[nfbwatlk] Call for your Braille literacy stories--a coin for the top 100 selected

Nightingale, Noel Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov
Tue Jul 21 14:54:05 UTC 2009


>From an article by Dr. Frederic Schroeder in the Braille.org newsletter.


Many who have not received quality instruction in Braille can tell compelling stories of missed opportunities and difficulties at school or on the job arising from their lack of Braille. Others who have experienced a full education in Braille can tell stirring success stories of the way literacy has changed their lives and helped them to participate fully in society. Our goal is to collect these stories-the inspiring and the compelling, the positive and the negative-and compile them into a book about Braille literacy. From the submissions we receive we will select one hundred of the most powerful stories for our book, and the author of each chosen testimonial will receive a free Louis Braille commemorative silver dollar.
If you have been educated in Braille either in school or through a rehabilitation agency and you lead a productive life because of this knowledge, or if you have been denied Braille instruction at any point and you believe your life has been affected by the struggles you have faced in becoming literate in Braille, the world needs to hear your story. If you are a parent or teacher who has seen the positive effect Braille can have on your children or students, your story needs to be told. On October 1, the first day of Meet the Blind Month, we will present our collected stories to President Barack Obama, demonstrating through our own voices the power of Braille literacy for all blind Americans. We will share our hopes and dreams with him; we will tell him about the struggles we have faced in becoming literate and the success that has come from our knowing Braille. Through our personal stories we will show him that Braille provides independence to blind people and makes us free.
We need your help in sending this message. To add your story to our collection, please send it by August 28 in print or Braille to Letters to: President Obama, c/o National Federation of the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230. Be sure to include your full name, address, phone number, and e-mail address if you have one. You can also submit your story online<http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/R?i=m1ziYx9ILeOntaDOlcKVOQ..>. If we publish this collection of letters, contributor contact information will be omitted.
Whether we are seeking competitive employment, a quality education, or integration into society, Braille is key to our success. It is the crucial component that enables us to be literate and productive, and it is necessary for our independence. We must take the initiative and inform the President about the absolute importance Braille plays in each of our lives. Working with one another, the President, and the public, we will bring an end to the literacy crisis.



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