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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>High five go Ohio. I now hope those of us with personal agendas, can put their personal feelings towards others aside and work solely for the blind people of our organization. Our political agendas should be focused on “living the life you want as a blind individual” not on who you are or whether I feel some way about you just because you are different. Because you are different, does not change your visual status and the NFB membership focus should deal with your visual status only and not all of your personal feelings. As an organization, we cannot fix all issues, but we can make a difference if we focus on blindness and the people impacted by blindness, we can make progress. So tare up all your other bags and let’s try to agree to live the life we want as blind people. Remember a peach will always be a peach, an apple will always be and apple, an orange will always be an orange, but at the end of the day, each one of them will be referred too as a piece of fruit. Thus no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter whether you are black or white rich or poor, if you are blind, you are still blind. So moving forward, let us be blind like the fruit remain fruit and channel all our efforts to improving life for the blind. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Suzanne Turner <smturner.234@gmail.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 3, 2023 11:10 AM<br><b>To:</b> labichedianam@yahoo.com; bernie824617@icloud.com; denise-hudson@sbcglobal.net; NFBOH-Cleveland@nfbnet.org; 'Lisa Bostick'' <lbostick04@jcu.edu>; Victory71351@AOL.COM; AlexisTyson2000@Yahoo.com; 'Edgarsfarm'' <edgarsfarm@aol.com>; 'Sandra Krems' <slkrems@yahoo.com>; bdowdy1983@gmail.com; shawgriff781@gmail.com; Nricks123@me.com; stuff12993@aol.com; lmr.upshaw@gmail.com; Dr.Carolyn.Peters@gmail.com; patrinkle@icloud.com; 'Ali Benmerzouga'' <ali.benmerzouga@hotmail.com>; regina.mason216@gmail.com; ccjeff@ameritech.net; Arringtonrs@gmail.com; NFBOH-Cleveland@nfbnet.org; Victory71351@AOL.COM; BigPapaZo@roadrunner.com; WO.Turner5@sbcglobal.net; lewisbarbee@yahoo.com; remacd3@gmail.com; Chefgreen56@gmail.com; delcenia@prodigy.net; Campbelllegal87@gmail.com; riscw619@gmail.com; davidgGray1984@gmail.com; dwjann57@gmail.com; charlenebolden@att.net; BillieGraham38@gmail.com; williamsjoann@outlook.com; Butler.Henry@icloud.com; TMcKenney51@Icloud.com; lelinda@roadrunner.com; TurnerW794@gmail.com; info@onhconsulting.com; 'ali benmerzouga' <ali.benmerzouga@hotmail.com>; Tawnt@yahoo.com; nnulite@sbcglobal.net; thorpe.ronda@gmail.com; auntro3135@gmail.com; TraceySinkovic17@gmail.com; Nricks123@me.com; aanderson@csjtech.com; jjstover@kent.edu; Astover@kent.edu; mr.algee@icloud.com; dawnsmosny@gmail.com; lelinda@roadrunner.com; n.lichells@gmail.com; Joycewaters18@gmail.com; graceamani@yahoo.com; tomeika1993@icloud.com; nrjohnson125@gmail.com; schiemja@gmail.com; mrmarionparker@gmail.com<br><b>Cc:</b> smturner.234@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> Good News!<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>This morning our Ohio Legislative Chair, Eric Duffy provided us with some exciting news.<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'>Here is what he had to say.<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'>“Late last week, perhaps on Friday, Governor, Mike DeWine signed SB 202, Ohio Parental Right’s Bill into law. Thank you all for your hard work on this historic legislation”.<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'>This was the most awesome news and a wonderful start of the New Year for the Ohio Affiliate! I can not wait until our Ohio Affiliate President, Richard Payne shares the news on the floor at the National Convention, which will be held at, the Hilton Americas-Houston Convention Center Hotel. <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 nightly rate at the Hilton Americas-Houston is $105 for singles, doubles, triples, and quads. In addition, the sales tax rate is 8.25 percent, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>the hotel occupancy tax rate is 17 percent. To book your room for the 2023 convention, call 1-800-236-2905 after January 1 and ask for the “NFB Convention”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>block. For each room, the hotel will take a deposit of the first night’s room rate and taxes and will require a credit card or a personal check. If you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Monday, June 1, 2023, half of the deposit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>We have also secured overflow space at the wonderful Marriott Marquis Houston. The Marriott is only a three-block walk directly across Discovery Green,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>or attendees can walk entirely indoors through the George R. Brown convention center, connecting both hotels on the second level. You will find many of<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>the same amenities at the Marriott as well as a Texas-shaped lazy river pool. The room rate at the Marriott Marquis is a slightly higher $119 per night<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>for singles, doubles, triples, and quads. To book a room, call 1-877-622-3056 after January 1. Again, ask for the “NFB Convention” block. Similarly, the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>same deposit and cancellation policies apply.<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 2023 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>to the goals and work of our movement. A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>kick the week off on Saturday, July 1. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up will also open on Saturday. Breakout sessions continue on<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Sunday along with committee meetings. Monday, July 3, will kick off with the annual meeting, open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>of the Blind. National division meetings will follow the board meeting that afternoon and evening. General convention sessions will begin on Tuesday, July<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>4, and continue through the afternoon of Thursday, July 6. Convention ends on a high note with the banquet Thursday evening so be sure to pack your fancy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>clothes. The fall of the gavel at the close of banquet will signal convention’s adjournment.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>