[Ohio-Talk] From the presidents desk May 2024 1.docx

[Richard Payne]

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio (NFBO)

>From the Ohio President's Desk

May 10, 2024

Richard Payne, Ohio Affiliate President
1019 Wilmington Ave, Kettering Ohio 45420
(937) 829-3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com


Dear Ohio Members and Friends,

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and those who take on the role!

As many blind people lead independent lives and that several laws has made
it possible for persons with disabilities to thrive, be independent and
successful. I have inserted below important information for you to reflect
on and become versed about the fight for civil rights in this country.

Also, I want to provide you with dates and information that are important to
remember. Such as;

1. NFB Career Fair
2. NFB In Review
3. ADA Title II Final Rule
4. Introduction to the organized movement
5. Ohio membership Meeting 
6. And More   
     




Fighting for Civil Rights:

people with disabilities have pushed for the recognition of disability as an
aspect of identity that influences the experiences of an individual, not as
the sole-defining characteristic of a person. We have had to battle against
centuries of biased assumptions, harmful stereotypes, and irrational fears.
The stigmatization of disability resulted in the social and economic
marginalization of generations of Americans with disabilities, and like many
other oppressed minorities, left people with disabilities in a severe state
of impoverishment for centuries.

In the early days people with disabilities were considered meager, tragic,
pitiful individuals unfit and unable to contribute to society, except to
serve as ridiculed objects of entertainment in circuses and exhibitions.
They were assumed to be abnormal and feeble-minded, and numerous persons
were forced to undergo sterilization. People with disabilities were also
forced to enter into institutions and asylums, where many spent their entire
lives. Many faced segregations and this was widely accepted,  this
ultimately served to keep people with disabilities invisible and hidden from
a fearful and biased society.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt:
In the 1930's the United States saw the introduction of many new
advancements in technology as well as in government assistance, contributing
to the self-reliance and self-sufficiency of people with disabilities.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the first president with a disability,
was a great advocate for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, but
still operated under the notion that a disability was an abnormal, shameful
condition, and should be medically cured or fixed. The federal government
began to get increasing pressure to provide people with disabilities with
rehabilitation and vocational training. World War II veterans made
disability issues more visible to a country of thankful citizens who were
concerned for the long-term welfare of young men who sacrificed their lives
to secure the safety of the United States.

Barriers of People with Disabilities:
Even after the initial advancements made towards independence and
self-reliance, people with disabilities still did not have access to public
transportation, telephones, bathrooms, and stores. Office buildings and
worksites with stairs offered no entry for people with disabilities who
sought employment, and employer attitudes created even worse barriers.
Otherwise, talented, and eligible people with disabilities were locked out
of opportunities for meaningful work.

the civil rights movement began to take shape, and disability advocates saw
the opportunity to join forces alongside other minority groups to demand
equal treatment, equal access, and equal opportunity for people with
disabilities. We have challenged  the negative attitudes and stereotypes,
rallying for political and institutional change, and lobbying for the
self-determination of a minority community. This is just  part of the reason
for our local and  national initiatives to address the physical and social
barriers facing the blind community. Parents of blind children also started
insisting that children who were blind be accepted into schools where their
children could have the same opportunities  to engage in society just like
children who were not blind.

the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:
Many other groups now lobby  in Congress and march on Washington for  civil
rights with a cause to move language for people with disabilities. In 1973,
the Rehabilitation Act was passed, and for the first time in history, civil
rights of people with disabilities were protected by law.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) provided equal opportunity for
employment within the federal government and in federally funded programs,
prohibiting discrimination on the basis of either physical or mental
disability. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act also established the
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, mandating equal
access to public services (such as public housing and public transportation
services) to people with disabilities, and the allocation of money for
vocational training.

Handicapped Children Act of 1975:
In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed to
guarantee equal access to public education for children with disabilities.
This act of legislation specified that every child had a right to education
and mandated the full inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream
education classes, unless a satisfactory level of education could not be
achieved due to the nature of the child's disability. The Education for All
Handicapped Children Act was renamed in 1990 to the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which further elaborated on the inclusion
of children with disabilities into regular classes, but also focused on the
rights of parents to be involved in the educational decisions affecting
their children. IDEA required that an Individual Education Plan be designed
with parental approval to meet the educational needs of a child with a
disability.

the Americans with Disabilities Act:
In the 1980's, disability activists began to lobby for a consolidation of
various pieces of legislation under one broad civil rights statute that
would protect the rights of people with disabilities, much like the 1964
Civil Rights Act had achieved for Black Americans. The Civil Rights Act of
1964 prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national
origin, or gender, but people with disabilities were not included under such
protection.

After decades of campaigning and lobbying, the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 and ensured the equal treatment and equal
access of people with disabilities to employment opportunities and to public
accommodations. The ADA intended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of
disability in employment, services rendered by state and local governments,
places of public accommodation, transportation, and telecommunications
services. Under the ADA, businesses were mandated to provide reasonable
accommodations to people with disabilities (such as restructuring jobs or
modifying work equipment), public services could no longer deny services to
people with disabilities (such as public transportation systems), all public
accommodations were expected to have modifications made to be accessible to
people with disabilities, and all telecommunications services were mandated
to offer adaptive services to people with disabilities. With this piece of
legislation, the US government identified the full participation, inclusion
and integration of people with disabilities in all levels of society.

While the signing of the ADA placed immediate legislative demands to ensure
equal access and equal treatment of people with disabilities, deep-rooted
assumptions and stereotypical biases were not instantly transformed with the
stroke of a pen. People with disabilities still face prejudice and bias with
the stereotypical portrayal of people with disabilities in the movies and in
the media, physical barriers to schools, housing and to voting stations, and
lack of affordable health care. The promise of the ADA is yet to be fully
realized, but the disability rights movement continues to make great strides
towards the empowerment and self-determination of Americans with
disabilities.

I emphasize the enactment of civil rights for persons with disabilities with
renewed commitment as a leader in the Federation, and to say that our job is
far from being done. We must keep fighting because the blind community
depends on us.

Many of you face strong resistance to equal treatment on the job and in
other parts of your lives. While this is true the stronger and larger  the
movement gets by taking our philosophy and demanding that we continue to be
part of the change will result in that change.

>From Membership Co-Chairs, Kathy Legg, and William Turner 

Greetings chapter and division presidents of the Ohio affiliate of The
National Federation Of The Blind. As coordinators of the membership
committee, William Turner and I Cathy LEGG would like for you to assist us
in having a successful membership seminar with members who have been in the
affiliate five years or less, we will have the seminar May 21, 2024 ,at
6:30-8:30 PM in the Ohio Zoom room.
We would like you to encourage all your members who are new to attend. It is
important that we equip them with as much information as possible about
their participation in your chapters, divisions, and the affiliate. You will
receive a reminder e-mail and an agenda inviting your members to the
seminar. Guest speakers will be Richard Payne President, Ohio Affiliate,
Suzanne Turner President, Cleveland Chapter and membership coordinator for
the Ohio Affiliate and Trisha Kulkarni NABS past President, Scholarship
winner2023 If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to
contact me. Sincerely the membership committee 

Welcome to the National Federation of the Blind National Convention Virtual
Experience, a dedicated online space for exclusive convention activities. We
are excited to offer opportunities for engagement and connection to
participants who are unable to attend the convention in-person. 
Registration
The Virtual Experience registration fee is 10 dollars. Registration includes
access to the convention mobile app and opportunity to win door prizes.

Register 

Critical Actions:
May Presidential Release:
The May Presidential Release chapter version is available for chapter
meetings. The next live presidential release is scheduled for Thursday, May
30, 2024, at 8:00 p.m., eastern. Zoom TBD.
Convention:
 
Convention Resolutions:
The national convention is just two months away. Our Resolutions Committee,
chaired by Donald Porterfield, is currently accepting proposed resolutions
for the convention to consider. Proposed resolutions should be emailed to
the committee at resolutions at nfb.org. Don't forget, the deadline to submit a
resolution is Tuesday, June 4, at midnight, eastern. Donald recently
published a blog post on the topic of writing resolutions, so be sure to
check it out as you prepare to submit yours.
 
National Federation of the Blind National Convention Career Fair:
Join us for the National Federation of the Blind National Convention career
fair. The career fair is an event for blind people seeking jobs to connect
with employers and is an opportunity for employers to seek more talent for
their teams. Registration is required by Friday, May 31, 2024.
National Convention Job-Seeker Registration
National Convention Employer Registration 
To prepare job seekers, the Employment Committee will be hosting "Elevating
Your Career Fair Experience," an online seminar designed to provide tips and
techniques for creating the most positive experience while attending the
fair. Members will automatically be registered for the online seminar once
they have registered for the career fair. For more information on the career
fair or webinar, please contact Lia Stone, employer liaison, at
evangeliastone at gmail.com or Jennifer Wenzel, jobseeker liaison, at
jenwen319 at gmail.com.
The career fair will take place on Wednesday, July 3, from 1:00 to 4:00
p.m., eastern. 
 
News:
 
Dream Big! Give $25 Drive Launches May 16:
We announced the launch of our Dream Big! Give $25 Drive on the May
Presidential Release. This year we have some new elements to encourage
magnification of our messaging and peer-to-peer fundraising. When you give
$25 or more between May 16 and July 6, you're entered into the Dream Big:
Give $25 Drive Drawing. Each $25 increment is a chance to win! Why "Dream
Big"? Because blindness doesn't hold you back. You could win prizes like
roundtrip transportation for two to the 2025 NFB National Convention, hotel
accommodations, registration, banquet tickets, or $2,000 cash! Thanks to our
partners at APH and HumanWare, you could also win a Monarch-a dynamic
tactile device! New this year, friends and family can make donations in your
honor, and you'll get extra entries. The drive supports funds like the
Kenneth Jernigan Fund and the White Cane Fund, and you can choose one when
you donate. To enter, visit nfb.org/Give25Donate; call 410-659-9314,
extension 2430; or send a check to National Federation of the Blind and
mention #Give25 and the fund in the memo. The winner will be announced July
8, 2024. Thank you for your generosity. 
 
ADA Title II Website Final Rule:
On April 24, 2024, the ADA Title II Website Accessibility Final Rule was
published in the Federal Register. The National Federation of the Blind has
been advocating for the release of this final rule since the advance notice
of proposed rulemaking was announced in 2010, nearly fourteen years ago. An
advance copy of the rule was distributed in early April, and we released an
official statement on the ADA Title II Website Accessibility Rule at that
time.
You can read our official statement, as well as many other Federation
positions on key federal policies, on the Policy Statements page of our
website.
 
Museum of the Blind People's Movement-Funding:
Recently, the Museum of the Blind People's Movement was awarded two
government grants. The first was from the federal government, in the form of
Congressionally Directed Spending, in the amount of $301,000. The second was
from the state of Maryland, in the form of a legislative bond initiative, in
the amount of $250,000. We thank both the federal and state governments for
their generous contributions to preserving the history of the organized
blind in the United States. 
 
Voting Accessibility:
We are in the midst of primary voting season and have a presidential
election approaching in November. If you are a registered voter, you have
the legal right to cast your private and independent ballot. As we make our
way through this election year, it is important to ensure that your vote is
both private and independent. The Help America Vote Act requires all polling
stations during federal elections to have one accessible ballot-marking
device available. It is the polling place's responsibility that these
devices are set up and ready for use by the start of election day as well as
having trained poll workers to operate the machines. If your state permits
remote voting options, this process must also be accessible, thereby
providing privacy and independence. Instances that do not provide
accessibility, whether you voted in person or remotely, can be reported to
the Department of Justice. We at the NFB are also interested to hear why
your voting experience did not go as planned so feel free to contact Jeff
Kaloc at 410-659-9314, extension 2206, or jkaloc at nfb.org. Here is the
information to file a complaint with the Department of Justice:
.	By complaint form at
http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php
.	By email at voting.section at usdoj.gov
.	By telephone at 800-253-3931 (toll free)
.	By telephone at 202-307-2767
.	By fax at 202-307-3961 
 
Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization:
The Senate will be considering the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
reauthorization this week. This bill contains several access provisions that
we have specifically been advocating for. Please watch your inboxes for a
legislative alert coming soon. 
 
Blind Businesswoman Vindicated and Awarded over $30,000 by Jury in Federal
Equal Access Case:
We supported recent ADA litigation. A jury in the United States District
Court for the Northern District of California rendered a verdict in favor of
Lisamaria Martinez, a blind entrepreneur, in her equal access lawsuit
against the County of Alameda. The jury found that the county
Clerk-Recorder's Office deliberately violated her rights under the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California law. Read and share the full
press release. 
 
May Boutique-Document Creation:
There are different options for accessible word processors. Join our
document-creation-software boutique on May 28 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. to learn
about the features and accessibility of some popular options. Register
today.  

Reminders:
NFB Year in Review Available:
Have you ever wanted something to reference our past year, or just something
you can link to or print and take to meetings? Our Year in Review for 2023
is out and will soon be available in the NFB Portal, in the Finance and
Organizational Documents modules. Think of the Year in Review as a
short-form annual report for quick reference or sharing. Please take a look
and employ this helpful resource. 
 
Dates to Keep in Mind: (all times eastern)
.	July 3-8, 2024: National Convention; Orlando, Florida
 
Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement
.	Wednesday, May 8, 8:00 p.m.
.	Wednesday, August 7, 8:00 p.m.
.	Wednesday, November 6, 8:00 p.m  
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