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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This message contains a lot of information, so please read through to the end. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>WE are looking for volunteers to attend meetings with the Maryland General Assembly during our NFBMD Week In Annapolis. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>We are also looking for volunteers to serve as Zoom hosts for those meetings. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>3.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>We are sharing information about issue training meetings so participants can prepare to talk about our legislative priorities for the 2021 General Assembly. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>4.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>We are sharing the Fact Sheets for our three legislative priorities for 2021. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>5.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>We are explaining when each geographic area will have the bulk of its meetings.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>6.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>We are providing the Zoom information for the Issues Training meetings.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This year, instead of our usual Day in Annapolis, we will be holding a Week in Annapolis. Due to some schedule changes on the part of the Maryland General Assembly, our Week in Annapolis dates are now January 21 – 28, 2021. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Seeking Volunteers to Participate in Legislative Meetings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will specifically have meetings on January 21, 26, 27, and 28. We have broken down the 188 appointments by geographic area, and so we do need volunteers to participate in those virtual meetings. We’d like people to attend the meetings for their particular district (and we’ll try to make that happen) and also the general geographic area surrounding their district. But there are also districts with few NFBMD constituents, so we are also looking for folks who can attend any district meetings on any day. I’ll share more information about the geographic breakdown later in this email. Meanwhile, if you are available to participate in any of the days January 21, 26, 27, or 28 for our NFBMD 2021 Week in Annapolis, please let Sharon Maneki, our Director of Legislation and Advocacy know. You can email her at <a href="mailto:Nfbmdsm@gmail.com">Nfbmdsm@gmail.com</a> or at 410-715-9596. Please let her know by the end of the day Tuesday, January 19, 2021 if you can participate. Be sure to tell her your name, how we can best reach you (email is preferred but not required) to share Zoom information, your state legislative district, if you know it, and your county.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Seeking Zoom Hosts for Legislative Meetings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are also in need of folks who are comfortable hosting Zoom meetings. If you are able to perform the duties of a Zoom host, please contact me to let me know what days you are available. You do not need to provide a Zoom account for us to use to be a host. Please email me at <a href="mailto:President@nfbmd.org">President@nfbmd.org</a> by Tuesday, January 19, 2021.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>3.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Training on Issues<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will also be holding two meetings to prepare for the Week in Annapolis and go over the issues, teams, and assignments. You only need to attend one of the meetings and not both. Team Leads will attend a separate meeting (on January 19 at 9PM; Sharon will send out the meeting information to team leads directly) in addition to one of the issues meetings. The issues meetings will take place at 8PM on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 and at 8PM on Monday, January 25, 2021. Anyone attending legislative appointments on Thursday, January 21 should attend the issues meeting on the 20<sup>th</sup>. The access information for both meetings is the same. It can be found at the bottom of this message.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>4.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Legislative Priorities and Fact Sheets<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This year, there are three legislative priorities:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>a.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Desegregating Voting based on disability<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>b.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Nonvisual accessibility in K-12 Education<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>c.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Funding for the Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'>The three fact sheets are attached.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>5.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Schedule of Meeting Broken Down by Geographic Area<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have tried to organize constituent meetings by geographic location. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Thursday, January 21 – Ann Arundel, Howard, Carrol, and Frederick Counties<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Tuesday, January 26 – Western Maryland, Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland (Tri-county area), and Harford County<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Wednesday, January 27 – Baltimore City and Baltimore Counties<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>-<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Thursday, January 28 – Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>6.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Zoom Call In Information for Issues Training Meetings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Join Zoom Meeting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://zoom.us/j/6248138327?pwd=eTZlYUgwR3ZQVVl1dXBLSHcrbml1QT09">https://zoom.us/j/6248138327?pwd=eTZlYUgwR3ZQVVl1dXBLSHcrbml1QT09</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Meeting ID: 624 813 8327<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Passcode: 63263<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>One tap mobile<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>+13017158592,,6248138327# US (Washington D.C)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>+16468769923,,6248138327# US (New York)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have questions, please let Sharon or me know.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>