[NFB-Kzoo] October Minutes

Thu Oct 15 23:28:26 UTC 2020

All 

Please find the minutes from our October meeting below.

Thanks

Robert E. Parsons, Jr.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Kzoo <nfb-kzoo-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Amyrillis Payne via NFB-Kzoo
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2020 9:30 PM
To: NFB of Kalamazoo Michigan List <nfb-kzoo at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Amyrillis Payne <amyrillis1001 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFB-Kzoo] Fwd: September minutes

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> October 13th, 2020
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> Meeting begins 8:01 pm
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> Board/Members/visitors present
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> Robert Parsons-President, Rashid Deme-Vice President, Amyrillis/Monet 
> Payne-Secretary, Victor Marques-Treasurer,
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> Talia-Member, Jeff Crouch-Member, Jason M-Member, Taylor A-Member 
> Rachel P-Member, Lucy-Visitor
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> Meeting Minutes-
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> Minutes have not been going through and Monet is going to re-register 
> and see if this works
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> Next topic-treasury report
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> $420 set up at lake michigan credit union, debit card is in place, 
> balance before was $415 and
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> Motion made by Monet Payne and Rashid seconds
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> Robert passes motion
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> Next topic-Open floor to Lucy to explain wmu issues and discussion 
> about things are being done that are affecting students
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> Lucy says she wants to speak about her internship project with wmu 
> where she creates training program for wmu instructors on how to work 
> with blind and low vision students. It is being recognized that 
> instructors could use room for some help with learning how to best 
> accommodate students. Lucy wants low vision or blind students to write 
> letters or answer a survey about students’ feedback on what they think 
> instructors should know and do to best accommodate students in the 
> future. The end goal is to train these educators and to help them 
> better understand what its like to be blind or low vision. Sometimes 
> they may feel our accommodations are all the same and that we all have 
> the same skills, and this Is not true. Lucy’s supervisor also wants to 
> help professors get a better understanding of low vision technology 
> and how it works on our end as users. There is no section in the WMU 
> policy about working with students with disabilities and they are 
> hoping to bring change to this issue. Lucy is asking that if you have 
> a story or have experienced an issue with accommodations in class that you write about it and send it to her personally.
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> Victor asks-Does DSS do any mandatory disability awareness trainings 
> with the faculty and staff on campus.
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> Lucy says that WMU does not provide wmu staff/faculty with any 
> sensitivity training/accessibility training.
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> Robert asks is the survey for all disabilities or just for blind and 
> low vision students?
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> Lucy says it is for specifically Blind and Low vision students, but 
> Lucy has hopes that eventually campus can do this for all disabilities.
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> Jason speaks on his past experience as a student. Professors do need 
> to have all course materials in accessible formats at all times and 
> the university needs to take accountability for this. Students should 
> still be sure that they advocate to the best of their abilities.
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> Taylor says she is a present student at western and agrees with Lucy 
> that there needs to be some form of a training program for the 
> university’s faculty and staff.
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> You need to place plans for things that are inaccessible. Taylor has 
> experienced how other universities have found solutions to these issues.
> There needs to be a structure with individuals who know how to work 
> the software and there are other institutions that will not allow 
> their instructors to use inaccessible software. Western has many 
> things that should be changed, and a training program is a great start.
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> Victor adds that we should have a state level resolution with western 
> to admit a training for faculty and staff in universities. There are 
> gaps with agencies and there is so much that needs to be standardized 
> with accessibility everywhere.
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> Robert suggests we push for this to the NFB state president about this 
> issue because it needs to be changed at the State level.
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> Jason says that MSU is already doing accessibility and maybe we should 
> reach out to them and get some accessibility training tips from them.
> Students need to be given the proper tools that they need while at college.
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> Lucy is going to send us the survey and is looking for all input that 
> she can receive on this issue of inaccessible on campus.
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> Robert is going to get Lucy’s information along with her survey and 
> send it to the list serve
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> Next topic- Meet the blind month
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> Civil Coffee House
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> Saturday, October  24th
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> Sunday October 23rd is back up date
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> Victor and Rashid talked about meeting at
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> Braille cards and braille can be used. We do not need permit to accept 
> donations so all will be welcomed!
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> Civil Coffee house diagonally across from Kalamazoo ave located on rose.
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> It is voted on 12-4 and victor says he can bring tables
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> Robert is going to print out NFB literature to give out with our local 
> contact information and chapter info.
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> Information
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> Chapter meeting info and time along with NFB Michigan Logo and Victor 
> says he will print this info as long as he receives it by October 22nd.
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> Jason is going to check with the location if this is available
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> Victor and Rashid are going to put $10 Each in to promote Facebook 
> advertising which will be enough to reach about 1000 people.
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> Robert will help with this because he has Facebook access
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> Robert makes motion to close and all are in favor motion passes
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> Next topic- Testimonials about loss of WMU accessibility tech position
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> Robert says all of the testimonials needed to focus on getting this 
> position reinstated.
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> Robert only received 2 testimonials and did not submit them because 
> there is not that many submissions.
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> Rashid says he did not rewrite his testimonial because he feels that 
> although Taylor’s position was what was agreed to write about but he 
> feels there are larger issues at hand  right now such as why 
> accessibility is important and not just this position.
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> Robert agrees that it this position is not the biggest issue on campus 
> but what do we do to get this message delivered the best way, do we 
> use the original testimonials and go in on our own to bring 
> accessibility concerns to President Montgomery or do we go in with the 
> edited testimonials that only focus on Taylors previous tech position.
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> Taylor agrees that we should go forward with the original testimonials.
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> Taylor says she got a new position working remotely for a company 
> called Got It A I.  They  will be used in trio programs which are 
> programs at colleges to help low income first generation college 
> students. This is a tutoring program where students can get step by 
> step solutions to problems in college and Taylor is helping them to 
> create this app completing accessible for all users.
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> Victor wonders if we can roll all of this into one for of 
> accessibility at western into a resolution, like a Western needs an accessibility ombudsman.
> We need to write this all out to bring attention to these 
> accessibility issues.
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> Locate past examples of national and state resolutions for victor to 
> review.
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> Victor and Taylor are going to work on this ASAP and the deadline is 
> November first. The resolution will be written up and ready for us to 
> review by this date.
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> Next topic-State convention
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> Is everyone registered?
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> Robert asks if Jason has anything set up for exhibit hall and Jason 
> say s there will be a technology breakout but no exhibit hall.
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> Adding convention info to the sheet he is writing up for the info 
> sheet on meet the blind.
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> Zoom Lobby during convention
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> Victor says the student division is running a trivia night this Friday 
> at 8pm admission is free when you are a student division member, and 
> it is $5 to join in advance and $ at the door. There will be several door prizes.
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> Robert suggests that all register.
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> NABS REP IS Martha Medah and she w crab climb student division drops 
> crabs in a bucket of low expectations and the only way to get up is 
> with $5 big supports they have a form you will fill out and you send 
> in money to support each crab. At the end the crab with the most bids 
> escape the bucket and gets a prize and the highest bidder receives a 
> prize also. Campaign speeches for each of the grabs will be sent out 
> soon on why we should bid on them and the email will have the donation 
> link at the bottom. What effects does substance abuse have on the human brain/brain development?
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> I am choosing this question because many members of my family suffer 
> from substance abuse. I want to have a better understanding of how 
> substance abuse can affect brain development and functions. I also am 
> interested in working with families who struggle with substance abuse 
> in the future and I am curious to see how many families could benefit 
> from this information if they knew the statistics and proper 
> information regarding substance abuse effects on the brain. They take cashapp and PayPal.
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> Next topic- Study being done by Henry T who is a student through Wayne 
> state and he is doing a study related to blindness and suicide and if 
> you are looking to participate Rashid can forward you the email with 
> more info on this survey.
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> Victor motions to close meeting
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> Monet seconds motion granted
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>   meeting adjourned at 9:05 pm
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