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<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Pasted below is the July
Braille
Monitor.</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Please read and share with
family,
friends, colleagues and others.</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">There are various methods to
read
the Braille Monitor and other publications by visiting</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"><A
href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</A></FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Special Note: It’s not to late
to
register for the no cost national convention, please visit the national
website
for procedures.</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">If you need assistance, please
contact Linda Melendez, President, National Federation of the Blind of New
Jersey</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">phone: 732 421 7063</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"><A
href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org">president@nfbnj.org</A></FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">In addition, the first article
in
the Monitor Miniatures is a reflection with my health issue.</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Brian Mackey has provided
information as he is selling a product.</FONT></P>
<P align=center> </P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Keep well,</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Joe Ruffalo </FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P align=center><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">_______________________________________________________________________________</FONT></P>
<H1 align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Braille Monitor</FONT></H1>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Vol. 64, No.
7
July 2021</FONT></P>
<P align=center><I><EM><FONT face="Times New Roman">Gary Wunder,
Editor</FONT></EM></I></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Distributed by email, in
inkprint,
in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">The National Federation of the
Blind</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Mark Riccobono,
President</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">telephone:
410-659-9314<BR>email
address: </FONT><A style='href: "mailto:nfb@nfb.org"'><FONT
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<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">National Federation of the Blind<BR>200 East
Wells Street <EM>at Jernigan Place</EM><BR>Baltimore, Maryland
21230-4998</FONT></P></DIV>
<P align=center><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">THE NATIONAL FEDERATION
OF
THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR
YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE
LOW
EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN
LIVE
THE LIFE YOU WANT; BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL
FEDERATION
OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND
SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.</FONT></STRONG></P>
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<H2><A style="name: contents"></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Contents</FONT></H2></DIV>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Vol. 64, No.
7
July 2021</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Illustration: A Toy Story at Jernigan
Institute
</FONT><BR></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Top Legal Terms Our Readers Might Want to
Know<BR>by Valerie Yingling</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Rise Up!<BR>by Ronza Othman </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The NFB Science and Engineering Division and
the
NFB National Association of Blind Students Joint STEM Zoom Conference
Meeting
Report for February 28, 2021 <BR>by Neil Soiffer, Gene Kim, Newton Nguyen,
and
Louis Maher</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Creating Access in the Arts and Beyond<BR>by
Precious Perez</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">When I Was Almost the Victim of My Implicit
Bias
<BR>by Patti Chang </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">A Response from the League of Women Voters
of
Colorado<BR>by Karen Sheek</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Changing the World One Ballot at a
Time<BR>by
Mark A. Riccobono</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">To Educate or Alienate<BR>by Nancy
Burns</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Making it through Adversity<BR>by Svetlana
Ehlers</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Discrimination Against the Blind Isn't Just
a
Sighted Thing<BR>by Gary Wunder</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I Wanted to Walk a Mile in Those Little
High-Heeled Shoes <BR>by Danielle McCann</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My Jury Experience <BR>by Dana
Ard</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">You Can Make a Difference</FONT><BR></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Feeling Through<BR>by Lisa Bryant</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Why I am Proud to Be Blind <BR>by Jonathan
Mosen</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Telling an Uncomfortable and Unconventional
Story<BR>by Gary Wunder</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie’s Story: It Takes a Village,
Resourcefulness, and Cosmic Alignment<BR>by Laura Deck</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Independence Market Corner<BR>by Terry
Boone</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Recipes </FONT><BR></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><EM>Monitor </EM>Miniatures</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Copyright 2021 by the National
Federation of the Blind </FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">A Toy Story at Jernigan Institute
</FONT></H2>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Jernigan Institute is a place where many
Federationists and friends come and go throughout the year for programs,
meetings, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the building has been
closed
to the public; but in May, we opened the door to a couple of special
friends,
Dr. Fauci and Helen Keller.</FONT><BR></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Dr. Anthony Fauci was one of the lead
members of
the White House Coronavirus Task Force and has served as the director of the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. Today, a
bobblehead version of him with his arms crossed wearing a white doctor’s
coat, a
tie, a light blue button-up shirt, dark suit pants, and brown shoes sits in
the
Office of the President where he enjoys time away from the spotlight of the
media. Local members who came to the vaccine clinic in May had the chance to
take a selfie with Dr. Fauci by a podium and National Federation of the
Blind
backdrop. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Additionally, Mattel introduced Helen Keller
Barbie in May 2021 as part of its inspiring Women Series. Keller was an
educated
deafblind advocate. The Barbie wears a full-length striped skirt and a
ruffled
lacy blouse with a high collar inspired by her time as a student in the
early
1900s. Her black hair is in a neat bun at the back of her neck. She is
holding a
book labeled BRL, which means Braille. Helen Keller Barbie has traveled
through
the floors of the Jernigan Institute and now resides on the second floor.
</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Top Legal Terms Our Readers Might Want to
Know</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Valerie
Yingling</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Valerie is in
charge of
coordinating our legal activity, and in addition to being organized, she is
articulate. She is also patient, kind, and friendly, but all of this is
already
known to those of you who have had the pleasure of interacting with her.
Here is
her latest effort to better inform us as we read about the Federation’s
progress
in legal matters:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The National Federation of the Blind has
influenced our nation’s legal landscape through high-impact disability
rights
litigation. NFB cases such as <EM>National Federation of the Blind v. Target
Corp.</EM>, <EM>HM v. Oceanport Board of Education</EM>, and <EM>Brown et al
v.
Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services</EM> have
driven
disability rights case law forward for the nation’s blind and set precedence
for
other disability rights groups. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">We know that the NFB’s legal work is
important,
but do we always know what a judge’s order or a consent decree mean in terms
of
success? Civil court terminology can be confusing or counterintuitive. This
list
of top legal terms is designed to help our members better understand our
successes and why NFB’s legal program is a central component in our work to
remove barriers between blind people and their dreams. </FONT></P>
<OL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Amicus curiae: Latin for “friend of the
court;” plural is amici curiae. Someone who is not party to a lawsuit may
advise on the subject of the lawsuit through the filing of written briefs;
the
court decides whether to consider the information. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: In April 2021, the
National Federation of the Blind joined with other disability rights
groups
to file an </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://browngold.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-04-22-Winn-Dixie-Amicus-Brief-ISO-Rehearing-En-Banc-ACE.pdf"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">amicus curiae brief</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> in the <EM>Winn-Dixie Stores v. Gil</EM> web
accessibility case. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Consent decree: A court-ordered
resolution
approved by all parties. In comparison, a settlement agreement is not
immediately court enforceable. To enforce a settlement agreement, a party
would have to file a breach of contract action, which could be a lengthy
and
expensive process. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The National
Federation
of the Blind and Atlantic Cape Community College entered into a
</FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-and-two-blind-students-resolve-complaint-against"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">consent decree in 2015</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> to resolve charges of discrimination by blind
students and to establish new accessibility policies and procedures for
the
school. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Declaratory relief: A court ruling
regarding
someone’s rights. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: In our </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/walmart-sued-blind-maryland-residents-over-self-service-checkout-kiosks"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">complaint against Walmart</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">, the National Federation of the Blind seeks
declaratory relief regarding how Walmart’s use of inaccessible
self-checkout
kiosks violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Dismissal with prejudice: A court order
that
prohibits an identical lawsuit from being filed in the future. In
contrast,
dismissal without prejudice would permit an identical lawsuit. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The National
Federation
of the Blind’s May 2021 voting rights settlement with the state of Maine
</FONT><A
style='href:
"file:///C:/Users/vyingling/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Word/complaint%20link%20pending"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">dismissed our charges with
prejudice</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Injunction: A court order that restricts
one
or more parties from taking a specific action. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The National
Federation
of the Blind filed for a preliminary and permanent injunction in our
2020
Pennsylvania voting rights case, </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.pamd.124827/gov.uscourts.pamd.124827.1.0_2.pdf"'><EM><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Drenth v. Boockvar</FONT></EM></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">.</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Jurisdiction: A court’s authority to
issue a
ruling on a case and otherwise enforce the law. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The United States
District Court for the District of Maryland has jurisdiction over claims
raised on behalf of blind prisoners in </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/maryland-settles-discrimination-case-blind-inmates-14-million"'><EM><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Brown v. Maryland Department of Public Safety and
Correctional Services</FONT></EM></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"><EM>
et
al</EM>. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Moot: When a dispute does not exist
because
it has been resolved or determined to have never existed. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The National
Federation
of the Blind joined an appellate court amicus brief for </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://casetext.com/case/segal-v-metro-council"'><EM><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Segal v. Minneapolis Metro
Transit</FONT></EM></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"> after the district
court found no evidence of discrimination and ruled that the plaintiff’s
request for damages were moot. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Petition for writ of certiorari: Asking a
higher court, usually the United States Supreme Court and state level
supreme
courts, to review a lower court’s ruling. Petition for writ of certiorari
is
sometimes referred to as “cert petition” or “cert.” When a court denies a
petition for writ of certiorari, it means the lower court’s ruling stands.
</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: In 2019 the
</FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm19/bm1910/bm191002.htm"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">US Supreme Court denied a petition for writ of
certiorari filed by Domino’s Pizza</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">, thereby upholding the lower court’s
ruling that a blind man could file suit under the ADA because he could
not
use Domino’s website to order a pizza. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Remand: When a higher court sends a case
back
to a lower court, usually because information or facts are disputed.
</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The Fourth Circuit
Court of Appeals remanded </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1606/bm160602.htm"'><EM><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Reyazzudin v. Montgomery County,
Maryland</FONT></EM></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">, in 2015 because
facts
remained in dispute, including whether the County reasonably
accommodated
Ms. Reyazuddin and other factors. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Stay: To halt proceedings temporarily or
permanently. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The court stayed
litigation in <EM>Irving v. Berryhill</EM>, the </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-and-two-blind-individuals-file-lawsuit-against-ssa"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">National Federation of the Blind’s lawsuit
against
the Social Security Administration</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">, during the parties’ settlement
discussions. </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Summary Judgment: When a court rules on a
case without a trial or further proceedings. In such cases, a court is
saying
that even if it accepts all of a particular party’s alleged facts as true,
the
facts do not actually violate the law. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: The National
Federation
of the Blind filed an objection to New York State Board of Elections’
motion
for summary judgment in our </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-and-others-sue-new-york-over-inaccessible-online"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">2016 lawsuit regarding the state’s inaccessible
online voter registration system</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">.</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Vacate: To withdraw or invalidate.
</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Used in a sentence: In our </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-and-others-settle-lawsuit-against-united-states"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">2018 lawsuit against the US Department of
Education</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">, the National
Federation
of the Blind, alongside the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) and Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
(COPAA), sought a judge’s order to vacate § 108(t) of the 2018 OCR
Manual
and reinstate the manual’s appeals process. </FONT></LI></UL></LI></OL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">For more information about the National
Federation of the Blind’s legal program, please visit </FONT><A
style='href: "https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> or contact Valerie Yingling, legal program
coordinator.
</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Rise Up!</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Ronza Othman</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Ronza is the
president
of our National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, but this is not her
life.
She does what she can for the rest of us, but she also makes sure to live a
life
that is integrated. Here is a bit of what she said to our convention in
Maryland:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Recently, I had the opportunity to tackle an
item from my bucket list. I’ve always wanted to go parasailing, but I could
never quite do so. For those of you who might be curious, parasailing
involves
being harnessed to a large sail that resembles a parachute and being towed
behind a fast-moving boat. The speed of the boat creates an air current that
pushes the parasailer up several-hundred feet into the air. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I’ve experienced several obstacles to being
able
to parasail. Sometimes the weather didn’t cooperate and the wind was too
strong
to safely go up. Sometimes the water was too choppy or the current too
strong to
permit safe parasailing. Sometimes my travelling companions decided they
wanted
to do something else instead at the last minute. One time there was a
traffic
jam and we missed our appointment. Another time the wife of the boat’s
captain
went into labor.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Finally, a few weeks ago, the weather
decided to
cooperate; the current was perfect; my fellow travelers agreed to the
experience
come hell or high water; we stayed within walking distance from the marina
where
our boat would set sail; and to my knowledge my captain’s wife was not in
labor.
There was only one problem—I was recovering from the coronavirus and had
virtually no energy to sit upright, let alone walk to the marina, board the
boat, fasten myself into the harness, and swing myself back onto the deck of
the
boat when the sail ended. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">But I was committed! I was going to
literally
<EM>rise up</EM> regardless of what it took. I dug deep and found the energy
to
walk to the marina; to board the ship; to find my balance as I stood on
deck; to
fasten my harness and emergency parachute; to step over rigging and lines,
around the sail bar; and sit down on the deck of the boat at the very edge.
Then, I rose. And it was incredible! </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I spent about ten minutes atop the world. I
felt
the wind in my hair, the sun on my face, and the energy and joy pumping
through
my blood. Then the captain dipped me into the ocean, and I got seawater in
my
nose. But I rose up again and swung myself onto the deck—and for those of
you
who have been parasailing, I stuck the landing like an Olympic gymnast.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Why am I telling you all about parasailing?
Because my experience is a great metaphor for what we in the NFBMD
experienced
this past year. Despite unprecedented challenges, we were determined to rise
up,
and we did! <STRONG><EM>We</EM></STRONG> don’t know how to do anything
different
as Federationists after all.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Andra Day’s song “Rise Up” includes the
following lines:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I’ll rise up<BR>I’ll rise like the day<BR>I’ll
rise up<BR>I’ll rise unafraid<BR>I’ll rise up<BR>And I’ll do it a thousand
times
again<BR>And I’ll rise up<BR>High like the waves<BR>I’ll rise up<BR>In spite
of
the ache<BR>I’ll rise up<BR>And do it a thousand times
again.</FONT></P><FONT
face="Times New Roman">We in the NFBMD rise up unafraid, in spite of the
aches,
and we’ll do it a thousand times again. </FONT>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">The NFB Science and Engineering Division
and
the NFB National Association of Blind Students Joint STEM Zoom Conference
Meeting Report for February 28, 2021</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Neil Soiffer, Gene Kim, Newton
Nguyen, and Louis Maher</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Most articles in
the
<EM>Braille Monitor</EM> can be read by anyone regardless their education or
background. But some articles are for a specific audience, and this is one
of
them. If you are beyond learning or using mathematic beyond the simple four
functions, this article may not be for you, but if you are a student who
must
take a course in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics and aren’t
sure
how to do it using today’s assistive technology, this piece is right down
your
alley. If you want to find a career path in STEM, you will get some real
world
examples of what works, how well it works, and what accessibility issues we
need
to work on before your grade or your profession depends upon
it.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Thank you to Louis Maher for taking
the
time to write this up, and thank you to the two Federation divisions that
offered the seminar. </FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The National Federation of the Blind's
Science
and Engineering Division (SED) and the National Federation of the Blind's
National Association of Blind Students (NABS) held a joint Zoom conference
on
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) on Sunday, February 28,
2021.
This is a summary of the presentations given at this conference.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Unlike most <EM>Braille Monitor</EM>
articles,
this article will not explain everything. Also, the article does not have
references for all the devices and programs discussed here. The purpose of
this
article is to summarize many of the tools and techniques that allow the
blind to
be successful in their STEM careers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">A recording of this meeting is available at:
</FONT><A style='href: "https://tinyurl.com/NFB-SED-2021-NABS-STEM"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://tinyurl.com/NFB-SED-2021-NABS-STEM</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Trisha Kulkarni is the president of the
National
Association of Blind Students (NABS), and she welcomed the audience to the
annual NABS/SED joint conference on how blind individuals are succeeding in
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. She
introduced
John Miller, president of the Science and Engineering Division (SED), who
was
the moderator for the evening. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">President Miller thanked the speakers for
presenting at this event. He said that often a student may have only one
science
or math requirement to fulfill for that student's degree and said that the
SED
members would be glad to help students overcome their technical problems.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">A summary of the presentations
follows:</FONT><BR></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Title: “Methods for the Blind to
Electronically
Read and Write Mathematics from Primary School through College” </FONT></H3>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Speaker: Neil Soiffer
</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Neil Soiffer was a principal architect of
MathML, the standard for putting math on the web. He was the main developer
of
MathPlayer, which is used with NVDA to make math accessible in Web, Word,
and
PowerPoint documents. He has published numerous papers on math accessibility
and
is a member of various standards groups concerned with accessibility on the
Web
and elsewhere. He currently chairs the MathML Refresh community group that
is
working on greater browser support for MathML along with updating the MathML
standard. He received a BS in math from MIT and a PhD in computer science
from
UC Berkeley. He has worked at Tektronix's Computer Research Lab, Wolfram
Research (Mathematica), Design Science (MathType, MathPlayer), and has now
formed his own accessibility company, Talking Cat Software.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><U><FONT face="Times New Roman">Presentation:
</FONT></U></STRONG></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Reading Math</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Status</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">There has been huge progress in the last
several years.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">In the past, most websites used images
for
math.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Now MathML is mostly used (often present
for
screen readers only). Last year when I looked, maybe 80 percent of sites
that
had math were accessible. Five years ago that number might have been 20
percent.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">How it Works</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">MathML is the standard for math on the
Web.
Part of HTML. Tags like <mfrac>, <msqrt>, <msup> are
used.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Screen readers see those and convert them
to
speech and Braille (Nemeth Code). E.g., <mfrac> indicates fractions,
<msqrt> becomes “the square root of," and <msup> indicates
"super
scripts."</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Special cases for natural speech like,
msup
with a “2” for the exponent is pronounced "something squared.” </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">The quality of the reading varies; more
on
that later.</FONT></LI></UL></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Side note: If you do not know Nemeth Code,
try
to learn it! Every VI teacher I know says the most successful students are
the
ones proficient in Nemeth Code.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Where it Works</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Reading MathML works in JAWS, NVDA,
VoiceOver, and ORCA in webpages.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">JAWS and NVDA will also read math in
Microsoft Word, and NVDA will read it in PowerPoint. </FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Caveat – must convert to MathType
format
first for NVDA.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">JAWS recently added support for the
native
math editor in Word.</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">EPUB ebooks </FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">You can read this format with JAWS/NVDA
using
the Thorium program. Two sources for accessible books are RedShelf and
VitalSource Bookshelf online.</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">On the Mac: VitalSource Bookshelf both
the
App & Online version are accessible.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Kindle books: JAWS and NVDA using the
PC
App are accessible. Note: MathML is much less common in Kindle
books.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Screen Reader Reading Differences</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">For text there are a few differences such
as
how “Dr.” is handled: (Dr. Smith lives on Smith Dr.).</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">For math, there are lots of
differences.</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Many special cases: mixed fraction --
“one
and one half” versus being read without the "and." The result sounds
like
“one half,” etc.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Example that NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver
do
mostly right: NVDA says "two and one third times nine and five eights is
greater than twenty-two;" JAWS says "two and one third dot operator nine
and
five eights greater twenty-two." VoiceOver says "mix fraction two
fraction
start one over three end of fraction dot operator nine fraction start
five
over eight end of fraction greater than 22." </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Superscript: generally, you will hear
“x
superscript k end superscript” or maybe “x raised to the kth power.” All
will do simple special cases like “x squared,” but only a few will say
“inverse sine” for "sine to the minus one (x)." </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">NVDA says "the inverse sine of x,"
while
JAWS says, "sine to the power of minus one x." </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">NVDA+MathPlayer is by far the best as
it
knows many more rules for reading math the way it is read in a
classroom. It
offers several options in terms of ways to read and speak. There is also
a
“Speech Rule Engine” which is used with MathJax, but assistive
technology
does not use it.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">VoiceOver is probably the weakest in
that
it only knows a few things like “squared” and “cubed.”</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">The problem with the lower-case letter
"a"
– In math mode, NVDA says "a + a squared + a cubed," while JAWS says "ua
+
ua squared + ua cubed." NVDA uses the long 'a' sound while JAWS uses the
short sound of the letter "a." </FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Navigation</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">For a large equation, reading it all at
once can be hard to understand. <BR>Example: NVDA (y-y1) equals
((y2-y1)/(x2-x1)) times (x-x1).</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver support
navigating an expression; NVDA has the most
flexibility.</FONT></LI></UL></LI></UL>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Writing Math</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><A style='href: "https://www.sciaccess.net/en/ChattyInfty/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">ChattyInfty</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman"> – allows you to write text and
math.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">So does Word + MathType (via TeX – more
later)</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">WIRIS/MathType for the Web – sort of
accessible.</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">You hear “blank” then the character as
you
move around.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">No way exists to have the expression
read
back to you other than moving character-by-character.</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><A
style='href:
"https://accessibility.pearson.com/resources/aee/index.php"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Pearson Accessible Equation Editor</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> – supports both Nemeth input and output. In
Beta.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">ASCIIMath</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Simple calculator like notation: ()s, /,
^,
_, sqrt</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman"><=, alpha, or (infinity), sub(subset),
…</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">TeX</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">TeX is for writing documents but designed
for
math-oriented documents.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">LaTeX is an extension (a set of commands)
of
TeX.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Basics of TeX Math</FONT>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Names: \alpha, \leq (less than or equal
char), \int (integral char)</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Grouping: {}</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Notations: \frac, \sqrt, ^,
_</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">The only way to know if you got it right
is
to listen to it.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">If you use Word, get MathType (which is
not
accessible as a WYSIWYG editor). You can type TeX, convert it to regular
notation with alt+\, listen to it, and convert it back to TeX with alt+\
to
fix it if it is not right. </FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Markdown</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">A simple markup language using plain
text.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Typing # will generate heading 1, typing ##
will
generate heading 2, …</FONT></P>
<UL>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">* will generate a list</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Can do italics, bold, links,
…</FONT></LI></UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Extensions for tables and math via
ASCIIMath
and TeX</FONT></LI></UL>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Learning Math</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Some sites that make use of MathML that are
tutorials or explanations</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Wikipedia</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">One Mathematical Cat</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Khan Academy (has a video focus, so less
accessible)</FONT></LI></UL>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Doing Math</FONT></H4>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Desmos is accessible in
JAWS/NVDA/Mac/iOS. It
is a sophisticated calculator for equations and graphing. Both Nemeth Code
and
UEB input and output. Audio traces for graphs. Also supports generating
embossed graphs.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Mathshare – step by step
derivations</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Statistics</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">R (use RStudio Server – web-based
version)</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">SAS has done a lot of work on accessible
charts and graphs (JAWS/NVDA/MacOS).</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">SPSS – JAWS/MacOS – graphics are not
accessible. </FONT></LI></UL>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Title - Where Humanities, Social Science,
and
Engineering Collide: Perspectives on the Value of Interdisciplinary Study
and
Research </FONT></H3>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Speaker: Gene
Kim</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Gene Kim is a sophomore at Stanford
University
studying symbolic systems, a program that explores the crossroads of
computer
science, psychology, philosophy, and linguistics. He is an undergraduate
researcher with Stanford Shape Lab and has worked on projects in data
visualization/sonification and haptic/multi-modal accessibility devices. He
lost
most of his vision about four years ago from progressive retinal detachment
and
while he started his nonvisual STEM journey recently, he is excited to share
his
experiences/techniques with everyone.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><U><FONT face="Times New Roman">Presentation:
</FONT></U></STRONG></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Combinatory Play:</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">“Combinatory Play” was coined by Einstein
and is
the process of making connections from seemingly unrelated fields to come up
with innovative/creative ideas.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Examples of Combinatory Play include deep
learning neural networks in computer science (inspired from neuroscience/the
anatomy of the brain), </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The first ever printing press (Gutenberg
printing press) that combined aspects of coin presses and wine presses,
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Google search engine algorithm was
inspired
by system of frequency/popularity of research citations in academia,
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Nike’s high traction rubber shoe design was
inspired by the shape of a waffle maker, and Steve Jobs borrowed from
calligraphy to design the impactful Mac typefonts, etc. </FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Tools/Resources:</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Resources and tools that helped Gene study
STEM.</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Orion TI84+ talking and graphing
calculator
with sonification for reading graphs</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Desmos accessible online calculator for
equations and graphing with sonification for reading graphs</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Talking LabQuest which allows the blind
to
perform laboratory measurements</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Sensational blackboard/Draftsman which
allows
the blind to read and produce sketches. It can be used to show tree
structure
of programs.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Arduiono for prototyping electronic
circuits
and code</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Blind arduiono group: </FONT><A
style='href: "http://blarbl.blogspot.com/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">http://blarbl.blogspot.com/</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <BR>The Blind Arduino Blog is a collection
of
news and information about blind makers working with Arduino. It includes
tutorials, advice, and recommendations of particular interest to blind
people
working with electronics and microprocessors. </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Freecodecamp: </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.freecodecamp.org/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">https://www.freecodecamp.org</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <BR>Learn to code—for free.<BR>Build
projects.<BR>Earn
certifications.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">For web development: learn HTML to
structure
a website; JavaScript to make a site interactive; and cascading style
sheets
(CSS) to learn how to control the visual aspect of your site (color,
fonts,…).</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">NVDA web developer plug in: </FONT><A
style='href: "https://github.com/ajborka/nvda_developer_toolkit"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://github.com/ajborka/nvda_developer_toolkit</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> NVDA addon which supports blind and visually
impaired developers with tools that help them better understand visual
layouts, independently create appealing user interfaces, and comply with
popular universal access guidelines such as the WCAG.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Chrome web development tools.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Program-L (worldwide blind programmer’s
mailing list. Job postings, questions, and more): </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.freelists.org/list/program-l"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">https://www.freelists.org/list/program-l</FONT></A>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">OpenSCAD (for 3D design): </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.openscad.org/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">https://www.openscad.org/</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">NY ITP: </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://wp.nyu.edu/ability/nonvisual-soldering-workshop-at-itp/"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://wp.nyu.edu/ability/nonvisual-soldering-workshop-at-itp/</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <BR>Nonvisual Soldering Workshop </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Science and Engineering division's
STEM
Mentorship Program, which is discussed in the next
section.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Numpad shortcuts for writing math: </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.irongeek.com/alt-numpad-ascii-key-combos-and-chart.html"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://www.irongeek.com/alt-numpad-ascii-key-combos-and-chart.html</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Title - Trial and Error: Toward Faster
Methods
of Learning STEM Skills as a Blind Student </FONT></H3>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Speaker: Newton
Nguyen</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Newton Nguyen is a PhD Candidate at Caltech,
where he is developing the next generation's greenhouse gas observation
network.
He was previously employed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and was
on
the NASA science team for the CLARREO climate satellite mission. He
cofounded
the Blind STEM Mentorship Program, Caltech Disability Coalition, and serves
on
Caltech's Graduate Admissions Committee. Newton holds a MS in environmental
science and engineering from Caltech and a BA in geophysics from Berkeley.
</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><U><FONT face="Times New Roman">Presentation:
</FONT></U></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Newton is working on a PhD in environmental
science and engineering. How was it for him to work on these
subjects?</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In California, the university is responsible
for
accommodations inside the classroom, and state agencies are responsible for
accommodations outside the classroom. Note that the student is responsible
for
coordinating these efforts.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Newton did not know this in his first
undergraduate semester. He dropped out of his calculus class because he had
no
books. His first semester was a crash course on how accessibility works.
</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Newton advises:</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">1. Work on your accommodations months ahead
of
time. It can be difficult to get state support. It may take months to get
books
in accessible form.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">2. Get a personal assistant who can serve as
a
scribe and reader for those times when accessible educational material and
equipment are not available. Textbooks often do not come on time, and there
are
often inaccessible classroom handouts and inaccessible laboratory
equipment.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">3. Get proper skills. Learn how to read and
write mathematics. Use the tools discussed in the talks presented
above.</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Lessons learned by Newton:</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">1. How to reach out for help: locate the
individuals with the knowledge and resources that you need.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">2. You do not know what you do not know. You
will need mentors.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">3. You will have to know how to acquire
technical skills on your own. It can be difficult to find resources online
to
answer your specific questions.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">4. Newton did not have a community to work
with
him. He was the only seismic engineering student in his university
system.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Science and Engineering division's STEM
Mentorship Program was developed by Newton Nguyen, Gene Kim, and Kennedy
Stomberg. The program seeks to pair STEM students with mentors. One of the
program's activities is to host a monthly STEM seminar where students and
mentors can discuss STEM techniques.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">To join the program, and for questions about
the
program, write to </FONT><A style='href: "mailto:newton@caltech.edu"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">newton@caltech.edu</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Newton is working on a Wikipedia page to
explain
methods that will enable the blind to perform STEM tasks. He wishes to
develop a
one-stop page for blind STEM techniques.</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Wrap up: </FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">John Miller and Trisha Kulkarni thanked the
individuals who produced the STEM meeting including Ashley Neybert who
handled
the Zoom logistics.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">If you wish to learn more about NABS,
including
how to become a member, go to: </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.nabslink.org/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">https://www.nabslink.org/</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">If you wish to join the SED, go to:
</FONT><A
style='href: "http://www.nfb.org/divisiondues"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">http://www.nfb.org/divisiondues</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Dues for NABS and SED are $5 a
year.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Individuals may join the NABS and SED email
discussion groups at </FONT><A style='href: "http://nfbnet.org/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">nfbnet.org</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">.
</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Contacts:</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">If there are any questions about the
National
Association of Blind Students, please contact Trisha Kulkarni (</FONT><A
style='href: "mailto:nabs.president@gmail.com"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">nabs.president@gmail.com</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">If there are any questions about the Science
and
Engineering Division, please contact John Miller (Phone: 858-774-9286,
</FONT><A
style='href: "mailto:Johnmillerphd@hotmail.com"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Johnmillerphd@hotmail.com</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">If there are any questions about this
report,
please contact Louis Maher (Phone: 713-444-7838, </FONT><A
style='href: "mailto:ljmaher03@outlook.com"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">ljmaher03@outlook.com</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">). </FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Creating Access in the Arts and
Beyond</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Precious
Perez</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Precious is
currently
the president of the National Federation of the Blind’s Massachusetts
Student
Division and a board member of the National Federation of the Blind
Performing
Arts Division. She is also a tenBroek Scholarship winner, meaning she has
been
acknowledged twice by the NFB for her academic accomplishments, leadership,
and
willingness to make a difference in the world. She will do her student
teaching
in the fall and will graduate in December prepared to teach music and
performance. Here is what she says about taking the initiative to get an
internship and making it all it could be:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I first encountered Mark Degarmo Dance
through
the Berklee Career Manager in the fall of 2020. At the time they had posted
a
full-time community engagement internship position for school credit, and I
thought it could be a great experience. I applied then, but didn't have as
much
availability as I knew they would have wanted. I saw the job posted again,
this
time listed as a ten-hour position in December of last year. I knew an
internship would be really helpful with my credits, and I wanted to gain new
experience in the nonprofit sector within an arts discipline I was always
interested in—dance.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I got a part-time teaching job right after I
was
offered the internship for the duration of the spring semester. When I wrote
back to my now supervisor Hannah DeGarmo about not being able to put in as
much
time as they deserved and needed, her response was to offer me the
opportunity
to create and lead independent projects around my interests, putting in as
much
time as I was able. I'd never seen a company do anything like this, and it
was
so refreshing. I knew right away that the company's intentions were genuine
and
that I'd be happy to be a part of the team. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I began by writing a proposal for my
independent
projects. As a blind Latina performer myself, I knew I had a unique
perspective
to offer. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Mark DeGarmo Dance (MDD) is a small
nonprofit
dance company based out of New York City that provides dance education to
underserved communities and also puts on virtual performances. As a remote
intern, I proposed building connections between MDD and the NFB Performing
Arts
division, potentially having the company advertised in our newsletter and
via
our listservs or a membership call. I also proposed expanding MDD's outreach
to
Spanish-speaking communities, as well as ensuring that their web presence
and
virtual events were optimized for accessibility. My projects were
enthusiastically approved, so I set out with my overall goal being to
further
the company's mission of accessibility and inclusion not just in statement,
but
in practice.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My first task was creating a document to
keep
track of web accessibility. I listed the elements to check for: labeled
buttons
and links, radio buttons, check boxes, images with alt text, form fields,
combo
boxes, and headings. I spent my five hours for a few weeks going through
each
page of the website testing each of these elements with multiple
screenreader
and browser combinations including NVDA with Firefox, NVDA with Chrome, Jaws
with Chrome, VoiceOver with Chrome, and Voiceover with Safari. I noted any
images that weren't identifiable and any aspects of the pages that worked or
didn't work with different combinations. Once completed, I checked MDD's
social
media pages, noting the need for alt text on the majority of images and
posts
made. I found that the website was fairly accessible overall, and there were
only a few things to fix. I connected with two fellow interns, one who dealt
with social media, and the other who dealt with the website to discuss my
findings and explain anything they needed to know about what alt text is and
what screen readers are and what they do.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My next task was something I wasn't
expecting,
but it was great experience nonetheless. MDD had a virtual event coming up,
so
part of my job was to find organizations that we could push the press
release
out to who would also share it. I was able to find a fair amount of local
organizations in Massachusetts, as well as circulate the information through
the
NFB performing arts networks.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My final project is one that also
encompasses
accessibility. I realized that I couldn't market MDD's events to the blind
community if they weren't fully accessible. The first thing I did was look
into
captioning, and I found that Zoom had recently integrated this, so MDD was
able
to go in and set this up. The next thing I did was to research organizations
and
companies that provided audio description services. I created a spreadsheet
containing all of the information requested by MDD regarding pricing and
live
versus pre-recorded virtual events. I'll be following this up by reaching
out to
the founder of the audio description project and the creator of the database
I
found with a ton of contacts to inquire about volunteer audio description
options given that MDD is a small company with a budget. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My time with MDD is coming to a close, and I
will soon be handing off all of the information. I've passed this to a
fellow
intern who will continue where I left off on the search for audio
description to
make MDD truly accessible. I can honestly say that this company is committed
to
accessibility and inclusion for all and has been completely receptive to my
perspective, my feedback, and my work. It is important for me to talk about
my
experience because it relates to the arts, to dance, but most of all, to
access
needs. This company has demonstrated what it really means to follow through
with
a commitment to access and inclusion in truth. Creating accessible
experiences
and opportunities begins with a seat at the table, and MDD pulled out a
chair
for me and saw the significance in my expertise. These are the steps I took
to
help create a more accessible and inclusive space within the nonprofit
sector
and the arts. This is a conversation about advocacy, but it is also a
positive
example. Any company looking to cement its mission within these causes
should
look to Mark DeGarmo Dance for an example on where to start. I am confident
that
even after my departure as an intern, they will use this new information to
continue evolving and moving forward to achieve equal access and inclusion
for
all. </FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">When I Was Almost the Victim of My Implicit
Bias</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Patti Chang</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Patti is a tireless
worker on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind, but her life isn't
captured in that one phrase. She is a caring wife, mother, and a reflective
thinker. We are all blessed by her reflections, so enjoy one she has chosen
to
share:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">When I was in school, the most productive
way to
get printed material into my brain was by working with human readers.
Sometimes
I was fortunate enough to have a book on tape, but generally what I wanted
was
not available, and getting at it was not nearly as efficient as using a
competent human being who could turn directly to the page I wanted to read,
skim
by paragraph, and help me review information I had underlined or
highlighted. It
gave me experience in hiring, supervising, and occasionally firing people
who
simply could not do the work I needed done.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Knowing that I utilized live reading
services,
one day I got a call from Fred Sanders who directed the Michigan State
University's disabled student service office. His request was that I take on
another reader. I was already about three weeks into the term and had all
the
people I needed, so my answer was an immediate no. His response was that he
had
a really nice fellow who was in an honor society named Tower Guard, and the
people in that organization were required to give a certain number of hours
as
volunteers. He explained that the young man he wished me to hire had tried
making tapes, but because of his accent, no one could understand him. My
initial
no was reinforced with the thought that I have no reason to hire a reader no
one
could understand, and I assumed I would be part of that group. I went on my
way,
glad the decision was made and the conversation concluded.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">It turns out that the director was nothing
if
not persistent. About a week later, he gave me a call and proceeded to take
another tack at advancing his argument. He told me that I was taking
Spanish,
that this reader knew Spanish fluently, that I could certainly use good help
in
that area, and the director simply couldn't tell a man willing to donate
service
hours that he had no takers. For reasons that I don't remember now, I said
yes.
Perhaps it was his sheer tenacity, but I made it perfectly clear that the
young
man’s job was provisional and that I was making no commitment it would work
out.
I thought that at a very minimum I could work on my Spanish accent, which at
that time was atrocious. It still is for that matter.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">So it was that this kind young gentleman
named
Francisco who was born in Honduras of Chinese ancestry came to read for me.
Interestingly I found no difficulty in understanding his accent; if
anything, I
had a hard time getting him to talk except when he was reading. He was one
of
the shyest people I knew. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I found him intelligent and quite competent.
The
reading sessions were pretty much what I expected, except that I noticed
that he
would stick around for a time after we were done, and he would find
convenient
excuses to drop by. This made almost no impression on me at the time, but my
roommate told me that it was obvious Francisco was interested in me. I
confidently replied no. I was certain that the only reason he was hanging
around
was that he wanted to learn English and that I was doing him a favor by
patiently teaching him. I got a similar message from my then boyfriend who
said
that Francisco was interested, and I gave his concern all the consideration
I
thought it deserved, which was about zero. This was simply a working
relationship, and although I might like him, I would never consider dating
anyone who worked for me. It crossed lines that would make supervision
difficult, and besides, they were just seeing things that weren't
there.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">It turns out that early on in our
involvement
Francisco told his brother that he was interested in me, and he made a
conscious
decision to wait out the then boyfriend who he was sure I would eventually
break
up with since he was a “jerk.” About a year into what I thought was a good
working relationship after the boyfriend was history, Francisco announced
that
he was quitting. I was amazed; at that point he was actually getting paid,
his
volunteer work already having been completed. In confusion I asked him why
he
didn't want to work anymore, and I assured him I thought that our working
relationship was going fine. His answer was clear and direct: "I am quitting
because you won't go out with me as long as I work for you." I was taken
aback
but had to admit that what he said was true.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In looking back on that year, I realized
that I
was ignoring Francisco despite signs from my roommate and former boyfriend
because I never envisioned myself marrying anyone other than a white man.
The
thought of doing anything different was inconceivable to me. I was limiting
my
own possibilities by the implicit biases I carried with me, ones that I
simply
saw as truth, the way life worked, the way things were to be. I realized
that
this particular bias was one that I had never thought through but had simply
considered so self-evident that it required no thought.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Once I recognized my bias and decided to
move
beyond it, it didn’t take more than two or three dates for me to realize
that I
was taken with Francisco as well. But isn’t it amazing that he had to do
something as dramatic as quitting his job for me to give him the slightest
consideration as a romantic partner? Now, after thirty-seven years of
marriage,
it is hard to believe what I almost let slip away. What a cost both of us
would've paid for my bias, not to mention the wonderful human beings we
brought
into the world, our daughter Julia and our son Johnathon.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I have taken the time to write this article
because I think we often approach the idea of eliminating bias as something
we
do for others. But as my own case so clearly demonstrates, I am the person
who
benefited most from the elimination of implicit bias, and it was well worth
the
thinking, the soul-searching, and the challenging of what seemed
unchallengeable. I now enjoy something beyond any monetary value that could
be
assigned. We like all couples have definitely had our ups and our downs; but
our
song, “Still the One,” pretty much says it all. What would we be missing if
I
held onto the conviction that my partner must be white?</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">A Response from the League of Women Voters
of
Colorado</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Karen Sheek</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: In the May issue we
ran
an article by Curtis Chong about the opposition of the League of Women
Voters to
legislation being considered to make it easier for blind people to cast
votes
privately and independently, including from their home. The League of Women
Voters takes issue with some of the characterizations of what was portrayed
as
its position, and we gladly print them here. The League’s response is
written by
its president, and we appreciate the dialogue. We will no doubt have more
conversation on this topic as our nation and its blind citizens negotiate
systems that are both accessible and secure: </FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In response to Curtis Chong’s opinion piece
published in the May 2021 edition of the <EM>Braille Monitor</EM>:
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">With respect, Mr. Chong misstated or left
out
significant points regarding the League of Women Voters’ stance on ballot
security for those living with disabilities, in particular around SB21-188.
While we agree completely that elections should be open so that every voter
can
vote privately, independently, and in a manner that doesn’t require
extraordinary effort and negotiation, we also know that the threat of ballot
tampering weakens confidence in our democracy. Actual ballot tampering
disenfranchises the voices of voters who deserve to be heard and, unlike
bank
transactions, is difficult to trace because we have an election system
designed
for secret and anonymous ballots. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">LWVCO never opposed SB21-188. We had an
<EM>Amend </EM>position until the print disability amendment passed; then we
supported the bill. Curtis Chong worked with LWVCO on April 4th to identify
an
appropriate print disability amendment. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Update: As of May 20, 2021, </FONT><A
style='href: "https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb21-188"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">SB21-188</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman"> with
the
print disability amendment is awaiting the governor’s signature. The amended
bill has LWVCO support. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">LWV’s mission is “Empowering Voters.
Defending
Democracy.” LWV does not stay clear of politics; we stay clear of partisan
politics. We want to empower voters who need electronic ballot return but
simultaneously defend democracy by not encouraging abuse of electronic
ballot
return—a process which is vulnerable to hacking.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Mr. Chong stated that some SB21-188
testimony
pointed to “security loopholes—even that part of the system which today
permits
voters with disabilities to receive and mark their ballots electronically.”
LWVCO only gave testimony that the electronic return of a ballot is a
concern.
The current electronic ballot marking and returning a paper ballot is not a
concern. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">We leave it to election integrity experts to
dispute other points that Mr. Chong made. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">We also stated the LWVCO position in our
op-ed:
<BR></FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.coloradopolitics.com/opinion/colorado-must-limit-use-of-electronic-ballots/article_5764f466-9e76-11eb-b10a-bb6964cd9bda.html%20"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://www.coloradopolitics.com/opinion/colorado-must-limit-use-of-electronic-ballots/article_5764f466-9e76-11eb-b10a-bb6964cd9bda.html</FONT></A></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Changing the World One Ballot at a
Time</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Mark A.
Riccobono</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: This op-ed is
reprinted
with permission from <EM>The Hill</EM>, April 16, 2021.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In his 1988 children’s novel “Matilda,”
celebrated author Roald Dahl penned the line “Somewhere inside all of us is
the
power to change the world.” When applied to voting, this sentiment becomes
doubly relevant. To have the power to change the world, we must first have
the
power to make our voices heard through a ballot. For many blind Americans,
making our voice heard presents its own set of unique challenges. The For
the
People Act (S. 1), currently in the United States Senate, sets out to
rectify
some of these problems but misses the mark in a few critical
areas.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In 2002, the Help America Vote Act was
signed
into law, requiring every polling location to have at least one accessible
ballot-marking device. This was a great leap forward in accessible voting
because these machines allow blind and print-disabled persons to complete
their
ballot privately and independently. However, with the resurgence of
hand-marked
paper ballots in recent years, a new problem has been created.
Ballot-marking
devices will frequently print a paper ballot that differs in both size and
style
from traditional hand-marked paper ballots used by the majority of voters.
Because so few non-disabled voters use the ballot-marking devices, the
distinguishable ballot produced by the machine prevents blind and other
disabled
voters from having a secret ballot. If officials can determine which bloc of
voters a specific set of ballots came from, it becomes possible to
discriminate
against those voters; and if a particular polling location has only one or
two
disabled voters using the machine, those voters might as well sign their
ballot.
To ensure that blind and print-disabled voters can cast both a secret and
independent ballot, it is essential that S. 1 be amended so that at least
two
ballot-marking devices are required in each polling place and that those
ballot-marking devices are actively and specifically offered to voters
without
disabilities.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Furthermore, more Americans than ever before
are
choosing to vote by mail; therefore, it is essential that blind Americans
not be
excluded from this opportunity. In that regard, S. 1 must be amended to
ensure
that the process for requesting, completing, and submitting a vote-by-mail
ballot is nonvisually accessible. In this regard, nothing in the bill should
limit or alter a state’s obligations under Section 301(a)(3)(A) of the Help
America Vote Act of 2002 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
as
amended. This would ensure that Congress is preserving the accessibility
requirements of these two landmark laws.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Ensuring the accessibility of in-person and
vote-by-mail balloting will guarantee that blind Americans are able to
exercise
their right to vote in a safe and secure manner without having to wait in
long
lines and crowded areas for extended periods of time. It is essential to
incorporate these two edits into the bill to guarantee that blind Americans
have
the same opportunity to vote privately, independently, and secretly that is
provided to voters without disabilities. Without these amendments to the
bill,
Congress would be reversing decades of progress in voting rights for
Americans
with disabilities.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The National Federation of the Blind has
conducted numerous blind voter surveys in order to establish a set of voting
best practices. Additionally, we have worked to develop numerous innovations
in
this field over the past decades. We are fully prepared to help Congress in
any
way that we can in order to guarantee that all Americans, especially blind
Americans, can confidently participate in our electoral democracy so that we
too
will be able to exercise our power to change the world.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">To Educate or Alienate</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Nancy Burns</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Nancy Burns is a
loyal,
longtime member who does her best to deposit a nugget of real value to the
<EM>Braille Monitor</EM>. What she has to say is always thought provoking,
and
this offering is no different. What she offers is her perspective on our
obligation to educate the public and the absolute necessity that we mingle
if
real integration is to occur. Here is what she has to
say:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As blind or visually impaired people, we are
frequently confronted with demeaning and sometimes insulting questions or
comments from the general public. The difficulty is how to respond to these
situations without alienating anyone. The sighted public generally has
little if
any connection with someone who happens to be blind, and therefore long held
false assumptions seem to kick into place. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">From my years of dealing with such
encounters,
it has come to my attention that the common belief is that it would be
impossible for the sighted person in question to perform typical daily tasks
without vision. The truth of the matter is that such opinions are accurate.
As
blind people we know that it takes training and a positive attitude to
become a
confident and competent individual. The National Federation of the Blind has
for
decades provided support and training in these areas. The challenge then
becomes
how to respond to such a person. These encounters occur all too quickly, and
we
must think on our feet without hesitation. This is challenging and much
easier
said than done. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">A lively discussion centering around these
issues took place during a recent group meeting, and a number of desired
responses to these comments were shared. The range of responses went from
the
use of sarcasm to an attempt to find humor in the situation. Several
examples of
rather thoughtless questions were reported. Who picks out your clothes for
you?
Do you know where you are going? Will your dog take you to the right
location?
May I move your stick? These are just a few of the commonly asked questions.
The
answers seem relatively simple to those of us who happen to be blind.
Occasionally there may even be a bright side to these encounters. Dialog
between
blind people and the general public does not always occur, but occasionally
we
are able to clarify a situation. The more we are out there and seen walking
independently, catching buses for work, being involved in daily activities,
or
getting involved in civic organizations, the more we are viewed as “normal.”
Each of us is an ambassador of the truth and must respond politely to those
never-ending comments from uneducated or unthinking people. It is the
responsibility of each and every one of us to wear a badge of independence
and
to share the responsibility of educating and not alienating the sighted
public.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The flip side of this is our responsibility
to
support and educate one another. A proven fact is that we, as blind
individuals,
are the best instructors for others who happen to be blind. A perfect
example of
this is the fact that in the past only sighted people taught the use of the
long
white cane. NFB training centers now exist in which capable blind people
administer and work in these programs. We also serve as peer counselors for
our
blind sisters and brothers. There is no better source of learning than from
one
another. Questions from how to take college exams to how I coordinate
clothes or
prepare a meal for my family can be easily answered by a blind friend.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The National Federation of the Blind, as a
result of its very existence, provides huge opportunities for training and
confidence building. The structure of this nationwide organization provides
opportunities to learn and to assume leadership roles. Self-confidence will
be
gained, and sharing this experience with others who happen to be blind is
the
very backbone of the National Federation of the Blind. </FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Making it through Adversity</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Svetlana
Ehlers</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Svetlana is one of
our
younger members in the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, but you
wouldn’t know it from the presentation she made at the 2021 affiliate
convention. It has appeared in the <EM>Blind Missourian, </EM>the newsletter
of
the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri. Here is what she
said:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Have you ever lived on a farm? Living on a
farm
you can learn so much, like watching a chick hatch. You watch the poor chick
struggle and struggle and struggle. Then you see a tiny crack in the shell,
so
you decide to pull the shell apart because you feel sorry for the chick.
Once
you pull the shell apart, the chick will eventually die because it must
first
build its strength by pushing its wings against the shell. It needs that
adversity to survive. Adversity can be a blessing as it will grow your
confidence, determination, and faith in Jesus Christ. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I was born in Armenia; Armenia is located
north
of Iran and east of Turkey. I was born at twenty-four weeks; I just didn’t
want
to waste any more time. Just call me an over-achiever. Poor planning on my
part:
my eyes didn’t develop right. So my parents could not care for me, and they
put
me in an orphanage. Over the next nine-year-period, I moved from a hospital
to
two different orphanages and a blind school. I don’t remember much about my
first orphanage, but I remember this one person named Guion who was abusive.
She
would hit me if I talked or moved. Sometimes I felt she would just hit me
for no
apparent reason. I also had a friend named Samvel. He was like a brother to
me.
We were each other’s anchor. I don’t know how I would have survived without
him
there. He went with me to my second orphanage and to the blind school. I was
hoping that when I moved the abuse would stop, and it did for about a week.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After that week the abuse started again. But
it
was different in this new orphanage. The orphanage staff let the other kids
play, but Samvel and I had to just sit and listen to them because we were
both
blind and couldn’t get around on our own. If I got up from my chair, I would
immediately be hit. I think my blindness was considered a burden to the
staff.
When we went to bed, we had to be asleep as soon as we put our heads on the
pillow. Most of the time that was very difficult because it was scary at
night.
So I just pretended to be asleep and listened to the other kids being hurt
by
the staff. I started thinking that this was normal, so I figured out ways
that I
could avoid being abused.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">One day a priest named Father Grigor and his
wife Anahit came to visit the kids with disabilities. They took Samvel and
me
and some of the other kids to church every week. They even took us on
vacation
to a lake for a week. This was the only place where I felt safe and the only
time I ever felt loved. This is where Father Grigor introduced me to God. I
think this helped me to see that there was something good in life. But then
we
had to go back to the orphanage. This made me very upset because I had to go
back to that place. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">That same year Samvel and I went to the
blind
school. The school was not abusive, but I did not learn much. They brushed
my
hair and teeth, and they even dressed us. I didn’t even learn how to lift a
fork
to my mouth. I just put my mouth on the plate and pulled food in. My mom
called
it my puppy dog eating. If I hadn’t gotten adopted, I would have been
finished
with school by the age of fourteen. People in Armenia believe that children
who
are blind don’t need to obtain an education above an eighth grade
level.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Then one day the orphanage staff told me
that
the Americans were coming to steal my organs. I’ve seen kids disappear
before.
So I was scared when my new mom came and took me away. Once I was adopted,
my
life changed very quickly. At first I was very immature. My mom said that
because I couldn’t touch anything all my life, I made up for lost time and
touched everything. Remember I see through my fingers. Imagine me going out
to
dinner with family and friends. Everyone else looks around to see what each
person ordered, but for me, my hands immediately went into everybody’s
plates.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My mom taught me how to read Braille, and
then
my whole world opened up. Everything that I couldn’t see in the orphanage I
could now see in books. Since then, I’ve never stopped learning. My goal is
to
become a lawyer, and I am going to do what it takes to achieve that goal.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Are you wondering what happened to Samvel?
Well,
he got adopted also. Remember Father Grigor and Anahit, the people that took
us
to church? I think once I was being adopted they realized they could lose
us, so
they adopted Samvel. Most people in Armenia don’t care about kids with
disabilities, but these folks did. I commend them for going against their
culture, because not only did they adopt Samvel, but they also adopted
another
child from that orphanage who had challenges. Today Samvel is a beautiful
opera
singer doing concerts all across Eastern Europe. Samvel’s life will be very
different from mine. He finished school at the age of fourteen. Because of
this,
he will not be able to support himself in Armenia. The good thing is that he
has
a family who can support him. God has a purpose for everything that he does.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper
you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jerimiah
29:11.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I wouldn’t wish for anyone to go through
what I
had to go through in Armenia. It was a horrible experience. No child should
ever
have to endure that type of abuse. But everyone has adversity in their
lives.
Some experience adversity more often and to a greater or lesser extent. What
matters is how you view your adversity. We can become a victim of our
adversity,
or we can grow from the challenges that God gives us. I choose to grow from
my
adversity, and I am going to encourage you to teach your children to grow
from
theirs as well. Adversity can be a blessing because it will grow your
confidence, determination, and faith in Jesus Christ. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">First, let’s talk about confidence. If I had
not
gone through the challenges I did, I would not be the person that I am
today.
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you
really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I
lived
through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’” Eleanor
Roosevelt. When you let your kids experience adversity, they will be more
self-reliant as an adult. For example, if your child is having a problem
with
their friend, let them talk to their friend so that they can resolve the
issue.
Once you let them do that, they will build a sense of self-confidence that
will
get stronger with time. Dr. Laura Markham says, “Manage your own anxiety so
you
don't make a habit of rescuing your child. Instead, when she gets into a
jam,
support her in brainstorming possible solutions. If you lecture, teach, or
solve
the problem for her, you're teaching her that she can't solve things
herself.”
(Markham) Also, God commands us to have confidence. Joshua 1:9 states, “Have
I
not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Adversity builds determination. This year I
wanted to learn how to put wood in our wood stove. I kept telling myself
that I
couldn’t do it. It was just too hard, and I was afraid that I would touch
the
flames—ouch! Finally, I decided to use the fireplace tongs to put the log in
the
fire. I figured out that this wasn’t going to work, so then I tried to put
the
log in the fire with my gloved hand, and it worked! I had to stop thinking
about
the negative aspects about putting wood in the fire. You might think that is
easy, but again I am totally blind. If I were to touch the flames, that
would be
very bad. I did melt my dad’s firefighter gloves. You see, they are not
designed
to actually be in the flames. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">He was very surprised, but I haven’t burned
my
hands. That is okay right! “I really believe in the old expression that what
doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It’s through adversity that you find
the
strength you never knew you had.” Christie Brinkley. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Lastly, my faith in God has greatly
increased.
When I think back to the past, I thank God for what he let me endure. If I
did
not go through hardships, I would have not reached out to God. So, I
encourage
you to thank God for your hardships. “… adversity is not the time to abandon
the
faith that has brought us this far. Instead, we should ask the Lord to use
the
adversity as a tool to strengthen our trust in Him. Let us pray that God
will
give us courage, boldness, wisdom, and faith as a result of walking through
adversity.” Pastor David Delman (Delman) When you trust in the Lord, he will
help you through hard times. “I can do all things through Christ who gives
me
strength” Philippians 4:13. God is not going to take that hardship away, but
he
will help you through it. </FONT></P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After
listening to this speech, what do you think about adversity? Should we wait
until the child is a grown adult to experience adversity, or should we let
them
start experiencing little adversities now? I hope that you start now because
it
will greatly increase their confidence, determination, and faith in Jesus
Christ. Remember to let your little chicks break out of their shells on
their
own. </FONT>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Discrimination Against the Blind Isn’t Just
a
Sighted Thing</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Gary Wunder</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Reading Shawn Calloway’s story in the June
issue
of the <EM>Monitor</EM> got me thinking about my first romantic
relationship,
and what a pleasant thought and a life changer that was. I was raised during
my
teen years in a small town with a sign saying population 216. Like every
young
man, I wanted to date, but besides a date for the junior senior prom, mostly
I
struck out. In my town and in those times, the boy drove the car that picked
up
the girl, and without a car, there was nothing to do. Our town had a gas
station
and a post office; neither helped with romance unless one was dating from
afar.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My life changed when I came to the
University of
Missouri Columbia and found that I could walk almost anywhere I wanted to
go.
The bank, the restaurant, the movie theater, and a nice park were all within
my
ability to reach without first having to arrange or beg for a ride. It didn’t
take long after coming to campus to realize that there was more to college
than
books. There were girls, women, and one of them in particular liked me and I
liked her. I love the touch of the hand, the embrace so much different from
hugging mom, and the way it felt when she put her head on my shoulder. I
felt
more alive than I had ever felt.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">She was not at all concerned about the fact
that
I was blind, but, like the fathers in Shawn’s experience, there was rough
sailing ahead. In my story, however, the father was blind, and he was quite
sure
that his daughter could do quite a lot better than a relationship with a
blind
man. My girlfriend’s father did not work outside the home. He had very
little
self-confidence, and one of my girlfriend’s wishes was that she could get
him in
contact with people who might help change his perception of what life might
have
to offer if only he had a different view of himself.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After an eight-week summer program, I went
off
to get myself a guide dog. Sam, my girlfriend, was still uppermost in my
thoughts, so one of the first people I called using the payphone at the
school
was her. When her father realized to whom she was talking, I heard him say,
“He’s not calling collect, is he?” That might’ve been a reasonable question
from
any father, no matter how well he could or could not see.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">It is strange to think about what motivates
us
in the work we do because sometimes those motivations seem contradictory. I
was
motivated by people who did things I didn’t think blind people could do and
therefore opened up opportunities to me I didn’t think existed. I was
motivated
by blind people who broke down barriers so that I could go to school, hire
human
beings to read to me, receive special tape-recording equipment that would
let me
use books on tape, and the programs gave me enough money to buy food and
other
necessities. But I’m here to tell you that I was also motivated by that
father
who thought his daughter deserved better than to date a blind man. I might
not
be able to change his life, but what if I could change life for people of my
generation and those who would come after? </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">My girlfriend and I were both young; we
drifted
apart without a single bad word or argument, and almost two decades later we
started to write to one another. She was never quite sure how much her
father’s
opposition played in our drifting apart. The part of her who valued being
rebellious thought that it played no part at all, but the part who loved her
father and wanted to be the good daughter also knew that his opinion did
matter.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">There is no question that we want to change
the
opinion of the sighted public about our worth as human beings and our
ability to
participate in society, but it is equally true that we want to change the
minds
of other blind people who cannot envision the opportunities open to them if
only
they can believe in themselves and other blind people. When we pledge
ourselves
to go build the Federation, it is not organizational momentum or
preservation of
some legacy that we are talking about. It is talking about having a
mechanism to
bring about effective change, a structure that lets blind people talk among
ourselves, venture to risk new ideas leading to opportunities, and knowing
that
we have the support of one another as we attempt the traditional or
untraditional. If we are to have a hand in building the world we will live
in
and in the world our children will inherit, we need the right tools, and one
of
the most important is the National Federation of the Blind.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">I Wanted to Walk a Mile in Those Little
High-Heeled Shoes</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Danielle
McCann</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Danielle is our
director of social media, and as excited about that as I am, the thing that
brings me real joy is that she is willing to write more than 280 character
Twitter posts and several paragraphs on Facebook. She writes articles, and I
think they are fantastic. Here is her latest offering: </FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">When I was little, I wanted nothing more
than to
be a Barbie. I was obsessed with tearing open those hot pink cardboard boxes
I
saw in the store with those beautiful girls smiling behind the clear plastic
sleeves. Brush, check; tiny plastic heels, check; incredibly gorgeous doll,
check check check. In my mind, the fact that she was white, blue-eyed, super
thin, and able-bodied were noted but not so much that I stopped dreaming of
my
own life of pink luxury.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">When the “ethnic” dolls came out, my parents
started buying me the one named Theresa. She had a darker skin tone, brown
eyes,
and brown hair. She still had Barbie’s figure, and her eyes weren’t like
mine,
but she was a little bit closer to looking like me; my dream was even closer
at
hand. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In May of this year, decades after I put my
Barbie fantasies on the shelf, Mattel released the Helen Keller Barbie, and
I
got a little bit choked up when I heard. It took me a while to figure out
why
this doll was making me feel emotional. I texted my brother about her
immediately and rambled on to my husband about my long-forgotten love for
Barbie, all the while trying not to cry. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I finally realized that what was making me
feel
this way was my seven-year-old self, recognizing herself in the Helen doll.
In
recent years, Mattel made a concerted effort to change the body shape of its
flagship toy. In addition to “Classic” Barbie, there are now dolls who are
shorter, taller, and curvier, like me. They have also made efforts to
construct
facial features that represent different ethnicities more accurately.
Knowing
that there is now a doll who is disabled just feels like we’re getting
somewhere, like maybe today’s generation of children who play with Barbies
will
have the chance to see themselves and more easily imagine themselves being
able
to achieve their dreams despite perceived limitations. It is my hope that
Mattel
and other toy manufacturers continue to be inclusive when they think of
their
next big idea.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As an adult, I am nostalgic for the days
when
all I had to worry about was finding the perfect outfit for my doll or
hiding
the fact that I cut her hair from my mom. Though I never got to walk a mile
in
Barbie’s little plastic heels, I definitely have mostly pink footwear. I
guess
there are some things we’re not meant to grow out of.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">My Jury Experience</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Dana Ard</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Dana Ard is the
president of the National Federation of the Blind of Idaho, and in that role
she
displays so much of what it means to be a loyal, hard-working Federationist.
She
takes her responsibilities as an advocate seriously, and when we win a
right,
she doesn’t try shirking the responsibility that goes along with it. We are
blessed by her contributions to the <EM>Monitor. </EM>Here is her latest
offering:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I received my first-ever jury summons letter
in
mid-February. Since the dates that I was to appear were during convention
week,
I requested a postponement and was soon notified by mail that my dates of
service would be April 5 to 9. I was told that I would have to call in at
the
end of each weekday to find out when I needed to appear at the Ada County
courthouse. I called in on the Saturday night before the Monday which began
my
time of service. I learned that I would need to appear at the courthouse on
April 5 at 12:30. When I arrived, I was checked in through security, and a
marshal escorted me to the fourth floor and into the large room where the
prospective jurors were to wait. There was an informational video played
describing jury service. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">An hour after arrival, about thirty-five of
the
one hundred-plus prospective jurors were given placards with a number on
them.
We were told to line up in order and move to a room where we would be
interviewed. My number was seven. The judge, Michael Reardon, asked
questions
that focused on our critical thinking and analytical skills as well as
rooting
out and learning about our biases. Near the end of his questioning, he asked
if
there was anyone who had never been summoned for jury duty. I raised my
placard,
because although my husband was called at least five times, I had never been
summoned for jury duty. He then asked who was excited to serve on a jury. I
raised my placard, and I was invited to speak. I explained that I was
honored to
be there even if I wasn’t selected. I stated that I wanted to fulfill my
civic
duty and serve on a jury. After a short recess, we returned to our room for
a
few more comments from the judge, and then the selection began. Numbers were
called: four, six, and then my magic number, seven. I was selected to serve
on
the jury for the trial!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The defendant in the trial was accused of
knowingly possessing, depositing, and attempting to cash a stolen
third-party
check. I took Braille notes on all of the witness testimony as well as the
guidance from the judge on what we had to consider when deciding this case
of
grand theft. When we began deliberations, I thought the case was a
slam-dunk. I
believed that the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; but,
surprisingly, not everyone agreed with me initially. After approximately two
hours, we reached consensus that the defendant was indeed guilty as charged.
Following our rendering of the verdict in court, we learned that the
defendant
had two prior charges similar to the one on which we had just convicted him.
</FONT></P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to have been able to
exercise
my civic responsibility as a juror. I am hopeful that my service will
demonstrate to judges and attorneys that blind people should not be
disqualified
from jury service based solely on blindness. </FONT>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">You Can Make a Difference </FONT></H2>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Blind children, students, and adults are
making
powerful strides in education and leadership every day across the United
States.
For more than eighty years, the National Federation of the Blind has worked
to
transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality.
With
support from individuals like you, we continue to provide powerful programs
and
critical resources for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to
be a
part of our enduring movement by including the National Federation of the
Blind
in your charitable giving and in your estate planning. It is easier than you
think.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">With your help, the NFB will continue
to:</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Give blind children the gift of literacy
through Braille.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Promote independent travel by providing
free,
long white canes to blind people in need.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Develop dynamic educational projects and
programs to show blind youth that science and math careers are within
their
reach.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers
and
magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to
be
actively involved in their communities.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Offer aids and appliances that help
seniors
losing vision maintain their independence.</FONT></LI></UL>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Plan to Leave a Legacy</FONT></H3>
<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman">The National Federation of the
Blind
legacy society, our Dream Makers Circle, honors and recognizes the
generosity
and vision of members and special friends of the National Federation of the
Blind who have chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other planned
giving
option. You can join the Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.
</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Fixed Sum of Assets </FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">You can specify that a fixed sum of your
assets
or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind in your will,
trust,
pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other
accounts.</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Percentage of Assets </FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">You can specify that a percentage of your
assets
or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind in your will,
trust,
pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other
accounts.</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Payable on Death (POD) Account</FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">You can name the National Federation of the
Blind as the beneficiary on a Payable on Death (POD) account through your
bank.
You can turn any checking or savings account into a POD account. This is one
of
the simplest ways to leave a legacy. The account is totally in your control
during your lifetime and you can change the beneficiary or percentage at any
time with ease.</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Will or Trust </FONT></H4>
<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman">If you do decide to create or
revise
your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial
beneficiary. </FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman">Visit our </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Planned Giving webpage</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more
information. </FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman">Together with love, hope,
determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into
reality.</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Ways to Contribute Now </FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In 2020, the NFB:</FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Distributed 5,278 canes to blind people
across the United States, empowering them to travel safely and
independently
throughout their communities.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Delivered audio newspaper and magazine
services to 124,813 subscribers, providing free access to over five
hundred
local, national, and international publications.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Introduced 1,107 young blind children and
their families to non-visual learning through Braille Reading Pals and the
Early Explorers program.</FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Continued our Braille Enrichment for
Literacy
and Learning® Academies as in-home editions offered to blind youth
throughout
the United States.</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Just imagine what we’ll do next year, and,
with
your help, what can be accomplished for years to come. Below are just a few
of
the many diverse, tax-deductible ways you can lend your support to the
National
Federation of the Blind.</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Vehicle Donation Program </FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The NFB accepts donated vehicles, including
cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call
855-659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements to pick
up
your donation. We can also answer any questions you have.</FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">General Donation </FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">General donations help support the ongoing
programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they
want.
You can call 410-659-9314 and elect option 4 to donate by phone. Donate
online
with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit our
</FONT><A style='href: "https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Ways to Give webpage</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> for more information. </FONT></P>
<H4><FONT face="Times New Roman">Pre-Authorized Contribution </FONT></H4>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution
(PAC)
program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the
Blind
by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdrawal of funds from a
checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, call 410-659-9314,
extension 2213, or fill out our </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.nfb.org/pac"'><FONT face="Times New Roman">PAC
Donation Form</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">
online.</FONT></P><FONT
face="Times New Roman">If you have questions about giving, please send an
email
to </FONT><A style='href: "mailto:outreach@nfb.org"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">outreach@nfb.org</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman"> or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422.
</FONT>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Feeling Through</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Lisa Bryant</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: For almost two
years
now, we have been involved in an effort to “Let Us Play Us.” The idea is
simple:
when a blind person is portrayed, whether on Broadway, on television, or on
the
big screen, we want blind people considered for these roles. It is not
surprising that people with other disabilities want the same. Here is an
interview conducted by our own Lisa Bryant, a member of the Keystone chapter
of
the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania. Lisa is a freelance
writer, and when she heard about this movie, she decided to see if she could
get
an interview for the <EM>Braille Monitor</EM>. She asked, they said yes, and
here is our outstanding article:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>“I welcome the industry to invite
more
of us to the table. Let’s take this and build upon it.”</STRONG><BR>—Robert
Tarango, deafblind actor in<EM> Feeling Through</EM></FONT></P>
<P><A style='href: "https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056241/"'><EM><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The Miracle Worker</FONT></EM></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> is undoubtedly the most famous movie featuring a
deafblind character. Based on the autobiography of </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Story-of-My-Life/Helen-Keller/Enriched-Classics/9781416500322"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Helen Keller</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">,
who
was deafblind, the film also tells the story of </FONT><A
style='href: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Sullivan"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Anne Sullivan</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">, Keller’s blind teacher. In the film,
Sullivan
is the only person able to reach Keller—transforming her from a wild,
frustrated
young girl, misunderstood, and even feared by her own family, to a tender
and in
her way, communicative Helen.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">That was in 1962. The film received multiple
Oscar nominations with its two lead actresses winning for their roles. Patti
Duke, a sighted and hearing actress played Keller, while Anne Bancroft, also
sighted, played the role of Sullivan.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">At this year’s Oscars, </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.feelingthrough.com/"'><EM><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Feeling Through</FONT></EM></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">, a short film by </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.feelingthrough.com/workshops-demos"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Doug Roland</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><STRONG> </STRONG>was nominated for its portrayal of
a
deafblind character. But, unlike more than fifty years ago, <EM>Feeling
Through</EM> casts </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.feelingthrough.com/new-page-3"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Robert Tarango</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">, who is deafblind in real life as Artie,
the
deafblind character in the film.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Based on a true encounter Roland had one
night
in New York City, the eighteen-minute short tells of a chance meeting
between
Tereek, (played by </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.feelingthrough.com/new-page-3"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Steven Prescod</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">), a young man wondering where he will
sleep
that night, and Artie who is making his way home from a date. To help Artie,
Tereek learns on the fly how to communicate with him; mainly using the
</FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.alldeaf.com/threads/what-is-print-on-palm-pop-and-why-i-use-it.73694/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">print on palm</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">
method.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">“I knew I wanted to cast an actor who was
deafblind,” said Roland who contacted the </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Helen Keller National Center (HKNC)</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><STRONG> </STRONG>in the very beginning of the
project.
He added that it was important that he make the film alongside the community
it
portrayed.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Roland worked closely with Christopher
Woodfill,
associate director of HKNC, who is also deafblind. According to Roland,
Woodfill
provided a host of potential “Arties” from a nationwide pool of
actors.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Yet, after several in-person and remote
auditions, the role of Artie remained open. That is until interpreter Erin
Quinn
suggested Tarango who worked in the kitchen of the center. Although Tarango
had
no professional acting experience, Roland said he knew almost instantly that
they had found their Artie.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Tarango, it was a day he will never
forget.
“I was working in the kitchen as an aide, just doing what I do every day,”
said
Tarango. That is until his boss summoned him to a meeting in another
building on
the center’s campus. “I thought I was in trouble,” said Tarango, never
imagining
he would become the first deafblind actor cast in an Oscar-nominated
film.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">But when Roland first approached Sue
Ruzenski,
Ed.D. and CEO of </FONT><A style='href:
"https://www.helenkeller.org/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Helen Keller Services</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">, the parent company of HKNC, she was initially
cautious,
wondering if the team’s efforts were sincere and if they really did “get
it.” “I
first thought here is a completely different field coming through. What are
their understandings, and will they be respectful?” said Ruzenski. “They
could
have their own agenda, and it might not be aligned with our community,” she
added. It seemed like a risk.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">However, once the two teams met, Ruzenski,
who
is also co-producer of the film, was assured it was a risk worth taking.
“Doug
was a listener and a learner from the start,” Ruzenski said; adding that
Roland
was intentional in keeping her and HKNC included at every turn.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As co-producer, Ruzenski assisted with a
variety
of resources from fundraising to accommodations such as both voicing and
signing
interpreters. For Roland, providing these and other accommodations never
felt
burdensome but instead gave even more value to making the film.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">“It feels like the wrong approach to look at
working with people with disabilities as an extra cost or an extra
challenge,”
Roland said. Adding that, “Anytime we work with people who are different
from
us, we learn more about our world and ourselves.” He also said there was the
ripple effect of providing a transformative teaching moment for the film
crew.
Perhaps more important than providing accommodations is a genuine and
respectful
treatment or in this case portrayal of persons with disabilities.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In <EM>Feeling Through</EM>, Artie seems to
quickly trust Tereek, in one scene handing Tereek his wallet to pay for a
juice.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Tereek helps himself to a ten-dollar tip (you will
have to watch the short for the conclusion to this scene).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">During one watch party, viewers were mostly
pleased with the film’s treatment of a deafblind actor. But some questioned
that
scene as unrealistic.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Marsha Drenth is a longtime Federationist
and
president of the Pennsylvania Association of the Deafblind. She said it was
great to have a film giving attention to deafblindness and reaching
Oscar-level
recognition. “But I don’t think any deafblind person would just hand over
their
wallet.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In addressing the criticism, Roland notes
that
when there are too few stories or examples of a certain group, the one more
publicized story becomes representative of an entire community—“which is
what we
shouldn’t do,” he said. Roland also urges viewers to look at the full
context of
the film rather than isolating the one scene.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As for future projects, Roland, Ruzenski,
and
the HKNC team are collaborating on developing a curriculum for high school
and
college-aged students. One goal of the curriculum is to break down fears and
hesitancy in communicating with a deafblind person. Ruzenski plans to
involve
deafblind staff at HKNC in developing the program.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As for Tarango, who was born deaf, being in
the
film was fulfillment of an acting career he thought was deferred when he
later
lost his vision as an adult. He has not so subtly hinted at wanting to do a
<EM>Feeling Through</EM> part two, and he hopes to have been an inspiration
to
others in his community. “Look at what I just did! You can do it too!” said
Tarango.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">To hear her full interview on <EM>Blind
Abilities</EM> with both Robert Tarango and Doug Roland go to: </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/blindabilities/FeelingThrough.mp3"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/blindabilities/FeelingThrough.mp3</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">, and to watch <EM>Feeling Through</EM> with audio
description go to: </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM_7_BofpPQ"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Feeling Through (with audio description) -
YouTube</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Deafblind Awareness Week is June 27-July 3.
For
more information go to </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.helenkeller.org/hknc/dbaw"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">HKNC: Deafblind Awareness Week 2021
(helenkeller.org)</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Lisa Bryant is a freelance writer living in
Philadelphia. She is an active member of the Keystone Chapter.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Why I am Proud to Be Blind</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Jonathan
Mosen</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: Jonathan Mosen is a
familiar name not only to <EM>Monitor</EM> readers but to those who are
familiar
with podcasts and personalities who have been prominent in blindness
technology
for the last couple of decades. Here is something he posted on March 5,
2021,
and it is with his permission that we reproduce it here:
</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I often mention on my <EM>Mosen At
Large</EM>
podcast that I am proud to be blind. Recently, I was challenged by a
listener
and asked how I can possibly be proud of having a serious, debilitating
condition.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am glad to say that disability pride and
blind
pride as a subset of that is on the rise. Yet it is an incomprehensible
concept
to some.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I keep a gratitude journal, where I write at
least ten things every day for which I am grateful. So it was easy for me to
consult that journal, where I have often written of things relating to
blindness
for which I am grateful and write this piece on why I am proud to be blind.
You
can hear the audio of this in <EM>Mosen At Large</EM> episode 119, and I
have
also uploaded the audio to this page, but here is the text of what I said in
case you prefer to read it.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am profoundly proud to be blind. I am
proud of
the fact that as a kid, when my older siblings would have been found out for
reading at night, I read in the dark as much as I liked, a Braille book
tucked
under the covers on winter nights.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind, because it connects
me
with a proud history. I share a characteristic with a man who gave us the
priceless gift of functional, efficient literacy. Louis Braille was an
example
of “nothing about us without us” in the 19th century, long before we used
that
phrase. His genius invention was derided by sighted people who were certain
they
knew what was best for us. He was ridiculed. His code was driven
underground,
and his books were burned. But he prevailed, because he was blind. He
devised
his code for himself; he gave it, at considerable personal cost, to all of
us.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because of all the
other
blind people who followed in Louis Braille’s footsteps, blind people
innovating
and inventing for our collective advancement, imagining a better future, and
making it real. Whether it be Larry Skutchan with his methodical mind and
interminable patience, or Ted Henter with his zeal and entrepreneurship, or
David Costution and Glen Gordon who believed that Windows could be truly
useable
and then made it come true, or the blind people now working on the inside of
mainstream companies who are our champions; we dreamed it, we created
it.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because blind people
are
the reason the thirty-three RPM record was developed, initially so talking
books
could be distributed more efficiently.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">And speaking of talking books, I am proud to
be
blind because blind people are the reason talking books exist. Now sighted
people are using them too.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because the original
reading machine was created for us. We started the journey of digitizing
printed
text that resulted in the scanners that are still commonplace in offices
today.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because long before
the
term PDA was in the lexicon of sighted people, we were taking notes, keeping
track of appointments, and reading books on devices like Keynotes and
Braille ’n
Speaks.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because we were one
of
the reasons computers started to talk. Technology is better because of blind
people. There are so many examples of technology when we, proudly, have been
the
blind who led the sighted.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because I am not
influenced by someone’s physical appearance, but instead gain information
from
the tone of a voice and the words that are said.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because it has made
me a
more lateral thinker, developing and refining alternative techniques to
access a
wide range of information so I can thrive in a largely sight-dependent
world.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because, even though
my
other senses aren’t sharper than anyone else’s, in fact I have a dual
sensory
loss, like many blind people, I use them well. It makes me smile when I can
tell
what type of audio processor is being used on a radio station or when
another
blind person can tell the kind of car that’s passing simply by the sound it’s
making, or when a blind person gives another blind person an instruction
like,
“When your cane hits a pole on my street that emits a fifth octave A-Flat,
you’re outside my house.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because of the legacy
of
great blind civil rights leaders around the world. Often ostracized and
branded
radical troublemakers, they confronted and are still confronting today the
tyranny of low expectations and the disabling decisions society has chosen
to
make. They challenged the damaging, fundamentally flawed notion that we had
neither the ability nor the right to achieve self-determination, and that it
wasn’t necessary for society to be accessible or inclusive or accepting.
Their
belief in a fairer tomorrow has unshackled us from institutions and
shattered
disempowering paternalism. Their tenacity has seen the increasing
availability
of better training, much of it driven by blind people ourselves, and
increased
opportunity through civil rights legislation.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because, as a subset
of
the world’s largest minority (disabled people), blind people led the way in
the
disability movement, securing legislative victories long before they were
common
for much of the rest of the sector. I am grateful every day of my life for
those
blind people who took on those difficult causes, displayed tenacity, and
stated
their cases again and again and again until progress was slowly but surely
made.
I am proud of the personal responsibility I feel as a blind person to always
cherish and defend, never take for granted, and constantly build upon the
legacy
of civil rights victories that I have inherited and benefited from. I am
mindful
that they must not be squandered, and I am proud to stand up, be counted,
and do
my moral duty to advance that legacy so that the next generation has even
more
opportunity than I have had.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because it has shaped
who
I am, it is part of my identity, and it has helped define me. I accept that.
I
embrace that.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because in being
blind I
contribute to the rich tapestry and the diversity of humankind.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because, no matter
how
many negative signals are sent, I know that being blind makes me no less a
person of worth.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind because the opposite
of
pride is shame, and my blindness is nothing to be ashamed of.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I am proud to be blind and therefore share a
characteristic with talented people from all walks of life. Blind people are
parents, devoted, loving parents, some of whom have had their babies
literally
snatched from their loving arms, an atrocity no capable and loving parent
should
endure, and all for no other reason than people getting it horribly wrong
about
blindness. I am proud that we as blind people show those parents love,
solidarity, and a steadfast determination to get those children back where
they
belong.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Blind people are in factories and farms, law
practices and legislatures, sandwich shops and start-ups. I am proud of the
blind teachers, software developers, businesspeople, mechanics,
transcribers,
musicians, and even medical doctors. There is very little we can’t do, and
there
are few professions where you can’t find a blind person, often to many
people’s
surprise. The only trouble is, the world doesn’t necessarily know that. And
that’s the biggest reason I am proud to be blind. Because every day, just by
getting on with my life, I defy the odds in a disabling society; we defy
expectations where there is little disability confidence. When people tell
us we
can’t, we show them that yes, we can. It can be exhausting sometimes. We may
get
knocked down, and sometimes we may feel like we’re out for the count. But
eventually, most of us get up again. We apply for that one more job. We work
around that inaccessible website. We keep calm and carry on when we’re
treated
like a helpless child in the street or when walking into a store or when yet
another rideshare driver declines to take our guide dog. That takes guts; it
takes tenacity. The odds are stacked against us, but we march on, we make
progress. Go us!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Yes, I am proud, proud, a thousand times
proud
to be blind.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Telling an Uncomfortable and Unconventional
Story</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Gary Wunder</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">There are many themes readers of the
<EM>Braille
Monitor</EM> will find familiar that raise our emotions and often our
defenses.
I’m going to tell you a story about an airport adventure. What goes through
your
mind? Perhaps it is being offered unwanted help. Perhaps it is being asked
whether you are a frequent flyer or whether you would like the flight
attendant
to review the safety procedures for the 737 aircraft. Seldom does your
answer
matter: you are going to hear that review.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">But I warn you that this is a different
story.
It is not a typical <EM>Braille Monitor </EM>airport story in which I am
asked
“Where are you trying to go,” or told “Stand right there until I can get you
some help.” Because it is none of those things, I offer it with some
reservation
but with the feeling that perhaps I have an obligation to say that sometimes
the
well-intentioned efforts of sighted folks have turned out to work to my
benefit.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">One evening I land in St. Louis, an airport
I’m
pretty familiar with, and I realize I don’t have much time until my
connecting
flight. I am offered assistance, but just when that assistance will show up
is a
question mark. I politely decline the assistance, throw on my backpack, grab
up
my laptop, turn to the right, and off I go lickety-split to make my next
flight.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I’m really feeling good about how fast I’m
going, quite glad for my mobility, and really excited about the fact that
whether or not I make this plane is under my control and not someone else’s.
What a wonderful thing independence is. How often have I depreciated the
gift by
taking it for granted. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">All of a sudden, two men ahead of me, one to
my
right and one to my left, yell stop! As a child, I actually had classes in
which
I was conditioned to stop on a dime when somebody yelled that word. So I did
my
best to stop, thinking I would explain to them that their good intentions
were
unnecessary, when I forcefully collided with the arms they had extended in
front
of me. Indeed that brought me to the stop they had suggested and one I would
not
have accomplished in time on my own. At the time of the forced collision, my
cane tip fell down the first of what was a long flight of stairs. I had
trotted
off in the wrong direction, confusing the even and odd number of the gates.
At
the speed I was moving, the cane would not have given me sufficient time to
stop. The stairs were steep, there were a lot of them, and each year I hear
about someone who dies by falling down a flight of stairs.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I understand that responding to what the
cane
tells me should be second nature, and most of the time it is. In this case,
however, knowing that I knew exactly where I was, where I needed to go, and
how
little time I had to get there, I was traveling like a calorie-burning
fiend.
Their action, unsolicited and at the time unwanted, may have saved me from
broken bones, saved me from some permanent disfigurement, or even saved me
from
death. I was lucky. They did the right thing. They violated my boundaries,
assumed they knew something that I didn’t, and, without my permission, took
matters literally into their own hands. What to say but thank you.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">This was certainly not Gary Wunder at his
finest. It is not the story I usually tell about the man who can go to any
airport in any city, find any hotel, eat in any restaurant, make his
presentations, and go back home safely. And yet, this is a true story, one
that
today finds me safe and comfortable thanks to the willingness of people to
get
involved when I didn’t know I needed them. It is hard to show gratitude
while
feeling stupid, but it can be done, and the gratitude and the lessons that
came
from the experience are ones from which I have learned. Let firetrucks
travel
like firetrucks. Let me travel at a speed that makes sense, not just for my
safety but for the safety of those around me. I will not go at a snail’s
pace,
in fear of what my next step might bring, but neither will I outwalk the
device
that tells me whether or not the next step is a safe one.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I was the beneficiary of good, kind people.
My
trek that day represented both independence and interdependence. In that
story
is a respecting of my space (no one tried to stop me from going on my own),
and
it is also a clear violation of my space, thanks be to God.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After several in-person national
conventions, I
have gotten articles that express anger about how fast some people travel in
the
hotel when we are in what might be characterized as rush-hour traffic. I
have
normally toned those articles down to remove some of the bitterness and have
often thought about Dr. Jernigan’s notion that many blind people go through
a
stage of rebellious independence. That may be a necessary part to
rehabilitation, but I had no such excuse, and I think the warning to 2022
convention travelers on the run may serve some purpose. At some level we are
talking about making the convention a safe space, and I think this should be
part of our Federation evolution. We can and must take the time to be kind,
and
even when there is no yellow light, we should always proceed with caution
when
the health of others and ourselves is at risk.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie’s Story: It Takes a Village,
Resourcefulness, and Cosmic Alignment</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Laura Deck</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">From the Editor: This is not a
traditional <EM>Braille Monitor</EM> offering. Its author is not a
Federationist; its subject is not a Federationist though he makes
substantial
yearly donations because he believes the Federation has made significant
contributions to his life. He believes NFB-NEWSLINE® has been nothing less
than
a Godsend and wishes he had the benefits of it much earlier in his life.
“Many
times I wanted to discuss current events with my colleagues but could do so
at
only the most superficial level. I had the news but not the depth. Now what
I
have is timely and in full, and I couldn’t be more delighted. I love
information, and NFB-NEWSLINE is a very big part of
that.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Laura Deck works for Bookshare, and
it
gets its fair share of credit here; but since we support it, that’s fine
with
me. Enjoy this well-written article about a real pioneer in breaking down
barriers for blind people and showing some very influential sighted folks
that
we can cut it on terms of equality:</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Despite losing his sight at age seven,
Bernie
Perella’s journey took him from a small town in Pennsylvania to Villanova
University, a career at the National Security Agency, and a rewarding,
active
life without limits.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">On the surface, Bernie Perella’s life is not
that different from others who came of age after WWII: son of Italian
immigrants; idyllic, small-town childhood; college graduate; professional
career; and satisfying retirement. But dig a little deeper and a fascinating
story emerges. Bernie credits his fortunate life to “the village” that
nurtured
him growing up, a heavy dose of resourcefulness that helped him navigate
daily
life, and four momentous occasions “when the stars aligned.” When I spoke to
Bernie, he was sitting by his pool in Cape Coral, Florida, waiting for his
turn
to get the COVID vaccine. </FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">It Takes a Village (or Borough)</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Downingtown is a borough about thirty miles
west
of Philadelphia. Bernie grew up there with his extended Italian family
starting
in the 1940s. As a young boy, he had problems with his vision.
Unfortunately,
none of the attempts to save it were successful, and he lost his sight at
age
seven.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie’s parents were the first members of
his
village. Although they had only minimal formal education, they found the
strength and courage needed to raise a blind child so he could have the best
chance to succeed in the sighted world. “My parents provided a wonderful
blend
of parenting. My mother was protective, but not overly protective. My father
encouraged me to try things that I might not otherwise try to do,” says
Bernie.
“I think they could be an inspiration to parents of other visually impaired
children.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The next member of the village was Bernie’s
one-year-older brother, Frank. During their childhood and teenage years, the
two
were virtually inseparable. They could often be seen running through the
open
fields, playing and fishing along the banks of Brandywine Creek, and in the
evenings playing games with other kids in the neighborhood. “Because of
Frank
and through his eyes, I felt like any other kid in the neighborhood, and I
always felt that I was accepted by them,” says Bernie.<BR> <BR>The
village
grew larger because of the extended family and the many neighbors who lived
close by. “Neighbors watched out for me. They would call out in Italian to
warn
me when they saw me trying to cross the street,” Bernie recalled. “Since
there
weren’t many cars in the neighborhood, I could ride my bike without falling
off
or hitting anything. I had extremely good hearing and relied on echolocation
to
navigate. Frank and I would run around the track at the local high school,
and I
could guide myself by hearing where the gravel track ended and the curb
began.”</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">From Overbrook School for the Blind to
Catholic
High School</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">When the time came for Bernie to begin
school,
his parents realized that the only option was to send him to a residential
school for the blind. He enrolled at the Overbrook School for the Blind in
Philadelphia, which was thirty miles away. Bernie says, “It was difficult
for my
parents to leave their son in the care of strangers, and it was frightening
for
me because my parents were not there to provide comfort and reassurance.” As
a
result, the staff and teachers at that school became members of the village.
There he learned Braille and life skills as well as traditional subjects.
“When
I got to high school age, however, I was worried that the world I was about
to
enter was not a blind world, so in 1956 I left the school,” he says.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">At that time, mainstreaming did not exist.
The
only option was the Catholic high school, and the priest said Bernie could
enroll if he could do the same work as everyone else. That September, he sat
in
class with all the other students who could see and he couldn’t. “That was
an
interesting and exciting time for me. The students thought I was a
curiosity.”
However, as the year progressed, a few of the students offered to read
materials
for Bernie, and he became lifelong friends with several of them. </FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Necessity is the Mother of
Invention</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie had a few textbooks in Braille and
relied
on the Volunteer Services for the Blind (VSB), a group in Philadelphia that
transcribed books into Braille or recorded them on tape. Bernie says,
“Everyone
at VSB, members of my village, were willing to jump through any hoops in
order
to get the materials I needed in Braille or on tape.” He continues, “My
mother,
who never graduated from high school, would record my chemistry textbook
while I
was at school, even though she didn’t understand a word.” He took notes in
class
using a Braille slate. After three years, he graduated. It was a very proud
day
for his parents when Bernie gave the valedictory speech.</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Navigating the Campus and Classes at
Villanova
University</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie’s knack for inventiveness accelerated
when he entered Villanova. At that time there were no ADA requirements, and
most
if not all universities had no programs in place to support students with
disabilities. Villanova was no exception, and the teachers had no clue how
to
deal with the four blind students who enrolled that year.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie was on his own in the classroom, but
he
received some much-needed help from his brother and a few friends who were
students at Villanova. Bernie says, “Without their help, getting through the
initial enrollment and learning how to navigate the campus would have been
much
more difficult.” Recording lectures was only partially useful when
professors
didn’t explain what they were writing or pointing to on the chalkboard. As a
math major, equations were especially difficult since </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemeth_Braille#:~:text=The%20Nemeth%20Braille%20Code%20for,first%20written%20up%20in%201952."'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Nemeth Braille code</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> for mathematics and science wasn’t widely available.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">With the help of a volunteer, Bernie
invented
his own math notation. His academic accomplishments were impressive, but
they
didn’t negate the frustrations of sitting alone at 2:30 a.m. trying to do
homework without the books. “I didn’t know what the future would hold. All I
could do was keep moving forward in spite of setbacks,” says Bernie. Before
Bernie finished at Villanova, his brother Frank went off to join the Air
Force.
Bernie says, “I found it ironic that I was visually impaired, and my brother
could fly jet planes for the Air Force.”</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Stars Aligned #1: NSA is
Calling</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After four years of trials and tribulations
on
campus, he started interviewing with different companies. Interviews were
often
frustrating. The interviewer would say, “I don’t know if this job will work
out
because I don’t understand how you can even dial a telephone.” Bernie would
respond, “I can dial faster with my left hand than you can with your right.”
Even though he was right, it didn’t get him the job.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bernie really wanted to interview with NASA,
but
the sign-up sheet was full, so he put his name on another sheet. It turned
out
he was interviewing for the National Security Agency (NSA). The discussion
went
very well. The interviewer said, “If we proceed, you have to come to
Washington,
DC, for further interviews.” “Name the time and place,” said
Bernie.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The stars aligned and Bernie embarked on a
rewarding career at the NSA as a mathematician, programmer, and systems
analyst.
“It was a wonderful job, and I learned a lot. I earned the respect of my
colleagues, and they didn’t view me as blind.” </FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Stars Aligned #2: The Optacon</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">“In the early days of my work, there was no
easy
way to read anything let alone mathematical equations.” Much of the material
was
classified, so Bernie couldn’t send it out to be recorded. A colleague
recorded
several programming manuals for Bernie, and another NSA employee, a
mechanical
engineer, designed and built a device that allowed Bernie to read computer
punch
cards. Together with a blind friend at IBM, they figured out how to adapt a
computer printer to print Braille. “It was primitive, but better than
nothing,”
recalls Bernie.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">In 1972, Bernie learned about the </FONT><A
style='href: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optacon"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Optacon</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">, a
handheld device with a camera that translates print into a tactile facsimile
of
the letters. He secured funding to research the device and attended training
in
Palo Alto, California. “It was like learning to read all over again, but
this
time with printed letters. Printed alphabet letters were not part of my
mental
cognizance,” explains Bernie. The Optacon was the start of a new chapter in
Bernie’s saga. Finally, after much practice, he was able to read computer
manuals and many other printed documents.</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Stars Aligned #3: Eyes for Life</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The stars aligned once again when on a
chilly
fall day, Bernie and his friends went to the horse races. One young woman in
the
group offered to walk with him. “I didn’t know it then, but I was starting a
walk for life. Susanne became my wife and eyes. I thought I was getting a
new
set of eyes with the Optacon, but I didn’t know that I was getting a new set
of
eyes for real.” Susanne was a librarian and served as the head of the
library at
the Federal Trade Commission and the US Treasury Department—a career woman
as
Bernie describes her. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">“Susanne introduced me to the great
outdoors,
and we embarked on a wonderful journey filled with experiences of camping,
hiking many trails in state and national parks, and overseas travel,” Bernie
recalls. They joined bird watching groups, took birding courses, and found
themselves racing across fields in the dark of night, creeping through
swamps on
the eastern shore of Maryland, and slogging through the jungles of Costa
Rica,
all in search of interesting birds. “America the beautiful, purple mountains
majesties, spacious skies—many haven’t seen those things, but I
have.”<BR>
<BR>Susanne was a good researcher and a great reader. She would often read
articles from the newspapers to Bernie. “She often lamented that she wished
I
could somehow read the paper myself,” recalls Bernie. They undertook an
effort
to discover their ancestral roots which involved many trips to the National
Archives and to different places in search of old records.</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bookshare Opens Door to a New World of
Books</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Unfortunately, Susanne later died from
breast
cancer, and Bernie grieved for a time. Eventually, he met a woman who works
with
the autism community who took him to the Closing the Gap conference. There
he
learned about </FONT><A style='href: "http://www.bookshare.org/"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Bookshare</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">,
the
world’s largest library of accessible ebooks for people with reading
barriers,
and he signed up in 2008. Growing up, he was frustrated that he couldn’t
read
the books and newspapers that everyone else was reading. “With Bookshare, I
have
access to all the </FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.bookshare.org/browse/collection/194327"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><EM>New York Times</EM> bestsellers</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">, other popular books, and even newspapers through
the
</FONT><A style='href: "https://www.bookshare.org/browse/periodical"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">NFB-NEWSLINE</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">.” Bernie enjoys reading the <EM>New York
Times</EM> and listening to books using his </FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.bookshare.org/cms/reading-tool-wizard/read-daisy-audio-player"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Victor Reader Stream</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">. “Susanne’s dream of me becoming an independent
reader
is now a reality,” says Bernie.</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Stars Aligned #4: Sara Joins the
Village</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Following retirement and the subsequent
passing
of his wife, Bernie’s hoped-for life in the golden years was turned into
chaos.
“We had many plans for doing things and going places,” says Bernie. “For
several
years I seemed to be moving aimlessly through life hoping that some new
opportunity would present itself,” Bernie recalls. Then, in an unexpected
surprise, the stars aligned once again and Bernie met a new friend, Sara, on
an
internet-dating site. Sara is a retired elementary school teacher who spent
many
years helping students with learning disabilities learn to read. When the
two
met, they connected almost immediately. Sara is now the latest member of
Bernie’s village, and life became fun again. After spending a couple of
winters
in Puerto Rico, they decided to build a new home in Cape Coral, Florida,
where
they now live. Bernie says, “We had lots of fun working on the new house
project; Sara picked out all the colors, and I enjoyed working with a
kitchen
planner to design the kitchen I always wanted.” </FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Time to Pay It Forward</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">“A few years ago I was at a Villanova
reunion,
and my friends and I talked about the importance of giving back,” says
Bernie.
“My life has been blessed, so I decided to make donations to the NFB and to
Bookshare. I really value the NFB-NEWSLINE service provided by the NFB and
the
books and software for social good mission that Benetech stands for and the
communities it serves. I hope that my contribution pays for Bookshare
memberships for adults who can’t pay, and the money will go wherever it’s
needed
to advance the goals of Bookshare.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As our conversation comes to a close, Bernie
says, “I want neighbors to say, ‘That’s Bernie’s house over there;’ not, ‘a
blind man lives in that house.’” Given the fascinating chapters in his life’s
saga, I guarantee the neighbors say, “That’s Bernie’s house.”</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Independence Market Corner</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">by Terry Boone</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">As a service to our members and the general
public, the National Federation of the Blind operates a blindness products
store
known as the Independence Market, which sells mostly low-tech items,
designed to
enhance the everyday independence of blind people. We will be highlighting a
different product every month and listing sale products from time to time.
</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Athletic Balls with Bells</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">These standard-sized, rubber balls have
bells
inside that jingle when the ball is in motion. </FONT></P>
<OL>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Basketball: orange AIG08B $15.00 </FONT>
<LI><FONT face="Times New Roman">Football: brown AIG09B $15.00
</FONT></LI></OL>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Rattle Soccer Ball - AIG79B
$23.00</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Now it is easier than ever to play soccer
with
this rattle soccer ball. This regulation size five ball features dozens of
rattles carefully installed between the layers of the ball near the outside.
These many rattles make the ball easy to hear when it is in play.
</FONT></P>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Beeping Frisbee - AIG46F $15.00</FONT></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">You can have hours of indoor and outdoor fun
with this soft, beeping Frisbee. This foam disk is covered in bright-orange
nylon and contains a continuously beeping locator, which can be switched on
or
off. The beeping unit can be removed and used as a separate audible beacon.
The
Frisbee measures 7-1/2 inches in diameter and is 1-1/2 inches
thick.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The following items are closeout specials,
and
the prices have been reduced:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT
face="Times New
Roman"><STRONG><U>Item</U></STRONG><STRONG>
<U>Item
#</U>
<U>Sale Price</U></STRONG> <BR>4X coil aspheric stand
magnifier
AIL109M
$5.00<BR>Metal Braille Clothing Labels (Numbers
1-25)
AIG72B
$7.00<BR>Nine Men’s Morris (Strategy board game
for
<BR> two players; includes print and Braille
directions)
AIG74N
$10.00<BR>Stereo Earbuds with Volume
Control
AIA47H
$5.00</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">We still have the 2X Illuminated Magnifier
with
6X Insert and Folding Handle available for $5.00, and the Plastic Letter
Writing
Guides and the Plastic Envelope Writing Guides are still on sale for $1.00.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">For more information about the products
available from the Independence Market, contact us by email at </FONT><A
style='href: "mailto:independencemarket@nfb.org"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">independencemarket@nfb.org</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> or by phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216,
Monday
through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time. Our staff will be
happy
to assist.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman">Recipes</FONT></H2>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Recipes this month were contributed
by
members of the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<H3 align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman">Eating Crab at the National
Convention Banquet: Some Recipes from the Host Affiliate </FONT></H3>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Host Affiliate is encouraging
every
banquet attendee to eat something crab. Here are some recipes in case you
need
some ideas. Some of these recipes were taken from earlier editions of the
<EM>Braille Monitor</EM>, reprinted here for convenience. Some are brand new
to
<EM>Monitor</EM> readers. Enjoy!</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Easy Crock-Pot® Cream of Crab
Soup</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by Will Schwatka, from the April 2013 <EM>Braille
Monitor</EM></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Will Schwatka manages the recording
studio at the Jernigan Institute and is the voice of the <EM>Braille
Monitor</EM>, <EM>Future Reflections</EM>, and other publications produced
by
the NFB. He is a member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter.
</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients: </STRONG><BR>3 cans
condensed cream of potato soup<BR>2 cans condensed cream of celery soup<BR>4
large cans evaporated milk<BR>1 stick butter<BR>1 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce<BR>8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed<BR>1 pound crabmeat, shell bits
removed<BR>Old Bay seasoning to taste</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method: </STRONG>Combine<STRONG>
</STRONG>all ingredients except Velveeta, crabmeat, and Old Bay and heat on
low
in crockpot until hot, about an hour. Add cubed Velveeta, crabmeat, and Old
Bay
to taste. Heat on low until Velveeta has melted, about a half-hour. Serve.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Cracker Crab</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by
Marie Cobb</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Marie Cobb is a long-time
Federationist
who is a member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter. Her reputation as a
gourmet
cook is legendary. </FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients:</STRONG><BR>1
tablespoon
butter<BR>1 medium onion, chopped fine<BR>2 tablespoons green pepper,
chopped<BR>2 tablespoons chopped celery<BR>Dash of salt and pepper<BR>1
teaspoon
mustard<BR>1 tablespoon lemon juice<BR>1 pound crabmeat<BR>¼ cup cracker
crumbs<BR>4 ounces cream<BR>½ cup grated sharp cheese</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method: </STRONG>Place butter into
frying pan and sauté onion, green pepper, and celery. Add salt and pepper,
mustard, lemon juice, crabmeat, and cracker crumbs. Steam together for two
to
three minutes. Add cream and mix well. Pour into a greased flat Pyrex baking
dish. Bake about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. During the last several minutes
of
baking time, add the sharp cheese and bake until melted and a little brown.
Serves six.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>South Mountain Mushroom
Caps</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by Marie Cobb</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients:</STRONG><BR>1 large
onion,
chopped<BR>2 pounds large mushrooms<BR>1 teaspoon basil<BR>1 tablespoon
parsley<BR>1 green pepper, chopped<BR>1 teaspoon dry
mustard<BR>Breadcrumbs<BR>½
pound Monterey Jack cheese<BR>1 pound crabmeat<BR>Butter</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method: </STRONG>Sauté mushroom
stems in
butter with basil, onion, parsley, pepper, dry mustard, and bread crumbs.
Cool.
Add in crabmeat. Stuff mixture in mushroom caps, top with grated cheese, and
bake at 350 degrees for about twenty minutes or until stuffing mixture is
golden
brown. Serves four to six.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Choptank Crab
Fritters</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by Marie Cobb</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients: </STRONG><BR>2 cups
sliced
bamboo shoots<BR>1 cup chopped onion<BR>4 tablespoons soy sauce<BR>1
teaspoon
salt<BR>1/8 teaspoon pepper<BR>1 teaspoon ginger<BR>8 eggs, lightly
beaten<BR>1
pound crabmeat<BR>½ cup butter</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method: </STRONG>Combine all
ingredients
except butter, adding the crabmeat last. In a frying pan, heat the ½ cup of
butter. Drop the fritter mixture by large spoonfuls into the hot butter. Fry
to
a golden brown, turning once. Makes eight to twelve servings.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Crab Dip</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by
Katie
Cameron</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Katie Cameron is blind at heart and
a
good friend and member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients:</STRONG><BR>1 cup lump
crabmeat (12 ounces)<BR>4 bars cream cheese (8 ounces each)<BR>1 pound, 8
ounces, shredded mix cheese or favorite cheese<BR>1 cup apple juice <BR>1
cup
mayonnaise <BR>1/4 cup mustard<BR>1 teaspoon garlic powder<BR>3 tablespoons
minced onions<BR>3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, to taste</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method: </STRONG>Preheat oven to 350
degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients except four ounces of the
shredded cheese, stirring well. Place in large casserole dish and bake for
forty
minutes. When done, spread remaining cheese on top. Serve hot or cold. Goes
great on bread, crackers, and bagel chips. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Crab Imperial</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by
the
late Arthur Segal, from the February 1994 <EM>Braille
Monitor</EM></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">Arthur Segal had a long NFB career.
He
served both as president of the Merchants Division and of the NFB of
Pennsylvania for many years. When he moved to Maryland in about 1982, he
continued his activism both in the Greater Baltimore Chapter and in the
affiliate. For many years, he was Santa Claus at the MDPOBC and Baltimore
Chapter Christmas parties. He was also a gourmet cook.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients:</STRONG> <BR>1 pound
blue
crab backfin meat<BR>1 cup mayonnaise<BR>2 tablespoons ketchup<BR>2
tablespoons
prepared mustard<BR>1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce<BR>2 tablespoons
chopped
parsley <BR>2 tablespoons chopped dill<BR>Generous grinding of fresh white
pepper<BR>8 to 10 drops hot sauce (approximately)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method:</STRONG> In a large bowl,
combine all ingredients. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and put mixture in it.
Sprinkle with a small amount of breadcrumbs and dot with butter; bake at 375
degrees for twenty minutes. You can also use individual dishes and handle in
the
same manner. Crab Imperial also makes a good stuffing. This recipe can be
used
to stuff eight Cornish hens, eight squab, rockfish, or fish
fillets.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Maryland Crab Cakes</STRONG>
<BR><STRONG>by the late Arthur Segal, from the February 1994 <EM>Braille
Monitor</EM></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients:</STRONG><BR>1 pound
crabmeat<BR>1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning<BR>1 tablespoon mayonnaise<BR>1
tablespoon chopped parsley<BR>1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce<BR>1
tablespoon
baking powder<BR>Generous grinding of fresh white pepper<BR>1 teaspoon dried
ground mustard<BR>2 generous-size pieces of bread with crust removed, broken
into small pieces moistened with milk so that bread is moist but not sopping
wet</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method:</STRONG> In a large bowl mix
all
ingredients thoroughly and form into eight patties for sandwiches with a
two-patty presentation (four large patties for a dinner serving or
thirty-two
small balls for appetizers). Heat oil (preferably peanut) in an iron
skillet,
frying cakes or balls on both sides until golden or crisp to touch.
Marylanders
eat their crab cakes on crackers or hamburger buns and with mustard or hot
sauce. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Maryland Crab
Cakes</STRONG><BR><STRONG>by Darlene Barrett Price, from the October 2018
<EM>Braille Monitor</EM></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">You can never have too many crab
cake
recipes! Darlene Barrett Price is a long-time Federationist who has held
many
leadership positions over the years. She is president emerita of the Central
Maryland Chapter. </FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Ingredients:</STRONG><BR>1 pound
backfin
crabmeat or any lump crabmeat<BR>8 saltine crackers<BR>1 egg, beaten<BR>2
tablespoons mayonnaise <BR>1 teaspoon mustard<BR>1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce<BR>1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning<BR>Salt to taste<BR>2 tablespoons
vegetable oil</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Method: </STRONG>Place crabmeat in
bowl
and check for shells. In another bowl, finely crush crackers and add
remaining
ingredients. Gently fold in crabmeat, just enough to combine all
ingredients.
Shape into six crab cakes and refrigerate for one hour. Heat two tablespoons
of
vegetable oil in nonstick frying pan. Sauté crab cakes until golden
brown.</FONT></P>
<H2><FONT face="Times New Roman"><EM>Monitor</EM> Miniatures </FONT></H2>
<H3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>News from the Federation
Family</STRONG> </FONT><BR></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>A Miracle in Our
Midst:</STRONG><BR>As
the editor of the <EM>Braille Monitor</EM>, I receive many pieces of good
news
in my incoming mail. This one is particularly good. It is from Joe Ruffalo,
and
he certainly has experienced his share of illness. Here is what he said in
response to an error he found in the <EM>Braille Monitor</EM> and my
response:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Gary, thanks. Yes, feeling great. I still
have
several doctor appointments over the next several weeks, but here is the
beautiful news: After the thirteen-hour surgery, all stage four and stage
five
cancer was removed. When one of the doctors provided this news, in addition
five
additional specialists all agreed that no cancer was remaining, and no chemo
and
radiation would be needed, I was called the miracle man. I owe the miracle
to
God and the many prayers I received from my Federation family throughout the
country. My son and sister received nearly four hundred emails providing
prayer
and positive thoughts. Many provided personal stories when I met them at
chapter
meetings, over the phone, and at state and national conventions.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">After spending 141 days in several hospitals
and
rehab facilities, coming home was like being reborn. Gary, I am blessed that
God
has given me an additional opportunity to care, share, grow, and to make a
difference to raise expectations to live the life we want. I will forever be
grateful to Him and to all of my extended family.
<BR> <BR><STRONG>Convention Concert:</STRONG><BR>The National
Federation of
the Blind and its Performing Arts Division present: One Voice, a fundraising
convention concert!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Join us Tuesday, July 6, at 8 p.m. eastern,
anywhere and everywhere to watch blind performers of all styles showcase
their
abilities on our virtual stage. Enjoy a night of performance and support our
work changing what it means to be blind, one stage at a time. It'll be an
event
that you won't want to miss, so gather the whole family.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">To get tickets visit: </FONT><A
style='href: "http://www.nfb.org/concert"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">www.nfb.org/concert</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or by
calling the Independence Market.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">We share one voice. We are stronger
together. We
unite for #NFB21!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Elected:</STRONG><BR>The Tidewater
chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia held elections
on
April 17, 2021, and the following officers were elected: Stewart Prost,
president; Jennifer Blinsmon, vice president; Deborah Prost, secretary; Matt
Albright, treasurer; and board members Renee Rogers and Earl Chapman.
Congratulations to the newly elected board members.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>New Book
Available:</STRONG><BR>Peggy
Chong writes: It is finally here—what you have all been asking for: my first
book in print. Get your copy today! Read Don Mahoney, Television Star, about
a
man who decided to keep his blindness a secret and did so for almost ten
years.
Please get yours, and encourage others to purchase a copy today. This book
is a
great story for school and public libraries to include in their persons with
disabilities collection. Here is the link to the print copy: Don Mahoney:
Television Star: Chong, Peggy: 9781098082956: Amazon.com: Books (</FONT><A
style='href:
"https://www.amazon.com/Don-Mahoney-Television-Peggy-Chong/dp/1098082958/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Peggy+Chong&qid=1623116661&sr=8-1"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://www.amazon.com/Don-Mahoney-Television-Peggy-Chong/dp/1098082958/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Peggy+Chong&qid=1623116661&sr=8-1</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">). Here is my ebook series online: Smashwords – The
Blind
History Lady Presents—a Series by Peggy Chong (</FONT><A
style='href: "https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/24325"'><FONT
face="Times New
Roman">https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/24325</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">).</FONT></P>
<H3 align=center><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><STRONG><EM>Monitor</EM></STRONG><STRONG>
Mart</STRONG></FONT></H3>
<P><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">The notices in this section have
been
edited for clarity, but we can pass along only the information we were
given. We
are not responsible for the accuracy of the statements made or the quality
of
the products for sale.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>Victor Reader Stream for
Sale:</STRONG><BR>I recently acquired a Victor Reader Trek and am enjoying
it so
far. With that said, I am ready to part with my ever reliable, dependable
Victor
Reader Stream 2nd generation, which has been serving me well for seven
years.</FONT><BR></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Stream is in good working order with one
minor glitch. (It is a senior you know!) In order to hear the sound, you
need to
plug in either a pair of headphones or an external speaker via the headphone
jack located directly to the right of the SD card slot. I am including with
the
Stream a 4 GB SD card, but it can also take an SD card up to 32 GB. I am
asking
$100 for it but open to negotiation. If you are interested, please contact
Brian
at 609-680-8488 or at </FONT><A style='href:
"mailto:bmackey88@gmail.com"'><FONT
face="Times New Roman">bmackey88@gmail.com</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">. First come first served! Thank you.</FONT></P>
<H3><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman">NFB Pledge</FONT></STRONG></H3>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">I pledge to participate actively in the
efforts
of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity,
and
security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the
Federation;
and to abide by its
constitution.</FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>