[Nfbf-l] Fwd: NFB of Palm Beach March Newsletter

[Tekesha Saffold]

Thanks,


Tekesha Safold 

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Tekesha Saffold" <tnsaffold82 at gmail.com>
> Date: March 1, 2018 at 11:05:28 PM EST
> To: <tnsaffold82 at gmail.com>
> Subject: NFB of Palm Beach March Newsletter
> 
> NFB OF PALM BEACH MARCH NEWSLETTER
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> Let’s recite the NFB Pledge:
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> I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.
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> Greetings Federation Family! The National Federation of the Blind Palm Beach Chapter is honored to have you at our monthly meeting on Saturday March 10th at Duffy’s 11935 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, FL from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. During this meeting, we will have two guest speakers who will be sharing fitness and health tips. If you are not a member, you can join today with an annual membership for only $10. There are many benefits to joining are wonderful chapter to be a part of the NFB family! With love, hope, and determination, we will continue to build the federation!
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> Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much!
> Helen Keller
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> Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary from the NFB Palm Beach Chapter if you are celebrating any special occasions this month. Enjoy each moment like it is your last and many blessings!
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> Chapter Engagement Activity:
> Where: Tropicana lanes
> 2500 North Mango Rd.,
> West Palm Beach, Fl.
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> When: Saturday, March 24, 2018
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> Time: 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.
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> Cost: $10 per person
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> All moneys should be paid to the chapter; not the bowling alley.
> Please RSVP if you are interested; everyone is invited.
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> State Convention Info:
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> The Tampa Chapter and Suncoast Chapter are working diligently in planning an awesome state convention. The state affiliate welcomes all ideas for guest speakers, workshops, and extra activities.
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> The state convention will be held over Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, 2018 at Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore, 2225 North Lois Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607. To make your room reservations, please call the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore at 813-877-6688. When calling, ask for the National Federation of the Blind of Florida Convention room rate (code NFB) of $104.00 per night.  Rooms are reserved on a first-come first-served basis. Your room reservation must be made by May 5, 2018 to guarantee our special hotel rate. Prior to convention the registration fee is $20.00, and the banquet tickets are $40.00 each. The registration and the banquet fee will each increase by $5.00 on Monday, May 7, 2018. So, it is important that we receive your payment by that date to qualify for the pre-registration and banquet package discount. Don't wait, send your Convention Registration in today! If you have questions, please feel free to contact NFBF Treasurer Gloria Mills Hicks at: treasurer at nfbflorida.org or by calling 1-866-342-5080. Also, our National Representative is confirmed, which below is a biography:
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> Pam Allen, First Vice President and Board Chair
> Nonprofit Agency Administrator, Advocate, Community Leader
> Pam Dubel was born in 1970 and grew up in Lancaster, New York. She became blind when she was approximately two years old as a result of retinal blastoma, a type of cancer. Although her parents were shocked by her loss of sight, they fortunately realized that she was still the same child except that she could no longer see. Through love and high expectations, they instilled in Pam a sense of pride and confidence in her ability to succeed. They constantly taught her that her blindness was not a limitation to achieving her goals and dreams.  Growing up as the youngest of six children also helped her learn to be independent. Since she was the youngest, nobody, especially the brother a year older than she, let her get away with anything. Pam attended a private Catholic school, where she was the only blind student. Her itinerant teacher provided a sound foundation in Braille, which helped her excel in academics. Her parents expected her to do her best and to engage in activities that would make her a confident and well-rounded person. She participated in horseback riding, skiing, and cheerleading during elementary school. During high school her interests shifted to performing in chorus, doing community service, and having fun with her friends.
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> While growing up, Pam had limited contact with other blind people her age. In general she had no desire to associate with other blind people. She understood that every high school senior experiences some trepidation about the transition to adulthood and independence. However, as high school graduation approached, she began to grapple with questions that her sighted peers couldn't answer. She planned to attend college, and she hoped that she would eventually find a job, but she secretly wondered if she would truly be able to obtain employment. After all, she had had difficulty finding part-time work during high school. Her loving family and friends encouraged her, but she had questions that went unanswered.  Although she entered college with some apprehension, she was determined to achieve her best. Her small liberal arts college provided an exciting environment in which to learn and grow. But those unanswered questions continued to nag at her. If people were amazed that she could accomplish the most insignificant tasks, would they ever treat her as an equal? She realized that she had to meet other blind people with more experience than she who could serve as role models.
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> Her search exposed her to a wide variety of groups and organizations of and for the blind. However, not until she attended a student seminar hosted by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio did she begin to find the answers for which she had been searching. Although she didn't realize it at the time, that seminar marked the beginning of a new chapter of her life. She met Barbara Pierce, president of the NFB of Ohio, who told Pam about the Louisiana Center for the Blind. More than that, she spoke with Joanne Wilson, its director, who arranged for Pam to complete an internship at the center the following May. As soon as that was completed, Joanne invited her to work as a counselor in the children's summer program that year.
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> Pam was a 1991 National Federation of the Blind scholarship winner when she was a senior at Denison University, where she majored in psychology and minored in women's studies. She served as vice president of the Ohio Association of Blind Students and as secretary of the National Association of Blind Students, and throughout college she worked summers for Joanne Wilson at the Louisiana Center for the Blind with the Children's Program.
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> After graduation from college Pam decided to become a student at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. She recognized that she still needed to gain some confidence in her skills and in her ability to be a successful blind person.
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> Since 2001 Pam Allen has served as the director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind, one of three NFB adult rehabilitation centers. Prior to becoming the director, she served as the director of youth services, working with blind infants and toddlers and their parents, supervising the training of classroom aides to teach Braille throughout Louisiana, coordinating summer camps, and developing innovative programs for blind children and teenagers.
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> People often ask her what makes the Louisiana Center for the Blind such a special place. She responds, "What sets our alumni apart from those of other kinds of rehabilitation facilities? The answer is that, by attending our center and the other centers conducted by Federationists, students are exposed to the National Federation of the Blind and its philosophy. The NFB is more than an organization; it is a loving family. Regardless of where you are, you can find members of the NFB who can give you support and encouragement when you need it. The NFB also provides a constant supply of mentors and role models who challenge you to set goals for yourself.  Lives are positively changed every day at the Center because of the philosophy of the NFB."
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> Allen recalls that she used to believe that she did not need other blind people. She thought that being independent meant succeeding without the help of others. Her involvement with the National Federation of the Blind has taught her that this is not true. She has learned that she needs reinforcement from her blind colleagues and friends.
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> Pam lives in Ruston, Louisiana, with her husband Roland Allen, a dedicated Federation leader and a gifted orientation and mobility instructor at the center. She is currently the president of the NFB of Louisiana and secretary of the National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals. In July of 2002 she was elected to the National Federation of the Blind board of directors. Four years later, in 2006, she was elected to serve as treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind. In 2012, Pam and Roland received the prestigious Jacobus tenBroek Award in recognition of their distinguished service in the Federation. In 2015, Pam was elected as first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind. Allen is also involved in a variety of community and professional organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Louisiana Rehabilitation Council.  She says, "Being elected to the national board has allowed me to give back and to spread the message of our movement. It is an incredible honor and privilege to serve!"
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> National Federation of the Blind National Convention Info:
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> The National Federation of the Blind will hold its annual National Convention during the week of July 3-8, 2018. The convention will be at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, FL.  The 2018 room rates are singles and doubles, $88; and triples and quads, $93. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under seventeen in the room with parents if no extra bed is requested. Please note that the hotel is a no-smoking facility.
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> Call for your reservations at (866) 996-6338 or you may also write directly to the Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. The hotel will want a deposit of $100 for each room and will want a credit card number or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a $100 check. If a reservation is cancelled before Friday, June 1, 2018, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.  Preregister for the convention on the NFB website at www.nfb.org as soon as possible.
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> Fundraiser Info:
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> Introducing our Amazing Trio Bundle raffle!
> All of the details of this raffle are found below for your convenience:
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> The great part about this raffle is that there are 3 prizes and 3 opportunities to win!!! For only $5 individuals will have an opportunity to win:
> 1st prize: I Pad Pro, or the cash value of $800 2nd prize: $500 Uber or Lift gift cards, or the cash value 3rd Prize: $200 Travel voucher, or the cash value
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> Winners do not have to be present to win, and the drawing will take place on July 8, 2018 at our National convention in Orlando.
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> In addition this fundraiser starts once you receive your tickets, and will go through our national convention. If you are not attending the national convention, all tickets, stubs, and funds must be return to Paul Martinez no later than June 30th.
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> If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Paul Martinez by your preferred method of choice by phone 813-390-5720.
> Collaboration made this fundraiser and Collaboration will make this fundraiser successful.
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> Technology: Tips & Tricks
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> Accessibility Phone Support from Microsoft and Apple
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> Microsoft has a Disability Answer Desk (DAD) featuring staff who specializes in assisting customers with disability as well as proving support using accessibility settings in Microsoft products.  Help is available for screen magnifiers, speech recognition software, Microsoft-compatible devices and accessibility features.  DAD, which can be contacted a 1-800-963-5900, is available Monday – Friday from 6 am- 10 pm and weekends from 7 am – 6 pm.  For more information, including a 24/7 chat link, visit Microsoft.com/enable.
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> Apple also offers a telephone support desk specifically for customer who has visual, hearing, motor or learning impairments.  Apple accessibility support is available 24/7 and can be reached at 877-204-3930.  For more information, visit apple.com/support/accessibility.
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> KNFB Reader wants you to make the print yours and expand your horizons. KNFB Reader is a mobile app that reads print aloud. To buy KNFB Reader visit www.knfbreader.com or visit the App Store or the Google Play Store.  If you would like a demonstration or instruction contact Jorge Hernandez at Phone: 305-877-2311 or Email: jeh1065 at comcast.net.
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> Why Amazon's Alexa Is 'Life Changing' for the Blind
> For the blind, Amazon's Echo and Alexa is more than just neat technology; it's a lifeline.
> Jon Kalisz
> PCMag reviews products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Terms of use.
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> Bill Boules, blind since birth, has three Amazon Echos at his home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. and says they've been "life changing."
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> Boules, 42, bought the smart speaker as soon as it came out and found that right away it helped him more easily access audio content on the web. Previously, he had to use a screen reader, which is software that orally announces the contents of a web page.
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> "The Echo is definitely a game changer," Boules tells PCMag. "You can get the information much faster, at least 10 times faster."
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> Now, Boules begins his day by asking his Echo Dot to play the news from NPR and sports highlights from ESPN before heading to work as associate director of rehabilitation and re-integration at the Vision Center of Excellence, an office within the US Navy that assists members of the military and their families who have lost their eyesight. As part of his job, Boules helps clients install and use the Echo. His audio podcast on assistive technology, The AT Junkie, devoted three episodes to reviewing different models of the Echo.
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> Like other blind people, Boules says he "watches TV" even though he's only listening to it. Before he got an Echo, Boules depended on sighted family members to help him find something to watch on his cable TV's on-screen guide.
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> "I'm blind, I can't see the on-screen guide," says Boules. "But I can [access it] independently now. I no longer have to depend on someone else to help me find something to watch."
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> One thing that Boules says blind people in the workforce grapple with is wardrobe selection before going to work. Nobody wants to show up at the office and be told they're wearing a striped tie with a checkered shirt.
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> "Trying to figure out what goes with what, sometimes, if you're by yourself and you don't have anyone to say, 'Hey, don't wear that,' it can be a problem," Boules says.
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> A blind librarian Boules follows on Twitter says that among the ways blind people can make sure they're dressed properly is labelling their garments with tags or QR code labels, using apps that describe clothes and connecting to sighted volunteers. But Boules thinks the Echo Look, which includes a video camera and LED lighting, may hold promise for blind people dressing for work. The device uses machine-learning algorithms and advice from fashion specialists to offer feedback on wardrobe combinations. Amazon's motivation here is clearly to sell you clothes, but the unintended outcome may be a boon for blind workers.
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> "We want to look as presentable as anyone else," says Boules, "and technology like this has some potential to help with that."
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> Christina Brino has four Alexa devices at her home in Pompton Plains, NJ, including the battery-powered Amazon Tap, which she uses outside during the summer. Now retired, Brino once served as the coordinator of the Morris County Office for the Disabled. These days she volunteers at The Seeing Eye in Morristown, NJ, an institution that dates back to 1929 and was the first place in America that trained guide dogs for the blind.
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> Brino uses the calendar skill of her Echo to keep tabs of her schedule. She uses Echo to set timers when she cooks. There's a GrubHub skill for ordering meals delivered to her home and a PeaPod skill to get grocery deliveries from a local Stop 'N Shop store.
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> "You can realize you need something and say, 'Alexa, ask PeaPod.' And then I ask her for what I want and she just adds it to my cart," says Brino. "It'll tell you your delivery time if you schedule it."
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> Alexa makes phone calls for Brino, reads ebooks to her, plays Teen Jeopardy, and wakes her each morning with an alarm that uses the voice of Alec Baldwin.
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> If you think four Echos is a lot for one home, consider the case of Michael May and his wife. They have 10 Echos in the Seattle and Davis, California, homes they share. Both use them to add to their grocery list by talking to their Echos. May also uses it to summon Uber rides for himself and his guide dog Johnny; Echo is "huge in providing part of the equation that I need for independence," he says.
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> And independence has allowed him to flourish. May is the founder and owner of the Sendero Group, a company that makes accessibility products, like a talking barcode reader and GPS software for blind people. His career has included stints working for the CIA as a political risk analyst and automating cash machines for the Bank of California. Of the smart speaker's virtual assistant Alexa, he says, "She's so much a part of my life. I feel like I know her."
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> But Alexa, it turns out, wasn't always Alexa.
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> "The name we had for her was Amy," says Steven Tyler, a Brit who readily admits he has no connection whatsoever to the band Aerosmith. This Steven Tyler serves as director of assistive technology at Leonard Cheshire Disability, a group that supports disabled people around the world.
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> Tyler previously worked at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). While he was there, the organization commissioned a Polish company, Ivona Software, to use its text-to-speech technology to "build voices" for use in providing access to newspapers and magazines for blind listeners. In addition to creating a voice with a Welsh English accent, Ivona developed a female voice named Amy, who became Alexa when Amazon acquired the company in 2013.
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> Tyler says the fact the Echo has proved to be a godsend for blind people is something the disability community should trumpet.
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> "Five years ago, Alexa would have definitely been an accessibility product. Today it's a mainstream product," says Tyler. "It just so happens the Echo ticks all the boxes around accessibility. And it's accessibility in spades!"
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> He notes that while some Echo skills, such as the one for TuneIn Radio and The Guardian newspaper, are well written, some skills expect you to know the magic words to trigger the skill.
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> "In a way, this is the dawning of a new interface where there is no recourse to a screen," says Tyler.
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> "Some touch screens do have accessibility features built in and many blind people have learned the touch gestures needed to use them. A case in point is the Instant Pot digital pressure cooker, which has a Bluetooth app that enables blind consumers to use the appliance with their smartphones. Still, because so many major appliances come with a touch screen that lacks accessibility features, Jim Kutsch, president and CEO of The Seeing Eye, says, "Touch screens now are the enemy [of blind people]." Kutsch and his wife Ginger, who are both visually impaired, have four Echos in their home; Kutsch has another one at the office.
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> Amazon donated 32 Echo Dots to The Seeing Eye, so when blind people come for three plus weeks to work with their new dogs, they have the chance to use the smart speaker in their dorm room. Between 250 and 275 blind people from all over the US and Canada come to The Seeing Eye each year, and in addition to their dog, they return home with a heightened sense of what computer technology can do for them. It's hard not to believe that, as Paul Simon sings in "The Boy in the Bubble," "These are the days of miracle and wonder."
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> The mission of the National Federation of the Blind is to achieve widespread emotional acceptance and intellectual understanding that the real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight but the misconceptions and lack of information which exist. We do this by bringing blind people together to share successes, to support each other in times of failure, and to create imaginative solutions.
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> “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart." Eleanor Roosevelt
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