[Travelandtourism] Discussion: New members of the division. Let us welcome them

[cheryl echevarria]

http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org

Good morning everyone.
I want to welcome all new members of our division, and the newest one is Denise Brown from the NFB of Pennsylvania.
We have a website, http://www.nfbtravel.org, e-mail: Info at nfbtravel.org in reference to our e-mail address, it goes to not only me but all the officers and not the board members at this time.
Our officers are Vice President, Maurice (Reese) Shackelford of Georgia; Secretary, Margo Downey of New York; Treasurer, Milton Taylor of UT (fyi, Milton has been treasurer since 2004).
We also have 3 Board Members Amy Baron of Minnesota, Jemal Powell of Illinois, and Tracie Inman of FL.
Before I talk about myself, I ask that you tell us about yourselves, who you are, why are you here, and if you are any officer or a returning member what makes you stay.
These are some of the topics, we here at our state conventions to talk to newbies about. It is important to do that.
I would please ask that all officers and members introduce themselves, and please join the talk list. The link above is to our NFB Travel Talk list.
That way we don't have to reply all to everyone.
Saves a lot of time this way.
Anyway, Welcome:
You don't have to give us a full story like mine, but you can see in my writing as bad as it is. LOL, where my head and heart is.
My name is Cheryl Echevarria, I am the current President of this division. I stepped in 2011 for Don Gillmore, the former President, who asked that I take over and was elected by the members due to all the advocating I had been doing in the way of travel with all people with disabilities.  In 2012, I was elected to my 2 year term as the President on my own.
I have been a member of the NFB since I picked up one of the "Voice of the Diabetic" Subscriptions I found while I was waiting for my dialysis treatment, I had low vision then. That magazine is no longer produced by the Diabetic Action Network. That was in 2002. I have been a paid member since 2006, currently I hold the position of 2nd Vice President of Greater Long Island, and Treasurer as well. I am a member of NAGDU, Diabetic Action Network, the Merchants Division, and the National Association of Blind Veterans (no I am not a veteran, but I am a daughter of a veteran, and I believe in the case of helping those that protect our country)
I have been blind since 2001 at the age of 35, so I know what is to be sighted and now I know what it is to be blind. I think god gives us this trials and tribulations to be better people.  It was from diabetes and also kidney failure, which I celebrate my 8th Anniversary on August 23rd at being post Kidney Transplant. God is good.
Since then I have made it my intention to give back to those that have helped me and work in the field of avocation for the blind in anyway shape and form.  I am not going to tire you about my life, but if you want to read more about me. There was an article written up in the Braille Monitor about me. The link is here:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm12/bm1204/bm120412.htm
I started my business in 2009, and I believe with the right CONFIDENCE, TRAINING AND EDUCATION, that blind people can do everything and anything we want to do, again we want, and not what others tell us. 
Just a quick FYI.  Since that person said that this division is failing, we now have and Treasurer Milton Taylor can correct me, but including convention we have 23 paid members.  That is double than we had last year. I would like to see this division a strong one like the other divisions. Right now we are listed on the nfb.org under recreation as a division, I think we need to change that, since this division works more than just traveling. We also some of us work in the travel field, and this is a great direction to go into for many reasons for us the blind.
I also shows advocacy in the way of changing the laws in this country on how they protect us here and abroad when we do travel.
Your sister in the NFB
Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNFB Travel and Tourismhttp://www.nfbtravel.orginfo@nfbtravel.org




Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. http://www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama