[NFBofAlaska] A happening in Philly in October, NFB's Meet the Blind Month!"

Sun Sep 27 04:46:57 UTC 2020

(Alaska NFB friends and family,

I received this note a short time ago and wanted to share. The first note is
from the chapter president which then goes into a really cool article.)

Bonnie

Hey everyone, 

I wanted to share with you this awesome news about the Keystone Chapter of
the NFB of Pennsylvania's upcoming virtual talent show, Believe You Can! The
article is featured on the online social news website, Generocity, a group
focused on promoting the good in Philadelphia. 

Please see the article at
https://generocity.org/philly/2020/09/22/blind-and-visually-impaired-perform
ers-to-be-showcased-in-local-virtual-talent-show/ and also copied below.
Also, please spread the word to your family and friends and support our
chapter's talent show. 

All are welcome to attend!

Thanks,

Harriet Go

President,

Keystone Chapter, NFB of PA

goharriet00 at hotmail.com <mailto:goharriet00 at hotmail.com> 

Blind and visually impaired performers to be showcased in local (virtual)
talent Show

by Lisa Andrews

Mainstream talent shows are good for their occasional spotlight of artists
from the differently abled community. The Special Olympics is a long-time
platform dedicated to showcasing the athletic prowess of the disabled. But
in our new age of all things virtual, there's a new player on the field.

Believe You Can! <https://believeyoucan.live/>  Is a virtual talent show
sponsored by the  <http://nfbp.org/our-organization/chapters/keystone>
Keystone Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of PA. The show is
made up entirely of artists who are blind or visually impaired.

"We needed to come up with a way to safely stay engaged with our community
and also share with the sighted world the vast potential of blind people. As
far as I know this is the first of its kind," said Harriet Go, president of
the Keystone Chapter.

The show airs virtually on Saturday, October 17 at 7 p.m. Twenty artists are
scheduled to perform, with each performance given a 10-minute time limit.
Acts run the gamut from singers, musicians, to spoken word and there is even
a clogging tutorial. Since the event is virtual, artists are not only
homegrown, but are from across the country and even Canada.

The event coincides with the NFB's
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/meet-blind-month/white-cane-awareness
-day> Meet the Blind Month, an annual celebration in October. Throughout the
month, NFB chapters across the country host outreach events and fundraisers
with the mission of breaking down misconceptions while also educating the
general community about the resourcefulness and independence of the blind.
Believe You Can! also falls on the heels of
<https://www.nfb.org/search?keys=white+cane+awareness+day&form_build_id=form
-j6ACUHlLqW31ddZwmZS7ihpOiDHLhPEnv2iAApirFRg&form_id=search_api_page_block_f
orm_search&honeypot_time=RLfD3WyYBccg8DIODgvabh7wDSkrzI-55lDd7NwxiSg&members
hipemail=> White Cane Awareness Day, October 15th. Like Meet the Blind
Month, White Cane Awareness Day is an affirmation of sorts.

"People see us with the cane and there is often a stigma and we are
considered less capable. With this awareness day, we are educating others on
what it does. It is not a symbol of shame but rather a beacon of our
independence, allowing us to accomplish daily travels and not always relying
on others," Harriet said.

The artists featured are like most artists whose talent is an expression.
Sometimes that expression is born out of pain.

Chrys is a spoken word artist from Portland, Oregon who will share pieces
reflecting on the "blatant discrimination" she experienced as a medical
student pursuing clinical positions. She has also used her art as a teaching
tool for fellow sighted classmates. "I hope to help them not repeat some of
the things that happened to me."

The Keystone Chapter is one of two local NFB chapters. The Federation, the
first national organization of the blind, was founded in 1940 in Wilkes
Barre PA. At that time there were a handful of blind activists from seven
states. Today the NFB boasts over 50,000 members in all 50 states as well as
Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Proceeds from ticket sales will help support just one of the Chapter's
projects - a longstanding partnership with
<https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Elementary-School/Saint-Lucy-School
-for-Children-with-Visual-Impairments-360881783584/> St. Lucy's Day School
for Children with Visual Impairments, located in the city's Kensington
section. The school has faithfully served blind students and their families
for over sixty years.

As a graduate of St. Lucy's herself, Harriet knows first-hand that these
students are a "pool of potential leaders in their communities." And since
most of the staff is sighted, the Chapter's presence is an opportunity to be
real life blind role models for students.

###

Tickets for Believe You Can! are on sale now; they can be purchased at
<http://www.believeyoucan.live/> www.believeyoucan.live. For more
information about the Keystone Chapter of the NFB of PA, visit
<http://nfbp.org/our-organization/chapters/keystone> nfbp.org.

Harriet

Bonnie Lucas

President

National Federation of the Blind of Alaska

907-301-6808

 <mailto:nfbofalaska at gmail.com> nfbofalaska at gmail.com

 <mailto:nfbofalaska at gmail.com> nfbalaska.org

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.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofalaska_nfbnet.org/attachments/20200926/4b03cab9/attachment.html>