[Nfbmt] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Hope's story, a call for help...

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

Is there a way to get something like this going in Montana?  Joy

-----Original Message-----
From: State-affiliate-leadership-list
[mailto:state-affiliate-leadership-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rick
Reed via State-affiliate-leadership-list
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2015 11:30 AM
To: State Affiliate Leadership List
Cc: Rick Reed
Subject: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Hope's story, a call for help...

Hello friends,

I had the amazing opportunity yesterday to represent my affiliate and our
national organization at the 2015 Wyoming Transitions Day. This event is
primarily for high school students who are blind/VI or deaf/HoH and
encourages them to pursue higher education with goals of finding a career
that will let them live the lives they want. It is sponsored by Wyoming
Independent Living, Vision Outreach Services and the Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation.

The NFB of Wyoming is an annual fixture at this event, where we provide
information about our Federation and our programs. This year, I was asked to
give a presentation on assistive technology where I introduced many students,
parents and teachers to the KNFB Reader app for the first time. I also
presented a session on self-advocacy.

During these presentations I had the pleasure of meeting a high school junior
named Hope.

Hope is a blind student in Sheridan, Wyoming, a little town just south of the
Montana border. She is an absolute gem of a person and just so eager to learn
everything she can that it warms the heart.

Hope's dream is to become a nurse. Until yesterday, the only person in her
life that had any faith in her and in her ability to realize her dreams was
her TVI. She has no support from her family. They tell her that there is
really not much she can actually do as a blind person.
When she shared her dream with her family she was told; "I would never let
someone like you be my nurse".

I was and still am enraged by this lack of familial support. I offered Hope
my support in any way I could give it and promised to get her in touch with
blind people that are working in similar fields that she can talk to. I am
also encouraging her to keep getting good grades and to apply for our
national scholarships next year when she is a senior.

Before she left to head back to Sheridan from the event I gave her one of the
75 in 75 Braille wristbands that I carry in my bag. When she read it and felt
the "Live The Life You Want" embossed in Braille on the little piece of
rubbber she broke down in tears and I am not at all ashamed to say that I
joined her. It was a very emotional moment all around.

With that story told, what I'm asking is this:

I would like to get in touch with as many blind people as I can who are
working in the healthcare field. This girl needs mentors and role models that
can show her that she can make her dreams come true and that she can live the
life she wants, not what someone else thinks she should be limited to.

Thank you for sticking with me through this tale and for whatever help and
advice you can give me here. I want this young lady to succeed and I'd love
to see her on stage in a couple years, receiving a scholarship at our
national convention!

Thank you again friends,

--
Rick Reed
WYOAssist Low-vision Specialist
President, National Federation of the Blind of Wyoming Certified Assistive
Technology Specialist Technological Accessibility Advocate

Phone:
(307)315-3648

Twitter:
@WYOAssist
@NFBWY
@BlindPCs
@BlindSarcasm

Web:
http://www.wyoassist.com
http://theblindgeek.net
http://www.blindpcs.com
http://www.nfbwyoming.org
http://www.nfb.org
http://theblindfoodie.com

Skype:
TheBlindGeek

"Disability is NOT the final answer!"

The National Federation of the Blind 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.

Communications with WYOAssist are confidential and are not shared with third
parties except with the express consent of our clients. Messages may be
stored offline for security purposes.


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