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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good Morning,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio-Cleveland Chapter would like to invite you to attend a Forum that will prove to be a great benefit to employers, community entities, job seekers and you. The agenda is attached and below for your convenience. Please spread this important and influential endeavor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please email me offline.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you for all you do to support the Blind of Ohio<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Suzanne<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><b><span style='color:black'>National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Ohio-Cleveland<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='color:black'>Presents<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='color:black'>A Town Hall Forum on Employing Persons with Disabilities<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='color:black'>September 20th, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='color:black'>Cleveland Public Library, Main<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='color:black'>325 Superior Avenue East, 2<sup>nd</sup> floor, Cleveland, Ohio 44114<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Have you ever seen gold ore? It’s basically quartz rock with a few yellow streaks running through it. Who would imagine it could be worth that much? Blind people are the same way, often overlooked in favor of sighted people who are far less qualified. It’s time to see them as they are - one of the world’s great untapped resources! <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>We offer the <u>largest Job Networking Organization for blind and low vision job seekers in the world</u>. You’ll be amazed at the skills our job seekers have, and if you don’t know how capable blind and low vision people can be, this is a great place to learn! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Registration will begin at 9:30 A.M. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Cost: </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Free! There is no charge to employers or job seekers participating in this Forum. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>TOPIC DISCUSSIONS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>10:00 A.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Open Remarks and House Keepings:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Suzanne Turner, NFB of Cleveland President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>10:10 a.m.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Wilbert Turner, NFB of Cleveland Employment Chairperson<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>People with vision loss experience a rate of unemployment that far exceeds that of the general population. The American Federation of the Blind reports that in September 2010, the most recent period for which there is data, 75 percent of the estimated 4 million adults in the U.S. who are completely or partially blind are not in the labor force. A number of factors contribute to this high rate of unemployment among the blind, and the exact rate of unemployment itself is difficult to determine. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>10:20 A.M.:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Americans with Disability Act (ADA)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Attorney Franklin Hickman of Hickman and Lowder Law Firm<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Discrimination and Unemployment-</span></b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Though legislation such as the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against potential employees on the basis of disability, companies can still decline to hire a blind person on the basis that the applicant is unable to perform the duties of the job. However, if the applicant isn't given a chance to prove that he is able to do the required work, dismissing his abilities solely on the basis of his disability is a form of discrimination. A March 2008 article in Forbes Magazine cited discrimination as one of the biggest obstacles to employment for the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>///<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>10:45 A.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Para Transit and Autonomous Cars<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:.1in;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Sam Henderson, Supervisor of Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Practical Considerations-</span></b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Though employers are required under the Americans With Disabilities Act to make accommodations for disabled workers, these workers still face other obstacles to employment that may not be so easy to overcome. For instance, in areas without adequate mass transportation, blind employees may find it difficult or impossible to get to work. Blindness also makes the task of applying for jobs and even finding jobs to apply for more difficult. </span><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>///<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>11:05 A.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Social Security Administration Safe Guards “Working While Disabled”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Kathy Seecamp-Kiker<span style='color:#1F497D'>,</span> Work Incentives Program Administrato<span style='color:#1F497D'>r<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:7.5pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>The Social Security Administration has several work incentives that can allow you to maintain your cash and medical benefits while working. The threat of loss of disability benefits may keep some blind people from looking for work. If a blind person takes a job and then learns she can't do the work, or she loses the job for some other reason, she's left without income and it may take some time to reinstate SSI, and or SSDI. The good news is that SSA has safe guards that will assist the blind while working.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span></b><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:106%'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>11:30 A.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD (BSVI)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Brandon Wray, Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency (OOD) is the state agency that partners with Ohioans with disabilities to achieve quality employment, Independence and Social Security disability determination outcomes through its Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR), Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) and Division of Disability Determination (DDD). OOD’s vocational rehabilitation (VR) bureaus (BVR/BSVI) serve Ohioans with disabilities to help them obtain and keep a job. OOD begins working with individuals at age 14 to assist them as they transition into high school, college and the workplace. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>NOON<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>LUNCH Provided for Speakers<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>1:00 P.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Job Evaluation and Exploration <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Rosalie Daily, Cleveland Sight Center Manager of Employment Services <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The Cleveland Sight Center (CSC) offers several inclusive classes for adults who are visually impaired and blind. These programs cover a wide range of opportunities, including employment training and on-the-job support, access to adaptive aids and technology. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The Cleveland Sight Center’s comprehensive employment services prepare working age adults to either enter the work force and work with sighted coworkers or return to a job after experiencing vision loss.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>///<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>1:30 P.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Scripting, Accessibility, Training and Development<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Randy Knapp, Cleveland Sight Center Senior Assistance Technology Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>///<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>2:00 P.M.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Tips, Techniques and Tools to live well with vision loss</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Tom Sawyer, Cleveland Sight Center Community Outreach Manager <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:blue'>Alicia Howerton, Cleveland Sight Center </span></b><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Community Relations Specialist</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Closing Remarks<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Attorney Robert Campbell, Cleveland Employment Committee Member<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>NOTE: There will be technology and Literature available.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Cleveland Employment Committee Members:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Wilbert Turner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Octavia Ealy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Attorney Robert Campbell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Brooke Dowdy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Evelyn Morison-Eaddie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:7.5pt;background:white'><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>