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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'><img width=198 height=59 style='width:2.0666in;height:.6166in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DA432D.FABF95E0" alt="Logo
Description automatically generated"></span></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif;color:black'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif;color:black'>Media Contact: David Dickson (803) 898-4948 or </span><span style='color:black'><a href="mailto:david.dickson@scmuseum.org"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'>david.dickson@scmuseum.org</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=xxmsonormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'>State Museum to Provide Free Visual Interpretation for Blind and Low Vision Guests</span></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=xxmsonormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'>The museum is the first attraction in the Southeast to offer unlimited access to certified visual interpreters through Aira, a downloadable app available on iOS and Android. </span></i><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=xxmsonormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'>COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 9, 2024)</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'> – The South Carolina State Museum is proud to now offer free, unlimited access to certified visual interpreters for its blind and low vision guests through a service called Aira. The first museum in the Southeast to become an Aira Access Partner, the State Museum joins hundreds of other organizations, including Starbucks, Target, </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>airports and universities, who pay for their customers, guests and employees to have free, on-demand access to Aira Visual Interpreters. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'>This live, human-to-human visual interpreting service uses a downloadable app, available on iOS and Android, in which individuals connect with a professionally trained agent who will visually interpret what is in their smartphone camera’s view or on screen. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'>“As a blind person, Aira will give me the ability to appreciate the exhibitions at the South Carolina State Museum independently in a way not possible before,” says Steve Cook, the Statewide Service Lead for SC Commission for the Blind. “The Aira agent can read printed material featured at the exhibition and describe the display. I feel empowered to know that the State Museum is thinking of innovative ways to include the disabled community that allows us to participate independently!”</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>For those who require it, Aira is available as soon as they step onto the State Museum’s grounds and can be used, for free, during the entirety of their visit. From describing to reading, explaining to navigating – Aira’s visual interpretation enhances independence, efficiency and autonomy for people who are blind or have low vision. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>“We believe every South Carolinian deserves to have access to visually explore the rich history, art, culture scientific achievements and natural wonders presented in their State Museum,” says Amy Bartow-Melia, State Museum Executive Director. “This visual interpretation service is an important step forward in our ongoing efforts towards greater accessibility at the museum.”</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Aira is just one of the many accessibility-focused resources offered by the museum, with sensory bags, noise-cancelling headphones, assistive listening devices and more available by request. A full list of resources and services, including American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, can be found at scmuseum.org. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black'>###</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=xxmsonormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'>About the South Carolina State Museum:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif'> Over the past 35 years, the South Carolina State Museum has been committed to collecting, preserving and showcasing the rich culture, art, natural history, technology and innovation of the Palmetto State. Through a comprehensive collection of over 1.1 million objects and four floors of stimulating exhibitions and displays housed within the historic Columbia Mills Building, the State Museum provides educational environments that entertain, inspire and enrich the lives of millions of visitors and students from across South Carolina. For more information about the museum, visit scmuseum.org<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Steve Cook<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You are invited to join us on the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> Friday of each month at 8:00 PM Eastern for audio described movies using the below Zoom platform! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09"><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Meeting ID: 803 254 3777<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Passcode: 124578<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>