[NFB-Maryland] Fall 2019 Braille Spectator

[president at nfbmd.org]

Braille Spectator, Fall 2019


 

THE BRAILLE SPECTATOR, Fall 2019

A semi-annual publication of the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland

 

Ronza Othman and Sharon Maneki, co-editors

 

Published on  <http://www.nfbmd.org/> www.nfbmd.org and on NFB Newsline by
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

 

Ronza Othman, President

 

Comments and questions should be sent to  <mailto:President at nfbmd.org>
President at nfbmd.org.

 


In this issue:


 


.         The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland 2019 Annual
Convention: Celebrating Our Stories, Defining Our Future


.         The BELLs Continue Ringing in Maryland


.         Why Would We Even Try?


.         Maryland's Barriers to Disabled Students Must Go


.         Chapter Spotlight: The Greater Baltimore Chapter


.         Annapolis Roundup - A Year of Unfinished Business


.         Why is There a Braille Message on My E-scooter?


.         National Federation of the Blind Sues State Board of Elections
Over Ballot Privacy


.         Perspectives on the National Convention


.         Spotlight on a Student: Nesma Aly - Living the Life She Wants


.         Profile of an NFBMD Leader: Debbie Brown


.         Ways of Seeing: A Tactile Art Exhibition


.          


.         Spectator Specs




 


The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland 
2019 Annual Convention: 
Celebrating Our Stories, Defining Our Future


By Ronza Othman


The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland (NFBMD) will be holding its
53rd Annual Convention from Nov 8 to 10, at the Crown Plaza Baltimore
Downtown Inner Harbor. Our theme this year will be Celebrating Our Stories,
Defining Our Future. This is because we, the members of the NFBMD, come from
a multitude of diverse and varied backgrounds. We each have a unique story
that led us to find the National Federation of the Blind and decide to make
its members our family. At this year's convention, we will be celebrating
those stories and finding the commonalities among them. Those commonalities
are the threads that will define our collective future as an organization
and as a movement.

 

Our national representative this year is Carla McQuillan. Carla is president
of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon and a member of the NFB
Board of Directors. She runs a Montessori preschool program and coordinates
our national NFB Braille Enrichment in Literacy and Learning (BELL) Program.


 

We will begin early on Friday, Nov. 8, with the Resolutions Committee
Meeting and the Board Meeting. The Greater Baltimore Chapter, our host
chapter, has planned some exciting tours for us of the downtown Baltimore
area. We will, once again, have an exhibit hall, where a number of
organizations will demonstrate services and goods specific to the blind. We
are planning some workshops, including two focusing on stories: a workshop
on oral history and a workshop on sources for books, stories, and
information and how to access them. We will also hold a town hall, where
members will be invited to share suggestions for what they want to see from
their affiliate in terms of activities, programs, events, and focus. One
workshop will focus on helping job seekers hone their job searching and
interviewing skills. And, by popular demand, bingo is back!

 

The Parents Division is hosting a day-long seminar for parents and teachers
on Friday. Childcare is available if needed. The students will also have a
seminar on Friday. The Merchants Division will have a Symposium and
Networking Reception Friday evening.  

 

This year's dramatic reading of Braille/play is a Debbie Brown original
creation. We will also have a game night Friday.

 

Saturday and Sunday promise to be equally exciting. We will have many
dynamic and interesting presentations during general session, including Dave
Steele, the Blind Poet. As usual we will work with our partners to ensure
high quality services for the blind.

 

Members are strongly encouraged to bring their NFB Membership Coins with
them and keep them on hand throughout the convention. We will award
incentives and prizes to those who have their NFB Membership Coins with them
throughout the weekend.

 

The banquet on Saturday evening promises to be as exciting as ever. We will
hear from our national representative, award our NFBMD scholarships, and
give some awards.  

 

We have a number of surprises in store this year. Please take advantage of
the discounted rates for registration and meals by pre-registering prior to
Oct. 12. Hotel reservations also are due by Oct. 12. For more information
about pre-registration, how to reserve a hotel room, and to download the
convention agenda once it becomes available, visit
<http://nfbmd.org/convention> nfbmd.org/convention.  

 

The convention will be a time to have fun and grow, a time to meet new
friends and renew old friendships, and a time of inspiration and enthusiasm.
Come to the convention to experience the love, hope and determination we
need to make our dreams a reality.  


 


The BELLs Continue Ringing in Maryland


by Judy Rasmussen


 

The NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy is one
of the most important programs held across the country by affiliates of the
National Federation of the Blind. Since Maryland was the first affiliate to
host the BELL program, we have a high tradition to uphold. In true
federation fashion, we continued to make a difference in the lives of young
students across the state in 2019. A total of 22 students, ranging from age
4 to 14, participated in our three BELL Academies.  

 

As in past years, BELLs rang out in Baltimore, Glenn Dale, and Salisbury,
each lasting two weeks. Though many of our students had been to previous
BELL Academy programs, they were eager to come back to renew friendships
with their peers and with blind volunteer role models. For volunteers, it is
heart-warming to see how students have progressed with their reading and
writing. For students, it is the chance to build on what they learned and
experience activities they don't always do in school, like cooking. 

 

This year's nationwide NFB BELL theme was: Placing Your Hands on the Future.
Each NFB BELL Academy was encouraged to explore tactile learning. Thanks to
the generosity of the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults,
each NFB BELL Academy was gifted an inTACT Sketchpad and Eraser.  The
sketchpads are designed to teach kids to draw objects they can feel. The
sketchpad comes with a stylus and special paper which is fitted into the
sketchpad frame. Students are given objects like a balloon which they can
trace. Or, they can be creative and draw free-hand. Everyone traced a
balloon, but then had the opportunity to create a three-dimensional balloon
using craft supplies, and then make a mini-helium balloon (complete with
mini basket).

 

On the last day, each student was given his/her own sketchpad to take home
and use throughout the school year. 

 

All three NFB BELL Academies enjoyed tactile activities with the Maryland
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Students learned about
outer space consistent with the library's summer theme of the Universe of
Stories. The lessons were tactile, auditory, and special, rather than
visual. All three NFB BELL Academies also enjoyed activities courtesy of
FutureMakers, including building three-dimensional structures.

 

Salisbury BELL

The NFB BELL Academy in Salisbury, hosted by Blind Industries and Services
of Maryland (BISM), emphasized reading, writing, singing, dancing,
keyboarding, and community service.  Many of the students learned to read
Braille music for the first time, and the group came together to perform
"Lean on Me" at the NFB Salisbury BELL graduation. They also learned a
complicated step dance, which they performed at their graduation. The
students took field trips to a local pool, many of them learning to
independently navigate the pool for the first time.  Additionally, they took
a trip to a peach farm, where they picked peaches and later assembled peach
baskets for blind seniors in the Salisbury area. In this capacity, they
learned the value of community service.

 

Blind mobility instructor, Quinn Haberl, helped kids improve their cane
techniques and everyone had lots of fun walking on a big trail that runs
around the location of the BELL Academy site.

 

We appreciate Mindy Demaris, who is a certified teacher and gave of her time
to teach Braille reading and writing to the Salisbury students. Amy Kraus,
Danielle Earl, Heather Guy, and many other volunteers made the Salisbury
program a success.

 


Baltimore BELL


We were pleased that Jackie Anderson returned to be the NFB Baltimore BELL
Academy teacher this year. Jackie was the original instructor for NFB BELL
when it first began. We are also grateful to Melissa Riccobono for
coordinating the NFB Baltimore BELL Academy.

 

Each day, NFB Baltimore BELL Academy students rotated between sessions on
reading; writing; independent living skills; and orientation and mobility.
Students made pizzas from scratch, including rolling out the dough; baked
pastries and desserts; and played many kinds of Braille games. The students
took field trips to the Maryland Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped and to a local swimming pool. They also worked with clay, thanks
to Baltimore Clayworks, and the students helped to create a sculpture that
will be installed at the National Federation of the Blind headquarters.  

 


Glenn Dale BELL


Rene Donalvo once again served as the teacher for the NFB Glenn Dale BELL
Academy.  Debbie Brown and Judy Rasmussen once again served as the lead
coordinators.  

 

The Glenn Dale students wrote about all the things their hands can do,
participated in both a sound quiz and a scavenger hunt, baked cakes in cups,
and had great philosophy discussions about blindness. The Glenn Dale program
included formal orientation and mobility instruction this year for the first
time.

 

NFB Glenn Dale BELL Academy students took a field trip to a bowling alley,
where the students learned non-visual bowling techniques. They also took an
imaginary trip to the Philippines. In preparation, students had to create
their own passports by writing their personal information and drawing their
faces using their sketchpads; they created a list of things they would need
for a three-day trip. Volunteers served as immigration officers, the pilot,
fellow passengers, and tour guides. Students looked at genuine Philippine
artifacts, money, and ate spring rolls and a noodle dish. While playing
Braille Jeopardy, students showed how much they had learned from this trip
by answering questions correctly.

 

Some of the older students had the chance to write down 10 things they wish
sighted people knew about blind people. Here are a few of their answers:

*         "We don't want to be excluded from games or assignments because we
are blind."

*         "Don't move our canes without permission."

*         "We want apps on our phones that are accessible."

 


Parent Activities


Each NFB BELL Academy in Maryland ended with a parent seminar. Parents were
educated about their rights with regard to the special education system.
They were taught about non-visual ways of accomplishing tasks. Parents of
NFB BELL Academy participants were also given training on how to help their
children use the sketchpads, with an emphasis on helping the children to
learn to both print and sign their names.

 


Thank You


None of the BELL Academy programs would have been possible without the
dedication of the many wonderful volunteers who put in countless hours to
ensure things were prepared ahead of time, and were flexible when changes
had to be made with little notice. All of our teachers deserve hearty thanks
for their dedication and persistence. The NFB Maryland BELL Committee-led by
Melissa Riccobono, and included members Sharon Maneki, Debbie Brown, Judy
Rasmussen, Erin Daring, Danielle Earl, Heather Guy, and Amy Crouse-worked
for many months to plan for NFB BELL; their hard work shown through in the
number and variety of dynamic lessons, activities, and field trips.

 

Contributions received from Friends of the Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, and the Central Maryland, Greater Baltimore, TLC and
Sligo Creek chapters were very much appreciated, as were donations from
private individuals and entities. The NFB BELL Academies are the most
expensive program our affiliate runs. However, we will not stop holding them
because investment in the future generation of leaders is essential to
ensure that blind children grow up to work, serve others, and teach the next
generation the skills they learned-and to live the life they want.

 




 


Why Would We Even Try?


by Talia Richman


Originally published by The Baltimore Sun; May 2, 2019


 

[Editor's Note: Improving educational opportunities for blind children is
one of the highest priorities of the federation. We are including the
following article and President Riccobono's response to it entitled
"Maryland's Barriers to Disabled Students Must Go," as an example of
educational barriers in Maryland. As you will see, we have much work to do
in the education arena.]

 

'Why would we even try?' Parents of disabled students almost never win in
fights against Maryland districts.

 

It's rare for the parents of students with disabilities to prevail in legal
battles against Maryland school districts. In the past five years, they've
lost more than 85 percent of the time, state education department documents
show, even after investing tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours
in pursuit of a better education for their children.

 

Advocates, families and attorneys say the trend is alarming and discourages
people from fighting for the rights kids are guaranteed under federal law.

 

School systems are required to provide and pay for a range of specialized
services - anything from speech therapy sessions to tuition at a private
facility - to ensure that children with disabilities are properly educated.
When parents dispute what's being offered, they can file a complaint and
take their case before a judge.

 

It's a draining and complex ordeal that costs families time and energy and
leaves their children's education in flux. In recent years, roughly 100
families have gone through a so-called special education due process
hearing. Judges have routinely sided with the school systems.

 

"I wouldn't wish this upon anybody," said Sarah Friedman, a parent who went
through due process. "My daughter was let down first by the school system
and then by the judicial system."

 

Advocates say the odds discourage countless other families - especially
low-income families - from attempting to go through with a due process
complaint.

 

"Families see the data, and it's like, why would we even try?" said Maureen
van Stone, director of the Kennedy Krieger Institute's Project HEAL, a
medical-legal partnership. "This is not what you want when children with
disabilities are guaranteed these rights by federal law."

 

Other states avoid such asymmetrical rates. A study examining due process
hearings in Texas found districts prevailed in roughly 72 percent of cases
from 2011 to 2015. A similar assessment in Massachusetts found school
districts won in a little more than half of the due process hearings over
eight years.

 

Van Stone said she understands "not every case is a winner." Still, she
argues the lopsided success in Maryland should sound alarms.

 

A representative of the judges who oversee these cases said every judge is
impartial and assesses each situation on its merits. A senior official in
the school system that fields the most complaints said districts work
tirelessly to settle problems outside court to best serve kids.

 

Still, some parents question why they so often lose in the fight for what
they see as their children's legal right to "a free and appropriate" public
education - and why lawmakers in Annapolis have quashed legislation they say
would've helped level the playing field.

 

A last resort

Before a due process hearing goes before a judge, school systems and parents
are supposed to work together to reach a resolution out of court. The
majority of special education issues are settled that way, through mediation
and other means, keeping the number of due process hearings low.

 

Lori Scott, chair of the Howard County Special Education Citizens Advisory
Committee, says her organization counsels families on how to secure better
services for their children while avoiding a due process hearing. Taking
that step, she says, is a last resort no parent relishes - but one they will
pursue if they feel it's their child's only chance.

 

Montgomery County's Associate Superintendent of Special Education Kevin
Lowndes said the district "bends over backwards" to resolve issues with
parents before moving into due process.

 

"The cases that get to that level are ones we've done everything in our
power to make a successful resolution," he said, "but for whatever reason
the parent wants something we feel we just can't give them."

 

Friedman says she spent four years in classrooms and conference rooms,
trying to get the Montgomery County public school system to better educate
her daughter. The girl, who Friedman requested not be named, has severe
dyslexia. As she approached third grade, she couldn't read well enough to
order off an unfamiliar menu. At Dunkin' Donuts, she would ask her mom for
the white one with sprinkles, unable to decipher the treat's proper name.

 

She continued to fall behind her peers. In third grade, she read at the
level of a new first-grader, documents show. She called herself dumb. She
developed anxiety and deep shame about her inability to read.

 

Friedman pulled her daughter out of the Montgomery County elementary school
and transferred her to a private school in Washington that specializes in
teaching kids with learning differences. Her daughter began thriving, once
getting into her mother's car after school and announcing that she'd had the
best day of her life: She read a chapter book for the first time. She told
Friedman she never wanted to go back to her old school, which she dubbed
"the death school."

 

The family initiated a due process hearing to compel Montgomery County to
pay the steep private school tuition, arguing the girl's public elementary
school failed to meet her needs. While it's rare, judges can - and have -
required public systems to pay private school costs. Districts can also
agree to pay for private schools without going to due process; Baltimore,
for example, plans to set aside $28 million next year to pay tuition for
students who can't be served in public schools.

 

Friedman and her husband burned through their vacation and savings during
the adversarial 10-day hearing. It left Friedman wishing the school system
would fight as hard for dyslexic kids as it does against them.

 

Last month, the Friedmans got the news: They, like so many other parents in
Maryland, had lost.

"You deplete all your resources to fight for your child's education," she
said. "I knew the world was unjust, but I never knew it could be like this
for a child."

 

The judge who oversaw the hearing concluded Montgomery County Public Schools
was able to provide Friedman's daughter a "free and appropriate education,"
and that she had in fact made academic progress in third grade. The school
system, which declined to comment on an individual case, argued it provided
necessary academic and emotional supports for the 9-year-old girl.

 

The judges who decide these cases can't speak to their rulings, which are
confidential, said John Leidig, deputy director of operations for the Office
of Administrative Hearings. Each case is decided on its individual facts,
and the office declined to comment on the trend of parents losing most of
the time.

 

Administrative law judges are overseen by the state's independent Office of
Administrative Hearings. Each of the roughly 55 judges in the office worked
as a lawyer before their appointment.

 

In testimony earlier this year in Annapolis, the chief administrative law
judge assured lawmakers that every judge assigned to a due process hearing
is "trained, competent, neutral and fair."

 

'David versus Goliath'

Some researchers believe districts prevail much more often because they have
far greater legal and financial resources than a family does. Another
explanation special education experts offer is the districts will attempt to
resolve cases that are less likely to be won and go to a hearing only if
they are supremely confident in their chances. Others believe judges give
deference to the judgment of district officials.

 

"It's always been a David and Goliath issue," said special education
attorney Selene Almazan.

 

Project HEAL produced a report analyzing each of the 105 due process
hearings from fiscal year 2014 to the second quarter of fiscal year 2019,
most of which were initiated by the parents.

Judges sided with school districts in all but 14 cases. No parents won if
they represented themselves.

 

Advocates caution that for every parent who makes it to a due process
hearing, there are countless others without the resources to even consider
taking on a fight they're likely to lose.

Karen Kwasny is debating going to due process to fight for the right for her
daughter, who has a variety of learning disabilities, to be properly
educated in Carroll County Public Schools. But she's torn.

 

"I'm afraid I'll lose and the money wouldn't be used for her education," she
said. "It'd be used to fight a system that doesn't favor families."

 

Perry Zirkel, a Lehigh University professor and recognized expert in special
education law, warned against looking at the percentage of district or
parent wins alone. Due process hearings, he says, are complex and nuanced.

 

"It all depends on the perspective," he said. The same people "looking at
the same data, can have different perceptions about what is fair or who
should prevail in these cases. It's not like science or mathematics."

 

Due process complaints are filed against school districts across the state.
The systems in Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel, and Harford
counties, and Baltimore City have litigated several dozen. Montgomery County
fields the most. It's the largest school district in the state, and among
the wealthiest.

 

For low-income families, due process brings additional, potentially
insurmountable, hurdles. Project HEAL found an average due process hearing
spans about four days - meaning a parent will likely have to take off work
multiple days in a row. If they want a chance at winning, parents must bring
in expert witnesses to testify on their behalf. These experts often come
with  hefty price tags, as do lawyers.

 

The system's "complex protocols and mandates disproportionately benefit
wealthy, well-educated parents, who can deftly and aggressively navigate the
due process system with the aid of private counsel and paid education
experts," according to an American Association of School Administrators
report on national trends.

 

Meanwhile, the amount of money districts spend to fight parents in a due
process hearing can sometimes exceed the cost of the service families are
requesting.

 

That was the case for Sarah Davis, an Anne Arundel parent who asked the
school system to pay for an independent evaluation to determine whether her
daughter, then in eighth grade, is dyslexic. The district spent more than
$30,000 in its dispute with Davis, according to documents provided to The
Baltimore Sun. The evaluation - for which her family eventually paid - would
have cost the district one-tenth of that.

 

"Anne Arundel County Public Schools exhausts all resources as we attempt to
provide appropriate accommodations and/or services to all students with
disabilities," spokesman Bob Mosier said in a statement. "When there is
disagreement about those accommodations or services, we attempt to reach
resolution using collaborative means. There are times, however, when those
avenues don't result in an agreement. Our focus in all cases is meeting the
needs of the student."

 

School systems "shouldn't be spending thousands of dollars to avoid paying
for something that will cost a fraction of that," said attorney Wayne
Steedman, who represented Davis and other Maryland families in these cases.

 

Stalled changes

A Baltimore City delegate introduced a bill in this year's session that
would have imposed new regulations on the judges who preside over special
education cases.

 

There are dozens of these administrative law judges, yet due process
hearings are relatively infrequent. That means, according to Project HEAL, a
judge, will on average, go 25 months between rulings on special education
cases. Administrative law judges oversee cases stemming from more than 30
state agencies.

 

Del. Stephanie Smith proposed mandating additional special education
training for judges. The training would have discussed how to recognize and
avoid implicit bias and understand the perspective of a parent whose child
has a disability.

 

Chief administrative law judge Thomas Dewberry testified in opposition,
saying it was unnecessary because judges already receive extensive training
on special education, and the law would undermine the office's independence.

 

Smith withdrew the legislation. She did not respond to requests for comment
for this article.

That pattern has been repeated with due process-related bills.

 

Another bill introduced in the session would've enabled families to recoup
expert and attorney fees. It received an unfavorable report in the Senate.

 

For Baltimore schools, special education still a work in progress

In Maryland, the party that files the due process complaint carries the
responsibility of convincing a judge that the special education services
that schools provide are inadequate - a standard stemming from a 2005
Supreme Court decision.

 

The General Assembly has many times in recent years considered shifting the
burden of proof to the school system, as states such as New York and New
Jersey have done. Legislation would have required school systems to defend
the appropriateness of the learning plans they'd crafted for students, even
if it was the parents who filed the complaint. The Maryland Association of
Boards of Education, which represents all 24 school systems, opposed the
bill, saying it would increase the cost and duration of these disputes.

 

Supporters argued it would force districts to work more collaboratively with
parents.

Legislation that would've put the burden of proof on school systems
repeatedly failed.




 


Maryland's Barriers to Disabled Students Must Go


by Mark A. Riccobono


Originally published by The Baltimore Sun; May 3, 2019


 

As a blind parent, father of three children (two of whom are blind), and as
president of the National Federation of the Blind, I was simultaneously
frustrated and pleased to see Talia Richman bring attention to the critical
issue of special education due process hearings in Maryland (
<https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-due-process
-hearings-20190502-story.html> "'Why would we even try?' Parents of disabled
students almost never win in fights against Maryland districts," May 2). I
am all too familiar with the artificial barriers that some, often
well-meaning, school administrators erect between blind students and their
full academic potential. In most of these cases, securing high quality
Braille instruction for blind students, particularly for those with some
vision, leads to long, expensive and burdensome due process hearings similar
to those Ms. Richman describes.

 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal law
governing special education, is a well-intentioned but flawed law that
frequently dooms parents, advocates and students with disabilities to that
adversarial process. Maryland can and must do better. In addition to the
administrative battles, Maryland schools are failing to leverage a great
wealth of Maryland resources to develop model educational programs. The
headquarters of the National Federation of the Blind has been in Baltimore
for 40 years, yet our frequent attempts to partner with Maryland school
districts have gone unanswered. Imagine how much better our children would
have it if we could partner in the classrooms rather than argue about our
perspectives in the courtrooms.

 

We look forward to working with Del. Stephanie Smith, as well as the rest of
the
<https://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/politics-government/government/maryland-
general-assembly-ORGOV0000193-topic.html> Maryland General Assembly,
parents, advocates, administrators and students with disabilities to make
the necessary special education reforms so our students can live the lives
they want.

 




 


Chapter Spotlight: The Greater Baltimore Chapter


by Chris Danielsen


 

[Editor's Note: The Maryland affiliate has a rich and varied history that is
not widely known. As we move forward with our membership initiative, we will
continue highlighting a particular chapter or division in each edition of
this publication. After all, members are the lifeblood of our organization,
and chapters help build the foundation for membership. Since the spring 2019
issue, we have been spotlighting a Maryland chapter in each issue to share
how that chapter originated, what makes it unique, and other interesting
information about it. The next chapter to be highlighted in this series is
the Greater Baltimore chapter.]

 

The Greater Baltimore Chapter is the oldest chapter in the organization we
now know as the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. In fact, the
chapter was established in October of 1965, before there was a state
affiliate. Today, it has more than 150 members, many of whom attend its
regular meetings, annual chapter picnics, and holiday celebrations.

 

Since its founding, the Greater Baltimore Chapter has met on the third
Saturday of each month. The location of the meetings changed many times
before April of 1979, when the chapter began meeting at what is now the NFB
Jernigan Institute, where meetings begin promptly at 10 a.m., in the
beautiful NFB of Utah Auditorium. Past meeting locations included the
Towanda Avenue City Recreation Center and the Blind Industries and Services
of Maryland facility on Strickland Street. 

 

The chapter's founding president was Ned Graham, who, according to the
recollections of longtime chapter members, served in that capacity
throughout most of the 60s and 70s. Presidents since the late 70s have
included many distinguished and still-active Federationists, some of whom
went on to much higher offices. The names of these individuals are: Raymond
Lowder, Marc Maurer (who would of course go on to serve as national
president), Althea Pitman, Mary Ellen Reihing (now Gabias), the late Fred
Flowers, Eileen Rivera (now Ley), Lynn Mattioli (now Bailiff), Curtis Chong,
Maurice Peret, Melissa Riccobono (who left the chapter presidency to serve
as state president), Chris Danielsen, and Ellen Ringlein. Other
distinguished longtime members include Patricia Maurer, who served as
chapter treasurer from 1983 through 2015; Bernice Lowder, who has done any
number of volunteer jobs for the chapter including providing child care;
Barry Hond, who is still in charge of the chapter's 50/50 raffle at each
meeting;  Carol Siegel, who among other things Brailles the raffle tickets;
Maryellen Thompson, who for years handled chapter nut sales and still
performs functions too numerous to mention; Sharon Maneki, who despite
founding and leading another NFBMD chapter, coordinates numerous activities
and programs for the Greater Baltimore Chapter; and Mary Ellen Jernigan,
whose contributions to the federation are many and ongoing. This is also the
home chapter of current NFBMD President Ronza Othman.  Readers will by now
understand federation presidents beginning with Dr. Kenneth Jernigan were
chapter members. As a result, the chapter has long had the privilege of
hearing additional remarks from the national president following the playing
of the recorded presidential release.

 

A historic and ongoing concern of the chapter is the availability and
quality of public transportation in Baltimore and beyond. During the airline
battles of the late 70s and early 80s, chapter members participated in a
simulated airplane evacuation to demonstrate the capacity of blind people to
safely leave a plane in an emergency using white canes and guide dogs. In
the early 2000s, when then-members Jim McCarthy and Terri Uttermohlen were
detained by Maryland Transit Administration Police for failing to pay a
Light Rail fare, even though they had offered to pay the conductor because
they couldn't use an inaccessible ticket kiosk, chapter members protested
the inaccessibility and the MTA's action by demonstrating at the Camden
Light Rail station and aboard the trains. Today's ongoing transportation
concerns include the proliferation of e-scooters in Baltimore City and the
seemingly intractable problems with the MTA Mobility paratransit service. In
recent years, the chapter has also modeled advocacy by protesting against
the showing of the movie Blindness at the Landmark Theaters, Harbor East and
for fair wages at the Goodwill store on Greenmount Avenue. Chapter members
also attended numerous hearings of the Maryland Board of Elections to
protest its separate and unequal treatment of blind voters. Each year,
chapter members write letters to members of the Maryland General Assembly
and attend hearings to support our state legislative initiatives, stuff
envelopes to support state fundraising appeals, and more. 

 

The chapter also has a strong presence in the community. Since the mid-1990s
the chapter has participated in Baltimore's Christmas lighting of its
Washington Monument, braving usually frigid temperatures to sell wassale and
hot chocolate to the Baltimoreans who turn out for this beloved holiday
tradition. For the past several years chapter members have also attended at
least one Baltimore Orioles game. Both of these events serve as fundraisers,
but more importantly, they integrate blind residents into the Baltimore
community. On September 18, 2018, chapter members were proud to make
National Federation of the Blind Night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, held
to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of NFB headquarters
in the city, a resounding success by handing out Braille alphabet cards to
our fellow baseball fans. The Greater Baltimore Chapter is looking forward
to hosting our extended family from across the state at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel from Nov. 8 to 10. See you at convention, if not before!




 


Annapolis Roundup - A Year of Unfinished Business


by Sharon Maneki


 

The first year in the four-year term of the General Assembly is always a
time of on-the-job training. More than one-third of the General Assembly was
new and three of the four chairmen of Senate Committees also were new. We
were busy building new relationships and renewing friendships. We wanted to
make sure that every member of the General Assembly knows the National
Federation of the Blind is a resource on blindness for them.

  

Our three main priorities dealt with access. The first two issues concerned
access to information and the third issue was equal access to voting.

 

Once again Gov. Larry Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly appropriated
$250,000 for the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access to Education,
Public Information, and Commerce (CENA). CENA does important work under the
auspices of the Jernigan Institute and we appreciate the continued support
of the governor and the General Assembly very much. One of the new programs
that was established because of this appropriation was the Accessibility
Inclusion Fellowship Grants Program. It is crucial for developers to learn
about accessibility during their formal education. Through our Accessibility
Inclusion Fellowship Program under a Nonvisual Accessibility Initiative
grant administered by the Maryland Department of Disabilities, we are
excited to be working with professors on incorporating accessibility
concepts into their curriculum in a required course.

 

In 2019-2020 we will work closely with three grant recipients.
Congratulations to Joyram Chakraborty, Ph.D., from Towson University; Austin
A. Lobo from Washington College; and Susan Vowels, D.B.A., from Washington
College on their selection as recipients of the Accessibility Inclusion
Fellowship Grant. This is an important step toward our goal to make
accessibility requirements an automatic part of web development rather than
an afterthought. 

 

Our second issue dealing with access to information concerned electric
dockless scooters. Electric scooters (e-scooters) are a new form of
transportation that has become very popular in cities in Maryland and
throughout the nation. The appeal of these scooters is that they may be
retrieved from and left anywhere because they do not need to be parked at a
docking station or rack. As a result, users are leaving these scooters in
locations that block curb cuts, obstruct sidewalks, block bus stops and
stoops, and generally disrupt the flow of pedestrian traffic. The public is
encouraged to contact the various scooter companies directly to report
scooter misuse, request that a scooter be moved, or report an injury or
other concern; reports are made by calling the company, visiting the
website, or making a report using the app. The blind cannot identify the
scooter companies' names, phone numbers, or websites because the information
on the scooter is available only in print. Blind people are further denied
the opportunity to make reports or issue complaints, since scooter websites
and apps are generally not accessible via access technology.

 

To remedy this lack of access for the blind, an old friend, Senator Jeff
Waldstreicher introduced SB 805 and a new friend, Delegate Dalya Attar
introduced HB 1243. These bills instructed scooter companies to create and
maintain accessible websites and phone apps. The companies were also
required to include tactile information, such as embossed print, on each
scooter so that a blind person could identify the company and the phone
number. The House passed HB1243.  Unfortunately, the Senate Finance
Committee did not approve the bill until very late in the session. On the
last day, the bill was caught in the end of session logjam and was not
considered by the Senate for final action. We will ask the General Assembly
to solve this problem in the next session. Meanwhile, we continue to work
with scooter companies and transportation officials to make them aware of
their accessibility responsibilities. See the article entitled "Why is there
Braille on My E-Scooter" elsewhere in this issue.  

 

Spectator readers will remember that the blind of Maryland lost our right to
a secret ballot due to policies of the State Board of Elections, in the 2016
and 2018 elections. The only way to restore the secret ballot to people with
disabilities is to create one voting system for all voters. The House and
the Senate considered legislation that would have accomplished this goal.
Sen. Clarence Lam introduced SB 363 and Delegate Nick Mosby introduced HB
565. The Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee took
no action on this bill and the House Ways and Means Committee sent their
bill to Summer Study. This issue is not over. It is time for Maryland to
learn the lesson that was established by the Supreme Court in 1954 that
separate is not equal. Read about our lawsuit against the State Board of
Elections elsewhere in this issue. 

 

In addition to our priority issues we often work on other legislation that
will benefit blind people. For example, we supported HB145/SB301. These
bills require hospitals to provide a patient's bill of rights and the
necessary accommodations in reading and understanding the bill of rights to
people who need them, such as the blind. These bills became law and went
into effect Oct. 1.  Look for the specific rights in the patient bill of
rights law in the "know your rights" section of our website at
nfbmd.org/rights.

 

The General Assembly and the governor enacted a new law to help parents with
the IEP process.  Because of the passage of HB611, "if the parent disagrees
with the educational evaluation of the student that was conducted by the
local school system, the parent may request an independent educational
evaluation at public expense in accordance with regulations adopted by the
department."

 

We look forward to completing our unfinished business during the 2020
session. By working together with the governor and General Assembly we will
be able to strengthen laws so that blind people can live the lives we want
and be free of the barriers of discrimination.

 

 





Why is There a Braille Message on My E-scooter?


No, blind people aren't riding scooters. They need to know whom to contact
if they trip over them. 


by Luz Lazo


Originally published by the Washington Post; Aug. 22, 2019


 

[Editor's Note: The following article from the Washington Post, dated August
22, 2019 captures our work with scooter companies to ensure that we have
nonvisual access to the information that we need.]

 

If that Braille message on the e-scooter you rented gave you pause, rest
assured, it's not "how-to-ride" instructions.

 

No, blind people aren't riding scooters. They do, however, need to know how
to contact the scooter companies when they encounter the devices, which
present a hazard when left lying around.

 

"We may not ride it, but if we trip over it, we can read the Braille on it
and find out who to report it to," said Shawn Callaway, president of the
D.C. Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. "We want the Braille
on them to identify the company and their contact information."

Some companies, including Lyft and Lime, are retrofitting their scooters
with the information, conforming with local policies that require the
Braille message and growing demand from advocates for people with
disabilities that the information be accessible.

 

As the micromobility services expand, advocates have been pushing the
industry to include company information that is available to the general
public on the devices - such as a phone number or email address - in
Braille, too. And more local governments are making it a requirement for
companies.

 

In the Washington region, Montgomery County requires companies to comply
with all federal, state and local requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. The county specifically mandates that devices have
permanently affixed tactile information "to enable blind and
visually-impaired individuals to identify the ownership of each vehicle and
provide for their direct communication with Participating Company via
telephone, email or website."

 

Maureen McNulty, a spokeswoman for the Montgomery Department of
Transportation, said she can understand that the Braille on e-scooters may
confuse people, but in requiring the devices to have the embossed messages,
the county is ensuring that visually impaired residents have the tools they
need to report problems.

 

"We hope that all users will park e-scooters correctly," she said. But when
they don't, "this regulation is intended to provide some agency to the
visually impaired if an e-scooter should become a tripping hazard."

 

Nationwide, the blind community has raised concerns about the impact the
rapid proliferation of scooters is having on the mobility of blind and
low-vision people. Local and national groups have pointed to increased
hazards from scooters being carelessly left on sidewalks, bus stops and
other locations where pedestrians travel.

 

"These scooters are virtually silent when in use, making it impossible for
those using nonvisual means of travel to detect them," the National
Federation for the Blind said in a resolution it passed last month.

 

The organization called on Congress to set a minimum sound standard for
dockless electric scooters and on state and local governments "to enact laws
regulating scooter use to control parking, prohibit riding on sidewalks, and
generally avoid disrupting the flow of pedestrian traffic." Scooter
companies, the group said, should do their part and "place their company
name, scooter identification number, and contact information on each scooter
in a format accessible and easily detectable by the blind;" they should also
"develop accessible websites and mobile applications so that blind
pedestrians can easily communicate reports of misuse or injury." In a letter
to Maryland lawmakers this year, the state chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind delivered the same message.

 

Callaway said there is consensus among activists nationwide that action is
required because scooters have become a hazard for pedestrians and even more
so for the blind.

 

"These dockless bikes and scooters have not been a friend of the blind
community. They are hazardous. People leave them in the middle of the
sidewalk, so it is quite dangerous," he said. "It's all about inclusion and
safety."

 

Some companies say they are considering adding the Braille message on all
their scooters, not just where they are required to.

 

Lime, a global e-scooter company with a strong presence in the D.C. area,
began to add Braille messages to its scooters in Chicago in June, then
followed with its devices in other jurisdictions, including Montgomery
County. The company said it is also enhancing training of its customer
service team to ensure timely responses to accessibility-related reports.

 

"Lime is committed to working with people with disabilities and
disability-rights organizations to make our products and services more
accessible, while also addressing challenges that result from this new mode
of transportation in a city's public right of way," the company said in a
statement. "We'll continue to make this a priority while reminding riders to
park scooters out of the path of those walking or using wheelchairs."

 

Lyft scooters in the Washington area also carry a Braille message with the
company contact information. 



National Federation of the Blind Sues 
State Board of Elections over Ballot Privacy


by  <https://www.marylandmatters.org/author/danielle-e-gaines/> Danielle E.
Gaines


Originally published by Maryland Matters; Aug. 2, 2019


 

[Editor's Note: Protecting the Civil Rights of the blind is an important
part of our work. That is why the National Federation of the Blind, The
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, AND Ruth Sager, Joel Zimba,
and Marie Cobb, are suing the Maryland State Board of Elections. The below
story by Maryland Matters explains the facts of the suit.]

 

A group of Maryland voters is suing the state of Maryland, alleging that
state policies require them to cast a segregated ballot. 

 

The National Federation of the Blind, its Maryland affiliate and three blind
registered Maryland voters - Marie Cobb, Ruth Sager and Joel Zimba - filed a
lawsuit against the Maryland State Board of Elections in U.S. District Court
on Thursday. 

 

The lawsuit alleges the elections board is violating the Americans with
Disabilities Act and other laws by maintaining a segregated system of voting
that denies blind voters their right to a secret ballot and an equal voting
experience. 

 

At issue are the
<https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/06/28/preserving-the-private-vote-stat
e-adopts-new-policy-on-accessible-ballots/> state's policies for using
ExpressVote ballot-marking devices - which can allow voters who are blind or
have motor disabilities to use headphones, magnification, touchscreens and
other features to independently cast ballots. The machines do not record
votes directly but mark a paper ballot that is printed and scanned.
ExpressVote paper ballots are a different size and shape than paper ballots
filled out by hand, making those votes cast by Marylanders with disabilities
immediately identifiable, advocates say. 

 

>From 2004 to 2016, all Maryland voters used the same electronic touchscreen
voting machines, but new laws have since required paper records of all
votes. 

 

Groups such as the National Federation of the Blind argue that the state
could now use ExpressVote ballot-marking devices to record all votes,
resolving the segregated ballot issue, but the state board of elections has
said acquiring additional machines is cost-prohibitive. 

Instead, the board has
<https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/07/26/lawmakers-advocates-say-election
-boards-accessible-ballot-efforts-not-enough/> voted in recent weeks to
change election judge training and set a higher goal of five ExpressVote
ballots per precinct in an attempt to anonymize the ballots cast using the
devices. 

 

A bill that would have required all voters to use the devices filed by Del.
Nick J. Mosby (D-Baltimore City) and Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Howard) failed to
pass the General Assembly last session, though the House version of the bill
was referred to summer study. After the board's most recent policy votes
last week, both lawmakers said they will likely reintroduce the legislation
in 2020. 

 

In the complaint, the National Federation of the Blind notes that the 2007
legislation requiring the ballot paper trail required certification of a
voting system that would "provide access to voters with disabilities that is
equivalent to access afforded voters without disabilities without creating a
segregated ballot for voters with disabilities." 

 

The complaint says a later opinion from the Maryland Attorney General's
Office warned the board it would violate the new law if it did not either
use one accessible ballot marking system for all voters, ensure that
hand-marked and electronically marked ballots were indistinguishable, or
require a significant number of voters without disabilities to use the
ballot-marking devices. 

In the most recent election, use of the ballot-marking devices was low or
non-existent in precincts across the state. Statewide,
<https://www.marylandmatters.org/2019/06/28/preserving-the-private-vote-stat
e-adopts-new-policy-on-accessible-ballots/> fewer than 1 percent of voters
used a ballot-marking device. Only one ballot was cast using a device at 22
precincts and 66 precincts failed to require any voter to use the device,
according to the lawsuit.

 

While the state board voted to encourage local boards to encourage at least
five votes by ballot-marking device at each precinct in future elections,
the plaintiffs have little confidence that policy will solve the problem. 

 

The complaint notes that sparse use of the machines has created other
issues. The plaintiffs in the case have experienced varying levels of
difficulty in voting since the new process began. 

Cobb said when she tried to vote at a Catonsville precinct in 2016, the poll
worker did not know how to set up the ballot-marking device and she and her
13-year-old granddaughter set up the machine themselves, discovering that it
was not plugged in.

 

"The plug was still wrapped up and affixed to the back of the machine,
indicating that the BMD had not been used at all that day, even though Ms.
Cobb arrived to vote in the afternoon," the complaint states.

 

Once set up, Cobb called a National Federation of the Blind employee who
taught her how to use the machine, the complaint states. 

 

Sager was told in 2018 that the ballot-marking device at her Pikesville
polling place was broken. She had to have a poll worker read the ballot
aloud and mark her votes, though the worker failed to clearly communicate
parts of the ballot, including the correct pronunciation of candidates'
names, according to the complaint. When the scanning device rejected that
initial ballot for errors, Sager had to go through the process again with
another poll worker "and was denied the right to vote privately and
independently altogether."

 

Zimba, who lives in Baltimore, was the only person to use the ballot-marking
device at his polling place in 2018. Since election judges there know him by
name, he has little to no confidence that his ballot is secret at all,
according to the complaint. 

 

Another concern that has kept Maryland's current system in place is
candidate complaints dating back to 2016. As the state was prepared to use
ballot-marking devices for early voting, races that included more than seven
candidates would have split the list of contenders between multiple screens,
drawing
<https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/politics_and_government/alphabet-oop
s-glitch-prompts-state-to-scrap-machines-for-early/article_6504d751-be74-5c6
1-9387-e3de03116c31.html> complaints from down-alphabet candidates. 

 

Advocates like the NFB have said those concerns are overblown. The
ballot-marking devices won't allow voters to cast a ballot without
navigating through all screens of candidates for a given race. 

 

In February, Jonathan Lazar, a University of Maryland professor who
specializes in disability and technology research, told lawmakers that 19
other states and the District of Columbia used the ExpressVote system in
2018, without significant issues.

 

The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the state board to offer
ballot-marking devices to all voters by default unless they specifically
request to hand mark a paper ballot. 

 

The state board did not immediately respond to the case's filing on Thursday
afternoon. 

Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said the
lawsuit was necessary to force the board to stop "tinkering with its
separate and unequal solution and instead implement a policy that protects
the rights of all voters and the secrecy of our ballots."

Ronza Othman, a civil rights attorney and president of the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland, said state advocates have been lobbying
for a meaningful change for years, to no avail. 

 

"When we could not get the board to listen, we appealed to the state
legislature, but the board fought us there too. Enough is enough. We are
taking the board to court to protect the right of all Maryland voters,
including the blind, to cast our ballots privately and independently," she
said in a statement.




 


Perspectives on the National Convention


by Judy Rasmussen


 

[Editor's Note: Judy Rasmussen, secretary of the National Federation of the
Blind of Maryland (NFBMD), also serves as the chairman of the NFBMD
ambassadors committee. This committee is charged with providing first-time
convention attendees with orientation to the numerous convention activities
and mentorship.]

 

I have been attending NFB conventions since 1979. There are things I
remember vividly about my first convention-meeting people from many states
and foreign countries, the first day of opening session when everybody was
yelling for their state, and most importantly, meeting our national leaders.
Our national leaders were eloquent, and with their words and actions
demonstrated that blind people were competent and that through collective
action we can accomplish great things. That struck a deep chord in me which
still resonates to this day.

 

While each convention has many of the same favorite traditions, the
presidential report, the banquet speech, the roll call of states, etc., each
one is special and different from the previous convention. As a veteran, it
is normal for me to look forward to attending a convention because I know
what to expect. However, for first timers, it can seem daunting,
frightening, and exciting all at the same time. 

 

In 2019, more than 40 first-time Marylanders attended the convention in Las
Vegas. While there are many people whose stories should be printed, this
article will focus on Rex Martin, Eddie Poindexter, and the Day family, all
of whom attended their first conventions. 

 

Rex Martin

Rex Martin, a resident of Frederick, was diagnosed with retinitis
pigmentosa-a disease which causes progressive vision loss-in his 40s. He
wasn't going to let that stop him from living a full life. Prior to losing
his vision, he worked as a financial analyst for IBM and the Computer
Science Corporation. He said he worked "until he could no longer see the
computer screen." 

 

Rex knew he wanted more than to sit at home and feel sad about his vision
loss. A doctor at the Hoover Low Vision Clinic told him about the Seniors
Achieving Independent Living (SAIL) program run by Blind Industries and
Services of Maryland. He heard about the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland from the SAIL staff.

 

Rex has been attending the SAIL program for several months. He said he is
feeling more confident all the time. When he heard that several of his
colleagues were going to attend the NFB convention, he decided he would
really like to go. Rex has been attending our at large chapter meetings on a
regular basis and had heard about the convention from others on the call.
The at large chapter meetings are monthly telephone calls which provide
information about the federation for people who do not have a chapter in a
location where they can attend meetings easily.

 

Rex felt that one of his first challenges would be traveling in the airport.
It is much easier if you can read the signs to locate the security area, the
gate from which you are leaving, and the baggage claim. He said it wasn't as
hard as he thought.

 

Before going to the convention, he looked through the agenda and diligently
recorded all the meetings he wanted to attend. He said that one of the
things that struck him was the sheer number of people there, and how
everybody was so friendly. We were all telling stories about our getting
lost in the casino (you had to travel through the casino to get to all
meetings). He said the technology meetings were a little over his head, but
he found it helpful just to listen to what was available. 

 

He was impressed with the number of people attending the rookie round-up. He
also enjoyed meeting other seniors experiencing vision loss. He gained a
broader perspective on what others were doing, and he said he definitely did
not feel so alone any more. While attending the seniors' meeting, he had the
chance to meet Eddie Poindexter, another member of the Maryland chapter at
large. Rex said he is ready to go to the 2020 convention in Houston.

 

Eddie Poindexter

Eddie Poindexter is a resident of Charles County. He grew up believing that
hard work would get you somewhere. He started his work life as a custodian
for the Architect of the Capitol, in Washington, DC. Many congressmen and
senators knew him by name. He enjoyed his job, was promoted to labor leader,
and by the time he retired, he was the building superintendent. He said that
he felt honored that people trusted him enough to manage such secure
facilities. Diabetic retinopathy and detached retinas caused him to retire
earlier than he wanted to. Eddie said that when he had good vision, it was
very hard for him to ask for help with anything-especially driving
directions. When he lost vision, it wasn't any easier for him to ask for
help. 

 

He said that one of his most memorable moments at the convention was not all
the speeches, although he enjoyed them. He stated that one day he got really
lost and pushed a door open to see where it would lead. He found that he was
outside the hotel. There was so much noise around that he totally lost his
sense of direction and became frightened. When a kind woman helped him, he
realized that it was OK to ask for help when needed. He also realized that
he could have been dependent on someone to take him everywhere, or he could
have the adventure of exploring the hotel on his own, which he did. When
people lose their vision, one thing they learn quickly is people don't
always want to go where you want to go. Getting somewhere new, even though
it is hard and you may get lost, is all worth it in the end, because you
learn that not having sight doesn't mean you can't still have fun and make
your own decisions.

 

Eddie said that he enjoyed meeting old friends from a senior retreat for
newly blind people he attended in South Carolina last year. He plans to
return to the same retreat in September.

 

Eddie said he is learning to use speech to operate his computer. While he
knows he still has a long way to go, he is determined that vision loss will
not stop him from living the life he wants.

 

The Day Family

Many Federationists have had the privilege of knowing the Day family for
quite some time. Derrick and Meredith attended our BELL Academy programs for
many years. Their mother, Chris, has been active in the Maryland Parents'
Division and serves as the treasurer of our Carroll County Chapter.

 

There is something for everyone at our conventions. Derrick and Meredith
both attended our youth track. Never having attended the youth track, I was
definitely curious about the types of activities in which students age 11 to
18 participated. Here is just a sample.

 

One of the Day kids' favorite activities was making marshmallow guns. Taking
a piece of PVC pipe, the idea was to get a marshmallow inside the pipe and
blow it out the other end. By putting a turn in the pipe, they could create
a marshmallow cannon, which of course was probably more exciting than making
a regular old marshmallow gun.

 

Competition is always exciting for young people. Each student made a boat
out of foam, straw, and tape. Then everyone put pennies on their boat.
Whoever could put the most pennies on their boat without it sinking won the
prize. Derrick said he was able to put 50 pennies on his boat, which he
thought was pretty cool.

 

Making magnetic slime, throwing ping pong balls that rattled, participating
in a variety of activities at the Braille carnival, and collecting boxes of
free Braille books at the Braille book fare were other highlights of their
convention experience. Making friends from Alabama and Kentucky (they now
FaceTime), are all benefits they continue to enjoy. 

 

Chris stated because their plane was delayed due to weather, they sat in the
Charlotte airport for 36 hours. She missed the parents' seminar, which was
one of the big reasons she wanted to attend the convention. She said the
biggest thing she gained was mentors were available for her children, not
just from Maryland, but from all across the United States. Watching them
participate in activities with both children and adults was exhilarating and
broadened her perspective on just how far-reaching the federation really is.

 

The Day family, as well as others from the youth track, know a secret that
will hopefully be shared with all of us in the next month or so. Whatever
new product is coming, they were able to test it. When asked if people of
all ages would want one, the response was: "yes, any social person would
want one." Stay tuned-exciting things are on the horizon.

 

Get ready-Houston is just around the corner!




 


Spotlight on a Student: 
Nesma Aly - Living the Life She Wants


by Ronza Othman


 

Nesma Aly has been a member of the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland since she was a small child. Nesma is now a bright young woman,
striving to live the life she wants.

 

Nesma is currently in her second semester of study at George Mason
University, majoring in psychology with a minor in assistive technology. She
plans to have a business in counseling as a therapist for teens and young
adults because, as she says, "I want to help those who are going through a
hard point in their life draw strengths from their weaknesses." She also
plans to work in the assistive technology field because she wants to help
others who are blind access technology resources that will enable them to
learn and work effectively.   

 

Nesma was born with a rare form of osteoporosis, a life-threatening disorder
that largely impacts a person's bones. However, it also may cause blindness
due to dense bones putting pressure on facial nerves. Nesma was hospitalized
as a child and needed two bone marrow transplants, which caused her to fall
behind in school. She did not regularly begin attending school until the
third grade which is around the time she and her family found the National
Federation of the Blind.  

 

She realized in fourth grade that she was significantly behind her peers in
reading. She shared that she used to pick up chapter books and pretend to
read.  

 

Nesma attended the NFB BELL Academy, and later, she served as an NFB BELL
volunteer.  She shared, "sitting in a little desk, as I helped the students
learn, brought back memories of when I was graduating from the same program.
Watching the young students on stage receive their hard-earned certificates
brought me the joy of achievement." Nesma is a staunch advocate of Braille.

 

Nesma was awarded the NFBMD Jennifer Baker Award in 2010. This award is
given to a blind child who has overcome significant health and other
challenges to learn alternative techniques of blindness, with an emphasis on
Braille.

 

Nesma understood that she needed additional training in alternative
techniques. She enrolled in the Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
(BISM) Comprehensive Orientation, Rehabilitation, and Empowerment (CORE)
Program. However, she was eager to begin her college studies, so she left
BISM in December 2018 to enroll as a freshman at George Mason University in
the spring 2019 semester.

 

Nesma has served as an intern with the National Institutes of Health, in
their Office of Budget and Financial Management. She has also volunteered
with a variety of entities, including serving as a camp counselor and a
community-based mentor. Nesma serves as a board member for the Maryland
Association of Blind Students, as well as a secretary for the Visually
Impaired Patriots, an organization at George Mason University that advocates
for the needs of blind and low vision students, as well as educates the
university's community of the needs of individuals with visual impairments. 

 

Nesma was selected for the 2019 NFB/Humanware STEM Internship. Nesma worked
in Humanware's marketing program in Longeueil and lived in Montreal, Canada
in July and early August. She traveled to Canada alone and lived
independently in an apartment for the first time. Nesma worked on a variety
of projects during her internship, including generating and disseminating
documentation for controlling the Juliet Pro 120 via the web. She shared
that the NFB/Humanware internship has helped her gain more confidence in
herself and in what she can do in life.   

 

Nesma may be young, but her energy and commitment to living the life she
wants is an inspiration to us all.




 


Profile of an NFBMD Leader: Debbie Brown


By Melissa Riccobono


[Editor's Note: Most of us know the names of our affiliate's leaders, and we
associate them with the projects and events they have led. However, we don't
always know how they came to be leaders in our organization. We are
beginning a series that profiles our affiliate's leaders so that our members
can get to know them better on a personal level. We are beginning this
series with Debbie Brown, first vice president of the National Federation of
the Blind of Maryland and president of the Sligo Creek Chapter. Debbie has
the distinction of being the longest chapter president currently holding
office in Maryland.]

 

Have you ever read a book in Braille produced by the National Library
Service for the Blind? If so, it is quite likely you have been helped by the
work of Debbie Brown. For the past 31 years, Debbie has worked in Quality
Assurance at the Library of Congress for the National Library for the Blind.
She reads Braille books to make sure they are formatted correctly, there are
as few Braille errors as possible, and they are put together correctly so
you can read smoothly from page one until the last page of the book. 

 

In her spare time, Debbie enjoys music, reading, and is active in her
church. She does not enjoy cooking, but does it because she has to eat. She
does not particularly enjoy traveling, but does it because she does want to
get from place to place and live the life she wants. In addition to all of
these things, Debbie has served in many offices in the National Federation
of the Blind on a national level. Since 1994, Debbie has served as president
of the Sligo Creek Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland, and she also is the first vice president of the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland.

 

Debbie joined the National Federation of the Blind in 1986, while she was
living in Florida. Debbie says she joined the NFB because she began to read
our literature and what it said "just made sense." Someone called her and
invited her to a chapter meeting, and she thought since the literature made
so much sense, it would only be a good idea to check out the local chapter.
At the local chapter, Debbie found she was welcome, and also that she was
valued for her ability to work hard and give back to the chapter. She was
not just told to "sit in a corner." Debbie has been working hard for the
National Federation of the Blind ever since.

 

Debbie's degree is in English education. She may never have taught in a
school, but she has used the skills learned from this degree to teach
Braille to countless children, adults, and seniors over the years. Not
surprisingly, the thing Debbie enjoys most in her work with the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland is working with the children in our
Glendale NFB BELL Academy. She loves seeing the children gain skills in
Braille and confidence in so many other areas. Debbie also enjoys directing
the Braille Is Beautiful Players as they put on theater style plays at the
state convention. Debbie finds plays that have parts for everyone. Even very
new Braille readers are welcome to participate. If you attend the Picnic & a
Play at this year's state convention, be sure to thank Debbie, along with
the other players, for her dedication to this effort.

If you have not had the opportunity to talk with Debbie, I encourage you to
do so. She is friendly, helpful, down to earth, and is always pleased to
help people in any way she can. I am lucky to call her my colleague and my
friend.



Ways of Seeing: A Tactile Art Exhibition 


 

[Editor's Note: The following article contains excerpts from a report
written by Cheryl Fogle-Hatch, Ph.D. Readers will recognize many of the
names in this article. Many Federationists from throughout the country
participated in all aspects of the exhibition. Of course, members from
Maryland, especially the Greater-Baltimore Chapter, played a prominent role.
For instance, one of the featured blind artists was Marguerite Woods,
president of the At-Large Chapter. And the author of the report,
Fogle-Hatch, is a board member of the Greater-Baltimore Chapter. This
exhibition definitely demonstrates that there are many ways of seeing.] 

 

Ways of Seeing was a multisensory art exhibition, co-curated by Anil Lewis
and Sarah McCann, that was accessible to both blind and sighted audiences
providing an opportunity for an immersive art experience. Both the content
of the exhibition (artworks), and information (labels), were fully
accessible to blind people. At the same time, art was designed to appeal to
sighted audiences, creating an integrated experience for all visitors.
Through programming, dialogue was generated about the different experiences
of the work on display. 

 

The exhibition, titled "Ways of Seeing," ran from June 7 to July 20, at
Gallery CA, 440 E. Oliver St., Baltimore. 

 

Attendance at the events and throughout the six-week run was estimated at
375 people, including both blind and sighted visitors. Many people engaged
with the art, touching the paintings and sculptures, and playing with
components of the installation piece.

 

The art displayed in the "Ways of Seeing" exhibition included paintings,
sculpture, wood carving, and works comprised of mixed media. The exhibition
consisted of eight stations created by 10 artists; two stations were created
by collaborating artist pairs, and the remaining six stations were produced
by individual artists. Both blind and sighted artists were represented in
the exhibition. 

 

The artists in the exhibit were: Luanne Burke (Colo.), Jenny Callahan
(Colo.), Cindy Cheng (Md.), Del Hardin Hoyle (N.Y.), Sallah Jenkins (Md.),
Dominic Terlizzi (Md.), David Ubias (Pa.), Michael A. Williams (Tenn.),
Marguerite Woods (Md.), and George Wurtzel (Tenn.).

"Ways of Seeing" was designed, from the beginning, to be accessible to blind
people. To that end, the label text that was placed next to each work of art
was produced in both Braille and print. Label text was also made available
electronically via the WayAround smart phone app. WayAround added accessible
information about each piece of art and artist. This information was
available for smartphones via the WayAround - Tag and Scan app for iOS or
Android. This allowed blind people to navigate the exhibition independently.

 

In addition to the exhibition opening, we planned and implemented two
programs related to the themes of the exhibition. The first event was a
community art project. The second event was a moderated panel discussion of
tactile art. Both events took place at Gallery CA. 

 

"Dots Are Not Created Equal" Community Arts Workshop with Jenny Callahan 

 

On Saturday afternoon, June 15, eight blind adults joined artist Jenny
Callahan for a workshop to create two tactile graffiti panels that completed
her work in the exhibition. Tactile graffiti includes images made from
Braille, paper, glue, clay, origami paper, paint with texture, etc. The
artist led participants through the creation of the piece by sharing her own
experience of navigating through information that is often redundant, off
scale, or difficult to sort through. This workshop offered an opportunity
for participants to create their own tactile communication using provided
supplies with guidance and encouragement from Callahan. 

 

Tactile Art Panel Discussion 

On Saturday, June 22, 40 people gathered for a discussion of tactile art.
The panel-moderated by Lou Ann Blake-included President of the National
Federation of the Blind Mark Riccobono, Colorado tactile artist Ann
Cunningham, and Maryland artists Sallah Jenkins and Marguerite Woods. As
Riccobono explained in his panel remarks, he has "not yet found the limits
of what blind people can do, including making art."

 

To read more about this innovative exhibit visit
<http://www.sarahbmccann.com/ways-of-seeing.php>
sarahbmccann.com/ways-of-seeing. 




 


Spectator Specs


 

Deaths

Richard Grove passed away on April 14.  He was a long-time member of the
Greater Cumberland Chapter, and though he was not able to attend meetings
regularly in recent years, he stayed connected with the organization.

 

Tim Wolfe died on Saturday, May 11, after a long battle with the
complications of diabetes. Tim was a member of the Central Maryland Chapter
for many years, until his health failed. He was the first blind civilian to
work for a police department in Maryland. He was a community liaison officer
for the Howard County Police Department. Tim loved life and fought valiantly
to live it each day.   

 

Elvita Palmer lost her long battle with cancer on July 20. Elvita was a
longtime member of both the Maryland Parents of Blind Children (MDPOBC)
Division and the National Harbor Chapter. She was an ardent advocate and an
enthusiastic promoter of the NFB. Her courage, dedication and spirit are
examples to all of us. Our sincere sympathy goes out to her daughter Leah
and the Palmer family.  

 

In early August, Jasmin Young passed away. She belonged to the Greater Carol
County chapter.  Although she was relatively new to the chapter and the NFB,
she was a delightful and enthusiastic member.  

   

Bob Rhodes passed away from heart failure on Aug. 25.  Bob and his wife Mary
were original Greater Carroll County Chapter members when it stood up and
have remained active.  

 

May they rest in peace.

 

Weddings

On May 20, Darlene Barrett and Jerry Price were married. Darlene is the
President of the Central Maryland Chapter and the door prize diva at state
convention. Jerry runs the technology education programs at the Library for
the Blind.  

 

Wedding bells have been ringing in the Greater Baltimore Chapter with the
marriage of three couples. On Sept. 5, two longtime chapter members, Tyron
Bratcher and Melissa Watko, were married. Tyron is a native of Maryland and
joined the NFB as a teenager. Melissa is originally from Michigan. 

 

Marlena Bogdan and Matt Steele were married on Sept. 29. Marlena is a
longtime member of the chapter who also works at BISM. Matt frequently
accompanies Marlena at state conventions and other chapter events.  

 

On Oct. 5, longtime Federationist Raymond Lowder and Mary Martin were
married.  Raymond served as president of the chapter in the 1960s and has
continued to be an active member. Mary learned about the NFB through her
sister who is also a member of the chapter and plans to join Raymond in
chapter activities.  

 

Congratulations to all the newlyweds!

 

New Baby

Denna Lambert became a new parent. She recently adopted a baby boy, Kaleb
Arthur Devante Lambert, born on May 17, weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces.
Congratulations to this new family! Denna is looking forward to learning and
sharing new experiences with other parents. 

 

Achievements

Congratulations to John W. Owen, III, who was named as the director for the
Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) in
late September. John was previously the assistant branch chief for LBPH and
has been the acting director since Leslie Bowman departed in spring 2019 to
become the director of the Missouri Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped. We are delighted that an old friend and colleague will continue
leading our library.

 

Congratulations to Jason Polanski who graduated from Messiah College in May
with a Bachelor of Science in marketing. Jason already has a job. He works
for Microsoft as a talent recruiter for people to serve in engineering and
operations positions.  

 

Thirty-three blind students participated in the 10th Annual Maryland
Regional Braille Challenge in 2019. All contestants are divided into six
categories and tested on fundamental Braille skills such as reading
comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and
graphs. Congratulations to the following students:

 

Novice Division (pre-k to kindergarten)
1st Place - Jeremiah Mude 
2nd Place - Hank Genelin

 

Apprentice Division (1st and 2nd grades)
1st Place - Eniola Osunkoya
2nd Place - Henry Tucker
3rd Place - Elizabeth Riccobono

 

Freshman Division (3rd and 4th grades)
1st Place - Noah Mude
2nd Place - Khloe Deleon Talbert
3rd Place - Zanyiah Bell
Honorable Mention - Aaron Shrieves
Honorable Mention - Adam Shrieves
Honorable Mention - Orianna Riccobono

 

Sophmore Division (5th and 6th grades)
1st Place - Naomi-Jean Mills
2nd Place - Meredith Day
3rd Place - Maria Zoerlein
Honorable Mention - Tyler Huber
Honorable Mention - Nadezda Chernoknizhnaia
Honorable Mention - Jonah Rao
Honorable Mention - Isaiah Rao

 

Junior Varsity Division (7th and 8th grades)
1st Place - Julia Stockberger
2nd Place - Anthony Moncman
3rd Place - Sujan Dhakal
Honorable Mention - Alexis McPhail
Honorable Mention - Derrick Day
Honorable Mention - Sydney Smith
Honorable Mention - Naudia Graham
Honorable Mention - Hannah Wages
Honorable Mention - Noah King
Honorable Mention - Mercy Rao
Honorable Mention - Kyle Ordakowski

 

Varsity Division (high school)
1st Place - Yael Korc
2nd Place - Qualik Ford
3rd Place - Gracia Zuzarte

 

We are proud of all of these students. We look forward to the results of the
Maryland Regional Braille Challenge in 2020.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

 

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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