[Nfbwv-talk] President Riccobono's Notebook

Tue Apr 7 13:42:42 UTC 2015

Greetings Federation Family,

Please find below information from our national president, Mark Riccobono.  I hope you find it as interesting and informational as I have found it.

Have a great week and enjoy the warmer temperatures.

Charlene

President's Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
(410) 659-9314
Dear Fellow Federationists,
Our thoughtful conversations about the low expectations that create artificial barriers and our concentrated action to raise those expectations and eliminate those barriers continue to drive change in our society. Last week we had an opportunity to celebrate the Department of Justice's recent action to support our work on higher education accessibility. (See National Federation of the Blind Applauds DOJ Settlement with edX athttps://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-applauds-doj-settlement-edx.)
Stay on the cutting edge of where we are going with the evolution of disability law by listening to the audio recordings of the proceedings of the 8th annual Jacobus tenBroek Disability Laws Symposium athttps://nfb.org/2015-jacobus-tenbroek-disability-law-symposium-audio-recording. I encourage you to check out the presentations from Dr. Maurer, Dr. Schroeder, and other names you will recognize. For a fun speculation about the future of disability law, check out the presentation by Robert Dinerstein, professor of law, associate dean for experiential education, American University Washington College of Law, that can be found athttps://nfb.org/images/nfb/audio/2015_jtb_law_symposium/11_plenary_session_4_robert_dinerstein.mp3.
Our daily work and thoughtful debates about the barriers we face help to shape the actions we take to determine our own future. I look forward to hearing the interesting ways you, as leaders of the Federation, continue to spark those conversations in your chapters and within your affiliate. Please share your ideas with me so I can help share them with others across the nation.

Critical actions this week:

Bolotin Awards deadline extended:
This year, the Jacob Bolotin Award committee has scheduled its meeting later than usual so the deadline for the Bolotin Award nominations has been extended to April 15. Exceptional individuals or organizations doing innovative work on behalf of blind people can be nominated at BolotinAward at nfb.org<mailto:BolotinAward at nfb.org>.

News:

NFB Connect App:

A patch for our mobile app, NFB Connect, should be out sometime later this week. This update will fix the problem with the Chapters & Regional Info section of the app.

Video:
The Right to Raise a Family, features a blind couple in Missouri and how their newborn baby girl was taken from them at the hospital because a social worker did not believe that blind people could be capable parents. The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri swung into action and was able to secure the return of the baby. Realizing that there needed to be outreach to all state social workers, the affiliate prepared a video to educate these officials on how blind people successfully raise children. One more way that we help blind people to live the lives they want is by fighting to ensure that the right of blind people to raise families is protected. You can view the video later this week on the NFB channel athttps://www.youtube.com/user/NationsBlind.
The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri was awarded one of the 2014 Jacob Bolotin Awards for their advocacy work on behalf of blind parents.

Reminders:

The April presidential release, as well as the previous releases, is available on our website,https://nfb.org/presidential-releases.

The April Braille Monitor can be accessed fromhttps://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm15/bm1504/bm1504tc.htm.

Did you know?

Sharing Information:

One of the biggest concerns about leadership is communication. In a society where information is increasingly fast-paced and frequently difficult to sort through, we need to continue to evaluate how we share and process information among our members. The attached email communication from our Maryland affiliate president is an example of a message that affectively shares information and spreads the spirit of the Federation.

(Instead of attaching the correspondence from the Maryland affiliate, I have placed it at the end of this presidential information.)

Dates to keep in mind:

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->Spring affiliate conventions<https://nfb.org/state-conventions>

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->May 14-16, 2015: NFB STEM2U Columbus (OH), COSI

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->June 7, 2015: NFB 6 DOT DASH

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->July 5-10, 2015: 75th Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->August 2-8, 2015: NFB STEM EQ

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->September 11-13, 2015: NFB STEM2U Leadership Academy

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->May, 2016: WBU-ICEVI General Assembly

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->June 19-25, 2016: NFB EQ (first iteration)

*         < !--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->July 31-August 6, 2016 (second iteration)

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.
Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Email:officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice
Web:www.nfb.org<http://www.nfb.org/>

-----Original Message-----

From: Greater-baltimore [mailto:greater-baltimore-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of nfbmd via Greater-baltimore

Sent: Monday, March 23, 2015 4:42 PM

To: 'Maryland List'; 'Greater Baltimore'; md-sligo at nfbnet.org<mailto:md-sligo at nfbnet.org>; nationalharbor at nfbnet.org<mailto:nationalharbor at nfbnet.org>; 'Central Maryland Chapter List'; nfbmdtlc-chapter at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbmdtlc-chapter at nfbnet.org>; MD-atlarge at nfbnet.org<mailto:MD-atlarge at nfbnet.org>; mdabs at nfbnet.org<mailto:mdabs at nfbnet.org>; Maryland Parents of Blind Children List

Subject: [Greater-baltimore] March Message

Fellow Federationists:

This message is coming to you later in the month because the NFBMD was experiencing March Madness.  Just as in basketball, NFBMD's March Madness involved high energy, lots of movement and many unexpected results.  We conducted two very successful fundraisers within a week and two days of each other.  Many thanks to everyone who participated in Basket Bingo on Friday, March 13.  A special thank you to the Central MD chapter for their efforts in planning and working this event.  Many people think that Friday the 13th

is an unlucky day.    The many winners at Basket Bingo will tell you

otherwise.  We look forward to seeing everyone on March 11, 2016 for the next Basket Bingo.

On March 22, we conducted our first afternoon of musical inspiration for the benefit of NFBMD Youth Programs.  A special word of thanks to Latonya Phipps for her leadership and direction of this very successful event.  Latonya was ably assisted by a committee with members from both the TLC Chapter and the Greater Baltimore Chapter.  Proceeds will be used to operate our three NFB BELL programs and to provide assistance for middle-school and high-school students to attend special summer training programs.  The musical talent presented at this event was truly inspirational and enjoyable.

During the first week of March, we attended 6 bill hearings.  This is quite a record especially because of the snow event on March 5.  We had compelling testimony about why blind and visually impaired children need more orientation and mobility instruction from Dezman Jackson, Fatoumata Boiro, Virginia Anderson and Melissa Riccobono.  As a mobility instructor, Dezman explained the importance of giving children the opportunity to acquire these skills at an early age.  Fatoumata explained the hardships she faced because she never received mobility instruction at school.  Virginia Anderson and Melissa Riccobono, two parents who each have two visually impaired daughters, gave the parent perspective on this very important issue. Mike Bullis and Aloma Bouma offered testimony on why custody rights for parents with disabilities need to be strengthened.

In addition to working on our three legislative priorities, we often have to react quickly to other bills.  Programs at LBPH and at BISM were under attack.  The Library for the Blind was scheduled to take a severe budget cut over a ten-year period.  During the budget hearings on March 3 and 4, Henry Smith, Sandy and Amy Bishop and Melissa Lomax told legislators why this program was important.  LBPH would not last if it had to undergo such a ten-year budget reduction.  Workers at BISM will lose their jobs if legislation removing their priority in janitorial services becomes law. With a 70% rate of unemployment and under-employment among the working-age blind, the last thing we need is a reduction in employment opportunities. The hearings on these BISM bills were on March 16 and March 19.

On March 24 we will be in Annapolis again to protect the rights of blind passengers who wish to use the services of the new transportation network companies.  As we sprint to the finish line, we will continue to make every effort to overcome challenges and achieve our goals in the Maryland General Assembly.  The session will end on April 13.

Blind students should be sprinting to meet both the National and State scholarship application deadlines.  The deadline for National scholarship applications is March 31.  The deadline for NFBMD scholarship applications is April 15.

I am looking forward to seeing as many people as possible at the NFBMD Board of Directors meeting on March 28, so that we may continue to plan to build and strengthen our organization. Many thanks to the National Harbor Chapter who will be hosting this meeting. The meeting takes place at 9:30 AM at Colmar Manor Town Hall, 3701 Lawrence Street, Colmar Manor, MD 20722.  Let Michelle Clark know if you plan to attend this event.

As you can see March Madness is an apt description for our activities this month. By working together, with everyone doing their part, March Madness in the NFBMD will lead to a brighter future for blind persons in Maryland.

Please take note of the following calendar events:

April 11. UEB Workshop, sponsored by NFBMD and ACBMD, to be held at LBPH.

April 15. Deadline for NFBMD Scholarship applications. For applications go

to: http://nfbmd.org/drupal/scholarship.

April 18. Bowl-a-thon to benefit Maryland Parents of Blind Children. Get your team ready to bowl from 2-4pm. For more information, contact Teresa Graham at teresagraham3 at gmail.com<mailto:teresagraham3 at gmail.com> <mailto:teresagraham3 at gmail.com> .

May 9. Be OK with Blindness.  This seminar, presented by MDPOBC and BISM, is for parents, siblings and teachers of BVI children. Location: 3345 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD.  For more information send an email to Melissa Riccobono, mdpobc at nfbmd.org<mailto:mdpobc at nfbmd.org> <mailto:mdpobc at nfbmd.org>

June 7. Third annual Dot Dash 6k. Run or walk for Braille literacy. Race begins at 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230.

July 5-10. 75th Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind.

July 27 thru August 7, excluding weekends.  NFB BELL programs in Baltimore, Glendale and Salisbury.

August 7. Crab Feast to be held at Columbus Gardens, 4301 Klosterman Ave Baltimore, MD 21236. For the benefit of the John T. McGraw Scholarship.

November 13-15.  NFBMD Annual State Convention, to be held in Ocean City, MD.

Sharon Maneki, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

410-715-9596

_______________________________________________

Greater-baltimore mailing list

Greater-baltimore at nfbnet.org<mailto:Greater-baltimore at nfbnet.org>

http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/greater-baltimore_nfbnet.org

To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Greater-baltimore:

http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/greater-baltimore_nfbnet.org/mriccobono%40nfb.org

This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the individuals or entities originally addressed, and may contain confidential and privileged information protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of this email is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the original and any copy or printout.