[nagdu] Fw: Dining in the Dark article

cheryl echevarria cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
Thu Mar 11 22:09:59 UTC 2010


Marion and all:

I also wrote to the reporter of the article.

Please read the response below.

Cheryl Echevarria
Independent Travel Consultant
http://Echevarriatravel.com
1-866-580-5574

http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <LReiley at sptimes.com>
To: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 3:28 PM
Subject: Re: Dining in the Dark article


> Ms. Echevarria,
>
> I appreciate your letter and am chastened that my reporting on the event,
> in your opinion, served to reinforce stereotypes about the blind. It
> certainly wasn't my intention to perpetuate any myths or insinuate that
> being visually impaired is shameful.
>
> Thank you for taking the time to write,
>
> Laura Reiley
> Food Critic
> St. Petersburg Times
> 490 First Ave. S.
> St. Petersburg, FL 33701
> (727) 892-2293
> Blog: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/dining
>
>
>
> cheryl echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> 03/11/2010 12:41 PM
>
> To
> <lreiley at sptimes.com>
> cc
>
> Subject
> Dining in the Dark article
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Good morning Ms. Reily:
>
> My name is Cheryl Echevarria and I am the Treasurer of the National
> Federation of the Blind of Greater Long Island Chapter.  I read about your
>
> article from my friend Mr. Marion Gwizdala, who is the President of the
> East
> Hillsborough of the NFB and the President of the National Association of
> Guide Dog Users.
>
> I am totally applaud by how these people feel that blindness is to be
> pitied
> or felt sorry for people who are blind and need to be blinded folded to
> find
> out who it is to be blind.
>
> From someone who was sited up until 2001 when I lost both my vision and my
>
> kidneys to diabetes, I have some vision left in my right eye but not to be
>
> considered sighted.
>
> Currently I have nothing against people trying to find a cure for
> blindness,
> but there will always be something that causes it, either by accident or
> illness, there is no shame in being a blind person.
>
> Yes, when I first lost my  vision I had to learn things over again.  But I
>
> am not a pig when I eat, or taste any different, or hear any different, or
>
> have to use 2 hands to eat.
>
> The best way for these people to learn or for your readers to learn about
> blindness is going to anyone of NFB Chapters throughout the USA and Puerto
>
> Rico, including Washington, D.C. by going to the nfb.org and locating one
> of
> our state affiliates and they will be glad to get you in tough with that
> local chapter.
>
> As you can see by my signature on this e-mail, not only have I become a
> person again to which the article feels that blind people are to be felt
> sorry, but I have also become a business owner.
>
> Many of my brothers and sisters within the NFB and throughout the world
> are
> capable human beings, who just need the education and mobility techniques
> that are out there for anyone who wishes to use these services as well as
> the National Federation of the blind to help as well.
>
> We are trying to change the way that we are discriminated against and
> fighting to educate those that blindness is just a characteristic to us
> and
> nothing to be ashamed of.
>
> Thank you for listening.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Treasurer, Greater Long Island Chapter of the National Federation of the
> Blind
> 10 Aljan Drive
> Brentwood, NY 11717
> 631-236-5138
>
> Independent Travel Consultant
> http://Echevarriatravel.com
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
> CST-1018299-10
>
>
> 




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