[MI-ABS] The MIABS Mosaic Vol. 2.2

[Jeffery Crouch]

The MIABS Mosaic

Volume 2.2

February 8, 2026



Message from the Vice President: Riley Letterman

Greetings MIABS movement!

After the absolute chaos brought about by winter storm fern, our division is more than ready to continue welcoming in the month of February with warm, cozy, and welcoming warmth all around. Our hands may be cold, but our hearts are wide open, and  MIABS is opening its heart and doors to new members as well! We have some exciting updates, events, and opportunities to connect this month, and I cannot wait to share them with you.

This edition also features an important update you won’t want to miss, along with plenty of opportunities to get involved. So grab your favorite cozy drink, get comfy, and let’s dive in!

If you have anything you’d like to see in the MIABS Mosaic, please email miabs-president at outlook.com<mailto:miabs-president at outlook.com> with your request.



Membership Updates

This month, I am  thrilled to kick off our monthly Membership Committee meetings! These gatherings are all about hearing from YOU. Starting with this month’s fun double-feature engagement, MIABS will be hosting member engagement  events every month designed to make you feel heard, involved, and embraced within our division.

During the committee meetings, we will chat, share ideas, and brainstorm ways to turn these fun concepts into truly remarkable membership events. Typically, the committee meetings will take place during the day, while the engagement events will happen later in the evening: a perfect way to wind down your weekend and connect with fellow members.

Every month, our division has only continued opening its doors wide to new members! At our last meeting on February 7th, the division voted in new or returning members KaShonia Graham and Lizzy Dunn! On January 31ST, we voted in returning member Malaki! A warm welcome is extended to you all! With February being the month of new connections, friendships, and relationships that strengthen over time, it is only fitting to mention that we have a whole host of potential members interested in attending Midwest Seminar. We hope that this attendance and involvement will build them a bridge into our affiliate so that this division can welcome them with open arms, and feature them in my next update.

Keep an eye out for the date and time of the first membership committee  meeting in Secretary Steven’s email, as well as updates on the Calendar of Events. We cannot  wait to see you there and hear your ideas!



Announcements

As alluded to in the previous section, it looks like Cupid’s arrow hit MIABS  twice this month with a double feature on Valentine’s Day that will rival even the best Valentine’s celebrations.

First, join us for the All Hearts Align Brunch happening on February 14th at 11:00 A.M. in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This is a wonderful way to meet other students, create lasting connections, and support blind students attending the Midwest Regional Student Seminar in Chicago this March. We want to give a special thank-you to Rehabilitation Way and Kalamazoo Family Counseling and Mediation Services for partnering to host this event. The brunch is free for members and $10 for guests, with food catered by Crow’s Nest (menu coming soon!).

Then, you can finish off your evening at 8:00 P.M. with a fun virtual Valentine’s Day craft! If you signed up to receive a craft kit in the mail, get ready to join us either on Zoom or in person at President and Treasurer Jeff and Danielle’s house for a creative night of making macramé Valentine’s heart coasters. It’s sure to be an entire day of fun. Thanks to our wonderful partners!

Our XOXO “Have a Heart, Take a Part” auction is also still going strong! Don’t miss your chance to bid on amazing items or support our students with a cash donation. You can contribute via Zelle (search: nfbmiabs) or PayPal<http://paypal.me/nfbmiabs>. The auction will continue through March 8TH, so get your bids in while the excitement lasts by visiting our auction page<http://www.32auctions.com/miabsxoxo>!

Exciting news on Midwest Seminar: Our funding application has closed, and we are thrilled to report thirteen interested parties so far! While this is not a final count, it is  an exciting indication that Michigan will be representing this year in the Windy City! If you are still interested in attending, the registration form for the seminar itself  remains open through NABS and will officially close on February 13th. You can register at

the NABS page.<https://nabslink.org/civicrm/event/info?id=7&reset=1>
When you reach the payment section, remember to click pay by check or Zelle if you will not be paying the $100 fee up front.

In other news, the division’s new Kick platform is now up and running! All of our meetings will be streamed and available to watch on demand from that platform. Plus, keep an eye on the YouTube channel for the Student Rewind Interview Series, hosted by Jeff and Danielle! This series will spotlight previous MIABS members and ask the question: “Where are they now?”

Exciting, show-stopping news from the affiliate board: MIABS now has its own Zoom line! From now on, expect each and every event and meeting affiliated with MIABS to take place at our new virtual location, excluding our business meetings, which will continue to occur the first Saturday of every month at 3:30 P.M. on the affiliate Zoom line.



Calendar of Events

Please find a list of events that the MIABS division will be holding this month on the Student Division Zoom line. We will send out the link closer to each meeting date.



Feb. 13th – Tech Talk | 7:00 P.M.

Feb. 14th – Valentine’s Day Virtual Event | 8:00 P.M.

Feb. 15th – Midwest Seminar (for those who submitted applications) | 7:30 P.M.

Feb. 21st – Fundraising Committee | 1:30 P.M.

Feb. 22nd – Midwest Seminar (for those who submitted applications) | 1:00 P.M.

Feb. 25th – Project Prepare Committee | 6:30 P.M.

(Working on ideas for our division to bring to the board meeting.)

Feb. 28th – Members Meeting | 1:00 P.M.

(It’s all about YOU! Bring your questions, concerns, and ideas—we can’t wait to see you there.)



Connect With Us

Youtube<http://youtube.com/@miabs_social>

Kick<http://kick.com/miabs-social>

Facebook<http://facebook.com/miabssocial>

Instagram<http://instagram.com/miabs_social>

TikTok<http://tiktok.com/@miabs_social>

X<http://x.com/@miabs_social>

Mastodo<http://mastodon.social/@miabs_social\>Mastodon<http://mastodon.social/@miabs_social>

Blog<http://miabssocial.wordpress.com>



In Closing

We want to thank you for reading this month’s installment of the MIABS Mosaic. Don’t forget to check out the Student Rewind Interview Series and all of our upcoming events!

Keep an eye out for the video version of this update on our youtube channel, and for Steven's addition coming out next week!

Let's keep that MIABS momentum going, and build the federation!