[NFB-Maryland] March Minute Message from the Movement
president at nfbmd.org
president at nfbmd.org
Sun Apr 5 21:41:52 UTC 2020
March2020 Minute Message
Fellow Federationists:
We find ourselves experiencing tremendous change due to the unprecedented
challenges that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis. We are first and
foremost a family, and I, along with the leaders of the National Federation
of the Blind of Maryland want to share our hope that our members and
supporters are staying healthy and safe. We recognize that we are living in
a time of uncertainty, and for many, anxiety, and we want each of you to
know you are not alone, the NFBMD is hear for you, and we’ll get through
this together. I urge you all to reach out to one another to check in,
provide assistance, and give whatever support you can. Please don’t
hesitate to reach out to me or any member of the NFBMD Board if you need
assistance or just someone with whom to talk. Together, we will not only
weather this crisis, but we will be stronger collectively and individually.
Please read below for information about news and upcoming activities. I ask
you to pay particular attention to those items with an April 15, 2020
deadline.
NFBMD Response to COVID-19
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland is working to proactively
respond to the COVID-19 crisis while maintaining regular operations. We are
of course performing our work virtually so as to comply with Governor
Hogan’s Stay-at-Home order and national social distancing guidelines. We
have created a webpage to share information and resources in connection with
COVID-19 that can be accessed by visiting <http://www.nfbmd.org/covid19>
http://www.nfbmd.org/covid19. This page will be updated regularly. The NFB
National Office has also established a web page for information about
COVID-19, which can be accessed at
<https://www.nfb.org/resources/covid-19-resources>
https://www.nfb.org/resources/covid-19-resources. COVID-19 information is
also available in the Breaking News section of NFB Newsline.
NFBMD has taken the following steps to respond to the coronavirus outbreak:
- We have established an NFBMD COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund.
Blind individuals and their families may request financial assistance for
essentials such as groceries and medication. Anyone interested in donating
to this fund may contact me for information on how to do so. Additional
information about this program is available later in this newsletter.
- We have held an affiliate-wide call on COVID-19 to share
information and resources. The recording of this call is available at
<https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnuv88gqro36gp0/COVID-19%20Recording%203-25-20.mp
4?dl=0>
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnuv88gqro36gp0/COVID-19%20Recording%203-25-20.mp4
?dl=0.
- We are holding weekly affiliate calls on Wednesdays at 8:00PM. We
are spending the first portion of each meeting sharing updated information
and new resources related to COVID-19 and the remainder of the meeting as a
forum for members to connect socially. To join the meeting, use one of the
following methods:
o Online direct link: https://zoom.us/j/6248138327
o Meeting ID: 624 813 8327
o One tap mobile:
§ +16468769923,,6248138327# US (New York)
§ +13126266799,,6248138327# US (Chicago)
o Dial by phone:
§ +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
§ +1 312 6 26 6799 US (Chicago)
§ Meeting ID: 624 813 8327
- Given that the usual methods of public transportation are
diminished or altered, we are seeking volunteers to assist our members with
running essential errands and transportation to medical appointments. If
you are interested in volunteering to assist with this initiative, please
contact me at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or at
443-426-4110.
- We are monitoring and engaging in advocacy related to situations
that arise due to COVID-19 that disparately impact our blind community. If
you know of an entity or establishment that is serving the public but is
refusing to serve the blind, please contact me immediately at 443-426-4110
or at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org. Such situations
may relate to drive-through restaurants not allowing blind pedestrians to
order and purchase food, COVID-19 testing facilities refusing to provide
services to individuals who cannot drive, inaccessible technology for those
who are engaging in teleschooling, and similar refusals/denials of service.
- We are working hard to ensure that the blind of Maryland have
equal access to essential services and information. These efforts include
but are not limited to:
o working to ensure that Maryland Executive Orders and information are
accessible;
o Fighting to ensure that the upcoming elections have mechanisms for the
blind to vote independently and privately; and
o Collaborating with government entities to ensure that COVID-19 testing
and response procedures are accessible.
Please visit the NFBMD COVID-19 webpage often for updated information and
resources.
NFBMD COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund
We have established an affiliate COVID-19 fund to assist individuals and
families that are experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19
crisis. This fund is available to blind individuals and families with a
blind household member living in Maryland. The financial assistance must be
needed due to a change in circumstance, e.g. loss of employment income,
because of COVID-19 or associated government directives like the
Stay-at-Home order. Assistance is limited to essentials such as groceries
and medication. This Fund is being administered by the NFBMD Financial
Assistance Committee. Anyone who is wishing to request assistance should
contact me at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or at
443-426-4110.
In addition, we are seeking contributions to augment the NFBMD COVID-19
Emergency Response Fund. Those interested in making a monetary donation may
do so by sending a check to NFBMD, 15 Charles Plaza, #3002, Baltimore,
Maryland 21201 or by using the PayPal donation link on our website located
at <http://www.nfbmd.org/COVID-19Fund> http://www.nfbmd.org/COVID-19Fund.
NFB and NFBMD Events Impacted by COVID-19
Your health and safety is of vital importance. In order to ensure the
safety of our members, all chapters and divisions will meet virtually until
further notice. Please pay attention to our listserves or reach out to your
chapter and division presidents for information on how to join our virtual
meetings. We have established a Zoom platform for the majority of our
meetings, and thus the usual conference phone number and password may not
get you access to the particular meeting you wish to attend.
In addition, we have postponed the below events.
- Basket and Bag Bingo – formerly March 13 and now August 21, 2020
- NFBMD Bid for Opportunity and Scholarship Auction – formerly April
4 and now September 19, 2020
- National Harbor Tenth Anniversary Celebration – Formerly March 13
and now TBD
- MDPOBC Bake Auction – formerly March 21 and now TBD
- MDPOBC Spring Seminar – formerly May 2 and now TBD
- MDABS Student Seminar – formerly May 2 and now TBD
- Muir’s Tavern Homecoming Fundraiser – formerly May 9 and now TBD
- New Presidents and Leaders Seminar – formerly April 4 and now TBD
Note: We will share rescheduled dates for all events as soon as they are
determined.
Nonetheless, at this time we expect a number of activities to remain as
planned:
- NFB National Convention – July 14 – 19, 2020
- NFBMD BELL Academies – July and August, 2020
- NFBMD Crab Feast – August 8, 2020
- NFBMD Blind Cruising 2020 – September 27 – October 4, 2020
- NFBMD State Convention – November 6-8, 2020
Please contact me at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or at
443-426-4110 with questions about any of the above.
A Successful 2020 Legislative Session in Annapolis!
In this tremendous time of uncertainty and stress, I am so incredibly
delighted to be able to share that our efforts in the Maryland General
Assembly in 2020 were successful. This is particularly impressive
considering the Maryland General Assembly ended its legislative session
three weeks early in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Uplifting the Maryland Library for the Blind: On Monday, March 16, 2020, the
Maryland State Senate passed HB604, and the House of Delegates quickly
followed on March 17 when it passed SB326. Both bills are identical in that
they: 1) change the name of the Maryland State Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped to the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print
Disabled; and 2) ensure that one member of the Maryland State Library Board
is a blind patron. Senator King was our lead sponsor in the Senate, and
Delegate Cathi Forbes was our lead sponsor in the House. Delegate Forbes is
brand new to the Maryland legislature and this is her first bill. Our bills
passed each house in which they were introduced and then sailed through
passage by the opposite chamber. Though we only needed one of the chambers
to pass the other chamber’s bill, it is a testament to your hard work as
advocates that both chambers passed both bills. We are only awaiting the
Governor’s signature for the legislation to be officially enacted.
Non-Visual Access to Information Related to Electric Dockless Scooters: On
Monday, March 16, 2020, the Maryland State Senate passed HB557, and the
House passed SB607, its identical companion bill on Wednesday, March 18,
2020. This bill: 1) requires electric dockless scooter sharing companies to
include tactile contact information on their scooters; and 2) requires
electric dockless scooter companies to make their websites and mobile
applications accessible. Senator Benson was our lead sponsor in the Senate,
and Delegate Attar was our lead sponsor in the House. Delegate Attar
introduced this as her first ever bill in the 2019 legislative session, and
though we got good traction on the bill, the legislative session ended a day
early due to the passing of the Speaker of the House of Delegates, which
prevented us from getting this legislation finalized last year.
Nonetheless, Delegate Attar and Senator Benson spearheaded the effort to
move the bill quickly this session, and they, with your hard work and
advocacy, were successful. We now await for Governor Hogan’s signature on
this bill.
Desegregating Voting Due to Disability: We were less successful with SB757
and HB1314, which were identical bills that required the Maryland Board of
Elections to use an accessible voting method as the default voting method in
Maryland in order to desegregate voting due to disability. Though we had
successful bill hearings, the General Assembly did not act on this
initiative during the 2020 session. Nonetheless, we will continue fighting
for this critical bill next year and as long as it takes to restore the
secret ballot.
Center for Excellence in Non-Visual Access Funding: The funding we fought to
protect in the Maryland 2021 budget for the Center for Excellence in
Non-Visual Access is in the final budget. Once again, we were successful at
ensuring that the blind in Maryland receive services that are accessible by
helping to create a resource for entities to use when needing to know how to
make technology or information accessible.
Other Initiatives: We have also worked hard on a number of other initiatives
in the legislature that, though they were not part of our 2020 Day in
Annapolis priorities are nonetheless important to our movement. Sometimes
we work to push an initiative, and other times we work just as hard to
prevent one from going forward that will harm our members. This year, we
were directly involved in 20 separate bills. Below are two that are of
particular significance.
- Textbook Access: We worked to ensure that a bill in the Maryland
General Assembly that created a mechanism for college students to find
no-cost or low-cost textbooks also required anything listed in that
directory to be accessible. This bill has passed both chambers and is
awaiting the Governor’s signature.
- Deaf Blind Facilitator Program: We worked with the Maryland
Department of Disabilities to move the Telecommunications Access of Maryland
(TAM) Program out of the Maryland Department of Information Technology
(DOIT) into the Department of Disabilities so that our members can receive
better quality services and better access to those services. This bill also
creates the statutory authority for a deaf blind facilitator program that
will ensure telecommunication for the unique needs of deaf blind Marylanders
is addressed through the implementation of this new program. This bill has
passed both legislative chambers and is awaiting the Governor’s signature.
Your Advocacy: You are vital to our efforts. More than 60 of you attended
our Annual Day in Annapolis where we met with all 188 members of the
Maryland General Assembly. Dozens of you attended hearings, and many of you
testified. Still, hundreds of you wrote letters to your delegates and
senators about our initiatives. This is collective action at work, and this
is why we are such a powerhouse advocacy organization.
Tremendous Gratitude: We are successful in Annapolis and with legislative
advocacy because we have a true Master leading us. Sharon Maneki commands
any room in Annapolis she enters, and Delegates and Senators flock to her to
say hello and ask her opinion about issues. She is a mastermind of advocacy
strategy, and we are lucky to have her mind, energy, and efforts pushing our
agenda. I’m personally so grateful she is on our side instead of on the
opposition, and I know those of you who have seen her in action agree.
Please join me in expressing heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Sharon
Maneki, our Director of Legislation and Advocacy.
National Convention is Coming!
At this time, our plans to hold the NFB National Convention in person in
Houston have not changed. The 2020 national convention of the National
Federation of the Blind will be held <x-apple-data-detectors://0> July
14-19 in Houston, Texas. The Main Convention Hotel will be the Hilton
Americas - Houston, 1600 Lamar Street, Houston, TX 77010. Room rates are
$105 per night for singles, doubles, triples, and quads, plus 8.25% sales
tax and 17% occupancy tax. Reservations may be made by calling
1-800-236-2905. You will need to pay the first night’s room and taxes on a
credit card or mail a check to the hotel to reserve a room.
The overflow hotel is the Marriott Marquis Houston, which is about three
blocks away, or across the park (also accessible indoors by walking through
the Convention Center. The nightly rate is $119 plus taxes. To make
reservations at the Marriott Marquis Houston, call 1-877-688-4323.
I have been assured that should we have to make changes to the way we hold
our 2020 National Convention due to COVID-19, individuals will be able to
get their hotel deposits back. Thus, I strongly encourage you to make your
hotel reservations as soon as possible.
Convention registration was somewhat delayed but is now open and closes on
May 31, 2020. Visit the following link for Convention information including
registration information. <https://www.nfb.org/convention>
https://www.nfb.org/convention
NFB National Convention Financial Assistance Application Deadline – April
15, 2020
Those seeking financial assistance should speak with their chapter president
to find out what assistance their local chapter may have available. The
affiliate’s Financial Assistance Application Form is now live and must be
submitted by April 15, 2020. It can be found at
<http://www.nfbmd.org/financialassistance>
http://www.nfbmd.org/financialassistance. Please note that though the
Financial Assistance Committee will give due consideration to every
application, the affiliate has limited resources and is unable to grant
every request. For questions about the Financial Assistance Application
Program, please reach out to your chapter president or me at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org.
In addition, first-time National Convention attendees needing financial
assistance may also apply for a Kenneth Jernigan National Convention Grant.
Applications are due by April 15, 2020. Because one aspect of the Jernigan
Grant application is a letter from the affiliate president, I am asking
anyone who is applying for a Jernigan Grant to reach out to me at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or by calling 443-426-4110.
For specific information about the Jernigan grant and to access the
application form, please visit
<https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-conve
ntion-scholarship>
https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-conven
tion-scholarship.
NFBMD Scholarship Program
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland administers a scholarship
program for post-secondary students. The deadline to apply for an NFBMD
Scholarship is April 15, 2020.
Each year, the NFB of Maryland awards the John T. McCraw Scholarship to two
students in the amounts of $2,000 and $1,500 each. NFBMD may award a third
scholarship to a former McCraw scholarship recipient.
- Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement and
community involvement.
- Application materials must be submitted (online or postmarked) by
11:59PM on April 15, 2020.
- To be eligible, applicants must:
o Be legally blind in both eyes;
o Be a legal resident of Maryland or be pursuing post-secondary studies at
a school in Maryland;
o Be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of
study in a degree program in the Fall of 2020; and
o Attend the entire National Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind in Houston, Texas from July 14 through 19, 2020 and the annual
convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Towson,
Maryland from November 6 – 8, 2020 (scholarship finalists will receive
convention assistance).
- To apply:
o Submit an application using the online application system at
<http://nfbmd.org/scholarship/apply> http://nfbmd.org/scholarship/apply; or
o Download, complete, and email or mail in a hard copy application form by
visiting: <http://nfbmd.org/scholarship> http://nfbmd.org/scholarship.
Blind Cruising 2020!
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland will be hosting a cruise
fundraiser from September 27, 2020 to October 4, 2020. There are a few
cabins left in our block, but the deadline to make your reservation and pay
a $275 per person deposit ($250 if you already paid the initial $25 per
person deposit) is April 15, 2020. The affiliate will receive a portion of
the cost of each cabin that is booked. All are welcome, including members
of the NFBMD, other affiliates, families, colleagues, and friends. For
additional information or to reserve your cabin, please email
<mailto:NFBMD.outreach at gmail.com> NFBMD.outreach at gmail.com. Details are as
follows:
Ship: Carnival Pride
Date: September 27 – October 4, 2020
Port of Departure: Baltimore, Maryland
Number of nights: 7
Ports visited: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; and
Freeport, Bahamas
Key Dates:
- Deposit due: April 15, 2020 - $275 if initial $25 deposit was not
paid; $250 per person plus full names of sailors otherwise
- Final payment due: June 15, 2020
The cabin prices have gone down for our block.
Types and prices of cabins (this is a per person price based on double
occupancy and includes cabin fee, port charges, and taxes); we have a
limited number of cabins, so prices may change once our block is filled.
- Balcony cabin (extended balcony) = $826.64 per person
- Balcony cabin (standard balcony) = $803.64 per person
- Balcony cabin (obstructed view) = 760.64 per person
- Ocean View cabin = $680.64 per person
- interior cabin = $695.64 per person
- if anyone needs a triple or quad cabin, they should let us know.
Note: There are no longer cabins available at all price points, so please
email to inquire about availability.
Do You Feel Lucky?
The NFBMD spring raffle is underway. During the months of May and June, you
have the opportunity to win $50 Sunday through Friday, or $100 on Saturday.
Purchase a 3-digit number raffle ticket for $10. You will be the only one
who has this number. You can get your tickets from chapter and division
presidents, Board members, affiliate leaders, or from me at
President at nfbmd.org <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> . This raffle has gone
digital, so please get in touch with me or an NFBMD leader to get your
tickets today. Help us sell all 1,000 tickets!
Update on Voting Lawsuit
In August, the National Federation of the Blind, the NFB of Maryland, and
three blind members, Joel Zimba, Marie Cobb, and Ruth Sager, filed suit in
Federal Court against the Maryland Board of Elections. The suit asserts
that the Maryland Board of Elections maintains a segregated system of voting
that denies blind voters their right to a secret ballot and equal voting
experience as non-disabled voters. The suit claims this violates the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act and that the
Board of Elections’ actions are discriminatory based on disability. In
early September, the Board of Elections filed a Motion to Dismiss our
lawsuit, claiming: 1) the Board could not get the appropriate number of BMDs
from the manufacturer; 2) the policy the Board adopted in June 2019 to
require 5 people to use the BMD at each polling location solves our problem
of not having private ballots; and 3) it would be too costly to obtain a
sufficient number of BMDs. The Board later corrected itself, saying it
could indeed get enough BMDs from the manufacturer to make the BMDs the
default, but it was standing by its other two reasons for not thinking it
should have to do so.
On September 20, 2019, we filed a preliminary injunction to compel the Board
of Elections to have to use the BMDs as the default means for all voters in
the 2020 General Election unless a voter specifically asks for a paper
ballot. We argued that we should not have to sacrifice our privacy and
civil rights for the illusion of security and that since the Board is able
to obtain enough machines, they should do so. We also argued that since the
Board couldn’t successfully get even two people to use the BMDs before, they
aren’t going to succeed in getting five to use them unless the BMDs are the
default method of voting.
In mid-October, the Board filed an Answer to our Motion, arguing that it
would, in essence, be too costly and burdensome for the State to make using
the BMDs the default voting method in Maryland.
In January, the Federal judge presiding over the case heard oral arguments
(this means the lawyers talk about the case but witnesses don’t testify) in
our Motion for a Preliminary Injunction and the Board’s Motion to Dismiss.
Many Federationists were there in person to show the Court and the Maryland
State Board of Elections that our right to a secret, desegregated ballot is
a vital civil right.
On February 4, 2020, the Board of Elections administered the Special Primary
Election in the Seventh Congressional District. Our members experienced
tremendous difficulty voting privately, secretly, and independently, which
was proof that none of the Board’s policy changes were effective. On
February 7, we filed a Motion to Seek Leave to Supplement the Preliminary
Injunction Motion, which means we were requesting approval to provide
additional evidence. However, the Judge did not consider our new evidence
of all of the issues that happened in the Special Primary Election and
issued a ruling on February 10.
The Judge ruled in our favor with regard to the Board’s Motion to Dismiss
the lawsuit. This means that we can continue with the litigation. However,
she ruled in favor of the Board when she denied our Motion for a Preliminary
Injunction. This means that she is not requiring the Board of Elections to
make the Ballot Marking Devices the default method of voting for the 2020
General Election.
If you had a challenging experience with the BMDs, were not given neutral
language upon check-in, or have other matters related to the Special Primary
you wish to discuss, please contact me at <mailto:President at nfbmd.org>
President at nfbmd.org.
We are optimistic about the overall lawsuit and will continue fighting to
ensure that the blind have a secret, non-segregated voting experience.
NFB RideShare Testing Program
We continue to need your help. If you use a service animal or are
accompanying someone who does, please fill out a short form about your
experience each time you use Uber or Lyft. In Maryland, we have to complete
a certain number of surveys each year. You can submit a survey for every
trip you took, so please look back at your ride history and do this if you
haven’t already done so. Please go to <https://nfb.org/rideshare-test>
https://nfb.org/rideshare-test or use the NFB Connect app (instructions
below) to complete the survey. Please give us information about both good
and bad experiences. Spread the word, we need information from every blind
person whether they are a member of NFB or not. Ashley Alvey is the Maryland
coordinator for this program. If you have questions email her at
ashleyalvey1994 at gmail.com.
NFB Connect App instructions for Rideshare Survey
1. On the top left corner of the screen, you will find a button that
says, Menu button. Double tap Menu.
2. After double tapping on menu, at the top left corner of the screen,
you will see Home.
3. Swipe to the right once and you will see Fast Facts. Double tap Fast
Facts.
4. You will swipe right until you see, Rideshare Survey. Double tap
Rideshare Survey.
5. Lastly, swipe to the right. When you see First Name, this is where
the form begins and this is where you put in the information for the survey.
Important Upcoming Dates
* April 15, 2020 – Deadline for NFBMD Scholarship Applications.
* April 15, 2020 – Deadline for Second Blind Cruising 2020 Payment.
* April 15, 2020 – Deadline for NFBMD Financial Assistance
Applications
* April 15, 2020 – Deadline for NFB Jernigan Grant applications
* June 15, 2020 – Final Payment Due for Blind Cruising 2020
* July 14 –19, 2020 – NFB National Convention, Houston, Texas
* July 20 – 31, 2020 – NFB BELL Academy – Salisbury, MD
* August 3 – 14, 2020 – NFB BELL Academy – Baltimore, MD
* August 3 – 14, 2020 – NFB BELL Academy – Glenn Dale, MD
* August 8, 2020 – Annual Crab Feast - Tall Cedars, 2501 Putty Hill
Ave., Parkville, MD 21234
* August 21, 2020 – Basket and Bag Bingo at The Lodge, 2832 9 Mile
Cir. Catonsville, MD.
* September 19, 2020 – Scholarship Dinner and Bid for Opportunity at
VFW Post 9619, 6527 Suitland Rd, Morningside, MD
* September 27 – October 4, 2020 – Blind Cruising 2020, Carnival
Pride, Departing from Port of Baltimore
* November 6-8, 2020 – Annual State Convention, Towson, Maryland
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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