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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Cleveland Chapter President, Suzanne Turner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>1064 E 167<sup>th</sup> Street,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Cleveland, Ohio 44110<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(216) 990-6199<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:SMTurner.234@gmail.com"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>SMTurner.234@gmail.com</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>August 26, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Dear President Riccobono,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Cleveland Chapter would be honored if you would broadcast the October Presidential Release in Cleveland Ohio. We have organized an agenda that we hope will inspire you and your team to spend the day with members in Ohio on October 3<sup> </sup>or 4, 2022. What a great opportunity for the Cleveland Chapter to offer such a valuable occasion for the blind to spend time with the leader of the largest organization of the blind to discuss pertinent barriers in Cleveland Ohio.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>President Riccobono, Cleveland has a great populace of seniors and adults losing their vision with little hope for becoming productive and gaining their independence. Cleveland receives a number of calls per week from people feeling depressed, distraught, and deserted. These three D’S must be eliminated. Therefore, Cleveland has taken the initiative in presenting training for the newly blind that offers an introductory seminar </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>highlighting best practices by Peer Mentors from Cleveland. We introduce the philosophy of the NFB along with explaining the value of the alternative techniques of blindness and offering the solid belief that it is respectable to be blind. Adopting the principle that, if the professionals won’t teach people what they need to know, we will teach them ourselves Is what has been poured into our hearts and souls. These individuals are crying out for help on how to cope with blindness. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Additionally, employment is another barrier in Cleveland and throughout Ohio. In Cleveland alone, City Hall, one of the largest employers along with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, has web applications that are inaccessible. Both are known for not hiring or making any improvements with their hiring practices, websites, and civil service exams compliant for the blind. Moreover, rehabilitation counselors discourage blind job seekers from applying for positions at the Cleveland Clinic, which is unfair to these consumers. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>So we are in need of your support, expertise, and leadership about how we as the National Federation of the Blind of Cleveland can improve strategies in our fight against these powerhouses. We have made numerous attempts to gain meetings with both Mayor Justin Bibb’s and District 11 Congresswoman Brown’s staffs on several concerns such as <a name="_Hlk112432940">the TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY WEBSITES AND APPLICATIONS bill, various accessibility acts, </a>and pedestrian safety and </span><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'>E-bike and dockless electric scooter regulations, even after meeting with City Hall after a member fell over an E-bike three times in two weeks. We are still in conversation with the Planning Department on how to impose a penalty or sanction on vendors and riders who leave these vehicles in the way of pedestrians. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Finally, because Cleveland does not have a large venue to host a National Convention, having you and your team grace Cleveland with your presence will be a mini-convention that would leave a positive and lasting impression, not only on our members, but on the city of Cleveland and our partners. Our NFB family in Cleveland, we here in Ohio are committed to the mission and purpose of the Federation, and we have pledged actively to participate upholding the philosophy of the organization. Thus, raising the expectations of blind people by writing this letter inviting you to come to Cleveland has provided my members with enthusiasm, hope, and determination that I have never seen them display before. Just being in the room with the National President in their home city is an opportunity that they dream may come to reality now. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>As I said earlier, the Cleveland Chapter has organized an agenda that we hope will gain your attention and grant us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We do know that you live in the home of the NFL Ravens, but coming into the NFL Browns’ home just might persuade you to take in a game. Do not worry==we won’t tell! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Also, if Pam can just click her heels, magically she can return home to Ohio, where we have been awaiting her return. We can not wait to see the First Vice President in Ohio once again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Agenda is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>On October 4, the day would begin by having breakfast at the Doubletree Hotel with the Ohio Affiliate Board of Directors at 9:00 AM. The. The location is 1111 Lakeside East, Cleveland Ohio 44114. The hotel has provided a discounted room rate of $159.00 per night for you and your team.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>At 10:30 AM or so, Cleveland will arrange to meet with Cleveland City Hall Planning Commission’s Calley Mersman, who is the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. Calley has been very supportive and is interested in writing a city ordinance on pedestrian safety and learning more about web accessibility.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>At noon Cleveland would like to invite President Riccobono and his team to a lunch meet-and-greet reception with the Cleveland Chapter membership. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>At 2:00 PM or so, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will provide around 15 Federationists a tour. Of course, we can not let you leave Cleveland without touring one of our partners. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>At 5:00 PM: A plated banquet will be provided before the Presidential Release in the Doubletree Ball Room. Members and guests will all gather to dine together. The Cleveland Chapter will be honored to purchase dinner for the President and the First Vice President.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>At 6:30 PM Channel TV20 Cleveland will meet with President Riccobono and his team along with the Cleveland Chapter President to discuss the live broadcast of the Presidential Release. It will be shown across Northeast Ohio live on the network and along their Facebook platform. The News Producer for TV Cleveland and his team will confer on the arrangements prior to the live broadcast. Everyone across the country will be able to witness the Presidential Release and the importance of Blind Equality Achievement Month. But, most important, the citizens in Cleveland will witness what the National Federation of the Blind of Cleveland has been fighting for live and in color from the National Office.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>At 9:00 PM We will adjourn.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Finally, click on the video below that was created by TV20 Cleveland in 2018.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Cleveland Chapter is grateful to have an opportunity to be considered for hosting President Riccobono broadcasting the October Presidential Release. If there are any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please reach out to Suzanne Turner, Cleveland’s President. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Thank you for creating this momentous occasion for a lucky local NFB chapter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Cleveland Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The Ohio Affiliate<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGe_1qGbkX8"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGe_1qGbkX8</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>