[Tn-talk] Newsletter Spring 2014

Mon Apr 14 12:51:28 UTC 2014

Tennessee Voice Vol. 2, Spring 2014, Dwight Johnson, Editor, Distributed by
email and Braille by the National Federation of the Blined of Tennessee.
James Brown, President

4 1 1 3 Tea Garden Way

Antioch, TN 3 7 0 1 3

Telephone:  6 1 5, 4 1 2, 9 6 3 2

email address:   president <mailto:president at nfb-tn.org>  at nfb, dash
tn.org 

website address:  www.nfb dash tn.org

Letters to the president, address changes, and subscription requests should
be sent to

Dwight e j 7 at comcast.net.

Articles for the Tennessee Voice and letters to the editor may be sent to 

Dwight.johnson at m <mailto:Dwight.johnson at mtsu.edu>  t s u.e d u.

Thank you for your interest and support. By donating to the NFB of Tennessee
, you can help make a significant difference in the lives of blind people
across the great state of Tennessee .

Please make checks payable to NFB of TN and send them to 

National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee

1 4 2 9 Reata Pass 

Memphis, TN. 3 8 1 0 9

The National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee is a non-profit
organization of the blind working together to improve the quality of life
for all blind people in Tennessee.

Contents:

* 2014 Convention Recap

By Dwight Johnson

* From the Banks of Stones River

By Dwight Johnson

* T A B M Annual Meeting

By Sharon Treadway

* The Flame of Equality

By James Boehm

* What is Your Perception of a Disability?

By James Boehm

* Pass Along My Secret

By Terry Knox

* Gene Theropy

By Pallab Ghosh

* Eyes of Dead

By James Gallagher

*

2014 Convention Recap

By Dwight Johnson

On March 8, 9, and 10 The NFB of Tennessee held its forty-fifth annual
convention at the Holiday Inn Opryland in Nashville.  

On Friday evening there were various committee meetings, divisional
meetings, and an affiliate board meting along with a reception for everyone.
On Saturday morning after an introduction by Nashville mayor, Carl Dean, a
number of informative speakers gave presentations about various
interpretations on the theme of the convention, Building the Federation.
Saturday afternoon elections were held resulting in the current board of
directors listed below.

President, James Brown

First Vice-President, Terry C. Smith

Second Vice-President, Christina Clift

Secretary, James Boehm

Treasurer, Evelyn Hogue

Board members:  Josh Harper, Dwight Johnson, Natalie Norwood, Melisa Smith,
Courtney Williams, and JP Williams.

On Saturday evening there was a banquet with Key Note Speaker, Parnell Diggs
who is  the President of NFB of South Carolina.  The banquet concluded with
Members Individual Contribution pledges which raised over five thousand
dollars.

The convention concluded Sunday morning with several committee reports, the
treasurer's report, along with chapter and division reports.  The meeting
adjourned at noon.

*

>From the Banks of Stones River

By Dwight Johnson

The banks of Stones River are overflowing with a host of new members.  In
Murfreesboro our primary source of members in our chapter are students who
are attending Middle Tennessee State University.  As graduations take place
at the close of each semester we lose members who return to their hometown
or are off to a new job in another city, or even to another state.  With the
beginning of a new semester there is the potential of gaining new members.
Since January of this year we have added five new members who are listed
here.

Ryan Roberts

Kira McCall 

April Meredith 

Jessica Miller 

Michael Wilson 

We welcome these new members and look forward to their ideas and
contributions in all our activities.  One of our most important activities
coming up in April is the election of new officers.

The Stones River Chapter meetings are usually held the third Saturday of
each month.  Since the third Saturday of April coincides with Easter this
year, our meeting has been moved to the fourth Saturday which is April 26.
It is imperative that all members attend this month because it is time for
our officer elections.  Our elections are held every two years and all
positions are open for nominations.  

Contrary to what some people believe, an election is not a popularity
contest.  In order for a person to be elected, the membership must believe
that he or she will make good decisions that are best for the organization.
An officer or board member must have enough skill to work with people within
and outside of the organization.  Once a person takes on a new office he or
she learns with experience and becomes stronger as his or her term
continues.  If the membership is not satisfied with the work of the officer,
he or she may be voted out of office at the next election which provides an
incentive to keep the officer effective and responsive to the needs of the
members.

In 2013 the Stones River Chapter raised over one thousand dollars by having
a Bowl-Athon at a local bowling alley.  We are planning to repeat that
lucrative fund raiser this fall and again next February.It is a fairly
simple fund raiser in which all the members have to do is sell tickets to
friends, family members, and anyone else they encounter in their daily
routines.

*

TABM Annual Meeting
by Sharon Treadway

The Tennessee Association of Blind Merchants held its annual meeting on
March 8, 2014 in conjunction with the NFB of Tennessee convention in
Nashville, TN.
There were 24 members present for the meeting. Gary Weaver, director of
Tennessee Business Enterprises,  spoke to the group about some of the things
going on in Tennessee.
Terry Smith, director of the Blind Entrepreneurial Initiative, gave us an
update on what is happening nationwide in Randolph Shepherd. 
We then held election for our board.
President Sharon Treadway
Vice President Ryan Smith
Secretary   Terry Smith
Treasurer Debbie Propst
Board members Dwight Johnson, Roxie Chamberlain, Melissa Smith.

For more information about the Tennessee Association of Blind Merchants
please send an email to 

Sharon  Paris  at Comcast.net

*

The Flame of Equality

By James Boehm

            The disabled have fought an uphill battle in demanding equality
of all. Many blind organizations, such as the National Federation of the
Blind, endeavor to educate the public regarding the abilities of the
visually impaired, squashing all inaccurate misconceptions that are
stereotyped. A thriving front of assistive technology experts are an
intricate part in the mix of training and equipping the disabled. In 2014,
in a time where we may feel that our world is a   modernized society, the
views many still have on the disabled gives the world the appearance that we
are back in the Stone Age,  a reverted thinking of inequality, slavery, poor
expectations and  the perceived inabilities of the "challenged!" A film
entitled "A Little History Worth Knowing" exposes the actions of many
nations, including the United States, in not only discriminating, but also
attempting to extinguish the disabled, putting them out like a minute flame
on a Bic lighter. Powerful persons, such as Hitler, attempted through
eugenics, to weed out the supposedly weak or disabled, as a strand of
crabgrass being rooted out of the sidewalk. The disabled were referred to as
"the unfortunates." What an "unfortunate" misconception for anyone   who
holds such thoughts, thus disabling their own selves cognitively. 

            Assistive technology experts strive to keep the pace with the
advances of assistive technology. Bill Burgess, the director of the
Assistive Technology lab at Middle Tennessee University, agrees with
President Marc Maurer of the NFB, when he states "effective technology
.empower(s) the individual user of that technology. Invaluable assistive
tools allow the user to "compete effectively in this world and.(achieve)
quality in life," (Monitor, 2004). I truly respect and appreciate Bill's
expertise and sincere desire to empower his clients to successful endeavors.
Assistive technology "connects (the disabled) and levels the playing field."
Burgess expressed that technology will continue to advance, becoming
"simpler to use. and more ubiquitous, providing universal access (for
everyone)," (personal communication, February 16th, 2014). What progress is
being made today in education for the disabled.

A bill that will be introduced this year is called the TEACH Act
(Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education).
Presently, educational institutions provide materials in an accessible
format only when requested. The TEACH Act would require that from the
get-go, all materials would be accessible and readily available to all
students. James Brown, State President of the Tennessee NFB Affiliate,
commented, "It is so important for blind students around Tennessee to have
equal access to education," (personal communication, February 18th, 2014).
Legislation such as the TEACH Act paves the way for other states to follow
and will benefit students of all disabilities. Yes, a bright future
accomplished by the hard work of education and advocacy.

            The film "History's" narrator stated that "in the 1950's and
60's, while blacks were trying to get in the front of the bus, the disabled
were just trying to get on the bus," (A Little History). Changing the minds
and educating the world has had its challenges. Yet today, many have been
educated and have a more accurate understanding of the disabled's
capabilities. There is still more work to do!

True, today there have been numerous attempts to extinguish the flame of
advocacy among the disabled. Nevertheless, that fire has not gone out! The
raging, scorching fire of equality burning deep inside every disabled person
has continued to spread like an uncontained forest fire, moving at the pace
of a steam powered train roaring to its destination! This destination is a
place called 'equality." A destination with a capital named "The metropolis
Free of Stereotypes, where all its citizens enjoy fulfilling lives of
equality and fulfillment." Through organizations, such as the NFB, our
communities are being educated. Persons such as Bill Burgess train the
disabled in the progression of technology and independence.  Thus, the
disabled, well equipped and educated, have proven that they can compete
shoulder to shoulder among "normal" man. Examples have shown that with the
proper gaining, education, technology, and the lack of hindrance of
stereotypes, the disabled flourish, living successful and meaningful lives.
William Butler Yates, a famous author is quoted as saying "education is not
the filling of the pail, but the lighting the fire." So may that flame never
die!

Individual Resources

(1998). A Little History worth Knowing [video recording]. United States:
Program Development Associates.

B. Burgess, personal communication, February 16th, 2014.

Holliday, J. (March 2004). Effective Technology. The Braille Monitor, 47(3).
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm04/bm0403/bm040311.htm>
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm04/bm0403/bm040311.htm

J. Brown, personal communication, February 18th, 2014.

*

What Is Your Perception of a Disability?

By James Boehm

Editor's Note:  James Boehm and his guide dog, Shep are currently attending
Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro pursuing degrees in Social
Services and fetch-ology.  I have been told that one of them does a lot of
sleeping in class.  James and Shep just recently started a guide dog
division.  In this article they pose some interesting questions about
disabilities.  Read on.

          Martina Navratilova, a well-known poet once said "disability is a
matter of perception. How an accurate statement that is! When many hear the
word disability, they may think of someone with Down syndrome, a person in a
wheelchair, or one who is blind. A person who has limited function
physically or mentally is referred to as disabled. Kris Boehm, my father,
defines disability as a person who has difficulty with a particular task.
My thoughts reflected such a viewpoint as well. Do I continue to have such a
perspective?

          In 2010, I lost my sight due to an attempted suicide. I only knew
of one other blind individual, so I was unaware of what my future held out
for me. Would I be able to pursue the same goals and live an active life as
before? Would I be able to partake   in the same hobbies activities as
before? Initially, I thought not. How can a person with no vision live an
independent and fruitful life?

          My self-determination and positive attitude aided me in seeking
out the education and tools that are available to the blind. I came into
contact with other fine examples of blind individuals who did not let their
lack of vision hinder them from pursuing meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Thus, I feel that just because a person may have a limitation, whether it be
physical or mental, with the proper training and education, such
characteristics that appear to be a disability are no disability at all! For
instance, blindness may be preconceived as a limitation, yet being vision
impaired can be easily overcome with technology, education, and the right
mind set. 

          A disability is something that limits you from performing a
certain task. Hence, if you have the right training and education and you
have learned to perform the same tasks you used to, just differently, how is
that a disability? Can a person without an obvious impairment be considered
disabled? Imagine a six foot six inches tall man trying to fit in a Mini
Cooper. Such a tall person may not be able to fit comfortably in such a
vehicle or have the ability to drive the coupe. Could he not be considered
disabled by circumstance? I believe so. Therefore, if you're physical
impairment does not limit or hinder you in your daily activities, is it a
disability? I believe not.

          I have met doctors, chemists, teachers, golfers, Olympians, and
business owners that are blind but "see" no limits as to what they set their
mind on. I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Rickobono, the first blind man
to drive a self-driving car, hitting speeds up to 43 mph in his first drive!
Such examples motivate and reaffirm the notion that the only thing that will
hinder me is myself.

          Do others perceive the disabled as capable individuals?
Unfortunately no! Due to ignorance and the inconsistencies from the media,
the majority feel that those with disabilities are helpless and inferior.
The disabled have advocated for themselves to legislate for equality in
today's world. For instance, in the United States, an outdated law entitled
Section 14C of the Fair Labor Standards Act discriminates against those who
are disabled; the 1938 act allows companies to apply for certificates in
order to pay disabled individuals pennies on the dollar, far lower than the
minimum wage. In fact, businesses such as Goodwill pay their disabled
employees as low as 12 cents an hour- and its legal! These same employers
have multi-million dollar owners and managers that exploit the provisions of
the Fair Wages Act. They even receive tax deductions, government cutbacks,
and other incentives that find their way into their own pockets.
Organizations, such as the National Federation of the Blind and the American
Foundation of the Blind, are working hard to legislate and repeal these
unjust standards.

          Often, parents and families of disabled children, due to being
unaware of the availability of training and sources within hands reach,
shelter their child so much that the child feels as if someone has to do
everything for them. Such a person's communication and interaction skills
with others suffer due to their sheltered environment. This presents a
challenge, but not a challenge that cannot be overcome with the proper
training and education.

          How does language influence how we view people with disabilities?
The misconceptions and attitudes towards the abilities of disabled persons
reflect onto the vocabulary and expressions used today. We may
subconsciously discriminate against one with a perceived disability. Thus,
such language transfers to the conscious mind, affecting our interpretations
and opinions. The inaccurate belief that the disabled are not capable of
overcoming their ailment highlights the need for further education and
advocacy.

          So are all ideas of disabilities accurate? No! Even though we live
in 2014, much more effort and work is needed to educate the world about
disabilities. Organizations, such as the National Federation of the Blind
and the American Council of the Blind, lead the front to change what it
means to be blind in the eyes of those blinded by false assumptions. Many
blind have more vision than a sighted individual; numerous paralyzed persons
in wheelchairs have walked through trials and tribulations triumphantly to
live happy and satisfying lives! Technology has aided many to accomplish
tasks that the everyday person would think be impossible. We disable
ourselves only if we limit ourselves in our thinking! I asked my father,
since having a son who recently lost his vision, has his thoughts on
disabilities changed?  He replied, "Yes. At first I thought we would become
care givers but my viewpoint now is that perhaps the disability for many is
their perception of how a person can adapt in order to be a whole person.
Given the right opportunity and motivation we all can overcome anything
others perceive as a disability. My son has proven that to me."

            So, what are your perceptions in referring to the disabled?
Never be "handicapped" by preconceived notions!  

*

Pass Along My Secret

By Terry Knox

Editors note:  As I am rapidly approaching retirement age I have been
thinking about how I will fill the hours of each day since I am not
interested in golf or fishing.  In my search for new hobbies I became
acquainted with Terry Knox.  She has been the president of the Grand Stand
Chapter in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the past five years.  Terry has
a secret to share with all of us.

Hello Everyone,

I have a Secret that I am going to share with each of you. I will even let
you pass it on. I know this really great place to learn so many crafts I
have to tell everyone. This place teaches looming, crochet, basket making,
safety pin crafts and even things like jewelry making and a lot of other
things. It is a place you have to tell your friends about and I really have
to encourage each one of you to rush and I mean rush over to their website
and join up right away then go and tell your friends. I probably could go on
and on about the great teachers and how many classes they have and how easy
they make teaching an old or new craft; not to mention how friendly the
people on this list are, you have to check this one out. Hope you all know I
am speaking of Krafters Korner and rushing over to add your membership this
year and getting a friend to join us. If you have the knowledge to reprint
this on Facebook or Twitter, please do so, lets' get the word out, lets
crash the website, not really, this is not health care, but I hope you see
we need your name on our list and your friend. Purchase a membership for
your mother or mother in law, your daughter or best friend forever. Our
treasurer is standing by to sign you up, and if you are signed up for a
class this month I encourage you to sign up for your membership at the same
time. Plus an added benefit a great Christmas in August Contest just for
signing up. Please compare this bargain to anything else on the web and you
will see what a great benefit KK is, what more do you need Krafters Korners
needs you, so just pass the secret on.

_______________________________________________

Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list

 <mailto:Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org> N f b-krafters-korner at n f b
net.org

*

Gene therapy 'could be used to treat blindness'

Pallab GhoshBy Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News 

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/72304000/jpg/_72304308_72304307.jpg

Jonathan Wyatt likened his blindness to being at the edge of an abyss

Surgeons in Oxford have used a gene therapy technique to improve the vision
of six patients who would otherwise have gone blind.

The operation involved inserting a gene into the eye, a treatment that
revived light-detecting cells.

The doctors involved believe that the treatment could in time be used to
treat common forms of blindness.

Prof Robert MacLaren, the surgeon who led the research, said he was
"absolutely delighted" at the outcome. 

"We really couldn't have asked for a better result," he said.

Graphic showing gene therapy to prevent blindness

BBC News  <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15446912> exclusively reported
on the start of the trial two years ago. The first patient was Jonathan
Wyatt, who was 63 at the time.

Mr Wyatt has a genetic condition known as choroideremia, which results in
the light-detecting cells at the back of the eye gradually dying.

Improved vision 

Mr Wyatt was still just about able to see when he had the operation. His
hope was that the procedure would stop further deterioration and save what
little sight he had left. 

He, like another patient in Professor MacLaren's trial, found that not only
did the operation stabilise his vision - it improved it. The other subjects,
who were at earlier stages in their vision, experienced improvements in
their ability to see at night.

Mr Wyatt is now able to read three lines further down in an optician's sight
chart.

"I felt that I had come to the edge of an abyss," he told BBC News. 

"I looked down at total blackness. Professor MacLaren tapped me on the
shoulder and said 'come this way, it's possible to see again'."

Mr Wyatt's wife, Diana, confirmed that the prospect of total blindness had
made him feel very depressed. 

"Now he is very optimistic," she explained. 

"He is more independent, he can find things he couldn't before, he can go to
the shops on his own and he's less of a nuisance!"

Another of the patients who underwent the treatment, Wayne Thompson, said he
had noticed an immediate effect after the operation. 

Seeing stars 

"My colour vision improved. Trees and flowers seemed much more vivid and I
was able to see stars for the first time since I was 17 when my vision began
to deteriorate," he told BBC News.

Mr Thomson said he had spent his life resigned to the fact that he would go
blind.

"I've lived the last 25 years with the certainty that I am going to go blind
and now (after the operation) there is the possibility that I will hang on
to my sight," he said.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/56333000/jpg/_56333637_eyessurgery.jpg

A surgeon operates on the eye

When Mr Thompson was first diagnosed, he was told that he would not be able
to see his daughter, who is now nine, grow up. 

"Now I hope I'll see my grandchildren grow up," he told BBC News.

If the improvements seen in the patients continue, the aim will be to offer
the treatment to younger choroideremia patients to prevent them from losing
their sight. 

The condition is relatively rare: it is thought to affect a thousand people
in the UK. 

But Professor MacLaren believes that success with choroideremia demonstrates
the principle that gene therapy could be used to cure other forms of genetic
blindness including age-related macular degeneration.

This condition causes blindness in 300,000 people in Britain and causes a
deterioration in the vision of one in four people over the age of 75.

"The mechanisms of choroideremia and what we are trying to do with the
treatment would broadly be applicable to more common causes of blindness,"
the professor explained.

"Choroideremia shows some similarities with macular degeneration in that we
are targeting the same cells. We don't yet know which genes to target for
macular degeneration but we do know now how to do it and how to put the
genes back in."

Clara Aglen of the Royal National Institute of Blind People is also
cautiously optimistic.

She told BBC News: "It is at an early stage at the moment, but it does offer
hope for other conditions that have a genetic basis such as macular
degeneration and glaucoma.

"As this process advances there is hope that it could be transferred across
and provide a cure for these common causes of blindness."

*

Cells from eyes of dead 'may give sight to blind'

By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News 

Human eyeThe necessary cells can be found in the back of everyone's eyes 

Cells taken from the donated eyes of dead people may be able to give sight
to the blind, researchers suggest.

Tests in rats,
<http://stemcellstm.alphamedpress.org/content/early/2014/01/29/sctm.2013-011
2.abstract?papetoc&related-urls=yes&legid=sctm;sctm.2013-0112v1> reported in
Stem Cells Translational Medicine, showed the human cells could restore some
vision to completely blind rats.

The team at University College London said similar results in humans would
improve quality of life, but would not give enough vision to read.

Human trials should begin within three years. 

Donated corneas are already used to improve some people's sight, but the
team at the Institute for Ophthalmology, at UCL, extracted a special kind of
cell from the back of the eye.

These Muller glia cells are a type of adult stem cell capable of
transforming into the specialised cells in the back of the eye and may be
useful for treating a wide range of sight disorders.

This interesting study shows that Muller glial cells are another viable
avenue of exploration for cell therapy in retinal diseases

Dr Paul Colville-Nash Medical Research Council 

In the laboratory, these cells were chemically charmed into becoming rod
cells which detect light in the retina.

Injecting the rods into the backs of the eyes of completely blind rats
partially restored their vision.

Brain scans showed that 50% of the electrical signals between the eye and
the brain were recovered by the treatment.

One of the researchers, Prof Astrid Limb, told the BBC what such a change
would mean in people: "They probably wouldn't be able to read, but they
could move around and detect a table in a room. 

"They would be able to identify a kettle and cup to make a cup of tea. Their
quality of life would be so much better, even if they could not read or
watch TV."

The retinaThe different layers of the retina, with the light-sensing rods
and cones at the top 

The cells might be able to help patients with disorders such as macular
degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa.

Human stem cell trials are already taking place using material taken from
embryos.

However, this is ethically charged and takes several months to prepare the
cells. The Muller glia cells can be ready within a week.

Prof Limb commented: "They are more easily sourceable and very easy to
handle in the lab so from that perspective they're better, but they do
express antigens that could induce an immune response."

It means the donated cells could be rejected like an organ transplant.

The next step is to prepare the cells as a clinical grade treatment in order
for human trials to begin. 

The researchers believe it could take three years before such a trial takes
place.

Dr Paul Colville-Nash, the regenerative medicine programme manager at the
Medical Research Council, which funded the study, said: "This interesting
study shows that Muller glial cells are another viable avenue of exploration
for cell therapy in retinal diseases. 

"It's not clear yet which approach will be most effective when these
experimental techniques enter human trials, which is why it is important to
progress research across all avenues in pursuit of a cure for sight loss."

*

News of your chapter or articles for this newsletter should be sent to

Dwight <mailto:Dwightej7 at comcast.net>   e  j  7 at comcast.net

If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please send an email to the
above address with Cancel in the subject line.

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