[Nfbespanol-talk] {Disarmed} Mensaje del Director Ejecutivo

Frida Aizenman aizenman at earthlink.net
Fri Feb 1 19:17:49 UTC 2013


Imagineering Our Future



Edición 50

Febrero, 2013

[LEYENDA DE LA FOTO:  Voluntarios trabajando en un correo masivo.]
Mensaje del Director Ejecutivo

Estimados amigos, La Federación Nacional de Ciegos es una organización impulsada por voluntarios. Nuestros capítulos locales, filiales estatales, y gran parte de nuestro programa nacional se hace posible mediante el esfuerzo de voluntarios. El mes pasado llevamos a cabo nuestro primer sábado de Servicio, con el fín de que la comunidad de Baltimore participe más ampliamente en contribuir a esa tradición de voluntarios que cambian lo que significa ser ciego.

Durante nuestro Servicio del Sábado, me sentí elevado por el entusiasmo, el aprendizaje y la acción que se había presentado en el Instituto por los visitantes novatos. Tenemos que trabajar juntos para encontrar más oportunidades de difusión, a fín de conseguir que las personas videntes participen más con la labor de la Federación. Es una herramienta poderosa para el cambio de conceptos equivocados y el encuentro de nuevas conexiones en la comunidad.

A medida que nos adentramos en el segundo mes del año, los animo a considerar que nuevas conexiones podrían ayudar a aportar a la misión de la Federación. Grande o pequeña, cada nueva conexión que enseña a alguien acerca de la capacidad de las personas ciegas marca una diferencia en nuestra sociedad. Estamos pensando en nuevas conexiones y esperamos con placer difundir algunas nuevas oportunidades para la participación y el compromiso con nuestra organización muy pronto.

Gracias por su continua labor que nos ayuda a cambiar lo que significa ser ciego.

Atentamente,
 Mark A. Riccobono, Director Ejecutivo
Instituto Jernigan de la Federación


El Servicio del Sábado de la Federación
[LEYENDA DE LA FOTO:  Voluntarios trabajando en un correo masivo.]


Teníamos treinta voluntarios uniéndose a nosotros en el día nacional del servicio, el 19 de enero, para el Servicio del Sábado de la Federación Nacional de Ciegos (NFB). Los Ex Alumnos  de las Asociaciones de Baltimore Delta Gamma Alumni Association, y la University of Maryland University College MBA Alumni Association, cada una tenía varios miembros presentes. Tuvimos voluntarios ¡de tan sólo ocho años participando! Incluso tuvimos dos adolescentes de Wisconsin, que estaban en la ciudad para

la inauguración del Presidente Obama, participando en el día productivo. Nos quedamos encantados con la participación en este evento y profundamente agradecidos por toda la ayuda. Fué una gran diversión conocer más, acerca de los miembros orientados al servicio de la comunidad de Baltimore, mientras que al mismo tiempo completaron el trabajo que es fundamental para la facilitación de programas de la Federación en la labor que asegura que los Estadounidenses ciegos tengan entrenamiento, oportunidades y recursos que necesitan para tener éxito.

¡Un enorme "agradecimiento" a los voluntarios talentosos y enérgicos que vinieron el 19 de enero! Planeamos tener otro evento de Servicio del Sábado de la Federación en la primavera, y si está interesado en participar, por favor póngase en contacto con Natalie Shaheen en

nshaheen at nfb.org

 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mark Riccobono 
To: Frida Aizenman 
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 7:41 AM
Subject: JI Newsletter - Service Everyday


       
            Imagineering Our Future
           
                  Issue 50
                 February 2013
                 



            In this issue:

              a.. Message from the Executive Director 
              b.. What’s News at the NFB

              c.. Education

              d.. Braille Initiative

              e.. Advocacy

              f.. Product and Access Technology Talk

              g.. From the tenBroek Library

              h.. Independence Market

              i.. NFB Calendar

              j.. Citation


            Message from the Executive Director
            Dear Friends,

                 
            The National Federation of the Blind is an organization fueled by volunteers. Our local 

            chapters, state affiliates, and much of our national program is made possible through volunteer effort. Last month we held our first Service Saturday in order to engage the broader Baltimore community in contributing to that tradition of volunteers changing what it means to be blind. 

            During our Service Saturday, I was uplifted by the enthusiasm, learning, and action that was brought to the Institute by these first-time visitors. We need to work together to find more outreach opportunities to get more sighted individuals engaged with the work of the NFB. It is a powerful tool for changing misconceptions and finding new connections in the community. 

            As we move into the second month of the year, I encourage you to consider what new connections you might help bring to the mission of the Federation. Big or small, every new connection that teaches someone about the capacity of blind people makes a difference in our society. We are thinking about new connections and looking forward to launching some new opportunities for engagement with our organization very soon.

            Thank you for your continued work to help us change what it means to be blind.

            Sincerely,
             
            Mark A. Riccobono, Executive Director
            NFB Jernigan Institute





            What's News at the NFB
            NFB Service Saturday 

                 
            We had thirty volunteers join us on the national day of service, January 19, for the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Service Saturday. The Baltimore Delta Gamma Alumni Association and the University of Maryland University College MBA Alumni Association each had several members in attendance. We had volunteers as young as eight years old participate! We even had two teens from Wisconsin, who were in town for

            President Obama’s inauguration, join in the productive day. We were thrilled with the turnout for this event and deeply grateful for all of the help. It was a great deal of fun to get to know more of the service-oriented members of our Baltimore community, while at the same time completing work that is critical to the facilitation of NFB programs--work that ensure blind Americans have the training, opportunities, and resources they need to be successful. 

            An enormous “thank you” to the talented and energetic volunteers who came out on January 19! We plan to have another NFB Service Saturday event in the spring; if you are interested in getting involved, please contact Natalie Shaheen at nshaheen at nfb.org. 

            NFB Writers' Division 2013 Writing Contest for Adults and Youth

            The annual youth and adult writing contests sponsored by the Writers’ Division of the NFB are now open and will accept entries until April 1. The adult contest has categories for poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and stories for youth. The youth contest, designed to promote Braille literacy and excellence in creative writing, has categories for poetry and fiction. The contestants will be divided based on grade levels: elementary, middle school, and high school.

            For additional contest details and submission guidelines, go to the Writers’ Division Web site, www.nfb-writers-division.net. 

            2013 NFB National Convention

            Plans are underway for the 2013 NFB National Convention, July 1 through 6. This year we will be at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Room rates are singles and doubles, $79, and for triples and quads, $85. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 13.5 percent.

            To make convention room reservations, call the hotel at (800) 204-7234, or write directly to them at Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819.

            The schedule for the 2013 NFB National Convention is:
            Monday, July 1 – Seminar Day
            Tuesday, July 2 – Registration Day
            Wednesday, July 3 – Board Meeting and Division Day
            Thursday, July 4 – Opening Session
            Friday, July 5 – Business Session
            Saturday, July 6 – Banquet Day and Adjournment

            More information can be found in future editions of the Braille Monitor, or on the NFB Web site.

            College Sophomore Helps Others

            Jordyn Castor is a blind college sophomore studying computer science at Michigan State University. Her fascination with computers started when she was in second grade, and after attending the 2007 Youth Slam at the NFB she realized that computer programming could be a realistic career goal. In her spare time she is helping to develop apparatus, textbooks, and accessible models to assist other students with visual impairments. For more information, see the blog post. 

            We Love BRL; Yes We Do! We Love Braille; How About You? 

                 
            The latest accessible bulletin board proclaims our love for Braille to the world. The title for this display is a spinoff of a ditty President Maurer frequently sings that begins, “I love Braille: yes I do!/ I love Braille….” The associated audio clip, which visitors can hear by pressing the button to the right of the board, features Dr. Maurer singing his Braille ditty.

            The board’s valentine theme features red, white, pink, and purple hearts of all sizes. The plain black background of the board allows the hearts to take center stage. Each phrase of the title appears on its own large heart. The four large title hearts are clustered somewhat randomly in the center of the board. Scattered around the title are twenty-six hearts featuring the letters of the alphabet in raised print, standard Braille, and simulated Braille, with small tactile hearts representing the dots in each letter. The alphabet hearts are diverse in construction. The red, white, pink, and purple base hearts are made from craft foam, balsa wood, or small cardboard heart-shaped boxes. The simulated Braille dots of each letter are foam and rhinestone hearts and heart-shaped brads. Scattered around the alphabet hearts are other tactile hearts of various sizes made from the materials mentioned above. The heart theme is carried all the way to the border, where multi-colored tactile hearts frame the display.

            A message on the board invites guests to take a heart-shaped card from the supply provided at the bottom of the board, write a message about why they love Braille, and pin it to the board for others to read. 

             

            Education
            Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Program

            The NFB Jernigan Institute is excited to announce that this year the BELLs will be ringing louder and prouder than ever! In addition to the veteran states (Maryland, Georgia, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, Idaho, Louisiana, and Massachusetts), nine new states are joining the NFB BELL choir. The new states are California, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. 

            The NFB BELL program is a two-week program for blind or low-vision students who could benefit from additional Braille instruction over the summer. In addition to Braille instruction, students in the program have the opportunity to learn other alternative skills of blindness such as cane travel and age-appropriate cooking skills. For more information about this program, contact Natalie Shaheen by calling (410) 659-9314, extension 2293, or send an e-mail to nshaheen at nfb.org. Visit the BELL Web site for more information. In early March we will have more specific information such as date, cost, and location posted for each state's programs. 

            Read Across America 

                 
            Dr. Seuss’s birthday, which occurs in early March, has long been a day to celebrate literacy and sit down to enjoy a book with a budding reader. In the words of Dr. Seuss, "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child." 

            This year Read Across America will be celebrated on March 1 in classrooms around the country. Literacy is as important for blind children as it is for their sighted peers. On March 1, as in years past, the NFB will be joining other literacy enthusiasts and promoting literacy—particularly Braille literacy. You can join in the fun and spread the good news about Braille by doing the following:

              a.. Read a Braille book with a child. There are numerous Dr. Seuss books available in Braille from several retailers and free book resources including National Braille Press and BookShare. 
              a.. Talk about what you are reading. Whether you decide to read a Dr. Seuss book or something else, we want to hear about what you are reading. Post about it on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget to include the hashtags #Braille and the official Read Across America hashtag #neareads. 
              a.. Send in pictures of you or your child reading a Braille book near landmarks or other identifiable places. We want to show the world that blind people read Braille across America by showcasing pictures of Braille readers in the desert, on a beach, at Disney World, at the Grand Canyon, and so forth. 
              a.. Send us a video of your child reading Braille or showcasing how you will celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday. A selection of the submitted videos will be posted on Facebook and the NFB’s YouTube page and tweeted by @NFB_Voice. Josey and Angel (one Braille reader and one print reader) submitted a great video for Read Across America Day last year. 
            You can submit your pictures and videos to Natalie Shaheen at nshaheen at nfb.org, or via the Read Across America Web form.  We are looking forward to celebrating Read Across America Day and promoting Braille literacy with you on March 1. Learn more about the NFB’s participation in Read Across America Day at www.nfb.org/read-across-america.

            Summer Youth Programs 

            All three of the NFB’s training centers—BLIND Incorporated, Colorado Center for the Blind, and Louisiana Center for the Blind—offer youth programs in the summer months to teach young blind children the alternative skills of blindness (i.e. cane travel, Braille, home management, access technology, and a positive view of blindness). These programs provide tremendous opportunities for blind youth to learn skills they will need to be successful, and to meet other blind children and successful blind adults. These programs are all open to students from across the country. Information about each center's programs and the contact person at each entity follows: 

            BLIND Incorporated (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
              a.. The Post-Secondary Readiness Empowerment Program (PREP): This program will be held from June 10 through August 4, 2013. The program serves teenagers that are fourteen through seventeen years of age. PREP provides youth with an opportunity to learn and have fun all wrapped into a summer adventure. Applications are due by April 15, 2013. 
              a.. Buddy Program: A three-week program for children that are nine to thirteen years of age. Youth who attend this program meet new friends from across the country while learning the skills of blindness and embarking on many adventures. The program will run from July 12 through August 4, 2013. Applications are due by April 15, 2013. 
            For more information, or to apply, contact:
            Charlene Guggisberg
            Coordinator for Youth and Special Programs BLIND Incorporated
            800-597-9558
            cguggisberg at blindinc.org

            Colorado Center for the Blind (Littleton, Colorado) 
              a.. College Prep Program: An eight-week program for high school graduates and current college students, designed to prepare students to compete successfully in higher education. Students live in apartments with summer counselors and other students. While at the Colorado Center, students learn the skills they will need to be successful on the college campus including: hiring readers, using disability student services, navigating campuses, and using access technology. 
              a.. High School Program: This program, which is also eight-weeks in duration, serves high school students. Participants live in apartments with summer counselors and other students. The students work part time at local community agencies. In addition to learning the skills of blindness, students engage in age-appropriate social activities and organized recreational activities. 
              a.. Middle School Program: This three-week residential program for young teens, ages eleven to fourteen, is an exciting opportunity for young students to start learning the skills of blindness early on. The younger students also live in apartments with counselors and peers. 
            For more information, or to apply, contact:
            Brent Batron
            Youth Services Coordinator Colorado Center for the Blind
            303-778-1130, extension 222
            bbatron at cocenter.org

            Louisiana Center for the Blind (Ruston, Louisiana)
              a.. The Summer Training and Employment Project (STEP) Program: This eight-week program is offered to blind high school students entering the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grades in the fall of 2013. The dates are June 2 through August 3, 2013. Applicants must have an open case with their state’s rehabilitation agency for the blind. During the final three weeks of the program, students work fifteen to twenty hours per week at a local business, earning a little spending cash and gaining something even more important—the confidence that they can compete on terms of equality with their sighted peers. 
              a.. Buddy Program: A three-week opportunity for students in grades four through eight. The dates are July 14 through August 3, 2013. Many kids face the prospect of being the only blind person in a school or district, and the Buddy Program provides opportunities for them to socialize with other blind kids, and to gain insight and hope from the counselors—all positive blind role models. 
            For more information, or to apply, contact:
            Eric Guillory
            Director of Youth Services
            800-234-4166, extension 3009
            eguillory at lcb-ruston.com 



            Braille Initiative
            Braille Certification Training Program
            Under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS), the NFB administers the courses leading to NLS certification of Braille transcribers and proofreaders. Successful completion of these rigorous courses requires a great deal of time and effort on the part of the students. We congratulate the following individuals who earned certification during the month of November, 2012:

            Literary Braille Transcribing

            California
               Mohammad A. Ali, Vacaville
               Felipe Gomez, Vacaville
               Michael K. Lafaver, Vacaville

            Georgia
               James Paul Tilson, Madison

            Illinois
               Kenneth Jay Nelson, Elgin

            Indiana
               Daryl W. Barton, Bunker Hill

            Minnesota
               Joseph Charles Crist, Chanhassen

            North Carolina
               Lonnie L. Hargrove, Laurinburg
               Tony Robert Jones, Laurinburg
               Chance Rainey, Laurinburg
               K'wada O. Temoney, Laurinburg
               Aquino L. Williams, Laurinburg

            Ohio
               Julie Ann Nieman, Urbana

            Texas
               Kristen Maureen Hanlin, The Woodlands
               Dawn M. Miles, Gatesville

            Literary Braille Proofreading

            Wisconsin
               John P. Kralovetz, Oshkosh

            Mathematics (Nemeth) Braille Transcribing

            Michigan
               Dennis J. Littleton, Jackson
               James Thomas Mitchell, Jackson



            Advocacy
            The Washington Seminar is an annual event of the NFB to introduce the agenda of blind Americans--the priority issues requiring congressional attention over the coming year. This year the Washington Seminar will be held Monday, February 4, through Thursday, February 7. There are over five hundred people expected to attend. Usually three initiatives are chosen for priority attention during the Washington Seminar. Links to the agenda, as well as to the fact sheets for this year's initiatives, are below:

            2013 Washington Seminar Legislative Agenda (Word)
            2013 Washington Seminar Legislative Agenda (Audio 2 MB) 

            2013 Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Fact Sheet (Word)
            2013 Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Fact Sheet (Audio 3 MB)

            2013 Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans Fact Sheet (Word)
            2013 Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans Fact Sheet (Audio 2 MB)

            2013 Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act (TEACH) Fact Sheet (Word)
            2013 Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act (TEACH) Fact Sheet (Audio 3 MB)



            Product and Access Technology Talk
            “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” asks Shelley; and so we look ahead to spring, when we’ll be hosting the first-ever NFB Tactile Graphics conference right here in Baltimore. We’ve had a great response to both our call for papers and the invitation for anyone with an interest to attend, and we have every reason to expect this inaugural event will be a great success. It’s a free event, although we do ask attendees to donate to support our programs, so let nothing keep you from registering for this who’s who of a rapidly changing field. There will be 3D, haptics, and 2D graphics; there will be sophisticated technological solutions, as well as quick and dirty duct tape ones. Join us! For more information, visit www.nfb.org/tactilegraphicsconference.

            Before we get to spring, there is another landmark event that sets the tone for the year—the 28th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego, California, where the access technology team will be presenting, meeting, and learning, as usual. Our topics this year are “Usable out of the box? Google Android, Apple iOS, and Windows 8 Mobile Face-off;”,“Using Mainstream Devices as Notetakers;” and “3D Printing for the People” about the Makerbot Replicator (though that little bot has been a bit cranky). In addition to that conference, the team will also be presenting “Making the 21st Century Campus a Model of Accessibility” at the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado on February 5, so we’re going to be covering quite a range of topics.

            We never neglect what’s new and interesting, so we have a few new blog items up as well. Have a look at our posts about audio description and the HIMS new face-to-face app for deaf-blind users. 





            From the tenBroek Library
            The tenBroek Library welcomes all researchers interested in the non-medical aspects of blindness. Our collections cover areas including the education of blind children, disability law and policy, the history of attitudes toward the blind, and literary works by blind authors. We provide facilities for using our collections, regardless of format, to both sighted and blind readers. 

            The tenBroek Library looks after the history of blind people in many ways, including collecting NFB literature, maintaining the Federation's archives, and building our collections of archival papers and published works. We also recognize that much of the history of the blind resides in the lived experience of the blind, and we are committed to documenting those experiences through our oral history program.

            Researchers can access the holdings of the tenBroek Library through our fully accessible online portals. The Cane Tip is our database for finding aids that describe the manuscript and archival collections held by the library, including the personal and professional papers of NFB founder Jacobus tenBroek, the papers of past NFB president Kenneth Jernigan, and the NFB Institutional Archives, as well as several smaller collections. The Blind Cat is our online public access catalog (OPAC) where researchers can search our collection of published materials. The scope of our published materials—largely in print, but also in talking book, Braille, and digital formats—extends to all facets of blindness and the lives of blind people, with the exception of the medical treatment and prevention of blindness. 

            The tenBroek Library also holds, and makes available to researchers, extensive collections of archival photographs, sound recordings, and audiovisual material. At this time there is no public catalog or finding aid of this material. However, we will happily respond to inquiries by mail, phone, or e-mail.

            To learn more about the holdings of the Jacobus tenBroek Library, please visit the Cane Tip, the Blind Cat, or send us an email at jtblibrary at nfb.org. 





            Independence Market
            The NFB publishes magazines, articles, and brochures about various aspects of blindness. These materials provide information about our organizational activities, share information and resources about coping with vision loss, and promote our positive approach to living successfully with blindness. The NFB Independence Market is the conduit through which we distribute our literature to our members and friends and to the general public. 

            From time to time we reprint articles of particular interest from our flagship publication, the Braille Monitor. Here is the list of articles that have been added to our collection during the past year:

            The first three articles are related to the business of the 2012 NFB National Convention.

              a.. 2012 Banquet Speech: “The Intersection of Law and Love” by Marc Maurer 
              a.. “2012 Presidential Report” by Marc Maurer 
              a.. Resolutions Adopted by the 2012 National Convention 
            The next article is a reprint of testimony the NFB presented before the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, on the topic of technology and its ability to make education accessible to all students. While the article was published a year ago, the issues it raises still affect blind students' education at all levels.

            "Testimony for the Hearing on 'The Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities'” by Mark A. Riccobono 

            The following two articles discuss changes coming to the Braille code used here in the United States. Braille is a subject near and dear to the hearts of the blind, since it is an important key to literacy, and many have passionate opinions about it. These articles were published before the Braille Authority of North America adopted the Unified English Braille system for literary texts, while maintaining the Nemeth code for scientific materials. The changes to our Braille code will be phased in incrementally over the next several years.

            "Choices for the Future of Braille: A Comparison between Unified English Braille, the Nemeth Code, and the Nemeth Uniform Braille System" by Antonio Guimaraes 

            "Print and Braille: Evolving Codes to Meet the Needs of a Changing World" by Jennifer Dunnam 

            The last article addresses techniques used by blind individuals to extract information from the printed word.

            "Getting Information: Are Human Readers Still Important?" by Gary Wunder 

            To review the literature offerings available through the NFB Independence Market, please visit our literature page. To order copies of any of the above articles in print or Braille, please e-mail the Independence Market at independencemarket at nfb.org, or contact us by phone at 410-659-9314, extension 2216, Monday through Friday from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 



            NFB Calendar
            Upcoming Events

            Super Bowl XLVII: February 3, 2013 (Go Ravens!)

            Washington Seminar: February 5-7, 2013

            Tactile Graphics Conference: April 12-13, 2013

            Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium: April 18-19, 2013

            2013 NFB National Convention: July 1-6, 2013

            State Conventions

            Massachusetts – February 22-24, 2013

            Alabama – March 1-3, 2013

            Tennessee – March 8-10, 2013

            Mississippi – March 22-24, 2013

            New Hampshire – April 5-7, 2013

            Oklahoma – April 5-7, 2013

            Delaware – April 12-14, 2013

            Idaho – April 12-14, 2013

            Missouri – April 12-14, 2013

            New Mexico – April 12-14, 2013

            Wisconsin – April 12-14, 2013

            Louisiana – April 19-21, 2013

            South Dakota – April 19-21, 2013

            Utah – May 3-5, 2013

            Florida – May 24-26, 2013



            Citation
            "Ours is an unquenchable spirit. We go to the work with joy, and we will not fail. Our future cannot be determined by others; the decision is in our own hands. Join me, and we will build our own tomorrow!"

            --Marc Maurer, "Independence and the Necessity for Diplomacy", 2001 NFB National Convention Banquet Speech, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





            Thank you for reading the NFB Jernigan Institute’s Imagineering Our Future.

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      Interesting links:

      Archive of Straight Talk about Vision Loss videos

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      Access Technology Tips

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