD Board of Directors Meeting and Convention Planning Retreat
Everyone is invited to attend the NFB of Maryland Board of Directors meeting
on Saturday, August 27, 2022 to help us plan the state convention. At this
time, we plan to meet in person and are not able to offer a hybrid option.
We will be meeting at the Convention Hotel, the Sheraton Baltimore North
Hotel, located at 903 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson. The meeting will begin
at 9:00 and end at 4:00. Lunch will be available for purchase. To RSVP,
please contact me at (443) 426-4110 or <mailto:President at nfbmd.org>
President at nfbmd.org. Individuals who plan to attend should let me know by
August 14, 2022; they should advise whether they intend to purchase lunch,
whether they have any dietary restrictions, and whether they need any
reasonable accommodations to participate.
Reconnect, Reimagine, Reignite: The State Convention is Coming!
You will not want to miss the state convention at the Sheraton Baltimore
North Hotel in Towson which takes place on November 11 - 13, 2022. You may
reserve your room by calling the Sheraton Baltimore North at 410-321-7400.
Convention Room Rates: Standard Room - $95 per night. Tax on sleeping rooms
is 17.5%. These room rates start on Thursday, November 10, 2022. The
deadline for making room reservations is October 15, 2022.
Be looking in your mailbox and on the website <http://www.nfbmd.org>
www.nfbmd.org for the preregistration forms. They will be available soon.
Below are the prices for the various convention activities (prices are per
person unless otherwise stated):
* Pre-registration = $20 until October 15, 2022; $25 on-site
* Banquet ticket = $50 until October 15, 2022; $55 on-site
* Parent, Senior, or Student Luncheon ticket = $25 until October 15,
2022; $30 on-site
* Friday boxed lunch = $18 until October 15, 2022; $20 on-site
* Dinner & a Play tickets = $18 until October 15, 2022; $20 on-site
* Transportation from New Carrollton Train Station = $35 until October
15, 2022; this covers round-trip travel
* Childcare = TBD
Financial Assistance Application for State Convention - Due September 15,
2022!
Individuals who wish to request financial assistance to attend the 2022 NFB
of Maryland State Convention must complete and submit a Financial Assistance
Application Form no later than September 15, 2022. Individuals are
encouraged to first check with their local chapters and divisions to see
what financial assistance may be available. If a member's chapter does not
have a financial assistance program, or if there is still unmet financial
need, members may complete and submit the form to the State affiliate. More
information about the NFBMD Financial Assistance Application Form is
available at <https://nfbmd.org/financialassistance>
https://nfbmd.org/financialassistance. For questions, please contact me at
443-426-4110 or at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org.
Seeking Resolutions for the State Convention
The Convention is the supreme authority of the National Federation of the
Blind, and this too is true of the affiliates. One of the most important
charges of the Convention is to consider and vote on resolutions that come
before it; those resolutions become the policy of the organization. To that
end, individuals interested in submitting resolutions should send them to
NFBMD Resolutions Chairperson Chris Danielsen by email at
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> cdanielsen at nfb.org by October 15, 2022.
Seeking Convention Sponsors and Exhibitors
We are seeking sponsors for our 2022 NFB of Maryland State Convention.
There are various levels of sponsorship, and the various levels include
different benefits. Entities and individuals interested in serving as an
NFBMD Convention sponsor should contact me at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org>
President at nfbmd.org or Jen White at <mailto:Jwhite at nfb.org> Jwhite at nfb.org
to request additional information. Sponsorship forms and additional
information may also be found at <https://nfbmd.org/convention>
https://nfbmd.org/convention.
We are also seeking exhibitors for our Friday Exhibit Hall. Individuals and
entities interested in exhibiting should also contact me at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or Jen White at
<mailto:Jwhite at nfb.org> Jwhite at nfb.org to request additional information.
Exhibitor forms are available for download at
<https://nfbmd.org/convention> https://nfbmd.org/convention.
The sponsorship and exhibitor deadlines are September 15, 2022.
Pay Your 2022 Dues As Soon As Possible!!
In light of the pandemic and the suspension of in-person chapter meetings,
NFBMD maintains an online portal for individuals to pay their chapter and
division dues. We are asking members to pay their 2022 dues as soon as
possible so we can ensure that our rolls are accurate for the annual
national membership data call.
Individuals may use NFBMD's Dues Portal to pay their 2022 annual dues,
and/or lifetime membership dues for those chapters that have lifetime
membership. The portal lists all NFBMD chapters and divisions and their
dues amounts. Individuals may pay for as many chapters and divisions as
they wish. The portal is located at <http://nfbmd.org/dues>
http://nfbmd.org/dues. Alternatively, individuals may mail a check to their
chapter or division treasurer.
Reminder of NFBMD Policy on In-Person Gatherings
As the affiliate, chapters, and divisions resume and/or increase in-person
activities such as fundraisers, chapter meetings, and seminars, please
remember that the NFB of Maryland Board of Directors adopted a Policy on
In-Person Gatherings, which is applicable to all events and activities. The
Board last updated this policy on May 27, 2022. You can review the policy
by visiting: <https://nfbmd.org/eventpolicy> https://nfbmd.org/eventpolicy.
Membership Efforts
One key priority in 2022 is for NFBMD to conduct a robust membership
building effort. This is based on the needs and desires of several chapters
within Maryland. The Board of Directors voted in January to reorganize the
Baltimore County Chapter; in addition, the Western Maryland Chapter
reorganized in mid-2021 and is working to expand its size and presence. The
Eastern Shore Chapter has determined that it too needs to expand its
prominence, size, and presence. The Greater Baltimore Chapter has
determined there are many blind and low vision people in the local area to
whom it wishes to reach out. The TLC Chapter has decided it too is
committed to continuing to grow. Every chapter and division in Maryland
expressed a desire and commitment to recruiting, developing, and retaining
members.
As a result, our Membership Committee, led by Dezman Jackson, will be
working on various membership initiatives in 2022, including a membership
fair in the Baltimore area on September 9, 2022. We need your help! If you
know of blind and low vision Marylanders who are not yet members of the
Federation, please introduce them to their local chapter. Please share
ideas with Dezman and me as to how we can connect with people who are not
yet members or how to reconnect with those whose membership has lapsed.
Please invite those individuals to share with you, with Dezman, and with me,
what they would want to get from membership in the Federation and any
barriers to joining. Please let Dezman and me know if you are interested in
supporting the Membership Committee with recruitment and retention
initiatives. Membership building is truly the responsibility of each of us,
and we need your help!
NFBMD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
NFBMD is actively working to expand our knowledge of and emphasis on
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These initiatives also
include those related to sexual harassment and misconduct, consent,
boundaries, and power dynamics. It is our intent that NFB of Maryland
activities, events, and programs be safe and welcoming to all, and to that
end we are devoting resources and time to increase our awareness and enhance
our strategies on DEI. Qualik Ford and Juhi Narula co-chair this committee.
We encourage those interested in joining the committee to reach out to me at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org.
The Committee provides state-wide guidance and support to chapters and the
affiliate on DEI. One goal for 2022 is to increase the presence of DEI in
our activities and to hold more DEI-focused activities. The Committee has
and will continue to share informational communications on certain topics
and observances to promote DEI but needs assistance in this area from those
with lived experience and/or expertise. One particular highlight was a
day-long training for all elected affiliate, chapter, and division board
members, the DEI committee, the scholarship committee, the membership
committee, and those working with children. This training occurred on March
5, 2022 and featured an introduction to diversity, equity, and inclusion;
recognizing and minimizing micro-aggressions; and understanding and
combatting implicit bias.
If you have questions about these initiatives or have suggestions for how we
can best incorporate DEI into our programs, please don't hesitate to contact
me at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or at 443-426-4110.
NFBMD Advocacy Skills Training Sessions
Would you like to brush up on your advocacy skills for yourself and others?
Save the dates: August 20, September 17, and October 1. We will explore a
different advocacy issue each of these days. The trainings will take place
on these Saturday afternoons, from 1:30 to 5:00, over zoom.
August 20: How to Get Your Dream Job and Keep It
This advocacy workshop will review how to work with DORS to get what you
need for successful employment. We will also talk about how to get
reasonable accommodations, keep your job if you feel you are being
discriminated against, and more.
September 17: Practicing IEP Skills
In this workshop, we will practice some of the skills that we learned at the
May 21 workshop. Through role playing, we will create opportunities to make
a better IEP.
October 1: The Top Social Security Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
In this workshop, we will talk about Social Security pitfalls and the
opportunities and benefits that Social Security provides.
All workshops are from 1:30 to 5 PM. Please register for the specific
sessions you plan to attend by sending an email to
<mailto:nfbmdsm at gmail.com> nfbmdsm at gmail.com.
Important Upcoming Dates
* August 5, 2022 - NFBMD Crab Feast, Parkville, Maryland
* August 12 - 14, 2022 - NABS Mid-Atlantic Student Seminar, Hunt
Valley, Maryland
* August 20, 2022 - Advocacy Seminar Part 3, Virtual
* August 27, 2022 - Board Meeting and State Convention Planning
Retreat, Towson, Maryland
* September 9, 2022 - NFBMD Membership Fair, Baltimore, Maryland
* September 15, 2022 - Deadline to Submit Financial Assistance
Application for NFBMD State Convention
* September 15, 2022 - Deadline to reserve Exhibit Table for NFBMD
State Convention
* September 17, 2022 - Advocacy Seminar Part 4, Virtual
* October 1 - 31, 2022 - Blind Equality Achievement Month
* October 1, 2022 - Advocacy Seminar Part 5, Virtual
* October 15, 2022 - Deadline to make hotel reservations for the NFBMD
2022 State Convention
* October 15, 2022 - Deadline to pre-register for the 2022 NFBMD State
Convention
* October 15, 2022 - Deadline to submit resolutions for the 2022 NFBMD
State Convention
* November 11 - 13, 2022 - NFBMD Annual Convention, Towson, Maryland
* January 26, 2023 - NFBMD Day in Annapolis, Annapolis, Maryland
* January 30, 2023 - Great Gathering In, Washington, DC
* July 1 - 6, 2023 - NFB National Convention, Houston, Texas
* December 3 - 10, 2023 - NFBMD Blind Cruising 2023, Bahamas
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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