[Nfbf-l] Melbourne Space Coast Newsletter

[ctate2076 at att.net]

Greetings Federationists: 

 

Please find attached and imbedded in this email, the newsletter of the
Melbourne Space Coast Chapter. Enjoy! 

 

Sincerely,

Camille Tate 

 

President, Melbourne Space Coast Chapter, National Federation of the Blind,
FL 

 

Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind, FL 

 

Email: ctate2076 at att.net <mailto:ctate2076 at att.net>  

 

Phone: 321 372 4899 

 

 

Issue 5 Volume 2 

February 2019 

 

In This Issue: 

 

NFB Pledge 

Meeting Announcements 

Membership Dues 

Making Transit and Travel Accessible 

Washington Seminar 

State Convention 

National Convention 

 

NFB Pledge 

 

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation
of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity and security for the blind; to
support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its
constitution. 

 

Meeting Announcements 

 

Our next meeting will be Saturday, February 9, from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. We
meet at The Fountains of Melbourne, 4451 Stack Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901. 

 

Anyone needing transportation, please call Maria Rigogliosi, (321) 795-7376,
no later than Tuesday, February 5. This is to ensure you are placed on the
list for transportation. 

 

As a reminder, Space Coast Area Transit charges a fare of $1.50 each way,
for a total of $3.00. Drivers are unable to make change. Fare cards may be
purchased by contacting SCAT at (321) 635-7815. The phone menu options have
changed, so please follow the prompts. Fare cards cost $15.00, which provide
10 one-way trips.  

 

We will have a 50/50 raffle at our next meeting. Each ticket costs $1.
Please come with your energy, bright minds and compassion for the blind. 

 

Membership Dues 

 

If you have not paid your dues for 2019, please bring it to our chapter
meeting. Annual dues are $10. Members will receive a special gift from the
National Federation of the Blind. Membership in the Melbourne Space Coast
Chapter entitles you to membership in the National Federation of the Blind.
Your dues help defray the cost of printing our monthly newsletter, our
meeting space and other benefits. Make checks payable to: Melbourne Space
Coast Chapter or pay via cash. You may also send your dues to: 

 

Melbourne Space Coast Chapter 

P. O. Box 120311 

Melbourne, FL 32912 

 

Making Transportation and Travel Accessible 

 

The Melbourne Space Coast Chapter has worked ceasesly on the transportation
needs of its members and the wider world of the blind and disabled in
Brevard County. We have written emails, made phone calls and attended
various meetings regarding transportation. This is an endeavor that will
continue. However, transportation is and should not be our only concern. The
ability to navigate our community and safely access bus stops is just as
important. 

 

As a blind traveler in Brevard, I, your president, have noticed many areas
that need improvement. The ability of the blind to use the bus stops in many
parts of the county is limited due to the location and condition of these
stops. 

 

The National Federation of the Blind does not work only for those who are
its members, but the wider community of the blind and low vision, who may
not even know we exist. Advocating for future members who may join us or who
have not yet been born is also a driving facet of our organization. Whether
or not you as an individual make use of the fixed route system and
therefore, the bus stops, does not mean you cannot be part of the work put
into those projects. 

 

There is a troubling statistic regarding our county's bus stops. SCAT makes
every effort to find and fix crumbling, worn down bus stops. The truth is
the sheer volume is hard to keep up with. There are over 940 stops
throughout Brevard County and only approximately 4% are deemed to be
accessible by the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is
difficult to inspect, document and fund projects to correct the problems.
Some of these issues may involve placement of signage, broken seats and
shelters or lack of access for wheelchairs. Other issues, that may not
technically involve the bus stop itself, include too narrow sidewalks,
crumbling or uneven pavers on sidewalks or stops located in front of ditches
or on grass. 

 

Many of these issues and more preclude the blind and other disabled
passengers from safely accessing bus stops or even walking down the street.
Many stops and sidewalks were built pre-ADA and must be updated to reflect
guidelines set forth in that Act. 

 

The members of the Melbourne Space Coast Chapter will be evaluating a report
released by an outside consultant who conducted an ADA Accessibility and
Compliance Report for SCAT. Our goal will be to determine what, if anything,
we can do to help correct the situation.

 

Please stay tuned for further information regarding this report and any
actions we may take to assist SCAT in making our use of the bus stops safe
for all of us. In addition, we will begin to assess the problems of bus stop
locations, unsafe sidewalks and unsafe crosswalks. Although this involves
another agency, the Transportation Planning Organization, we will contact
and meet with anyone who will resolve these issues.

 

Washington Seminar 

 

The National Federation of the Blind will descend on Capitol Hill January
29-30, to work on our 2019 Legislative priorities. Our push for legislation
to further the economic opportunities and civil rights of blind Americans
begins with a trek through the halls of Congress. This year, the National
Federation of the Blind of Florida is sending eight members of our affiliate
to represent Florida. The 2019 Florida delegation includes: Denise Valkema,
Marry Schoch, Camille Tate, Jorge Hernandez, Doug Ingram, Tamika Butts,
Yvonne Rosanelli and Debbi Malone. Our delegates represent North, Central
and South Florida. We are pleased to announce that four of our delegates are
first time attendees of Washington Seminar. Each have pledged to work with
the Legislative Committee for a period of one year, following their
appointment to the delegation. 

 

We have three priorities this year designed to bring greater access to blind
individuals and improve opportunities for employment. Access and employment
are driving factors in the advocacy work of the National Federation of the
Blind. Please see a brief synopsis of this year's priorities. 

 

*	Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA): This is a familiar bill
to many. ATAA was part of our 2018 Legislative priorities. We garnered much
support in the House of Representatives. Our national office made some
changes to the bill that we hope will gain more support. To recap, ATAA is a
bill that will provide a refundable tax credit of up to $2000, to be used
over a three-year period. This is lower than the original amount of $2500.
Additionally, the bill will sunset after five years. Sunsetting means that
the bill will expire at the end of its term, i.e., five years. The
importance of ATAA cannot be overstressed. 71% of blind Americans are either
unemployed or underemployed. Lack of access to adequate assistive technology
often stands in the way of our ability to gain or maintain employment. This
bill allows us to purchase assistive technology, like screen readers or
braille devices, so we do not have to wait on public or private agencies to
provide them. Such a delay in obtaining equipment necessary for us to be
viable candidates for jobs can mean the difference between employability and
relying on Social Security. 
*	Greater Accessibility and Independence Through Non-Visual Access
Technology (GAIN): Although the full title of this bill is quite long, its
impact can last a lifetime. Advances in digital interfaces are creating
barriers between blind people and our ability to safely and independently
operate devices that are essential to a healthy life. Home use medical
devices, home appliances and exercise equipment are increasingly
inaccessible due to flat panel and digital touch interfaces. Think of it
like this: a diabetic uses a glucose monitor that has text to speech
technology, but the newer ones on the market are all digital. How are we
supposed to use a device that no longer speaks? How do we use a device that
requires a finger swipe to operate when we cannot hear where to swipe? Home
appliances, such as microwaves, stoves, washers and the like may only be
usable with a flat screen, with no indication of where to press to start.
These are some of the examples of the widening gap between independence for
blind people and the ability to safely use these devices. This bill will
allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) to enforce accessibility laws granted under the Americans with
Disabilities Act to make sure these products and devices are accessible to
the blind. 
*	Disability Employment Act (DEA): As previously stated, 71% of blind
Americans are either unemployed or underemployed. This bill will level the
playing field for disabled employees to work in an environment that has the
necessary equipment to allow those individuals to be competitive in an
ever-growing technological society. It also, over time, stops the practice
of paying disabled employees sub-minimum wages. When the Federally Sheltered
workspace began with the passage of the Randolph-Shepard Act in 1938, the
expectation was these jobs would prepare and integrate the disabled into a
prevailing wage work environment. Unfortunately, these programs have lost
sight of this mandate and disabled employees often stagnate and become
trapped in sub-minimum wage jobs. This bill phases out that practice. 

 

As evidenced above, the National Federation of the Blind works diligently to
bring blind individuals into equal, first-class citizenship. Each and every
one of us deserves to live our lives as our founding fathers intended.to
have life, liberty and pursue happiness (although the original wording meant
property and not happiness-we want that too). Stay tuned for our requests
for you all to make a phone call, send an email, write a letter or visit
your Congressional Representative. 

 

State Convention 

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Florida's annual convention is over
Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27, 2019. The convention is being held at the
Embassy Suites, 661 N. W. 53rd Avenue, Boca Raton, Florida. The hotel is
well constructed and easy to navigate. Room rates are $99 per night, plus
tax. There is a Manager's Reception each night from 5:30-7:30 and breakfast
is included. 

 

Our annual state conventions are vitally important to maintaining our
affiliate in Florida. It is at convention that you elect leaders (President,
1st and 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and the four Board
members). Each year, elections are staggered so only a portion of the board
is elected at the same time. As a current paid member of the National
Federation of the Blind of Florida, you also vote on any resolutions (policy
statements of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida). This is the
one time each year that divisions may meet face-to-face. You can mix and
mingle with other members of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida
or the National Federation of the Blind that you otherwise may not see
regularly. Renew old acquaintances or make new friends. Taking a walk
through the exhibit hall may show you new products available for purchase.
Last and certainly not least, come and learn what your affiliate has been
doing since the last convention to further the work of the Federation. 

 

If you are planning to attend our state convention, please make your plans
as early as possible. To help with the room expenses, find those you are
comfortable sharing a room with. Each hotel room, whether king-sized or
double, comes with a pull-out couch. If two couples want to share, the
double rooms can sleep four, plus an additional person on the pull-out sofa.


 

Registration and banquet fees have not yet been set by the state board. Once
they have, we will inform all of you. The MSCC board has decided we will
cover registration fees only at this time. If you are interested in
attending state convention in 2019, please let Camille Tate know and you
will be placed on the list. Per board decision, fees will not be paid in
advance. They will be reimbursed following the convention. 

 

National Convention 

 

The National Federation of the Blind will hold its annual convention at the
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The dates are Sunday,
July 7, through Friday, July 12. 

 

As with state conventions, our national convention is extremely important.
Members have the opportunity to hear what our National Office has been doing
since the last convention. You will meet new friends in blindness and renew
old acquaintances. The exhibit hall is full of vendors, state affiliates and
national divisions, all showcasing exciting products, news from their
divisions and goodies from each state. 

 

The room rate is $99 per night, plus taxes; the hotel tax is 13.38% and
sales tax is 8.25%. You will be required to leave a deposit in the amount of
one night's reservation, with 50% refundable if you cancel by June 1. Call
the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to reserve your room at (877) 632-9001.
The resort fee has been waived for the NFB National Convention. Reservations
can be made after January 1, 2019. Please make sure to advise the
reservationist that you are booking a room for the NFB Convention to ensure
you receive the special room rate. It does not matter if you reserve a
single, double, triple or quad; the price remains the same. 

 

Registration and banquet fees have not yet been released for the 2019
National Convention. Everyone will be advised once those rates are
available. 

 

The MSCC board has decided we will reimburse members for registration fees
only at this time. Attendees will be reimbursed following the convention. If
you are interested in attending, please let Camille Tate know and you will
be placed on the list. Deadlines for registration will be released at a
later date. 

 

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday 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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