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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Sounds like a plan. Happy New Year to all.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sherri<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b>From:</b> NFBF-L <nfbf-l-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jorge Hernandez via NFBF-L<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, January 1, 2023 11:12 AM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List <nfbf-l@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Jorge Hernandez <jeh1065@comcast.net><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBF-L] First Email of the new year<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Good new Year Florida federationists,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For the first Email of the new year, I challenge all of us to bring new and innovative ideas so we can continue the work on building the national Federation of the Blind of Florida.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>When President Martinez was elected as our leader 14 months ago, he put on his hard hat and pledged to the members that he will do everything within his power to build a stronger and more vibrant affiliate. He has kept his promise in building the Florida Affiliate, and we as a board has followed his footsteps on finding ways to build stronger chapters, divisions, and relations with stakeholders so we can have a seat at the table to ensure our philosophy and our knowledge as blind people are imbedded in the fabric of society.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I serve at the pleasure of the president, and I also pledge to the Florida Affiliate that I will find new and innovative ideas to build our affiliate; However, this task needs not just the president or the board of directors, but all of us working as a unified team to ensure the longevity of our affiliate can sustain the ever changing dynamics of today’s society.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As the new year commences, we look at the year that past and reminisce on good and bad times; on how our convention brought new members together; what we accomplished as an affiliate; how we were challenged by mother nature and we overcame those challenges.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now, we start looking forward to the new year and the new resolutions we made to ourselves to make us a better person. But my question is as follows: Why just ourselves? Why not everyone we come in contact with. As we travel throughout the State of Florida, let’s spread our philosophy and demonstrate to all that we as blind people are living the life we want; are breaking barriers to raise expectations; are actively participating in the efforts of the national Federation of the blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Let’s make this new year a memorable one and demonstrate that we are building the national Federation of the blind of Florida one member at a time.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jorge Hernandez, 1<sup>st</sup> Vice President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Board of Directors<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>