[NFBV-Announce] What's happening and zoom!

jackibruce6 at gmail.com jackibruce6 at gmail.com
Sun Aug 21 17:40:13 UTC 2022


 

 

Hey NFB Family and Friends,

I was reading through NFBV information I hadn’t read in awhile and I came
across our pledge. The first line of our pledge states “I pledge to
participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the
Blind”. I think the key word in that sentence is ACTIVELY. What are you
doing to participate actively in your Chapter and Affiliate? We need you!
Ask your Chapter President or Division President or contact me to find out
what you can do to be more involved. As President Riccobo says “Stronger
Together!”.

 

Kudos Corner


 

Support your Chapters as they spread the word and make a difference!
Historic Fredericksburg will be at the Fredericksburg Farmer’s Market on
Saturday, September 10th from 9-1. Contact Michael Kasey  for information
phone 540-760-3885. Greater Williamsburg will be participating in a health
fair/community day on Saturday, September 17th from 10-1. Contact Debra
Jackson email fisayooke2003 at yahoo.com <mailto:fisayooke2003 at yahoo.com>  for
more information.

 

Your face book coordinator, Michael Kitchens, is kicking butt and taking
names! Check  us out on face book and get a tip on “Toolbox Thursday” watch
out for the joke of the month and of course, read to see what’s going on
throughout your Affiliate. Like us and follow us.

 

Spotlight On


 

In the tradition of all that is unique and FANTABULOUS—The Greater
Alexandria Chapter Presents


An extraordinary evening of caring and sharing; smiles, and perhaps a few
tears.

On this evening that will challenge your mind and your heart, we ask you to
experience—

DIVERSITY THROUGH MY LENS

On Thursday, August 25, 2022, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., we will begin
with presentations that will provide useful, and even crucial information
for all people who are blind.  

Then, the Greater Alexandria Chapter, in collaboration with the NFBV
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, will introduce you to three
extraordinary and phenomenal women:

o   Jeanetta Price, Contributing Author, “The Write 2 Heal: It’s not about
the sight lost, but vision gained”

o   Krystle Allen, Contributing Author, “The Write 2 Heal: It’s not about
the sight lost, but vision gained”

o   Goddest Johnson, Founder/Owner of F.I.G.H.T LLC., an organization
dedicated to building up communities through divine connections and
community projects.

*A biography of each guest is included at the end of this announcement.

We will be challenged, seduced, entertained, cajoled by the power of their
words.  Through their prose and poetry, they will grab our emotions and run
with them over and under and through a web of their own creation
and we will
be mesmerized.

Following our journey through the glorious thicket of their written word,
the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee will lead us further into the
analysis and exploration of the meanings, both blatant and subtle, behind
those words just shared.  And more importantly, through a Fireside Diversity
Chat, we will reach deep inside ourselves to explore how the words of the
women poets affected our minds and hearts and psyche


You might have guessed
this night will be like no other before it.  This one
is a unique offering that you will not want to miss!

Did I mention we will have several door prizes for the winning, from
autographed copies of the book, “The Write 2 Heal”, to T-Shirts, to a
weekend pass to the Blind Diva Pageant in New Jersey in September
and more!

We have only one request of you.

Please bring your favorite pair of sunglasses or a mirror (just trust us on
this one), and, of course, bring an open mind, an open heart, and the
promise to fully engage in the events of the evening.

 

PLEASE ARRIVE BY 6:50 P.M. TO RECEIVE YOUR NUMBER FOR THE DOOR PRIZES!

BIOS

Jeanetta Price, Featured Author

Jeanetta Mary Alice Price is the Visionary behind the anthology, “The WRITE
2 Heal.”  Jeanetta’s mission in life is to help others tap into their vision
by utilizing writing as an instrument of healing. Often, she reflects on the
life of the virtuous woman, Essie Andrus, her biological and spiritual
mother who leads by example with her unwavering faith. God blessed Jeanetta
with the gift to write in order to save her life, and she wrote herself
“Beautifully Healed.”

Jeanetta is from the little big city in Southeast Texas called Beaumont. She
is a graduate of Lamar University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work
and master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In addition, she
is the Founder and CEO of Blind Girl Magic and a License Mortgage Loan
Originator known as the “OUTTA SIGHT MORTGAGE LOAN LADY.”

As a spoken word artist, she hosts, “The WRITE 2 Heal” seminars that include
poets, partner artists, and even audience members who will participate in an
open mic section. The seminars provide a safe poetic space for all
participants to begin their journey of healing while writing. 

Jeanetta’s freedom of expression, boldness, vulnerability and confidence set
her aside from other authors, artist, and advocates.  Unapologetically, her
writing is a reflection of her unique personality, life’s experiences,
social injustice, disability and social awareness, complimented by God given
creativity. The fire that resides in her bones spread wildly around the
atmosphere and set others on fire to stand fearless in their truth as they
too write to heal.  Yes, Jeanetta was given the vision but could not deliver
the birth of this book without the visionaries.

 

Krystle Allen, Featured Author

Krystle Allen, a Newark, NJ native, and a contributing author to the newly
released book, “The Write 2 Heal: It’s not about the sight lost, but vision
gained”, is no stranger to work that involves community development, social
change, and grassroots efforts. Krystle served two terms as an AmeriCorps
Vista member with a nonprofit organization: Girls Scouts Heart of New
Jersey. Here she worked to develop volunteer programming, reuniting
daughters with their incarcerated mothers, and build up troops within the
Juliette’s House transitional housing program.  In 2017, she served as the
marketing planning/development coordinator for the Jewish Renaissance
Medical Center.

During the pandemic she transitioned Eyes Like Mine, Inc. from in-person
programming to interactive virtual experiences that have led to providing
delivered food packages to visually impaired residents and over $700 in
Amazon gift cards to blind households all over the country. She also
introduced over 150 influential speakers globally to a peer support group
within her organization to participating attendees. In addition, her
community influence inspired the current mayor of the largest municipality
in NJ to recognize with a proclamation, the ADA’s 30th anniversary, for the
first time in Newark’s history. In spite of her vision loss, she has a
vision gained to impact one community at a time, with dedication to serve.
Some of her current work includes becoming a newly published author in an
anthology written by eight women from around the country, who happen to be
blind or visually impaired, entitled The Write 2 Heal. Additionally, Krystle
completed the American Foundation for the Blind Leaders through the Blind
Leaders Centennial Professional Development Program, where she graduated
during the summer of 2022. Krystle is a community connector sharing her
vision one person at a time.

Goddest Johnson, Special Guest, Founder/Owner of F.I.G.H.T LLC

Rising above expectations is something that comes as no obstacle to Goddest
Johnson. In the early part of her childhood she resided in Chicago, Illinois
with her mother; a single parent who suffered from mental illness and a
severe drug addiction. Goddest was the oldest of her four siblings.  Her
childhood took a major change when she was seven years old and her mother
went to prison for life. At this most trying time in her life, she began her
journey as a child of the foster care system. At sixteen, Goddest became
emancipated.  Later she became the sole guardian of her sister and was
determined to show her what could be possible with determination and staying
focused. When she was twenty-one, her younger brother went to prison and was
given a 44-year sentence. 

Despite the devastation, she went on to obtain her Bachelor’s degree from
Nova Southeastern University and became a nurse.  In 2009, her life took a
new turn. She was involved in a tragic car accident which left her legally
blind. After 4 years of rehabilitation therapy where she learned how to
walk, talk and function again, she moved to Orlando, Florida where she then
underwent countless eye surgeries in attempt to regain her sight.   

This steered Goddest to a new calling. She obtained her Master’s degree in
visual rehabilitation at University of Massachusetts while being legally
blind. Goddest wants you to be the light that shines bright in someone’s
life each day.

 

For more information, contact Renee Valdez,
<https://mail.yahoo.com/d/compose/1691929926> reneerome at yahoo.com ot
703-966-0836

 

 

 

 

Renée F. Valdez, M.A.

Secretary/Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind, 

Greater Alexandria Chapter

Chair, NFB of Virginia,

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee

Co-Chair, NFB of Virginia, 

Fundraising Committee

Vice President, Northern VA Regional Local Human Rights Committee

 

(703) 966-0836

 

Hello everyone,

 

it’s that time again. The state convention planning season is well underway,
and I’m looking for a great core group of people who will help make this
convention be a success.

 

If you are interested, please drop me a line with your phone number. Let me
know if you plan on participating virtually or in person. Then let me know
what areas of the convention planning process you’re interested in
volunteering, and we will find a place for you on the team. The range of
responsibilities is vast--everything from coordinating with sponsors and
managing meals to managing the convention floor and helping with creating a
good guest experience and everything in between.

 

If you reached out last year, please reach out again so that my data is
fresh. If you want to volunteer but not feeling sure about where you want to
be assigned, reach out anyway. We’ll talk through the best position for you.
If you want to lend a hand but feel concerned about not being able to move
around the hotel, I assure you there is a spot for you on my team. Whether
it’s at the affiliate level or as part of our host chapter team, we’ll
coordinate to get you plugged into the right assignments. Young, old,
introvert, extrovert, shy, loud, sighted, blind ... the only important piece
missing from my dream team is you.

 

And, if you don’t want to volunteer yourself but know of a friend who would
be great, I want to hear from them.

 

I very much look forward to hearing back from you! May I count on you to
serve with me this year?

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Joe Orozco, Convention Operations

Email jsorozco at gmail.com <mailto:jsorozco at gmail.com>  

 

Affiliate Zoom Information:

 

https://zoom.us/j/8297256345?pwd=SFAyamlQNU44ZTJ6dUZNMTV4RmhCQT09

One tap mobile:

13017158592,,8297256345#

Telephone Dial: 1 (301) 715-8592

Meeting ID: 829 725 6345#

If needed the password is 20201940

 

The  elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one
step at a time -Girard 

 

 

Peace,

Jacki Bruce

Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
 <mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com> mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com
 <tel:(757)291-1789> tel:(757)291-1789
 <http://www.nfb.org/> www.nfb.org
 <http://www.nfbv.org/> www.nfbv.org

Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia
Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia

Live the life you want.

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want

 

 

 

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