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<p><font size="4">Bonnie, would you please change my email address
to <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:bgearry@alaskafrontier.net">bgearry@alaskafrontier.net</a> Thanks, Bryan</font><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 8/8/2022 8:58 PM, Bonnie Lucas via
NFBofAlaska wrote:<br>
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<title>The Braille Monitor, July 2022 – The Braille Monitor, July
2022</title>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello to All,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is the July Monitor for July. The
total magazine is contained in this email. You can also read
it on the NFB’s website with links, just as you would any
magazine online. However, I hope that you find a half hour or
so to read much of this great magazine. There are several
super articles. Feel free to pass along to others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:brl-monitor-bounces@nfbcal.org">brl-monitor-bounces@nfbcal.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:brl-monitor-bounces@nfbcal.org"><brl-monitor-bounces@nfbcal.org></a> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Brian
Buhrow<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 29, 2022 12:47 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:brl-monitor@nfbcal.org">brl-monitor@nfbcal.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, July
2022<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div id="header">
<h1><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
Braille Monitor, July 2022<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
</div>
<h1 id="braille-monitor"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">BRAILLE
MONITOR<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Vol.
65, No. 7 July 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Gary
Wunder, Editor</span></em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Distributed
by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive,
by the<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Mark
Riccobono, President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">telephone:
410-659-9314<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">email
address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">nfb@nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">website
address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">http://www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">NFBnet.org:
<a href="http://www.nfbnet.org" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">http://www.nfbnet.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">NFB-NEWSLINE®
information: 866-504-7300<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Like
us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Follow
us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Watch
and share our videos: YouTube.com/NationsBlind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Letters
to the President, address changes, subscription requests,
and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national
office. Articles for the <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Monitor</span></em>
and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national
office or may be emailed to <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Monitor</span></em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">
subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per
year. Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to
cover the subscription cost. Donations should be made
payable to <strong><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">National
Federation of the Blind</span></strong> and sent to:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">National
Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">200
East Wells Street <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">at
Jernigan Place</span></em><br>
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">ISSN
0006-8829</span></em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">©
2022 by the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Each
issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory
stick or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition
using a computer or a National Library Service digital
player. The NLS machine has two slots—the familiar
book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying
handle and a second slot located on the right side near the
headphone jack. This smaller slot is used to play thumb
drives. Remove the protective rubber pad covering this slot
and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one
position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over
and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty
when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will
ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted,
the player buttons will function as usual for reading
digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the
player for cartridges, when you insert it again, reading
should resume at the point you stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">You
can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb
drive to your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive.
However, because thumb drives can be used hundreds of times,
we would appreciate their return in order to stretch our
funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with the
drive when you return the device.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Vol.
65, No. 7 July 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="contents"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Contents<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Corrections
and Apologies<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">A
Tribute that Can Only Begin to Capture My Friend, My
Brother, and the Most Important Member of My Federation
Family<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
David De Notaris<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Music
in the Service of Those Who Sorrow: The World Blind Union
Extends a Helping Hand to the Blind of Ukraine<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Gary Wunder<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We’re
With U: We Choose Not to Be Neutral<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Martine Abel-Williamson<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We’re
With U: The Blind Community at its Best<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Jonathan Mosen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Chapter
Chatter Part 2: Intention, Prevention, and Intervention<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Christine Faltz Grassman<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Lessons
and Lifelines<br>
by Renée Valdez<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Coming
to Our Senses<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Reviewed
by Deborah Kent Stein<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">An
Explanation about the Need for and Beauty of our Code of
Conduct<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Ronza Othman<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">When
it is Okay to Say “Yes”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Nancy Burns<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">How
the Monitor is Built, Its Timelines, and Making it What You
Want it to Be<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Gary Wunder<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">She
Had an Anteater<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Peggy Chong<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Eye
Talk<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Annie Schlesinger<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Chris Danielsen]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="corrections-and-apologies"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Corrections
and Apologies<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Chris Danielsen</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
need to make a couple of clarifications and corrections to
the article “Shattering a Record and Shifting a Paradigm”
that appeared in the June 2022 Braille Monitor. I humbly ask
the forgiveness of New Mexico historians, space aficionados,
Spaceport America officials, and any other readers affected
or confused by my reporting errors, which are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
Elephant Butte Dam, near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico,
was not constructed early in the Depression. Rather,
although it was a federal dam project like the
Depression-era Hoover Dam, it was completed well before
then, in 1916.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
suborbital space planes projected to be operated from
Spaceport America by Virgin Galactic are not named “Blue
Origin.” That name belongs to a separate commercial space
company. The currently operational Virgin Galactic plane is
the company’s “SpaceShipTwo” model and is named VSS <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Unity</span></em>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: David De Notaris]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Joe Ruffalo]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2
id="a-tribute-that-can-only-begin-to-capture-my-friend-my-brother-and-the-most-important-member-of-my-federation-family"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">A
Tribute that Can Only Begin to Capture My Friend, My
Brother, and the Most Important Member of My Federation
Family<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
David De Notaris</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: David is well known for his work in state
government, having served in several leadership roles in
New Jersey and Pennsylvania including as director of
Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS) and eventually as
executive director of the Pennsylvania Office of
Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) in Pennsylvania. After
seventeen years, he decided it was time for him to do what
he had long wanted to do, that being to start a training
company. He and his wife Mariann are the founders/owners
of Sky's the Limit Communications LLC. In his work he
deals with everything from education at the school
district level to employment, his work includes companies
such as Verizon, Comcast, Fidelity, NASA, United States
Army, and players in the healthcare industry, and even the
technical giant, Microsoft. His company concentrates on
providing instruction in advocacy, employability,
resiliency training, iOS productivity, and accessible
financial literacy training for state agencies nationally.
For his business, his company does diversity, leadership,
and resiliency training, meaning he knows people from
human resources to top executives. In covering everything
from education to rehabilitation to employment, his
company has the ability to build relationships that get
blind folks what they need.</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
addition to all of this, David is an active member of the
National Federation of the Blind, and it is in this
capacity that he writes to honor a cherished friend,
brother, and treasured family member:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Seldom
do I feel apprehensive, but trying to capture the life of
Joe Ruffalo is no small undertaking. I’ve known Joe for most
of my life, and he has not only been a larger-than-life
character, but he has been at the center of so many things I
have wanted to do and have eventually done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Not
only do I want to tell Joe’s story as I have experienced it,
but I’ve tried to incorporate the experiences of so many he
has touched. Of course I am not so naive as to believe I can
come close to capturing all that he was and will continue to
be for people, so let us not think of this as the first or
the last article about Joe. What I do hope is that this one
can demonstrate his generosity, humor, and enthusiasm for
many generations to come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
met Joe on a day I will forever remember; it was December
29, 1983, and the location was the Essex Racket Club and
Fitness Center in West Orange, NJ. It was an event sponsored
by the Association of Blind Athletes of NJ (ABANJ). We were
brought together by Rich Ruffalo, Joe’s younger brother.
Rich was my high school biology teacher and a coach who
talked me into going out for weight lifting. Like Joe and
me, Rich was in the process of going blind due to retinitis
pigmentosa, more normally abbreviated as “RP.” I was a young
teen trying to find a way to distinguish myself and find
something that would get me noticed for something positive
and in which I could take pride.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
was encouraged by Joe to always set goals and work toward
achieving them. One of them had to do with weight lifting.
He taught me through demonstrating in his own life that the
way to succeed in reaching a goal was to write it down, go
after it with lots of enthusiasm, track my progress, and
eventually achieve it. He said that one of the advantages to
writing down and tracking a goal came at the end. “Just
think how good you are going to feel when you write the
words ‘Goal Achieved’ on your list.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">On
that cold December day not only did I start learning about
setting goals but also about the value of making friends I
could look up to for guidance and as role models. Joe and
Rich encouraged me to become involved in the Association of
Blind Athletes in New Jersey. Joe’s heart came through to me
when I realized that he celebrated my milestones with every
bit as much enthusiasm as he did his own. He still holds a
world record in the Paralympic weight lifting competition,
but it isn’t surprising that you heard that from someone
other than Joe. As he so often said, “It’s not about me, me,
me. It’s about we, we, we!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">This
fantastic man was more than a role model and a friend. Joe
was exactly the soldier you wanted by your side, and as Rick
Fox remarked at Joe’s memorial service, Joe was both a
general and a lieutenant. As a general, he could see the big
picture, could think strategically, and predict with
remarkable success what was likely to happen in the future
as a result of actions taken today. As a lieutenant, he was
marching with his men and was in tune with the needs of each
and every one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Our
friend came to the Federation in 1988. Joe’s Federation
sister, Jerilyn Higgins, has observed through much thought,
study, and experience that the best way to get someone to do
something you want them to do is to nag. It took her six
months, but eventually she got Joe to attend his first
meeting. Joe’s wife Judy, knowing him better than anyone,
told him “I know you’re going to go off and join another
organization. Isn’t it enough that you are already a part of
the Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Boy Scouts, and
the special education board? You are going to join; I know
it.” This he vehemently denied and made Judy a promise that
if he joined, he would take her out to dinner. When he got
home, Judy took one look at him and said, “I told you so.
You joined, didn’t you?” Joe just smiled and asked Judy
where she wanted to go out for dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Joe
has often told the story of his first meeting and what
convinced him to be a part of this organization he had
previously thought to be radical, militant, and
unreasonable. He shared the story that when he arrived at
the meeting, Florence Bloom, then the president of the
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, asked if he
would like a cup of coffee. He replied in the affirmative,
believing that in the meeting of the blind, a coffee would
be delivered. Florence informed him that the coffee was at
the back of the room and that the decaf was on the left and
the regular on the right. He found this both interesting and
motivating. He liked the idea of blind people doing for
themselves but was worried enough about his ability to carry
that he poured himself less than half a cup of coffee,
reasoning he would not spill any.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
the meeting progressed, the discussion turned to
fundraising, and Joe observed that the Federation could
easily make dollars instead of pennies on each sale if only
it upped its marketing game. Florence was not defensive; it
didn’t bother her that he was a new person on the block
proposing significant change. She said that she could see
his point and asked that he be in charge of the project.
That quickly led to his being in charge of all of the
affiliate’s fundraising.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">This
was the first of many projects to which Joe lent his name,
his talent, and his energy. Just how he would be called on
to serve he couldn’t know, but one morning he got a call,
and on the other end of the phone line was President Maurer.
“Good morning, Mr. President,” Dr. Maurer began.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">“I’m
sorry sir, you’ve got the wrong number. This is Joe, and I’m
the vice president.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">“No,
I don’t have the wrong number. Congratulations, President
Ruffalo.” It seems that the previous president gave up her
job, and Joe’s assumption to the presidency was first
communicated by a man he was so honored to serve under for
decades.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">So
by 1993 Joe was the president of the National Federation of
the Blind of New Jersey, and he held that position until
2020. State convention attendance was from fifteen to twenty
when he joined, and now convention planners routinely count
on three hundred or more to fill convention sessions. An
affiliate that had two chapters when he joined had seven
chapters and seven special interest divisions when he left
the office some twenty-seven years later.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
attended my first national convention in 1992, and if memory
serves, it was the first national convention for Joe as
well. I remember seeing him at the New Jersey affiliate
table, and although I don't remember what we were selling, I
remember vividly how excited he was about it: lots of folks
take their turn selling, but Joe did not regard it as a
burdensome task. I will never forget observing him standing
there, rubbing his hands together, and shouting out with
enthusiasm that was infectious. As the crowd would come and
make their purchases, you could hear Joe saying “Isn't this
great! Isn't this great!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">One
of the things I remember about Joe is that every time he
approached me with a request, the way he introduced it was
to say “Dave, I would like to ask you for a small favor.” A
small favor seemed so little, and with Joe it was never a
big favor, not even when he asked me to be the coordinator
for the job opportunities for the blind program. Just having
gotten a job myself, I argued how very busy I was. Joe was
sympathetic. He said, “Well, how about this? Let’s say you
try it for a couple months, and if it doesn’t work out, get
back with me, and we’ll find someone else.” Well that
two-month temporary appointment turned into most of a decade
of service, but I got as well as I gave, learning from
people like Lorraine Rovig and others how to organize
activities, advertise them, and generate excitement about
them. Here, too, Joe was a tremendous help, always reminding
me that the best way to get someone enthused was to capture
in a lead phrase or a sentence (a hook) exactly what you
intended to do. He understood the importance of establishing
momentum from the beginning and then maintaining it
throughout the life of a project. His constant refrain was,
“nothing ever happens without enthusiasm,” so it is not
surprising that enthusiasm was something he brought in large
measure to everything he did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
talking with Carol Castellano, I learned that Joe was a
master of the small ask. “He would call me and always start
out by saying, ‘Two minutes, three minutes, that’s all I
need.’ This might happen five or six times a day, and almost
always those two or three-minute conversations went half an
hour. I knew it would, but I loved being a part of whatever
Joe was a part of, and I knew I was honored to be on such a
team.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Of
course, Joe was about much more than selling, competition,
growing, and achievement. He was about kindness, manners,
being a gentleman, and living the Golden Rule. He often
observed that the important thing was not the growth that
took place in the affiliate but the difference we were able
to make in the lives of people who interned, then decided to
become a part of the organization. He deeply believed that
if you did what was right for people, organizational growth
would take care of itself. Joe would always say, “People
don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you
care.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">When
Joe learned about somebody who was going blind, whether it
was talking to them in person or to one of their relatives,
the time he was willing to spend on the phone with them knew
no bounds. He knew it was all about forging relationships
and through them giving the hope that would determine
whether blindness was a tragedy or simply a nuisance and an
inconvenience. It was not uncommon to find Joe on the
telephone late in the evening and sometimes during the very
early morning. This is what all of the organizational stuff
was about. Bringing hope, creating opportunity, and seeing
change were all results of Joe’s positive attitude and at
the same time the very reason for it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">After
college there were times when I wanted to participate in
some particular activity of the Federation and simply didn't
have the money. When Joe found out, he would pull me aside,
slip me some money, or let me know that this or that would
be taken care of: “Your room is covered.” “We have your
registration and banquet already, so don’t worry about
them.” I listened closely during chapter and affiliate
treasurer reports, but never did I hear about a fund that
made me a grant. I asked Joe about this once, my theory
being that perhaps the costs were rolled into convention
revenue or maybe there was a scholarship covered by other
attendees’ registration. His response: "No, Dave, I just
take care of it out of my pocket. You know, if people don’t
have it, they can't come, and letting them show up and
hearing something positive just may change their life, and
that makes all the difference."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
used to tease him and wonder why he so frequently won in the
50-50 drawing. Of course, the greater number of tickets you
have, the greater chance you have of winning, but I think
there was also something else involved. Joe would tell me
repeatedly, “Dave, don't worry about being a go-getter;
concern yourself with being a go-giver." I think that kind
of attitude was reflected back to him in the form of what we
called luck but may have been a bit of the Divine
intervening to see that Joe could continue his good work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
one thing I treasured most about Joe was his ability to
laugh not only at situations but also about himself. One
story I love to share is a bunch of us at a United States
Association of Blind Athletes’ event went out to dinner at a
busy restaurant. They directed/controlled its customer lines
using poles connected together by velvet ropes often found
at banks/restaurants/registration areas. We found ourselves
in a long line, and Joe’s brother Rich decided to play a
prank. He did this by gently unfastening one of the long
velvet ropes and attaching it onto Joe’s backpack. Once Rich
knew the rope was secured, he yelled to Joe “Come on Joe,
get moving, you’re holding up the line.” Of course, Joe set
off with real determination, and the ropes and polls that
made-up the crowd-control system of the restaurant made a
joyous crash, boom, bash noise as it collapsed. The only
noise louder than those clanking poles was the laughter of
Joe Ruffalo, the man who, no matter the circumstance, never
got ruffled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Joe
used to tell me "I don't have a college degree, but I will
work harder than anyone else." What a great lesson that was
to me: a lesson about taking what some would consider an
adversity or a detriment and turning it around to be a major
source of motivation. But it was more than work; it was
about attitude. "It is not about me, me, me; no, it is about
we, we, we."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Joe
was hardworking, determined, and driven; when he got an idea
he would run with it! Some close friends would playfully
call him “Joe Rockhead” a reference to Fred Flintstone’s
good friend from the Water Buffalo lodge.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Joe
was not only a great soldier for the National Federation of
the Blind but also for the Knights of Columbus and the Lions
Club, the latter giving him the highest award they could
offer. There was no question that Joe was loyal through and
through, the finest in what you would want in a good
soldier. If there were things that bothered him or questions
he couldn't answer, his standard refrain, in which he
believed totally was, "They are in a better position to know
than I am. I'm sure they know more than I do and have
already considered this."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">One
of the things that most endeared me to Joe was his concern
about me and about my family; his questions were not general
but specific: how is Marianne, young David, MaryKate, and
Emily.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
used to love it when Joe would show up at the NFBNJ
Christmas Party at the Gateway Hilton Hotel in Newark, and
the kids would go crazy because they observed that Santa
Claus was carrying a white cane. A blind man who was happy,
a blind man who was a major part of a celebration; a blind
man who was always leading in holiday festivities! What an
example of a role model and what better way to let young
children know that blind people can be givers too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Joe
was very involved with the programs of the New Jersey
Commission for the Blind. Much of his work was as a
volunteer, but he did have at least two paid positions with
funds from the Commission. One of them was working in the
Leadership Education Advocacy and Determination Program
serving children from thirteen to twenty-one. I interviewed
one person who remembered one meeting that was held at Joe’s
house, and the activity was cooking. He helped a young man
make a pie, and at the end of the session the young man
pleaded with Joe to adopt him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
played a small role in helping Joe gain a paid position
working with seniors. I was asked to review a proposal to
fund a program through the Commission. It was called the
Senior Community Independent Living Skills Program. As I
read, I could see Joe written all over the success this
program could have, but, near the end of it, I came upon a
stumbling block. I noted with regret that the manager must
have a college degree. That was too limiting, so I inserted
a part of a sentence that said "or equivalent life
experience." When I turned the proposal back to the director
and told him about my addition, he agreed that it was
something that should have been included in the document
from the beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
soon as I completed that call, I called Joe Ruffalo and
suggested he apply. At first he was skeptical, noting his
lack of formal qualifications. I told him about the
substitution of life experience. Then he was concerned
because he had no resumé, but with a three-way call between
Joe, Carol Castellano, and myself, Joe was able to submit an
application the very next day, and he served for more than a
decade helping seniors. He loved the work, it showed, and
just as he had with his transition-aged students, he and
others could see that his work was making a positive
difference in the lives of blind folks. What I learned that
day was that even the most positive among us occasionally
need encouraging. Joe had some doubts about Joe, but his
friends did not. One of his often quoted remarks came to
serve Joe as well as the many men and women he helped:
"People need encouragement like flowers need rain."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Although
this article is about Joe’s life, it would be incomplete if
we did not say that Joe is being buried at Arlington
Cemetery, an honor reserved for those with distinguished
service. Among his medals is a bronze star, representing
heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement,
or meritorious service. His service came at a cost, Joe
returning with occasional eruption of PTSD. One day when he
threw himself and his sister Jane to the ground and she
asked what he was doing, is a subdued and apologetic voice
he apologized: “I thought I was saving us; for a moment we
were both in Saigon.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
flattered as I am to try to chronicle the life of my friend,
one of the hard things about writing this is that I have
known him the majority of my life, and he is so much more
than a friend: he was my advisor, my older brother, and my
mentor. Interestingly, he would at times argue otherwise,
many times identifying me as his mentor and then quickly
letting people know that one did not need to be more
advanced in age in order to mentor. One simply had to have
experiences from which another could benefit, and he
credited me generously with that, using as but one example
the observation that I encouraged and helped teach him to
use the screen-reading program JAWS.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
only reason I can write this is that I know that no single
article can capture the larger-than-life character that was
Joe Ruffalo, and I trust others will fill in the blanks and
tell all of the other stories that must be told. In writing
remembrances, we sometimes ask ourselves what we should
leave out—those things less flattering, less admirable, more
revelatory of one’s darker side. This has not been my issue,
for there was little of this in Joe. My problem is simply
that there isn’t enough space in this article or creativity
in me to say the kind of thank you that Joe deserves. I
trust that he knows the enormity of the task we are all
trying to undertake in honoring him, and he would encourage
us to be kind to ourselves, give one another the time and
love he can no longer give, and to understand that this
really was never about him but about us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">One
day I recall Joe calling me and sharing, “David, do you know
what NFB stands for?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">“Yes
Joe, of course, National Federation of the Blind.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">“Yes,
correct, but it also stands for Never Felt Better!” Joe was
blessed to find the NFB, and then he found himself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
end this with tears in my eyes, love and respect in my
heart, and gratitude in my soul for having the opportunity
to know, learn from, and, like so many, be encouraged by our
good friend, brother, and mentor, Joe Ruffalo! Joe would so
often end what he wrote with: We care, we share, we grow.”
And yes, Joe, we promise to keep doing all of this and more.
Thank you Joe—you were and still are a difference maker!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">--------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: We're With U! concert logo. A concert to benefit
the blind of Ukraine.]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2
id="music-in-the-service-of-those-who-sorrow-the-world-blind-union-extends-a-helping-hand-to-the-blind-of-ukraine"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Music
in the Service of Those Who Sorrow: The World Blind Union
Extends a Helping Hand to the Blind of Ukraine<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Gary Wunder</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Far
too often for my liking, I find myself swinging between
extremes: I must do something about the condition of the
world; I can do nothing about the condition of the world. I
absolutely must help this person; there is not a thing in
the world that I can reasonably do to help this person. You
can imagine the relief that came over me and probably many
others when we realized that we did not have to stand idly
by and watch as the blind of Ukraine suffered under the
aggression of a Russian invasion. We could not be active
combatants; we had no stage to host our persuasive arguments
for peace. But we weren’t prohibited from taking action; in
some measurable way, we could reach out to the blind people
of Ukraine—be they in country or refugees—and say that we
care enough to share; we live and therefore we give; we will
trade apathy, indifference, and impotent rage for a more
positive journey. We won’t stop our own fight simply because
we can’t stop the world from fighting, and we won’t let the
fact that we can’t throw back all the starfish in the sea
prevent us from doing what we can.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Two
articles follow this brief introduction. One is from the
president of the World Blind Union, Martine Abel. She is in
charge of the relief effort. The second is from Jonathan
Mosen, perhaps the best-known voice of any blind person in
the world. He brought the spirit, the technical expertise,
and the track record of success that made this effort look
doable, and doable it was. Of course, I am proud to be a
part of our nation's contribution to the effort, made
possible in large part by the active role played by our own
National Federation of the Blind. We promoted the event,
helped connect people, and gave our technical and financial
expertise to collecting money both on the day of the concert
and in the days following. Our Performing Arts Division
helped by providing some of the musical talent that made the
concert a sheer delight to attend, and, with enough
prompting, we got our President to play his guitar and give
us a song.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
this concert we were not the leaders, not the experts, but
the facilitators. In that spirit, let me stop this
introduction and let the real experts speak for themselves.
Thank you to all who participated, not only for the people
of Ukraine but for people like me who need a way to show
that we believe, we care, and we act.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Martine Abel-Williamson with her guide dog.]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="were-with-u-we-choose-not-to-be-neutral"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We’re
With U: We Choose Not to Be Neutral<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Martine Abel-Williamson</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: The “We’re With U” concert is symbolic of so
much that we in the National Federation of the Blind and
our colleagues in the World Blind Union have come together
to demonstrate. We, the too often down and out, the too
often underestimated, the too often counted out when it
comes to thoughts about meaningful contributions—we long
ago decided that this would not be our place in the world.
This was not a one-time decision; it only has meaning if
the commitment of love, energy, and resources is ongoing.
Improving the lives of the blind means choosing action
over apathy, hope over hopelessness, and never letting the
realization that we cannot change everything for the
better in one day stand in the way of our doing what we
can when we can.</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Martine
is the president of the World Blind Union and has long
been active in the affairs of the world. Here is what she
has to say about the “We’re With U” Concert:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It’s
a great pleasure to meet you in my role as WBU president,
although the situation of me checking in with you at this
time is extraordinarily unfortunate. I met some of you when
I attended your 2019 Convention in Las Vegas, and I do hope
I’ll enjoy the experience again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
now live in New Zealand, but I was born in Namibia and spent
most of my childhood years in South Africa, and, it was a
fellow South African, Desmond Tutu, who said it simply, “If
you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen
the side of the oppressor.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Yes,
I was as equally shocked as many others when Russia invaded
the Ukraine. I couldn’t believe it—in today’s day and age!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">At
the WBU level, we realized we needed to act swiftly in the
most appropriate way. We’re not a humanitarian or
international aid organization, but in these situations we
need to do what we do best, so we established the Ukrainian
Unity Fund.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Many
blind people also told us they’d wish to contribute in a
creative and meaningful fashion, and that’s how the Ukraine
Unity Fund met with the “We’re with U” Ukraine benefit
concert [hashtag #BlindWithU on social media].<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">So,
based in New Zealand, at 6 a.m., Sunday, 17 April, I tuned
into the start of the We’re With U Ukraine benefit concert,
and I remained tuned in until around 7:15 p.m. that day. It
was an honor to experience the solidarity, the effort, the
talent, and the witnessing of financial contribution on that
day, and which are still going as we speak. When the World
Blind Union (WBU) established the Ukrainian Unity Fund, we
didn’t realize just how people would rally and stand
together—not just to raise funds but to give of their time
and unique talent, in other words, to give of their soul!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
want to use this opportunity to assure people that the WBU
will act in good faith and with due diligence when
attributing the funds you’ve so generously contributed. The
following principles are meant to guide decision-making
concerning how funds from the Ukrainian Unity Fund are
disbursed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">WBU
will endeavor to partner with disability organizations and
mainstream relief organizations. Memoranda of
Understanding (MOUs) and other formal agreements will be
developed as needed to govern these partnerships.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">In
addition to the principles below focused on humanitarian
relief, WBU will advocate for systemic change regarding a
more inclusive response to war and other disasters. The
primary purpose of the Ukrainian Unity Fund will be to
assist blind and partially sighted Ukrainians directly;
however, some of the funds may be directed toward advocacy
initiatives to have a long-lasting impact.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Due
to legal constraints, WBU will not be able to provide
financial and/or other resources directly to individuals.
However, direct aid may be possible through established
partnerships.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">WBU
will focus support on those who are blind or partially
sighted; however, those assisting the blind/partially
sighted individual, such as family and friends, may also
benefit from the supports.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">WBU
will try to focus support on needs related to blindness,
such as assistive technology, blindness skills training,
and access to apps like Aira, as opposed to core needs
like shelter and food. However, where core needs exist, if
WBU is the only or the most suitable organization able to
assist, then WBU will assist with core needs.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">WBU
will assist both those still living in Ukraine and those
who have fled to other countries. Supports may relate to
responding to the emergency, such as support with
evacuation, or may relate to assisting those who are
adjusting after being displaced, such as replacing lost
adaptive equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Funds
may also be used to support rebuilding efforts once the
war is over. This could include replacing damaged adaptive
equipment or supplying Braille paper to a school for the
blind.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo1"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">WBU
will endeavor to disburse the funds in a timely manner
while doing so in a way that is responsible.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
also wish to use this opportunity to thank the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB) and Jonathan Mosen and his
crew at Mushroom FM for your tremendous support in helping
us to raise these funds and to promote the amazing concert.
So, let’s keep on demonstrating our support to our fellow
blind and vision-impaired Ukrainians, their families, and
the organizations and communities who are assisting them,
for, as someone once very aptly reminded us: “Freedom is not
free.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Jonathan Mosen]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="were-with-u-the-blind-community-at-its-best"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We’re
With U: The Blind Community at its Best<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Jonathan Mosen</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: No voice is more internationally known among
the blind community than that of Jonathan Mosen. He is
unquestionably a Renaissance man, a person who has his
hand in music, technology, literature, and who clearly
demonstrates a healthy concern for his community.
Jonathan’s production skills and his willingness to share
resources did much to make the concert a success, and it
is with pleasure that we print the article he has written
for readers of the </span></strong><em><b><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Braille
Monitor</span></b></em><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
world can seem like a gloomy place at times. Momentous
events occur that concern us, but their magnitude overwhelms
us. Yet, sometimes, the spark of an idea occurs which
catches fire, making us realize we have more influence than
we thought.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">There
is no better example of this than the We’re With U concert
for Ukraine. It showed us that with an inspired idea,
planning, and unity, no problem is too big that we can’t
make a difference.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
all started with one blind man’s belief that we could assist
the people of Ukraine through music. Jaffar Sidek Ahmad, a
musician from Singapore, started a discussion on relevant
email lists about blind musicians holding a virtual concert
to raise money for blind Ukrainians, both those who remain
in Ukraine whose lives have been torn apart by war, and
those who have had to flee. Jaffar’s original idea was to
run the concert as part of a fundraising initiative being
undertaken by his church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Having
covered the invasion from a blindness perspective in my
podcast, I was outraged by what was happening and eager to
find a way to assist. So, I contacted Jaffar offering my
assistance in any way that might be useful to him. Ideas I
ran by him included being the MC for the event, donating
Mushroom FM’s resources and infrastructure, and seeking the
support of others in the blind community. Jaffar was happy
to accept my offer of help. We immediately got to work. I
created a website, and Jaffar continued to encourage blind
performing artists to submit content.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
part of my initial contacts with people in the blind
community, I reached out to Mike May, who became an unsung
hero of this event. His enthusiasm was infectious, and he
single-handedly recruited several of our corporate sponsors.
Mike briefed President Riccobono, who was quick to offer
NFB’s full support. This support took many forms, including
infrastructural, fundraising, and messaging assistance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
event’s success depended on identifying a credible partner
to receive the funds. It had to be an organization the blind
community knew well and trusted, and it had to have the
links to ensure that funds raised were dispersed in the most
impactful way. Through President Riccobono, we were
connected with Marc Workman, Executive Director of the World
Blind Union, which had just set up a Unity Fund for Ukraine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Since
its founding in 2010, Mushroom FM has hosted many successful
events making innovative use of social media. But one of the
most consequential decisions I made early on was to make the
concert available to any internet broadcaster who wanted to
carry it. There are a surprising number of internet radio
stations run by the blind, for the blind. Often, they
compete for the same audience. On the day, the event was
carried by over twenty broadcasters in a resounding display
of unity for the blind of Ukraine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
are bombarded by so much information nowadays that it is
easy to become desensitized to the fact that war equates to
millions of personal tragedies. To make it clear why money
was so badly needed, it was important that we hear from
blind people or those assisting blind people, be they still
in Ukraine or now refugees. So, the concert was interspersed
with first-hand accounts of the war.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Many
people made this event what it was, but the true stars of it
are undisputedly the performers, who so generously donated
their talent and kept so many people listening throughout
the entire concert. Most were blind, a few were not, but all
performances were exceptional. We heard many styles of music
and even some poetry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
couldn’t all gather together in a stadium, but we were
brought together virtually via a Twitter hashtag, and I was
able to acknowledge many listeners on-air. Donations came
pouring in via NFB’s and WBU’s accessible online platforms.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">For
the radio and audio geeks, and the blind community has a
good number of those, let me share a few behind the scenes
details of an event, which, despite its complexity, was
technically flawless for its 11.5 hours. We played 224
separate audio elements during the concert. This included
the music, anecdotes from Ukraine, sponsorship messages, and
calls to action. Every element was normalized to a common
LUFS value and had it crossfade point set manually.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
streamed two versions of the concert concurrently. The
version on Mushroom FM included our usual audio processing,
while a separate stream offered an unprocessed version for
Internet radio stations wishing to retain their unique
sound.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
result of it all was that on the day, we raised over
$80,000. When other donations were processed because of the
event, the amount raised exceeded $100,000. While I have no
doubt that it will be easy to find worthy ways to allocate
those funds and that more are needed, it is a significant
sum for a grassroots movement of concerned blind people to
have raised in a project that went from idea to global event
in the space of a month.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Whether
you donated your talent, your time, your money, or all of
the above, thank you so much. You can look back on the
contribution you made and feel proud of being a part of
something very special. We made a difference for the people
of Ukraine. In the process, we also provided a powerful,
moving demonstration that, no problem, even a war, is so big
that we can’t make a difference. We are stronger together.
We are better when we focus on what unites us. We have more
power than many of us realize.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
memory of the concert may be fading, but the conflict is
ongoing. Please continue to look for ways that you can show
the people of Ukraine, “We’re With U.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Christine Faltz Grassman]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2
id="chapter-chatter-part-2-intention-prevention-and-intervention"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Chapter
Chatter Part 2: Intention, Prevention, and Intervention<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Christine Faltz Grassman</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: Christine is a chapter president, but she is
so much more. She is sensitive, perceptive, and especially
tuned to be a peacemaker without avoiding topics that
should and in fact must be discussed. Here are more
thoughts she has to offer about fairly handling difficult
topics and those who bring them:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Ten
percent of conflicts is due to difference in opinion and
ninety percent is due to wrong tone of voice.<br>
— Susan Wiertzema<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
think it is safe to say that when individuals or groups
gather with positive purpose and common interests, there is
a collective intention to collaborate and recognize the
interdependence that is necessary for efforts to bear fruit.
As people who are blind, we have more than a passing
acquaintance with how even the best intentions can lead to
unhappy results.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Previously,
I discussed the importance and necessity of speaking up. Now
I want to address handling situations where speaking up in
particular ways and at particular times may not be ideal and
provide some respectful techniques for de-escalating what
could become an awkward and/or upsetting incident.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Virtual
and hybrid meetings have become the norm for many of us over
the past couple of years, and they offer undeniable
advantages. Their disadvantages, however, introduce a level
of significant complexity when it becomes necessary to tam
down conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">There
is often good-natured joking about the power of the “Mute
All” and “Remove” options on conferencing platforms. All
jesting aside, however, we have likely all witnessed the
benefit of these tools. Genuinely destructive and hurtful
attacks have occurred on meeting platforms, and the “Mute”
and “Remove” options act as virtual security guards and
bouncers. However, it is not the unsavory and unscrupulous
alone who can derail a discussion, demoralize a meeting, or
start something that could yield repercussions for weeks,
months, or longer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
all have bad days and we all make mistakes. A sincere
apology after a significant outburst goes a long way toward
righting an ill-timed statement. Perhaps it might take some
time to recognize that an apology is needed until after some
reflection or after someone has diplomatically pointed out
the issue, perceived or otherwise. Waiting too long,
however, or tossing out an apology simply because one is
hounded to do so will likely be considered insincere, and a
delay gives time for the incident to imbed itself into
memories, the grapevine, and potential exaggeration or
attachment to other incidents people are suddenly recalling,
particularly by those who were most hurt or offended.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">What
should you do if a discussion at a meeting takes a turn that
is not conducive to a productive and welcoming environment?
The individual running the meeting can set guidelines and
should follow through with those guidelines. Do not show
favoritism by allowing more latitude to board members, the
newbie, your best friend, your spouse, or the most senior
member. Everyone must behave respectfully, and everyone
should receive respect. This does not mean that the more
wordy among the crowd cannot be asked to move on, wait their
turn, or give someone else a chance to speak. Chapter
meetings are not places for monologues, and the person who
is constantly dominating the discussion, being contrary, or
putting down someone may require a time limit and perhaps a
private discussion about etiquette in the meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Never
return rudeness with rudeness or name-calling with
name-calling. If someone uses words like “ridiculous,” or
“idiotic”, do not get upset if those adjectives were used
for a proposed idea or activity. Sure, it could have been
worded differently, but try to avoid feeling and acting as
if the adjectives were used to insult the person proposing
the item in question.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">There
might come a time when things become heated between two or
more individuals. It might be helpful to designate someone
to quietly go over to (or if virtual, text or email), the
individuals in question while the meeting moves on. To the
greatest extent possible, efforts should focus on keeping
the meeting on track with the least disruption. Even if
someone needs to step outside with a person or two, the
meeting should proceed, and anyone not directly involved
should act as if nothing of note is occurring.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">After
such incidents, it is difficult for people to refrain from
passionate discussion, finger-pointing, or rehashing past
incidents involving the same person or persons. Please try
to avoid doing this. Unless there is a persistent pattern of
disruption from a particular individual or group, dwelling
on something unpleasant gives it more power and
significance, and what should remain at the center are the
goals of the chapter as defined by its agenda and subsequent
decision-making.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
might be necessary to talk with one or more people several
times between meetings if a personality conflict or repeated
flouting of meeting discussion guidelines occurs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">What
guidelines might be put into place? Generally, the standard
fare will do: no interrupting unless someone is dominating
the conversation and meeting time. (Perhaps there should be
a set time limit if others are continually unable to get a
word in, and that time limit must apply to everyone if a
question is being asked or a comment is being made.
Obviously, speakers, activities, and necessary discussion of
chapter business would not have such limits applied.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Be
especially cognizant of the fact that the leaders and most
active members set the tone. If harassment, belittling, or
gossip is tolerated (or worse, encouraged), de-escalation
tactics will not be effective. If all do not walk the walk,
talking the talk will be considered window dressing, lip
service, and rank hypocrisy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
is absolutely fine to stop pejorative or derogatory
statements or disruptive behavior in its tracks without
attempting to address it quietly. All attendees should
witness that bullying, ridiculing, or other words or
behavior that are meant to marginalize, put down, or
threaten are categorically forbidden. Chapter and division
meetings, activities, and events should be welcoming,
comfortable environments that all look forward to attending.
At no time should anyone ever feel it emotionally necessary
to avoid one or ever leave one feeling badly, unheard, or
ignored.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Leaders
should be receptive to constructive criticism and consider
solutions to any friction. Work hard to be approachable by
anyone who attends meetings who might feel that the chapter
or division is not as warm and inviting as you might wish it
to be or perceive it to be. We can all improve, individually
and as a group.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
an upcoming article, I will discuss mediating conflict. If
anyone wants to provide an example of a local conflict (no
names, please), write to me at <a
href="mailto:cfgrassman@icloud.com" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">cfgrassman@icloud.com</a>
and I will use it as an example. Obviously, all strategies
and techniques must be tailored to your group’s
dynamics—whether you are dealing with an isolated incident
or a pattern—and other variables, but the guidelines
provided should give an effective foundation for conflict
resolution.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Renée Valdez]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="lessons-and-lifelines"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Lessons
and Lifelines<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Renée Valdez</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: Renée is a person who has tremendous value to
the National Federation of the Blind not only because of
the energy she brings to our cause but because her memory
of going blind is fresh enough that she can relate to
people who think all doors have been closed and are
starved for what we have to offer. This is a spectacular
article, and if it is half as much fun to read as it has
been to edit, prepare to be thoroughly engrossed in this
experience.</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
case you want to know what she does when not writing,
Renée is the chair of the NFB of Virginia Diversity,
Equity, & Inclusion Committee; the co-chair of the NFB
of Virginia Fundraising Committee; a mentor in the NFB of
Virginia Project RISE Program; and the vice president of
the Northern Virginia Regional Human Rights Committee.
Here is her most splendid article:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">"Life
is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be
understood."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">—
Helen Keller<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Ain't
that the truth. It's like I woke up one day and found
myself—fifty-six years young, blind, and still learning.
WOW! And let me tell you, some of these lessons along the
way have not been amusing!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
believe that God, the Universe, and Mother Earth all have a
very warped sense of humor. I mean, C'MON, MAN! The last
time I looked up, not only did I have my eyesight, but I was
forty-eight years old, enjoying a rewarding and quite
lucrative career, traveling around the United States and
Canada training the "untrainable"—TSA Supervisors and Air
Marshalls—and having a BLAST! And, I am happy to report that
by day two of a five—day intensive training, I had these
tough guys and gals eating out of my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
was Octoberish, 2013, when I began to notice a slight change
in my vision, especially at night. I suppose I should have
considered it a clue when I was driving into a 7-Eleven
parking lot and hit the very large garbage can at one corner
of the lot head on! But no! I politely backed up and tried
my parking efforts once again, and I pretended like that
trash can thing never happened. I never mentioned it to my
Honey, Scott, or anyone, for that matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Then,
on a midnight run to Micky D's, I came to the four-way stop
not far from our home. As usual, I stopped. I looked to the
right, then the left, then the right again. Seeing nothing
in the darkness, I stepped on the gas to go through the
intersection, and BLAM! Quite suddenly, the airbag deployed
in my face after the car came to a very severe and arduous
stop. I had broadsided a van, I found out later. But at that
moment, sitting with the airbag in my lap, I, once again,
looked to my right, where the thing I hit should have been,
and I saw nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
drove forward to the next block, where there was a street
light. I got out of the car, checked the damage, and
delightedly saw that there was none. So I got back in the
car, decided that the other vehicle left as well, and
continued on my midnight mission to McDonald's. Despite the
fact that there happened to be a vehicle behind me who
witnessed the whole thing and called it in, I was fortunate
not to get charged with hit-and-run by the grace of God, the
Universe and Mother Earth! When I received the police
report, I called the family I had broadsided, apologized,
and wished them well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">You'd
think that after that crazy incident I would consider my
eyesight—or the lack thereof. It wasn't until late December
of 2013, when my eyesight had declined to a dangerous level
during the day, that I mentioned it to my Honey and my best
friend.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Fast-forward
now through doctors not knowing what was happening, and
finally being diagnosed by the NIH docs at the National Eye
Institute that I had VKH, a very rare autoimmune disease
that affects Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans. This
qualifies me twice; then came the megadoses of wonderful and
dangerous medications. My eyesight fluctuated drastically up
and down for the next five years, taking with it my
emotions. This made me an emotional and psychological basket
case!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
next four years were busy for me, my days filled with
remembering to take my mega-meds, sitting on the couch with
my fur baby, MJ, who never left my side, and watching the
television show Forensic Files—somehow, I found that
soothing as I licked my emotional wounds. The intro music
still has that effect on me. I was mourning, and I was so
deep in it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
mourned the life I knew and loved—my career, mostly. I loved
what I was doing. I loved meeting a group of people on the
first day of a training they didn't want to attend and
breaking the ice. I loved the experience of witnessing the
hardest shells crack by day two when they started sharing
their stories. I cherished the moments on days three through
five when it was a safe enough environment to share a few
tears with those stories. And, when the training was over, I
miss the hugs and the "see you again sometime" wishes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">All
I could think, sitting there in the safety and seclusion of
my cocoon, was that I had to find a way to close that
chapter of my life forever, and the mere thought of it
seemed to cut off the air to my lungs, making it almost
impossible to breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Early
in my diagnosis, I stumbled on the Department for the Blind
and Visually Impaired (DBVI). They came in like a lifeline,
providing me with air. I met my new mobility instructor,
Joanne Laurent, a strong-willed little woman who, with her
infectious laughter, kind spirit, and constant affirmations
(I called it nagging) forced me to escape my cocoon for
brief periods and taught me to use a white cane and not get
hit by a Mack truck. Another powerhouse, Alex Castillo, came
to my home and proved to me that I could cook and clean my
counters and wash clothes and, and, and...be independent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
think it was late 2017 when I stumbled once again. This
time, it was Brian Miller. I can't remember who gave me his
email address, but one day I mustered the courage and the
will to email him. Much to my surprise, he responded with an
invitation to meet for coffee. YIKES! It was time to put the
lessons I had with Joanne to the test. I did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Meeting
Brian was like falling backward onto a thick, fluffy, soft
comforter. He had a way about him that was calming,
welcoming and accepting and inspiring. I was bragging to him
about my ability to once again be able to make coffee, my
drug of choice, using my French press, even grinding my own
beans! Well, he shared with me his mutual love of coffee and
how he purchased his RAW beans from Misha's Coffee and
roasted them in his home with his own roaster. WHAT! HOW? He
explained the cracking sound the beans made when they were
close to being done and the aroma that filled his home.
OVERACHEIVER! When he shared with me how he roasted his own
beans or how he traveled to exotic places around the world
by himself, it was totally without arrogance or pride; it
was simply Brian sharing a glimpse of his heart and spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
March of 2018, I received an email from Brian telling me I
had to go to this meeting. (I still have that email.) He
said he was starting a chapter for the National Federation
of the Blind in our community. I didn't want to go, but how
could I say no to Brian? I attended that first meeting, and
it was God or the Universe or Mother Earth—or Brian—who made
sure I was elected to serve as a board member. What! Another
lifeline. I am forever grateful to my friend.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
rest, as they say, is history. I was connected, and I became
hooked. I started to venture out of my self-made cocoon more
and more and began to feel a sense of purpose again. I
attended bits and pieces of my first NFB state convention
and met a few people who became lifelines—Evelyn Valdez,
Sandy Halverson, Bonnie O'Day, Joe Orozco, and so many more
that would make this blog much longer than it already is!
And I shared a little time with Tracy Soforenko, the
Virginia state affiliate president, at a legislative visit
on Capitol Hill. He asked questions. I told him about my
period of mourning, my hopeless journey into blindness, my
desire to be useful and fulfilled once again. As I spoke, I
really didn't see how that could happen in my life. I was
looking through the lenses of my past, and I could not
fathom how I could ever be like Evelyn or Tracy or any blind
person who laughed and smiled and lived their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Tracy
listened to me. He continues to challenge me to spread my
wings. Today, as secretary/treasurer of the Greater
Alexandria Chapter, a position that I absolutely love; a
student in the Chapter Leadership Institute; mentor in
Project RISE; coordinator of the 2021 Mini BELL Program;
co-chair of the NFBV Fundraising Committee; and member of
the NFBV Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, I am
feeling fulfilled, and I am happier than ever! I have a
sense of true belonging. I have a mission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">I
believe that God, the Universe, and Mother Earth, in their
warped kind of way, know what they are doing. And I believe
that Helen Keller was right. To be fully understood, life's
lessons must be lived ... and savored.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Peace!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="you-can-make-a-difference"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">You
Can Make a Difference <o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">With
your help, the NFB will continue to:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Give
blind children the gift of literacy through Braille.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Promote
independent travel by providing free, long white canes to
blind people in need.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Develop
dynamic educational projects and programs to show blind
youth that science and math careers are within their
reach.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Deliver
hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide
blind people the essential information necessary to be
actively involved in their communities.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Offer
aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision
maintain their independence.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Plan
to Leave a Legacy</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Fixed
Sum of Assets</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Percentage
of Assets</span></strong><b><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><br>
</span></b><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Payable
on Death (POD) Account</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Will
or Trust</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">If
you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the
National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Visit
our Planned Giving webpage (<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving</a>)
or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Together
with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will
continue to transform dreams into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Ways
to Contribute Now</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Throughout
2021, the NFB:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Sent
nearly one thousand Braille Santa and Winter Celebration
letters to blind children, encouraging excitement for
Braille literacy.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Distributed
over five thousand canes to blind people across the United
States, empowering them to travel safely and independently
throughout their communities.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Delivered
audio newspaper and magazine services to 126,823
subscribers, providing free access to over five hundred
local, national, and international publications.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Gave
over six hundred Braille-writing slates and styluses free
of charge to blind users.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li style="color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Mentored
232 blind youth during our Braille Enrichment for Literacy
and Learning® Academy in-home editions.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Vehicle
Donation Program</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">General
Donation</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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 Ways to Give webpage (<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give</a>)
for more information. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Pre-Authorized
Contribution</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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 PAC Donation Form (<a href="https://www.nfb.org/pac"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.nfb.org/pac</a>)
online.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">If
you have questions about giving, please send an email to <a
href="mailto:outreach@nfb.org" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">outreach@nfb.org</a> or call
410-659-9314, extension 2422.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Deborah Kent Stein]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="coming-to-our-senses"><em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Coming
to Our Senses</span></em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Susan R. Barry</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Reviewed
by Deborah Kent Stein</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: I am often asked if the </span></strong><em><b><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Braille
Monitor</span></b></em><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">
would like to review a book, and my answer is usually yes.
My reservation is whom I can ask to do it. Debbie Stein
volunteered to review this one, and I am very glad she
did. Debbie’s history as a writer and a Federationist is
so well known that I will not repeat it here. The
wonderful review she provides follows:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Coming
to Our Senses: A Boy Who Learned to See, A Girl Who
Learned to Hear, and How We All Discover the World</span></em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Susan R. Barry<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Basic
Books, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">ISBN:
9781541675155<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Available
from Amazon, Kindle, audible.com, and bookshare.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
the 1954 film <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">The
Magnificent Obsession,</span></em> the beautiful female
lead (Jane Wyman) is blinded in an automobile accident.
Years later, the young doctor who loves her (Rock Hudson)
performs a miraculous operation that restores her vision. To
the joy of her family and friends, Helen can see again!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Miracle
cures like this appear so often in fiction and film that
they are woven into our cultural imagination. Yet the case
histories of blind people who gain vision through surgery
tell a very different story. One of the best-known cases in
modern times is a man described in an essay by Oliver Sacks,
"To See or Not to See." Virgil, as Sacks called him, lost
his sight in infancy due to cataracts. When he was in
midlife the cataracts were surgically removed, and suddenly
Virgil could see. However, his sight proved of little
benefit, as he could not interpret what he saw. He grew
depressed, unable to live as a blind person yet incapable of
using the sight he had gained.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">MRI
studies in people who have been blind from birth or early
childhood indicate that the visual cortex is soon
re-purposed to handle a variety of other tasks. Today it is
widely believed that vision restoration in a person blind
from birth or early childhood is likely to be unsuccessful
after the age of eight. Similar findings raise questions
about the effectiveness of cochlear implants for people who
are prelingually deaf. People who receive implants after the
first few years of life have trouble adjusting to their new
hearing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
<em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Coming
to Our Senses</span></em> journalist Susan Barry
recounts the history of Liam, a young man with albinism
whose vision was dramatically improved with the implantation
of a device called an intraocular lens (IOL). She compares
and contrasts Liam's story with the case of Zohra, a woman
deaf from birth who gained hearing when she received
cochlear implants. Both Liam and Zohra were in their teens
when they had their surgeries; they had passed the age when
they might be expected to reap serious benefits. Yet,
through ongoing effort spread over many years, they both
taught themselves to make use of the sensory information
that was now at their disposal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Liam
was never totally blind. As a small child he could make out
blurry images up to four feet away, though his acuity
diminished, as he got older. His mother insisted that he
begin Braille and cane travel instruction in kindergarten,
and he also learned to read large print. Liam learned to
deal with his low vision from early childhood, and he never
regarded his blindness as a tragedy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
2005, when he was fifteen, an ophthalmologist suggested that
an IOL might greatly improve Liam's vision. After careful
thought, Liam and his mother decided he should undergo the
surgery. Liam's perception of colors improved, as did his
depth perception, and his lifelong nystagmus disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Nevertheless,
Liam struggled to interpret what he saw. "He saw lines where
one object ended and another began, where an object in front
occluded an object behind, or where a shadow was cast on a
surface," Barry writes. "He saw a tangled, fragmented
world." As Barry explains, "understanding the lines and
colors he saw required constant attention and analysis." The
effort was overwhelming and exhausting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Over
time, Liam gained a greater understanding of the visual
world, and the effort grew less intense. Yet fifteen years
after his surgery, he continued to piece together whole
images by studying their components. Climbing stairs posed
dramatic challenges. "All the while, when I move, the stairs
are skewing and changing," Liam wrote, "and if you move
around a staircase extremely, some weird stuff can happen."
In many instances, such as taking buses and light rail, Liam
continued to use his long white cane.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Like
Liam, Zohra had to adjust to the hearing she acquired. She
struggled to make sense of the sounds that flooded her life
after she received her cochlear implants. With the help of
her family, especially a devoted aunt, she worked every day
to sort through the cacophony and to master the enormous
complexities of spoken language. More than a decade later,
she was still learning new sounds and discovering new coping
strategies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Unlike
Sacks's Virgil, neither Liam nor Zohra regretted undergoing
their surgeries. Yet both of them acknowledged that
adjustment to the new sensory input required unending
effort. They rose to the challenge and approached their
acquired senses with a sense of adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Coming
to Our Senses</span></em><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">
thoroughly dispels the myth of the miracle cure. Barry
reveals the vast complexity of the mental processes most of
us take for granted as we move through our noisy, dazzling,
mystifying world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Ronza Othman]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2
id="an-explanation-about-the-need-for-and-beauty-of-our-code-of-conduct"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">An
Explanation about the Need for and Beauty of our Code of
Conduct<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Ronza Othman</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: Ronza is well known to readers. She holds down
a fulltime job working as director of Equal Opportunity
Compliance at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
services. In addition, she is our state president in
Maryland, is active everywhere, and has given a lot of her
heart and mind to working as the Chairman of the Code of
Conduct Feedback Committee. Here is her request of us as
we work to make our Federation the kind of place where
anyone would be glad to visit and participate:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">"Why
do we even need a Code of Conduct?” Many of us have heard
this question or some iteration of it over the last six or
so years as we worked to conceptualize, then articulate,
then socialize the NFB Code of Conduct. As an organization
we heard it again as we made updates and process
improvements. We heard sentiments like, "We shouldn’t need a
document to tell us how to get along with each other,” or
“no document is going to ever cover every potential
situation,” or “I don’t want to be treated like a child to
be told what I can and can’t do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">But
others shared, “I’m so glad there are some concrete policies
that everyone is expected to follow,” “The Code of Conduct
just puts on paper what we’ve always expected of our members
and participants, and it’s a good thing to all be on the
same page,” and “I like that we are in lockstep with society
by incorporating principles and guidance on these areas.” We
also heard everything in between.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
is our charge, as the NFB Code of Conduct Feedback
Committee, to engage with the membership about the Code of
Conduct, how to improve and enhance it, and how to make it
accessible and available to all. The Code sets out guidance
for how members of the Federation should comport ourselves.
It establishes the minimum standard for how we should
interact to ensure the safety, full participation, and
inclusion of our members, participants, employees, guests,
and volunteers. As we evolve as a community, our Code
evolves, and we are doing our best to get it right. To get
it right though, we need all of you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
early 2018 the NFB adopted a Code of Conduct, which provided
policy guidance in a variety of areas, including
anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, prevention of and
response to sexual and other misconduct, conflict of
interest, and other important categories. The work to think
through what the Code should include and how to articulate
its principles began several years before its 2018 adoption.
Since 2018, the Code has been updated and enhanced several
times. Most recently, the NFB Board of Directors updated a
revised Code in December of 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
part of the most recent iteration of the NFB Code of
Conduct, Article XI included language that enhanced and more
clearly spelled out how the Code would be reviewed. “The
President shall appoint a Code of Conduct Committee that
will review data and procedures regarding reports filed
under this Code. The Committee will monitor actions under
this Code, gather feedback from the Federation community
about the Code, assist in educating the community about the
Code and procedures, and make recommendations to the
National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors as
needed.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
early 2022, President Riccobono appointed the Code of
Conduct Feedback Committee to undertake this work. This
Committee is representative of the membership in that it
consists of leaders and non-elected members from across the
Federation. Some of the Committee members are long-time
Federationists, and others are fairly new. The Committee
includes mental health professionals, teachers, mediators,
parents of blind children, crisis support personnel, and a
variety of other professions. The members range from recent
graduate to retiree. The Committee is a cross section of the
organization, but also each member has a particular skillset
or background that makes this work particularly meaningful
to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
part of our charge, we are soliciting feedback and
suggestions from the Federation community about the Code of
Conduct and its associated processes. We recognize that some
have participated in the Code of Conduct, perhaps as a
filer, complainant, respondent, witness, or a responsible
leader. We are very interested in feedback on the
participant experience, and we are committing to receiving
that feedback in a manner that is both trauma informed and
protects confidentiality. However, we will caution that the
Code of Conduct Feedback Committee is not able to assess
outcomes of matters brought under the Code.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
also recognize that there are some who have not yet fully
bought into the Code. We are interested to hear from these
individuals as to their perspectives as well. We want to
assess barriers to participation in the Code process,
including attitudinal barriers, access barriers, and other
barriers we have not yet contemplated.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
want the Federation community to think about what, if any,
aspects of the Code the Board should enhance, augment, or
change. We want feedback on how the Code could be socialized
more widely and how to get buy-in from individuals who have
not yet done so. We want to know how to enhance the training
mechanisms and resources that are available. We want to know
what has worked, what hasn’t, and what ideas people have
that could work in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">To
that end, we are inviting individuals to engage with us.
Those wishing to share feedback and suggestions are
encouraged to email the Code of Conduct Feedback Committee
at <a href="mailto:Codefeedback@nfb.org"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">Codefeedback@nfb.org</a>
or call us at 410-659-9314, extension 2284. We plan to hold
some office hours at the 2022 NFB National Convention, where
we will be on hand to speak individually and in person with
those who would like to engage with us. We also plan to send
out a survey this fall to the NFB community. If people have
additional suggestions about how we can engage with the
membership, please share those ideas with us at the email
address or phone number provided.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">We
want to make sure the NFB Code of Conduct is effective,
fair, and easy to understand. We also want to ensure that
people feel comfortable and safe using it if they need to do
so. We want it to be accessible, meaningful, and usable. We
want the participant experience to be as easy as it can be.
We want people to trust in the Code and its processes. And
we want it to be representative of what our community wants
and needs it to be. We are asking you to help us in this
effort.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Nancy Burns]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="when-it-is-okay-to-say-yes"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">When
it is Okay to Say “Yes”<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Nancy Burns</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: Nancy is a longtime leader in the National
Federation of the Blind and often makes contributions to
our magazine. Here is another of her thoughtful offerings,
this time speaking about independence, when it must be
asserted, when it may take second place to meet the
temporary needs of another, and the way in which it may
change over time. Enjoy:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Diversity
in opinions and long-held philosophical beliefs could
possibly create a platform for open discussion on a variety
of issues. The following comments are based on my own
personal experiences, however, I believe that as a longtime
Federationist, others will relate to these words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Learning
that in 1940 Dr. Jacobus tenBroek possessed enough faith in
blind individuals to create the cornerstone of the National
Federation of the Blind became the source of my own
philosophy of life. Fortunately, such Federationists as Dr.
Isabelle Grant and Lawrence (Muzzy) Marcelino were my
personal mentors and contributed to my growth as an
independent blind woman. These names may not be familiar to
all, but they were most incredible and positive influences
within the state of California.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
was with the encouragement of Dr. Grant that I joined the
blind student’s group. For the first time, I observed young,
blind students traveling independently all through the city
of Los Angeles to attend NFB and other meetings. They were
even planning a trip to San Francisco for a state
convention. I swallowed my fear and traveled with my new
friends. By observing students buying tickets, boarding a
Greyhound bus, and checking into a hotel, I gained valuable
lessons not taught in any of my classes. I simply observed,
learned, and enjoyed this trip. It was a challenging and
totally exciting experience for me. I learned that I, too,
could travel independently with the use of my long white
cane and my hearing. My self-confidence took a huge boost
during this trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">My
good fortune continued as I met and worked with Dr. Kenneth
Jernigan. His seminars were brilliant and energizing. It was
he who not only confirmed my concept of independence but
convinced me that independence was and still is the right
choice for me. A portion of this philosophy was to adapt the
belief that blindness should not be used to take advantage
of certain situations. There are negative repercussions when
blindness is used in this manner. I can still hear him
saying, “There is no free lunch”. Thus, my philosophy of
life was truly established.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
addition to formulating my own independence, I developed the
desire to work with and advocate for other blind people.
While bringing together blind individuals, it became
apparent that peer interaction is invaluable. Working with
people who are recently experiencing vision loss is
particularly rewarding. It has always been my desire to
share with others the message of independence that was so
generously shared with me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Though
it was at first surprising to me, it was sometimes difficult
to make the right decision as I practiced my own
independence. For example, while standing in a long bank,
store, or other such line, there have been times when I was
told I could move to the head of the line. If I felt that
this offer was based only on my blindness, I politely
thanked the person but refused the offer. It was my habit to
allow time for such situations. One such incident occurred
as I was standing in a long bank line during my lunch break.
It was the manager who offered me the opportunity to step
ahead of others in the line. I thanked him and said that
most everyone else was more than likely on their lunch
break, and I chose not to step ahead. The lunch break was
important to all of us, so why should I be allowed to move
ahead of others simply because of my blindness? At the time,
I was working in a Federal building in Los Angeles and knew
that the majority of the people were waiting to cash checks
since it was payday. I have often pondered the basis of such
actions. Was the manager motivated by pity? Thinking of this
always causes me to be uncomfortable and encourages me to
educate the public about blindness. I was learning that
microaggressions about blindness does exist and have
attempted to deal with it during my life experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Since
I was working in Los Angeles, it was necessary to navigate
busy and congested sidewalks and to cross noisy
intersections. While waiting at one such intersection, all
too often someone would grab my arm and drag me across the
street. This usually resulted in my becoming rather
disoriented when my long white cane missed my usual
landmarks. These incidents caused me to become resistant
when such a person felt obligated to guide me. However, if I
stood at an unfamiliar intersection, I was comfortable
saying “yes” when asked if I needed assistance. There are
simply times when it becomes necessary to say, “yes please,”
rather than the usual “no thank you.” Safety is always the
issue in such circumstances. I suppose the obvious question
that arises is does saying “yes” really cause the loss of
independence? This question is, and likely will be debated
forever. The answer is not easy. If I don’t know the skill
and am not comfortable using it, taking the help reduces my
independence or lengthens the time it takes me to gain it.
If I have crossed the street so often that I could do it in
my sleep, perhaps saying yes is okay.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Some
years later I was working for the California Department of
Rehabilitation and had the opportunity to travel to London
with a friend. During this trip, a most favorite memory and
experience took place while walking independently down
Bronson Road during lunch hour for Londoners. I was able to
step out of a department store and simply walk along with
other busy Londoners. As I stopped at a noisy intersection
to listen to traffic flow, a gentleman asked if he could
assist. I said yes, that would be helpful. I was quite
competent in listening to the traffic flow in Los Angeles,
but in London, the traffic was moving in the wrong
direction, and I chose not to risk becoming a hood ornament
on a fast-moving vehicle. So, when a Londoner stopped and
asked if he could assist, I said I was looking for
Selfridges department store. He advised me that it was
across the street and that he, too, would be crossing. He
simply walked beside me, and when we reached the opposite
side of the street, he told me that he was going to the
right and that the store was to my left. I thanked him and
continued down the sidewalk. All of this is to say that my
philosophy of independence has helped me to feel good about
myself. These events occurred during the 1970s and ’80s.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Fast
forward to the early 1990s. During a convention of the
National Federation of the Blind in Dallas, Texas, it was my
pleasure to room with a dear friend who held the same basic
philosophy about independence as I hold. It was during this
conference when I met, and soon afterwards married, Don
Burns. It was the second marriage for both of us, and he was
recently experiencing vision loss. But had quickly adapted a
similar philosophy of independence. All of this is simply to
lay the background for the next several years of my life. As
a blind couple, we have traveled extensively, and our
experiences are phenomenal. We have learned to accept those
sometimes demeaning and often annoying comments while at the
same time attempting to educate the offender. The general
public has little connection with the blind population and
is unaware of the vast interests and abilities of those of
us who happen to be blind. We are often called amazing or
even courageous. If time allows, we spout a quick response,
always indicating that we are just travelers who happen to
be blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">As
we age, and our bodies slow down, we learned that saying,
“yes, thanks” becomes easier. This is somewhat difficult
because of my years of independence and of politely refusing
such assistance. Don and I have learned that at times it
becomes necessary to swallow our pride and put safety first.
During a recent trip abroad, we were in customs and heading
toward a down escalator. Both of us were loaded down with
luggage and backpacks. When a customs agent advised us of
the location of an elevator, we both readily accepted the
suggestion. Based on the years of declining such
suggestions, this acceptance was tough. We both realized
that it was time to put safety first.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">All
of this is to say that we do not lose our independence when
accepting assistance. Self-confidence or the lack thereof is
the true issue in such cases. The National Federation of the
Blind, the largest and most powerful organization of the
blind, is the backbone of the blind population in the United
States. Throughout the decades, hundreds if not thousands of
blind people have become successful and effective members of
society.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">All
of this is the result of a forward thinking, young, blind
professor. I doubt that Dr. Jacobus tenBroek had any
realization about the impact his philosophy would have on
the lives of future blind citizens. Thank goodness he did
what he did, and thanks also that we continue to do what we
do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Gary Wunder]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2
id="how-the-monitor-is-built-its-timelines-and-making-it-what-you-want-it-to-be"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">How
the Monitor is Built, its Timelines, and Making it What You
Want it to Be<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Gary Wunder</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">It
seems that the coronavirus has interfered in everything we
have come to expect, and the <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Braille
Monitor</span></em> has not been immune—particularly our
hardcopy formats. When we produce hardcopy as in the case of
Braille, large print, and our audio thumb drives, we
necessarily extend the time for publication if needed. As
helpful as it is to put our magazine out through email, on
the web, and on NFB-NEWSLINE®, given the speed with which
electronic documents can be published, we believe there are
a significant number of readers who still want and need the
publication in a form that is delivered directly to their
homes. What we always wrestle with is the desire to publish
late-breaking news and the need to get the publication out
on time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Here
is a review of how the hardcopy timeline has been affected
most recently. Vendors have had difficulty because the virus
has hit its staff, and the virus is even interfered with
necessary servicing of their equipment. One issue had to be
completely redone, so we offer our most sincere apology to
those who read the hard-copy edition in Braille. There have
been minor delays in the print issue as well. And the
National Federation of the Blind is investigating the
unacceptable delays in the Free Matter service from the U.S.
Postal Service. The most recent delay comes from me, having
contracted the coronavirus yet a second time and delaying
our June 2022 publication by about a week. Our goal has been
for readers to have hardcopies at least by the end of the
same month, which has not been met.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">So
that our readers understand the way the publication is built
and the deadlines we use, here is a brief outline. When we
get an article that we are privileged to run, it is first
read and edited by me as the editor. It then gets a format
check by Elyse Bryan, and later she takes all of the
individual articles we have assembled and places them into
one document based on the order that I specify. Normally
this document is compiled as early as the tenth or as late
as the fifteenth of the month. The document, written in
Microsoft Word, is then submitted to our first proofreader,
Lorraine Rovig, who examines it for errors in spelling,
punctuation, grammar, and overall clarity. Any suggestions
for changes get run by me, the word document is updated, and
it then gets sent to our art director, Suzanne Shaffer. She
then uses the Word document to create the multicolumn
document we will use for the print edition by importing it
to Adobe InDesign. That layout then goes to a second
proofreader, who not only looks for the errors listed above,
but also looks for errors in layout and opportunities
presented by the print format to pull out certain notable
quotations. Again we do a review session, and the corrected
document, this time an electronic version of pages marked up
by pencil and pen, goes back to Suzanne who incorporates all
of the changes into the Microsoft Word document and the
multi-column layout produced in Adobe InDesign. Once this is
done, we subject the final document to a light review and
send it off for embossing and printing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Shortly
after the document is submitted for the hardcopies, then the
audio is recorded by Will Schwatka and also proofed, and the
digital formats are setup on our website under <a
href="https://nfb.org/publications" moz-do-not-send="true">nfb.org/publications</a>.
The digital format is typically available on the first of
each month. A few months ago, we made the decision to delay
a deadline date because we were waiting for an important
piece of information from the White House. With these
various changes on our timelines, we are seeking your
feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Understanding
your thoughts and expectations regarding the <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Braille
Monitor</span></em> would be helpful in determining
where we may evolve the timelines. Is it more important for
the <em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Braille
Monitor</span></em> to be predictably on time or would
an occasional delay for late breaking news be your
preference? Are you accessing multiple formats as they
become available? Do you prefer to think of the <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Monitor</span></em>
being Issue One through Issue Eleven, or do you prefer that
it continue to be designated by month and be closely linked
by date?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
<em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Braille
Monitor</span></em> belongs to all of us in the
Federation so that we can remain informed and included. We
have no higher obligation than to meet the desire of our
readers. Please share your comments with me by writing to <a
href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">gwunder@nfb.org</a>. Though
we won’t be using a formal survey, you will be heard, and
what you say will be taken into account. Any other input you
care to share will also be welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Peggy Chong]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="she-had-an-anteater"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">She
Had an Anteater<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Peggy Chong</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: Peggy Chong is often featured in these pages
because of what she reveals about blind people who have
played such a part in building what we now enjoy but would
otherwise get little credit were it not for her efforts.
For me what she writes is therapeutic. So many times in my
life, I have thought I was a pioneer, but the reality is
that I was traveling a road that some blind person had
helped to build. I sometimes have felt like I was carrying
the weight of the world on my shoulders, but the reality
is that people who had far less to work with carried the
burden every bit as well as I have and in many cases have
done it far better. Here is a splendid example of a woman
who enjoyed her life, focusing not on her adversities but
on how she could live the life she wanted. Here is Peggy’s
article:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Hello
Blind History Lady Fans:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">One
of my more interesting ancestors this past year is Emily
Raspberry. There was so little written about her and yet so
much to tell. Following is a glimpse into what I have
learned of this incredibly strong woman.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Born
December 12, 1915, in Alabama, Emily came down with the flu
at age four. When she recovered from the flu, she was
totally blind. Her little sister died from the flu on
December 20, 1918.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily's
mother sent her to public school with her older brother. No
accommodations for a blind Black child were possible, so
Emily listened and participated in class orally, not
learning to read or write. Finally, Emily was enrolled at
the Alabama School for the Negro Deaf and Blind in the fall
of 1926.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
was homesick, but there was so much to learn. In only two
weeks, she mastered the Braille Code and read all 130 books
the school owned. A new world opened to her. She had a
glimpse of the sighted world, and she wanted to be a part of
it. Her teachers were impressed with Emily's quick
acquisition of the Braille Code and placed her in the upper
class. She studied hard to cram in several years of learning
into her first year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
returned home for the first time on May 22, 1927, to find
her mother gravely ill. Emily was home only a few hours
before her mother died. Instead of returning home as she
intended, immersed in the joy of showing how well she was
able to learn as a blind child, she was faced with the shock
that came from the death of her mother and the
heart-wrenching separation from her family that would
follow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">A
funeral was planned in days. After the funeral, Emily was
told she would live with her half-sister in West Virginia.
She was enrolled in the West Virginia School for the Colored
Blind almost immediately. She found they had twice the
Braille books in their library and magazines in Braille.
Emily threw herself into her studies. She found the classes
harder than in Alabama.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Unlike
other schools, West Virginia held unsegregated classes that
included both the deaf and the blind students. The boys had
one dorm and the girls the other. There were no separate
dorms for the blind and deaf students. Rooms were crowded;
sometimes three or four boys shared one that would have been
considered small for two.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">There
is no record of when Emily graduated, but it is believed to
be either 1932 or 1933. She enrolled at the West Virginia
State College for Negro's in Dunbar. At the end of her first
year of college in 1935, she knew she wanted to be a teacher
in a school for the blind. Her hope was to share her love of
reading and literature to the blind and colored students she
taught, her hope being they would come to experience many of
the possibilities offered by the outside world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
graduated in 1938 and continued classes through the West
Virginia State College, enabling her to become a certified
teacher of the blind. She received her master's degree from
Hampton University.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
started as an academic teacher in the primary grades at the
West Virginia School for the Colored Blind in 1940 in
Institute, West Virginia, a town located near Charleston.
She taught reading and writing for the blind and deaf
children in her classes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">On
her desk she had a toy anteater. Over the years, the
anteater showed its wear. Emily decided the toy needed to be
disposed of. Knowing her students loved the anteater,
frequently saying hello or goodbye to it, she set up a
funeral for the anteater. The class went out and dug a
shallow grave for the toy, placed it in the grave, and held
a short service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">When
the school for the white in Romney and the school for the
colored combined in 1955, Emily was one of only three
teachers from the colored school that made the transfer. Not
all the colored students from the Institute transitioned to
Romney.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">The
staff at Romney were friendly, but Emily did not mix
socially. For at least the first year, she took a room in
the student dorms, as did the other single teachers. As a
single woman, and the only Black faculty in the blind
department, she may have felt out of place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
reading classes when she recognized a spark, she assigned a
poetry lesson for spelling class to bring out the creativity
of the students. The children were encouraged to write a
poem, including all of the spelling words for the week. In
her Braille classes, she taught the students to work with a
slate and stylus, while other teachers used the Perkins
Braillewriter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">She
incorporated listening to the radio into her classes to
ensure her student's interest. They were assigned lessons to
write about what they heard. The eighth-grade class in 1956
wrote a quiz show based on the show, "The Big Surprise."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
supervised school trips to watch plays or listen to
concerts. For years, she had season tickets to the
Cumberland Classical Musical Series. Each year Emily paid
for four student season passes for those with an interest in
music. She took the students by riding the bus or hiring a
driver.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">When
a movie of interest—mostly historical films such as <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">Man of All
Seasons</span></em> came to town, she asked students to
accompany her to the movie theater in Romney. She paid for
their tickets and treated them to their own box of popcorn.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">A
memorable year was 1967 when she was chosen to supervise a
student teacher. Emily was honored and proud as the student
teacher was a former blind student.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
1969, Emily taught health. This was most likely not her
favorite subject, but she entered the class with the same
enthusiasm as her English classes, even though textbooks
were more than twenty years old. One assignment was to make
up word puzzles relating to their health lessons. When the
project was over, the best questions were put into an
article for the school newspaper, <em><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">The Tablet</span></em>,
to show how much her students learned that semester.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Later
she took an apartment above a restaurant. Rickety wooden
stairs led to her door. The apartment overlooked Main
Street. The entire space may have been no more than nine
hundred square feet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
frequently took the Greyhound bus to Washington, DC. When a
student of hers also rode the bus, she talked to them about
their schoolwork or family. In class, Emily mentioned her
travels to DC, commenting on the friendliness of the staff
to her and sadness that maids in the hotels were paid so
little.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Other
blind teachers from the school asked to have their meat cut
or their tea poured from the pot on the table, but not
Emily. She insisted she would cut her own meat, pour her own
tea, and serve herself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Summer
vacations were never wasted. She took classes at Harvard. In
1961 she worked as a proofreader for Perkins Braille Press.
Vacations meant spending time in exhibits at the
planetarium, museums, concerts, exhibits on history and
more. Usually these were attended in Boston. There were also
trips to attend conventions of the AAWB [American
Association of Workers for the Blind], of which she was a
member.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">At
one concert, she spoke briefly to Senator Edward Kennedy,
also attending. Their meeting was exciting for Emily, and
she took the news back to her students about this encounter
with a man who would make history.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Emily
retired at the end of the 1977 school term and moved to
Boston. She kept in touch with some of the Romney residents.
They wrote to her in print, and she answered them in print.
She died September 12, 1988, in Vermont.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">If
you would like to schedule a presentation, contact Peggy
Chong at <a href="mailto:theblindhistorylady@gmail.com"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">theblindhistorylady@gmail.com</a>
or call me at 303-745-0473, or cell 515-707-5915, <a
href="mailto:chongpegg10@gmail.com" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">chongpegg10@gmail.com</a>.
You can read more of my books at <a
href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/24325"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/24325</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">[PHOTO
CAPTION: Annie Schlesinger]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="eye-talk"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Eye
Talk<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">by
Annie Schlesinger</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">From
the Editor: Annie has written before for our publication,
and she is an advocate for learning how to age and deal
with the problems that come with it and with blindness. In
this article, she talks about her problems with balance,
offers some comments, and subtly asks for ideas. Anyone
having them can send them to her at <a
href="mailto:anniembbs@gmail.com" moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">anniembbs@gmail.com</a>.
Here is what she has to say:</span></strong><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">In
May 2021 I was changing clothes; I bent over, fell on my
arm, and broke my wrist. I discovered Tucson orthopedic
Institute has a weekday evening walk-in clinic. Since that
time, I have had trouble with my balance as well as some
pain and stiffness in that arm and hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Preparing
for blindness and aging has helped me during this time. I
have been to a neurologist; and ear, nose, and throat
specialist; and have also visited physical therapy.
Fortunately, I didn’t have a stroke, but if I had called
911, the tests and scans could</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"
style="font-size:15.0pt;color:#1A1A1A" lang="AR-SA"><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">ve
been done in the ER instead of waiting months for
appointments. I ended up with a diagnosis of Central
Vestibular Disorder, which seems to be a catchall diagnosis
for my problems. I have an imbalance problem and often bad
pain in my head along with nausea. I have another referral
to a neurologist.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">Sessions
with a physical therapist have helped me with my balance and
feelings of dizziness, but some degree of dizziness is
always present. I continue to do home exercises for both
balance and dizziness. I look around my senior living
community and have incorporated some new behaviors. I don</span><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"
style="font-size:15.0pt;color:#1A1A1A" lang="AR-SA"><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">t
bend over, or if I do, I hang onto something and keep my
head up. I seem to fall forward, but I have a friend who
says she has to be careful about falling backwards. I set up
a dressing chair; it has arms and faces the bed. I have a
shower chair, hand-held shower hose, and grab bars; I need
it all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">For
a number of months I have been pushing a personal shopping
cart for support and protection—not the best solution. I
need to get back to using the long white cane to travel
safely. I don’t want to use a walker, which requires two
hands and a third hand for the long cane. It</span><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"
style="font-size:15.0pt;color:#1A1A1A" lang="AR-SA"><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">s
possible, but it</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"
style="font-size:15.0pt;color:#1A1A1A" lang="AR-SA"><span
dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL"></span>’</span><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">s
one step at a time. It seems my choice is a support cane, a
Hemi Walker, or to propel myself by my feet in a wheelchair
with the long white cane sweeping in front. I am trying a
lightweight shopping cart I pull behind with the long white
cane in front. I am looking for help on what best to do as a
blind person who has very poor balance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A"><a
href="http://vestibular.org" moz-do-not-send="true">Vestibular.org</a>
has an incredible amount of information about diseases and
balance. The eyes affect balance; I do gaze-stabilization
exercises. I have joined two of their online support groups
as I try to learn about this impact on my life and continue
to maintain as much independence as I can. Thank you for any
suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">----------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 id="nfb-pledge"><span
style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">NFB
Pledge<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p><span
style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A">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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<br>
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