<div>--------- Forwarded message ---------<br></div><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Gaston, Pamela</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:Pamela.Gaston@dhs.nj.gov">Pamela.Gaston@dhs.nj.gov</a>></span><br>Date: Wed, Apr 13, 2022 at 2:49 PM<br>Subject: April Community Connection Call - Please Share with Consumers and Contacts<br>To: Allen, Krystle <<a href="mailto:Krystle.Allen@dhs.nj.gov">Krystle.Allen@dhs.nj.gov</a>><br></div><br><br>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Commission<span style="color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> for the Blind and Visually Impaired </span>invites you to call-in to our </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">April 2022 Commission Community Connection Conference Call </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">You Are Not Alone: Social Engagement Options for Spring and Beyond (Part #1) </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Wednesday, April 20, 2022 </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">10:30 a.m. to 12 Noon </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Call in number: 1-888-808-6929 / Access Code: 6486149# </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Relay Captioning Link for individuals who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired:</span></b></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(64,63,52);background:white">(At the start time of the event, please login by clicking on the link below)
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</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=5091883&CustomerID=637__;!!J30X0ZrnC1oQtbA!MJGmrjBDFP15z9aRApR_ht8V494HwA-Rmk2SbnLucoglag5JnvFdOhPY7iEU5pJ5qj8QPfoFo0L5q6V02LjJGw$" style="box-sizing:border-box" target="_blank"><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">https://www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=5091883&Customer...</span></a><b> </b></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white">Social engagement (also social involvement, social participation) refers to one's degree of communication with others as well as participation in their community or society overall.
<span> </span>Some benefits of social participation are emotional support, entertainment and healthy physical activity. Participating in social activities improves social and life-skills, provides a sense of meaning and belonging and helps relieve
the angst of perceived social isolation.</span> <span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">
This month’s panelists will offer information on virtual and in-person options for engaging in positive interactions with other people, places and experiences.</span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> </span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white">Host: Krystle Allen</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white">, CBVI Community Outreach Specialist </span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Keynote: </span></b></p>
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<b><u><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">John McEwen, Executive Director, NJ Theatre Alliance & Cultural Access Network</span></u></b><u><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> </span></u></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white">Will share information on audio-description and the efforts his organization has made since 1992 to make theatre and other cultural events accessible to all. </span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Other Guest Panelists: </span></b></p>
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<b><u><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Krishna Washburn, Artistic Director, Dark Room Ballet </span></u></b></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Will discuss her experience as a professional dance instructor who is blind; Dark Room Ballet virtual dance instruction sessions and the life changing impact of movement. </span></p>
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<b><u><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Adam Szczepaniak, Director; Stephen Felle and Christian Riehl, NJ Talking Book and Braille Center (TBBC)
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Will share information on the TBBC technology lending program; BARD for downloading reading materials; NEWSLINE for the blind; subscribers’ book club and the Library Equal Access Program (LEAP). </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span><span> </span> </span></p>
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<b><u><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Jasmine Murrell, Rehabilitation Instructor and U.S. Paralympian Athlete </span></u></b></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Will discuss her experience as a world-class athlete and member of Blind Athletes, Inc.
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">If you have any questions, or would like to suggest topics for future Commission Connection Calls, please don’t hesitate to email:
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:Krystle.Allen@dhs.nj.gov" target="_blank"><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">Krystle.Allen@dhs.nj.gov</span></a><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">
or call: 973-648-4497. </span> </span></p>
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<span style="margin:0px;font-family:Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;text-align:start;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;background-color:white"><i style="background-color:white"><span style="margin:0px;font-size:9pt">Image
NJCBVI Logo: </span><span style="margin:0px;font-size:9pt;text-align:left;background-color:white">Dark blue </span><span style="margin:0px;font-size:9pt;text-align:left;background-color:white">Braille cells that depict NJCBVI, with a gray hand hovering
over the letter "N" with the finger pointed to read; to the right and directly under the Braille cells is NJCBVI in large, bold, blue block letters under which in all caps is New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired in gray letters.</span></i></span></span><br>
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</div></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><br>Warmly, <br>Linda Melendez, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>732-421-7063<br><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org">president@nfbnj.org</a><br><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org">www.nfbnj.org</a><br>Facebook: <a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</a><br></div>