[Nfb-editors] Latest- Spring 2011 "The Student Slate"

[Robert Leslie Newman]

Here is the latest newsletter put out by the NABS Division: 21 pages and
9,736 words 

(read and be jealous of their inspiration) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE STUDENT SLATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2011

 

 

 

 

Edited by Karen Anderson, Domonique Lawless and Sean Whalen

 

 

 

 

Published by

 

 

The National Association of Blind Students

 

Arielle Silverman, President

 




Table of Contents

 

Editor <> ’s Introduction

 

Washington Wrap-Up <> 

by Lauren McLarney

 

Analyzing The Blind Driver Challenge <> 

by Conchita Hernandez

 

A Life-Changing Experience <> 

by C. J. Fish

 

Getting and Keeping a Job <> 

by Stacy Cervenka

 

Buckeyes Building: Spotlight on the Ohio Association of Blind Students <> 

by Beth Debus

 

NCD Summit 2010: Storm of Recommendations on Enforcing the ADA <> 

by Kathryn Carroll and Anmol Bhatia

 

Access to Internet music services <> 

by Tony Olivero

 

The Climb <> 

by Jordyn Castor




Editor’s Introduction

 

Spring has sprung, or is at least in the process of springing, March madness
is in full effect, spring breaks are, depending on where you go to school,
either underway, coming shortly or recent memories, and some of the lucky
soon to be graduates among us are doing our best to ward off nasty cases of
senioritis. Whatever your favorite springtime cliché, the NABS Slate
Committee is here with the antidote.

 

But before we dive straight into this wonderful panacea, we would like to
offer all students a final reminder: The National Federation of the Blind
offers, each year, 30 scholarships, ranging in value from $3,000 to $12,000,
to legally blind post-secondary students in the United States. The deadline
for the submission of all application materials is March 31, 2011, for the
2011-2012 school year. The good news: You still have time to apply! All
information on the scholarship and requirements, as well as the application,
are available on the World Wide Web at:

www.nfb.org/scholarships

Now for the bad news: You are running out of time! If you wish to be
considered and have a chance to receive the financial, as well as the many
other benefits, of an NFB scholarship, you must act now! Remember, all
application materials must be submitted by March 31.

 

Ok then, now back to the matter at hand.

 

The Spring 2011 issue of the Student Slate contains a review of last month’s
Washington Seminar, as well as a review of scripted options to access
popular online music applications. We also get practical job advice built
around the story of Stacy Cervenka, who spent five years working in the U.S.
Senate. Additionally, readers will find the compelling and personal story of
Jordyn Castor, who describes her experiences on a camping trip with
Michigan’s Camp Tuhsmeheta last summer. An article from C. J. Fish,
describing what it was like to win the Kenneth Jernigan Memorial Scholarship
last year, a continuation of our Spotlight series, focused this time on
Ohio, and a thought-provoking article from Conchita Hernandez on the Blind
Driver Challenge also grace the pages of this edition. 

 

There is something for everybody. Whether you need something to tame
spring-break-associated boredom, you are suffering from the madness or
senioritis, or you simply want to know what blind students are up to, this
issue of the Student Slate is sure to help. 

 

Ok, so it won’t do much for sunburn or that less than desirable grade on the
recent midterm, but some things are simply out of our control.

 

As always, if you have thoughts or suggestions, or would like to submit an
article for publication in the Student Slate, please contact the Slate
committee at slate at nabslink.org. We would love to hear from you!

 

Happy reading, and we’ll be back in June!

 

Washington Wrap-Up

 

by Lauren McLarney

 

>From the Editor: As many of you know, Lauren McLarney is one of our
Government Programs Specialists in Baltimore. In the following, she
summarizes the progress we made last month with our legislative advocacy on
Capitol Hill and outlines the outlook for this year’s legislative efforts.
Here’s Lauren’s take on Washington Seminar 2011:

 

For our members, Washington Seminar is arguably the second (and this year,
maybe the third) largest event we do as an organization. For most people, an
event that long and intense would be followed by several weeks of obligatory
relaxation and complacency.  Luckily for the government affairs team at
National Center, the Federation doesn’t work that way.  

 

Before going into all of the work that comes post-Washington Seminar, I want
to do a quick recap of the week’s events from my perspective.  The Great
Gathering In is easily my favorite day of work in the year.  I didn’t make
it to Daytona because Jesse and I were preparing for our week in DC, so I
hadn’t felt that level of energy since Convention.  Everybody was high off
of the Blind Driver Challenge, and the excitement in the room was palpable.
Dr. Maurer got everyone riled up, then some of the familiar faces of
Federation leaders talked about what had been going on since Convention, and
then we had three major political figures address the crowd.  

 

Senator Bennet from Colorado was frank and charming, and former New York
Governor Paterson helped us wrap up on a high note.  Newly retired Senator
Dodd, who was at the Holiday Inn to talk with the Connecticut affiliate,
stopped by and surprised us with a vigorous speech and a few pounds of the
podium.  No matter how many years I work in Federal politics, seeing Members
of Congress is still exciting to me and showing off the power of the
Federation makes me proud.  Nothing is a better testament to the impression
we make at the Great Gathering In than Senator Dodd’s unscheduled visit and
interest in being a part of it.    

 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Washington Seminar go by fast for me,
because I spend most of the day running from meeting to meeting and taking
cabs back and forth from the House and Senate sides.  I get to know more
Members in those three days than I do throughout months of legislative work.
I am not trying to sound like a sycophant here, but I am really impressed
with the meetings I sat in on this year.  Most groups had practiced the
three major asks, had an articulate leader, and managed to hit all of the
talking points (and we don’t even distribute talking points).  The one
meeting I am most happy about is the appointment I joined between the New
Mexico affiliate, led by President Christine Hall, and Senator Tom Udall.  I
had been meeting with a staffer in Senator Udall’s office since before last
year’s Washington Seminar, and to see the affiliate take advantage of their
relationship with the Senator and get him to finally commit to sponsoring
the Technology Bill of Rights was extremely satisfying.  It also solidifies
why we have Washington Seminar.  

 

I have said it before and will probably bore everyone by continually saying
it, but Members of Congress and their staffs do not want to hear from Jesse
and me, they want to hear from you.  And that means all year round.
Washington Seminar is a vital part of establishing a relationship with your
members of Congress and educating them on our legislative agenda, but it is
by no means the end of our work.  Following up is one of the most critical
parts of advocacy.  Jesse and I are in the process of setting up meetings
with all promising supporters, but please do not rely solely on us to make
sure the job is done. It took Christine Hall and the leaders in her
affiliate twenty minutes to accomplish what took me a year to build. 

 

Luckily for Jesse and me, the Federation understands the importance of
follow-up. The Hawaii affiliate helped coordinate communication between
Congresswoman Hirono’s staffer and me; the Arkansas affiliate quickly
volunteered to help me follow up with Senator Boozman’s office if the
staffer was difficult to reach; the Utah affiliate has already had a
follow-up meeting with Senator Hatch’s office, as well as seconded my
meeting requests with an offer to answer questions.  Like I said in the
newsletter before Washington Seminar, we have mastered lobbying our
lawmakers.  I am motivated coming out of this year’s Washington Seminar, and
hope we can keep the enthusiasm going.  

 

Lastly, I want to say how extremely impressed I am with the students I met
this year.  When I was in college, my friends used to tease me about how
obsessed I was with politics.  They don’t tease me anymore: my interest in
politics gave me a career, useful skills, an awareness of what’s going on in
the world, and most importantly, the ability to change it.  The only thing I
wish I had done differently is not waited until senior year to get started
on doing anything with my passion (or what my father calls my “idealism”).
The students I met this year were some of the most well-spoken of the group,
and have much more direction and awareness than I ever had in school.  This
stuff is contagious, so please infect other students in your affiliate.  I
hope to meet more of you at next year’s Washington Seminar.

 

Analyzing The Blind Driver Challenge

 

by Conchita Hernandez

 

>From the Editor: Conchita Hernandez is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of
California, and holds degrees in History and International Studies. She also
received a minor in Spanish. Currently, she is attending Louisiana Tech,
where she is earning a graduate degree and preparing to be a teacher of
blind students. Conchita recently attended the first public demonstration of
a automobile independently operable by a blind individual at Daytona
International Speedway. In this article she offers some thoughts and
prospective on the Blind Driver Challenge and what it means for blind folks.
She also encourages each of us to ponder some interesting questions about
independence and the expenditure of our organizations resources raised by
such a project. Here are her thoughts:

 

The Blind Driver Challenge seems to be on the minds and mouths of everyone
lately. There have been over one billion media impressions made upon TV
viewers, radio listeners and website clickers related to the project, and
the general public is taking notice. So what is the hype all about? Being in
Daytona and watching Mark Riccobono drive the car made me ponder certain
aspects of the initiative. Many federationists are very excited about one
day being able to drive, yet there are people who oppose the Blind Driver
Challenge, and for valid reasons. The National Federation of the Blind
directly spent over half a million dollars on this project, and indirect
costs, including staff time, diverted resources, etc., can be measured at
well over the million dollar mark. Although I think it was a very successful
event, there are some issues we should take into consideration, as we are
all a part of this organization.

 

First of all, could the money that was spent on this project have been used
to improve the overall lives of blind Americans? For example the money could
have been used on education or employment. There is a 70% unemployment rate
among the blind in this nation, 10% of blind students are being taught to
read and we face many other social barriers on a daily basis. Our students
are not getting adequate services, let alone Braille, in their classrooms.
Should we forget about driving and instead focus on opportunities for
advancement in these critical fields?

 

Another potentially troubling aspect of The Blind Driver Challenge is that
many see this as our only possibility for true Independence. If we believe
this to be true, then we are limiting ourselves and  underestimating our
current abilities as blind individuals. Aren’t we all about being
independent regardless of whether we can drive or not? I am not going to sit
and wait for a car to be built that a blind person can drive. I am going to
be independent now.

 

Proponents of The Blind Driver Challenge are aware of the implications that
this event sets forth. They are aware of the criticism, spoken and unspoken,
made by many blind individuals who do not agree with the way funds were
allocated. However, The supporters claim that we should move forward; that
technology being developed for the Blind Driver Challenge will be
transferable to other applications of benefit to not only the blind, but
society at large. They assert that they are not pulling away from economic
and educational issues. On the contrary, they argue that this event benefits
our common goals through the public’s understanding of blindness, which will
in turn create more funding for education and employment initiatives.

 

I can't help but think that The Blind Driver Challenge is similar to what
happened when the United States first sent a person to the moon. Although
nobody was denying that it was a great accomplishment, many people believed
that we should have been tackling more important issues here at home. While
we were sending people to the moon, there were many social inequalities here
on Earth. 1969 is the year that we went to the moon, but also a year  when
24 million people were living in poverty, we were fighting a war in Vietnam,
and there was a lot of social unrest; Martin Luther King Jr. and John F.
Kennedy had been assassinated the prior year. Major universities, including
Harvard and Cornell, were staging protests due to the war and unequal
treatment of people of color. And yet, we were sending a man to the moon?
How could we own such a contradiction? There was poetry and music written on
the topic. How could we be sending a man to the moon, and yet overlooking
all of the injustices happening here at home?

 

As I think about the Blind Driver Challenge, there are two roads that could
have been taken by the National Federation of the Blind. One was to
undertake the project, spending dollars, which we, as members, give to the
organization and that we all help to fundraise. This is the path that has
been taken. The money spent could have been used to expand educational
opportunities, work related training for the blind and to further public
understanding of who we are, yet it was not. On the other hand, The National
Federation of the Blind has received back some money in the form of
donations , and has also increased understanding of our organization,
because of this initiative.

 

The other path we could have taken would have been to not do the Blind
Driver Challenge altogether. If that were to have been the case, the money
spent could have been used to help address the current plight of the blind.
We could have sent more children to our camps, expanded the Jernigan
Institute, and given more scholarships to deserving students, along with
many other initiatives.

 

However, by not doing the Blind Driver Challenge would we have been any
better off? What would have happened if we would have decided not to go to
the moon? Would we be any better off than we are today? Would we have put
that money to better use? Would our understanding of what we are capable of
doing as mankind and as individuals be obscured? What did we gain by going
to the moon?

 

While I do acknowledge the point that The Blind Driver Challenge used a lot
of money, shouldn't we always be pushing ourselves to our limits? Shouldn’t
we invest in technology that will help us become employed and help others as
well? I think we should.

 

What I don't agree with, however,  is the notion that, as blind people, we
should hold on to the idea of driving. That should not be the motive for the
Blind Driver Challenge. What that instills in us is the idea that we are not
equal at this point, and will never be until we are able to drive. Driving
does not equal success nor does it equal equality. What the Blind Driver
Challenge should do is to permit us to stretch ourselves to the brink of our
imagination. We should be working on technology to further our achievements,
but not with the false idea that driving is what makes us whole. The reason
I support the Blind Driver Challenge is not because I want to drive, because
it will probably be too expensive, if it comes about in my lifetime, and I
am not going to wait around, but rather, because moving forward is what we
should always be doing as humans to advance technology, our understanding of
the universe, and our own potential. The Blind Driver Challenge has reached
hundreds of millions of people, not only in our nation, but all around the
world. We in the NFB are seen as an organization that changes what it means
to be blind, and people are taking notice.

 

So, what do you think?

 

A Life-Changing Experience

 

by C. J. Fish

 

>From the Editor: In addition to being the proud brand new mother of a baby
boy and the recent recipient of a master’s degree in Community Counseling
from Marymount University in Virginia, C. J. Fish was also last years winner
of the $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Memorial Scholarship from the National
Federation of the Blind. As a reminder, you can still apply to win an NFB
scholarship until March 31. More information and an application can be found
at:

www.nfb.org/scholarships

Here is C. J.’s story:

 

The announcement had been made.  It was time to go.  I pushed my chair back
from the table and approached the stage in breathless anticipation.  Sure, I
was excited to learn which scholarship I would receive, but I already felt
like I had won so much.  This was my second time standing in this exact spot
as a national scholarship recipient.  This time, I waited at the bottom of
the stage steps watching all of my incredible classmates pass by me to
receive their awards.  

 

Before I knew it, I was the last one standing.  At that moment, I knew that
I would be leaving the Hilton Anatole Hotel changed forever.  I began to
walk across the stage to receive the Dr. Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship in a
state of surprise, overwhelming gratitude, and a tremendous sense of
accomplishment all at the same time.  

 

As I approached the podium, I allowed myself to reflect on the events of the
past week leading up to this beautiful, incredible moment.  Through my
experiences at the convention, I gained confidence, made friendships and
connections, and was given leadership opportunities.  I grew more confident
in myself and my skills.  Previously, I was afraid of crowds and getting
lost.  I made it my goal to overcome these fears, and I did so.  By the end
of the convention, I walked around the hotel, and even through the banquet
hall that night, navigating from place to place and through the people
without fear.  I also came into this experience wanting to share myself with
others.  I wanted to grow as a blind person and professional as well.  

 

Reaching the podium, enveloped by the wash of applause from my NFB family,
all of these ambitions, goals, and desires became reality.  There I stood at
the podium having just accepted the greatest honor of my life.  I stood
strengthened in confidence because the scholarship committee thought highly
enough of me to give me this honor.  I stood overwhelmed by the support and
encouragement being sent to me through the crowds, those on stage, and my
classmates.  I stood in true appreciation for all of the times I had been
pushed, challenged, and stretched by scholarship committee members, other
NFB family members, and my life’s circumstances.  All at once, I knew that
all of these efforts had been in response to the recognition of potential in
me that was now coming to fruition.  I also realized that this was a
beginning for me.  I would continue to grow from these and many other
learning opportunities.  

 

Full of emotion and appreciation, I delivered my speech to more applause and
left the stage to join my celebrating classmates.  I froze those moments on
stage in my mind forever, knowing that I would never be the same.  I
understood that I had just joined the ranks of an extraordinary group of
people beginning with Dr. Kenneth Jernigan himself.  I was on my way to
becoming a leader in the movement toward true independence and equality for
the blind.  

 

The $12,000 was and still is truly appreciated and valued, as it made it
possible for me to finish my master’s.  However, the experiences,
confidence, friendships, and skills will stay with me for the rest of my
life.  After all, winning the Dr. Kenneth Jernigan scholarship changed my
life forever.  I am extremely grateful for the honor and the privilege
bestowed upon me in receiving this tremendous award.  I seek to take all
that I have been given and give back to others.  Thus, it is my hope that my
life will be an example for others and that I will make a difference in the
lives of all those with whom I come in contact.

 

Getting and Keeping a Job

 

by Stacy Cervenka

 

>From the Editor: As you will read, Stacy Cervenka spent the last five years
working in the United States Senate as a Legislative Assistant for Senator
Sam Brownback of Kansas. In this article she recounts her experience, but
also offers practical tips and encouragement for blind job-seekers that can
be applied to most any employment setting. Here is her story, as well as her
advice:

 

For the past five years, I worked as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Sam
Brownback of Kansas. Throughout my time in his office, I advised the Senator
and wrote and worked on legislation pertaining to adoption and foster care,
child protection, juvenile justice, pro-life issues, disability rights,
special education, vocational rehabilitation, Native American issues, 2nd
Amendment rights, Social Security, pensions, labor issues, North and South
Korea issues, and, randomly, postal issues. I was also Senator Brownback’s
liaison to the Senate Special Committee on Aging. 

 

My time in the Senator’s office was filled with many extraordinary moments.
I often felt like I had once-in-a-lifetime experiences once a week. I
co-wrote a bill that is now a law; I sat in my boss’s office and made
conversation with Buzz Aldrin; I got a long smoochy kiss from Bono; Senator
Ted Kennedy personally introduced me to his dog Splash; and I’m one of the
few people I know who has ever actually been inside North Korea.

 

I’m often asked by blind job-seekers and blind college students what they
can do to increase their chances of finding a fulfilling and well-paying
job. Although there is no one-size-fits-all secret to success, I believe
that there are a few things blind people can do to enhance their chances of
finding the job that’s right for them.

 

1. Courage (aka Acting Is Believing)

 

Okay, I know that we’re all tired of the worn out cliché that blind people
are so courageous every time we do the simplest little task. However, it
does take courage to put ourselves out in unfamiliar situations where we’re
not certain whether we’ll be welcomed and how we’ll be perceived. The fact
is that negative stereotypes and misconceptions do exist. Prejudice,
discrimination, and unfair treatment are very real. Nobody likes to feel
rejected, underestimated, or ignored. Therefore, it’s understandable that we
sometimes shy away from situations that might result in these unpleasant
feelings. However, when we avoid situations that carry with them the risk of
rejection, we rob ourselves not only of many marvelous opportunities, but
also of the strength and courage that comes from facing our fears. 

 

Applying for any kind of job, internship, or volunteer position carries with
it the potential for unfair rejection. However, one way to ensure that
you’ll never get hired is to constantly pass up opportunities for fear that
you’ll be unfairly treated anyway.

 

This lesson came sharply into focus a few days ago, as I was attending a
conference of the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation. The Director of
Human Resources at one of the branch offices told me that he’d really like
to hire more people with disabilities. The problem, he said, was that
Mitsubishi often posts job announcements on Monster.com and other job
databases and no one with a disability ever applies. He further mentioned
that Mitsubishi often has booths at college job fairs across the country and
he rarely sees students with visible disabilities at these job fairs. He
asked me in complete earnestness why, if there were so many qualified,
unemployed people with disabilities, he never seemed to run into them at job
fairs or through the main channels through which Mitsubishi recruits.

 

I thought about his question for awhile. While I understand that there might
be many reasons for this, I think that one is that we’re often so fearful of
discrimination that we tend to look for jobs with agencies we already know.
We wait for job announcements to make their way across the NABS listserv or
into the “Braille Monitor” with the idea that if people are posting a job
announcement directly in an NFB publication, obviously they’re open to
hiring blind people.

 

Seeking out jobs on Monster or Craigslist is sometimes more risky, since the
possibility of discrimination is so strong. We reason that the employer
probably won’t hire us anyway and all of our efforts will be for nothing. It
takes a certain amount of courage and good faith for a person with a
disability to reply to a mainstream job announcement. The fact is that the
percentage of jobs that will be forwarded to NFB listservs and published in
“The Braille Monitor” is very small. In order to make ourselves available to
the widest variety of jobs, we’re going to have to get out of our comfort
zones.

 

The courage it takes to apply for a job will certainly serve you well once
you do enter the workforce.

 

I remember when I first started giving tours of the US Capitol Building to
Kansas constituents who were visiting DC. I was terrified! I wasn’t worried
that I would get my guests lost or that I wouldn’t be able to memorize all
of the information about the history and artwork of the Capitol. I was
nervous about how our constituents would perceive me. Would any of them ask
for a different tour guide? More likely, would the entire tour be awkward
and uncomfortable as they tried to pretend my blindness didn’t exist?

 

However, giving tours helped me learn a valuable lesson that has stood me in
good stead ever since: Acting is believing! I may have felt apprehensive,
but I didn’t have to act like I was. Before my first tour, I took a deep
breath, said a little prayer, and breezed into the front office to meet our
guests. I acted like I’d been giving tours for years, made no attempt to
hide my blindness, but made no big production of it either. The tour went
very well. My nervousness did not dissipate right away. However, after a few
weeks of playing the role of a confident tour guide, I slowly became one. I
can honestly say that within a month, my blindness and other people’s
possible reactions to it never even crossed my mind as I went out to greet
guests.

 

As a blind person in an integrated workforce, you’re going to need to
venture outside your comfort zone fairly regularly. This takes a certain
amount of willingness to look your fear and apprehension in the face, deal
with it, but not let it stop you. 

 

2. Have A Little Faith In The Work Blind Activists Have Already Done

 

While it’s true that discrimination is still an ugly reality, we need to
acknowledge that we are making progress and society is become more and more
aware of the employability of people with disabilities.

 

I learned this lesson my first day in Senator Brownback’s office. I started
as an intern and I was extremely nervous that no one in the office would
trust me with any substantial work. I worried that I would have to work very
hard to raise their expectations. However, on the first day, our internship
coordinator introduced me to one of the Legislative Assistants and told me
I’d be working for him. Without skipping a beat, he asked me to go down to
the Senate Printing and Graphics Office and retrieve a chart that the
Senator would be needing for an upcoming speech on the Senate floor. Our
office was on the third floor of the Hart Senate Office Building and
Printing and Graphics was in the basement of the Dirksen Senate Office
Building. I’d been in the office about 2 hours and I had no idea how in the
world I’d get there. However, I was not about to tell him that I couldn’t do
the very first thing he asked me to do. I must have asked directions every
ten feet on my way to Printing and Graphics, but I did retrieve the chart.
And my heart soared as I realized that my supervisors had higher
expectations of me than I had of myself. That can be a really good feeling
and one we as blind people don’t always get enough of!

 

During the first few weeks of my internship, before I was hired on
full-time, I wasn’t always greeted by high expectations and sometimes it was
painful. I remember approaching a Legislative Assistant a few days into my
internship and asking them if there was anything I could help him with. He
thanked me, but told me there wasn’t. One minute later, I heard him walk
into the “intern pit” and declare, “I need an intern!” I was devastated. How
could this guy not trust me? He’d seen me walking around the office and
helping other staffers with various tasks. I felt angry and hurt.

 

However, not long after I was hired on full time as a Staff Assistant, this
same staffer sent an email around to several women in the office asking if
any of us were free on Saturday night to baby-sit his children. My heart
soared at the thought that this staffer, who didn’t trust me to run and
errand for him when I first came into the office, now had enough belief in
my abilities to entrust me with his children. Although I had no real desire
to spend my Saturday night baby-sitting, I wanted to take this opportunity
to further assure him of my capability. I took the job and thus began a warm
friendship with both him and his family.

 

Blind and otherwise disabled activists have worked hard to get laws passed
that protect our civil rights, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
And we have worked equally hard to educate our colleagues and other
employers by example. You might run into more open-mindedness than you
think. A lot of us have been working hard to pave the way for you!

 

3. You Gotta Have Skills!

 

Regardless of how hard you work to venture outside your comfort zone and how
far the disability rights movement has paved your way, when the rubber meets
the road, you gotta have skills. If you do land a job and you can’t perform
the same tasks as your colleagues in an efficient manner, you probably won’t
keep that job for very long and, if you do, you’re unlikely to advance
within your organization.

 

In my situation, my job required many different skill sets. I needed to be
able to do effective research both online and with print media. I needed to
be able to use the computer to communicate with colleagues, constituents,
and other stakeholders and to write letters, emails, and memos. I needed to
be able to travel independently to meetings both on and off Capitol Hill. I
needed to be able to take concise, effective notes in meetings with
constituents and lobbyists. I also needed to be able to access the
information on the handouts and reports the constituents and lobbyists gave
me in these meetings.

 

On a more abstract level, but just as important, I needed to be able to walk
into a meeting and both put people at ease and get them to take me
seriously. That was one of my biggest fears when I first started taking
meetings on my own. The first time I walked into a meeting with about ten
school superintendents and school board presidents, all very distinguished
people in their forties, fifties, and sixties, with over twenty or thirty
years of experience, I was terrified that they were all thinking, “Who is
this twenty-something little blind girl, fresh out of college? We have to
meet with her?” So, besides actual concrete skills, I had to have a certain
amount of people and relationship skills. 

 

Furthermore, as a blind person, I had to have a good set of self-advocacy
skills. Our office had never had a blind employee before, so I had to tell
them what kind of technology I needed, where they could procure it, and how
I would be able to handle other tasks like reading the HUGE amount of mail
that came across my desk, giving tours of the US Capitol Building, and
shepherding VIP constituents wherever they needed to go. The other staffers
believed I could do all these things, but they had no idea how. It was my
responsibility as an employee to figure out how I would get things done and
communicate any needs I had to the appropriate people.

 

It’s up to you how you choose to acquire these skills and what exact
combination of visual and non-visual techniques you use, but all blind job
seekers need to ask themselves some serious questions and strive to answer
them honestly. Do you have good blindness skills, good relationship skills,
and good self-advocacy skills? How will you handle it when your boss dumps a
stack of papers on your desk and tells you he needs a report on them by
tomorrow? How will you deal with traveling to meetings in unfamiliar
destinations with little advance notice? Do you get along and relate easily
with people? Are you currently able to advocate effectively for yourself
without calling on your parents or Disabled Student Services? How will you
explain your abilities and your needs to your colleagues, supervisors, and
clients in a way that is clear and confident, but not defensive or
confrontational? 

 

Whether you use visual or non-visual techniques, whether you acquire your
skills through a training center, home-based rehabilitation, or you pick
them up from your family and friends, you need to make sure that you are
physically and relationally capable of handling the day to day grind of a
typical workplace.

 

In conclusion, getting and keeping a job takes a lot of work! Acquiring the
prerequisite skills, venturing outside our comfort zones, advocating for
ourselves and others with disabilities, and educating our employers and
colleagues on a personal level can take a lot of time and effort. However, I
can honestly say that nothing is more fulfilling than having a job you love.

 

Buckeyes Building: 

Spotlight on the Ohio Association of Blind Students

 

by Beth Debus

 

>From the Editor: Beth Debus currently serves as the president of the Ohio
Association of Blind Students. Additionally, she is attending the Ohio State
University, where she is working on her master’s degree. Upon completion of
her studies, Beth hopes to work as an Autism Behavior Therapist. Here’s what
she has to say about her experience of building and strengthening the
student division in Ohio:

 

Someone once said, “The road to success is always under construction.” This
is how I see the steady progress being made by the Ohio student division.
My name is Beth Debus, and I have been serving as the President of the Ohio
Association of Blind Students since 2009. When I was asked to take on this
responsibility, I didn’t know exactly what to expect.  At the time, I had
only been a member of the federation for about 4 years, and I was not quite
sure if I wanted to take on this leadership role. In retrospect, I am glad
that I took on the challenge, and am very proud of the work we students have
done, and continue to do, here in Ohio. Although there is still plenty ahead
of us to be done, we are certainly making progress toward building a
stronger division here in the Buckeye State.

 

The revitalization of the Ohio student division began over two years ago.
Since that time, we have focused on building ties among our group and
providing information of interest to students by having monthly conference
calls on relevant topics. The students in our division choose what they want
the speakers to talk about, and then we recruit presenters for the calls.
Some examples of recent topics include: how to get the most out of the Ohio
Bureau of Services for the Visually impaired (BSVI); what rehab doesn’t tell
you; our NFB of Ohio mentoring program; free assistive software resources;
Bookshare; and what you need to know about the ADA. In the next few months,
speakers will talk about what students should know about SSI, student
advocacy, and how to increase division membership.

 

The Ohio Association of Blind Students is also currently hard at work on an
informative seminar for local college students. At this seminar, we will
present information about the scholarships available from the NFB of Ohio
and our national organization, so that students are aware of these valuable
sources of financial assistance for blind students. We also plan to inform
students of the many ways in which technology can allow them access to
information and help them to compete on an even footing with their sighted
classmates. Finally, we will make students aware of services offered to them
by BSVI. If this initial seminar is a success, we plan to attempt to reach
even more blind students by adding additional student seminars all around
the state of Ohio next year.  

 

As many of you know, one of the biggest challenges of being a state student
division president and creating a strong and vibrant division is building
membership. This is one of our biggest goals, and membership recruitment
will be our main focus for the remainder of this year. With a lot of hard
work and determination on the part of all our members, the Ohio student
division will be a success.

 

NCD Summit 2010:

Storm of Recommendations on Enforcing the ADA

 

by Kathryn Carroll and Anmol Bhatia

 

>From the Editor: Kathryn Carroll is currently finishing up her first year of
Law school at St. Johns University in New York and Anmol Bhatia is a
graduate student at Arkansas University at Little Rock working on his
graduate certificate in conflict mediation. Both Kathryn and Anmol attended
the 2010 National Council on Disability Summit in Washington DC. Here are
their thoughts and insights on this event:

 

>From July 25 to July 28, 2010, 450 consumers with disabilities, disability
community stakeholders, and representatives from Congress and federal
agencies gathered in Washington D.C. to provide recommendations for
disability policy in the next decade. The event was coordinated by the
National Council on Disability (NCD), a federal agency composed of fifteen
individuals which advises the President, Congress and executive branch
agencies on “policies, programs, practices and procedures that guarantee
equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities.” 

 

The cross-cutting theme of the Summit, “Living, Learning and Earning,” was
designed to launch a national dialogue on disability policies and programs
in the 21st century. The participants also gathered at this particular time
to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. A few lucky participants were able to visit the White
House to witness President Obama sign an executive order stating that the
United States Federal Government will be a model employer in hiring people
with disabilities. 

 

Throughout the Summit, I engaged in dialogue and roundtable discussions with
other activists to identify emerging opportunities to enhance the theme
“Living, Learning and Earning” for people with disabilities by improving the
coordination of disability policies, programs, and advocacy efforts; and
energizing collaborative networks. 

 

According to Jonathan Young, the Chairman of the NCD, the theme of the
Summit emerged from a “resolute belief that our greatest challenges in
disability policy involve coordination across many silos - Congressional
committees of jurisdiction; federal agencies; and all levels of government.”
Mr. Young also said that “rather than discuss separate policy "tracks" as
NCD has done in the past (housing, telecommunications, transportation,
education, etc.), I am committed to integrating the silos to meet the
real-life challenges of living, learning, and earning.” Beneath the surface
of these real-life challenges, attitudinal change towards disability is
taking place, and using the right language is crucial. To this point, one
speaker quoted Mark Twain, “The difference between the almost right word and
the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the
lightning bug and the lightning.” A recurring theme was that people need to
be able to govern their own lives and make their own choices. On this
subject, Mazen Basrawi, Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil
Rights at the Department of Justice, said “We need to give people the
maximum choice possible so they can reach their maximum dream possible.”

 

Anmol Bhatia, another member of the NFB and NABS, also attended the Summit
and was one of the lucky few to attend the ceremony at the White House. He
shared some of his thoughts on the Summit in an informal interview via
email, segments of which are recounted below:

 

Kathryn: What did it feel like, being at the White House ceremony? 

 

Anmol: It was really exciting to be at the South Lawn, the very place where
the ADA was signed into law 20 years earlier.                

 

Kathryn: As a young person and a student, I was afraid my input at the
Summit might not be valued, but I felt the discussion was inviting and open
– some people were even taking notes on my opinions on the greatest
challenges facing young people with disabilities. What were your thoughts on
the discussion?

 

Anmol: As a participant in the Summit, I found the discussion interesting
and the atmosphere open to suggestions from all participants. The eager
participation of stakeholders in the plenary sessions was very encouraging. 

 

Kathryn: Did any surprising or unexpected comments catch your attention/ 

 

Anmol: At one instance, a prominent Conservative rabbi asked the National
Council for guidance on how to prepare religious centers for people with
disabilities should disasters strike and people seek refuge there. Now,
making emergencies preparedness cognizant of people with disabilities is a
policy goal for the future.  

 

Kathryn: Was there any issue discussed at the Summit which you felt most
passionate about? 

 

Anmol: I appreciated the speech given by Susan Sygall, the Executive
Director of Mobility International USA (an organization that arranges
international exchanges for disabled students and professionals). The
opportunities MIUSA is providing will give Americans an appreciation for how
fortunate people in the United States really are. Living in India, I have
witnessed the challenges a blind person may face there. It is really
beneficial for Americans to experience the way life is for disabled
individuals outside the United States.

 

The goal of NCD was to continue a national dialogue started at the summit.
To this end, the NCD has launched a Facebook page (see below) which will
allowed those who were not able to participate to provide input on the same
questions posed to the participants and to allow anyone interested to
continue the dialogue. According to Mr. Young, “This Summit is an important
milestone, but only one step in a process that will continue after the
summit.” You are encouraged to take advantage of this facebook page and
provide your personal input. This summit was an excellent start for a
dialogue on an important issue, but the work continues and much more must be
done.

 

National Council on Disability Website: 

http://www.ncd.gov/

 

NCD Facebook Page: 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/National-Council-on-Disability/1
31414496898167?v=wall
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/National-Council-on-Disability/
131414496898167?v=wall&ref=ts> &ref=ts

 

Access to Internet music services

 

by Tony Olivero

 

>From the Editor: Tony Olivero works as part of the access technology team
for the NFB in Baltimore. The following is a brief description of accessible
solutions to access a couple of very popular online music applications. This
article is an adapted reprint of a post from the NFB Access Technology Blog,
found at: http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Access_Technology_Blog.asp?

The blog is a great resource and contains valuable posts about all types of
access technology for the blind. Here’s what Tony posted regarding access to
music online:

 

Internet music services such as Rhapsody, and streaming "radio" sites like
Pandora have posed a challenge for blind users because of their
non-standard, in the case of the Rhapsody software, and Flash, in the case
of Pandora, interfaces. Here are two solutions we have found that provide
access to these services for blind users.

 

While we much prefer developers include accessibility while they build their
software and web sites, and recognize that add-on and "blind-only" software
promotes an undesirable separate but equal approach, we also recognize that
blind users want to participate in these services and are therefore
providing this information to that end.

 

Rhapsody:

 

Rhapsody is on online music service offering paid MP3 or subscription based,
DRM protected, music for consumers. The Rhapsody software, a client that
allows the searching, streaming, downloading, and purchasing of individual
tracks and albums, has previously been very difficult for a blind user
because it does not use standard Windows controls or communicate with
Microsoft accessibility APIs. John Martin has written a set of JAWS scripts
to provide access to the functionality of the Rhapsody software. Users can
search the music guide, add tracks to their library, manipulate playlists
and control playback, and purchase unencrypted MP3 tracks with these
scripts. For more information, visit Rhapsody Blind. 

 

Pandora:

 

Pandora, an internet "radio" service that plays new songs based on how a
user rates other songs, has long been inaccessible to the blind because of a
Flash interface that did not include accessibility considerations.
Christopher Toth has developed a stand-alone application, Hope, that
provides an accessible interface to the Pandora service. This client,
available for $10, allows one to create a station, control music playback,
and participate in the most valuable portion of the Pandora experience,
rating songs. 

 

Thanks go to John and Christopher for taking the time to build accessible
interfaces to these services.

 

The Climb

 

by Jordyn Castor

 

>From the Editor: Jordyn Castor is a high school senior at Rockford High
School in Michigan. Upon her graduation this June, she hopes to enroll at
either Michigan or Michigan State to study computer science, and ultimately
become a computer software engineer. In the following article, Jordyn
recounts her experience with Michigan’s Camp Tuhsmeheta at the Breckenridge
Outdoor Education Center last summer. Jordyn’s experience underscores the
impact summer programs can have on blind youth. Here’s Jordyn’s story:

 

I am not one who loves camping or the outdoors.  I love to ski in the winter
and have the occasional bon fire, but the summer is usually hot and I
absolutely hate bugs.  Thus, the day of July 27 2010, when I embarked on a
two week long adventure trip into the wilderness was quite hectic.  Did I
pack enough long underwear?  Would I freeze to death?  Did I remember bug
spray, sun screen, my straightener, and blow dryer?  I had no idea what was
in store for me.

 

"Jordyn, did you bring your shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and
toothpaste?" my mom asked as we checked my bag, for at least the fifth time,
for everything that was on the long packing list.
"Mom, you already asked me that, and I already told you yes!" I said
nervously hoping I did not forget anything.  The butterflies in my stomach
made me feel like I would puke.

 

The group I was with had nine blind teenagers, including me, from a camp for
the blind in Michigan called Camp Tuhsmeheta.  Our adventure started out
with a four-day road trip across the United States.  Our destination was the
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, in Breckenridge, Colorado, where we
participated in an eight day long wilderness camp.  During the road trip, we
would wake up around 6:00 a.m., drive for six to eight hours, and stop to
set up camp and sleep.  We also stopped in places like a house from 1909,
the Badlands in South Dakota, and a wind cave.  By the end of the third
night of camping, I was tired of setting up tents, cooking food, and washing
dishes.  I became very irritated because I was not used to camping and
because the idea that someone thought it was fun to be camping outside and
going to the bathroom in porta potties seemed utterly impossible.  Every
night we camped outside, I would lie awake and listen to the noises around
me: leaves crackling, twigs snapping, an owl hooting...

 

Oh my gosh! What was that! I'm going to die! What if it's a bear, a lion, a
cougar, or a coyote?  I am going to freak out!  I swear, I don't care how
bad I have to go to the bathroom, but I am not getting out of this tent and
going in the middle of the night, I thought as I lay there shivering in my
tent.

 

When we arrived in Breckenridge, we met other campers and staff from other
states.  The first few days of the wilderness program were the roughest.
The outhouse smelled like an animal died, we had to wash dishes, sleep on
mattresses on the floor, set up tents for the nights we went camping, wash
our hands in a bucket, and, worst of all, there were no showers.  I was
miserable and homesick.  Every time I thought of home, or my family, I felt
the choking lump start to form in my throat.  The last thing I wanted to do
was be at this stupid camp, when I could be spending time with my family.
The thought that my family would be taking a shower before me and that they
had beds and a bathroom with a hairdryer, straightener, and flushing toilets
sickened me.

 

During that Monday, I decided that if I didn't like this camp by the end of
Tuesday, I was going to take a plane home.  However, my mind changed by that
night, when I began to bond with the people who are now as close to me as
family.  On Monday night, we all gathered for a debriefing session before
bed where we played a game called Big Booty.

 

"What the heck is that? Sounds pretty weird and stupid to me!" I angrily
protested, still convinced that I would hate this whole week.

 

"Oh, you'll see, don't worry, you'll like it." a councilor reassured me.

 

Big Booty is like the game of concentration where people take turns calling
out their number and then the number of another person in a rhythm.  After
playing Big Booty for the first time, we were hooked and just couldn't get
enough.  We played this amusing game whenever we had a scrap of free time.
One of the counselors also brought an iPod cable for the van and often
times, we had a two hour long car ride to get to the places our activities
were held.  We all danced and sang almost every song that came on to the
point that the fifteen passenger van was bouncing up and down and, I'm sure,
many headaches present among the staff.  Our theme song for the week became
Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."  We probably sang that song about a
hundred times.  Most importantly, I discovered I had a few particular
qualities in common with these people.  We all loved adventures, goofing
around, and having a great time.

 

"Never judge a book by its cover" is a motto I have always lived life by,
along with trying to convince others to do the same.  I spend a great deal
of time proving myself and my abilities to other people.  However, this camp
was utterly different.  There was no need to prove anything here, no
barriers separating me from just being myself instead of always wondering
what people think of me.  I was surrounded by people who loved and cared
about me; they believed that if I believed in myself, I could do anything
from white water rafting to rock climbing.  The staff was always ready and
willing to offer words of encouragement and motivation.  We were never
babied, a quality present in so many camps and aspects of our lives as blind
people, and were expected to help cook, clean, do dishes, everything
everyone else had to do.  Everyone was a team and was expected to work
together and help each other out.  We were never thought of as being blind
and helpless and were never treated any different.  This gave us a chance to
shine and to truly be ourselves, a chance which almost never occurs when
meeting sighted people who had never met blind people before.

 

The first few days of the wilderness program were spent hiking and white
water rafting, which were new, yet fun, activities for me.             I
especially enjoy white water rafting because of the thrill of going over the
rapids and almost falling out of the boat.  However, one of the experiences
that really stuck out for me was rock climbing.  Before the Out of Sight
adventure program, I never climbed a mountain or cliff before.  When we
started our ascent up the mountain, I was very apprehensive.  I made it
safely up the mountain and had absolutely nothing to worry about.  I am the
type of person who is used to winning, used to being a natural at many
things, and used to having no competition.

 

"Hey Jordyn, I climbed the hardest rock," my friend Greg exclaimed.

 

I didn't even consider climbing the most challenging rock, but now I had to
try.  Pride wouldn't forgive me if I didn't.

 

"Oh, you are so on!" I shouted.

 

A fresh amount of determination and strength came back in to my mind.  I
would beat Greg.  I wasn't going to let a younger and shorter junior beat me
in rock climbing.  The rock had a very high start and one would have to jump
in order to start the climb.  At first, I couldn't jump, couldn't get my
feet high enough, and felt frustrated and defeated.  At the point of
frustration when I was almost reduced to tears, I gave one final jump and
pushed myself up and onto the base of the cliff.  I had no clue what lay
ahead of me; the only thing I knew was that I was not giving up now.  One of
the counselors said, "You've made it this far, you're not giving up now, I'm
not letting you! You can't give up now!"  There was one point during my
journey up the cliff when I almost gave up.  The rain was causing my feet to
slip and slide around on the rock, I was weak and tired, and I could not,
for the life of me, find a way to climb any higher.  The tears almost
spilled out of my eyes again.  I just kept telling myself, Don't give up,
push, you can do this!  More discouragement came when Phil, who is also a
staff member, said, "It's almost time to go, wrap it up, you have ten
minutes."  The thoughts rushed through my head again, Just do it! Do not
give up! You can do this!  I kept climbing...  Suddenly, my fingers grasped
the anchor telling me I had made it to the top.  This time, I did really
start crying.  The tears weren't for fear or frustration though.  I was
overjoyed.  I had climbed up a seventy six foot cliff, the hardest rock,
beaten Greg, and was the first totally blind person to climb to the top of
that rock.  I do not think I have ever experienced a sense of accomplishment
that I did when I touched that anchor.  At first, I felt like a little bird
jumping around and flapping its tiny wings, and at the top, I felt like the
bird taking flight for the first time; the first flight wasn't perfect or
graceful, but I flew.  This sense of accomplishment was like nothing I had
ever felt before.  This was an activity I never experienced and I conquered
the hardest obstacle.  On that day, the concept of setting my mind to a task
and achieving my goal was emphasized all over again.  My negative thoughts
and feelings toward the entire trip melted away like ice on a warm spring
day.

 

At the close of the camp, I was no longer homesick; I didn't want to leave.
An hour before we were scheduled to be picked up, we had a chance to reflect
on our week in Breckenridge.

 

"Draw a person's name from this box, say one nice thing about that person,
and then tell us what you've learned throughout the week." we were
instructed.

 

Ironically, Greg drew my name, and I drew Greg's name.  This felt really
awkward.  I was lost for words and embarrassed by my jealous, hateful,
childish feelings earlier that week.

 

"Jordyn has taught me to not be such a stick in the mud." he said.

 

"You can always count on Greg to say something random and funny." I
responded as we exchanged a yellow and a purple star that would be put on to
a bracelet for each of us to keep.

 

As everyone went around the circle, I heard sniffling in the crowd coming
from my friend Joslyn.

 

"It's OK. Don't cry. It'll be alright." I told her.

 

I was secretly thinking to myself, Oh Gosh, please don't let me cry.  I
don't want to cry, this is embarrassing!  In the end, however, I failed.
The tears rolled down my cheeks.  After we were through, we made one last
check of the cabin for any other belongings and stood in a circle to play
Big Booty, and sing Journey for the last time.  After that, it was off to
the van.  As I filled my water bottle, and said good-bye to the cabin I had
called home for the last eight days, I knew my life had changed.

 

 

Robert Leslie Newman

President, Omaha Chapter NFB

President, NFB Writers' Division

Division Website

 <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/> http://www.nfb-writers-division.org

Chair, Newsletter Publication committee

Personal Website-

 <http://www.thoughtprovoker.info/> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info