<div><br></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Aug 1, 2026 at 9:06\u202fAM Shawn Jacobson via NFBMD <<a href="mailto:nfbmd@nfbnet.org">nfbmd@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div style="font-family:Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div><div dir="ltr">Congradulations Sharon; you emphatically earned it.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Shawn</div><div><br></div><div><div style="font-style:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:10pt;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica Neue">Shawn Jacobson<br><a href="mailto:sdj60259@aol.com" target="_blank">sdj60259@aol.com</a><br></div></div></div>
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On Friday, July 31, 2026 at 08:33:48 PM EDT, president--- via NFBMD <<a href="mailto:nfbmd@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbmd@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:
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<div><div id="m_-2421281602808592264ydpacfeca49yiv9451272042"><div><div><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Federation Family,</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">I\u2019m delighted to share that Sharon Maneki received the Maryland Governor's Disability Culture and Achievement Award from Governor Moore at the State\u2019s celebration of the 36<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which took place on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">The press release described the reason for Sharon receiving this award as follows:</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b>\u201cSharon Maneki:</b> A prominent, longtime leader within the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, author of two books, and past President of the Board for the Maryland Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, who retired after a distinguished 27-year career as a Research Analyst for the Department of Defense.\u201d</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Here is the link to the press release.</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><a href="https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press-releases/governor-moore-presents-governors-disability-awards-honors-congressman-steny-hoyer" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press-releases/governor-moore-presents-governors-disability-awards-honors-congressman-steny-hoyer</a></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Every blind, deaf blind, or low vision Marylander in a generation has benefited from Sharon\u2019s advocacy, tenacity, and drive. Her work advanced civil rights in education, voting, employment, access to information, social services, public accommodations, and beyond.</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Please join me in congratulating Sharon on this well-deserved award.</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Regards,</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Ronza</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><b>Ronza Othman, </b>President</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">National Federation of the Blind of Maryland</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">443-426-4110</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Pronouns: she, her, hers</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Need to meet with me? <a href="https://calendly.com/president-nfbmd/30min" style="color:rgb(70,120,134);text-decoration:underline" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Please use this link to schedule through Calendly</span></a>.</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">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.</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> </p></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>NFBMD mailing list<br><a href="mailto:NFBMD@nfbnet.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NFBMD@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmd_nfbnet.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbmd_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFBMD:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmd_nfbnet.org/sdj60259%40aol.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmd_nfbnet.org/sdj60259%40aol.com</a><br></div>
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<a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmd_nfbnet.org/trustycorey%40gmail.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbmd_nfbnet.org/trustycorey%40gmail.com</a> God bless you, Sharon! Congratulations to a job well done you\u2019re a hell of a leader! I\u2019ve always been enthusiast and inspired by your leadership and your compassion and your care for others and providing a second chance for others so I will really feel you greatly deserve that award and many more blessings to come to you and your family. Thanks for everything Sharon. We will all really appreciate who you are and what you stand for Corey.<br>
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