[NFBMO] Blind Equality Achievement Month Highlights for the Week of October 23, 2022

[Daniel Garcia]

Dear Friends:

October 1 starts our Blind Equality Achievement Month, and the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri is in the spirit. The layout of these standing meeting emails is going to read a little different for the month.

In each email you will find 4 different categories of topics. The first category is Blind individuals in our NFBMO affiliate. Next we focus on our advocacy efforts to improve equality for the blind.  Then we have a highlight on Achievements that have occurred over the years. Last, as consistent as usual, there will be a list of the standing meetings for each week  as well as  announcements concerning any upcoming Blind Equality Achievement Month events.

The information included in these emails can also be found on our www.nfbmo.org website and on Facebook. You are encouraged to share this information with friends and family.

There are several ways a person can view these topics for our Blind Equality Achievement Month. The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri Communications team is striving to focus on who is in our beloved federation family, how equality is happening, presenting how achievements are celebrated in the National Federation of the Blind, and  is providing each of you with options on how you can attend one of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri's standing meetings. Let's go spread the word on how the NFB has created a world where blind people can live the lives we want.

Note that if you use screen reading software, you can navigate by heading. Please consult the training manual for your software for instructions on how to do this.

Blind / Individuals who are blind

This week we are highlighting Sam Doman, one of our 2022 scholarship winners. Sam is a sophomore at Missouri State University (SMU) in Springfield. He is majoring in music with a minor in computer science. He is an active member of the Phi Epsilon fraternity, the school symphony, and currently serves as the secretary of the Missouri Association of Blind Students. He has used his musical talent to volunteer around his community. In his spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, and hiking with his family. Upon graduation Sam would like to work to ensure that technology is accessible for blind people everywhere.

Equality

Equality for the blind means that we have the right to live in the world<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/law/therighttoliveintheworldthedisabledinthelawoftorts.html>. This is the argument so forcefully made by our founder, Jacobus tenBroek in the California Law Review in 1966. To ensure that this concept be enshrined into law across the country, the National Federation of the Blind embarked in an long struggle throughout the 1960's and 1970's to get model white cane laws pass in every state.

The Model White Cane Law was first introduced in the Missouri legislature in 1971 to guarantee blind persons equal treatment. Over the next few years, the relentless advocacy of the Missouri affiliate resulted in SB12 being signed into law in 1977. The white cane law put an end to the notion of contributory negligence, the idea that blind people were to blame by the mere fact that we are blind if we were involved in any accident. The effect of the white cane laws has repercussions beyond us being safe on the streets. It also prevents blind people from being denied housing due to landlord's mistaken impressions that blind people are unsafe. In addition, it also prevents insurance companies from denying blind people the ability to buy life insurance, renter's insurance, or homeowner's insurance for the same reason.

Achievements

The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri recognizes blind students' academic achievements by offering merit scholarships<https://nfbmo.org/node/115>. The value of these scholarships goes far beyond the monetary. To receive their scholarship, students are invited to attend the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri state convention. This gives the students a chance to network with other blind students and provides them the opportunity to meet successful adult role models. Many students decide then to become more active in our affiliate. By recognizing student achievement, the scholarship program helps us to achieve a brighter future.

Month / weekly Events

The meetings below have already taken place and were announced last Sunday, September 23. They are redistributed here to make this posting complete. The meetings for the week of September 30 will be posted to this mailing list tomorrow.

Below is a listing of NFB of Missouri standing meetings for the week of October 23, 2022. For meetings that are not held in the affiliate Zoom platform, you will need to contact the chapter president, division president, committee chair, or group chair to get the call-in information. If you are scheduling any ad hoc meetings for the week of October 30, please let me know by Saturday, October 29.

Wednesday
Guide Dog Division, 7 pm, affiliate Zoom platform.

Thursday
Membership Committee, 8 pm, affiliate Zoom platform.

Regards,

Daniel

Daniel Garcia, Corresponding Secretary
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
dangarcia3 at hotmail.com
(816) 621-0902
www.nfb.org
www.nfbmo.org
Live the life you want

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