[NFBMD] Congratulations to Sharon Maneki - 2023 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Winner!

[Sherry Smith]

Congratulations, Sharon! That is awesome and an award you deserve. Thank
you for all you do to help the blind. You truly are a blessing from God.

Sherry Smith

On Sun, Jul 16, 2023 at 4:46 PM Ronza Othman via NFBMD <nfbmd at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Federation Family,
>
> I am delighted to share that Sharon Maneki, Immediate Past President of
> the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, was awarded the Dr. Jacob
> Bolotin Award on July 6, 2023.  Sharon received this very prestigious award
> for her tremendous work to advance legislation to protect and advance the
> civil rights of blind people in Maryland.
>
>
>
> Sharon Maneki has served as the Legislative and Policy Advocacy Lead in
> Maryland since 1986 and continuing to the present.  In this capacity, she
> has led the NFB of Maryland’s work to advocate for, draft, and get the
> General Assembly to pass literally dozens of bills that improve the lives
> of blind people.  She also has handled thousands of individual cases for
> blind Marylanders from Social Security to employment to state benefits to
> reasonable accommodations.
>
>
>
> Here are some of the legislative initiatives that she championed:
>
>    - Maryland was the first state to pass a bill that requires all blind
>    students, regardless of visual acuity, to receive Orientation and Mobility
>    training;
>    - Maryland was the first state to pass a Braille bill, which requires
>    all blind students to receive Braille instruction, regardless of visual
>    acuity;
>    - Maryland was among the first states to pass a Blind Parents Bill,
>    which prohibits judges from considering blindness as a factor when making
>    custody decisions;
>    - Maryland was the first state to require that all Teachers of Blind
>    Students be Braille certified and receive recertification every five years;
>    - Maryland was the first state to pass a bill that set a standard for
>    Braille instruction for reading, writing, and mathematics.
>    - Maryland was the first state to pass a law requiring the State
>    government to procure only accessible software, hardware, and platforms,
>    consistent with the standards in the Federal Section 508 requirements;
>    - Maryland was the first state to pass a law requiring all K – 12
>    school districts to procure only accessible software, hardware, and
>    platforms, consistent with the standards in the Federal Section 508
>    requirements;
>    - Maryland was the first state to require the inclusion of an
>    accessible textbook mandate for college and professional students;
>    - Maryland was the first state to require the inclusion of an
>    accessible textbook and learning resources mandate for K – 12 students;
>    - Maryland was the first state to enhance protections for guide dog
>    users so that retired guide dogs have the same housing protections as
>    active guide dogs;
>    - Maryland was among the first states to pass an accessible
>    prescription labels bill;
>    - Maryland was among the first states to make it a crime to injure or
>    kill a service animal;
>    - Maryland was the first state to pass legislation requiring
>    accessible tactile markings on electric scooters as well as accessible
>    complaint procedures;
>    - Maryland has passed literally dozens of other laws that protect our
>    civil rights, give us access to information, enable us to compete on terms
>    of equality, and undue harmful policies.  These include areas from
>    employment to health care, to life and health insurance, to procurement, to
>    access to rehabilitation services, and so much more.
>
>
>
> Because of Sharon’s efforts, including the guide dog housing and
> accessible prescription label bills that just passed in the Maryland
> General Assembly in April of 2023, the over 112,000 blind and low vision
> Maryland population experiences access to information, civil rights
> protections, and so much more.  Sharon’s contributions have been incredible
> and sweeping.
>
>
>
> The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards honor individuals and organizations that are
> a positive force in the lives of blind people. Each year the National
> Federation of the blind presents the awards at its annual convention. The
> Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards are funded by the National Federation of the Blind
> with assistance from the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust, which was
> created by a bequest left to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the NFB by
> Dr. Jacob Bolotin’s niece-in-law, author Rosalind Perlman.
>
>
>
> Dr. Jacob W. Bolotin (1888-1924) was the world’s first physician who was
> blind from birth. He achieved that goal despite the tremendous challenges
> faced by blind people in his time. Not only did he realize his own dream,
> but he also went on to support and inspire many others.
>
>
>
> Sharon Maneki exemplifies Dr. Bolotin’s vision, and her work is a true
> demonstration of the initiatives and contributions this award celebrates.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Ronza Othman, *President
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
>
> 443-426-4110
>
> Pronouns: she, her, hers
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
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