[Nyabs] {Disarmed} Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Newsletter - Go Live the Life You Want

[Nihal Erkan]

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind " <IOF at nfb.org>
> Date: May 4, 2015 at 4:10:19 PM EDT
> To: Nihal Erkan <nihal_erkan at hotmail.com>
> Subject: National Federation of the Blind Newsletter - Go Live the Life You  Want
> Reply-To: "Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind " <IOF at nfb.org>
> 
> 
> 
> Imagineering Our Future
> 
>   Issue 75
> 
> May 2015   
> 
> In this issue:
> 
> Message from the President
> What's News at the NFB
> Education
> Braille Certification Training Program
> From the tenBroek Library
> Independence Market
> Advocacy
> NFB Calendar
> Citation
> 
> 
> Message from the President
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 
> It has been a week since disruptive activities caused uncertainty in Baltimore. During the last week, it has been interesting to be in the center of the media’s current interest in unrest on the streets of our nation related to socioeconomic issues we face. As a leader in the National Federation of the Blind—the organization aggressively working on advancing the civil rights of blind people—it has been frustrating to observe the dichotomy in the news reports. On one hand, the media has focused intensively on the "violence” and the attempts to control the “mob.” On the other hand, some reporters have done an excellent job providing a forum to tell the individual stories of people facing challenges in our local community.
> 
> 
> Observing the media during the past week has felt very similar to the experience we have in the National Federation of the Blind. On one hand, the sensational story of the “amazing” blind person or the tragedy that occurs when blindness comes dominates the media. Yet, in more and more places we are finding opportunities to tell the stories of individual blind people who are living the lives they want and who have overcome low expectations with the help of the National Federation of the Blind. We continue to seek new ways to tell those stories through our publications, social media, and in our local, state, and national gatherings.
> 
> If you have a chance to share one of our Kernel Books or one of our YouTube videos to help us get the word out, we would appreciate it very much. One of the most significant barriers that blind people continue to face is the low expectations that come from the misunderstanding of blindness. Please help us tell the truth about blindness and educate the public about the fact that blindness is not the single characteristic that defines our future.
> 
> By working together to share the stories of how blind people live their lives and pursue their dreams, we can make change and create opportunities.  
> 
> Sincerely, 
> 
> 
> 
> Mark A. Riccobono, President
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> P.S. Here is a story from my good friend, Ron Brown, Second Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind.
> 
> 
> 
> What's News at the NFB
> 
> NFB to Attempt Guinness World Record at Seventy-Fifth Convention in Orlando
> 
> On July 8, 2015, in honor of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the National Federation of the Blind, we will attempt to set a Guinness World Record by creating the largest umbrella mosaic. In the National Federation of the Blind we know that together with love, hope, and determination we transform dreams into reality. Together—the members of the Federation along with our friends and supporters—will undertake a world record to raise expectations and bring focus to the ongoing mission of our organization. Will you be one of the three thousand people in attendance at our world record attempt? All you have to do is hold an umbrella up at the designated time to help form the message that will be viewed from above. Learn more and sign up to make history with us by visiting www.nfb.org/gwr.
> 
> Be a Virtual Runner at the National Federation of the Blind 6 Dot Dash
> 
> On June 7, 2015, the National Federation of the Blind will once again be holding its 6 Dot Dash: A 6K to Advance Braille Literacy! Although not everyone will be able to join us in our third annual 6 Dot Dash through the Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore, anyone can still participate. As a virtual runner you can assist members and friends of the National Federation of the Blind by making a donation to ensure that blind students have access to the necessary services and supports to cross the literacy finish line. Just visit http://www.nfb.org/dot-dash to register as a 6 Dot Dash Virtual Runner or to become a member of a team.
> 
> PetSmart Accused of Discrimination Against the Blind
> 
> PetSmart, Inc. is accused of violating the rights of blind customers under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), according to a class action lawsuit filed on April 21 in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind, the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, and six blind individuals who reside in Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts. The suit alleges violations of Title III of the ADA as well as state laws, because PetSmart requires the entry of debit card PINs on touchscreen keypads, which the blind cannot operate, rather than simple, inexpensive tactile keypads.
> 
> National Federation of the Blind Applauds Passage of Bill Prohibiting Wage Discrimination
> 
> On April 15, the National Federation of the Blind applauded the passage of S.B. 47 by the New Hampshire House of Representatives. The bill was unanimously passed by the New Hampshire Senate on March 5. If Governor Hassan signs the bill, state law RSA 279:22, which previously allowed entities to pay people with disabilities less than the minimum wage, will be repealed. New Hampshire will be the first state to have a law that “prohibits employers from employing individuals with disabilities at an hourly rate lower than the federal minimum wage.”
> 
> National Federation of the Blind Commends DOJ Settlement with edX
> 
> An important settlement agreement was reached on April 2, by the United States Department of Justice with edX, Inc., a nonprofit platform created by MIT and Harvard University for select universities to offer massive open online courses (MOOCs) to students throughout the world. The settlement agreement, which resolves allegations of discrimination under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, requires edX to make its website, mobile apps, content management system, and other components of its MOOC platform accessible to the blind and other students with disabilities. edX will also provide guidance to developers of MOOCs that use its platform to help make course content fully accessible. 
> 
> The Blind’s Right to Raise a Family
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind recently featured on its YouTube channel the video The Right to Raise a Family, which tells the devastating story of a blind couple in Missouri whose 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. Upon realizing the need for 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. Watch the video at https://youtu.be/KD1PWeSDlMQ.
> 
> 
> 
> Education
> 
> NFB EQ: Embrace Your Engineering Quotient
> 
> Calling all blind and low-vision high school students! Are you interested in pursuing work in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) after high school? Do you enjoy investing your talent and energy in solving real-world problems? Join the National Federation of the Blind for NFB EQ, a week-long engineering program for blind and low-vision high school students.
> 
> At this program, you will collaborate with other students to solve authentic problems that exist in developing countries. You will spend the week working on a team to engineer solutions to a given problem. Your team will create proposals with accompanying models, which you will pitch to various stakeholders. After constructing life-size prototypes of your designs, you will test them in authentic settings. You will also have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a number of engineers from across the country, some of whom happen to be blind.
> 
> To learn more and to apply, visit www.blindscience.org/NFBEQ.
> 
> The Specs
> 
> Participants: Twenty blind and low-vision high school students (currently in grades 9-12)
> 
> Dates: August 2-8, 2015
> 
> Location: National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, Maryland
> 
> Application: Apply Now! Applications are due by June 7.
> 
> Cost: $0 (This program is free of charge).
> 
> Hashtag: #NCBYS
> 
> 
> 
> Braille Certification Training Program
> 
> Under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS), the National Federation of the Blind administers the courses leading to NLS certification of Braille transcribers and proofreaders. Successful completion of these rigorous courses requires a great deal of time and effort on the part of the students. We congratulate the following individuals who earned certification during the months of September to November 2014:
> 
> Literary Braille Transcribing
> 
> Alabama
> 
> Cathy Lee Smiley, Lincoln    
> 
> Angela Kay Smith, Talladega    
> 
> Arizona
> 
> Michael A. LaMonica, Phoenix    
> 
> California
> 
> Greg Joseph Ceseña, Camarillo    
> 
> Sharon Lee Endsley, La Quinta    
> 
> Gayane Gina Grigoryan, Santa Clarita    
> 
> Oddie Lee Rayson, Nipomo    
> 
> Mark Taylor, Westminster    
> 
> Colorado
> 
> Antonio Rolon, Burlington    
> 
> Indiana
> 
> Timothy A. Galey, Bunker Hill    
> 
> Iowa
> 
> Robert Mylan Butts, Anamosa    
> 
> Johnny Lee Johnson, Anamosa    
> 
> Scott Ray Mabrier, Anamosa    
> 
> Kentucky
> 
> Stephen Blangin, Estil    
> 
> Todd Evans, Lexington    
> 
> Andrew Mccullough, Lexington    
> 
> Sally Leeann Yewell, Louisville    
> 
> Michigan
> 
> Shawn Cornelius Davis, Jackson    
> 
> David John Maurer, Jackson    
> 
> Agustin Todd Peña, Jackson    
> 
> NiQuen Gabe Sanders, Jackson    
> 
> Dennis Wayne Vesey, Jackson    
> 
> Missouri
> 
> Rodney Lamont Mitchell, Jefferson City    
> 
> Nebraska
> 
> Jim L. Hoffman, Lincoln    
> 
> Nevada
> 
> Daniel Andrew Basham, Las Vegas    
> 
> Robert Anthony Cappa, Las Vegas    
> 
> Daniel Adam Grimaud, Las Vegas    
> 
> Lawrence Craig McGriff, Las Vegas    
> 
> New Jersey
> 
> Sharon Clark, Palmyra    
> 
> Karilyn Makini Simpson, Maplewood    
> 
> New York
> 
> Toni Ann Garbacik, Lima    
> 
> North Carolina
> 
> William Roy Napier, Laurinburg    
> 
> Ohio
> 
> Scott Allen Bruegger, Grafton    
> 
> Anthony Ortiz, Grafton    
> 
> Pennsylvania
> 
> Jessica Rose Rivera, Philadelphia    
> 
> Julia D. Wright, Greencastle    
> 
> South Dakota
> 
> Todd William Schmahl, Sioux Falls    
> 
> Tennessee
> 
> Jac Henry Samuel, Pileville    
> 
> Texas
> 
> Crystal Arnold, Houston    
> 
> Telisa De'Ann Blackman, Gatesville    
> 
> Kathryn Nellie Briggs, Gatesville    
> 
> Rebecca Worthy Cleveland, Gatesville    
> 
> Carmen Lomeli, Gatesville    
> 
> Patricia Dunlap McMillion, Gatesville    
> 
> Germaine Janine-Jennifer Medellin, Gatesville    
> 
> Donna Marie Pryor, Gatesville    
> 
> Cristina G. Tijerina, Gatesville    
> 
> Victoria Lynn Wetteland, Quinian    
> 
> Virginia
> 
> Jodie Elizabeth Brown, Troy    
> 
> Kimberly J. Carmichael, Richmond    
> 
> Kirsten Ann Olsen, Troy    
> 
> Robin Long Sigmon, Troy    
> 
> Washington
> 
> Joan Ellen Moritz, Seattle    
> 
> Wisconsin
> 
> Andrew J. Burkart, Oshkosh    
> 
> Kevin S. Cobus, Oshkosh    
> 
> Gary L. Rietz, Oshkosh    
> 
> Literary Braille Proofreading
> 
> Colorado
> 
> Eric James Gallion, Burlington    
> 
> Missouri
> 
> Willy James Sitton, Jefferson City    
> 
> Virginia
> 
> Denise Rayne Holsinger, Troy    
> 
> Washington
> 
> Kim M. Engel, Spokane    
> 
> Mathematics (Nemeth) Braille Transcribing
> 
> California
> 
> Alfredo Hernandez Cruz, Represa    
> 
> Eric Nathaniel Marum, Represa    
> 
> Georgia
> 
> Ladji Akil Ruffin, Macon    
> 
> Iowa
> 
> Marty Allen Brown, Anamosa    
> 
> Michigan
> 
> Lorenzo J. Harrell, Jackson    
> 
> New York
> 
> Patricia A. Schrader, Rochester    
> 
> Texas
> 
> Alexa Rocio Garza, Gatesville    
> 
> Music Braille Transcribing
> 
> Ohio
> 
> Martin Clifford Kuemerle, Grafton     
> 
> 
> 
> From the tenBroek Library
> 
> 
> Leonard A. Robinson – “Father of the Vending Stand Program”
> 
> The Jacobus tenBroek Library is pleased to announce the acquisition of an important new archival collection: the Leonard A. Robinson Personal Papers. A blind lawyer who sought to improve the employment prospects of blind Americans in the 1930s, Robinson is credited as the principle lobbying force behind the passage of the Randolph-Sheppard Act in 1936. This federally mandated law gave priority to blind persons operating vending facilities on federal property and was one of the earliest federal programs aimed at creating self-sustaining employment for the blind, rather than simply providing a service or granting financial aid. In the October 24, 1963, issue of the Congressional Record, Senator Jennings Randolph, one of the two main sponsors of the original bill and later its amended version in 1974, praised Robinson for his role in helping to pass the legislation. He went on to say that at the time there were approximately 77 vending stands employing 80 blind persons in Washington, D.C., which generated more than $600,000 in profits1. Over the years since then, the Randolph-Sheppard Act has been amended and expanded and continues to provide a meaningful source for employment. In FY2007 there were reported to be 2,545 blind vendors operating 3,031 vending facilities on federal and other properties across the country, which generated $713.2 million and earned the average vendor $46,7532.
> 
> After the passage of the original act in 1936, Robinson went on to become the first director of the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program for the United States Department of Vocational Rehabilitation from 1938 to 1971. He also wrote a book on the history of the program in 1975 called Light at the Tunnel End. His collection will be preserved in the archives at the tenBroek Library and is expected to be made available to researchers later this year.
> 
> We would like to extend our thanks to Amy Wexler of Massachusetts, whose generous collection donation will ensure that the legacy of this significant figure in the history of employment for the blind in the United States is not forgotten. 
> 
> Citations:
> 
> 1. Floyd Matson, ed., “Tribute to Leonard Robinson,” The Blind American 3, no. 11 (November 1963), full text, https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm63/ba63-november.html#a11.
> 
> 2. US Department of Education, “Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility Program,” Programs, last modified May 5, 2014, http://www2.ed.gov/programs/rsarsp/index.html.
> 
> Photo caption: Leonard Robinson (center) shakes hands with President Lyndon B. Johnson (right) at the White House at the signing of the Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments of 1967.
> 
> 
> 
> Independence Market
> 
> 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.
> 
> To communicate this message the NFB publishes magazines, articles, and brochures about various aspects of blindness. These materials provide information about our organizational activities, share information and resources about coping with vision loss, and promote our positive approach to living successfully with blindness. The NFB Independence Market is the conduit through which we distribute our literature to our members and friends and to the general public.
> 
> From time to time we reprint articles of particular interest from our flagship publication, the Braille Monitor. Here is the list of articles that have been added to our collection since the last national convention. 
> 
> The first two articles are related to the business of the 2014 NFB National Convention. Reading these speeches will give those new to the NFB a good overview of our organization’s activities and outlook. And rereading these speeches will get NFB insiders excited about our seventy-fifth convention coming up in July.
> 
> • 2014 Banquet Speech: “The Challenge and the Limit” by Marc Maurer
> 
> • “2014 Presidential Report” by Marc Maurer
> 
> At our 2014 convention our constitution was amended. Braille and print copies of the “National Federation of the Blind Constitution as Amended 2014” are available from the Independence Market.
> 
> We have also added the following two speeches from our new President, Mark Riccobono, to our offerings. We look forward to the presentations he will make at our seventy-fifth convention in Orlando, Florida.
> 
> • “The Degrees of Freedom, the Organized Blind Movement: The Dynamics of Independence and Success” (2012)
> 
> • “Ten Years of Progress in the Jernigan Institute: A Letter to the Friend I Never Met” (2014)
> 
> To review the literature and product offerings available through the NFB Independence Market, please visit the Independence Market online. To order copies of any of the above articles in print or Braille, please email us at independencemarket at nfb.org or contact us by phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216. 
> 
>  
> 
> Advocacy
> 
> Touchscreen Self-Service Kiosks in Healthcare Settings 
> 
> Many healthcare settings have recently implemented touchscreen kiosks for purposes of registering patients, collecting copayments, refilling prescription, and other tasks. Unfortunately, these kiosks are frequently inaccessible and staff support for the kiosks is oftentimes limited. In these situations, a blind patient must choose to share personal health and billing information with a sighted companion or stranger so as to enter the information into the kiosk, or choose to forgo care.
> 
> The NFB is investigating this important matter and is seeking information from members regarding accessibility of touchscreen self-service kiosks used in healthcare settings, including doctors’ offices, pharmacies, hospitals, and urgent care facilities. If you recently visited a healthcare setting and were prompted to use a touchscreen self-service kiosk, the NFB needs to hear from you. Specifically, NFB wants to know whether or not the kiosk was accessible with a headphone jack and plug-in keyboard, the address of the healthcare setting, and date visited.  Please contact Valerie Yingling, paralegal, at (410) 659-9314, extension 2440, to share this information.
> 
> 
> 
> NFB Calendar
> 
> Upcoming Events
> 
> May 14-16, 2015: NFB STEM2U Columbus (OH), COSI
> 
> June 7, 2015: NFB 6 Dot Dash
> 
> July 5-10, 2015: 75th Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind
> 
> August 2-8, 2015: NFB STEM2U EQ 
> 
> September 11-13, 2015: NFB STEM2U Leadership Academy
> 
> June 19-25, 2016: NFB EQ (first iteration)
> 
> July 31-August 6, 2016: NFB EQ (second iteration)
> 
> August 2016: WBU-ICEVI General Assembly 
> 
> State Conventions
> 
> May 8-9, 2015: NFB of Idaho
> 
>   
> 
> Citation
> 
> If we as a movement--if we, the great body of the Federation--are not prepared to give all that is good within us, our growth and progress will diminish or cease to be. But we will not hesitate or turn back. The stakes are too high and the cost too great to permit it. We have tasted freedom, and we can never again be satisfied with anything less than full independence for ourselves and those who come after us. Those who preceded us--Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, and those thousands of others in the movement--have carried the banner, have sacrificed to gain opportunity for us, and have fought the battles so that we might comprehend what can and will be ours. They led and we followed; now it is our turn to lead. The spirit they kindled can never be extinguished because we will fan the flame--we will add fuel to the fire--and we, the members of the movement, will cause a great conflagration.
> 
> We are the blind of more than a single generation, of every segment of society, and of every part of the nation. We have the capacity to think and the mental discipline to reach conclusions that will alter the future for us all. We possess the confidence to bring those conclusions to reality. Nobody else can do it for us; we must do this for ourselves; and we will! Our future is bright with promise because it belongs to us, and there is no force on earth that can stop us. Come, and we will make it come true!
> 
> -- Marc Maurer. "The Mental Discipline of Our Movement.”   1999 NFB National Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, July 5, 1999.
> 
>   
> 
> Thank you for reading the NFB’s Imagineering Our Future.
> 
> Help make a significant difference in the lives of blind people across the country.
> 
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> If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, please email JerniganInstitute at nfb.org.
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> Please check with your company to see if it offers a matching program that will match your gift.
> 
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>  
> 
> Interesting links:
> 
> Archive of Straight Talk About Vision Loss videos
> 
> National Center for Blind Youth in Science
> 
> Access Technology Tips
> 
> TeachBlindStudents.org
> 
>  
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> Blogs:
> 
> Access Technology
> 
> Voice of the Nation's Blind
> 
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> Support the National Federation of the Blind through the Imagination Fund.
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> United States
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