[NFB-Maryland] February / March 2021 Minute Message from the Movement
president at nfbmd.org
president at nfbmd.org
Mon Mar 22 00:50:14 UTC 2021
February / March 2021 Minute Message
Fellow Federationists:
Happy Spring! It has been an incredibly busy few months for the National
Federation of the Blind of Maryland. We had a successful Week in Annapolis
followed by tremendous work to advocate for our state legislative
priorities. We had an incredible Washington Seminar where we garnered
support for our Federal legislative priorities. And we have worked
tirelessly on improving access to information, systems, services, and
resources related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination. As we move into the
spring season, we will continue the momentum on legislative priorities as
well as a number of other initiatives. Please read below for information
and activities around the State.
NFB National Convention Is Coming!
The National Federation of the Blind 2021 Annual Convention, held anywhere
and everywhere, will soon be upon us. This convention promises to be the
biggest and best in history, even bigger than last year’s record-breaking
convention. The Convention dates have changed slightly in that the
Convention will last five days instead of six. The new dates are Tuesday,
July 6 through Saturday, July 10, 2021.
This year, Maryland is the host affiliate of the NFB National Convention.
Our members are hard at work planning tours, the opening ceremony, and
various activities to showcase our Maryland and Federation pride.
We want to bring home the prize for most registrants once again this year.
In 2020, Maryland registered 594 participants, and I know we can register
even more this year. I urge you all to register for the convention as soon
as you can by visiting <https://www.nfb.org/registration>
https://www.nfb.org/registration. Registration is free! If individuals
need assistance filling out the online registration form, they may contact
their chapter presidents or me for assistance. I can be reached at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or at 443-426-4110.
NFB and NFBMD Scholarship Programs
The National Federation of the Blind and the National Federation of the
Blind of Maryland each administer a separate scholarship program for
post-secondary students. The deadline to apply for an NFB scholarship is
March 31, 2021, and the deadline to apply for an NFBMD Scholarship is April
15, 2021.
National Scholarship Program: Each year, the NFB awards 30 merit-based
scholarships totaling at least $120,000.
- Scholarships range in amount from $3,000 to $12,000.
- Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement,
leadership, and community service.
- The 30 scholarship finalists are announced in the spring and
attend the National Convention, where they are awarded a specific
scholarship.
- Application materials must be submitted (online or postmarked) by
11:59PM on March 31, 2021.
- To be eligible, applicants must:
o Be legally blind in both eyes;
o Reside in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
o Be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of
study in a degree program at a U.S. institution in the Fall of 2020 (one
scholarship may be awarded to an individual who works full-time and attends
school part-time); and
o Attend the entire National Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind (and all scholarship activities) in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 6
through 11, 2021 (scholarship finalists will receive convention assistance).
- To apply:
o Submit an application using the online application system at
<https://nfb.org/civicrm/scholarships/login>
https://nfb.org/civicrm/scholarships/login; or
o Download, complete, and email or mail in a hard copy application form by
visiting: <https://nfb.org/programs/scholarship-program>
https://nfb.org/programs/scholarship-program.
State Scholarship Program: Each year, the NFB of Maryland awards the John T.
McCraw Scholarship to up to four students with a combined maximum total of
$10,000. Though the Scholarship Committee will determine the amount awarded
to each individual scholarship finalist, the minimum amount per scholarship
is $2,000 and the maximum amount is $3,500. NFBMD may award a scholarship
to a former McCraw scholarship recipient.
- Scholarships are merit-based and awarded based on academic
achievement, community involvement, and leadership.
- Application materials must be submitted (online or postmarked) by
11:59PM on April 15, 2021.
- 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 or part-time,
post-secondary course of study in a degree program in the Fall of 2021 and
Spring of 2022 (priority will be given to full-time students); and
o Attend the entire National Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 6 through 11, 2021 and the annual
convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Baltimore,
Maryland from November 12 – 14, 2021 (scholarship finalists will receive
convention financial 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.
NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition!
the NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition will teach critical nonvisual
techniques and Braille literacy to blind children nationwide. Due to public
health considerations associated with COVID-19, the 2021 NFB BELL Academy
will be offered virtually rather than in person. NFB BELL will be condensed
into three nationally taught and coordinated sessions with support from
NFBMD. Tracks will be available for beginner, intermediate, and advanced
students.
The dates of the three sessions are as follows:
- Session 1: June 7 – June 18, 2021
- Session 2: July 19 – July 30, 2021
- Session 3: August 9 – August 20, 2021
Each registered student will receive Braille and other fun materials for
lessons, connect with experienced teachers, and build relationships with
other blind students and mentors.
The NFB BELL Academy is appropriate for blind and low vision children ages
four through twelve who:
- do not receive enough Braille and nonvisual skills instruction in
school;
- could benefit from more Braille exposure over the summer; and/or
- would enjoy connecting with blind role models.
Registration is free to families. Participants may register by visiting
<https://www.nfb.org/form/nfb-bell-academy-home-edition>
https://www.nfb.org/form/nfb-bell-academy-home-edition. Anyone needing
assistance with registering should contact NFBMD BELL Coordinator Lizzy
Muhammad at <mailto:lizzy.muhammad at outlook.com> lizzy.muhammad at outlook.com
or at 484-624-9778.
Complete and Share the NFB Diversity and Inclusion Survey
The National Federation of the Blind is gathering information on diversity
and inclusion from members and leaders in the organization. Please take
approximately fifteen minutes to complete this important survey before it
closes on March 31, 2021. The survey includes a short optional and
confidential questionnaire about you. Your perspective and experiences are
needed to develop diversity and inclusion initiatives for our movement. If
you have questions or need assistance with the survey please connect with
<mailto:Diversity at nfb.org> Diversity at nfb.org or call 410-659-9314 extension
2413.
< <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFB-Diversity-Inclusion>
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFB-Diversity-Inclusion> 2021 Diversity and
Inclusion Survey (English)
< <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFB-Diversidad-Inclusion>
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFB-Diversidad-Inclusion> En Español: 2021
Encuesta sobre Diversidad e Inclusión
Do You Feel Lucky?
The NFBMD spring raffle is underway. During the month of May, you have the
opportunity to win $50 Sunday through Friday, or $100 on Saturday. Purchase
a 3-digit number raffle ticket for $5. You will be the only one who has this
number. Between now and April 15, you may purchase a $5 ticket from your
chapter president or certain members of your chapter. If you want to buy or
sell tickets, please contact Melissa Riccobono at
MelissaARiccobono at gmail.com. Help us sell all 1,000 tickets to win prizes!
Provided we sell all 1,000 tickets, we will enter the individuals who sell
winning tickets into a drawing for a cash prize. We will also award prizes
to those who sell the most tickets, provided we sell our entire stock of
tickets.
NFBMD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives
NFBMD is actively working to expand our knowledge of and emphasis on
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These initiatives also
include those related to sexual harassment and misconduct, consent,
boundaries, and power dynamics. It is our intent that NFB of Maryland
activities, events, and programs be safe and welcoming to all, and to that
end we are devoting resources and time to increase our awareness and enhance
our strategies on DEI. WE rolled out a training to all chapters in January
and February on topics related to consent, boundaries and power dynamics.
Our affiliate Board of Directors will participate in the NFB-sponsored
training on sexual harassment and violence prevention, provided by the Rape,
Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN). We plan to roll out some
specific training for parents and young people in May on these topics as
well. Our state and chapter leaders will attend workshops on DEI in the
spring. WE will engage in conversations on DEI and related topics and hold
trainings during our State convention in November and in the time leading up
to it. Our NFBMD DEI Committee, led by Anil Lewis, is engaged and working
to promote the incorporation of DEI throughout our affiliate. If you have
questions about these initiatives or have suggestions for how we can best
incorporate DEI into our programs, please don’t hesitate to contact me at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org or at 443-426-4110 or
Chairperson Anil Lewis at <mailto:GreaterBaltimore at nfbmd.org>
GreaterBaltimore at nfbmd.org.
Access to COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Resources
Due to lack of accessibility, blind Marylanders have experienced challenges
accessing COVID-19 testing facilities and vaccination locations. NFBMD has
been working with the Maryland Department of Disabilities to ensure access
to these services for the blind throughout Maryland. To that end, we
disseminate through all of our listserves an accessible spreadsheet
containing vaccination locations, their contact information, and links for
scheduling a vaccine appointment. We realize that many of the county and
medical provider vaccination sign-up portals are not accessible, even if we
share their information in an accessible format. To that end, we are
exploring holding a vaccination clinic in Baltimore in April. We are also
beginning discussions about holding a vaccination clinic in Montgomery or
Prince Georges Counties. If individuals would be interested in
participating in such a vaccination clinic, please email me at
<mailto:President at nfbmd.org> President at nfbmd.org. Please be sure to specify
whether you prefer Baltimore or PG/Montgomery county and whether you could
travel to either. We realize that there are many members who cannot get to
either location, and we are actively working with MDOD to find solutions for
every blind Marylander.
NFBMD COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund
We continue to operate 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.
Blind Cruising 2021
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland will be hosting a cruise
fundraiser from September 19, 2021 to September 26, 2021. 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 contact our travel agent, Cindy Kiper at kkiper at cruisesinc.com
or 813-418-0647.
Details are as follows:
Ship: Carnival Pride
Date: September 19 – September 26, 2021
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, 2021 - $250 per person plus full names
of sailors
- Final payment due: June 1, 2021
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) = $958.64 per person
- Balcony cabin (standard balcony) = from $935.64 to $946.64
per person
- interior cabin = From $727.64 to $737.64 per person
- if anyone needs an Ocean View or triple or quad cabin, they
should let us know.
Note: Cabin types are going first come first serve, so please email to
inquire about availability.
We hope you will join us on this incredible trip.
Maryland Braille Readers Are Leaders!
Maryland had an impressive showing in the annual Braille Readers Are Leaders
competition, sponsored by the American Action Fund in concert with the
National Federation of the Blind. Participants compete for prizes by
reading and tracking the number of Braille pages read; an adult then
verifies the reading log. This year also included an adult category.
Participants came from 28 states and Canada, for a total of 120
participants. The contest began on December 1, 2019 and lasted for seven
weeks.
Our contest participants did a tremendous job.
- Hank Genelin, Springfield, VA (a student of the NFB BELL Academy
in Baltimore) – First Place, Grades K – 1
- Nadiya Albrecht, Finksburg, MD- First Place, Grades 4 - 5
- Jonah Rao, Columbia, MD – First Place, Grades 6 – 8
- Isaiah Rao, Columbia, MD – Second Place, Grades 6 – 8
- Nadiya Albrecht, Finksburg, MD – Breaking Limits Award
- Luis Villanueva, Kensington, MD – Breaking Limits Award
- Paul Wales, Silver Spring, MD – Breaking Limits Award
Congratulations to all of the winners!
Important Upcoming Dates
* March 31, 2021 – Deadline for National Scholarship Applications.
* April 15, 2021 – Deadline for NFBMD Scholarship Applications.
* April 15, 2021 – Deadline for Blind Cruising 2020 Deposit
* May 31, 2021 – Deadline to Register for NFB Annual Convention,
Anywhere and Everywhere
* June 7 – June 18, 2021 – NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition Session 1
* July 6 – 1, 2021 – NFB National Convention, Anywhere and Everywhere!
* July 19 – July 30, 2021 – NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition Session 2
* August 9 – August 20, 2021 – NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition
Session 3
* September 10, 2021 – Basket and Bag Bingo, Catonsville, Maryland
* September 19 – 26, 2021 – Blind Cruising 2021, Carnival Pride,
Departing from Port of Baltimore
* October 8, 2021 – NFBMD Crab Feast, Parkville, Maryland
* November 12 – 14, 2021 – NFB of Maryland 55th Annual Convention,
Baltimore, Maryland
Ronza Othman, President
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
443-426-4110
Pronouns: she, her, hers
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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