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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Please circulate the following message as widely as appropriate.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>March 27, 2024 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Greetings HART Consumers with Disabilities & Our Supporters!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> My name is Marion Gwizdala. I serve on HART’s ADA Accessibility Committee. On March 25, on behalf of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, Merry Schoch, Scott Greenblatt, and I met with HART’s CEO, Scott Drainville, the chair of HART’s board of directors, Councilman Luis Viera, HART’s chief administrative officer, Jacqueline Halldow, and their manager of customer service, Kemly Green. We had a very lively and candid discussion of our concerns and listened as they shared their plans for the future. We met for more than an hour in a meeting meant to be as much a formation of an alliance as one to share our challenges. Though we did some of the latter, we communicated we are their ally not their adversary. I am urging you, in as strong a voice I can muster through email, to demonstrate that HART’s alliance with its disabled consumers and the input of its ADA Accessibility Committee is vital for the future of public transportation in the Tampa Bay area. Why should you help!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Efficient effective public transportation is an essential service for many of us who are disabled. There are many conditions in addition to blindness that impact our ability to drive and rely upon public transportation to get to work, buy groceries, obtain medical care, and have a social life. As I work to improve HART services, my life experience is different than yours. If I am to serve you, I need anyone with a disability impacted by the quality of HART’s services and our supporters to stand up with us as we urge these HART officials to follow through on their commitment to this collaboration. In other words, I need you! What will we do?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> On Monday, April 1, members of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind will make public comments during the HART board of directors meeting. Our comments are meant to make a point of public record that HART has committed to working more closely with disabled consumers and its representative body – HART’s ADA Accessibility Committee on which I serve. What can you do?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> During our events, the Tampa Bay Chapter of the NFB wears bright yellow shirts. The color yellow can be seen through a sea of other colors. We want as many consumers with disabilities to don a yellow garment and stand with us as we press the board to continue this dialogue and follow through on their commitment to accountability, inclusivity, and accessibility. The meeting will be held in the HART board room located on the third floor of HART’s administrative offices, 1201 E. 7<sup>th</sup> Avenue in Ybor City. The meeting begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. and last approximately two hours. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. My contact information is below my signature.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Yours in service,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Marion Gwizdala<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:Advocacy411@gmail.com">Advocacy411@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>813-421-3555 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>