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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Any of you familiar with Star Trek may know they’re celebrating their 60<sup>th</sup> anniversary next year. To make a small contribution in my area, I’m working on a project around Deep Space 9 with 2 major components. One involves a model of Deep Space 9 along with stories on museum access. The model is meant to show what could be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The other component involves 5 meditations on resilience, focus, self acceptance, letting go and grounding. I got this idea from understanding that at out National conference, stress levels can be high, especially for new attendees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The physical model is still being assembled. Once the model is ready, I’ll be able to add it to the script.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The tone is meant to be welcoming and engaging.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I hope to enlist the services of 2 voice talents, one male and one female, to narrate the script.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Please look at this script and offer your feedback on<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Is the tone engaging and welcoming?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Does the narrative flow?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Does the narrative engage emotionally?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Is it clear?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Welcome. Before we begin, a quick word about Deep Space 9 — a space station orbiting the planet Bajor, home to a diverse community where many cultures meet and stories intertwine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Tonight, imagine this station watching over a nearby Bajoran village celebrating a five-night harvest festival. But there’s danger — not from weapons, but a mysterious creature called the Dalroc. The only one who can stop it is the leading storyteller — but the storyteller has died. Myles o’Bryan, from Deep Space 9, is nearby and asked to step in, but he can’t carry the messages the village needs. The people know it, and he knows it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Then, a new storyteller arrives. As he begins to tell the tale, the community rallies around him, and together, they drive off the threat. The community is safe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Odo:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Storytelling used to puzzle me. Now I see its power — bringing people together to protect what matters.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Many museums are still not fully accessible to the blindness community. We’ve received two stories that illustrate this — and we want to imagine what could be different.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Back in 2004, Kendra visited the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, with her aunt. All aircraft, including the famous Spruce Goose, were roped off.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>(Optional: pause for facilitator to describe tactile model of Spruce Goose here)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The Spruce Goose, officially called the Hughes H-4 Hercules, is a massive wooden plane built during World War II, known for its enormous wingspan — larger than any other plane of its time. Although it flew only once, it remains a marvel of engineering and aviation history.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Kendra’s only way to learn about the aircraft was to have her aunt read the labels aloud. There were no Braille or audio guides offered, and the technology to help wasn’t widely available yet. The staff treated them respectfully but didn’t offer assistance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Odo:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Without technology then, they still needed a live guide. It’s puzzling why none stepped in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Imagine if Michael Dorn — Star Trek actor and real-life pilot — had been there. His deep, commanding voice guides the family, sharing not just facts but personal stories about the aircraft he loves. His calm presence draws attention. The family leaves grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>But these challenges remain. Holly recently visited the Jocelyn Museum in Omaha, Nebraska. Though recently renovated, accessibility for the blind community was still neglected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>No audio guide was offered, and the museum’s app provided descriptions for some, but not all exhibits. Staff repeatedly reminded Holly and her family not to touch, hovering and making them uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>A volunteer kindly showed some small artifacts — fabric and bells — but it wasn’t enough. Holly’s mother read aloud every label and ended with a sore throat.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The family gave up and left.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Odo:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>This worries me. Technology exists to make accessibility easier — yet gaps remain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Imagine a team, including Star Trek actors, members of the National Federation of the Blind, and advocates, stepping in. Mark Allimo — known for playing Gul Dukat — quietly offers help, asking staff to give the family space.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Odo:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Our world loves drama — the loud, thunderous calls for action. I can almost hear Worf booming, ‘Why is nothing being done?’ It’s tempting to shout, to stir anger, to chase sensational stories.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>But sometimes, quiet compassion matters more — like Mark’s gentle presence, offering help without fanfare.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Mark presents the family with a box of 3D artworks with Braille labels and QR codes, part of a project bringing art to life for the blind community. Michael Dorn walks with the family, urging staff to back off, letting them breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>At home, Holly connects a Bluetooth speaker to her smartphone and scans a model of Vincent van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>(Optional: facilitator can show tactile model of the painting here)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Robert Picardo’s warm voice invites her to explore the painting through touch and sound.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Odo:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Change takes time. We live in a world rushing to fix things fast, craving spectacle. But accessibility isn’t a race — it’s a journey built with patience, respect, and care.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The National Federation of the Blind has spoken for itself for 85 years. Blindness is a part of us — but it doesn’t define us. We seek access, inclusion, and respect — to museums, stories, and life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>On Deep Space 9, communication is simple — “Kira to Sisko”... “Go ahead.” What once seemed science fiction is now real, thanks to technology like AIRA.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>[Live demo segment begins]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Let’s go live with a demonstration of AIRA, a remote service that helps visually impaired people access their surroundings in real time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>(Live host introduces a stuffed or real dog and places the call, interacting naturally.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Before you is a tactile model of the Deep Space 9 space station. Please feel free to come up and explore it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>(Allow open exploration time)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>-----<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Female Host 1:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Imagination and reality blend to create art. Deep Space 9 was built from the creativity of writers and artists, programmers and builders. Just like accessibility, it’s a collaboration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>As Odo learned in the episode Equilibrium, Captain Sisko often refers to real-world places — like New Orleans, where the National Federation of the Blind recently held its annual conference.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Final reflection — Odo:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Our world loves the dramatic — the loud calls to action and the race to fix problems instantly. But real progress is built on patience, respect, and steady<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>work. Between the flash and the quiet, between thunder and calm — meaningful change grows.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thank you for joining us. Let’s keep imagining, keep exploring, and keep reaching for the stars.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The other component is the 5 meditations. Here, I also hope to enlist one male and one female talent to narrate. I haven’t begun these because I want to find out if there is a need for something like this. Is there a need for targeted meditations inspired by the Deep Space 9 characters that can be used at National and State conventions, or even local chapter meetings? These meditations are meant to be short, between 5 and 10 minutes. Is there a need?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thank you in advance for your help.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Tina Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>