[NFBWV-Talk] NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF WEST VIRGINIA ANNOUNCES RE-VISIONS CONFERENCE--October 28

[Ed McDonald]

October is Blind Equality Achievement Month, and the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia (NFBWV) is celebrating with a statewide virtual gathering of stakeholders in West Virginia's blind community.  The Re-Visions Conference will take place via Zoom on Friday, October 28, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Conference Organizers invite persons who are blind or who have low vision; their family members and friends; and professionals such as teachers, trainers, and counselors who provide vital services to blind persons of all ages.  More information, including registration details, can be found at 


www.nfbwv.org


The all-day event is part of the 2022 virtual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia.  The morning session will focus on stories of the achievements and contributions of many blind West Virginians--past and present--including a panel of blind individuals sharing personal stories and observations.  Afternoon presenters will offer information about a wide range of programs and services available to blind persons in the state, in such areas as education and training, rehabilitation and employment, advocacy, assistive technology, and access to information.

"The COVID pandemic has had a profound impact on our community," NFBWV president Marcus Soulsby said.  "We know there is strength and power in working together to address common problems and to remove the barriers that sometimes stand in our way," Soulsby said, "but COVID has isolated us from one another and slowed down our ongoing efforts to gain greater security, equality, and opportunity for all blind people.   We hope this conference will be a first step toward identifying, uniting, and mobilizing the blind community throughout the state.  That's why we are inviting not just our own members but all interested stakeholders in that community to be part of our virtual gathering on October 28," Soulsby added.

"As an active member of the National Federation of the Blind for more than fifty years, I have known a lot of outstanding blind people in our state," conference organizer Ed McDonald said.  "That experience has taught me that we can indeed live the lives we want; blindness is not what holds us back.  What often does hold us back, however, are society's widespread misunderstandings and low expectations of blind persons.  One way we can change these public perceptions is to tell our stories more widely among ourselves and to the public at large," McDonald said.

The Re-Visions agenda also includes a keynote address on current blindness issues from a national perspective, presented by Dan Frye, a long-time leader of the National Federation of the Blind and a nationally recognized administrator of state services for blind persons.  Additional conference speakers include representatives from the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Division of Rehabilitation Services, the West Virginia Library Commission, Disability Rights of West Virginia, the West Virginia Assistive Technology System, and the Huntington offices of the American Printing House for the Blind and the American Foundation for the Blind.  Conference speakers have also been asked to explore ways to strengthen constructive partnerships between the blind community and those agencies which play important roles in their lives.

The National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia is a state affiliate of the nation's oldest and largest consumer organization of blind persons.  Federation members know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines blind people or their future.  Every day the Federation raises the expectations of and for blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and their dreams.

For questions or additional information, contact:

Ed McDonald
First Vice-President & Agency Partnership Chair
National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia
151 S. Mineral Street
Keyser, WV 26726
Phone: 304-788-0129
Email: ed at eioproductions.com


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