[NFB-DB] I am looking for contact information for the NFB of Canada's deaf blind liter.

[Leisa Gary]

Hello again,

Here is Her name on Facebook: ⁨Penny Mary LeclairBennett. She is going to be inducted in the Canadian disabilities Hall of Fame. She just had an article published about her.
I share an article in the Why Not magazine that introduces me as one of three newest inductees into the Canadian Disability Hall of fame. Canadian Disability Hall of Fame article Penny Bennett
MEET THE 2024 INDUCTEES TO THE CANADIAN DISABILITY HALL OF FAME
This year’s Hall of Fame inductees continue a great tradition of advocacy, leadership and athletic excellence.
PENNY BENNETT,
Builder
P
enny Bennett is a powerful voice for Canada’s
blind and deafblind communities. Through
decades of determined advocacy, she has champi
-
oned awareness and inclusion, inspired meaningful
change and helped break down societal barriers for
people with disabilities.
“The barriers that prevent people
with various disabilities [from partic
-
ipating fully in their communities]
cause unnecessary isolation and, for
many, loneliness,” said Bennett.
“When I learned I could make
a
difference to improve Canadian com
-
munities and make my life better, I
was well motivated to choose when
and how to advocate.” Among her many contributions,
Bennett has advocated for legislative
changes such as the Accessibility for
OntarianswithDisabilitiesAct
(AODA), 2015, focusing specifically
on website accessibility. She has also
been involved in countless national,
provincial and local committees and
boards. This includes chairing the CNIB Deafblind Commu
-
nity Services Board, serving as Co-Chair of the National Deaf
-
blind Awareness Month Working Group and being a member
of the Municipal Accessibility Awareness Committee for the
City of Kingston, Ontario, among other notable roles.
“It is important to add my voice at the table so that the
disability of deafblindness is understood more and more,”
she said.
Bennett’s advocacy extends beyond legislative efforts. She
advocates for equitable access to intervenor services so that
all Canadians who are deafblind can thrive. Bennett also re
-
cently collaborated to create a self-advocacy guide for the
community impacted by varying degrees of dual sensory loss.
“Not all people who are both deaf and blind have the
ability to advocate,” she remarked. “Because I have access to
intervenors, and I am educated, I know it is my responsibil
-
ity to advocate for the true needs of people who are deaf
-
blind. I speak to improve everyone’s life, but especially those
who live with both deafness and blindness.”
Her journey is a testament to her resilience and determi
-
nation. Bennett was the first deaf
-
blind person to attend the British
Columbia Institute of Technology,
where she graduated with a diploma
in business administration. She also
enrolled in the massage therapy
program at Algonquin College and
overcame significant obstacles to suc
-
ceed in her
 studies. This included
creating
 awareness about intervenor
services, which are provided by
highly skilled professionals who act
as the eyes and ears of a person who
is deafblind, and training existing
interpreters to serve as intervenors.
Bennett’s advocacy has led to
policy changes so that people who
are deafblind can receive cochlear
implants for both sides of their head
if they have profound hearing loss. This policy change
offers a person with limited or no vision an additional
opportunity to receive the most comprehensive directional
cues while enhancing safety.
To recognize her achievements, the City of Ottawa’s
United Way Centraide celebrated Bennett with the Commu
-
nity Builder Award, showcasing her substantial contributions
to local communities. The City of Ottawa also honoured
Bennett with its Peggy Allan Memorial Award, which is pre
-
sented annually to someone who has done outstanding work
to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in the
Ottawa area.
Bennett lives by a philosophy of embracing challenges and
 
not understanding that I could contribute fully to an
organization or a team. So, when I had the opportunity to
work in the disability employment sector, I was able to
leverage my lived experience to help highlight some of
those issues.”
This induction into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame
celebrates Bennett’s lifelong commitment to advocacy. How
did she feel when she learned she was being inducted?
“I felt both deeply surprised yet very honoured,” she shared.
“I have never looked for recognition, yet to be recognized
means I have been noticed, and that is a nice feeling.”
She adds, “Good advocacy is a gift given to the community.
-
nity. We give for the pure joy of achieving the removal of
barriers of all types.  ⁩


Leisa Sekhon

> On Oct 27, 2024, at 5:59 PM, Leisa Gary <thisnorthamericanlife at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello,
> 
> If you are looking for Penny, she is a member of the blind hearing aid users group at  blindhearingaidusers at groups.io. Otherwise, I do not know her contact information directly.
> 
> 
> Leisa Sekhon
> 
>>> On Oct 27, 2024, at 12:02 PM, Maurice A. Mines via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>> Good morning everyone. My subject line speaks for itself if someone on this list has and or can find for me the contact information for the person who sent me a note back in August saying that they were the deaf blind leader in the Canadian Federation of the blind I would like to contact that person to set up a meeting to briefly discuss common issues between our two countries. This is also to possibly invite him to observe the next meeting of the division in November.
>> 
>> Just as a gentle reminder if you're planning on coming to the November 16 meeting, please get your accommodations request to me via email. Sooner is better please do not wait until just before 5 November.
>> 
>> The second reminder that everyone should be aware of nearly our entire meeting on November 16 Will take up deaf blind leadership now. There will be a person from that community speaking at that meeting. Because we are part of that community officially. Here's hoping everyone is having an outstanding weekend.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Maurice A. Mines, President 
>> 
>> National Federation of the Blind Deaf-Blind Division 
>> 
>> Email: nfbdbpresident at mmines.org 
>> 
>> Website: www.nfb.org <http://www.nfbdeaf-blind.org> 
>> 
>> Live the life you want. 
>> 
>> The National Federation of the Blind Deaf-Blind Division, a proud division 
>> 
>> of the National Federation of the Blind, is a community of members and 
>> 
>> friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day 
>> 
>> we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.   
>> 
>>  
>> 
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