[NFBNJ] NFB: The Braille Monitor, May 2019
Brian Mackey
bmackey88 at gmail.com
Mon May 6 17:17:40 UTC 2019
>From the desk of NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo.
Received from Brian Burrow, NFB of California.
BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 62, No. 5 May 2019
Gary Wunder, Editor
Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash
drive, by the
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Mark Riccobono, President
telephone: 410-659-9314
email address: nfb at nfb.org <mailto:nfb at nfb.org>
website address: http://www.nfb.org
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NFB-NEWSLINE. information: 866-504-7300
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Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and
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for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national
office or may be emailed to gwunder at nfb.org <mailto:gwunder at nfb.org> .
Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year.
Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the
subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation
of the Blind and sent to:
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998
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. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND-IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR
OURSELVES.
ISSN 0006-8829
) 2019 by the National Federation of the Blind
Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick
or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a
National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots-the
familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and
a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This
smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad
covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one
position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again.
(Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive,
the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is
inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital
materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges,
when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.
You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to
your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb
drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in
order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with
the drive when you return the device.
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Mandalay Bay Resort]
Las Vegas Site of 2019 NFB Convention
The 2019 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take
place July 7 to July 12, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, 3950 South
Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119. Make your room reservation as soon
as possible with the Mandalay Bay Resort staff only. Call 877-632-9001.
The 2019 room rate of $99 per night applies to singles and doubles as
well as triples and quads. Hotel and sales taxes are 13.38 percent and 8.25
percent, respectively. The resort fee (normally $37 a night) will be waived
for NFB convention attendees. However, fees for internet access, local and
toll-free calls, and fitness center access may apply. The hotel will take a
deposit of the first night's room rate for each room and will require a
credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will
be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled
before Friday, June 1, 2019, half of the deposit will be returned.
Otherwise refunds will not be made.
Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reservations may be made before June 1, 2019, assuming that rooms are still
available. After that time the hotel will not hold our room block for the
convention. In other words, you should get your reservation in soon.
Among its features is an aquatic playground called Mandalay Bay Beach which
has real sand, a wave pool, and a lazy river. The hotel is also home to an
aquarium with more than 2,000 animals including sharks, green sea turtles,
and a Komodo dragon. Plus, it offers top-notch entertainment including
Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil.
The schedule for the 2019 convention is:
Sunday, July 7 Seminar Day
Monday, July 8 Registration and Resolutions Day
Tuesday, July 9 Board Meeting and Division Day
Wednesday, July 10 Opening Session
Thursday, July 11 Business Session
Friday, July 12 Banquet Day and Adjournment
Vol. 62, No. 5 May
2019
Contents
Illustration: Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind
An Outside Expression of an Inner Conviction
by Kathryn Webster
Celebrating 100 Years of Success
by Julie Deden
Freedom Foundation Honors Twin Vision.
Kindness is Greater than Fear: Changing Access Denials by Finding the Roots
of Conflict
by Sassy Outwater-Wright
Big Opportunities in a Small Town: Thinking Outside the Box
by Dennis Miller
Facts About Blindness . . . According to Me
by Joe Orozco
Opening New Doors in Tactile Art with the Help of Arts in Society
by Ann Cunningham
The Power of Commitment
by Nancy Burns
Seminar for Computer Beginners
by Curtis Chong
Shaking Things Up
by Jim Marks
Child Care During National Convention: NFB Camp Infused with BELL Academy
Activities
by Carla McQuillan
Blindness Skills: The Only Sure Bet in Vegas!
by Carlton Walker
Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive it with a Smile
by Grace Warn
See You in Washington at the Convention
by Kenneth Jernigan
Recipes
Monitor Miniatures
[PHOTO/CAPTION: President Riccobono stands at the podium on stage at the
Walter E. Washington Convention Center.]
Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind
One significant role of the National Federation of the Blind is
getting blind people in contact with money. At first it was working for
enough public assistance so that the blind were not the responsibility of
their parents, brothers, and sisters. Now the focus is employment so that
we can earn our own money. But what do we do once we've earned it? We have
to figure out a place to put it. We have to have a way of knowing how much
there is, whether we are receiving interest, and whether there are fees
that must be paid. All of this argues for accessibility: online
accessibility, statements that are accessible, and ATM machines that are
usable without sight. The banks, of course, are where most people deposit
their money. This is why we have focused on ensuring that all of their
services are usable by the blind.
But banks aren't the only place to keep one's money. Credit unions are
very popular, and those who take advantage of them believe they are
superior to banks in many ways. It is important that we have access to the
services they provide, and this is why President Riccobono addressed the
Credit Union National Association Government Affairs Conference in
Washington, DC, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. He talked
with them about making all of the services they provide to the public
accessible and reminded them that not only must outward facing services be
accessible but so too must the machinery of the business so that credit
unions across the country can take advantage of talented blind employees.
Of course he offered the good offices and the unmatchable resources of the
National Federation of the Blind in this effort, and the result will be yet
another partnership leading to greater opportunities for those of us who
are blind.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Kathryn Webster]
An Outward Expression of an Inner Conviction
by Kathryn Webster
From the Editor: Kathryn Webster is the latest in a long line of
young men and women who have been chosen by students to head the
Federation's student division, the National Association of Blind Students
(NABS). Kathryn is intelligent, motivated, poised, friendly, and welcoming.
She is everything we could want in a Federation leader, and here is her
most recent contribution to our magazine:
We learn from Jillian Michaels that people believe practice makes
perfect, but it doesn't. If you're making a tremendous number of mistakes,
all you're doing is deeply ingraining the same mistakes. In high school, I,
like many of you, made a ton of mistakes, and I am still reflecting each
day to ensure I am not making the same errors. In losing my sight quickly
and uncontrollably, I let external pressures overtake my autonomy and even
my values. I leaned on those who didn't believe in me as I shaped my
future.
Now I ask myself why? Why did I seek advice from my high school
guidance counselor on a weekly basis, when her low expectations were
blatant as she pigeon-holed me into colleges that I saw as subpar and
incompatible? I had an above average GPA; I proved myself through my scores
on standardized tests; I was a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient; I was a
cheerleader, ran track, rowed; and the list goes on. On paper, I was worth
it. Mostly worth it because, as a blind woman, I felt that I had no choice
in the world but to excel more than my sighted counterparts to be given
serious consideration in several elements of life. To my guidance
counselor, I was not enough solely because of my blindness.
I could have been the valedictorian, but my disability created this
blurred line of what I could and could not do, almost literally crossing
out my qualifications to prove that something just wasn't all there. Still,
I craved her approval and expertise throughout one of the most defining
choices of my teenage years. Socially, I disguised my insecurities with
extreme confidence and poise. I wanted to be known for anything in the
world but my blindness. Truthfully, I wasn't even blind. I was a visually
impaired girl who wouldn't use a cane because I was scared of what the cute
boys would think. I say this now, and I am simply mortified.
Back then, it was true. I worked out excessively to make sure I had
everything else going for me because this prominent defect could only be
overcome by excellence and exception in all other aspects of my life. Again
and again, I sought thumbs-up from people that were supposed to matter. I
pitied myself, but no one would have ever known. On the surface, I was a
young independent woman with lots of sass and attitude. Internally, I
struggled.
Those repetitive experiences brought me to the lowest point. J.K.
Rowling teaches us that rock bottom becomes the solid foundation on which
one rebuilds his/her life. Stripping your core to the bare minimum requires
grit, dedication, resilience, and most importantly, loving yourself. While
I am not proud of some of the actions and choices I made, I am grateful for
the wake-up call that allowed those lessons to leave a lasting mark on my
character, pushing me toward maturity, authenticity, and true confidence.
Had you known me six years ago, you probably could have never imagined me
as a successful young adult with a bright and challenging career at a top
management consulting firm or the national student president of the most
powerful blindness advocacy organization in the world. Had I not
encountered those years of struggle and pain, I would never be where I am
today.
And now, this idea of leadership and mentorship comes full circle as
we reflect on the meaningful conversations we had today. We cannot create
leaders without guidance from others. Whether formally or informally, those
we look up to have a tremendous impact on our actions and decisions as we
progress through our lives.
So far this weekend our Virginia and Mississippi students have
learned about branding themselves in a positive and powerful light,
understanding that teams are made up of talent from all walks of life. Our
national student leaders have learned that our actions are watched and
admired. We discussed the idea of first impressions and how each motion we
make can be scrutinized and observed by anyone at anytime.
This makes me think of a special day in 2015. I was not yet on the
NABS Board, and I was a sophomore at Wake Forest University. From a title
perspective, I was nothing in the National Federation of the Blind. I was
in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boston at the annual
Massachusetts State Convention. As I was chugging down my much-needed
coffee, an energetic and curious 18-year-old guy approached me. He was
weirdly impressed that I was put together, smiling with my shoulders back
and head held high and walking swiftly around the hotel confidently holding
a straight white cane in my right hand. This young adult was impressed that
I was carrying on with my day as anyone else would, but he was impressed
because I was blind.
This young man and I got to talking, and I learned that he was losing
his vision faster than he could have even imagined or understood. He was
frightened, his family was frightened, and he really thought that his
chance of being successful was no longer feasible. These feelings of low
self-worth hurt my heart so much. Even more, I felt the pain because I had
known that same pain just years prior.
So, how do we fix this pain? How do we, as leaders, leave lasting
impressions on our youth so they not only understand, but truly believe
that they are remarkable individuals with a shot at greatness? Each of us
brings a unique perspective to the table. Some demonstrate leadership by
example, others by gentle and intentional guidance, and some through
encouraging reflection at the individual level. None of these approaches
represent the gold star to leadership. For me, I am a direct and
intentional leader, emphasizing accountability and growth. I set higher
expectations for people than they do for themselves. I do this because I
believe. I believe in pushing oneself to the next level because I want each
of us to grab onto our untapped potential and thrive. When we don't have
the internal strength to trust in our actions, we will never take risks and
develop as ambitious young people. This young man in Massachusetts didn't
believe in himself. In hearing him share his story with me, I saw a spark
in him that radiated throughout our whole conversation. He wanted to be a
lawyer, a father, and a husband; most importantly, he wanted to give back
to this world. In losing his vision, he couldn't see how that was possible.
I left an impression on him that gave him a glimpse of hope. Each of you
have the ability to influence others, but that starts at your core.
Three years later, I share this story with so much pride and joy in
the young man that is still developing each and every day. He left his home
state and local college to gain blindness skills at one of our NFB training
centers. He flew across the country to give himself a chance at greatness.
Now, he is a student at a top-notch school with a killer GPA. He is on his
way to law school in the next year. Most significantly, he is giving back
to our world in a way he never saw as possible. While the first encounter
we had brought me sadness, it brought him a sense of hope. This guy, who is
a year younger than me, encourages me every day to be more relaxed, less
hard on myself, and to create spaces of greater openness. Each day, I teach
him to be diplomatic, intentional in his words, and reflective in his
actions. Each day, I am so grateful for that day in Massachusetts because
it brought hope to someone I now call a brother.
Syed Rizvi serves as first vice president of the largest student
organization of blind people in the world. Our peer mentorship to each
other brings a sense of challenge to both of us. It is stories like these
that make me understand that our interactions leave lasting impacts on
everyone; but it is on us to initiate those meaningful moments.
The blindness journey isn't easy for anyone, but the power of unity
and togetherness emphasizes how important it is to advocate for ourselves
and others; to pave the path for every single blind person who may walk in
the room right after you. We learn from Brad Paisley that "The world tries
to clip your wings." The National Federation of the Blind makes sure you
know that you won't let the world have that much control. Once, I was
insecure and scared of tomorrow. Through my transition to accepting my
blindness, I masked those insecurities with confidence. I pushed myself to
come off as stronger than I felt inside. In doing so, I recognized my self-
worth in a way that allowed others to believe it. In our organization, our
family, we lean on each other for the pure sense of comfort we so deserve.
And, we also learn from our NFB brothers and sisters that there is a world
ahead of us that we must grasp onto and run with. Our dreams can start in
this room tonight, but it is your ambitious attitude, bright mind, and
dedicated soul that will bring these dreams full circle.
I want to leave you with this piece of advice: be true to yourself,
be curious about everything, and take risks. You define your future, and we
are here to witness your achievements. I promise that the doubt that exists
within you is felt by so many others. I also promise you that as we tear
down society's misconceptions of blindness, those doubts will continue to
diminish. Keep making me proud.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Julie Deden]
Celebrating 100 Years of Success
by Julie Deden
From the Editor: Most of us know that Julie Deden is the director of
the Colorado Center for the Blind. What may be less clear is who she is as
a person. Julie has a son who is twenty-five years old. Dan Burke is her
husband, and they married in 2016. She loves to read and go on long walks.
She is as kind and gentle a person as you are likely to find, and her sense
of commitment to everything she touches is evident. Here is what she has to
say about the American Action Fund, an important anniversary, and a fine
celebration to commemorate it.
Do you know when the American Action Fund began distributing free
Braille calendars? When you think about the American Action Fund, you
probably think about that Braille calendar you've been receiving for so
many years, or maybe you think about Twin Vision books. The latter is a
story in itself, one we told at length in the May 2013 issue of the Braille
Monitor.
In 1919 the American Brotherhood for the Blind was founded by Florian
Baker, a member of the Theosophical Society. His intent was to universally
serve all blind people. At that time there were few programs for blind
people, and it was nearly impossible to obtain any kind of Braille
publication outside schools for the blind.
One hundred years later, now known as the American Action Fund for
Blind Children and Adults (AAF), this organization has distributed
thousands of Twin Vision books to blind children and adults, provided
Braille books, and most recently has provided drawing kits to blind
children so that they can create and access visual images tactilely. These
are just a few of the programs that the American Action Fund has sponsored
in the last century.
Help us celebrate the AAF's centenary at our National Convention in
Las Vegas. Immediately following the Braille Book Fair, we will host a
carnival for everyone where you will learn more about the American Action
Fund and its rich history, hear about other exciting programs that the Fund
sponsors, and visit several booths to play games, win prizes, and meet
special guests. We hope you are one of them!
Who knows how long the Action Fund have been producing calendars? We
won't make you wait till Las Vegas for the answer: they were first produced
in 1964.
----------
Freedom Foundation Honors Twin Vision.
From the Editor: Recognition for the work of the American Action Fund
for Blind Children and Adults is nothing new. One event was recorded in the
May 1969 issue of the Braille Monitor. We reprint part of that article here
as we pave the way for a fine centennial celebration that will take place
in July. Here is the way the article was introduced:
[Editor's Note: The following story is reprinted from the Van Nuys
(California) News and was written by the Assistant Editor of the News, Haig
Keropian.]
For its "heart" and latest contribution in bringing knowledge,
understanding, and inspiration to the blind throughout the world, Twin
Vision, an educational arm of the American Brotherhood for the Blind, today
possesses the coveted George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom
Foundation at Valley Forge.
This honor-as well as the presentation of special Twin Vision awards
to Mrs. Rockey (Jay) Spicer, first president of nine-year-old volunteer
Twin Vision Action Committee, and William Schiffmacher, for his artistic
contributions to the group-highlighted the organization's annual banquet.
The Freedom Foundation medal was awarded for the Twin Vision
production of the Constitution of the United States in Braille. It was
presented to Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, blind president of the American
Brotherhood for the Blind by Mrs. Theodore Flynn, a member of the awards
committee, Los Angeles County Chapter, Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.
In her presentation, Mrs. Flynn said that recipients of the George
Washington Honor Medal are judged on the basis of "outstanding achievements
in bringing about a better understanding of the American way of life."
Since its inception, Twin Vision, which maintains its headquarters at
18440 Topham Street, Tarzana, has been cited on many occasions for its
books which make it possible for sighted parents to share rewarding reading
experiences with their blind children and vice versa.
Twin Vision publications have been sent to schools for the blind,
libraries, and homes throughout the nation and in many foreign countries.
Twin Vision honors-the Golden Book Awards-were presented to Mrs.
Spicer and Mr. Schiffmacher by Dr. Jernigan and Mrs. Jean Dyon Norris,
founder and director of Twin Vision.
The Braille production of the Constitution was sponsored by the Pilot
Club of Van Nuys headed by Elizabeth Noble.
Another highlight of the banquet was the presentation of the initial
copy of the organization's new publication "The White Cane Story" to Mrs.
Jacobus tenBroek, widow of the late blind president of the American
Brotherhood for the Blind. Mrs. Norris said "The White Cane Story" is
dedicated to Dr. tenBroek, whose inspirational guidance had made the
publication of the book possible.
Dr. tenBroek had taken part in all previous banquets of Twin Vision.
His impressive record of courage and accomplishment continues to serve as
an inspiration to both the blind and sighted. Reference to Dr. tenBroek's
inspirational work was made by Mrs. Spicer during her acceptance of the
Golden Book Award. She in turn was commended for her pioneering efforts
with the volunteer Action Committee by Mrs. Norris.
Tributes to the memory of Dr. tenBroek also were given by Dr.
Jernigan, who referred to the significant value of the printed page to both
sightless children and adults.
He said the blind today are distinguishing themselves as students and
in many professional areas of activity. Dr. Jernigan said that "blindness
is not a great tragedy," and that the blind can overcome what he referred
to as a "nuisance" handicap. He said the blind seek equal treatment and an
equal share of community responsibilities, as well as an equal share in the
rewards of community progress and development. "We have hope for the future
and confidence in the present," Dr. Jernigan concluded.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Sassy Outwater-Wright poses for a photograph on a city
street.]
Kindness is Greater than Fear: Changing Access Denials by Finding the Roots
of Conflict
by Sassy Outwater-Wright
From the Editor: Not too long ago I was directed to a blog article,
and I liked it very much. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to
contact its author, but what do you know-she was a part of the National
Federation of the Blind's Massachusetts convention. In this blog entry,
which she modified slightly for our publication, Sassy talks about the
problem in enforcing the rules about allowing guide dogs and rideshare
companies. I observe that many people are angered when they are passed by,
but remarkably few people are willing to complain using the monitoring
tools we have in place, and still fewer are willing to tell drivers and
providers when they have received good service.
As you will soon see, guide dogs and ridesharing services are only a
small part of Sassy's message. They provide the context for a more
substantial lesson, one I hope you find as moving as I do. Here is the
article:
On my way home from work and medical misadventures in Boston one snowy
January night, I had a long trip ahead and was eager to just collapse into
my Lyft, pull out my laptop, and work on a presentation due the next day. I
was not feeling well, it was bitterly cold, and I was in one of those take-
no-crap-from-anyone moods, where the first wrong thing is instantly the
last straw.
So when my Lyft driver called and was having trouble finding my
address and I talked him in by giving turn by turn instructions, I bit my
lip and wanted to be wrong. But I couldn't ignore my hunch-this guy was
going to try and refuse my guide dog. The only thing cuing me into that was
his accent.
Yep. I was going there, judging. And I hated myself for it. My bias
was showing, and there was nothing good about it.
There are several reasons I hear as to why drivers won't allow me to
get into their vehicles with my guide dog. First is fear. They are scared
of my dog. They're worried the dog will bite them or jump and distract them
or ruin their car's interior. The next most common reason is an allergy.
The ADA classifies allergies of life-threatening severity as another
disability. So that's classified in Lyft and Uber policy to the drivers as
"being able to perform essential job functions." They would have to take
any passengers who presented themselves for transport. I can't drive
because my eyes don't work; they don't give blind people driver's licenses.
Some people cannot be that close to dogs. Similar consideration.
Lastly, you get those who come from cultures or countries where dogs
and people don't mix. Dogs are strays and attack people in many developing
nations. Drivers have never heard of a service dog. Disabled individuals do
not have access to the rights we do, so seeing someone out with a guide dog
is a new experience for many drivers. Dogs are not in-home pets, and the
concept of a service dog is one they don't understand and have probably
never had a chance to learn about firsthand. Sure, they've read the
paperwork and heard about it, but seeing a disabled person out on their own
in public is different enough; seeing them with a service dog is incredibly
hard to understand when the only thing you've seen dogs do where you are
from is chase people and get into fights for scraps.
My responses vary. Fear of my dog damaging vehicles or attacking
people is laughable. Accidents happen once or twice in a working dog's
career. I pay to have them cleaned, or, like any good dog handler/dog mom,
have learned to leap twenty feet to catch all matter of bodily excretions
in a relieving bag, which I can whip open in .2 nanoseconds if need be.
I've done it in a dressing room while trying on bras. Nothing phases me, so
no car is in danger from my dog.
And my dog won't attack anyone. I'd never let someone hurt him to a
point where he might feel he needed to defend himself, and he'd never think
to do that, so it's not something I ever worry about. I've had nineteen
years of dog handling experience at the level of dog training that might
easily qualify me as a dog trainer. I can handle pretty much any situation
and know what my dog is thinking. It's just a non-issue.
While a non-issue for me, for someone terrified of dogs, all my
assurances aren't going to do anything for them. There are those who argue
but listen to reason, then there are those who just look for a fight. I've
been refused rides so many times that I have gotten good at reading people
from the moment they pull up-if they pull up at all. Some see me with my
black Labrador guide in harness standing next to me and drive off before I
can talk to them. Most say no and speed off. If they stay to argue, I can
usually eventually get them to listen to reason. I don't like having to
report them to Lyft because they will lose their access to drive. They'll
lose their job. That doesn't feel good to anyone. But standing there in the
cold with no ride because I'm blind and work with a guide dog doesn't feel
good either.
This gentleman had an Arabic accent. I know that sound anywhere,
because I grew up surrounded by it. I grew up in an Arabic household, and I
know the nuances of why many in Arab cultures fear dogs being too close to
them. I should be the last person thinking that this man was going to
refuse to transport my guide dog. Besides, I know how to explain it if it
comes to that. They're not the ones I usually worry about, because I can
talk to them. I can reason with them. The angry ones who won't listen a)
don't have a particular ethnicity or country of origin despite popular
harmful theory, and b) you can't reason with rage-fueled hate. This is just
fear, I told myself.
I "powered up" before striding toward the car, my guide dog working
at my side. I call it powering up when I push past the emotions I'm
feeling, the anger and the fear, because those won't get me anywhere in an
advocacy situation, and it's not about me. When it's their fear or
misunderstanding, it's about what I can offer to support and teach them, if
they'll listen, and I'm in a place where I can offer. Like powering up
battle armor or putting up an onstage persona, emotions aren't answers;
they're pieces of data. I needed to be clinical and not center myself, even
though I was the center of this possible access problem. His reaction to me
was the crux of the problem. I can't change my blindness; he can change his
perspective.
I walked up to the car and put my hand on top of the passenger side
window, which he had rolled down. And sure enough: "You're with the dog? I
can't take you. I can't take the dog."
"Federal and state law say that you must take me, this is a guide
dog. If you do not take me, you may lose your job with Lyft."
"That's okay. I'll lose my job. I can't take the dog."
"Why?"
"I'm scared. I can't take the dog. He will hurt me."
"No, he won't hurt you. He is a trained guide dog."
At this point, the passenger sitting in the back transferred to the
front (it was a shared ride), and the driver watched as I pulled out my
phone. "Either I call the police and report this to Lyft, or you let me and
my guide dog get into your car and you take me home."
I asked in Arabic: "Do you speak Arabic? Are you Muslim?"
He answered with an emphatic "no" and kept insisting he couldn't take
the dog; but he didn't pull away, and I could tell he didn't want me to
call Lyft. He was torn.
So eventually he let me get in, and my guide dog lay obediently on
the floor under and behind my legs, where he couldn't reach the driver or
sit up much because my legs were in his way. He snuggled up to my boots and
was snoring a couple minutes after we got on the road. He was fast asleep
and stayed that way the whole ride.
My heart was racing though. I didn't know if this driver I just
argued with was trustworthy or if I had just angered him. He could do
anything to me.
He dropped the other passenger off, and it was just us. I clutched my
phone in my hands, thinking: "What will I text people if something goes
very wrong?" I typed a quick text message to my husband that I was
concerned for my safety.
The moment the door closed behind the other passenger, it was like a
light switched on. The driver looked back at me. "You speak Arabic?" he
asked in Arabic, hopefully. It was an unspoken coded message between us,
meaning: "Are you safe? Do you hate me because I'm Arab? Is it okay for me
to be real and myself in front of you or will you treat me with hate and
discrimination simply because I'm Arab?"
I got it instantly and gave him the most genuine, kind smile I could
find, not even knowing if his eyes were on the road or on me. "Yes, I do.
I'm safe. You're okay."
"Can I tell you why I'm so scared of your dog?"
At my gentle nod, he launched into a halting half-English, half-
Arabic tale of being bitten by a dog while he was working. A dog attacked
him out of nowhere while he was making a delivery, and he needed many shots
to recover from the attack. He was petrified, driving with my dog inches
from him.
I nodded my understanding and carefully explained the ADA. He asked
about my upbringing and how I came to know how to explain disabilities and
laws to him in Arabic? He also wanted to know why I was being kind and
educating him? He was used to anger and hate from people. And he
acknowledged that I had every right to be angry with him for his initial
refusal to transport me with my service dog.
I wrote another text to my husband to let him know I was fine; there
would be no further worrying. I understood what had happened. The driver's
explanation did not negate the argument we had earlier, but he was
listening avidly to everything I said about guide dogs and the ADA. He was
trying mightily to be brave enough to get me and my guide dog home because
he respected that I deserved the same access to services as everyone else.
No law can lessen his fear of my large dog though. Not after the horrific
trauma he had experienced. So we were quietly empathetic to one another in
that ride. And the shared cultural experience of both being aware of the
hatred Arabs experience in America every day was the bridge that melted
that initial tension and fear. We were instant friends and allies because
both of us know what it is like to be so misunderstood and to fight for
basic kindnesses every day of our lives.
We talked for a long time as we inched through traffic-about Africa,
religions, history, baby names, and choices of faith.
I learned he was going to be a first-time father to a little baby boy
in one week. We talked about good names. We talked about love, people,
sacrifice, and kindness in how we listen to others and don't center
ourselves when it's not about us, but about their emotions being the block
to a resolution.
When we pulled up to my house, I said: "I'm going to have my dog
stand up and get out of the car behind you on the driver's side so he
doesn't have to turn around. His face will be close to you, but I'll keep
my hands here so he can't touch you. Is that okay?"
To my surprise, he got out of the car and held the door open for me.
"It's okay," I said. "He's going to jump out right there. You can back away
so he isn't close to you. I've got him on his leash, see?"
"It's safe. I'm safe with him, I know," he said, smiling. "He's nice.
He's quiet. What's his name?"
"Ferdinand." I slung my backpack across my shoulders, and Ferdie
wagged at the driver in greeting but pulled on me. He was hungry, it was
his dinnertime, and his house was right there!
"Thank you," the driver said in Arabic. "You were very kind to me. I
apologize. Thank you for teaching me and understanding why I was so
scared."
"You don't need to apologize for being afraid. You were willing to
listen and be brave for me, and that is a great kindness. It's a law, but
the kindness goes further tonight. I understand. I'm glad I could help you
learn and help you understand my side of the story." We parted with a firm
handshake and a smile, and I called back: "Enjoy your new little son soon,
Baba!" Baba is the Arabic word for father.
That simple encounter changed us both a little bit. It made me a
better, more aware and empathetic and responsive advocate. And it taught my
driver about guide dogs and that there are plenty of people who love having
men like him here in this country, no matter where they come from, because
they are kind and brave.
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[PHOTO CAPTION: Dennis Miller]
Big Opportunities in a Small Town: Thinking Outside the Box
by Dennis Miller
From the Editor: Missouri is a rural state with a lot of farmland and
many small towns separated by a considerable distance. In most of these
there is no bus service, no taxicabs, and though you can bring up the
rideshare app of your choice, there simply are no rides to be had. It is a
given for people who live in a small town that one will have a car or a
pickup truck that they can drive, so many people who are blind take as an
article of faith the idea that the only way for us to be independent is to
move to a place large enough to meet our basic transportation needs.
Although for many this is a choice, for some it is not. Perhaps they
are unwilling to part from the family support which is the primary focus of
their lives. Some blind people are themselves the support for their loved
ones as they take care of older parents or siblings who cannot take care of
themselves. So what do you do when you've gone through school, have gotten
rehabilitation money to get a college degree, and find yourself in a small
town here in Missouri?
The answer to this question can be found in part in the presentation
made to the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
on March 23, 2019, by Dennis Miller, a member of the Missouri affiliate who
is blind and significantly hard of hearing. In these remarks he provides
concrete examples of how he has managed to get work and some uncomfortable
examples of why we sometimes fall short of the goal he has achieved. Push
for what you want, but don't just wait; do what you can until you can do
what you want to do. The need to survive should make this clear, but
sometimes programs that are intended as a safety net end up being a
lifeboat. The problem is that a lifeboat is never intended to be a vessel
on which someone lives permanently. It is way too small and has none of the
necessities most of us require and take for granted. Over time that
lifeboat is transformed from a safe refuge to a prison, and far too often
we don't realize that we are making a choice to stay in it. Staying in the
lifeboat occurs when we decide to give up on seeking employment or pretend
to ourselves that there are just so many choices out there that we can't
bring ourselves to make one. Here is what Dennis said about finding
employment where he wants to live as a part of living the life he wants:
Thank you, President Wright. What an honor it is for me to be here
among you folks today. This is only my second National Federation of the
Blind convention, and I'm very much enjoying it.
I've known Shelia Wright for almost thirty years now, and when we
first met it was at an agency called Blind Focus. While I was a student
there, and I was going through a lot of difficult adjustments, this lady
was kind enough to shepherd me through all of it. Ever since that point,
when she has asked me to do something, I've asked three questions: when,
where, and how much am I getting paid? After a few years I realized that
the answer to the third question wasn't going to change, so now I just ask
when and where.
I want to talk briefly today about my experience living in a small
town and being employed. The residents of my small town may not like some
of the things I say, but so be it. Actually Kirksville is a very small
community of 17,000 people. It's ninety miles to the north of Columbia, and
some of you in your lifetime have probably had the misfortune of traveling
through it on your way to somewhere else. Kirksville is one of these towns
where once you've gone to the Walmart supercenter, you've about seen
everything.
But Kirksville is my home. It is where I was born and raised. It is
where I went to school as a totally blind person and graduated from the
university there. When I graduated from Truman State University, the
district supervisor for Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (who has
since been put out to pasture) told me that if I ever wanted to be
employed, I had to leave Kirksville. He said there was absolutely nothing
for me and Kirksville. For a while I thought he might be right.
I graduated with a degree in broadcast communications and minored in
political science. I spent several years living out my dream in radio, but
I left radio because there was very little money in it, and unfortunately
there's very little need for humans anymore. It's become almost totally
automated.
I worked several years in the independent living industry, and I
wanted to do something different. I really liked the idea of thinking
outside the box, maybe doing some things on my own. And I think this may be
the major focus of my talk today.
Sometimes when you live in a small community, opportunities come down
and hit you on the head. If you are there, and if you're willing, you can
take advantage of them. The first opportunity I was given was to spend six
years as a contract Braille instructor for an entity over in Milan,
Missouri, which is even smaller than our town of Kirksville. Milan is about
thirty-five miles to the west. Some of you may remember the young man I
helped, because he won an NFB scholarship and took that on to Northwest
Missouri State University where he graduated with honors. He's now married
and very happy and very gainfully employed. So I was given an opportunity
that required my being in the right place at the right time and being
willing to think outside the box, being willing to do something that I
couldn't imagine myself doing. I never thought of being a teacher. I hated
school. But being a teacher was what I've been in one form or another since
2000.
My experience with the Braille instructor position led to a contract
with TAPI [the Telecommunications Program for Internet], a wonderful
program operated by the Missouri Assistive Technology Project that provides
equipment and instruction to help blind people get on the internet. But
after you do so much training in a small town like Kirksville, you run out
of people who need it.
The next question I asked myself was where am I going from here? In
the summer of 2006 I happened to overhear a conversation among parents who
had blind children who were being homeschooled. The state of Missouri had
already passed a law that requires all graduating seniors to have a working
knowledge of the state and the United States constitutions. That applies to
everyone, whether you are in a public school or being educated in a private
or homeschool. These parents were commiserating among themselves, saying,
"We don't think we know enough to be able to teach this. We don't have the
skills. What are we going to do? We barely understand the Constitution
ourselves. How are we going to teach these crucial documents to our
children?"
One of the parents said, "I think Dennis has a background in
political science."
That piqued their interest, and they turned to me and said, "Would
you be interested in teaching a civics class for children who are
homeschooled, both middle school and high school students?"
My first thought was that I had never taught a group before, but
almost immediately my second was that I would certainly give it a try. They
also said, "While you're teaching that, would you mind teaching a public
speaking course?" So that's how my experience in teaching large groups of
kids went, teaching civics and public speaking. I developed my own way of
teaching civics because there was no set formula. I wasn't in a public
classroom; I was in a private setting where I could kind of do my own
thing. I decided that instead of using a textbook, I would teach directly
from the documents themselves. This means that I taught directly from the
Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the
Missouri Constitution. I had a lot of success with that. The kids seemed to
like that it was very interactive. They were encouraged to ask questions
and to venture answers.
We came to Jefferson City every year to meet with their senators and
representatives. One year we had a particular representative who took a
strong interest in our class. I can't remember the issue (I suspect it was
not a major one), but it was up for a vote. Our representative walked over
to the kids and said, "How should I vote on this?" They listened to the
debate, they told him, and then they were able to see him go vote in the
way they had suggested. That may have been how he was going to vote anyway,
but it was a different way of doing things that said to them that what they
thought mattered.
This year is actually the first year I have not taught that civics
class because, through my teaching of that, I have built a reputation as a
good teacher. So when the city of Kirksville got a grant for this teaching
of English as a second language, they turned to me, and I accepted. We have
two manufacturing plants, one in Milan and one in Kirksville. Many of their
employees are from African speaking nations as well as some Latin American
nations. We have people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Togo,
the Ivory Coast, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Venezuela,
Panama, and Puerto Rico. There are a wide variety of people, but it works.
I happen to go to church with the lady who is responsible for that
grant, and I asked her "How do you do that?" She said, "What we really need
are volunteers who are willing to talk to the adults. Dennis, you would be
perfect at that because you have such a strong curiosity and interest. I
think it is something that you would really enjoy, and they would enjoy
you."
I promised her that I would give it a try. For those of you who don't
know, I do have some hearing difficulties. I have a cochlear implant which
I got a couple years ago, but I wasn't quite sure how it would work out. I
said, "Okay, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I will
give it a try." I started the job in January of 2018, and they kept asking
me to increase my hours. I started out doing this just one day a week, and
that went until the end of the school year. They then wrote my position
into the grant so that I could teach more hours and actually get paid. The
request to increase my hours has continued, and it has been the most
rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life. I love every second of
it. I would not trade it for the world.
So why do I bring all this up? I bring it up because when I came to
my first convention in 2006, I didn't know I could've imagined my doing any
of those things. I was not a teacher. I knew nothing about teaching. I
didn't even like books unless I was reading them for myself for pleasure.
The point that I have come here to make is that we need to be willing to
think outside the box. When an opportunity comes your way, don't be afraid
to say, hey, I'd like to try that. A lot of times what happens is that we
go to school, we get a degree, and we don't find a job within a certain
amount of time in the area in which we got our degree. We then give up.
Yes, the unemployment rate among blind people and people with disabilities
in general is extremely high. Some of that is because we are not given the
opportunities that we deserve, but, in my opinion, some of that is that we
don't take advantage of all the opportunities that are out there.
[applause] You know, if someone said, "Dennis, do you want to collect trash
out of the street?" I would have to admit that that is not a job that I
would really want to do, but keep in mind that somebody has to do it.
When I started as a civics teacher, it was as a volunteer. The same
is true for the ESL class. As I said, they then rolled me into the grant so
that I can get paid. Now maybe I didn't want to start out as a volunteer,
but they needed the work done, and I wanted the challenge. Had I not taken
that opportunity, someone else would've. That somebody else would now be
written into their grant, and I would not be working every week.
So my real point in all of this is that when you are looking for a
job, be willing to explore-be willing to explore, be willing to experiment,
be willing to try something different. If I had an advanced bachelor's
degree in chemistry and I couldn't find a job in chemistry, I'd probably be
upset, but it really comes down to do you want to work or do you want to
stay at home? Sometimes I think we limit ourselves because we're not
willing to think outside the box. We too often tell ourselves that we are
above this job, or this job isn't what I want. I know that when I graduated
from college, if you would have come to me and asked if I wanted to teach
immigrants English, I would've said absolutely not. No way! But as I said,
this has become the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life, and it
is now something I would not trade for the world.
I leave you with this plea and challenge: be willing to try, be
willing to expand your horizons, be willing to dream, be willing to go into
an area that is outside your comfort zone. I had never been around
immigrants before; I told you I live in Kirksville, Missouri. I didn't even
know we had immigrants. I just assumed somebody else did all of those
factory jobs. But these people have become some of my best friends. I am
extremely comfortable around them, and they are very comfortable around me.
They look at me outside of the classroom as somebody they can rely on to
help them if they get in a difficult position. But again that is an
opportunity that, had I not been willing to take that chance and take that
risk, would've gone to somebody else. Don't limit yourself. Never think
that something isn't right for you until you have taken the opportunity to
try it. It's okay to try it and not like it. I did not particularly enjoy
working in the independent living center-it wasn't my thing. I did it
because it was a job, and I needed to work. How do you know if you don't
like something until you try it?
Some of you in here may remember a man named Casey Kasem. He's
probably too old for some of you. Back when I was a small boy, Casey Kasem
had a weekly show on the radio called America's Top Forty. He always ended
the show with the same signature line, and I'm going to end my presentation
in the same way. "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the
stars."
----------
Leave a Legacy
For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind
has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people
into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades
to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring
movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial
beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in
your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a
way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that
leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and
adults.
With your help, the NFB will continue to:
. Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille;
. Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long
white canes to blind people in need;
. Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind
youth that science and math are within their reach;
. Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide
blind people the essential information necessary to be actively
involved in their communities;
. Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain
their independence; and
. Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their
dreams.
Plan to Leave a Legacy
Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your
possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are
distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear
creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older.
Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the
most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is
easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise
your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial
beneficiary. Visit www.nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314,
extension 2422, for more information. Together with love, hope,
determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into
reality.
Invest in Opportunity
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. You can live the life you
want; blindness is not what holds you back. A donation to the National
Federation of the Blind allows you to invest in a movement that removes the
fear from blindness. Your investment is your vote of confidence in the
value and capacity of blind people and reflects the high expectations we
have for all blind Americans, combating the low expectations that create
obstacles between blind people and our dreams.
In 2018 the NFB:
. Distributed over seven thousand canes to blind people across the
United States, empowering them to travel safely and independently
throughout their communities.
. Hosted forty-eight NFB BELL Academy programs, which served more than
three hundred and fifty blind students throughout the United States.
. Provided over one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships to blind
students, making a post-secondary education affordable and attainable.
. Delivered audio newspaper and magazine services to 118,900
subscribers, providing free access to over four hundred local,
national, and international publications.
. In the third year of the program, over three hundred fifty Braille-
writing slates and styluses were given free of charge to blind users.
Just imagine what we'll do next year, and, with your help, what can
be accomplished for years to come. Below are just a few of the many
diverse, tax-deductible ways you can lend your support to the National
Federation of the Blind.
Vehicle Donation Program
The NFB now accepts donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats,
motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free,
and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation-it
doesn't have to be working. We can also answer any questions you have.
General Donation
General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and
the work to help blind people live the lives they want. Donate online with
a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit
www.nfb.org/make-gift for more information.
Bequests
Even if you can't afford a gift right now, including the National
Federation of the Blind in your will enables you to contribute by
expressing your commitment to the organization and promises support for
future generations of blind people across the country. Visit
www.nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more
information.
Pre-Authorized Contribution
Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters
sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making
recurring monthly donations by direct withdraw of funds from a checking
account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, visit www.nfb.org/make-
gift, and complete the Pre-Authorized Contribution form, and return it to
the address listed on the form.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Joe Orozco]
Facts about Blindness ... According to Me
by Joe Orozco
From the Editor: The following is taken from the Vigilant, the
newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia. Many
of its articles are good reads, but we highlight this one in particular.
Joe Orozco originally published this in his blog. He is the editor of the
newsletter, and here is his offering:
What have you always wanted to know about blind people but were
always too afraid to ask? My thoughts are not the definitive view on the
subject. Contrary to popular assumption, we're not all related to each
other, and our opinions are as diverse as the people that make up this
small segment of society. Still, it's a good start.
Will it offend you if I refer to you as blind?
Actually, "blind" is preferable to visually challenged, seeing
impaired, sight handicapped or any of a growing combination of politically
correct terms. These attempts at politeness are fumbling conversation
starters and only confuse the bottom line that I can't see as well as you
can. There was a point when the fact that I am not totally blind would have
prompted me to correct another person's understanding of my visual acuity,
but let's start with blind and then work our way into color, lighting, and
depth.
Has your hearing improved to compensate for the loss of your sight?
A person may concentrate more on his hearing when the eyes don't
work, but concentration is a far cry from the pinpoint-sonar people
attribute to blindness. Actually, my hearing feels below average compared
to what I notice other people pick up. Whatever you do, please do not ever
go to the other extreme and raise your voice at me. I'm an easygoing
person, but my cane may find its way to your ankle at high velocity. What,
I'm blind, and you were in my way!
For what it's worth, my sense of smell also seems supremely
underwhelming.
What is one of the most misunderstood aspects about blindness?
"Blind people are so cool because they don't judge others by
appearance..." Yeah right. First, appearance has more to do with overall
presence, not just physical characteristics. Second, we're every bit as
observant as anyone else, and while my ears and nose may not be anything to
write home about, I would have never dated a girl whose voice got on my
nerves or whose body odor made my skin crawl. Also, don't be surprised if
we ask our sighted friends to give us their assessment of you. I would have
personally not have taken a friend's opinion at face value, but if enough
people pointed to the same flaws, I might start believing-where there's
smoke, there's fire, and all that. Rest assured your judgment of me will
never measure up to the harsh criticisms of a fellow blind person...
What advice would you give to someone who's just lost their sight?
Blindness is pretty dull as far as disabilities go. Maybe it's a
matter of perception, but I would think we'd be far worse off if we could
not hear, walk on two legs, or labored with a mental illness that
prohibited traditional interaction. No doubt there are representatives of
these conditions who would tell you their life is every bit as fruitful as
ours and list ways they too are misunderstood. See what I mean about blind
people and prejudice? My point is that, assuming blindness is the only
characteristic, your life will shift to new ways of doing things, but it's
hardly a dramatic alteration.
Did you see that movie? Wait, sorry, did you hear it?
Let's not get hung up on semantics. Yes, I saw the Harry Potter
movies, at least the first three, and I don't know that the British did the
stories justice.
Think of it a different way: I'm pretty sure deaf people could be
backhanded as much for what they say as what they sign.
Do you ever get depressed because of your blindness?
I went through my brief periods of depression. I went from good sight
to nearly nothing and am therefore aware of what I lost. I don't know that
I ever felt overwhelmed. I had good teachers, high parental expectations,
and enough blind role models among peers to know things would ultimately be
okay. That is not always the case, and if you are one who still struggles
with your condition, drop me a note. We'll talk through it.
Don't get me wrong. You never stop wishing you could drive a car or
see the faces of loved ones. With time you learn to cope and find other
ways of enjoying similar sentiments. When the day comes that I am totally
blind, I will come back and reread this passage, and I'll do my best to
remember that things did not go completely off the rails when I first
started noticing the deterioration of my sight when I was a kid. I have had
so many great experiences and have met so many great people that I would
otherwise have never met if I weren't blind.
If you could undergo a surgical procedure to restore your sight, would
you?
Any surgical procedure has risks. I could gamble away what little
sight I have left, and to take the leap of faith would suggest I am
dissatisfied with my current condition. I would give it long thought but
would probably pass.
How do you cross lighted intersections without help?
When I had Gator, my first Seeing Eye dog, people assumed it was the
dog that did the intelligent crossing. I suppose there could be a way to
get around the color blindness, but I am alive today mostly owed to my own
common sense and good education. At its simplest, you cross with parallel
traffic, which is to say the flow of traffic moving in the same direction
as you. There are complicated intersections where the traffic flows aren't
as straightforward as east/west immediately following north/south, or
streets crossing at a slant as is true of downtown DC, and in those cases I
don't mind standing at the corner studying the pattern until I feel
comfortable enough to venture out. I may look foolish standing out there on
the corner, but at least I'll be around to enjoy people's comments about my
foolishness. Eventually I walk a route enough times to measure the distance
between lights, and if I'm in a hurry, I may start paying attention to my
parallel traffic halfway down the block to get a rough sense of how much
time I have to cross when I arrive at the corner.
Regardless of the intersection, I've learned not to follow the flow
of pedestrians. Too many people cross on red lights, and I am not one of
those people who would jump off a bridge if all my friends got together and
decided to do so.
For your reference, guide dogs do not know when to cross an
intersection; however, they do know how to intelligently disobey their
handler. A guide dog will not cross a street if it sees an oncoming
vehicle. It will not deliberately walk a pedestrian off a train platform.
Now, one could argue these skills can be attributed to superb training, and
maybe that is true. Yet I'm thinking the dog is invested in its own
survival. We just happen to be holding its harness.
What are some of the social aspects of being blind you wish people
understood?
Speaking for myself, I don't really look forward to buffet lines.
Independence is partially about looking graceful, and in my opinion there
is nothing graceful about feeling around for serving spoons and running the
risk of dipping a finger in the casserole, embarrassing yourself and making
the other guests feel dubious about where your fingers may've been. There
are methods to handling such tasks of course. You could move your hand
inward over the table surface, find the rim of the dish, and move around
its edge until you find the utensil. I paid attention in my independent
living classes. Yet independence is also about seizing conveniences, so you
could also just ask someone to help load your plate and go on about your
business. I feel far more confident about carrying a tray and drink to my
table than I do about navigating someone else's logic about the way dishes
should be laid out.
I walk fast when I walk alone. In fact I experience my own version of
pedestrian's sidewalk rage, but I feel slow and stumbling when walking with
someone else because my attention is divided between carrying a
conversation and stopping myself from colliding with a lamppost. In some
cases I would rather walk with a hand on the person's elbow to ensure the
smooth continuity of both our conversation and our journey. This is
especially true in crowded restaurants.
Something else that comes to mind is my attitude about how the rest
of the world perceives me. As I grow older it matters less. If truth be
told it probably never mattered enough, but there was a point when I
wondered about the stain on my shirt or the syrup on my cheek or the rip in
my jeans. If you saw either on a fellow sighted person, you would attribute
it to laziness or wouldn't think of it at all. If you saw this on a blind
person, however, your first thought might be that it was because the person
was blind. I'd like you to point it out to me in the spirit of open
communication. No one likes to walk around attracting the wrong kind of
attention, but don't be surprised to discover that I can be every bit as
careless or clumsy as you.
When you see me board a train or bus, it'd be nice if you offered me
the seat near the door. I will turn you down, but it's the thought that
counts. My independence will not be threatened by the same type of courtesy
I would extend if I were sighted and came upon a blind person. To that end,
I may not always take advantage of the discounts and freebies offered to
senior citizens and persons with disabilities. If I don't, chalk it up to a
desire to equally contribute to society and not because I am an ungrateful
person. I worked hard to be a taxpayer.
How do you handle household chores as a blind person?
When I cook I first ensure the location of all supplies and
ingredients. I memorize the heat level for the dial positions on the stove
and oven. I use a fork to test the state of cooking meat or vegetables. I
also listen for changes in the way the food sizzles to gauge states of
readiness. There are tactile dots on the microwave and other appliances
with touch screens. I now rely on my iPhone to keep track of time and will
probably use the iPhone in the future to find recipes. Otherwise, I follow
basic safety steps like using oven mitts when pulling pans from the rack.
If I don't cook more often, it's partially because I'm a perfectionist, and
what should take an hour to prepare often takes me two. Blind or sighted,
nothing works better in cooking than tasting the meal in progress.
The proper way for a blind person to sweep a floor is to do so in
bare feet. The idea is that you can feel whether or not you are catching
all the dirt and grime. I'm not above such strategies. I just find vacuums
much faster. I periodically check with my hand if a wooden floor seems
fine. Carpets are a little more difficult, but the way that usually works
for me is to vacuum in continuous patterns to ensure every inch is covered
at least three times. The same is true of scrubbing tubs, cleaning toilets,
wiping counters, and washing dishes.
Laundry is straightforward. For the moment I can still distinguish
colors, but when I can no longer do so, I have different baskets for lights
and darks. I've marked the machines. My stepmother would be disappointed to
learn I no longer iron as often as I did in high school or even college,
but that too is a process of orientation and using your hands to smooth,
flatten, and iron in patterns for equal coverage.
Remodeling is also doable. There are blind people far more handy with
tools than I will ever be, so let's just be clear then when I say
"remodeling," in my case it means moving furniture up and down stairs, into
and out of trucks, and from one end of the house to the other. My point
here is that blind people are not inept, can lift heavy objects, and are
perfectly capable of helping you move.
Until then, is there anything I missed? Or, is there something I got
wrong? That's technically impossible since so much of what I wrote is
subjective, but alternative views are always welcomed in the comments.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Ann Cunningham]
Opening New Doors in Tactile Art with the Help of Arts in Society
by Ann Cunningham
From the Editor: Ann Cunningham is an artist with a significant
reputation, but most of her career accomplishments of late have been found
in introducing blind people to the world of art. She has been a pioneer in
working on techniques that allow her to share one of her significant life
interests with people who are generally not thought to be capable of
enjoying or participating in art. Here is what she has to say about a
recent grant received in recognition of the work she is doing:
This year I am celebrating my twentieth anniversary of teaching art
at the Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB). As I inch toward retirement, I
was concerned that the art program would fade away if I didn't take some
action to make sure that a succession plan was in place. To me, this meant
that I needed to find a teacher to take the program over after I left.
When I first came to the Center in 1998, I was seeking help with a
public art commission at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in
Colorado Springs. My only concern was to make a good piece of art that was
also accessible and meaningful to students.
I found the folks at the Colorado Center were happy to help me with
critical advice about my approach to my project. I was also introduced to a
student who was in the middle of a complex project. He was creating a
tactile map of a large hotel in Atlanta, the site of the National
Federation of the Blind Convention in 1999. This student asked if I could
read floor plans.
And so my education began. David James, the student I was working
with, clearly instructed me as we made stairs out of popsicle sticks: "Ann,
make a set of stairs. Now close your eyes and make another set and pay
attention to how you do it. Make as many as you need to until you figure
out what you are doing. Next tell me." That was the beginning and has
remained the foundation of how I teach. I learned about how genuine
accessibility and effective communication can create an inclusive learning
environment.
The next year I offered to teach. For many years I was just trying to
find the edge of the envelope of what kind of art my students could make.
We never did find that limit, and I now know that people who are blind are
no more limited in their potential than a person with sight. Creative
vision does not discriminate!
When I heard about the Arts in Society grant, I couldn't help but
think that this might enable me to explore the idea of offering training to
a person who was interested in teaching art who was blind. I had a student
in mind, and I wrote the grant. Her name is Jenny Callahan, and she had
gone blind overnight about two years before I met her in my art class. She
had just recently graduated from the Center when this opportunity presented
itself.
We were awarded the grant in 2017, and the adventure began. It was
not easy for Jenny and me to form this new partnership. This is where the
true value of the grant became apparent: I felt a huge obligation to make
it work or give it back. So when we ran into an obstacle, we would collect
ourselves and try again.
Our big breakthrough came when I finally understood that even though
she did indeed want to teach art, she had her own ideas about what she'd
teach and how she was going to go about it! It seems funny, looking back
now, that the key trait that anyone needs in the arts is creative thought,
and that was what was getting in our way. Once I understood that I could
best serve our goals by guidance and not instruction, we made headway. We
began seeking out specific information to help Jenny accomplish her goals.
This has taken the form of offering and taking workshops. We have also been
able to order tools and materials for new techniques of art making for
community projects.
The Arts in Society also allowed Jenny to test her abilities when she
was able to conceive of and organize a large community project in Orlando,
Florida, at the National Federation of the Blind Convention. She invited
anyone interested to stop by and contribute as much or as little as they
wanted in the construction of a huge colorful octopus, "Calypso." It was
then displayed in the main convention hall where 3,000 attendees could
appreciate the work of their cohorts.
During this grant we have had the chance to work with Marie Gibbons
to learn hand-built clay techniques. Jenny is working with an intern from
Katie Caron's ceramic class at Arapahoe Community College to set up the art
room at the Center so that Jenny can offer wheel-thrown pottery
instruction. We took a class on costuming from Virgil Ortiz at the Colorado
Fine Arts Center. Now we are getting ready to take an anatomy class from
the Zahourek Systems Anatomy in Clay learning series. These opportunities
were made possible by the grant and are essential in building Jenny's
repertoire of creative options.
Our community is growing. Just as I was instructed by my first
student, all my students became my instructors. Jenny is now teaching 3D
sculpture at CCB on Fridays. She is offering paper mbchi, chicken-wire
float sculptures, alabaster stone carving, hand-building clay techniques,
wax sculpture to be cast in bronze, and whatever else she cares to do! Soon
she will also be able to offer wheel-thrown ceramics!
I am teaching a twenty-three-week program to all the students at the
Center on tactile drawing. It includes concepts of perspective, drafting
and STEM illustrations (charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams), as well as
creative self-expression. And the great news is I am working with a staff
member from the Center who is proving to be an adept teacher herself as she
quickly learns the concepts and then assists me in teaching. My fingers are
crossed that she will be interested in continuing!
This Arts in Society grant continues to make an impact every Tuesday
and Friday in art classes at the Colorado Center for the Blind, and on the
third Tuesday evening of each month at Tactile Art Club. If you would like
to stop by and observe either class, please contact me at:
acunningham at cocenter.org to make arrangements. Or if you would like to join
us for Tactile Art Club please send me your email address, and we will send
you an invitation with times and location. Everyone is welcome!
Marie Gibbons: http://www.mariegibbons.com
Katie Caron: http://katiecaron.com/About
Virgil Ortiz: http://virgilortiz.com
Zahourek Systems: https://www.anatomyinclay.com
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Nancy Burns]
The Power of Love and Commitment
by Nancy Burns
From the Editor: Nancy Burns is well known to readers of the Braille
Monitor. She has a life filled with rich experiences, and what is so
fantastic for readers of the Braille Monitor is that she knows how to share
them. Here is what she has to say about her public education and the role
that Dr. Isabelle Grant played in it:
Commitment is a commonly used word in today's vocabulary. Television
commercials may boast of a commitment to giving the buyer the best deal if
you purchase a car from this dealership. Banks or loaning agencies may
boast of being committed to providing customers with the best rates. Every
business, from grocery stores to shoe stores, may boast of their commitment
to providing customers with the lowest price. All of these promises seem to
dilute the true meaning of commitment since they are tossed around so
frequently and casually.
The National Federation of the Blind exemplifies the true meaning of
commitment. This organization, which stretches from coast to coast and from
Alaska to Puerto Rico, provides sincere commitment to the blind, visually
impaired, and to their friends and family. At the root of this commitment
is a philosophy, the cornerstone of which is the belief that blind people
will lead happy and productive lives if they have a positive attitude and
the proper training.
The best way for this writer to explain commitment is to share some
of my own personal experiences. At the age of eleven I suddenly lost my
vision as the result of a traumatic injury to both eyes. This took place in
Southern Missouri, where I grew up and attended school. My parents knew
nothing about blindness and mostly survived on denial and were certain that
the next of numerous surgeries would restore my vision. This, however, did
not happen.
A representative from our local school board visited and told us
about a school for the blind in St. Louis. I was sent, although
reluctantly, to this school, and that was the best thing that ever
happened. It became the beginning of the belief in myself as I saw active
blind students. They roller skated, swam, and carried around large Braille
books which were used to do their homework assignments. Shortly after
enrolling, I was taught Braille, and I soon found that I too could skate,
swim, and read my assignments in Braille.
As I was ready to begin the tenth grade, my mother told my sister and
me that we were moving to California. We were not pleased with this
decision, but the move was made.
It was assumed that I would again attend a school for the blind, but
this was not the case. We were living in the Los Angeles area, and the
California School for the Blind was in Northern California. This transition
in my life was yet another important turning point. I was enrolled in a
large, metropolitan high school in Los Angeles. This move forced me to
adjust from the segregated school for the blind to the "real" world of
sighted students. This is where I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Isabelle
Grant. I find it difficult to verbalize the right words to express the
important role she played in my life. She was a tiny bundle of energy who
said that she was Scottish, not Scotch. She explained that Scotch was
something one might drink.
Dr. Grant had been the principal of a large school in Los Angeles
until she lost her sight as the result of glaucoma. She was then placed in
a resource room in the school I attended. This was way below her
qualifications, but her impact on the blind students who returned from the
classroom to that resource room was nothing short of phenomenal. If I asked
her the meaning of a word, she didn't stop at the definition but would tell
me the derivation. She also strongly encouraged me to take the college
prerequisites. Prior to her encouragement, I had no intention of attending
college, and, without her support, I doubt that I would have gone on to
UCLA. Much of who I became and who I am is the result of my association
with Dr. Isabelle Grant. She opened my mind to possibilities that I might
never have considered without her encouragement. She was truly a huge
influence in my life.
In addition to her academic support, she began speaking to me about
this organization of blind people. She invited me to her home one Friday
evening, and I just went because she wanted me to do so. I was only a high
school student, and the picture I had of this meeting I would attend was
this room full of blind people, and most likely old blind people. Some of
these attendees were possibly in their 40s or even 50s while I was a kid of
only seventeen.
With her white cane she took us by bus through busy Friday evening
Los Angeles traffic to her home. Blind men and women began arriving, and I
met mechanics, homemakers, social workers, and office workers. During a
break Dr. Grant served tea and cookies. What an eye-opener this all was. No
pun intended. This was the beginning of a true commitment to me on the part
of Dr. Isabelle Grant. No other individual has ever affected my life in
such a positive manner. She encouraged me and began filling me with NFB
philosophy. What an awesome honor for me to have her guidance.
After graduating from high school, I met several college students,
and once again the name National Federation of the Blind popped up. I found
myself in the student's group and even became president. This was the first
of many positions I have held within the NFB. It was also another lesson in
the true meaning of commitment.
Students supported one another in many areas of life, and during
these years the influence of Dr. Grant was again felt. She spoke with
students and discussed the importance of organizing and of the affect that
Dr. tenBroek was having on the blind population. She told us about the work
at state and national conventions and encouraged students to become
involved. As a blind teacher she led the movement in California to remove
the vision requirement for teachers. She put forth the argument that, as
long as an applicant was otherwise qualified, there should be no vision
test required. With her support a law was passed revoking the controversial
vision requirement.
I moved to San Francisco and completed my bachelor's degree in
sociology at San Francisco State. Good fortune continued to follow me since
that was where I met Laurence (Muzzy) Marcelino, another dynamic leader in
the National Federation of the Blind. I joined the local San Francisco
chapter and demonstrated my own commitment to growing the NFB.
After completing my bachelor's degree, I returned to Los Angeles and
became even more involved in the movement. Since this organization had
become a huge part in my training, I became totally involved and organized
several local chapters. Even after marriage and having two sons, my
commitment to the NFB continued to grow. I remember bundling my babies up,
and my husband and I took them to chapter meetings.
I began attending state and national conventions and was elected to
the California Board of Directors in the 1970s. My husband and I divorced,
and I gained full custody of my boys. I was hired by the California State
Department of Rehabilitation and maintained my involvement in the National
Federation of the Blind.
In 1993 my life took yet another huge turn while attending the
national convention in Dallas, Texas. It was there that I met Don Burns, a
gentleman who asked me to dance with him at a huge barbecue. He was
involved, although recently, in the NFB. Don was in the process of losing
his vision, his wife, and at the same time he was struggling with his
future. He was from New Mexico and had connected with Fred Schroeder and
Adelmo Vigil, who became his mentors. We connected immediately, and three
months later Don and I were married. Don told me about an opening at the
commission for the blind training center, where he was working as a cane
travel instructor. While still working in California, I had completed my
master's degree in Counseling and Psychology and was not certain as to
where I wanted to work. I applied for the position of independent living
instructor and was accepted and moved to New Mexico. Besides our love for
one another, we both shared a commitment to the National Federation of the
Blind. He confided that after losing his job in the field of construction
for many years, then losing his wife, he had struggled until he met members
of the organization. Our love for one another, along with our commitment to
the organization, has continued to develop and grow.
After working for the commission for the blind for a year, Don and I
moved to Burbank, California, where I still owned property. We both
maintained our involvement in the NFB. Don was appointed to the position of
legislative director by then NFBC president, Jim Willows. He worked for
several years on legislation, and his work was instrumental in creating
Braille and math standards for blind students in the state.
I was elected state president in 2000 and served until 2006.
Following my service we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We, of course,
maintained our commitment to the Federation. It is my sincere hope that I
have been able to give to others even a small portion of the gift which was
given to me by Dr. Isabelle Grant. She was the epitome of love and
commitment, and her influence is still felt within the movement. The best
way for me to describe the influence of Dr. Isabelle Grant on my life is to
quote some words from Eleanor Roosevelt: "Many people will walk in and out
of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart".
----------
Seminar for Computer Beginners
by Curtis Chong
From the Editor: It is instructive to look back, sometimes several
decades, and see what we were working on and how what we do has evolved.
Here is an article run in May of 1989 talking about these devices called
personal computers and the software that made them usable by the blind,
software known as screen review software. When did we evolve to calling
this software a screen reader? I should remember, having been in the field
and likely at the meeting, but I don't. Enjoy:
Have you ever thought about buying a computer? Perhaps you are one of
those people who is being required to learn how to use a computer, either
at work or at home. Maybe you are just one of the many confused and
frustrated individuals who have heard that computers are simply marvelous!
You've started thinking about getting one for yourself, perhaps, but you
find that there is so much information available about hardware, software,
screen review programs, and the like as to daunt even the most determined
computer neophyte. What kind of computer should you buy? IBM? Apple?
Another brand? What is a good word processor? What is the best screen
review program? What should you buy if you want to communicate with other
computer systems over the phone? And then, once you have a computer, what
is the best way to go about learning how to use it?
Well, the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science is
conducting a Seminar for Computer Beginners at this year's National
Convention to deal with the concerns, questions, and frustrations of people
just like you. Although we don't guarantee to answer all of your questions
about computers, we will certainly try to deal with as many concerns and
questions as we can. We may even have some interesting computer hardware
for you to look at, and you won't be bothered by someone who is trying to
sell you something. The seminar will be held on Monday, July 3, [1989] from
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., somewhere in the headquarters hotel.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Jim Marks]
Shaking Things Up
by Jim Marks
From the Editor: Jim Marks is a stalwart Federationist of many years.
He currently serves as the president of the National Federation of the
Blind of Montana. Professionally, Jim served as the director of disability
services for students at the University of Montana for twenty-one years and
as the Montana director of vocational rehabilitation for seven years. He
currently owns and operates the firm, The Blind Grizzly/Jim Marks
Consulting, and he is writing an historical fiction novel based on his
ancestors' experiences in nineteenth-century Montana.
The State of Montana hired me in January 2010 to serve as its
director of vocational rehabilitation in order to shake things up. Here is
my story.
Quality vocational rehabilitation changes lives. Most mistakenly
believe the services focus on employment, but the deep story is one of
civil rights. Civil rights always speak to the self-determination of
individuals who face limitations and denials of choice. For people with
disabilities, as with other oppressed groups, the barriers come from
outside of ourselves as well as within. Vocational rehabilitation services
primarily address the internal oppression. When vocational rehabilitation
functions as it should, it achieves success when those it serves believe in
themselves. Good services guide, and clients decide. All people with
disabilities want to live the lives we want, and services grounded in high
expectations leverage the change that leads to employment.
When the public vocational rehabilitation program performs as
Congress intends, its outcomes are stunningly beautiful. Forged in the
letter and spirit of civil rights, vocational rehabilitation empowers
people with disabilities to take control over our own lives and our
services. The Rehabilitation Act and its amendments assert bedrock American
values such as the values of informed choice, competitive integrated
employment, and the priority for those with the most significant
disabilities. Underlying the entire construct is a very simple premise:
Believe in yourself and what you can do.
Here is the thing: such powerful transformative beliefs come from the
National Federation of the Blind. For many decades, the fingerprints of
Federation leaders show up all over our nation's public vocational
rehabilitation program. No bread is baked without a persuasive philosophy,
and the Federation finds the high marks for what blind people can do.
Federation leadership goes well beyond blindness as it lifts the
aspirations of all people with disabilities. Additionally, the Federation
possesses the grit and know-how to bake the bread for ourselves and others.
Time and time again, the Federation relentlessly brings down barriers and
engages everything necessary to leave our world better off than we found
it.
Unfortunately, even the clearest and most compelling of ideas become
obscured in day-to-day struggles. The public vocational rehabilitation
program sometimes loses its way. One distraction comes from the dense set
of written and unwritten rules under which vocational rehabilitation
operates. Many policies and practices cause the program to focus on budgets
over people or to adopt top-down medical models. One can see the negative
results of such follies by examining the employment outcomes. For many
decades, vocational rehabilitation failed to budge negative unemployment
and under-employment rates of those served.
That is why Montana hired me to shake things up. However, the demand
for corrections in the public vocational rehabilitation program erupted
everywhere. It was not about me. Rather, it was about us. Together, we need
to figure out public policies and practices that deliver positive change
and better outcomes.
In 2014 Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act with the passage of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As soon as former
President Obama signed the bipartisan bill into law, it launched massive
changes. In fact, the WIOA amended the Rehabilitation Act 100 times. Most
of these amendments were so sweeping, experts declare that the vocational
rehabilitation of today bears only passing resemblance to the program that
led up to the WIOA.
Just to focus on one of the changes, the WIOA emphasizes services for
youth. The law earmarks significant federal funds solely for brand-new
services designed to prepare young people for transition to post-secondary
education and work. Federationists embrace the concentration on youth
because that kind of attention has long been fundamental to our beliefs and
practices. After all, it is much better to educate young people about their
power of self-determination than to try and repair the ravages of
oppression on adults. Remember, if we can get individuals to believe in
themselves, there are no limits on what can be accomplished.
Before and after the WIOA became reality, I enjoyed a front-row seat.
I served on the Executive Committee of the Council of State Administrators
of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). At the time, many in Congress
expressed skepticism about the voice of CSAVR. After all, CSAVR is a
membership organization comprised of directors of the state agencies
Congress hoped to change. CSAVR tried to find allies, but some disability
advocacy groups, particularly independent living center advocates,
abandoned vocational rehabilitation in order to break free and to establish
their own authority. I personally harbor no ill will toward the independent
living folks because they were doing what they felt they had to do to find
their own voice. Still, these were dark days for vocational rehabilitation
professionals. Fortunately, CSAVR linked arms with the Federation and a few
other disability organizations. True to form, the Federation made all the
difference.
CSAVR CEO Steve Wooderson told me once that he felt confident that
CSAVR knew what it was doing and how to work hard and effectively until he
had the pleasure of collaborating with Federation leaders like John Pari
and Anil Lewis. John and Anil led the Federation charge to amend the
Rehabilitation Act under the direction and encouragement of Marc Maurer and
Mark Riccobono as well as the entire Federation membership.
"Those guys," Wooderson once told me, "set a bar I didn't think
possible."
Vocational rehabilitation and Federation leaders enjoy much in
common. Both believe in positive attitudes and quality training and
opportunities. Both are change agents. Together, vocational rehabilitation
and the Federation accomplish much. CSAVR pays attention to the big picture
ideals while defining and developing what it takes to realize those ideals.
That's exactly what the Federation does.
For example, CSAVR recently sent a letter to Secretary Betsy DeVos of
the US Department of Education strongly urging her support for competitive
integrated employment services. CSAVR and the Federation speak as one
against segregated subminimum wage employment. We believe all workers with
disabilities can work in our communities for comparable pay and advancement
opportunities. Our opposition harbors low expectations for people with
disabilities, and partnerships forged in the spirit of civil rights
convince everyone, including those who oppose us, to relegate sheltered
workshops and subminimum wages to the history books. The time has come for
all workers with disabilities to be guaranteed competitive integrated
employment.
Make no mistake about it. We are engaged in a nationwide revolution
that shakes things up. Yes, we have miles to go before we sleep, but we are
getting there more and more each day.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Kids camp at previous national convention]
Child Care During National Convention
NFB Camp Infused with BELL Academy Activities
by Carla McQuillan
From the Editor: Carla is a successful businesswoman who makes her
living building the future of our nation by modeling and strengthening the
character of its children. She owns and runs Main Street Montessori
Association in Eugene, Oregon, and we are blessed by her service as the
head of NFB Camp, the childcare service we provide for the children of
those who attend our convention. Here is what Carla has to say about NFB
day camp:
During National Convention this year in Las Vegas, we will be
offering child care services to children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. NFB Camp
is located in a block of meeting rooms at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, not far
from the sleeping rooms. Camp is open to sighted and blind children in
attendance at convention.
Camp Hours:
Sunday, July 7: 8:30-12 :30 and 1:30-5:30
Monday, July 8: Camp is Closed
Tuesday, July 9: 8:30-12 and 12:45-5:30
Wednesday, July 10: 9-12:30 and 1:30-5:30
Thursday, July 11: 8:30-12:30 and 1:30-5:30
Friday, July 12: 8:30-12:30 and 1:30-5:30
Banquet: 6:30-30 minutes after banquet ends
Please note that these times are approximate. The actual times will
be thirty minutes before the start of meetings and general sessions, and
thirty minutes after adjournment. If the President calls for an early
start, or if meetings run long, the opening and closing times will reflect
those changes. Late fees will apply if children are not picked up within
that thirty-minute window.
Rooms and Setup:
The children will be divided by three age groupings: infants and
toddlers, preschool/kindergarten, and elementary. There will also be an
activity room for special projects, speakers, and small group activities.
Each room will be equipped with toys, games, and books that are appropriate
for the ages of the children in that room. In addition, we will be taking
the older children outside on the hotel grounds for gross motor activities
and water play. We will not be taking the children swimming.
NFB BELL Academy Activities:
We are excited to announce that again this year, we will have a
variety of activities from our BELL curriculum, taught by BELL teachers
from across the country. All children in camp, sighted or blind, will be
invited to participate in these activities. We plan to offer BELL Academy
activities during each session of camp throughout the week. Parents will
receive the "Campers' Curriculum," which will list the times and dates for
each of the planned activities.
Staff and Supervision:
Each of the camp rooms will be staffed by members of the Federation,
many of whom have been working in camp for years. There will be a lead
teacher in each room and additional helpers depending on the number of
children in attendance. Carla McQuillan, executive director of Main Street
Montessori Association, president of the NFB of Oregon, and a member of the
National Board of Directors will be responsible for the supervision of the
staff.
Registration and Fees:
Fees for NFB Camp are as follows:
First child: $100/week or $25/day
Additional children: $75/week or $25/day
Banquet: $25 for each child (includes dinner and a show)
Space in camp is limited. We accept children on a first come, first
served basis. Please register by June 15 to allow adequate time to secure
proper staffing. Online registration is now open. Please go to:
https://nfb.org/nfb-camp-registration-form
Child Care Outside of Camp Hours:
We maintain a babysitting list at the NFB Camp desk for parents who
are in need of child care when camp is closed. Arrangements must be made
directly with the individual on the babysitting list. NFB Camp is not
responsible for scheduling or making payment arrangements for child care
outside of the regular camp hours.
All questions should be directed to Carla McQuillan at president at nfb-
oregon.org or 541-653-9153.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Carlton Walker]
Blindness Skills: The Only Sure Bet in Vegas!
by Carlton Walker
From the Editor: Carlton Walker is one of the most active advocates
I've ever met. She knows what it is like to have a child who needs
services, knows how to find the people who can help get them, and knows how
to become a part of those people so that "they" become "us." What a
pleasure it is to be on the same team with her as once again the National
Organization of Parents of Blind Children organizes a week-long educational
and sharing opportunity for parents of blind children. Here is Carlton's
argument for why you and your children should be with us in Las Vegas:
Every year the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind (NFB) brings new ideas, incredible resources, and the love and
support of NFB members into the lives of blind people of every age and
their families. This July, thousands of members of the NFB will meet in Las
Vegas, Nevada, to hold our annual convention. Concurrently, the National
Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the
National Federation of the Blind, will host a conference within the NFB
convention. We gather together to learn and share, to reconnect with
friends, and to meet new friends. We certainly hope that you can join us.
There's an old truism: "Vegas wasn't built on winners," and it makes
perfect sense. The odds of any game of chance must be in favor of "the
house," or there would be no way to afford the building, utilities, and
staff required to host the game. Some games of chance have better odds, and
some have worse, but all games are stacked in favor of "the house."
Unfair odds are part of the gambling world, but they are not supposed
to be part of our daily lives or part of school for our children. However,
for years, it felt like the odds were stacked against my daughter, Anna
Catherine, and our family. School officials insisted that she should
"maximize" her vision-even though doing so gave her headaches, caused neck
and back pain, and left her demoralized and exhausted.
Nothing can improve my daughter's vision, so the odds are always
stacked against her if she relies on her vision. However, with blindness
skills, like Braille, cane travel, and accessible technology, my daughter
can do what she needs to do-efficiently, effectively, and without
headaches, neck pain, or feeling like she is less-than her peers.
This June my daughter will graduate from high school, and may I
proudly say that she will do so with honors. Every day she uses blindness
skills like Braille, Nemeth Code, a long white cane, and accessible
technology to perform her schoolwork, take part in community activities,
and perform chores around the house, like laundry, cleaning, and meal
preparation. None of this would have been possible had we listened to the
"experts" in the schools. If we had tried to maximize her use of vision, we
would have been minimizing her in every way.
You'll hear "There's no such thing as a sure bet," but this is wrong.
Throughout the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino July 7 through 12 you will
find information about and access to the only sure bet in Vegas: blindness
skills-those skills which allow our children to survive and thrive without
any regard to how much vision they do or do not have.
Come join us at the NOPBC Conference and the NFB Convention in Las
Vegas this July. Please join our sessions, which will include information
and ideas for families of blind students from birth through college. We
also will have sessions on IEPs (individualized education programs),
tactile graphics, accessible art, and bringing more STEAM (science,
technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) into blind children's
lives. You will also enjoy:
. Sunday, July 7:
? Kid Talk, with NFB President Mark Riccobono
? Lunch with the NOPBC Board
? Megan Bening Memorial Technology Giveaway (last year, we gave away
$10,000 in accessible technology to blind children and youth)
? Family Game Night (where we will have accessible games for a great
evening of family fun)
. Monday, July 8:
? Cane Walks (an opportunity to receive free cane travel instruction
from orientation and mobility professionals-and sighted family members are
encouraged to participate as well)
? NOPBC Style Show (our children and youth walk the runway and share
with us their interests and goals)
. Tuesday, July 9:
? NOPBC Annual Meeting (an opportunity to learn more about and become
involved with our division; speech from the 2019 Distinguished Educator of
Blind Students; electing members to the NOPBC Board)
? Braille Book Fair (all books are available at no cost and will be
shipped to you at no cost)
? Braille Carnival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American
Action Fund (the organization which has provided thousands of Braille books
at no charge to blind children and youth)
. July 7-12 (Sunday through Friday):
? Exhibit Hall (opportunity to have hands-on experience with
accessible technology; meet and speak to vendors of blindness and low
vision tools and technology)
? Independence Market (opportunity to handle, test out, and learn how
to use blindness and low vision tools and technology; accessible games and
household items; accessible watches, calculators, books, and other items)
? NFB Literature (Free: hundreds of articles, speeches, Kernel Books,
and past issues of Future Reflections and Braille Monitor magazines in
print and Braille-all free for the taking)
? Breakout sessions on technology, interest areas, and many more
topics
. July 10-12 (Wednesday through Friday):
? NFB General Session: Hear from nationally-renowned speakers on a
plethora of topics affecting blind individuals of all ages at the NFB
General Session and vote on the resolutions which set forth NFB policy
? Wednesday July 10: IEP Night as well as Tactile Art and NFB BELL
Academy sessions
? Friday, July 12: Mock Trial and other evening events put on by NFB
divisions and centers for the blind
? NFB Banquet: Banquet speech by NFB President Mark Riccobono,
announcement of NFB Scholarship winners, good food and conversation with
our Federation family
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Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive It with a Smile
by Grace Warn
From the Editor: Grace Warn lives in Missouri, and one of her
passions is visiting Disney World. She believes that if there is a good
business model in the country, Disney is it and that if a good proposal for
providing customer service arrives on the scene, Disney will probably be
the company bringing it.
This kind of loyalty translates into annual visits, and to cut down
on the expenses, she rooms with folks. She thought her advice about
roommates might translate well for those of us going to the 2019 national
convention. Here is what she says:
Going to convention, whether national or state, is an amazing
experience. But it often comes with another experience that isn't always so
amazing: sharing a hotel room. Whether to save money or because you're
traveling with children too young to be on their own, you're sharing a room
with more than just your significant other. And, no matter how much you
love your Federation friends or how well-behaved your children are in close
quarters for a few days, little frustrations can build up and drain some of
the joy from your time at convention. With a minimum of pre-trip planning
and almost no effort while there, you can keep the positive energy and
enthusiasm flowing during your time at convention.
The first step in this process is figuring out who's rooming with
whom. Identify a few simple characteristics of each roommate: Who snores?
Who prefers to shower in the morning versus in the evening? Who are the
early birds, and who are the night owls? Who wakes up if a mouse sneezes,
and who can sleep through brass bands? Now take a look at the roommate list
again. Do you have a light sleeper in with three who snore like chainsaw
jugglers riding Harleys? Is there a lone night owl in a flock of early
birds? You may want to see if there's a way to juggle people to keep those
of similar tendencies together. But, if you can't, there are ways to keep
friction from these differences to a minimum:
If you're a light sleeper, consider packing foam earplugs or sleep
wearing in-ear headphones. Either of these will block a lot of the sounds
that might keep you awake. If you are more sensitive to light than sound,
think about a sleep mask so that others can turn on bathroom lights without
waking you.
If you snore, think about ways to lower the volume of it. If
allergies make you snore more, make sure you are taking antihistamines
and/or decongestants. From personal experience, I say try Breathe Right.
strips; they can make a difference. Be aware of what sleep positions you
may want to avoid if you can.
Early birds, lay out your clothes for the day the night before. That
way you avoid making a lot of noise rummaging around in drawers/suitcases,
without feeling trapped by the need for quiet. If you're the lone early
riser, consider starting the coffee maker to sweeten the inevitable wake-up
for the rest of the room.
Night owls, if you plan to stay out late socializing, be considerate
coming in. Keep your voice lower, and make sure to kick off your shoes
where no one will trip over them. Leave your pajamas in an easy-to-find
spot in the suitcase or drawer. Basically, try not to wake everyone up,
because everyone needs their sleep to make the most of the short time
you'll have at convention.
Discuss amongst yourselves who prefers to shower when and for how
long. If everyone takes quick showers, it's no problem if each of you in
the room prefers to shower in the morning. Try to work out the rotation for
showering, and keep in mind the number of sinks, outlets, and their
accessibility while someone else showers so that everyone has a chance to
shave, style, and prep for the day without feeling unduly rushed.
When you first get into the room, take a quick minute for one simple
discussion and define territory. You will be coexisting in a smaller amount
of space than you're used to, possibly with people you don't usually live
with. Setting up whose stuff goes where and then abiding by what is decided
can go a long way toward maintaining harmony. Decide as a group that Joe
will get the bottom drawer in the dresser, Sally and Eric each get half of
the next drawer up, etc. Try to base the division of territory on practical
considerations such as mobility-don't make the person with a bad back bend
to use the bottom drawer. Once each of you has staked out your claim,
respect the boundaries. Throwing something where you please is fine at
home, but it's not fine when it ends up being in a place allotted to one of
your roommates.
Each of you will have a place for your things, and it's a good idea
to have at least one area designated for communal use, such as one place
for all technology to sit safely as it recharges, etc. Remember that
bathroom counter space can be a scarce commodity and a great cause of
irritation before everyone has had their morning coffee. Taking along a
hanging shoe organizer designed to either hang in a closet or over the back
of a door can give you more places to sort your toiletries and leave a
clearer path to the sinks. If you have a guide dog, make sure roommates
know where the water bowl will be and decide whether it will be deployed
only at feeding time or at any time the dog might wish a drink.
Tuck the suitcases in the bottom of the closet or in a corner as out
of the way as possible, and make sure the main walkways remain clear.
Because a tiny little frustration like tripping over someone's suitcase
every time you try to go to the bathroom can become a major annoyance
faster than you would expect, it can poison the rest of the experience.
Depending on who you're rooming with and how long you're staying, a pop-up
mesh laundry basket can be pretty handy for that. It doesn't take up much
space in a suitcase, can be found in many dollar stores, and it can be
endlessly useful. It can be a place to corral dirty clothes, an easy-to-
carry transport for flyers or other merchandise for chapters/divisions, or
can be used as the designated location for the day's haul of souvenirs.
Speaking of things to bring along from home, one of the best items to
pack on your trip is at least one power strip. These days everyone has at
least a cell phone. But there are also iPads, handheld gaming consoles,
notetakers, and many other electronics that require regular recharging.
Hotel rooms never have very many outlets, and sometimes the outlet is in a
less-than-accessible place, such as a corner behind a small table and
chair. The longer cord will bring the power strip up so that everyone can
reach it to plug in items easily and give you many more outlets for
everyone to share.
Sit down and consider exactly what your daily routine will involve,
and make sure everyone understands it. You may never have considered that
you have to decide which bed you're sleeping on based on the distance from
an outlet and availability of a flat surface for a CPAP machine, but what's
routine for you may not be for your roommate. That doesn't mean you can't
share a room, but it does mean that you need to make sure they're aware of
the requirements that are important and perhaps even critical for you.
Maybe you're a guide dog user; your roommate doesn't mind dogs-no problem,
right? Except when you were considering who snores in the room, you only
considered the humans, and your dog snores louder than you do. You and your
spouse are used to it; it's white noise that actually helps you sleep
better in unfamiliar places. To your roommate, that could be a week spent
wishing they'd packed earplugs and praying for a decent night's sleep. Or
maybe one roommate has a mild allergy to dog dander. For a couple of hours
during a chapter meeting or dinner with a friend, no problem; but sharing a
room for a week or so might mean they will need an antihistamine.
When you take just a few minutes to prevent the small disagreements
and frustrations, you prevent the larger arguments that can happen when the
little things add up with exhaustion and excitement to fuel them. While it
only takes a few quick minutes of discussion before you leave home, all of
these things become a lot harder to do once you're away at convention. What
you can tolerate for a day or two is a lot less tolerable on day five of a
convention, when you're tired and almost ready to head home.
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[PHOTO/CAPTION: Kenneth Jernigan]
See You in Washington at the Convention
by Kenneth Jernigan
First Vice President
National Federation of the Blind
From the Editor: For a number of years we have been holding our
conventions in Orlando, and with each passing year we received less and
less information about the city. The thinking, of course, was that there
was less to tell, and perhaps this was indeed the case. But here, just to
show what advertisement we did for our conventions forty-four years ago, is
a promotion for our 1965 national convention that appeared in the May issue
for 1965. As you read it, consider the number of tourist attractions that
are highlighted, and consider also how you would begin to work many of them
into what many now consider our convention experience. Enjoy:
How many times have you thought of going to Washington? How many
times have you said to yourself, "What a thrill it would be to visit the
Capitol and see Congress in action; visit the White House and meet the
President; visit the imposing marble structure where the Supreme Court
meets and makes historic decisions, some of which have shaken our society
to its very foundation! And then, there is Mount Vernon, birthplace of the
father of our country; Ford Theatre, where the Great Emancipator was shot;
and Arlington National Cemetery, place of the Kennedy gravesite and the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Add to these the great Smithsonian, the
Pentagon building, the National Cathedral, B'nai B'rith, Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial."
Well, make this dream a reality. Attend the Silver Anniversary
Convention of the National Federation of the Blind to be held in the "Hotel
of Presidents," Washington's aristocratic Mayflower, July 6-9, 1965.
There is so much to see in Washington, D.C. Every American, from
childhood on, is imaginatively and emotionally attracted to see his
nation's capitol. He knows he will feel at home, even before he gets there-
for this wondrous, shining city belongs to all Americans.
Here, in Washington, are the national shrines, the stately public
buildings, the foreign embassies and the historic tree-lined avenues where
history is made; the city is alive with a cultural spirit all its own.
The late John F. Kennedy spoke of Washington as the Federal City, the
hub of political activity. It houses, in addition to the imposing array of
tourist attractions already mentioned, numerous other Federal Buildings
such as: Veteran's Administration-servant to American inactive military
men; Justice Department-home of the Attorney General and the Federal Bureau
of Investigation; State Department-factory of our foreign policy;
Department of Interior-guardian of our national resources; Treasury
Department-holder of the nation's purse strings; Commerce Department-
overseer of America's numerous business enterprises; Department of Defense-
watchdog of the nation's military might; Labor Department-coordinator of
employer-employee relationships; Post Office Department-distributor of
America's mountains of mail; Department of Health, Education, and Welfare-
headquarters for those who minister to the nation's needs.
In terms of history, the nation's capital pays homage to most of
America's great, from quaint old Georgetown with its 18th century homes
(now the residence of the city's elite society) to the C&O Canal that was
once Washington's "seaport on the Potomac."
View the Iwo Jima Statue, the Jefferson Memorial, the Francis Scott
Key Bridge, the statue in Lafayette Square, memorial to the men of the
Titanic, Sheridan Circle, or the Nathan Hale Statue and the Ben Franklin
memorial. Or, tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Custis-Lee
Mansion, the Executive Office Building next door to the White House, the
National Geographic Society, the Naval Gun Factory, the National Archives,
and the Dumbarton Oaks estates.
Visit the Library of Congress, the Wax Museum, the National Gallery
of Art, the Constitution Hall, the beautiful Botanical Gardens, the Freer
Gallery of Arts, the Franciscan Monastery, the Islamic Center and Mosque,
the famed Cosmos Club, the Lisner Auditorium for the Performing Arts, or
see the changing of the guards at the National Memorial Amphitheatre.
Be a part of a new artistic sensation, attend Washington's famous
Watergate Stage. Listen to a symphony under star-studded skies, and hear
the rippling waters of the Potomac murmur a soft and restful background.
Or, if you prefer the modern, there is the Carter Baron Amphitheatre where
most of our modern artists appear; but if your taste tends toward the
local, then go to the Sylvan Amphitheatre where local artists display their
many talents.
To round things out, add to these the gourmet restaurants offering a
variety of cuisine to tempt the most fastidious palates. There are the
French and the German restaurants, the Italian and the Chinese, the small
and intimate, the large and palatial, the downbeat and the offbeat, you
name it, Washington has it.
So, we will see you in Washington at the Convention!
The [1965] convention will open at 10:00 Tuesday morning, July 6, and
will adjourn at 5 p.m. Friday, July 9. Single rooms at the Mayflower Hotel
are $7.00; twins, $11.00. The banquet will be held on Thursday, July 8,
priced at $4.95 (including tip and tax). If you have not yet requested
reservations, write immediately to: Reservations Manager, Mayflower Hotel,
Washington, D.C.
For further details on Washington convention plans and program, see
"NFB Pre-Convention Bulletin," the Braille Monitor, January 1965.
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Recipes
This month Monitor staff looked back in the archives for a selection
of light, easy, delicious dishes that would be perfect for any dinner you
might have.
Basic Chinese Dish
by Mrs. Florence Grannis
This recipe first appeared in May 1975 as Recipe of the Month. We at
the Monitor thought it deserved a second run for the versatility of
ingredients that could be used in it.
Ingredients:
1 to 2 cups cut meat (any kind) cooked or raw in quarter-inch cubes and
marinate as long as you have time for in the following mixture:
2 or 3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 or 3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 to 3 cups cut vegetables (any kind except tomatoes, potatoes, or sweet
potatoes) cooked or raw, very small.
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken-flavored broth
4 tablespoons oil (butter-flavored Wesson oil, if possible.)
Method: After the above is prepared, put in wok over highest heat.
Add two tablespoons oil and the meat mixture, cook five minutes, stirring
constantly (can cook less if meat is already cooked.) Remove, and add two
tablespoons more oil. Add vegetables and cook no more than two minutes,
stirring constantly. Add meat mixture to vegetable mixture in wok along
with 1/2 cup chicken-flavored broth and cornstarch; let heat very briefly
until amalgamated, stirring constantly.
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Cheese Souffli
by Arlene Gashel
This recipe was originally the Recipe of the Month in April 1978. At
the time, it was introduced with this note: Arlene Gashel is secretary of
the NFB of DC and the wife of Jim Gashel, chief of the NFB's Washington
Office.
Ingredients:
6 ounces natural cheddar cheese (not processed cheese)
6 tablespoons flour
4 eggs, separated
3/4 stick butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk
Pinch of red cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Method: Butter a two-quart casserole. Separate the eggs. In the top
of a double boiler over boiling water, melt the butter; blend in the flour,
grated cheese, and seasonings. Add the milk and stir constantly until thick
and smooth. Remove from the boiling water and let stand. Beat the egg yolks
until thick. Stir the yolks into the other mixture. Beat the egg whites
until stiff. Put them in the buttered casserole and gradually pour in the
cheese mixture, folding very carefully until well blended. Bake for forty-
five minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Serve at once. Note: This
recipe may be prepared and refrigerated for up to ten hours before baking.
If you do this, place the refrigerated souffli in a cold oven and bake for
50 minutes at 350 degrees.
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Cheesy Spinach Pie
by Eileen Rivera
This recipe originally appeared in the April-May 1989 Braille
Monitor. It was introduced like this: Eileen Rivera is a former NFB
scholarship winner and is now a resident of Maryland, where she actively
participates in Federation work and holds (see elsewhere in this issue) a
responsible position with the Wilmer Eye Clinic at Johns Hopkins.
Ingredients:
1 single pie shell
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar and/or swiss cheese
1 chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 packages frozen spinach
2 tablespoons crushed oregano
1 teaspoon each: pepper, sweet basil, salt
3 beaten eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
Method: Prepare pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for twelve minutes.
Remove shell from oven and spread grated cheese in the hot shell. In a
large sauce pan, sauti the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Next, add the
defrosted spinach and spices. Stir the mixture over medium heat for about
five minutes. Then combine the eggs, milk, and parmesan and cottage cheeses
in the pot. Stir until mixture thickens. Pour filling into the pie shell
and bake for thirty to forty minutes. Great with a crisp garden salad and
warm rolls.
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Baked Pineapple
by Mary Ellen Jernigan
This recipe is a favorite of many longtime Federationists and Monitor
readers, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
crushed Ritz Crackers
Method: Mix all ingredients together except crackers. Pour into
baking dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty
to thirty-five minutes.
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Old-Fashioned Ice Box Pie
by Theodora Turner
This recipe was first published in April 1992 as part of a group of
recipes submitted by the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas. At
the time, Theodora Turner was a member of the Little Rock Chapter, and her
husband was the president of the chapter. The associate editor then was
Barbara Pierce.
Ingredients:
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
juice of 2 lemons
2 eggs, separated
graham cracker crust
Method: Prepare a graham cracker crumb crust by combining and
pressing against the bottom and sides of a pie plate one packet of graham
crackers, crushed, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter or margarine. Bake
this until golden brown (ten minutes or so at 375 degrees), or chill crust
thoroughly. Combine lemon juice with beaten egg yolks, add condensed milk,
and beat mixture until it thickens. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust
and top with meringue, made by beating two egg whites until stiff peaks
form. Gradually beat in three tablespoons of sugar until it is dissolved.
Cover pie with plastic wrap and freeze until set.
Associate Editor's Note: I make this pie with a slight variation.
Instead of preparing a sweetened meringue for the top, I fold the
unsweetened stiffly beaten egg whites into the lemon mixture before
spreading it into the pie crust for freezing. It is delicious.
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Monitor Miniatures
News from the Federation Family
How to Pay for Your Convention Hotel Stay:
This helpful information comes from Tony Cobb, who for many years
served as a fixture in the lobby of our convention hotels. Here is an
important warning for those who may be considering how to pay for their
stay:
Every year at our national convention we have serious trouble with use
of debit cards or cash payments at hotel check-in, and, having worked to
solve these problems for years, I can tell you they can nearly ruin the
convention week for those experiencing them. Planning to attend our
national convention should therefore include thinking seriously about how
to pay the hotel, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to avoid using cash
or a debit card as your payment method. Doing so may seem convenient, but
you should not do so. If you do not have a credit card of your own to use
instead, prevail upon a close friend or family member to let you use one
just for convention. Here's why:
If you are paying in actual currency, most hotels will want enough
cash up front at check-in to cover your room and tax charges for the entire
stay, plus a one-time advance incidentals deposit to cover meals, telephone
calls, internet service, and other things you may charge to your room. The
unused portion of the incidentals deposit may be returned at check-out or
by mail after departure. Understand, however, that, if your incidentals
charges exceed the incidentals deposit credited, you are responsible for
payment of the full balance at check-out. The total can end up being a very
large sum indeed.
If you use a debit card, however, you are really at a potentially
painful disadvantage. The hotel will put a hold on money in your bank
account linked to the debit card to cover the estimated balance of your
stay-that is, for the entire week's room and tax charges plus a one-time
incidentals deposit to cover meals, movies, and so on charged to your room.
You should be aware that the hold can therefore be a considerable amount of
money and that you will not have access to that amount for any other
purchases or payments with your card. (Hotels sometimes also put
authorizations on credit cards, by the way, but those are not often a
problem unless they exceed your card's credit limit.)
Holds can remain in effect for three to five days or even a week
after you check out. If you have pre-authorized payments from your bank
account, for example your monthly mortgage payment, or if you try to make a
purchase with your debit card and it's refused, the hold from the hotel can
cause you trouble or result in very large overdraft fees for payments you
thought you had money in your account to cover. I have seen this hit some
of our members in the form of hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees.
This means that, if you use a debit card, you would have to be certain
you have a high enough balance in your checking account when you come to
convention to cover any debit card holds. This is a perilous practice since
charges may exceed your estimate by a considerable amount. (Some frequent
travelers even open a separate checking account used only for debits like
these.) Remember, a hold is going to be placed on your debit card
regardless of how you end up paying the bill, and the hold is not
necessarily released right away, even if you pay with a credit card or cash
when you check out of the hotel.
Planning ahead in this area can ensure an untroubled week at
convention, leaving you free to enjoy fully the world's largest and most
exciting meeting of the blind.
Braille Book Fair 2019:
Calling all Braille readers, teachers, and parents!
It's that time again: Time to sort through all those boxes of Braille
books and donate those gently used but no longer needed Braille books to
the 2019 Braille Book Fair sponsored by the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children.
Our primary goal is to get more Braille books into the hands of
children, youth, and beginning adult readers, so here's what we need most:
. print/Braille storybooks (aka Twin Vision)
. books in good condition
. leisure reading (fiction or nonfiction) books
. cookbooks and poetry
Children are so hungry for their very own books that every year,
despite generous donations of books, most of our books for young children
are gone in less than an hour. So begin your search through the boxes in
your basement and spare room and get those books shipped.
We do not accept magazines, textbooks, or audio books at this time.
Mail books you are donating to: 2019 Braille Book Fair, National Federation
of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230.
Please note that you are shipping the books FREE MATTER FOR THE
BLIND; you do not need to pay any shipping cost for Braille items.
Handwrite, stamp, or affix a label to the upper right-hand corner of the
box which says: FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND, and take your package(s) to your
local post office to mail.
Internal Revenue Service Forms and Written Communication:
The NFB is investigating the accessibility of Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) forms and written communication. If you have requested or
would like to request alternative format documents from the IRS such as
Braille, large print, or audio, please contact Valerie Yingling, legal
program coordinator, at vyingling at nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2440.
Resolutions for Convention:
Here is a message from Sharon Maneki, who chairs the NFB Resolutions
Committee:
Do you think we should change a government policy, take a stand
concerning an agency for the blind, or create new regulations? If you do,
consider writing a resolution. At the 2019 National Convention, the
Resolutions Committee meeting will be held on Monday, July 8. The committee
will debate and discuss resolutions on a wide variety of subjects. If
passed by the convention, these resolutions will become the policy
statements of the organization. To ensure that your resolution will be
considered by the committee, please send it to President Riccobono or to me
by June 24, two weeks before the committee meeting. Since things are always
busy leading up to the convention, sending them earlier will be
appreciated. If you send a resolution to me by email and do not receive a
response acknowledging your email in two or three days, please call or send
it again.
If you miss the deadline, you must get three members of the committee
to sponsor your resolution and then get it to the chairman before the
meeting begins. I will be pleased to accept resolutions by email at
nfbmd at earthlink.net, or by mail at 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia, MD 21045.
In Brief
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor
readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we
have edited only for space and clarity.
Secretary Toulouse Oliver Awarded "Outstanding Innovations in Elections" by
the US Election Assistance Commission:
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has received the
2018 "Clearie" Award for Outstanding Innovations in Elections by the US
Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for her implementation of a new
electronic ballot software system that allows blind and visually impaired
voters to independently and privately cast an absentee ballot.
"Every eligible voter deserves the dignity and convenience of being
able to mark their ballot in an independent and private manner, which is
exactly what our electronic ballot system does for blind and visually
impaired voters," said Secretary Toulouse Oliver. "I want to thank the US
Election Administration Commission for this award, and I want to dedicate
it to the determined efforts of New Mexico's blind and visually impaired
community who worked closely with me and my Office to ensure blind and
visually impaired voters have fair and equal access to the ballot box."
According to the EAC, the annual "Clearie" awards "recognize best
practices in election administration and highlight exemplary models which
can serve as examples to other officials and jurisdictions."
"We are thrilled to recognize Secretary Toulouse Oliver and her team
for their innovative approach to serving voters with disabilities," said
EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks. "We are proud to share details about this
program with election officials across the nation, as well as the voters
they serve."
Secretary Toulouse Oliver and her staff worked closely with the
National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico and the New Mexico
Commission for the Blind to create the system that allows blind and
visually impaired voters to independently mark, print, and return their
absentee ballot. As KOB News 4 noted in 2018 as the Secretary of State
announced the new system, "New Mexico is leading the country when it comes
to making absentee voting more accessible."
"The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico deeply
appreciates Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver," said Adelmo Vigil,
president of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. "Because
of her work, blind voters in New Mexico, for the very first time in
history, can now independently and privately mark the printed absentee
ballot using the low-vision and nonvisual access technology of their
choice. Secretary Toulouse Oliver worked closely with us to make this
happen. She provided public testimony and support for the legislation that
brought all of this about. She is a true friend of the blind."
Greg Trapp, executive director of the New Mexico Commission for the
Blind, added to Mr. Vigil's remarks, saying, "Because of the efforts of
Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver and of the National Federation of the
Blind, blind and visually impaired citizens of New Mexico can now fully and
equally participate in the fundamental right to vote. This is a tremendous
step forward, and New Mexico can take pride in what the Secretary of State
and National Federation of the Blind have accomplished."
More information about the US Election Assistance Commission:
The US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by
the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan
commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections
by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting
system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of
information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing
laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use
of HAVA funds.
Monitor Mart
The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can
pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for
the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for
sale.
For Sale:
We have one Freedom Scientific Braille Blazer for sale. It has the
following features: serial or parallel connections to a PC (a USB-to-serial
cable may be used with these embossers on machines which don't have serial
or parallel ports), built-in carrying case, and standard computer power
cord. The Braille Blazer may be used as a speech synthesizer as well as a
Braille embosser. It embosses on 8.5-by-11-inch fan-fold tractor feed
paper; embosses standard Braille in portrait or landscape mode; embosses
graphics; is supported by most Braille translation software, including
Duxbury Systems, and configuration is accomplished through voice-guided
instructions. The user manual is available at
https://www.edvisionservices.org/Manuals/BrailleBlazerUserManual.pdf.
Asking price is $300, contact Sheryl Pickering at 830-743-7655.
For Sale:
We have two Classic Electric Perkins Braillewriters for sale. One has
a carrying case (asking $25 extra). Asking $300 each. Contact Sheryl
Pickering at 830-743-7655
For Sale:
Romeo Braille Embosser by Enabling Technologies in carrying case.
Excellent condition. $50 plus shipping if not Free Matter. Call or text
Terry at 805-339-9853.
----------
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National
Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for
the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to
abide by its constitution.
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