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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>From the desk of NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Received from Brian Burrow, NFB of California.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> BRAILLE MONITOR<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Vol. 62, No. 5 May 2019<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Gary Wunder, Editor<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>drive, by the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Mark Riccobono, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> telephone: 410-659-9314<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> website address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> NFBnet.org: <a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> NFB-NEWSLINE. information: 866-504-7300<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Watch and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>office or may be emailed to <a href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of the Blind and sent to:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND-IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> OURSELVES.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ISSN 0006-8829<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>) 2019 by the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots-the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>(Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the drive when you return the device.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Mandalay Bay Resort]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Las Vegas Site of 2019 NFB Convention<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The 2019 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>place July 7 to July 12, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, 3950 South<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119. Make your room reservation as soon<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>as possible with the Mandalay Bay Resort staff only. Call 877-632-9001.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The 2019 room rate of $99 per night applies to singles and doubles as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>well as triples and quads. Hotel and sales taxes are 13.38 percent and 8.25<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>percent, respectively. The resort fee (normally $37 a night) will be waived<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for NFB convention attendees. However, fees for internet access, local and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>toll-free calls, and fitness center access may apply. The hotel will take a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>deposit of the first night's room rate for each room and will require a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>before Friday, June 1, 2019, half of the deposit will be returned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Otherwise refunds will not be made.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Reservations may be made before June 1, 2019, assuming that rooms are still<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>available. After that time the hotel will not hold our room block for the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention. In other words, you should get your reservation in soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Among its features is an aquatic playground called Mandalay Bay Beach which<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>has real sand, a wave pool, and a lazy river. The hotel is also home to an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>aquarium with more than 2,000 animals including sharks, green sea turtles,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and a Komodo dragon. Plus, it offers top-notch entertainment including<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>The schedule for the 2019 convention is:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Sunday, July 7 Seminar Day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monday, July 8 Registration and Resolutions Day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Tuesday, July 9 Board Meeting and Division Day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Wednesday, July 10 Opening Session<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Thursday, July 11 Business Session<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Friday, July 12 Banquet Day and Adjournment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Vol. 62, No. 5 May<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2019<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Contents<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Illustration: Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>An Outside Expression of an Inner Conviction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Kathryn Webster<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Celebrating 100 Years of Success<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Julie Deden<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Freedom Foundation Honors Twin Vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Kindness is Greater than Fear: Changing Access Denials by Finding the Roots<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of Conflict<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Sassy Outwater-Wright<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Big Opportunities in a Small Town: Thinking Outside the Box<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Dennis Miller<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Facts About Blindness . . . According to Me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Joe Orozco<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Opening New Doors in Tactile Art with the Help of Arts in Society<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Ann Cunningham<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>The Power of Commitment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Nancy Burns<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Seminar for Computer Beginners<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Shaking Things Up<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Jim Marks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Child Care During National Convention: NFB Camp Infused with BELL Academy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Activities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Carla McQuillan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blindness Skills: The Only Sure Bet in Vegas!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Carlton Walker<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive it with a Smile<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Grace Warn<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>See You in Washington at the Convention<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by Kenneth Jernigan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Recipes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monitor Miniatures<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: President Riccobono stands at the podium on stage at the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Walter E. Washington Convention Center.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> One significant role of the National Federation of the Blind is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>getting blind people in contact with money. At first it was working for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>enough public assistance so that the blind were not the responsibility of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>their parents, brothers, and sisters. Now the focus is employment so that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>we can earn our own money. But what do we do once we've earned it? We have<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to figure out a place to put it. We have to have a way of knowing how much<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>there is, whether we are receiving interest, and whether there are fees<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that must be paid. All of this argues for accessibility: online<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>accessibility, statements that are accessible, and ATM machines that are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>usable without sight. The banks, of course, are where most people deposit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>their money. This is why we have focused on ensuring that all of their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>services are usable by the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> But banks aren't the only place to keep one's money. Credit unions are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>very popular, and those who take advantage of them believe they are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>superior to banks in many ways. It is important that we have access to the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>services they provide, and this is why President Riccobono addressed the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Credit Union National Association Government Affairs Conference in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Washington, DC, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. He talked<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with them about making all of the services they provide to the public<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>accessible and reminded them that not only must outward facing services be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>accessible but so too must the machinery of the business so that credit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>unions across the country can take advantage of talented blind employees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Of course he offered the good offices and the unmatchable resources of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind in this effort, and the result will be yet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>another partnership leading to greater opportunities for those of us who<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Kathryn Webster]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> An Outward Expression of an Inner Conviction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Kathryn Webster<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Kathryn Webster is the latest in a long line of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>young men and women who have been chosen by students to head the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation's student division, the National Association of Blind Students<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>(NABS). Kathryn is intelligent, motivated, poised, friendly, and welcoming.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>She is everything we could want in a Federation leader, and here is her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>most recent contribution to our magazine:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We learn from Jillian Michaels that people believe practice makes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>perfect, but it doesn't. If you're making a tremendous number of mistakes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>all you're doing is deeply ingraining the same mistakes. In high school, I,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>like many of you, made a ton of mistakes, and I am still reflecting each<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>day to ensure I am not making the same errors. In losing my sight quickly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and uncontrollably, I let external pressures overtake my autonomy and even<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my values. I leaned on those who didn't believe in me as I shaped my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>future.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Now I ask myself why? Why did I seek advice from my high school<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>guidance counselor on a weekly basis, when her low expectations were<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>blatant as she pigeon-holed me into colleges that I saw as subpar and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>incompatible? I had an above average GPA; I proved myself through my scores<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>on standardized tests; I was a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient; I was a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cheerleader, ran track, rowed; and the list goes on. On paper, I was worth<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it. Mostly worth it because, as a blind woman, I felt that I had no choice<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in the world but to excel more than my sighted counterparts to be given<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>serious consideration in several elements of life. To my guidance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>counselor, I was not enough solely because of my blindness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I could have been the valedictorian, but my disability created this<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>blurred line of what I could and could not do, almost literally crossing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>out my qualifications to prove that something just wasn't all there. Still,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I craved her approval and expertise throughout one of the most defining<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>choices of my teenage years. Socially, I disguised my insecurities with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>extreme confidence and poise. I wanted to be known for anything in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>world but my blindness. Truthfully, I wasn't even blind. I was a visually<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>impaired girl who wouldn't use a cane because I was scared of what the cute<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>boys would think. I say this now, and I am simply mortified.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Back then, it was true. I worked out excessively to make sure I had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>everything else going for me because this prominent defect could only be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>overcome by excellence and exception in all other aspects of my life. Again<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and again, I sought thumbs-up from people that were supposed to matter. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pitied myself, but no one would have ever known. On the surface, I was a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>young independent woman with lots of sass and attitude. Internally, I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>struggled.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Those repetitive experiences brought me to the lowest point. J.K.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Rowling teaches us that rock bottom becomes the solid foundation on which<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>one rebuilds his/her life. Stripping your core to the bare minimum requires<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>grit, dedication, resilience, and most importantly, loving yourself. While<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I am not proud of some of the actions and choices I made, I am grateful for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the wake-up call that allowed those lessons to leave a lasting mark on my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>character, pushing me toward maturity, authenticity, and true confidence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Had you known me six years ago, you probably could have never imagined me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>as a successful young adult with a bright and challenging career at a top<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>management consulting firm or the national student president of the most<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>powerful blindness advocacy organization in the world. Had I not<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>encountered those years of struggle and pain, I would never be where I am<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>today.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> And now, this idea of leadership and mentorship comes full circle as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>we reflect on the meaningful conversations we had today. We cannot create<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>leaders without guidance from others. Whether formally or informally, those<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>we look up to have a tremendous impact on our actions and decisions as we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>progress through our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So far this weekend our Virginia and Mississippi students have<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>learned about branding themselves in a positive and powerful light,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>understanding that teams are made up of talent from all walks of life. Our<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>national student leaders have learned that our actions are watched and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>admired. We discussed the idea of first impressions and how each motion we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>make can be scrutinized and observed by anyone at anytime.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This makes me think of a special day in 2015. I was not yet on the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>NABS Board, and I was a sophomore at Wake Forest University. From a title<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>perspective, I was nothing in the National Federation of the Blind. I was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boston at the annual<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Massachusetts State Convention. As I was chugging down my much-needed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>coffee, an energetic and curious 18-year-old guy approached me. He was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>weirdly impressed that I was put together, smiling with my shoulders back<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and head held high and walking swiftly around the hotel confidently holding<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a straight white cane in my right hand. This young adult was impressed that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I was carrying on with my day as anyone else would, but he was impressed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>because I was blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This young man and I got to talking, and I learned that he was losing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>his vision faster than he could have even imagined or understood. He was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>frightened, his family was frightened, and he really thought that his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>chance of being successful was no longer feasible. These feelings of low<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>self-worth hurt my heart so much. Even more, I felt the pain because I had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>known that same pain just years prior.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So, how do we fix this pain? How do we, as leaders, leave lasting<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>impressions on our youth so they not only understand, but truly believe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that they are remarkable individuals with a shot at greatness? Each of us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>brings a unique perspective to the table. Some demonstrate leadership by<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>example, others by gentle and intentional guidance, and some through<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>encouraging reflection at the individual level. None of these approaches<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>represent the gold star to leadership. For me, I am a direct and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>intentional leader, emphasizing accountability and growth. I set higher<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>expectations for people than they do for themselves. I do this because I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>believe. I believe in pushing oneself to the next level because I want each<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of us to grab onto our untapped potential and thrive. When we don't have<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the internal strength to trust in our actions, we will never take risks and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>develop as ambitious young people. This young man in Massachusetts didn't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>believe in himself. In hearing him share his story with me, I saw a spark<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in him that radiated throughout our whole conversation. He wanted to be a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lawyer, a father, and a husband; most importantly, he wanted to give back<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to this world. In losing his vision, he couldn't see how that was possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I left an impression on him that gave him a glimpse of hope. Each of you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>have the ability to influence others, but that starts at your core.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Three years later, I share this story with so much pride and joy in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the young man that is still developing each and every day. He left his home<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>state and local college to gain blindness skills at one of our NFB training<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>centers. He flew across the country to give himself a chance at greatness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Now, he is a student at a top-notch school with a killer GPA. He is on his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>way to law school in the next year. Most significantly, he is giving back<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to our world in a way he never saw as possible. While the first encounter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>we had brought me sadness, it brought him a sense of hope. This guy, who is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a year younger than me, encourages me every day to be more relaxed, less<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>hard on myself, and to create spaces of greater openness. Each day, I teach<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>him to be diplomatic, intentional in his words, and reflective in his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>actions. Each day, I am so grateful for that day in Massachusetts because<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it brought hope to someone I now call a brother.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Syed Rizvi serves as first vice president of the largest student<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>organization of blind people in the world. Our peer mentorship to each<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>other brings a sense of challenge to both of us. It is stories like these<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that make me understand that our interactions leave lasting impacts on<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>everyone; but it is on us to initiate those meaningful moments.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The blindness journey isn't easy for anyone, but the power of unity<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and togetherness emphasizes how important it is to advocate for ourselves<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and others; to pave the path for every single blind person who may walk in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the room right after you. We learn from Brad Paisley that "The world tries<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to clip your wings." The National Federation of the Blind makes sure you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>know that you won't let the world have that much control. Once, I was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>insecure and scared of tomorrow. Through my transition to accepting my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>blindness, I masked those insecurities with confidence. I pushed myself to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>come off as stronger than I felt inside. In doing so, I recognized my self-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>worth in a way that allowed others to believe it. In our organization, our<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>family, we lean on each other for the pure sense of comfort we so deserve.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>And, we also learn from our NFB brothers and sisters that there is a world<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ahead of us that we must grasp onto and run with. Our dreams can start in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this room tonight, but it is your ambitious attitude, bright mind, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>dedicated soul that will bring these dreams full circle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I want to leave you with this piece of advice: be true to yourself,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>be curious about everything, and take risks. You define your future, and we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are here to witness your achievements. I promise that the doubt that exists<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>within you is felt by so many others. I also promise you that as we tear<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>down society's misconceptions of blindness, those doubts will continue to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>diminish. Keep making me proud.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Julie Deden]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Celebrating 100 Years of Success<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Julie Deden<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Most of us know that Julie Deden is the director of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the Colorado Center for the Blind. What may be less clear is who she is as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a person. Julie has a son who is twenty-five years old. Dan Burke is her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>husband, and they married in 2016. She loves to read and go on long walks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>She is as kind and gentle a person as you are likely to find, and her sense<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of commitment to everything she touches is evident. Here is what she has to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>say about the American Action Fund, an important anniversary, and a fine<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>celebration to commemorate it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Do you know when the American Action Fund began distributing free<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Braille calendars? When you think about the American Action Fund, you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>probably think about that Braille calendar you've been receiving for so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>many years, or maybe you think about Twin Vision books. The latter is a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>story in itself, one we told at length in the May 2013 issue of the Braille<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monitor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In 1919 the American Brotherhood for the Blind was founded by Florian<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Baker, a member of the Theosophical Society. His intent was to universally<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>serve all blind people. At that time there were few programs for blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>people, and it was nearly impossible to obtain any kind of Braille<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>publication outside schools for the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> One hundred years later, now known as the American Action Fund for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind Children and Adults (AAF), this organization has distributed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thousands of Twin Vision books to blind children and adults, provided<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Braille books, and most recently has provided drawing kits to blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>children so that they can create and access visual images tactilely. These<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are just a few of the programs that the American Action Fund has sponsored<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in the last century.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Help us celebrate the AAF's centenary at our National Convention in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Las Vegas. Immediately following the Braille Book Fair, we will host a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>carnival for everyone where you will learn more about the American Action<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Fund and its rich history, hear about other exciting programs that the Fund<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sponsors, and visit several booths to play games, win prizes, and meet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>special guests. We hope you are one of them!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Who knows how long the Action Fund have been producing calendars? We<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>won't make you wait till Las Vegas for the answer: they were first produced<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in 1964.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Freedom Foundation Honors Twin Vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Recognition for the work of the American Action Fund<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for Blind Children and Adults is nothing new. One event was recorded in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>May 1969 issue of the Braille Monitor. We reprint part of that article here<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>as we pave the way for a fine centennial celebration that will take place<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in July. Here is the way the article was introduced:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> [Editor's Note: The following story is reprinted from the Van Nuys<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>(California) News and was written by the Assistant Editor of the News, Haig<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Keropian.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> For its "heart" and latest contribution in bringing knowledge,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>understanding, and inspiration to the blind throughout the world, Twin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Vision, an educational arm of the American Brotherhood for the Blind, today<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>possesses the coveted George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Foundation at Valley Forge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This honor-as well as the presentation of special Twin Vision awards<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to Mrs. Rockey (Jay) Spicer, first president of nine-year-old volunteer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Twin Vision Action Committee, and William Schiffmacher, for his artistic<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>contributions to the group-highlighted the organization's annual banquet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The Freedom Foundation medal was awarded for the Twin Vision<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>production of the Constitution of the United States in Braille. It was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>presented to Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, blind president of the American<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Brotherhood for the Blind by Mrs. Theodore Flynn, a member of the awards<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>committee, Los Angeles County Chapter, Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In her presentation, Mrs. Flynn said that recipients of the George<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Washington Honor Medal are judged on the basis of "outstanding achievements<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in bringing about a better understanding of the American way of life."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Since its inception, Twin Vision, which maintains its headquarters at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>18440 Topham Street, Tarzana, has been cited on many occasions for its<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>books which make it possible for sighted parents to share rewarding reading<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>experiences with their blind children and vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Twin Vision publications have been sent to schools for the blind,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>libraries, and homes throughout the nation and in many foreign countries.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Twin Vision honors-the Golden Book Awards-were presented to Mrs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Spicer and Mr. Schiffmacher by Dr. Jernigan and Mrs. Jean Dyon Norris,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>founder and director of Twin Vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The Braille production of the Constitution was sponsored by the Pilot<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Club of Van Nuys headed by Elizabeth Noble.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Another highlight of the banquet was the presentation of the initial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>copy of the organization's new publication "The White Cane Story" to Mrs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Jacobus tenBroek, widow of the late blind president of the American<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Brotherhood for the Blind. Mrs. Norris said "The White Cane Story" is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>dedicated to Dr. tenBroek, whose inspirational guidance had made the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>publication of the book possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Dr. tenBroek had taken part in all previous banquets of Twin Vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>His impressive record of courage and accomplishment continues to serve as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>an inspiration to both the blind and sighted. Reference to Dr. tenBroek's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>inspirational work was made by Mrs. Spicer during her acceptance of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Golden Book Award. She in turn was commended for her pioneering efforts<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with the volunteer Action Committee by Mrs. Norris.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Tributes to the memory of Dr. tenBroek also were given by Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Jernigan, who referred to the significant value of the printed page to both<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sightless children and adults.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> He said the blind today are distinguishing themselves as students and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in many professional areas of activity. Dr. Jernigan said that "blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is not a great tragedy," and that the blind can overcome what he referred<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to as a "nuisance" handicap. He said the blind seek equal treatment and an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>equal share of community responsibilities, as well as an equal share in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>rewards of community progress and development. "We have hope for the future<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and confidence in the present," Dr. Jernigan concluded.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Sassy Outwater-Wright poses for a photograph on a city<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>street.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Kindness is Greater than Fear: Changing Access Denials by Finding the Roots<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> of Conflict<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Sassy Outwater-Wright<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Not too long ago I was directed to a blog article,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and I liked it very much. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>contact its author, but what do you know-she was a part of the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind's Massachusetts convention. In this blog entry,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>which she modified slightly for our publication, Sassy talks about the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>problem in enforcing the rules about allowing guide dogs and rideshare<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>companies. I observe that many people are angered when they are passed by,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>but remarkably few people are willing to complain using the monitoring<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>tools we have in place, and still fewer are willing to tell drivers and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>providers when they have received good service.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> As you will soon see, guide dogs and ridesharing services are only a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>small part of Sassy's message. They provide the context for a more<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>substantial lesson, one I hope you find as moving as I do. Here is the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>article:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> On my way home from work and medical misadventures in Boston one snowy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>January night, I had a long trip ahead and was eager to just collapse into<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my Lyft, pull out my laptop, and work on a presentation due the next day. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was not feeling well, it was bitterly cold, and I was in one of those take-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>no-crap-from-anyone moods, where the first wrong thing is instantly the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>last straw.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So when my Lyft driver called and was having trouble finding my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>address and I talked him in by giving turn by turn instructions, I bit my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lip and wanted to be wrong. But I couldn't ignore my hunch-this guy was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>going to try and refuse my guide dog. The only thing cuing me into that was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>his accent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Yep. I was going there, judging. And I hated myself for it. My bias<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was showing, and there was nothing good about it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> There are several reasons I hear as to why drivers won't allow me to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>get into their vehicles with my guide dog. First is fear. They are scared<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of my dog. They're worried the dog will bite them or jump and distract them<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>or ruin their car's interior. The next most common reason is an allergy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>The ADA classifies allergies of life-threatening severity as another<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>disability. So that's classified in Lyft and Uber policy to the drivers as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"being able to perform essential job functions." They would have to take<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>any passengers who presented themselves for transport. I can't drive<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>because my eyes don't work; they don't give blind people driver's licenses.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Some people cannot be that close to dogs. Similar consideration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Lastly, you get those who come from cultures or countries where dogs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and people don't mix. Dogs are strays and attack people in many developing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nations. Drivers have never heard of a service dog. Disabled individuals do<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>not have access to the rights we do, so seeing someone out with a guide dog<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is a new experience for many drivers. Dogs are not in-home pets, and the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>concept of a service dog is one they don't understand and have probably<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>never had a chance to learn about firsthand. Sure, they've read the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>paperwork and heard about it, but seeing a disabled person out on their own<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in public is different enough; seeing them with a service dog is incredibly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>hard to understand when the only thing you've seen dogs do where you are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from is chase people and get into fights for scraps.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> My responses vary. Fear of my dog damaging vehicles or attacking<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>people is laughable. Accidents happen once or twice in a working dog's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>career. I pay to have them cleaned, or, like any good dog handler/dog mom,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>have learned to leap twenty feet to catch all matter of bodily excretions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in a relieving bag, which I can whip open in .2 nanoseconds if need be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I've done it in a dressing room while trying on bras. Nothing phases me, so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>no car is in danger from my dog.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> And my dog won't attack anyone. I'd never let someone hurt him to a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>point where he might feel he needed to defend himself, and he'd never think<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to do that, so it's not something I ever worry about. I've had nineteen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>years of dog handling experience at the level of dog training that might<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>easily qualify me as a dog trainer. I can handle pretty much any situation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and know what my dog is thinking. It's just a non-issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> While a non-issue for me, for someone terrified of dogs, all my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>assurances aren't going to do anything for them. There are those who argue<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>but listen to reason, then there are those who just look for a fight. I've<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>been refused rides so many times that I have gotten good at reading people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from the moment they pull up-if they pull up at all. Some see me with my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>black Labrador guide in harness standing next to me and drive off before I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can talk to them. Most say no and speed off. If they stay to argue, I can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>usually eventually get them to listen to reason. I don't like having to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>report them to Lyft because they will lose their access to drive. They'll<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lose their job. That doesn't feel good to anyone. But standing there in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cold with no ride because I'm blind and work with a guide dog doesn't feel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>good either.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This gentleman had an Arabic accent. I know that sound anywhere,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>because I grew up surrounded by it. I grew up in an Arabic household, and I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>know the nuances of why many in Arab cultures fear dogs being too close to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>them. I should be the last person thinking that this man was going to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>refuse to transport my guide dog. Besides, I know how to explain it if it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>comes to that. They're not the ones I usually worry about, because I can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>talk to them. I can reason with them. The angry ones who won't listen a)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>don't have a particular ethnicity or country of origin despite popular<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>harmful theory, and b) you can't reason with rage-fueled hate. This is just<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>fear, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I "powered up" before striding toward the car, my guide dog working<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>at my side. I call it powering up when I push past the emotions I'm<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>feeling, the anger and the fear, because those won't get me anywhere in an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>advocacy situation, and it's not about me. When it's their fear or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>misunderstanding, it's about what I can offer to support and teach them, if<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>they'll listen, and I'm in a place where I can offer. Like powering up<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>battle armor or putting up an onstage persona, emotions aren't answers;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>they're pieces of data. I needed to be clinical and not center myself, even<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>though I was the center of this possible access problem. His reaction to me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was the crux of the problem. I can't change my blindness; he can change his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I walked up to the car and put my hand on top of the passenger side<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>window, which he had rolled down. And sure enough: "You're with the dog? I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can't take you. I can't take the dog."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Federal and state law say that you must take me, this is a guide<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>dog. If you do not take me, you may lose your job with Lyft."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "That's okay. I'll lose my job. I can't take the dog."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Why?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "I'm scared. I can't take the dog. He will hurt me."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "No, he won't hurt you. He is a trained guide dog."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> At this point, the passenger sitting in the back transferred to the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>front (it was a shared ride), and the driver watched as I pulled out my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>phone. "Either I call the police and report this to Lyft, or you let me and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my guide dog get into your car and you take me home."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I asked in Arabic: "Do you speak Arabic? Are you Muslim?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> He answered with an emphatic "no" and kept insisting he couldn't take<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the dog; but he didn't pull away, and I could tell he didn't want me to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>call Lyft. He was torn.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So eventually he let me get in, and my guide dog lay obediently on<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the floor under and behind my legs, where he couldn't reach the driver or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sit up much because my legs were in his way. He snuggled up to my boots and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was snoring a couple minutes after we got on the road. He was fast asleep<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and stayed that way the whole ride.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> My heart was racing though. I didn't know if this driver I just<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>argued with was trustworthy or if I had just angered him. He could do<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>anything to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> He dropped the other passenger off, and it was just us. I clutched my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>phone in my hands, thinking: "What will I text people if something goes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>very wrong?" I typed a quick text message to my husband that I was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>concerned for my safety.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The moment the door closed behind the other passenger, it was like a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>light switched on. The driver looked back at me. "You speak Arabic?" he<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>asked in Arabic, hopefully. It was an unspoken coded message between us,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>meaning: "Are you safe? Do you hate me because I'm Arab? Is it okay for me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to be real and myself in front of you or will you treat me with hate and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>discrimination simply because I'm Arab?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I got it instantly and gave him the most genuine, kind smile I could<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>find, not even knowing if his eyes were on the road or on me. "Yes, I do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I'm safe. You're okay."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Can I tell you why I'm so scared of your dog?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> At my gentle nod, he launched into a halting half-English, half-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Arabic tale of being bitten by a dog while he was working. A dog attacked<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>him out of nowhere while he was making a delivery, and he needed many shots<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to recover from the attack. He was petrified, driving with my dog inches<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I nodded my understanding and carefully explained the ADA. He asked<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>about my upbringing and how I came to know how to explain disabilities and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>laws to him in Arabic? He also wanted to know why I was being kind and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>educating him? He was used to anger and hate from people. And he<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>acknowledged that I had every right to be angry with him for his initial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>refusal to transport me with my service dog.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I wrote another text to my husband to let him know I was fine; there<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>would be no further worrying. I understood what had happened. The driver's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>explanation did not negate the argument we had earlier, but he was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>listening avidly to everything I said about guide dogs and the ADA. He was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>trying mightily to be brave enough to get me and my guide dog home because<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>he respected that I deserved the same access to services as everyone else.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>No law can lessen his fear of my large dog though. Not after the horrific<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>trauma he had experienced. So we were quietly empathetic to one another in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that ride. And the shared cultural experience of both being aware of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>hatred Arabs experience in America every day was the bridge that melted<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that initial tension and fear. We were instant friends and allies because<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>both of us know what it is like to be so misunderstood and to fight for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>basic kindnesses every day of our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We talked for a long time as we inched through traffic-about Africa,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>religions, history, baby names, and choices of faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I learned he was going to be a first-time father to a little baby boy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in one week. We talked about good names. We talked about love, people,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sacrifice, and kindness in how we listen to others and don't center<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ourselves when it's not about us, but about their emotions being the block<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to a resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When we pulled up to my house, I said: "I'm going to have my dog<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stand up and get out of the car behind you on the driver's side so he<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>doesn't have to turn around. His face will be close to you, but I'll keep<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my hands here so he can't touch you. Is that okay?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> To my surprise, he got out of the car and held the door open for me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"It's okay," I said. "He's going to jump out right there. You can back away<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>so he isn't close to you. I've got him on his leash, see?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "It's safe. I'm safe with him, I know," he said, smiling. "He's nice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>He's quiet. What's his name?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Ferdinand." I slung my backpack across my shoulders, and Ferdie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wagged at the driver in greeting but pulled on me. He was hungry, it was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>his dinnertime, and his house was right there!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Thank you," the driver said in Arabic. "You were very kind to me. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>apologize. Thank you for teaching me and understanding why I was so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>scared."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "You don't need to apologize for being afraid. You were willing to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>listen and be brave for me, and that is a great kindness. It's a law, but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the kindness goes further tonight. I understand. I'm glad I could help you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>learn and help you understand my side of the story." We parted with a firm<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>handshake and a smile, and I called back: "Enjoy your new little son soon,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Baba!" Baba is the Arabic word for father.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> That simple encounter changed us both a little bit. It made me a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>better, more aware and empathetic and responsive advocate. And it taught my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>driver about guide dogs and that there are plenty of people who love having<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>men like him here in this country, no matter where they come from, because<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>they are kind and brave.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Dennis Miller]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Big Opportunities in a Small Town: Thinking Outside the Box<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Dennis Miller<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Missouri is a rural state with a lot of farmland and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>many small towns separated by a considerable distance. In most of these<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>there is no bus service, no taxicabs, and though you can bring up the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>rideshare app of your choice, there simply are no rides to be had. It is a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>given for people who live in a small town that one will have a car or a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pickup truck that they can drive, so many people who are blind take as an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>article of faith the idea that the only way for us to be independent is to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>move to a place large enough to meet our basic transportation needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Although for many this is a choice, for some it is not. Perhaps they<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are unwilling to part from the family support which is the primary focus of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>their lives. Some blind people are themselves the support for their loved<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ones as they take care of older parents or siblings who cannot take care of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>themselves. So what do you do when you've gone through school, have gotten<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>rehabilitation money to get a college degree, and find yourself in a small<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>town here in Missouri?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The answer to this question can be found in part in the presentation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>made to the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>on March 23, 2019, by Dennis Miller, a member of the Missouri affiliate who<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is blind and significantly hard of hearing. In these remarks he provides<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>concrete examples of how he has managed to get work and some uncomfortable<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>examples of why we sometimes fall short of the goal he has achieved. Push<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for what you want, but don't just wait; do what you can until you can do<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>what you want to do. The need to survive should make this clear, but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sometimes programs that are intended as a safety net end up being a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lifeboat. The problem is that a lifeboat is never intended to be a vessel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>on which someone lives permanently. It is way too small and has none of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>necessities most of us require and take for granted. Over time that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lifeboat is transformed from a safe refuge to a prison, and far too often<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>we don't realize that we are making a choice to stay in it. Staying in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lifeboat occurs when we decide to give up on seeking employment or pretend<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to ourselves that there are just so many choices out there that we can't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>bring ourselves to make one. Here is what Dennis said about finding<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>employment where he wants to live as a part of living the life he wants:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Thank you, President Wright. What an honor it is for me to be here<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>among you folks today. This is only my second National Federation of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind convention, and I'm very much enjoying it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I've known Shelia Wright for almost thirty years now, and when we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>first met it was at an agency called Blind Focus. While I was a student<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>there, and I was going through a lot of difficult adjustments, this lady<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was kind enough to shepherd me through all of it. Ever since that point,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>when she has asked me to do something, I've asked three questions: when,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>where, and how much am I getting paid? After a few years I realized that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the answer to the third question wasn't going to change, so now I just ask<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>when and where.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I want to talk briefly today about my experience living in a small<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>town and being employed. The residents of my small town may not like some<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of the things I say, but so be it. Actually Kirksville is a very small<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>community of 17,000 people. It's ninety miles to the north of Columbia, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>some of you in your lifetime have probably had the misfortune of traveling<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>through it on your way to somewhere else. Kirksville is one of these towns<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>where once you've gone to the Walmart supercenter, you've about seen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>everything.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> But Kirksville is my home. It is where I was born and raised. It is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>where I went to school as a totally blind person and graduated from the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>university there. When I graduated from Truman State University, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>district supervisor for Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (who has<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>since been put out to pasture) told me that if I ever wanted to be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>employed, I had to leave Kirksville. He said there was absolutely nothing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for me and Kirksville. For a while I thought he might be right.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I graduated with a degree in broadcast communications and minored in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>political science. I spent several years living out my dream in radio, but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I left radio because there was very little money in it, and unfortunately<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>there's very little need for humans anymore. It's become almost totally<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>automated.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I worked several years in the independent living industry, and I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wanted to do something different. I really liked the idea of thinking<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>outside the box, maybe doing some things on my own. And I think this may be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the major focus of my talk today.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Sometimes when you live in a small community, opportunities come down<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and hit you on the head. If you are there, and if you're willing, you can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>take advantage of them. The first opportunity I was given was to spend six<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>years as a contract Braille instructor for an entity over in Milan,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Missouri, which is even smaller than our town of Kirksville. Milan is about<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thirty-five miles to the west. Some of you may remember the young man I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>helped, because he won an NFB scholarship and took that on to Northwest<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Missouri State University where he graduated with honors. He's now married<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and very happy and very gainfully employed. So I was given an opportunity<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that required my being in the right place at the right time and being<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>willing to think outside the box, being willing to do something that I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>couldn't imagine myself doing. I never thought of being a teacher. I hated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>school. But being a teacher was what I've been in one form or another since<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2000.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> My experience with the Braille instructor position led to a contract<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with TAPI [the Telecommunications Program for Internet], a wonderful<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>program operated by the Missouri Assistive Technology Project that provides<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>equipment and instruction to help blind people get on the internet. But<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>after you do so much training in a small town like Kirksville, you run out<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of people who need it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The next question I asked myself was where am I going from here? In<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the summer of 2006 I happened to overhear a conversation among parents who<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>had blind children who were being homeschooled. The state of Missouri had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>already passed a law that requires all graduating seniors to have a working<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>knowledge of the state and the United States constitutions. That applies to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>everyone, whether you are in a public school or being educated in a private<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>or homeschool. These parents were commiserating among themselves, saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"We don't think we know enough to be able to teach this. We don't have the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>skills. What are we going to do? We barely understand the Constitution<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ourselves. How are we going to teach these crucial documents to our<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>children?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> One of the parents said, "I think Dennis has a background in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>political science."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> That piqued their interest, and they turned to me and said, "Would<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you be interested in teaching a civics class for children who are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>homeschooled, both middle school and high school students?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> My first thought was that I had never taught a group before, but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>almost immediately my second was that I would certainly give it a try. They<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>also said, "While you're teaching that, would you mind teaching a public<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>speaking course?" So that's how my experience in teaching large groups of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>kids went, teaching civics and public speaking. I developed my own way of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>teaching civics because there was no set formula. I wasn't in a public<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>classroom; I was in a private setting where I could kind of do my own<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thing. I decided that instead of using a textbook, I would teach directly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from the documents themselves. This means that I taught directly from the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Missouri Constitution. I had a lot of success with that. The kids seemed to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>like that it was very interactive. They were encouraged to ask questions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and to venture answers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We came to Jefferson City every year to meet with their senators and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>representatives. One year we had a particular representative who took a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>strong interest in our class. I can't remember the issue (I suspect it was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>not a major one), but it was up for a vote. Our representative walked over<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to the kids and said, "How should I vote on this?" They listened to the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>debate, they told him, and then they were able to see him go vote in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>way they had suggested. That may have been how he was going to vote anyway,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>but it was a different way of doing things that said to them that what they<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thought mattered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This year is actually the first year I have not taught that civics<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>class because, through my teaching of that, I have built a reputation as a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>good teacher. So when the city of Kirksville got a grant for this teaching<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of English as a second language, they turned to me, and I accepted. We have<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>two manufacturing plants, one in Milan and one in Kirksville. Many of their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>employees are from African speaking nations as well as some Latin American<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nations. We have people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Togo,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the Ivory Coast, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Venezuela,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Panama, and Puerto Rico. There are a wide variety of people, but it works.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I happen to go to church with the lady who is responsible for that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>grant, and I asked her "How do you do that?" She said, "What we really need<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are volunteers who are willing to talk to the adults. Dennis, you would be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>perfect at that because you have such a strong curiosity and interest. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>think it is something that you would really enjoy, and they would enjoy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I promised her that I would give it a try. For those of you who don't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>know, I do have some hearing difficulties. I have a cochlear implant which<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I got a couple years ago, but I wasn't quite sure how it would work out. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>said, "Okay, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>give it a try." I started the job in January of 2018, and they kept asking<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>me to increase my hours. I started out doing this just one day a week, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that went until the end of the school year. They then wrote my position<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>into the grant so that I could teach more hours and actually get paid. The<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>request to increase my hours has continued, and it has been the most<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life. I love every second of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it. I would not trade it for the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So why do I bring all this up? I bring it up because when I came to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my first convention in 2006, I didn't know I could've imagined my doing any<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of those things. I was not a teacher. I knew nothing about teaching. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>didn't even like books unless I was reading them for myself for pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>The point that I have come here to make is that we need to be willing to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>think outside the box. When an opportunity comes your way, don't be afraid<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to say, hey, I'd like to try that. A lot of times what happens is that we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>go to school, we get a degree, and we don't find a job within a certain<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>amount of time in the area in which we got our degree. We then give up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Yes, the unemployment rate among blind people and people with disabilities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in general is extremely high. Some of that is because we are not given the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>opportunities that we deserve, but, in my opinion, some of that is that we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>don't take advantage of all the opportunities that are out there.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[applause] You know, if someone said, "Dennis, do you want to collect trash<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>out of the street?" I would have to admit that that is not a job that I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>would really want to do, but keep in mind that somebody has to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When I started as a civics teacher, it was as a volunteer. The same<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is true for the ESL class. As I said, they then rolled me into the grant so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that I can get paid. Now maybe I didn't want to start out as a volunteer,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>but they needed the work done, and I wanted the challenge. Had I not taken<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that opportunity, someone else would've. That somebody else would now be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>written into their grant, and I would not be working every week.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So my real point in all of this is that when you are looking for a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>job, be willing to explore-be willing to explore, be willing to experiment,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>be willing to try something different. If I had an advanced bachelor's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>degree in chemistry and I couldn't find a job in chemistry, I'd probably be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>upset, but it really comes down to do you want to work or do you want to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stay at home? Sometimes I think we limit ourselves because we're not<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>willing to think outside the box. We too often tell ourselves that we are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>above this job, or this job isn't what I want. I know that when I graduated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from college, if you would have come to me and asked if I wanted to teach<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>immigrants English, I would've said absolutely not. No way! But as I said,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this has become the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life, and it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is now something I would not trade for the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I leave you with this plea and challenge: be willing to try, be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>willing to expand your horizons, be willing to dream, be willing to go into<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>an area that is outside your comfort zone. I had never been around<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>immigrants before; I told you I live in Kirksville, Missouri. I didn't even<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>know we had immigrants. I just assumed somebody else did all of those<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>factory jobs. But these people have become some of my best friends. I am<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>extremely comfortable around them, and they are very comfortable around me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>They look at me outside of the classroom as somebody they can rely on to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>help them if they get in a difficult position. But again that is an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>opportunity that, had I not been willing to take that chance and take that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>risk, would've gone to somebody else. Don't limit yourself. Never think<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that something isn't right for you until you have taken the opportunity to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>try it. It's okay to try it and not like it. I did not particularly enjoy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>working in the independent living center-it wasn't my thing. I did it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>because it was a job, and I needed to work. How do you know if you don't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>like something until you try it?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Some of you in here may remember a man named Casey Kasem. He's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>probably too old for some of you. Back when I was a small boy, Casey Kasem<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>had a weekly show on the radio called America's Top Forty. He always ended<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the show with the same signature line, and I'm going to end my presentation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in the same way. "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stars."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Leave a Legacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>adults.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>With your help, the NFB will continue to:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> white canes to blind people in need;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> youth that science and math are within their reach;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> blind people the essential information necessary to be actively<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> involved in their communities;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> their independence; and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Plan to Leave a Legacy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>beneficiary. Visit www.nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>extension 2422, for more information. Together with love, hope,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Invest in Opportunity<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>characteristic that defines you or your future. You can live the life you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>want; blindness is not what holds you back. A donation to the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind allows you to invest in a movement that removes the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>fear from blindness. Your investment is your vote of confidence in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>value and capacity of blind people and reflects the high expectations we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>have for all blind Americans, combating the low expectations that create<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>obstacles between blind people and our dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>In 2018 the NFB:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Distributed over seven thousand canes to blind people across the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> United States, empowering them to travel safely and independently<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> throughout their communities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Hosted forty-eight NFB BELL Academy programs, which served more than<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> three hundred and fifty blind students throughout the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Provided over one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships to blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> students, making a post-secondary education affordable and attainable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Delivered audio newspaper and magazine services to 118,900<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> subscribers, providing free access to over four hundred local,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> national, and international publications.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . In the third year of the program, over three hundred fifty Braille-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> writing slates and styluses were given free of charge to blind users.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Just imagine what we'll do next year, and, with your help, what can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>be accomplished for years to come. Below are just a few of the many<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>diverse, tax-deductible ways you can lend your support to the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Vehicle Donation Program<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The NFB now accepts donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation-it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>doesn't have to be working. We can also answer any questions you have.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>General Donation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the work to help blind people live the lives they want. Donate online with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>www.nfb.org/make-gift for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Bequests<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Even if you can't afford a gift right now, including the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind in your will enables you to contribute by<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>expressing your commitment to the organization and promises support for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>future generations of blind people across the country. Visit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>www.nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Pre-Authorized Contribution<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>recurring monthly donations by direct withdraw of funds from a checking<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, visit www.nfb.org/make-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>gift, and complete the Pre-Authorized Contribution form, and return it to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the address listed on the form.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Joe Orozco]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Facts about Blindness ... According to Me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Joe Orozco<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: The following is taken from the Vigilant, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia. Many<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of its articles are good reads, but we highlight this one in particular.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Joe Orozco originally published this in his blog. He is the editor of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>newsletter, and here is his offering:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> What have you always wanted to know about blind people but were<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>always too afraid to ask? My thoughts are not the definitive view on the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>subject. Contrary to popular assumption, we're not all related to each<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>other, and our opinions are as diverse as the people that make up this<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>small segment of society. Still, it's a good start.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Will it offend you if I refer to you as blind?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Actually, "blind" is preferable to visually challenged, seeing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>impaired, sight handicapped or any of a growing combination of politically<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>correct terms. These attempts at politeness are fumbling conversation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>starters and only confuse the bottom line that I can't see as well as you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can. There was a point when the fact that I am not totally blind would have<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>prompted me to correct another person's understanding of my visual acuity,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>but let's start with blind and then work our way into color, lighting, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>depth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Has your hearing improved to compensate for the loss of your sight?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> A person may concentrate more on his hearing when the eyes don't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>work, but concentration is a far cry from the pinpoint-sonar people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>attribute to blindness. Actually, my hearing feels below average compared<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to what I notice other people pick up. Whatever you do, please do not ever<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>go to the other extreme and raise your voice at me. I'm an easygoing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>person, but my cane may find its way to your ankle at high velocity. What,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I'm blind, and you were in my way!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> For what it's worth, my sense of smell also seems supremely<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>underwhelming.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> What is one of the most misunderstood aspects about blindness?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Blind people are so cool because they don't judge others by<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>appearance..." Yeah right. First, appearance has more to do with overall<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>presence, not just physical characteristics. Second, we're every bit as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>observant as anyone else, and while my ears and nose may not be anything to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>write home about, I would have never dated a girl whose voice got on my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nerves or whose body odor made my skin crawl. Also, don't be surprised if<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>we ask our sighted friends to give us their assessment of you. I would have<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>personally not have taken a friend's opinion at face value, but if enough<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>people pointed to the same flaws, I might start believing-where there's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>smoke, there's fire, and all that. Rest assured your judgment of me will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>never measure up to the harsh criticisms of a fellow blind person...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> What advice would you give to someone who's just lost their sight?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Blindness is pretty dull as far as disabilities go. Maybe it's a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>matter of perception, but I would think we'd be far worse off if we could<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>not hear, walk on two legs, or labored with a mental illness that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>prohibited traditional interaction. No doubt there are representatives of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>these conditions who would tell you their life is every bit as fruitful as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ours and list ways they too are misunderstood. See what I mean about blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>people and prejudice? My point is that, assuming blindness is the only<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>characteristic, your life will shift to new ways of doing things, but it's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>hardly a dramatic alteration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Did you see that movie? Wait, sorry, did you hear it?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Let's not get hung up on semantics. Yes, I saw the Harry Potter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>movies, at least the first three, and I don't know that the British did the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stories justice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Think of it a different way: I'm pretty sure deaf people could be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>backhanded as much for what they say as what they sign.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Do you ever get depressed because of your blindness?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I went through my brief periods of depression. I went from good sight<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to nearly nothing and am therefore aware of what I lost. I don't know that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I ever felt overwhelmed. I had good teachers, high parental expectations,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and enough blind role models among peers to know things would ultimately be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>okay. That is not always the case, and if you are one who still struggles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with your condition, drop me a note. We'll talk through it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Don't get me wrong. You never stop wishing you could drive a car or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>see the faces of loved ones. With time you learn to cope and find other<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ways of enjoying similar sentiments. When the day comes that I am totally<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>blind, I will come back and reread this passage, and I'll do my best to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>remember that things did not go completely off the rails when I first<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>started noticing the deterioration of my sight when I was a kid. I have had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>so many great experiences and have met so many great people that I would<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>otherwise have never met if I weren't blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> If you could undergo a surgical procedure to restore your sight, would<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Any surgical procedure has risks. I could gamble away what little<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sight I have left, and to take the leap of faith would suggest I am<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>dissatisfied with my current condition. I would give it long thought but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>would probably pass.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> How do you cross lighted intersections without help?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When I had Gator, my first Seeing Eye dog, people assumed it was the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>dog that did the intelligent crossing. I suppose there could be a way to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>get around the color blindness, but I am alive today mostly owed to my own<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>common sense and good education. At its simplest, you cross with parallel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>traffic, which is to say the flow of traffic moving in the same direction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>as you. There are complicated intersections where the traffic flows aren't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>as straightforward as east/west immediately following north/south, or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>streets crossing at a slant as is true of downtown DC, and in those cases I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>don't mind standing at the corner studying the pattern until I feel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>comfortable enough to venture out. I may look foolish standing out there on<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the corner, but at least I'll be around to enjoy people's comments about my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>foolishness. Eventually I walk a route enough times to measure the distance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>between lights, and if I'm in a hurry, I may start paying attention to my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>parallel traffic halfway down the block to get a rough sense of how much<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>time I have to cross when I arrive at the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Regardless of the intersection, I've learned not to follow the flow<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of pedestrians. Too many people cross on red lights, and I am not one of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>those people who would jump off a bridge if all my friends got together and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>decided to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> For your reference, guide dogs do not know when to cross an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>intersection; however, they do know how to intelligently disobey their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>handler. A guide dog will not cross a street if it sees an oncoming<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>vehicle. It will not deliberately walk a pedestrian off a train platform.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Now, one could argue these skills can be attributed to superb training, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>maybe that is true. Yet I'm thinking the dog is invested in its own<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>survival. We just happen to be holding its harness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> What are some of the social aspects of being blind you wish people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>understood?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Speaking for myself, I don't really look forward to buffet lines.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Independence is partially about looking graceful, and in my opinion there<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is nothing graceful about feeling around for serving spoons and running the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>risk of dipping a finger in the casserole, embarrassing yourself and making<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the other guests feel dubious about where your fingers may've been. There<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are methods to handling such tasks of course. You could move your hand<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>inward over the table surface, find the rim of the dish, and move around<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>its edge until you find the utensil. I paid attention in my independent<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>living classes. Yet independence is also about seizing conveniences, so you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>could also just ask someone to help load your plate and go on about your<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>business. I feel far more confident about carrying a tray and drink to my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>table than I do about navigating someone else's logic about the way dishes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>should be laid out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I walk fast when I walk alone. In fact I experience my own version of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pedestrian's sidewalk rage, but I feel slow and stumbling when walking with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>someone else because my attention is divided between carrying a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>conversation and stopping myself from colliding with a lamppost. In some<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cases I would rather walk with a hand on the person's elbow to ensure the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>smooth continuity of both our conversation and our journey. This is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>especially true in crowded restaurants.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Something else that comes to mind is my attitude about how the rest<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of the world perceives me. As I grow older it matters less. If truth be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>told it probably never mattered enough, but there was a point when I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wondered about the stain on my shirt or the syrup on my cheek or the rip in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my jeans. If you saw either on a fellow sighted person, you would attribute<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it to laziness or wouldn't think of it at all. If you saw this on a blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>person, however, your first thought might be that it was because the person<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was blind. I'd like you to point it out to me in the spirit of open<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>communication. No one likes to walk around attracting the wrong kind of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>attention, but don't be surprised to discover that I can be every bit as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>careless or clumsy as you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When you see me board a train or bus, it'd be nice if you offered me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the seat near the door. I will turn you down, but it's the thought that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>counts. My independence will not be threatened by the same type of courtesy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I would extend if I were sighted and came upon a blind person. To that end,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I may not always take advantage of the discounts and freebies offered to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>senior citizens and persons with disabilities. If I don't, chalk it up to a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>desire to equally contribute to society and not because I am an ungrateful<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>person. I worked hard to be a taxpayer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> How do you handle household chores as a blind person?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When I cook I first ensure the location of all supplies and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ingredients. I memorize the heat level for the dial positions on the stove<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and oven. I use a fork to test the state of cooking meat or vegetables. I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>also listen for changes in the way the food sizzles to gauge states of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>readiness. There are tactile dots on the microwave and other appliances<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with touch screens. I now rely on my iPhone to keep track of time and will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>probably use the iPhone in the future to find recipes. Otherwise, I follow<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>basic safety steps like using oven mitts when pulling pans from the rack.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>If I don't cook more often, it's partially because I'm a perfectionist, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>what should take an hour to prepare often takes me two. Blind or sighted,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nothing works better in cooking than tasting the meal in progress.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The proper way for a blind person to sweep a floor is to do so in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>bare feet. The idea is that you can feel whether or not you are catching<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>all the dirt and grime. I'm not above such strategies. I just find vacuums<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>much faster. I periodically check with my hand if a wooden floor seems<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>fine. Carpets are a little more difficult, but the way that usually works<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for me is to vacuum in continuous patterns to ensure every inch is covered<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>at least three times. The same is true of scrubbing tubs, cleaning toilets,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wiping counters, and washing dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Laundry is straightforward. For the moment I can still distinguish<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>colors, but when I can no longer do so, I have different baskets for lights<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and darks. I've marked the machines. My stepmother would be disappointed to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>learn I no longer iron as often as I did in high school or even college,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>but that too is a process of orientation and using your hands to smooth,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>flatten, and iron in patterns for equal coverage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Remodeling is also doable. There are blind people far more handy with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>tools than I will ever be, so let's just be clear then when I say<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"remodeling," in my case it means moving furniture up and down stairs, into<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and out of trucks, and from one end of the house to the other. My point<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>here is that blind people are not inept, can lift heavy objects, and are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>perfectly capable of helping you move.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Until then, is there anything I missed? Or, is there something I got<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wrong? That's technically impossible since so much of what I wrote is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>subjective, but alternative views are always welcomed in the comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Ann Cunningham]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Opening New Doors in Tactile Art with the Help of Arts in Society<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Ann Cunningham<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Ann Cunningham is an artist with a significant<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>reputation, but most of her career accomplishments of late have been found<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in introducing blind people to the world of art. She has been a pioneer in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>working on techniques that allow her to share one of her significant life<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>interests with people who are generally not thought to be capable of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>enjoying or participating in art. Here is what she has to say about a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>recent grant received in recognition of the work she is doing:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This year I am celebrating my twentieth anniversary of teaching art<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>at the Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB). As I inch toward retirement, I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was concerned that the art program would fade away if I didn't take some<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>action to make sure that a succession plan was in place. To me, this meant<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that I needed to find a teacher to take the program over after I left.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When I first came to the Center in 1998, I was seeking help with a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>public art commission at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Colorado Springs. My only concern was to make a good piece of art that was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>also accessible and meaningful to students.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I found the folks at the Colorado Center were happy to help me with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>critical advice about my approach to my project. I was also introduced to a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>student who was in the middle of a complex project. He was creating a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>tactile map of a large hotel in Atlanta, the site of the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind Convention in 1999. This student asked if I could<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>read floor plans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> And so my education began. David James, the student I was working<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with, clearly instructed me as we made stairs out of popsicle sticks: "Ann,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>make a set of stairs. Now close your eyes and make another set and pay<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>attention to how you do it. Make as many as you need to until you figure<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>out what you are doing. Next tell me." That was the beginning and has<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>remained the foundation of how I teach. I learned about how genuine<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>accessibility and effective communication can create an inclusive learning<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>environment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The next year I offered to teach. For many years I was just trying to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>find the edge of the envelope of what kind of art my students could make.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>We never did find that limit, and I now know that people who are blind are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>no more limited in their potential than a person with sight. Creative<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>vision does not discriminate!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When I heard about the Arts in Society grant, I couldn't help but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>think that this might enable me to explore the idea of offering training to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a person who was interested in teaching art who was blind. I had a student<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in mind, and I wrote the grant. Her name is Jenny Callahan, and she had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>gone blind overnight about two years before I met her in my art class. She<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>had just recently graduated from the Center when this opportunity presented<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>itself.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We were awarded the grant in 2017, and the adventure began. It was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>not easy for Jenny and me to form this new partnership. This is where the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>true value of the grant became apparent: I felt a huge obligation to make<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it work or give it back. So when we ran into an obstacle, we would collect<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ourselves and try again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Our big breakthrough came when I finally understood that even though<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>she did indeed want to teach art, she had her own ideas about what she'd<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>teach and how she was going to go about it! It seems funny, looking back<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>now, that the key trait that anyone needs in the arts is creative thought,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and that was what was getting in our way. Once I understood that I could<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>best serve our goals by guidance and not instruction, we made headway. We<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>began seeking out specific information to help Jenny accomplish her goals.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>This has taken the form of offering and taking workshops. We have also been<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>able to order tools and materials for new techniques of art making for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>community projects.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The Arts in Society also allowed Jenny to test her abilities when she<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was able to conceive of and organize a large community project in Orlando,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Florida, at the National Federation of the Blind Convention. She invited<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>anyone interested to stop by and contribute as much or as little as they<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wanted in the construction of a huge colorful octopus, "Calypso." It was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>then displayed in the main convention hall where 3,000 attendees could<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>appreciate the work of their cohorts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> During this grant we have had the chance to work with Marie Gibbons<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to learn hand-built clay techniques. Jenny is working with an intern from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Katie Caron's ceramic class at Arapahoe Community College to set up the art<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>room at the Center so that Jenny can offer wheel-thrown pottery<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>instruction. We took a class on costuming from Virgil Ortiz at the Colorado<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Fine Arts Center. Now we are getting ready to take an anatomy class from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the Zahourek Systems Anatomy in Clay learning series. These opportunities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>were made possible by the grant and are essential in building Jenny's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>repertoire of creative options.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Our community is growing. Just as I was instructed by my first<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>student, all my students became my instructors. Jenny is now teaching 3D<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sculpture at CCB on Fridays. She is offering paper mbchi, chicken-wire<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>float sculptures, alabaster stone carving, hand-building clay techniques,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wax sculpture to be cast in bronze, and whatever else she cares to do! Soon<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>she will also be able to offer wheel-thrown ceramics!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I am teaching a twenty-three-week program to all the students at the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Center on tactile drawing. It includes concepts of perspective, drafting<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and STEM illustrations (charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams), as well as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>creative self-expression. And the great news is I am working with a staff<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>member from the Center who is proving to be an adept teacher herself as she<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>quickly learns the concepts and then assists me in teaching. My fingers are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>crossed that she will be interested in continuing!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This Arts in Society grant continues to make an impact every Tuesday<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and Friday in art classes at the Colorado Center for the Blind, and on the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>third Tuesday evening of each month at Tactile Art Club. If you would like<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to stop by and observe either class, please contact me at:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>acunningham@cocenter.org to make arrangements. Or if you would like to join<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>us for Tactile Art Club please send me your email address, and we will send<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you an invitation with times and location. Everyone is welcome!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Marie Gibbons: http://www.mariegibbons.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Katie Caron: http://katiecaron.com/About<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Virgil Ortiz: http://virgilortiz.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Zahourek Systems: https://www.anatomyinclay.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Nancy Burns]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The Power of Love and Commitment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Nancy Burns<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Nancy Burns is well known to readers of the Braille<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monitor. She has a life filled with rich experiences, and what is so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>fantastic for readers of the Braille Monitor is that she knows how to share<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>them. Here is what she has to say about her public education and the role<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that Dr. Isabelle Grant played in it:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Commitment is a commonly used word in today's vocabulary. Television<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>commercials may boast of a commitment to giving the buyer the best deal if<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you purchase a car from this dealership. Banks or loaning agencies may<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>boast of being committed to providing customers with the best rates. Every<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>business, from grocery stores to shoe stores, may boast of their commitment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to providing customers with the lowest price. All of these promises seem to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>dilute the true meaning of commitment since they are tossed around so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>frequently and casually.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The National Federation of the Blind exemplifies the true meaning of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>commitment. This organization, which stretches from coast to coast and from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Alaska to Puerto Rico, provides sincere commitment to the blind, visually<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>impaired, and to their friends and family. At the root of this commitment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is a philosophy, the cornerstone of which is the belief that blind people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>will lead happy and productive lives if they have a positive attitude and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the proper training.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The best way for this writer to explain commitment is to share some<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of my own personal experiences. At the age of eleven I suddenly lost my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>vision as the result of a traumatic injury to both eyes. This took place in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Southern Missouri, where I grew up and attended school. My parents knew<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nothing about blindness and mostly survived on denial and were certain that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the next of numerous surgeries would restore my vision. This, however, did<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>not happen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> A representative from our local school board visited and told us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>about a school for the blind in St. Louis. I was sent, although<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>reluctantly, to this school, and that was the best thing that ever<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>happened. It became the beginning of the belief in myself as I saw active<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>blind students. They roller skated, swam, and carried around large Braille<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>books which were used to do their homework assignments. Shortly after<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>enrolling, I was taught Braille, and I soon found that I too could skate,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>swim, and read my assignments in Braille.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> As I was ready to begin the tenth grade, my mother told my sister and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>me that we were moving to California. We were not pleased with this<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>decision, but the move was made.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> It was assumed that I would again attend a school for the blind, but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this was not the case. We were living in the Los Angeles area, and the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>California School for the Blind was in Northern California. This transition<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in my life was yet another important turning point. I was enrolled in a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>large, metropolitan high school in Los Angeles. This move forced me to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>adjust from the segregated school for the blind to the "real" world of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sighted students. This is where I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Isabelle<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Grant. I find it difficult to verbalize the right words to express the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>important role she played in my life. She was a tiny bundle of energy who<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>said that she was Scottish, not Scotch. She explained that Scotch was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>something one might drink.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Dr. Grant had been the principal of a large school in Los Angeles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>until she lost her sight as the result of glaucoma. She was then placed in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a resource room in the school I attended. This was way below her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>qualifications, but her impact on the blind students who returned from the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>classroom to that resource room was nothing short of phenomenal. If I asked<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>her the meaning of a word, she didn't stop at the definition but would tell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>me the derivation. She also strongly encouraged me to take the college<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>prerequisites. Prior to her encouragement, I had no intention of attending<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>college, and, without her support, I doubt that I would have gone on to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>UCLA. Much of who I became and who I am is the result of my association<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with Dr. Isabelle Grant. She opened my mind to possibilities that I might<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>never have considered without her encouragement. She was truly a huge<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>influence in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In addition to her academic support, she began speaking to me about<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this organization of blind people. She invited me to her home one Friday<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>evening, and I just went because she wanted me to do so. I was only a high<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>school student, and the picture I had of this meeting I would attend was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this room full of blind people, and most likely old blind people. Some of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>these attendees were possibly in their 40s or even 50s while I was a kid of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>only seventeen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> With her white cane she took us by bus through busy Friday evening<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Los Angeles traffic to her home. Blind men and women began arriving, and I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>met mechanics, homemakers, social workers, and office workers. During a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>break Dr. Grant served tea and cookies. What an eye-opener this all was. No<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pun intended. This was the beginning of a true commitment to me on the part<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of Dr. Isabelle Grant. No other individual has ever affected my life in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>such a positive manner. She encouraged me and began filling me with NFB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>philosophy. What an awesome honor for me to have her guidance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> After graduating from high school, I met several college students,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and once again the name National Federation of the Blind popped up. I found<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>myself in the student's group and even became president. This was the first<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of many positions I have held within the NFB. It was also another lesson in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the true meaning of commitment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Students supported one another in many areas of life, and during<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>these years the influence of Dr. Grant was again felt. She spoke with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>students and discussed the importance of organizing and of the affect that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Dr. tenBroek was having on the blind population. She told us about the work<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>at state and national conventions and encouraged students to become<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>involved. As a blind teacher she led the movement in California to remove<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the vision requirement for teachers. She put forth the argument that, as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>long as an applicant was otherwise qualified, there should be no vision<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>test required. With her support a law was passed revoking the controversial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>vision requirement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I moved to San Francisco and completed my bachelor's degree in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sociology at San Francisco State. Good fortune continued to follow me since<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that was where I met Laurence (Muzzy) Marcelino, another dynamic leader in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the National Federation of the Blind. I joined the local San Francisco<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>chapter and demonstrated my own commitment to growing the NFB.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> After completing my bachelor's degree, I returned to Los Angeles and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>became even more involved in the movement. Since this organization had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>become a huge part in my training, I became totally involved and organized<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>several local chapters. Even after marriage and having two sons, my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>commitment to the NFB continued to grow. I remember bundling my babies up,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and my husband and I took them to chapter meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I began attending state and national conventions and was elected to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the California Board of Directors in the 1970s. My husband and I divorced,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and I gained full custody of my boys. I was hired by the California State<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Department of Rehabilitation and maintained my involvement in the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In 1993 my life took yet another huge turn while attending the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>national convention in Dallas, Texas. It was there that I met Don Burns, a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>gentleman who asked me to dance with him at a huge barbecue. He was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>involved, although recently, in the NFB. Don was in the process of losing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>his vision, his wife, and at the same time he was struggling with his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>future. He was from New Mexico and had connected with Fred Schroeder and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Adelmo Vigil, who became his mentors. We connected immediately, and three<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>months later Don and I were married. Don told me about an opening at the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>commission for the blind training center, where he was working as a cane<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>travel instructor. While still working in California, I had completed my<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>master's degree in Counseling and Psychology and was not certain as to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>where I wanted to work. I applied for the position of independent living<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>instructor and was accepted and moved to New Mexico. Besides our love for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>one another, we both shared a commitment to the National Federation of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind. He confided that after losing his job in the field of construction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for many years, then losing his wife, he had struggled until he met members<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of the organization. Our love for one another, along with our commitment to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the organization, has continued to develop and grow.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> After working for the commission for the blind for a year, Don and I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>moved to Burbank, California, where I still owned property. We both<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>maintained our involvement in the NFB. Don was appointed to the position of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>legislative director by then NFBC president, Jim Willows. He worked for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>several years on legislation, and his work was instrumental in creating<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Braille and math standards for blind students in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I was elected state president in 2000 and served until 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Following my service we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We, of course,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>maintained our commitment to the Federation. It is my sincere hope that I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>have been able to give to others even a small portion of the gift which was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>given to me by Dr. Isabelle Grant. She was the epitome of love and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>commitment, and her influence is still felt within the movement. The best<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>way for me to describe the influence of Dr. Isabelle Grant on my life is to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>quote some words from Eleanor Roosevelt: "Many people will walk in and out<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart".<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Seminar for Computer Beginners<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: It is instructive to look back, sometimes several<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>decades, and see what we were working on and how what we do has evolved.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Here is an article run in May of 1989 talking about these devices called<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>personal computers and the software that made them usable by the blind,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>software known as screen review software. When did we evolve to calling<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this software a screen reader? I should remember, having been in the field<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and likely at the meeting, but I don't. Enjoy:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Have you ever thought about buying a computer? Perhaps you are one of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>those people who is being required to learn how to use a computer, either<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>at work or at home. Maybe you are just one of the many confused and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>frustrated individuals who have heard that computers are simply marvelous!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>You've started thinking about getting one for yourself, perhaps, but you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>find that there is so much information available about hardware, software,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>screen review programs, and the like as to daunt even the most determined<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>computer neophyte. What kind of computer should you buy? IBM? Apple?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Another brand? What is a good word processor? What is the best screen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>review program? What should you buy if you want to communicate with other<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>computer systems over the phone? And then, once you have a computer, what<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is the best way to go about learning how to use it?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Well, the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>conducting a Seminar for Computer Beginners at this year's National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Convention to deal with the concerns, questions, and frustrations of people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>just like you. Although we don't guarantee to answer all of your questions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>about computers, we will certainly try to deal with as many concerns and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>questions as we can. We may even have some interesting computer hardware<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for you to look at, and you won't be bothered by someone who is trying to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sell you something. The seminar will be held on Monday, July 3, [1989] from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., somewhere in the headquarters hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Jim Marks]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Shaking Things Up<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Jim Marks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Jim Marks is a stalwart Federationist of many years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>He currently serves as the president of the National Federation of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind of Montana. Professionally, Jim served as the director of disability<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>services for students at the University of Montana for twenty-one years and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>as the Montana director of vocational rehabilitation for seven years. He<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>currently owns and operates the firm, The Blind Grizzly/Jim Marks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Consulting, and he is writing an historical fiction novel based on his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ancestors' experiences in nineteenth-century Montana.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The State of Montana hired me in January 2010 to serve as its<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>director of vocational rehabilitation in order to shake things up. Here is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>my story.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Quality vocational rehabilitation changes lives. Most mistakenly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>believe the services focus on employment, but the deep story is one of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>civil rights. Civil rights always speak to the self-determination of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>individuals who face limitations and denials of choice. For people with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>disabilities, as with other oppressed groups, the barriers come from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>outside of ourselves as well as within. Vocational rehabilitation services<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>primarily address the internal oppression. When vocational rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>functions as it should, it achieves success when those it serves believe in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>themselves. Good services guide, and clients decide. All people with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>disabilities want to live the lives we want, and services grounded in high<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>expectations leverage the change that leads to employment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When the public vocational rehabilitation program performs as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Congress intends, its outcomes are stunningly beautiful. Forged in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>letter and spirit of civil rights, vocational rehabilitation empowers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>people with disabilities to take control over our own lives and our<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>services. The Rehabilitation Act and its amendments assert bedrock American<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>values such as the values of informed choice, competitive integrated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>employment, and the priority for those with the most significant<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>disabilities. Underlying the entire construct is a very simple premise:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Believe in yourself and what you can do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Here is the thing: such powerful transformative beliefs come from the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind. For many decades, the fingerprints of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation leaders show up all over our nation's public vocational<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>rehabilitation program. No bread is baked without a persuasive philosophy,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and the Federation finds the high marks for what blind people can do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation leadership goes well beyond blindness as it lifts the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>aspirations of all people with disabilities. Additionally, the Federation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>possesses the grit and know-how to bake the bread for ourselves and others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Time and time again, the Federation relentlessly brings down barriers and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>engages everything necessary to leave our world better off than we found<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Unfortunately, even the clearest and most compelling of ideas become<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>obscured in day-to-day struggles. The public vocational rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>program sometimes loses its way. One distraction comes from the dense set<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of written and unwritten rules under which vocational rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>operates. Many policies and practices cause the program to focus on budgets<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>over people or to adopt top-down medical models. One can see the negative<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>results of such follies by examining the employment outcomes. For many<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>decades, vocational rehabilitation failed to budge negative unemployment<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and under-employment rates of those served.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> That is why Montana hired me to shake things up. However, the demand<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for corrections in the public vocational rehabilitation program erupted<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>everywhere. It was not about me. Rather, it was about us. Together, we need<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to figure out public policies and practices that deliver positive change<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and better outcomes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In 2014 Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act with the passage of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As soon as former<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>President Obama signed the bipartisan bill into law, it launched massive<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>changes. In fact, the WIOA amended the Rehabilitation Act 100 times. Most<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of these amendments were so sweeping, experts declare that the vocational<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>rehabilitation of today bears only passing resemblance to the program that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>led up to the WIOA.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Just to focus on one of the changes, the WIOA emphasizes services for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>youth. The law earmarks significant federal funds solely for brand-new<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>services designed to prepare young people for transition to post-secondary<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>education and work. Federationists embrace the concentration on youth<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>because that kind of attention has long been fundamental to our beliefs and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>practices. After all, it is much better to educate young people about their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>power of self-determination than to try and repair the ravages of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>oppression on adults. Remember, if we can get individuals to believe in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>themselves, there are no limits on what can be accomplished.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Before and after the WIOA became reality, I enjoyed a front-row seat.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I served on the Executive Committee of the Council of State Administrators<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). At the time, many in Congress<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>expressed skepticism about the voice of CSAVR. After all, CSAVR is a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>membership organization comprised of directors of the state agencies<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Congress hoped to change. CSAVR tried to find allies, but some disability<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>advocacy groups, particularly independent living center advocates,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>abandoned vocational rehabilitation in order to break free and to establish<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>their own authority. I personally harbor no ill will toward the independent<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>living folks because they were doing what they felt they had to do to find<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>their own voice. Still, these were dark days for vocational rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>professionals. Fortunately, CSAVR linked arms with the Federation and a few<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>other disability organizations. True to form, the Federation made all the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>difference.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> CSAVR CEO Steve Wooderson told me once that he felt confident that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>CSAVR knew what it was doing and how to work hard and effectively until he<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>had the pleasure of collaborating with Federation leaders like John Pari<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and Anil Lewis. John and Anil led the Federation charge to amend the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Rehabilitation Act under the direction and encouragement of Marc Maurer and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Mark Riccobono as well as the entire Federation membership.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Those guys," Wooderson once told me, "set a bar I didn't think<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>possible."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Vocational rehabilitation and Federation leaders enjoy much in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>common. Both believe in positive attitudes and quality training and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>opportunities. Both are change agents. Together, vocational rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and the Federation accomplish much. CSAVR pays attention to the big picture<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ideals while defining and developing what it takes to realize those ideals.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>That's exactly what the Federation does.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> For example, CSAVR recently sent a letter to Secretary Betsy DeVos of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the US Department of Education strongly urging her support for competitive<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>integrated employment services. CSAVR and the Federation speak as one<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>against segregated subminimum wage employment. We believe all workers with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>disabilities can work in our communities for comparable pay and advancement<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>opportunities. Our opposition harbors low expectations for people with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>disabilities, and partnerships forged in the spirit of civil rights<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convince everyone, including those who oppose us, to relegate sheltered<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>workshops and subminimum wages to the history books. The time has come for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>all workers with disabilities to be guaranteed competitive integrated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>employment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Make no mistake about it. We are engaged in a nationwide revolution<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that shakes things up. Yes, we have miles to go before we sleep, but we are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>getting there more and more each day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Kids camp at previous national convention]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Child Care During National Convention<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> NFB Camp Infused with BELL Academy Activities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Carla McQuillan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Carla is a successful businesswoman who makes her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>living building the future of our nation by modeling and strengthening the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>character of its children. She owns and runs Main Street Montessori<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Association in Eugene, Oregon, and we are blessed by her service as the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>head of NFB Camp, the childcare service we provide for the children of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>those who attend our convention. Here is what Carla has to say about NFB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>day camp:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> During National Convention this year in Las Vegas, we will be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>offering child care services to children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. NFB Camp<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>is located in a block of meeting rooms at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, not far<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from the sleeping rooms. Camp is open to sighted and blind children in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>attendance at convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Camp Hours:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Sunday, July 7: 8:30-12 :30 and 1:30-5:30<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monday, July 8: Camp is Closed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Tuesday, July 9: 8:30-12 and 12:45-5:30<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Wednesday, July 10: 9-12:30 and 1:30-5:30<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Thursday, July 11: 8:30-12:30 and 1:30-5:30<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Friday, July 12: 8:30-12:30 and 1:30-5:30<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Banquet: 6:30-30 minutes after banquet ends<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Please note that these times are approximate. The actual times will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>be thirty minutes before the start of meetings and general sessions, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thirty minutes after adjournment. If the President calls for an early<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>start, or if meetings run long, the opening and closing times will reflect<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>those changes. Late fees will apply if children are not picked up within<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that thirty-minute window.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Rooms and Setup:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The children will be divided by three age groupings: infants and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>toddlers, preschool/kindergarten, and elementary. There will also be an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>activity room for special projects, speakers, and small group activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Each room will be equipped with toys, games, and books that are appropriate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for the ages of the children in that room. In addition, we will be taking<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the older children outside on the hotel grounds for gross motor activities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and water play. We will not be taking the children swimming.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>NFB BELL Academy Activities:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We are excited to announce that again this year, we will have a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>variety of activities from our BELL curriculum, taught by BELL teachers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from across the country. All children in camp, sighted or blind, will be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>invited to participate in these activities. We plan to offer BELL Academy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>activities during each session of camp throughout the week. Parents will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>receive the "Campers' Curriculum," which will list the times and dates for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>each of the planned activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Staff and Supervision:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Each of the camp rooms will be staffed by members of the Federation,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>many of whom have been working in camp for years. There will be a lead<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>teacher in each room and additional helpers depending on the number of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>children in attendance. Carla McQuillan, executive director of Main Street<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Montessori Association, president of the NFB of Oregon, and a member of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Board of Directors will be responsible for the supervision of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>staff.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Registration and Fees:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Fees for NFB Camp are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> First child: $100/week or $25/day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Additional children: $75/week or $25/day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Banquet: $25 for each child (includes dinner and a show)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Space in camp is limited. We accept children on a first come, first<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>served basis. Please register by June 15 to allow adequate time to secure<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>proper staffing. Online registration is now open. Please go to:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>https://nfb.org/nfb-camp-registration-form<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Child Care Outside of Camp Hours:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We maintain a babysitting list at the NFB Camp desk for parents who<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are in need of child care when camp is closed. Arrangements must be made<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>directly with the individual on the babysitting list. NFB Camp is not<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>responsible for scheduling or making payment arrangements for child care<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>outside of the regular camp hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> All questions should be directed to Carla McQuillan at president@nfb-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>oregon.org or 541-653-9153.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Carlton Walker]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Blindness Skills: The Only Sure Bet in Vegas!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Carlton Walker<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Carlton Walker is one of the most active advocates<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I've ever met. She knows what it is like to have a child who needs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>services, knows how to find the people who can help get them, and knows how<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to become a part of those people so that "they" become "us." What a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pleasure it is to be on the same team with her as once again the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Organization of Parents of Blind Children organizes a week-long educational<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and sharing opportunity for parents of blind children. Here is Carlton's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>argument for why you and your children should be with us in Las Vegas:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Every year the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind (NFB) brings new ideas, incredible resources, and the love and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>support of NFB members into the lives of blind people of every age and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>their families. This July, thousands of members of the NFB will meet in Las<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Vegas, Nevada, to hold our annual convention. Concurrently, the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind, will host a conference within the NFB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention. We gather together to learn and share, to reconnect with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>friends, and to meet new friends. We certainly hope that you can join us.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> There's an old truism: "Vegas wasn't built on winners," and it makes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>perfect sense. The odds of any game of chance must be in favor of "the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>house," or there would be no way to afford the building, utilities, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>staff required to host the game. Some games of chance have better odds, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>some have worse, but all games are stacked in favor of "the house."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Unfair odds are part of the gambling world, but they are not supposed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to be part of our daily lives or part of school for our children. However,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for years, it felt like the odds were stacked against my daughter, Anna<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Catherine, and our family. School officials insisted that she should<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"maximize" her vision-even though doing so gave her headaches, caused neck<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and back pain, and left her demoralized and exhausted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Nothing can improve my daughter's vision, so the odds are always<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stacked against her if she relies on her vision. However, with blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>skills, like Braille, cane travel, and accessible technology, my daughter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can do what she needs to do-efficiently, effectively, and without<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>headaches, neck pain, or feeling like she is less-than her peers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This June my daughter will graduate from high school, and may I<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>proudly say that she will do so with honors. Every day she uses blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>skills like Braille, Nemeth Code, a long white cane, and accessible<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>technology to perform her schoolwork, take part in community activities,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and perform chores around the house, like laundry, cleaning, and meal<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>preparation. None of this would have been possible had we listened to the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"experts" in the schools. If we had tried to maximize her use of vision, we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>would have been minimizing her in every way.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> You'll hear "There's no such thing as a sure bet," but this is wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Throughout the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino July 7 through 12 you will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>find information about and access to the only sure bet in Vegas: blindness<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>skills-those skills which allow our children to survive and thrive without<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>any regard to how much vision they do or do not have.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Come join us at the NOPBC Conference and the NFB Convention in Las<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Vegas this July. Please join our sessions, which will include information<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and ideas for families of blind students from birth through college. We<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>also will have sessions on IEPs (individualized education programs),<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>tactile graphics, accessible art, and bringing more STEAM (science,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) into blind children's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>lives. You will also enjoy:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Sunday, July 7:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Kid Talk, with NFB President Mark Riccobono<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Lunch with the NOPBC Board<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Megan Bening Memorial Technology Giveaway (last year, we gave away<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>$10,000 in accessible technology to blind children and youth)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Family Game Night (where we will have accessible games for a great<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>evening of family fun)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Monday, July 8:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Cane Walks (an opportunity to receive free cane travel instruction<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>from orientation and mobility professionals-and sighted family members are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>encouraged to participate as well)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? NOPBC Style Show (our children and youth walk the runway and share<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with us their interests and goals)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . Tuesday, July 9:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? NOPBC Annual Meeting (an opportunity to learn more about and become<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>involved with our division; speech from the 2019 Distinguished Educator of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind Students; electing members to the NOPBC Board)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Braille Book Fair (all books are available at no cost and will be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>shipped to you at no cost)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Braille Carnival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Action Fund (the organization which has provided thousands of Braille books<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>at no charge to blind children and youth)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . July 7-12 (Sunday through Friday):<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Exhibit Hall (opportunity to have hands-on experience with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>accessible technology; meet and speak to vendors of blindness and low<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>vision tools and technology)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Independence Market (opportunity to handle, test out, and learn how<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to use blindness and low vision tools and technology; accessible games and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>household items; accessible watches, calculators, books, and other items)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? NFB Literature (Free: hundreds of articles, speeches, Kernel Books,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and past issues of Future Reflections and Braille Monitor magazines in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>print and Braille-all free for the taking)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Breakout sessions on technology, interest areas, and many more<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>topics<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . July 10-12 (Wednesday through Friday):<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? NFB General Session: Hear from nationally-renowned speakers on a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>plethora of topics affecting blind individuals of all ages at the NFB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>General Session and vote on the resolutions which set forth NFB policy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Wednesday July 10: IEP Night as well as Tactile Art and NFB BELL<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Academy sessions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? Friday, July 12: Mock Trial and other evening events put on by NFB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>divisions and centers for the blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ? NFB Banquet: Banquet speech by NFB President Mark Riccobono,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>announcement of NFB Scholarship winners, good food and conversation with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>our Federation family<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive It with a Smile<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Grace Warn<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: Grace Warn lives in Missouri, and one of her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>passions is visiting Disney World. She believes that if there is a good<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>business model in the country, Disney is it and that if a good proposal for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>providing customer service arrives on the scene, Disney will probably be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the company bringing it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This kind of loyalty translates into annual visits, and to cut down<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>on the expenses, she rooms with folks. She thought her advice about<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>roommates might translate well for those of us going to the 2019 national<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention. Here is what she says:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Going to convention, whether national or state, is an amazing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>experience. But it often comes with another experience that isn't always so<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>amazing: sharing a hotel room. Whether to save money or because you're<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>traveling with children too young to be on their own, you're sharing a room<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with more than just your significant other. And, no matter how much you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>love your Federation friends or how well-behaved your children are in close<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>quarters for a few days, little frustrations can build up and drain some of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the joy from your time at convention. With a minimum of pre-trip planning<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and almost no effort while there, you can keep the positive energy and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>enthusiasm flowing during your time at convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The first step in this process is figuring out who's rooming with<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>whom. Identify a few simple characteristics of each roommate: Who snores?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Who prefers to shower in the morning versus in the evening? Who are the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>early birds, and who are the night owls? Who wakes up if a mouse sneezes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and who can sleep through brass bands? Now take a look at the roommate list<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>again. Do you have a light sleeper in with three who snore like chainsaw<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>jugglers riding Harleys? Is there a lone night owl in a flock of early<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>birds? You may want to see if there's a way to juggle people to keep those<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of similar tendencies together. But, if you can't, there are ways to keep<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>friction from these differences to a minimum:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> If you're a light sleeper, consider packing foam earplugs or sleep<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wearing in-ear headphones. Either of these will block a lot of the sounds<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>that might keep you awake. If you are more sensitive to light than sound,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>think about a sleep mask so that others can turn on bathroom lights without<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>waking you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> If you snore, think about ways to lower the volume of it. If<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>allergies make you snore more, make sure you are taking antihistamines<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and/or decongestants. From personal experience, I say try Breathe Right.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>strips; they can make a difference. Be aware of what sleep positions you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>may want to avoid if you can.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Early birds, lay out your clothes for the day the night before. That<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>way you avoid making a lot of noise rummaging around in drawers/suitcases,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>without feeling trapped by the need for quiet. If you're the lone early<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>riser, consider starting the coffee maker to sweeten the inevitable wake-up<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for the rest of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Night owls, if you plan to stay out late socializing, be considerate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>coming in. Keep your voice lower, and make sure to kick off your shoes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>where no one will trip over them. Leave your pajamas in an easy-to-find<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>spot in the suitcase or drawer. Basically, try not to wake everyone up,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>because everyone needs their sleep to make the most of the short time<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you'll have at convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Discuss amongst yourselves who prefers to shower when and for how<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>long. If everyone takes quick showers, it's no problem if each of you in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the room prefers to shower in the morning. Try to work out the rotation for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>showering, and keep in mind the number of sinks, outlets, and their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>accessibility while someone else showers so that everyone has a chance to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>shave, style, and prep for the day without feeling unduly rushed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When you first get into the room, take a quick minute for one simple<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>discussion and define territory. You will be coexisting in a smaller amount<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of space than you're used to, possibly with people you don't usually live<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with. Setting up whose stuff goes where and then abiding by what is decided<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can go a long way toward maintaining harmony. Decide as a group that Joe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>will get the bottom drawer in the dresser, Sally and Eric each get half of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the next drawer up, etc. Try to base the division of territory on practical<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>considerations such as mobility-don't make the person with a bad back bend<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to use the bottom drawer. Once each of you has staked out your claim,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>respect the boundaries. Throwing something where you please is fine at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>home, but it's not fine when it ends up being in a place allotted to one of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>your roommates.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Each of you will have a place for your things, and it's a good idea<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to have at least one area designated for communal use, such as one place<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for all technology to sit safely as it recharges, etc. Remember that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>bathroom counter space can be a scarce commodity and a great cause of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>irritation before everyone has had their morning coffee. Taking along a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>hanging shoe organizer designed to either hang in a closet or over the back<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of a door can give you more places to sort your toiletries and leave a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>clearer path to the sinks. If you have a guide dog, make sure roommates<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>know where the water bowl will be and decide whether it will be deployed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>only at feeding time or at any time the dog might wish a drink.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Tuck the suitcases in the bottom of the closet or in a corner as out<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of the way as possible, and make sure the main walkways remain clear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Because a tiny little frustration like tripping over someone's suitcase<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>every time you try to go to the bathroom can become a major annoyance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>faster than you would expect, it can poison the rest of the experience.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Depending on who you're rooming with and how long you're staying, a pop-up<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>mesh laundry basket can be pretty handy for that. It doesn't take up much<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>space in a suitcase, can be found in many dollar stores, and it can be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>endlessly useful. It can be a place to corral dirty clothes, an easy-to-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>carry transport for flyers or other merchandise for chapters/divisions, or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can be used as the designated location for the day's haul of souvenirs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Speaking of things to bring along from home, one of the best items to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pack on your trip is at least one power strip. These days everyone has at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>least a cell phone. But there are also iPads, handheld gaming consoles,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>notetakers, and many other electronics that require regular recharging.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Hotel rooms never have very many outlets, and sometimes the outlet is in a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>less-than-accessible place, such as a corner behind a small table and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>chair. The longer cord will bring the power strip up so that everyone can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>reach it to plug in items easily and give you many more outlets for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>everyone to share.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Sit down and consider exactly what your daily routine will involve,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and make sure everyone understands it. You may never have considered that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you have to decide which bed you're sleeping on based on the distance from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>an outlet and availability of a flat surface for a CPAP machine, but what's<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>routine for you may not be for your roommate. That doesn't mean you can't<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>share a room, but it does mean that you need to make sure they're aware of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the requirements that are important and perhaps even critical for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Maybe you're a guide dog user; your roommate doesn't mind dogs-no problem,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>right? Except when you were considering who snores in the room, you only<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>considered the humans, and your dog snores louder than you do. You and your<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>spouse are used to it; it's white noise that actually helps you sleep<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>better in unfamiliar places. To your roommate, that could be a week spent<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>wishing they'd packed earplugs and praying for a decent night's sleep. Or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>maybe one roommate has a mild allergy to dog dander. For a couple of hours<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>during a chapter meeting or dinner with a friend, no problem; but sharing a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>room for a week or so might mean they will need an antihistamine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> When you take just a few minutes to prevent the small disagreements<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and frustrations, you prevent the larger arguments that can happen when the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>little things add up with exhaustion and excitement to fuel them. While it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>only takes a few quick minutes of discussion before you leave home, all of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>these things become a lot harder to do once you're away at convention. What<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you can tolerate for a day or two is a lot less tolerable on day five of a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention, when you're tired and almost ready to head home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Kenneth Jernigan]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> See You in Washington at the Convention<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Kenneth Jernigan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> First Vice President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> From the Editor: For a number of years we have been holding our<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>conventions in Orlando, and with each passing year we received less and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>less information about the city. The thinking, of course, was that there<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>was less to tell, and perhaps this was indeed the case. But here, just to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>show what advertisement we did for our conventions forty-four years ago, is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a promotion for our 1965 national convention that appeared in the May issue<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for 1965. As you read it, consider the number of tourist attractions that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are highlighted, and consider also how you would begin to work many of them<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>into what many now consider our convention experience. Enjoy:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> How many times have you thought of going to Washington? How many<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>times have you said to yourself, "What a thrill it would be to visit the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Capitol and see Congress in action; visit the White House and meet the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>President; visit the imposing marble structure where the Supreme Court<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>meets and makes historic decisions, some of which have shaken our society<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to its very foundation! And then, there is Mount Vernon, birthplace of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>father of our country; Ford Theatre, where the Great Emancipator was shot;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and Arlington National Cemetery, place of the Kennedy gravesite and the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Add to these the great Smithsonian, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Pentagon building, the National Cathedral, B'nai B'rith, Shrine of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Immaculate Conception, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Well, make this dream a reality. Attend the Silver Anniversary<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Convention of the National Federation of the Blind to be held in the "Hotel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of Presidents," Washington's aristocratic Mayflower, July 6-9, 1965.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> There is so much to see in Washington, D.C. Every American, from<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>childhood on, is imaginatively and emotionally attracted to see his<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nation's capitol. He knows he will feel at home, even before he gets there-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for this wondrous, shining city belongs to all Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Here, in Washington, are the national shrines, the stately public<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>buildings, the foreign embassies and the historic tree-lined avenues where<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>history is made; the city is alive with a cultural spirit all its own.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The late John F. Kennedy spoke of Washington as the Federal City, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>hub of political activity. It houses, in addition to the imposing array of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>tourist attractions already mentioned, numerous other Federal Buildings<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>such as: Veteran's Administration-servant to American inactive military<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>men; Justice Department-home of the Attorney General and the Federal Bureau<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of Investigation; State Department-factory of our foreign policy;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Department of Interior-guardian of our national resources; Treasury<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Department-holder of the nation's purse strings; Commerce Department-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>overseer of America's numerous business enterprises; Department of Defense-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>watchdog of the nation's military might; Labor Department-coordinator of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>employer-employee relationships; Post Office Department-distributor of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>America's mountains of mail; Department of Health, Education, and Welfare-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>headquarters for those who minister to the nation's needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In terms of history, the nation's capital pays homage to most of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>America's great, from quaint old Georgetown with its 18th century homes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>(now the residence of the city's elite society) to the C&O Canal that was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>once Washington's "seaport on the Potomac."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> View the Iwo Jima Statue, the Jefferson Memorial, the Francis Scott<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Key Bridge, the statue in Lafayette Square, memorial to the men of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Titanic, Sheridan Circle, or the Nathan Hale Statue and the Ben Franklin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>memorial. Or, tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Custis-Lee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Mansion, the Executive Office Building next door to the White House, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Geographic Society, the Naval Gun Factory, the National Archives,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and the Dumbarton Oaks estates.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Visit the Library of Congress, the Wax Museum, the National Gallery<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of Art, the Constitution Hall, the beautiful Botanical Gardens, the Freer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Gallery of Arts, the Franciscan Monastery, the Islamic Center and Mosque,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the famed Cosmos Club, the Lisner Auditorium for the Performing Arts, or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>see the changing of the guards at the National Memorial Amphitheatre.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Be a part of a new artistic sensation, attend Washington's famous<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Watergate Stage. Listen to a symphony under star-studded skies, and hear<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the rippling waters of the Potomac murmur a soft and restful background.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Or, if you prefer the modern, there is the Carter Baron Amphitheatre where<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>most of our modern artists appear; but if your taste tends toward the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>local, then go to the Sylvan Amphitheatre where local artists display their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>many talents.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> To round things out, add to these the gourmet restaurants offering a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>variety of cuisine to tempt the most fastidious palates. There are the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>French and the German restaurants, the Italian and the Chinese, the small<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and intimate, the large and palatial, the downbeat and the offbeat, you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>name it, Washington has it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> So, we will see you in Washington at the Convention!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The [1965] convention will open at 10:00 Tuesday morning, July 6, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>will adjourn at 5 p.m. Friday, July 9. Single rooms at the Mayflower Hotel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are $7.00; twins, $11.00. The banquet will be held on Thursday, July 8,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>priced at $4.95 (including tip and tax). If you have not yet requested<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>reservations, write immediately to: Reservations Manager, Mayflower Hotel,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Washington, D.C.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> For further details on Washington convention plans and program, see<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"NFB Pre-Convention Bulletin," the Braille Monitor, January 1965.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Recipes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This month Monitor staff looked back in the archives for a selection<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of light, easy, delicious dishes that would be perfect for any dinner you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>might have.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Basic Chinese Dish<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Mrs. Florence Grannis<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This recipe first appeared in May 1975 as Recipe of the Month. We at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the Monitor thought it deserved a second run for the versatility of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ingredients that could be used in it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 to 2 cups cut meat (any kind) cooked or raw in quarter-inch cubes and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>marinate as long as you have time for in the following mixture:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 or 3 tablespoons dry sherry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 or 3 tablespoons soy sauce<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1/4 teaspoon minced garlic<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 to 3 cups cut vegetables (any kind except tomatoes, potatoes, or sweet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>potatoes) cooked or raw, very small.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 teaspoons cornstarch<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1/2 cup chicken-flavored broth<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>4 tablespoons oil (butter-flavored Wesson oil, if possible.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Method: After the above is prepared, put in wok over highest heat.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Add two tablespoons oil and the meat mixture, cook five minutes, stirring<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>constantly (can cook less if meat is already cooked.) Remove, and add two<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>tablespoons more oil. Add vegetables and cook no more than two minutes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stirring constantly. Add meat mixture to vegetable mixture in wok along<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>with 1/2 cup chicken-flavored broth and cornstarch; let heat very briefly<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>until amalgamated, stirring constantly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Cheese Souffli<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Arlene Gashel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This recipe was originally the Recipe of the Month in April 1978. At<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the time, it was introduced with this note: Arlene Gashel is secretary of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the NFB of DC and the wife of Jim Gashel, chief of the NFB's Washington<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Office.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>6 ounces natural cheddar cheese (not processed cheese)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>6 tablespoons flour<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>4 eggs, separated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>3/4 stick butter or margarine <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 teaspoon salt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1-1/2 cups milk<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Pinch of red cayenne pepper<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1/2 teaspoon paprika<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Method: Butter a two-quart casserole. Separate the eggs. In the top<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of a double boiler over boiling water, melt the butter; blend in the flour,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>grated cheese, and seasonings. Add the milk and stir constantly until thick<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and smooth. Remove from the boiling water and let stand. Beat the egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>until thick. Stir the yolks into the other mixture. Beat the egg whites<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>until stiff. Put them in the buttered casserole and gradually pour in the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cheese mixture, folding very carefully until well blended. Bake for forty-<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>five minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Serve at once. Note: This<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>recipe may be prepared and refrigerated for up to ten hours before baking.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>If you do this, place the refrigerated souffli in a cold oven and bake for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>50 minutes at 350 degrees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Cheesy Spinach Pie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Eileen Rivera<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This recipe originally appeared in the April-May 1989 Braille<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Monitor. It was introduced like this: Eileen Rivera is a former NFB<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>scholarship winner and is now a resident of Maryland, where she actively<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>participates in Federation work and holds (see elsewhere in this issue) a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>responsible position with the Wilmer Eye Clinic at Johns Hopkins.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 single pie shell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar and/or swiss cheese<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 chopped onion<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 minced garlic cloves<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>3 tablespoons olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 packages frozen spinach<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 tablespoons crushed oregano<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 teaspoon each: pepper, sweet basil, salt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>3 beaten eggs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2/3 cup milk<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 cup cottage cheese<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Method: Prepare pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for twelve minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Remove shell from oven and spread grated cheese in the hot shell. In a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>large sauce pan, sauti the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Next, add the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>defrosted spinach and spices. Stir the mixture over medium heat for about<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>five minutes. Then combine the eggs, milk, and parmesan and cottage cheeses<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>in the pot. Stir until mixture thickens. Pour filling into the pie shell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and bake for thirty to forty minutes. Great with a crisp garden salad and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>warm rolls.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Baked Pineapple<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Mary Ellen Jernigan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This recipe is a favorite of many longtime Federationists and Monitor<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>readers, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>3/4 cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>3/4 cup cheddar cheese<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1/4 cup butter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1/2 tablespoon corn starch<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>crushed Ritz Crackers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Method: Mix all ingredients together except crackers. Pour into<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>baking dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to thirty-five minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Old-Fashioned Ice Box Pie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> by Theodora Turner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This recipe was first published in April 1992 as part of a group of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>recipes submitted by the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas. At<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the time, Theodora Turner was a member of the Little Rock Chapter, and her<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>husband was the president of the chapter. The associate editor then was<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Barbara Pierce.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>1 can of sweetened condensed milk<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>juice of 2 lemons<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2 eggs, separated<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>graham cracker crust<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Method: Prepare a graham cracker crumb crust by combining and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pressing against the bottom and sides of a pie plate one packet of graham<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>crackers, crushed, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter or margarine. Bake<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>this until golden brown (ten minutes or so at 375 degrees), or chill crust<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thoroughly. Combine lemon juice with beaten egg yolks, add condensed milk,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and beat mixture until it thickens. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and top with meringue, made by beating two egg whites until stiff peaks<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>form. Gradually beat in three tablespoons of sugar until it is dissolved.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Cover pie with plastic wrap and freeze until set.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Associate Editor's Note: I make this pie with a slight variation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Instead of preparing a sweetened meringue for the top, I fold the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>unsweetened stiffly beaten egg whites into the lemon mixture before<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>spreading it into the pie crust for freezing. It is delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Monitor Miniatures<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> News from the Federation Family<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>How to Pay for Your Convention Hotel Stay:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This helpful information comes from Tony Cobb, who for many years<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>served as a fixture in the lobby of our convention hotels. Here is an<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>important warning for those who may be considering how to pay for their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stay:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Every year at our national convention we have serious trouble with use<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of debit cards or cash payments at hotel check-in, and, having worked to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>solve these problems for years, I can tell you they can nearly ruin the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention week for those experiencing them. Planning to attend our<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>national convention should therefore include thinking seriously about how<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to pay the hotel, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to avoid using cash<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>or a debit card as your payment method. Doing so may seem convenient, but<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you should not do so. If you do not have a credit card of your own to use<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>instead, prevail upon a close friend or family member to let you use one<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>just for convention. Here's why:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> If you are paying in actual currency, most hotels will want enough<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cash up front at check-in to cover your room and tax charges for the entire<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stay, plus a one-time advance incidentals deposit to cover meals, telephone<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>calls, internet service, and other things you may charge to your room. The<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>unused portion of the incidentals deposit may be returned at check-out or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by mail after departure. Understand, however, that, if your incidentals<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>charges exceed the incidentals deposit credited, you are responsible for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>payment of the full balance at check-out. The total can end up being a very<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>large sum indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> If you use a debit card, however, you are really at a potentially<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>painful disadvantage. The hotel will put a hold on money in your bank<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>account linked to the debit card to cover the estimated balance of your<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>stay-that is, for the entire week's room and tax charges plus a one-time<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>incidentals deposit to cover meals, movies, and so on charged to your room.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>You should be aware that the hold can therefore be a considerable amount of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>money and that you will not have access to that amount for any other<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>purchases or payments with your card. (Hotels sometimes also put<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>authorizations on credit cards, by the way, but those are not often a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>problem unless they exceed your card's credit limit.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Holds can remain in effect for three to five days or even a week<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>after you check out. If you have pre-authorized payments from your bank<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>account, for example your monthly mortgage payment, or if you try to make a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>purchase with your debit card and it's refused, the hold from the hotel can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cause you trouble or result in very large overdraft fees for payments you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>thought you had money in your account to cover. I have seen this hit some<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of our members in the form of hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> This means that, if you use a debit card, you would have to be certain<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>you have a high enough balance in your checking account when you come to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention to cover any debit card holds. This is a perilous practice since<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>charges may exceed your estimate by a considerable amount. (Some frequent<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>travelers even open a separate checking account used only for debits like<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>these.) Remember, a hold is going to be placed on your debit card<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>regardless of how you end up paying the bill, and the hold is not<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>necessarily released right away, even if you pay with a credit card or cash<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>when you check out of the hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Planning ahead in this area can ensure an untroubled week at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>convention, leaving you free to enjoy fully the world's largest and most<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>exciting meeting of the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Braille Book Fair 2019:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Calling all Braille readers, teachers, and parents!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> It's that time again: Time to sort through all those boxes of Braille<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>books and donate those gently used but no longer needed Braille books to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the 2019 Braille Book Fair sponsored by the National Organization of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Parents of Blind Children.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Our primary goal is to get more Braille books into the hands of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>children, youth, and beginning adult readers, so here's what we need most:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . print/Braille storybooks (aka Twin Vision)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . books in good condition<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . leisure reading (fiction or nonfiction) books<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> . cookbooks and poetry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Children are so hungry for their very own books that every year,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>despite generous donations of books, most of our books for young children<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>are gone in less than an hour. So begin your search through the boxes in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>your basement and spare room and get those books shipped.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We do not accept magazines, textbooks, or audio books at this time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Mail books you are donating to: 2019 Braille Book Fair, National Federation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Please note that you are shipping the books FREE MATTER FOR THE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>BLIND; you do not need to pay any shipping cost for Braille items.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Handwrite, stamp, or affix a label to the upper right-hand corner of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>box which says: FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND, and take your package(s) to your<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>local post office to mail.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Internal Revenue Service Forms and Written Communication:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The NFB is investigating the accessibility of Internal Revenue<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Service (IRS) forms and written communication. If you have requested or<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>would like to request alternative format documents from the IRS such as<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Braille, large print, or audio, please contact Valerie Yingling, legal<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>program coordinator, at vyingling@nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2440.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Resolutions for Convention:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Here is a message from Sharon Maneki, who chairs the NFB Resolutions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Committee:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Do you think we should change a government policy, take a stand<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>concerning an agency for the blind, or create new regulations? If you do,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>consider writing a resolution. At the 2019 National Convention, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Resolutions Committee meeting will be held on Monday, July 8. The committee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>will debate and discuss resolutions on a wide variety of subjects. If<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>passed by the convention, these resolutions will become the policy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>statements of the organization. To ensure that your resolution will be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>considered by the committee, please send it to President Riccobono or to me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by June 24, two weeks before the committee meeting. Since things are always<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>busy leading up to the convention, sending them earlier will be<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>appreciated. If you send a resolution to me by email and do not receive a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>response acknowledging your email in two or three days, please call or send<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> If you miss the deadline, you must get three members of the committee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to sponsor your resolution and then get it to the chairman before the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>meeting begins. I will be pleased to accept resolutions by email at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>nfbmd@earthlink.net, or by mail at 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia, MD 21045.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> In Brief<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>have edited only for space and clarity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Secretary Toulouse Oliver Awarded "Outstanding Innovations in Elections" by<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the US Election Assistance Commission:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has received the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>2018 "Clearie" Award for Outstanding Innovations in Elections by the US<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for her implementation of a new<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>electronic ballot software system that allows blind and visually impaired<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>voters to independently and privately cast an absentee ballot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "Every eligible voter deserves the dignity and convenience of being<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>able to mark their ballot in an independent and private manner, which is<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>exactly what our electronic ballot system does for blind and visually<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>impaired voters," said Secretary Toulouse Oliver. "I want to thank the US<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Election Administration Commission for this award, and I want to dedicate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>it to the determined efforts of New Mexico's blind and visually impaired<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>community who worked closely with me and my Office to ensure blind and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>visually impaired voters have fair and equal access to the ballot box."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> According to the EAC, the annual "Clearie" awards "recognize best<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>practices in election administration and highlight exemplary models which<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>can serve as examples to other officials and jurisdictions."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "We are thrilled to recognize Secretary Toulouse Oliver and her team<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>for their innovative approach to serving voters with disabilities," said<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks. "We are proud to share details about this<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>program with election officials across the nation, as well as the voters<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>they serve."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Secretary Toulouse Oliver and her staff worked closely with the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico and the New Mexico<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Commission for the Blind to create the system that allows blind and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>visually impaired voters to independently mark, print, and return their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>absentee ballot. As KOB News 4 noted in 2018 as the Secretary of State<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>announced the new system, "New Mexico is leading the country when it comes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>to making absentee voting more accessible."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> "The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico deeply<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>appreciates Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver," said Adelmo Vigil,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>president of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. "Because<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of her work, blind voters in New Mexico, for the very first time in<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>history, can now independently and privately mark the printed absentee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>ballot using the low-vision and nonvisual access technology of their<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>choice. Secretary Toulouse Oliver worked closely with us to make this<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>happen. She provided public testimony and support for the legislation that<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>brought all of this about. She is a true friend of the blind."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Greg Trapp, executive director of the New Mexico Commission for the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind, added to Mr. Vigil's remarks, saying, "Because of the efforts of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver and of the National Federation of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Blind, blind and visually impaired citizens of New Mexico can now fully and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>equally participate in the fundamental right to vote. This is a tremendous<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>step forward, and New Mexico can take pride in what the Secretary of State<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>and National Federation of the Blind have accomplished."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>More information about the US Election Assistance Commission:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>of HAVA funds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Monitor Mart<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>sale.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>For Sale:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We have one Freedom Scientific Braille Blazer for sale. It has the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>following features: serial or parallel connections to a PC (a USB-to-serial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cable may be used with these embossers on machines which don't have serial<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>or parallel ports), built-in carrying case, and standard computer power<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>cord. The Braille Blazer may be used as a speech synthesizer as well as a<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Braille embosser. It embosses on 8.5-by-11-inch fan-fold tractor feed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>paper; embosses standard Braille in portrait or landscape mode; embosses<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>graphics; is supported by most Braille translation software, including<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Duxbury Systems, and configuration is accomplished through voice-guided<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>instructions. The user manual is available at<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>https://www.edvisionservices.org/Manuals/BrailleBlazerUserManual.pdf.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Asking price is $300, contact Sheryl Pickering at 830-743-7655.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>For Sale:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We have two Classic Electric Perkins Braillewriters for sale. One has<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>a carrying case (asking $25 extra). Asking $300 each. Contact Sheryl<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Pickering at 830-743-7655<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>For Sale:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Romeo Braille Embosser by Enabling Technologies in carrying case.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Excellent condition. $50 plus shipping if not Free Matter. Call or text<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Terry at 805-339-9853.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> ----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> NFB Pledge<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>abide by its constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>