[Ohio-Talk] November 2020 Presidence address

Sun Nov 22 21:06:15 UTC 2020

Greetings Ohio,

Yes, by now you probably have already figured out  that after the convention
I took a short break, this year has been one for the record books and
hopefully we will be able to enjoy the in-person conventions and meetings
soon.

I was very happy with the Convention and thought that all members and
participants were quite engaged, inspired and ready to change what it means
to be blind in and outside of Ohio. The Ohio Affiliate could not have even
wished for a larger turn out.  There were Many who joined, and I have heard
from our friends in the federation providing positive feedback of how much
they enjoyed the Convention activities.

As a reminder, please email me the results from elections held at the
Convention. Also, during the Fall is the time when Chapters will hold
elections as well, so please do the same and provide  me with name,
positions and contact information. The hope is that all our officers will
work hard to build the federation.

2021 National Federation of the Blind of Ohio Committees

Listed below are the committee descriptions for 2021. At this point, all
committee positions need to be filled. This means if you chaired or served
on a committee in 2020, you cannot assume that you will automatically be
placed there for 2021. There will be no exceptions. Please let me know which
committees you would like to serve on by December 15 If you wish  to chair a
committee, you need to tell me why you believe you should hold this
position. Remember, I am always looking for new and committed leadership
that can bring energy and creative new ideas to the committees. 

2021 NFBO Committee Descriptions

1: AWARDS COMMITTEE

Charge: To oversee the awards process, to provide information and feedback
when necessary, and to make reasonable judgments about NFBO awards.

2: BELL COORDINATOR 

Charge: To communicate and help with planning the inhouse bell program and
to organize the bell Academy and plan efficient ways to promote and execute
the important programs. 

3: COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE

Charge: To educate the Ohio Affiliate about the professional and personal
benefits of community service, to encourage chapters, divisions, and
individuals to participate in projects in their communities, to encourage
members to identify or develop and implement their own service projects, and
to educate  the public about NFB philosophy and the skills and abilities
blind people bring to community service

4: CONSTITUTION and RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

Charge: To make sure that all NFBO constitutions follow the state and
national constitutions, both philosophically and rhetorically.

Charge: To oversee the submission process and to write and distribute
clearly articulated and philosophically sound resolutions. 

5: DEAF-BLIND COORDINATOR 

Charge: To aid and provide information to those who are in this unique
community and to serve as a vehicle to foster a positive relationship for
the deaf-blind community. 

6: EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Charge: To advise the president about policies, legislation, strategies, and
initiatives in which NFBO should be engaged to improve educational
opportunities for blind youth throughout the state.

7: FINANCING THE MOVEMENT COMMITTEE including (SUN coordinator, Jernigan
Fund coordinator, PAC coordinator)

Charge: To make members aware of these specific organizational fundraising
opportunities and to implement strategies to increase participation. 

8: FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

Charge: To investigate additional opportunities to increase NFB-O resources
and to implement effective fundraising strategies and programming. 

9:  LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

Charge: To increase the organization's visibility and effectiveness in the
state legislature and to continue to support our efforts in Washington
throughout the year. 

10: MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Charge: To implement effective strategies to recruit and retain members and
to reinvigorate the chapters and divisions of NFBO. 

11: PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY WEBSITE AND NEWSLINE COMMITTEE

Charge: To assist with updating the web page content and the Newsline
service, as well as, promoting and advertising NEWSLINE. Members on this
committee should be proficient computer users.

To develop content and suggest creative ways to promote NFBO branding.
Responsibilities include; research audience preferences and discover current
trends, create engaging text, image and video content, design posts to
sustain readers' curiosity and create buzz around new issues, stay up to
date with changes in all social platforms ensuring maximum effectiveness,
train leaders how to use social media in a cohesive and beneficial way,
develop an optimal posting schedule, considering web traffic and engagement,
and oversee social media accounts. 

12: SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE

Charge: To conduct the affiliate scholarship program and to develop and
implement effective strategies to increase the visibility of the program and
increase participation. 

Ohio, thank you for your critical contributions to the scholarship selection
process. I urge all of you to share the
<https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=19133&qid=4589527>
scholarship program flyer as widely as possible. Help spread the word by
forwarding our informational flyer far and wide via affiliate and other
mailing lists, posting and reposting links to the application on social
media, and sharing information about the achievements of past recipients to
inspire future applicants.

Each year, our organization awards a broad array of scholarships to
recognize achievement by blind scholars. The NFB Scholarship Program is our
investment in the future of blind people who demonstrate scholastic
aptitude, leadership, and service. 

Important note: this program is a crucial opportunity for recruiting
outstanding and talented blind people to the Federation for the first time. 

The cash value of our thirty scholarships, ranging from $3,000 to $12,000,
is only one aspect of this prestigious program. Each winner also receives
funding to travel to and attend the NFB's national convention, where they
have the opportunity to network with other blind students, to exchange
information and ideas, and to meet and talk with hundreds of blind people
who are successfully working in many occupations and professions.

The 2021 online scholarship application is now available at
<https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=15511&qid=>
nfb.org/scholarships. All applications and supporting documentation must be
submitted no later than March 31, 2021. A list of eligibility requirements,
as well as documents containing answers to frequently asked questions, a
submissions checklist and other supporting material can also be found on the
scholarship webpage. Throughout the application period, reminders and
information about the scholarship program will appear in the Braille
Monitor, on our website, and will be shared via social media.

I wanted to include the thought from our national president, Mark Riccobono.
Please read on!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am left with one thought as I enter our
Johnson Street door with the sun at my back. I am thankful for the
incredible blind people who made it possible through their daily sacrifice
for us to be in this moment. I am equally thankful for the incredible blind
people who allow us to walk confidently into the future. It is an honor to
know we march together every day. It is a comfort to know you have my back.
It is a joy to imagine what we will do together tomorrow. 

I do not know if I will walk that same path twenty years from now, but I am
confident in what our movement will be on our one hundredth anniversary--and
for that I feel a great sense of pride. Until then, I am going to enjoy the
struggle and the accomplishment of building with each of you every day. Take
a moment to reflect on those Federations who you have known personally who
have helped us get to today. Then, with the warmth of that love, turn, link
arms with me, and let's march into the future together. When I say "let's go
build the National Federation of the Blind," what I mean is let's enjoy the
honor of working together to transform our dreams, and the dreams of those
who have not yet discovered our movement, into reality. The warmth of the
movement started before we got here. If we do it right, the warmth will go
beyond us into a future where others will reflect fondly on what we have
done to make their lives better every day.  

 National Critical Actions:

Deadline November 17-Blind and Low-Vision Voter Experience Survey:

Blind and low-vision voters who voted in the 2020 general election but have
not yet completed our survey are urged to take it by the deadline, November
17. This year it consists of two separate surveys: 

*         If you voted absentee or by mail using an accessible, electronic,
ballot-delivery system or a traditional paper ballot, please complete the
survey for blind and low-vision voters who voted absentee or by mail at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YJJL7GN.

*         If you are a blind or low-vision voter who voted at an early
voting center or at a polling place on Election Day, please complete the
survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NGFMPF2.

Questions about the blind voter survey may be directed to Lou Ann Blake at
<mailto:lblake at nfb.org> lblake at nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2221; or
Jeff Kaloc at  <mailto:jkaloc at nfb.org> jkaloc at nfb.org or at 410-659-9314,
extension 2206. 

News:

Federation Celebration: Read Our History:

On this day in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind was founded by
blind delegates from seven states across the country. We invite you to read
and share the following publications that trace our rich history of the
organized blind movement:

*
<https://www.nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/building-lives-we-want>
Building the Lives We Want
*	 <https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/books/wamt/wamtc.htm>
Walking Alone Marching Together

               Instructions for listening to a zoom meeting on an Echo
device     
Wake word Alexa: call 646 876 9923
Just like calling on the phone, you will hear "welcome to Zoom."
Meeting ID when prompted, then say wake word Alexa: Press 647 766 0103 pound
sign
Then say Alexa Press pound to enter the meeting

Richard Payne,  President

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368

 <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> Rchpay7 at gmail.com

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.

Richard Payne,  President

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368

 <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> Rchpay7 at gmail.com

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.