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Braille Monitor

Vol. 62, No. 5                                    May 2019

Gary Wunder, Editor

Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the

The National Federation of the Blind

Mark Riccobono, President

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THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT; BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.

        ISSN 0006-8829

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Vol. 62, No. 5                                    May 2019

Illustration: Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind

An Outside Expression of an Inner Conviction
by Kathryn Webster

Celebrating 100 Years of Success
by Julie Deden

Freedom Foundation Honors Twin Vision®

Kindness is Greater than Fear: Changing Access Denials by Finding the Roots of Conflict
by Sassy Outwater-Wright

Big Opportunities in a Small Town: Thinking Outside the Box
by Dennis Miller

Leave a Legacy

Facts About Blindness . . . According to Me.
by Joe Orozco

Opening New Doors in Tactile Art with the Help of Arts in Society
by Ann Cunningham

The Power of Commitment
by Nancy Burns

Seminar for Computer Beginners
by Curtis Chong

Shaking Things Up
by Jim Marks

Child Care During National Convention: NFB Camp Infused with BELL Academy Activities
by Carla McQuillan

Blindness Skills: The Only Sure Bet in Vegas!
by Carlton Walker

Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive it with a Smile
by Grace Warn

See You in Washington at the Convention
by Kenneth Jernigan

Recipes

Monitor Miniatures

Copyright 2019 by the National Federation of the Blind

Extending Accessibility in Financial Options for the Blind

One significant role of the National Federation of the Blind is getting blind people in contact with money. At first it was working for enough public assistance so that the blind were not the responsibility of their parents, brothers, and sisters. Now the focus is employment so that we can earn our own money. But what do we do once we’ve earned it? We have to figure out a place to put it. We have to have a way of knowing how much there is, whether we are receiving interest, and whether there are fees that must be paid. All of this argues for accessibility: online accessibility, statements that are accessible, and ATM machines that are usable without sight. The banks, of course, are where most people deposit their money. This is why we have focused on ensuring that all of their services are usable by the blind.

But banks aren’t the only place to keep one’s money. Credit unions are very popular, and those who take advantage of them believe they are superior to banks in many ways. It is important that we have access to the services they provide, and this is why President Riccobono addressed the Credit Union National Association Government Affairs Conference in Washington, DC, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. He talked with them about making all of the services they provide to the public accessible and reminded them that not only must outward facing services be accessible but so too must the machinery of the business so that credit unions across the country can take advantage of talented blind employees. Of course he offered the good offices and the unmatchable resources of the National Federation of the Blind in this effort, and the result will be yet another partnership leading to greater opportunities for those of us who are blind.

An Outward Expression of an Inner Conviction

by Kathryn Webster

From the Editor: Kathryn Webster is the latest in a long line of young men and women who have been chosen by students to head the Federation’s student division, the National Association of Blind Students (NABS). Kathryn is intelligent, motivated, poised, friendly, and welcoming. She is everything we could want in a Federation leader, and here is her most recent contribution to our magazine:

We learn from Jillian Michaels that people believe practice makes perfect, but it doesn’t. If you’re making a tremendous number of mistakes, all you’re doing is deeply ingraining the same mistakes. In high school, I, like many of you, made a ton of mistakes, and I am still reflecting each day to ensure I am not making the same errors. In losing my sight quickly and uncontrollably, I let external pressures overtake my autonomy and even my values. I leaned on those who didn’t believe in me as I shaped my future.

Now I ask myself why? Why did I seek advice from my high school guidance counselor on a weekly basis, when her low expectations were blatant as she pigeon-holed me into colleges that I saw as subpar and incompatible? I had an above average GPA; I proved myself through my scores on standardized tests; I was a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient; I was a cheerleader, ran track, rowed; and the list goes on. On paper, I was worth it. Mostly worth it because, as a blind woman, I felt that I had no choice in the world but to excel more than my sighted counterparts to be given serious consideration in several elements of life. To my guidance counselor, I was not enough solely because of my blindness.

I could have been the valedictorian, but my disability created this blurred line of what I could and could not do, almost literally crossing out my qualifications to prove that something just wasn’t all there. Still, I craved her approval and expertise throughout one of the most defining choices of my teenage years. Socially, I disguised my insecurities with extreme confidence and poise. I wanted to be known for anything in the world but my blindness. Truthfully, I wasn’t even blind. I was a visually impaired girl who wouldn’t use a cane because I was scared of what the cute boys would think. I say this now, and I am simply mortified.

Back then, it was true. I worked out excessively to make sure I had everything else going for me because this prominent defect could only be overcome by excellence and exception in all other aspects of my life. Again and again, I sought thumbs-up from people that were supposed to matter. I pitied myself, but no one would have ever known. On the surface, I was a young independent woman with lots of sass and attitude. Internally, I struggled.

Those repetitive experiences brought me to the lowest point. J.K. Rowling teaches us that rock bottom becomes the solid foundation on which one rebuilds his/her life. Stripping your core to the bare minimum requires grit, dedication, resilience, and most importantly, loving yourself. While I am not proud of some of the actions and choices I made, I am grateful for the wake-up call that allowed those lessons to leave a lasting mark on my character, pushing me toward maturity, authenticity, and true confidence. Had you known me six years ago, you probably could have never imagined me as a successful young adult with a bright and challenging career at a top management consulting firm or the national student president of the most powerful blindness advocacy organization in the world. Had I not encountered those years of struggle and pain, I would never be where I am today.

And now, this idea of leadership and mentorship comes full circle as we reflect on the meaningful conversations we had today. We cannot create leaders without guidance from others. Whether formally or informally, those we look up to have a tremendous impact on our actions and decisions as we progress through our lives.

So far this weekend our Virginia and Mississippi students have learned about branding themselves in a positive and powerful light, understanding that teams are made up of talent from all walks of life. Our national student leaders have learned that our actions are watched and admired. We discussed the idea of first impressions and how each motion we make can be scrutinized and observed by anyone at anytime.

This makes me think of a special day in 2015. I was not yet on the NABS Board, and I was a sophomore at Wake Forest University. From a title perspective, I was nothing in the National Federation of the Blind. I was in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boston at the annual Massachusetts State Convention. As I was chugging down my much-needed coffee, an energetic and curious 18-year-old guy approached me. He was weirdly impressed that I was put together, smiling with my shoulders back and head held high and walking swiftly around the hotel confidently holding a straight white cane in my right hand. This young adult was impressed that I was carrying on with my day as anyone else would, but he was impressed because I was blind.

This young man and I got to talking, and I learned that he was losing his vision faster than he could have even imagined or understood. He was frightened, his family was frightened, and he really thought that his chance of being successful was no longer feasible. These feelings of low self-worth hurt my heart so much. Even more, I felt the pain because I had known that same pain just years prior.

So, how do we fix this pain? How do we, as leaders, leave lasting impressions on our youth so they not only understand, but truly believe that they are remarkable individuals with a shot at greatness? Each of us brings a unique perspective to the table. Some demonstrate leadership by example, others by gentle and intentional guidance, and some through encouraging reflection at the individual level. None of these approaches represent the gold star to leadership. For me, I am a direct and intentional leader, emphasizing accountability and growth. I set higher expectations for people than they do for themselves. I do this because I believe. I believe in pushing oneself to the next level because I want each of us to grab onto our untapped potential and thrive. When we don’t have the internal strength to trust in our actions, we will never take risks and develop as ambitious young people. This young man in Massachusetts didn’t believe in himself. In hearing him share his story with me, I saw a spark in him that radiated throughout our whole conversation. He wanted to be a lawyer, a father, and a husband; most importantly, he wanted to give back to this world. In losing his vision, he couldn’t see how that was possible. I left an impression on him that gave him a glimpse of hope. Each of you have the ability to influence others, but that starts at your core.

Three years later, I share this story with so much pride and joy in the young man that is still developing each and every day. He left his home state and local college to gain blindness skills at one of our NFB training centers. He flew across the country to give himself a chance at greatness. Now, he is a student at a top-notch school with a killer GPA. He is on his way to law school in the next year. Most significantly, he is giving back to our world in a way he never saw as possible. While the first encounter we had brought me sadness, it brought him a sense of hope. This guy, who is a year younger than me, encourages me every day to be more relaxed, less hard on myself, and to create spaces of greater openness. Each day, I teach him to be diplomatic, intentional in his words, and reflective in his actions. Each day, I am so grateful for that day in Massachusetts because it brought hope to someone I now call a brother.

Syed Rizvi serves as first vice president of the largest student organization of blind people in the world. Our peer mentorship to each other brings a sense of challenge to both of us. It is stories like these that make me understand that our interactions leave lasting impacts on everyone; but it is on us to initiate those meaningful moments.

The blindness journey isn’t easy for anyone, but the power of unity and togetherness emphasizes how important it is to advocate for ourselves and others; to pave the path for every single blind person who may walk in the room right after you. We learn from Brad Paisley that “The world tries to clip your wings.” The National Federation of the Blind makes sure you know that you won’t let the world have that much control. Once, I was insecure and scared of tomorrow. Through my transition to accepting my blindness, I masked those insecurities with confidence. I pushed myself to come off as stronger than I felt inside. In doing so, I recognized my self-worth in a way that allowed others to believe it. In our organization, our family, we lean on each other for the pure sense of comfort we so deserve. And, we also learn from our NFB brothers and sisters that there is a world ahead of us that we must grasp onto and run with. Our dreams can start in this room tonight, but it is your ambitious attitude, bright mind, and dedicated soul that will bring these dreams full circle.

I want to leave you with this piece of advice: be true to yourself, be curious about everything, and take risks. You define your future, and we are here to witness your achievements. I promise that the doubt that exists within you is felt by so many others. I also promise you that as we tear down society’s misconceptions of blindness, those doubts will continue to diminish. Keep making me proud.

Celebrating 100 Years of Success

by Julie Deden

From the Editor: Most of us know that Julie Deden is the director of the Colorado Center for the Blind. What may be less clear is who she is as a person. Julie has a son who is twenty-five years old. Dan Burke is her husband, and they married in 2016. She loves to read and go on long walks. She is as kind and gentle a person as you are likely to find, and her sense of commitment to everything she touches is evident. Here is what she has to say about the American Action Fund, an important anniversary, and a fine celebration to commemorate it.

Do you know when the American Action Fund began distributing free Braille calendars? When you think about the American Action Fund, you probably think about that Braille calendar you’ve been receiving for so many years, or maybe you think about Twin Vision books. The latter is a story in itself, one we told at length in the May 2013 issue of the Braille Monitor.

In 1919 the American Brotherhood for the Blind was founded by Florian Baker, a member of the Theosophical Society. His intent was to universally serve all blind people. At that time there were few programs for blind people, and it was nearly impossible to obtain any kind of Braille publication outside schools for the blind.

One hundred years later, now known as the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults (AAF), this organization has distributed thousands of Twin Vision books to blind children and adults, provided Braille books, and most recently has provided drawing kits to blind children so that they can create and access visual images tactilely. These are just a few of the programs that the American Action Fund has sponsored in the last century.

Help us celebrate the AAF’s centenary at our National Convention in Las Vegas. Immediately following the Braille Book Fair, we will host a carnival for everyone where you will learn more about the American Action Fund and its rich history, hear about other exciting programs that the Fund sponsors, and visit several booths to play games, win prizes, and meet special guests. We hope you are one of them!

Who knows how long the Action Fund have been producing calendars? We won’t make you wait till Las Vegas for the answer: they were first produced in 1964.

Freedom Foundation Honors Twin Vision®

From the Editor: Recognition for the work of the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults is nothing new. One event was recorded in the May 1969 issue of the Braille Monitor. We reprint part of that article here as we pave the way for a fine centennial celebration that will take place in July. Here is the way the article was introduced:

[Editor’s Note: The following story is reprinted from the Van Nuys (California) News and was written by the Assistant Editor of the News, Haig Keropian.]

For its “heart” and latest contribution in bringing knowledge, understanding, and inspiration to the blind throughout the world, Twin Vision, an educational arm of the American Brotherhood for the Blind, today possesses the coveted George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.

This honor—as well as the presentation of special Twin Vision awards to Mrs. Rockey (Jay) Spicer, first president of nine-year-old volunteer Twin Vision Action Committee, and William Schiffmacher, for his artistic contributions to the group—highlighted the organization’s annual banquet.

The Freedom Foundation medal was awarded for the Twin Vision production of the Constitution of the United States in Braille. It was presented to Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, blind president of the American Brotherhood for the Blind by Mrs. Theodore Flynn, a member of the awards committee, Los Angeles County Chapter, Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.

In her presentation, Mrs. Flynn said that recipients of the George Washington Honor Medal are judged on the basis of “outstanding achievements in bringing about a better understanding of the American way of life.”

Since its inception, Twin Vision, which maintains its headquarters at 18440 Topham Street, Tarzana, has been cited on many occasions for its books which make it possible for sighted parents to share rewarding reading experiences with their blind children and vice versa.

Twin Vision publications have been sent to schools for the blind, libraries, and homes throughout the nation and in many foreign countries.

Twin Vision honors—the Golden Book Awards—were presented to Mrs. Spicer and Mr. Schiffmacher by Dr. Jernigan and Mrs. Jean Dyon Norris, founder and director of Twin Vision.

The Braille production of the Constitution was sponsored by the Pilot Club of Van Nuys headed by Elizabeth Noble.

Another highlight of the banquet was the presentation of the initial copy of the organization’s new publication “The White Cane Story” to Mrs. Jacobus tenBroek, widow of the late blind president of the American Brotherhood for the Blind. Mrs. Norris said “The White Cane Story” is dedicated to Dr. tenBroek, whose inspirational guidance had made the publication of the book possible.

Dr. tenBroek had taken part in all previous banquets of Twin Vision. His impressive record of courage and accomplishment continues to serve as an inspiration to both the blind and sighted. Reference to Dr. tenBroek’s inspirational work was made by Mrs. Spicer during her acceptance of the Golden Book Award. She in turn was commended for her pioneering efforts with the volunteer Action Committee by Mrs. Norris.

Tributes to the memory of Dr. tenBroek also were given by Dr. Jernigan, who referred to the significant value of the printed page to both sightless children and adults.

He said the blind today are distinguishing themselves as students and in many professional areas of activity. Dr. Jernigan said that “blindness is not a great tragedy,” and that the blind can overcome what he referred to as a “nuisance” handicap. He said the blind seek equal treatment and an equal share of community responsibilities, as well as an equal share in the rewards of community progress and development. “We have hope for the future and confidence in the present,” Dr. Jernigan concluded.

Kindness is Greater than Fear: Changing Access Denials by Finding the Roots of Conflict

by Sassy Outwater-Wright

From the Editor: Not too long ago I was directed to a blog article, and I liked it very much. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to contact its author, but what do you know—she was a part of the National Federation of the Blind’s Massachusetts convention. In this blog entry, which she modified slightly for our publication, Sassy talks about the problem in enforcing the rules about allowing guide dogs and rideshare companies. I observe that many people are angered when they are passed by, but remarkably few people are willing to complain using the monitoring tools we have in place, and still fewer are willing to tell drivers and providers when they have received good service.

As you will soon see, guide dogs and ridesharing services are only a small part of Sassy’s message. They provide the context for a more substantial lesson, one I hope you find as moving as I do. Here is the article:

On my way home from work and medical misadventures in Boston one snowy January night, I had a long trip ahead and was eager to just collapse into my Lyft, pull out my laptop, and work on a presentation due the next day. I was not feeling well, it was bitterly cold, and I was in one of those take-no-crap-from-anyone moods, where the first wrong thing is instantly the last straw.

So when my Lyft driver called and was having trouble finding my address and I talked him in by giving turn by turn instructions, I bit my lip and wanted to be wrong. But I couldn’t ignore my hunch—this guy was going to try and refuse my guide dog. The only thing cuing me into that was his accent.

Yep. I was going there, judging. And I hated myself for it. My bias was showing, and there was nothing good about it.

There are several reasons I hear as to why drivers won’t allow me to get into their vehicles with my guide dog. First is fear. They are scared of my dog. They’re worried the dog will bite them or jump and distract them or ruin their car’s interior. The next most common reason is an allergy. The ADA classifies allergies of life-threatening severity as another disability. So that’s classified in Lyft and Uber policy to the drivers as “being able to perform essential job functions.” They would have to take any passengers who presented themselves for transport. I can’t drive because my eyes don’t work; they don’t give blind people driver’s licenses. Some people cannot be that close to dogs. Similar consideration.

Lastly, you get those who come from cultures or countries where dogs and people don’t mix. Dogs are strays and attack people in many developing nations. Drivers have never heard of a service dog. Disabled individuals do not have access to the rights we do, so seeing someone out with a guide dog is a new experience for many drivers. Dogs are not in-home pets, and the concept of a service dog is one they don’t understand and have probably never had a chance to learn about firsthand. Sure, they’ve read the paperwork and heard about it, but seeing a disabled person out on their own in public is different enough; seeing them with a service dog is incredibly hard to understand when the only thing you’ve seen dogs do where you are from is chase people and get into fights for scraps.

My responses vary. Fear of my dog damaging vehicles or attacking people is laughable. Accidents happen once or twice in a working dog’s career. I pay to have them cleaned, or, like any good dog handler/dog mom, have learned to leap twenty feet to catch all matter of bodily excretions in a relieving bag, which I can whip open in .2 nanoseconds if need be. I’ve done it in a dressing room while trying on bras. Nothing phases me, so no car is in danger from my dog.

And my dog won’t attack anyone. I’d never let someone hurt him to a point where he might feel he needed to defend himself, and he’d never think to do that, so it’s not something I ever worry about. I’ve had nineteen years of dog handling experience at the level of dog training that might easily qualify me as a dog trainer. I can handle pretty much any situation and know what my dog is thinking. It’s just a non-issue.

While a non-issue for me, for someone terrified of dogs, all my assurances aren’t going to do anything for them. There are those who argue but listen to reason, then there are those who just look for a fight. I’ve been refused rides so many times that I have gotten good at reading people from the moment they pull up—if they pull up at all. Some see me with my black Labrador guide in harness standing next to me and drive off before I can talk to them. Most say no and speed off. If they stay to argue, I can usually eventually get them to listen to reason. I don’t like having to report them to Lyft because they will lose their access to drive. They’ll lose their job. That doesn’t feel good to anyone. But standing there in the cold with no ride because I’m blind and work with a guide dog doesn’t feel good either.

This gentleman had an Arabic accent. I know that sound anywhere, because I grew up surrounded by it. I grew up in an Arabic household, and I know the nuances of why many in Arab cultures fear dogs being too close to them. I should be the last person thinking that this man was going to refuse to transport my guide dog. Besides, I know how to explain it if it comes to that. They’re not the ones I usually worry about, because I can talk to them. I can reason with them. The angry ones who won’t listen a) don’t have a particular ethnicity or country of origin despite popular harmful theory, and b) you can’t reason with rage-fueled hate. This is just fear, I told myself.

I “powered up” before striding toward the car, my guide dog working at my side. I call it powering up when I push past the emotions I’m feeling, the anger and the fear, because those won’t get me anywhere in an advocacy situation, and it’s not about me. When it’s their fear or misunderstanding, it’s about what I can offer to support and teach them, if they’ll listen, and I’m in a place where I can offer. Like powering up battle armor or putting up an onstage persona, emotions aren’t answers; they’re pieces of data. I needed to be clinical and not center myself, even though I was the center of this possible access problem. His reaction to me was the crux of the problem. I can’t change my blindness; he can change his perspective.

I walked up to the car and put my hand on top of the passenger side window, which he had rolled down. And sure enough: “You’re with the dog? I can’t take you. I can’t take the dog.”

“Federal and state law say that you must take me, this is a guide dog. If you do not take me, you may lose your job with Lyft.”

“That’s okay. I’ll lose my job. I can’t take the dog.”

“Why?”

“I’m scared. I can’t take the dog. He will hurt me.”

“No, he won’t hurt you. He is a trained guide dog.”

At this point, the passenger sitting in the back transferred to the front (it was a shared ride), and the driver watched as I pulled out my phone. “Either I call the police and report this to Lyft, or you let me and my guide dog get into your car and you take me home.”

I asked in Arabic: “Do you speak Arabic? Are you Muslim?”

He answered with an emphatic “no” and kept insisting he couldn’t take the dog; but he didn’t pull away, and I could tell he didn’t want me to call Lyft. He was torn.

So eventually he let me get in, and my guide dog lay obediently on the floor under and behind my legs, where he couldn’t reach the driver or sit up much because my legs were in his way. He snuggled up to my boots and was snoring a couple minutes after we got on the road. He was fast asleep and stayed that way the whole ride.

My heart was racing though. I didn’t know if this driver I just argued with was trustworthy or if I had just angered him. He could do anything to me.

He dropped the other passenger off, and it was just us. I clutched my phone in my hands, thinking: “What will I text people if something goes very wrong?” I typed a quick text message to my husband that I was concerned for my safety.

The moment the door closed behind the other passenger, it was like a light switched on. The driver looked back at me. “You speak Arabic?” he asked in Arabic, hopefully. It was an unspoken coded message between us, meaning: “Are you safe? Do you hate me because I’m Arab? Is it okay for me to be real and myself in front of you or will you treat me with hate and discrimination simply because I’m Arab?”

I got it instantly and gave him the most genuine, kind smile I could find, not even knowing if his eyes were on the road or on me. “Yes, I do. I’m safe. You’re okay.”

“Can I tell you why I’m so scared of your dog?”

At my gentle nod, he launched into a halting half-English, half-Arabic tale of being bitten by a dog while he was working. A dog attacked him out of nowhere while he was making a delivery, and he needed many shots to recover from the attack. He was petrified, driving with my dog inches from him.

I nodded my understanding and carefully explained the ADA. He asked about my upbringing and how I came to know how to explain disabilities and laws to him in Arabic? He also wanted to know why I was being kind and educating him? He was used to anger and hate from people. And he acknowledged that I had every right to be angry with him for his initial refusal to transport me with my service dog.

I wrote another text to my husband to let him know I was fine; there would be no further worrying. I understood what had happened. The driver’s explanation did not negate the argument we had earlier, but he was listening avidly to everything I said about guide dogs and the ADA. He was trying mightily to be brave enough to get me and my guide dog home because he respected that I deserved the same access to services as everyone else. No law can lessen his fear of my large dog though. Not after the horrific trauma he had experienced. So we were quietly empathetic to one another in that ride. And the shared cultural experience of both being aware of the hatred Arabs experience in America every day was the bridge that melted that initial tension and fear. We were instant friends and allies because both of us know what it is like to be so misunderstood and to fight for basic kindnesses every day of our lives.

We talked for a long time as we inched through traffic—about Africa, religions, history, baby names, and choices of faith.

I learned he was going to be a first-time father to a little baby boy in one week. We talked about good names. We talked about love, people, sacrifice, and kindness in how we listen to others and don’t center ourselves when it’s not about us, but about their emotions being the block to a resolution.

When we pulled up to my house, I said: “I’m going to have my dog stand up and get out of the car behind you on the driver’s side so he doesn’t have to turn around. His face will be close to you, but I’ll keep my hands here so he can’t touch you. Is that okay?”

To my surprise, he got out of the car and held the door open for me. “It’s okay,” I said. “He’s going to jump out right there. You can back away so he isn’t close to you. I’ve got him on his leash, see?”

“It’s safe. I’m safe with him, I know,” he said, smiling. “He’s nice. He’s quiet. What’s his name?”

“Ferdinand.” I slung my backpack across my shoulders, and Ferdie wagged at the driver in greeting but pulled on me. He was hungry, it was his dinnertime, and his house was right there!

“Thank you,” the driver said in Arabic. “You were very kind to me. I apologize. Thank you for teaching me and understanding why I was so scared.”

“You don’t need to apologize for being afraid. You were willing to listen and be brave for me, and that is a great kindness. It’s a law, but the kindness goes further tonight. I understand. I’m glad I could help you learn and help you understand my side of the story.” We parted with a firm handshake and a smile, and I called back: “Enjoy your new little son soon, Baba!” Baba is the Arabic word for father.

That simple encounter changed us both a little bit. It made me a better, more aware and empathetic and responsive advocate. And it taught my driver about guide dogs and that there are plenty of people who love having men like him here in this country, no matter where they come from, because they are kind and brave.

Big Opportunities in a Small Town: Thinking Outside the Box

by Dennis Miller
                       
From the Editor: Missouri is a rural state with a lot of farmland and many small towns separated by a considerable distance. In most of these there is no bus service, no taxicabs, and though you can bring up the rideshare app of your choice, there simply are no rides to be had. It is a given for people who live in a small town that one will have a car or a pickup truck that they can drive, so many people who are blind take as an article of faith the idea that the only way for us to be independent is to move to a place large enough to meet our basic transportation needs.

Although for many this is a choice, for some it is not. Perhaps they are unwilling to part from the family support which is the primary focus of their lives. Some blind people are themselves the support for their loved ones as they take care of older parents or siblings who cannot take care of themselves. So what do you do when you’ve gone through school, have gotten rehabilitation money to get a college degree, and find yourself in a small town here in Missouri?

The answer to this question can be found in part in the presentation made to the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri on March 23, 2019, by Dennis Miller, a member of the Missouri affiliate who is blind and significantly hard of hearing. In these remarks he provides concrete examples of how he has managed to get work and some uncomfortable examples of why we sometimes fall short of the goal he has achieved. Push for what you want, but don’t just wait; do what you can until you can do what you want to do. The need to survive should make this clear, but sometimes programs that are intended as a safety net end up being a lifeboat. The problem is that a lifeboat is never intended to be a vessel on which someone lives permanently. It is way too small and has none of the necessities most of us require and take for granted. Over time that lifeboat is transformed from a safe refuge to a prison, and far too often we don’t realize that we are making a choice to stay in it. Staying in the lifeboat occurs when we decide to give up on seeking employment or pretend to ourselves that there are just so many choices out there that we can’t bring ourselves to make one. Here is what Dennis said about finding employment where he wants to live as a part of living the life he wants:

Thank you, President Wright. What an honor it is for me to be here among you folks today. This is only my second National Federation of the Blind convention, and I’m very much enjoying it.

I’ve known Shelia Wright for almost thirty years now, and when we first met it was at an agency called Blind Focus. While I was a student there, and I was going through a lot of difficult adjustments, this lady was kind enough to shepherd me through all of it. Ever since that point, when she has asked me to do something, I’ve asked three questions: when, where, and how much am I getting paid? After a few years I realized that the answer to the third question wasn’t going to change, so now I just ask when and where.

I want to talk briefly today about my experience living in a small town and being employed. The residents of my small town may not like some of the things I say, but so be it. Actually Kirksville is a very small community of 17,000 people. It’s ninety miles to the north of Columbia, and some of you in your lifetime have probably had the misfortune of traveling through it on your way to somewhere else. Kirksville is one of these towns where once you’ve gone to the Walmart supercenter, you’ve about seen everything.

But Kirksville is my home. It is where I was born and raised. It is where I went to school as a totally blind person and graduated from the university there. When I graduated from Truman State University, the district supervisor for Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (who has since been put out to pasture) told me that if I ever wanted to be employed, I had to leave Kirksville. He said there was absolutely nothing for me and Kirksville. For a while I thought he might be right.

I graduated with a degree in broadcast communications and minored in political science. I spent several years living out my dream in radio, but I left radio because there was very little money in it, and unfortunately there’s very little need for humans anymore. It’s become almost totally automated.

I worked several years in the independent living industry, and I wanted to do something different. I really liked the idea of thinking outside the box, maybe doing some things on my own. And I think this may be the major focus of my talk today.

Sometimes when you live in a small community, opportunities come down and hit you on the head. If you are there, and if you’re willing, you can take advantage of them. The first opportunity I was given was to spend six years as a contract Braille instructor for an entity over in Milan, Missouri, which is even smaller than our town of Kirksville. Milan is about thirty-five miles to the west. Some of you may remember the young man I helped, because he won an NFB scholarship and took that on to Northwest Missouri State University where he graduated with honors. He’s now married and very happy and very gainfully employed. So I was given an opportunity that required my being in the right place at the right time and being willing to think outside the box, being willing to do something that I couldn’t imagine myself doing. I never thought of being a teacher. I hated school. But being a teacher was what I’ve been in one form or another since 2000.

My experience with the Braille instructor position led to a contract with TAPI [the Telecommunications Program for Internet], a wonderful program operated by the Missouri Assistive Technology Project that provides equipment and instruction to help blind people get on the internet. But after you do so much training in a small town like Kirksville, you run out of people who need it.

The next question I asked myself was where am I going from here? In the summer of 2006 I happened to overhear a conversation among parents who had blind children who were being homeschooled. The state of Missouri had already passed a law that requires all graduating seniors to have a working knowledge of the state and the United States constitutions. That applies to everyone, whether you are in a public school or being educated in a private or homeschool. These parents were commiserating among themselves, saying, “We don’t think we know enough to be able to teach this. We don’t have the skills. What are we going to do? We barely understand the Constitution ourselves. How are we going to teach these crucial documents to our children?”

One of the parents said, “I think Dennis has a background in political science.”

That piqued their interest, and they turned to me and said, “Would you be interested in teaching a civics class for children who are homeschooled, both middle school and high school students?”

My first thought was that I had never taught a group before, but almost immediately my second was that I would certainly give it a try. They also said, “While you’re teaching that, would you mind teaching a public speaking course?” So that’s how my experience in teaching large groups of kids went, teaching civics and public speaking. I developed my own way of teaching civics because there was no set formula. I wasn’t in a public classroom; I was in a private setting where I could kind of do my own thing. I decided that instead of using a textbook, I would teach directly from the documents themselves. This means that I taught directly from the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Missouri Constitution. I had a lot of success with that. The kids seemed to like that it was very interactive. They were encouraged to ask questions and to venture answers.

We came to Jefferson City every year to meet with their senators and representatives. One year we had a particular representative who took a strong interest in our class. I can’t remember the issue (I suspect it was not a major one), but it was up for a vote. Our representative walked over to the kids and said, “How should I vote on this?” They listened to the debate, they told him, and then they were able to see him go vote in the way they had suggested. That may have been how he was going to vote anyway, but it was a different way of doing things that said to them that what they thought mattered.

This year is actually the first year I have not taught that civics class because, through my teaching of that, I have built a reputation as a good teacher. So when the city of Kirksville got a grant for this teaching of English as a second language, they turned to me, and I accepted. We have two manufacturing plants, one in Milan and one in Kirksville. Many of their employees are from African speaking nations as well as some Latin American nations. We have people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Togo, the Ivory Coast, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Venezuela, Panama, and Puerto Rico. There are a wide variety of people, but it works.

I happen to go to church with the lady who is responsible for that grant, and I asked her “How do you do that?” She said, “What we really need are volunteers who are willing to talk to the adults. Dennis, you would be perfect at that because you have such a strong curiosity and interest. I think it is something that you would really enjoy, and they would enjoy you.”

I promised her that I would give it a try. For those of you who don’t know, I do have some hearing difficulties. I have a cochlear implant which I got a couple years ago, but I wasn’t quite sure how it would work out. I said, “Okay, I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to do this, but I will give it a try.” I started the job in January of 2018, and they kept asking me to increase my hours. I started out doing this just one day a week, and that went until the end of the school year. They then wrote my position into the grant so that I could teach more hours and actually get paid. The request to increase my hours has continued, and it has been the most rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life. I love every second of it. I would not trade it for the world.

So why do I bring all this up? I bring it up because when I came to my first convention in 2006, I didn’t know I could’ve imagined my doing any of those things. I was not a teacher. I knew nothing about teaching. I didn’t even like books unless I was reading them for myself for pleasure. The point that I have come here to make is that we need to be willing to think outside the box. When an opportunity comes your way, don’t be afraid to say, hey, I’d like to try that. A lot of times what happens is that we go to school, we get a degree, and we don’t find a job within a certain amount of time in the area in which we got our degree. We then give up. Yes, the unemployment rate among blind people and people with disabilities in general is extremely high. Some of that is because we are not given the opportunities that we deserve, but, in my opinion, some of that is that we don’t take advantage of all the opportunities that are out there. [applause] You know, if someone said, “Dennis, do you want to collect trash out of the street?” I would have to admit that that is not a job that I would really want to do, but keep in mind that somebody has to do it.

When I started as a civics teacher, it was as a volunteer. The same is true for the ESL class. As I said, they then rolled me into the grant so that I can get paid. Now maybe I didn’t want to start out as a volunteer, but they needed the work done, and I wanted the challenge. Had I not taken that opportunity, someone else would’ve. That somebody else would now be written into their grant, and I would not be working every week.

So my real point in all of this is that when you are looking for a job, be willing to explore—be willing to explore, be willing to experiment, be willing to try something different. If I had an advanced bachelor’s degree in chemistry and I couldn’t find a job in chemistry, I’d probably be upset, but it really comes down to do you want to work or do you want to stay at home? Sometimes I think we limit ourselves because we’re not willing to think outside the box. We too often tell ourselves that we are above this job, or this job isn’t what I want. I know that when I graduated from college, if you would have come to me and asked if I wanted to teach immigrants English, I would’ve said absolutely not. No way! But as I said, this has become the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life, and it is now something I would not trade for the world.

I leave you with this plea and challenge: be willing to try, be willing to expand your horizons, be willing to dream, be willing to go into an area that is outside your comfort zone. I had never been around immigrants before; I told you I live in Kirksville, Missouri. I didn’t even know we had immigrants. I just assumed somebody else did all of those factory jobs. But these people have become some of my best friends. I am extremely comfortable around them, and they are very comfortable around me. They look at me outside of the classroom as somebody they can rely on to help them if they get in a difficult position. But again that is an opportunity that, had I not been willing to take that chance and take that risk, would’ve gone to somebody else. Don’t limit yourself. Never think that something isn’t right for you until you have taken the opportunity to try it. It’s okay to try it and not like it. I did not particularly enjoy working in the independent living center—it wasn’t my thing. I did it because it was a job, and I needed to work. How do you know if you don’t like something until you try it?

Some of you in here may remember a man named Casey Kasem. He’s probably too old for some of you. Back when I was a small boy, Casey Kasem had a weekly show on the radio called America’s Top Forty. He always ended the show with the same signature line, and I’m going to end my presentation in the same way. “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”

Leave a Legacy

For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and adults.

With your help, the NFB will continue to:

• Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille;
• Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need;
• Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind youth that science and math are within their reach;
• Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities;
• Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence; and
• Fund scholarship programs so that blind people can achieve their dreams.

Plan to Leave a Legacy

Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear creating a will or believe it’s not necessary until they are much older. Others think that it’s expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary. Visit www.nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality.

Invest in Opportunity

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. A donation to the National Federation of the Blind allows you to invest in a movement that removes the fear from blindness. Your investment is your vote of confidence in the value and capacity of blind people and reflects the high expectations we have for all blind Americans, combating the low expectations that create obstacles between blind people and our dreams.

In 2018 the NFB:

• Distributed over seven thousand canes to blind people across the United States, empowering them to travel safely and independently throughout their communities.
• Hosted forty-eight NFB BELL Academy programs, which served more than three hundred and fifty blind students throughout the United States.
• Provided over one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships to blind students, making a post-secondary education affordable and attainable.
• Delivered audio newspaper and magazine services to 118,900 subscribers, providing free access to over four hundred local, national, and international publications.
• In the third year of the program, over three hundred fifty Braille-writing slates and styluses were given free of charge to blind users.

Just imagine what we’ll do next year, and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years to come. Below are just a few of the many diverse, tax-deductible ways you can lend your support to the National Federation of the Blind.

Vehicle Donation Program

The NFB now accepts donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation—it doesn’t have to be working. We can also answer any questions you have.

General Donation

General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they want. Donate online with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit www.nfb.org/make-gift for more information.

Bequests

Even if you can’t afford a gift right now, including the National Federation of the Blind in your will enables you to contribute by expressing your commitment to the organization and promises support for future generations of blind people across the country. Visit www.nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.

Pre-Authorized Contribution

Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdraw of funds from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, visit www.nfb.org/make-gift, and complete the Pre-Authorized Contribution form, and return it to the address listed on the form.

Facts about Blindness … According to Me

by Joe Orozco

From the Editor: The following is taken from the Vigilant, the newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia. Many of its articles are good reads, but we highlight this one in particular. Joe Orozco originally published this in his blog. He is the editor of the newsletter, and here is his offering:

What have you always wanted to know about blind people but were always too afraid to ask? My thoughts are not the definitive view on the subject. Contrary to popular assumption, we’re not all related to each other, and our opinions are as diverse as the people that make up this small segment of society. Still, it’s a good start.

Will it offend you if I refer to you as blind?

Actually, “blind” is preferable to visually challenged, seeing impaired, sight handicapped or any of a growing combination of politically correct terms. These attempts at politeness are fumbling conversation starters and only confuse the bottom line that I can’t see as well as you can. There was a point when the fact that I am not totally blind would have prompted me to correct another person’s understanding of my visual acuity, but let’s start with blind and then work our way into color, lighting, and depth.

Has your hearing improved to compensate for the loss of your sight?

A person may concentrate more on his hearing when the eyes don’t work, but concentration is a far cry from the pinpoint-sonar people attribute to blindness. Actually, my hearing feels below average compared to what I notice other people pick up. Whatever you do, please do not ever go to the other extreme and raise your voice at me. I’m an easygoing person, but my cane may find its way to your ankle at high velocity. What, I’m blind, and you were in my way!

For what it’s worth, my sense of smell also seems supremely underwhelming.

What is one of the most misunderstood aspects about blindness?

“Blind people are so cool because they don’t judge others by appearance…” Yeah right. First, appearance has more to do with overall presence, not just physical characteristics. Second, we’re every bit as observant as anyone else, and while my ears and nose may not be anything to write home about, I would have never dated a girl whose voice got on my nerves or whose body odor made my skin crawl. Also, don’t be surprised if we ask our sighted friends to give us their assessment of you. I would have personally not have taken a friend’s opinion at face value, but if enough people pointed to the same flaws, I might start believing—where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and all that. Rest assured your judgment of me will never measure up to the harsh criticisms of a fellow blind person…

What advice would you give to someone who’s just lost their sight?

Blindness is pretty dull as far as disabilities go. Maybe it’s a matter of perception, but I would think we’d be far worse off if we could not hear, walk on two legs, or labored with a mental illness that prohibited traditional interaction. No doubt there are representatives of these conditions who would tell you their life is every bit as fruitful as ours and list ways they too are misunderstood. See what I mean about blind people and prejudice? My point is that, assuming blindness is the only characteristic, your life will shift to new ways of doing things, but it’s hardly a dramatic alteration.

Did you see that movie? Wait, sorry, did you hear it?

Let’s not get hung up on semantics. Yes, I saw the Harry Potter movies, at least the first three, and I don’t know that the British did the stories justice.

Think of it a different way: I’m pretty sure deaf people could be backhanded as much for what they say as what they sign.

Do you ever get depressed because of your blindness?

I went through my brief periods of depression. I went from good sight to nearly nothing and am therefore aware of what I lost. I don’t know that I ever felt overwhelmed. I had good teachers, high parental expectations, and enough blind role models among peers to know things would ultimately be okay. That is not always the case, and if you are one who still struggles with your condition, drop me a note. We’ll talk through it.

Don’t get me wrong. You never stop wishing you could drive a car or see the faces of loved ones. With time you learn to cope and find other ways of enjoying similar sentiments. When the day comes that I am totally blind, I will come back and reread this passage, and I’ll do my best to remember that things did not go completely off the rails when I first started noticing the deterioration of my sight when I was a kid. I have had so many great experiences and have met so many great people that I would otherwise have never met if I weren’t blind.

If you could undergo a surgical procedure to restore your sight, would you?

Any surgical procedure has risks. I could gamble away what little sight I have left, and to take the leap of faith would suggest I am dissatisfied with my current condition. I would give it long thought but would probably pass.

How do you cross lighted intersections without help?

When I had Gator, my first Seeing Eye dog, people assumed it was the dog that did the intelligent crossing. I suppose there could be a way to get around the color blindness, but I am alive today mostly owed to my own common sense and good education. At its simplest, you cross with parallel traffic, which is to say the flow of traffic moving in the same direction as you. There are complicated intersections where the traffic flows aren’t as straightforward as east/west immediately following north/south, or streets crossing at a slant as is true of downtown DC, and in those cases I don’t mind standing at the corner studying the pattern until I feel comfortable enough to venture out. I may look foolish standing out there on the corner, but at least I’ll be around to enjoy people’s comments about my foolishness. Eventually I walk a route enough times to measure the distance between lights, and if I’m in a hurry, I may start paying attention to my parallel traffic halfway down the block to get a rough sense of how much time I have to cross when I arrive at the corner.

Regardless of the intersection, I’ve learned not to follow the flow of pedestrians. Too many people cross on red lights, and I am not one of those people who would jump off a bridge if all my friends got together and decided to do so.

For your reference, guide dogs do not know when to cross an intersection; however, they do know how to intelligently disobey their handler. A guide dog will not cross a street if it sees an oncoming vehicle. It will not deliberately walk a pedestrian off a train platform. Now, one could argue these skills can be attributed to superb training, and maybe that is true. Yet I’m thinking the dog is invested in its own survival. We just happen to be holding its harness.

What are some of the social aspects of being blind you wish people understood?

Speaking for myself, I don’t really look forward to buffet lines. Independence is partially about looking graceful, and in my opinion there is nothing graceful about feeling around for serving spoons and running the risk of dipping a finger in the casserole, embarrassing yourself and making the other guests feel dubious about where your fingers may’ve been. There are methods to handling such tasks of course. You could move your hand inward over the table surface, find the rim of the dish, and move around its edge until you find the utensil. I paid attention in my independent living classes. Yet independence is also about seizing conveniences, so you could also just ask someone to help load your plate and go on about your business. I feel far more confident about carrying a tray and drink to my table than I do about navigating someone else’s logic about the way dishes should be laid out.

I walk fast when I walk alone. In fact I experience my own version of pedestrian’s sidewalk rage, but I feel slow and stumbling when walking with someone else because my attention is divided between carrying a conversation and stopping myself from colliding with a lamppost. In some cases I would rather walk with a hand on the person’s elbow to ensure the smooth continuity of both our conversation and our journey. This is especially true in crowded restaurants.

Something else that comes to mind is my attitude about how the rest of the world perceives me. As I grow older it matters less. If truth be told it probably never mattered enough, but there was a point when I wondered about the stain on my shirt or the syrup on my cheek or the rip in my jeans. If you saw either on a fellow sighted person, you would attribute it to laziness or wouldn’t think of it at all. If you saw this on a blind person, however, your first thought might be that it was because the person was blind. I’d like you to point it out to me in the spirit of open communication. No one likes to walk around attracting the wrong kind of attention, but don’t be surprised to discover that I can be every bit as careless or clumsy as you.

When you see me board a train or bus, it’d be nice if you offered me the seat near the door. I will turn you down, but it’s the thought that counts. My independence will not be threatened by the same type of courtesy I would extend if I were sighted and came upon a blind person. To that end, I may not always take advantage of the discounts and freebies offered to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. If I don’t, chalk it up to a desire to equally contribute to society and not because I am an ungrateful person. I worked hard to be a taxpayer.

How do you handle household chores as a blind person?

When I cook I first ensure the location of all supplies and ingredients. I memorize the heat level for the dial positions on the stove and oven. I use a fork to test the state of cooking meat or vegetables. I also listen for changes in the way the food sizzles to gauge states of readiness. There are tactile dots on the microwave and other appliances with touch screens. I now rely on my iPhone to keep track of time and will probably use the iPhone in the future to find recipes. Otherwise, I follow basic safety steps like using oven mitts when pulling pans from the rack. If I don’t cook more often, it’s partially because I’m a perfectionist, and what should take an hour to prepare often takes me two. Blind or sighted, nothing works better in cooking than tasting the meal in progress.

The proper way for a blind person to sweep a floor is to do so in bare feet. The idea is that you can feel whether or not you are catching all the dirt and grime. I’m not above such strategies. I just find vacuums much faster. I periodically check with my hand if a wooden floor seems fine. Carpets are a little more difficult, but the way that usually works for me is to vacuum in continuous patterns to ensure every inch is covered at least three times. The same is true of scrubbing tubs, cleaning toilets, wiping counters, and washing dishes.

Laundry is straightforward. For the moment I can still distinguish colors, but when I can no longer do so, I have different baskets for lights and darks. I’ve marked the machines. My stepmother would be disappointed to learn I no longer iron as often as I did in high school or even college, but that too is a process of orientation and using your hands to smooth, flatten, and iron in patterns for equal coverage.

Remodeling is also doable. There are blind people far more handy with tools than I will ever be, so let’s just be clear then when I say “remodeling,” in my case it means moving furniture up and down stairs, into and out of trucks, and from one end of the house to the other. My point here is that blind people are not inept, can lift heavy objects, and are perfectly capable of helping you move.

Until then, is there anything I missed? Or, is there something I got wrong? That’s technically impossible since so much of what I wrote is subjective, but alternative views are always welcomed in the comments.

Opening New Doors in Tactile Art with the Help of Arts in Society

by Ann Cunningham

From the Editor: Ann Cunningham is an artist with a significant reputation, but most of her career accomplishments of late have been found in introducing blind people to the world of art. She has been a pioneer in working on techniques that allow her to share one of her significant life interests with people who are generally not thought to be capable of enjoying or participating in art. Here is what she has to say about a recent grant received in recognition of the work she is doing:

This year I am celebrating my twentieth anniversary of teaching art at the Colorado Center for the Blind (CCB). As I inch toward retirement, I was concerned that the art program would fade away if I didn’t take some action to make sure that a succession plan was in place. To me, this meant that I needed to find a teacher to take the program over after I left.

When I first came to the Center in 1998, I was seeking help with a public art commission at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in Colorado Springs. My only concern was to make a good piece of art that was also accessible and meaningful to students.

I found the folks at the Colorado Center were happy to help me with critical advice about my approach to my project. I was also introduced to a student who was in the middle of a complex project. He was creating a tactile map of a large hotel in Atlanta, the site of the National Federation of the Blind Convention in 1999. This student asked if I could read floor plans.

And so my education began. David James, the student I was working with, clearly instructed me as we made stairs out of popsicle sticks: “Ann, make a set of stairs. Now close your eyes and make another set and pay attention to how you do it. Make as many as you need to until you figure out what you are doing. Next tell me.” That was the beginning and has remained the foundation of how I teach. I learned about how genuine accessibility and effective communication can create an inclusive learning environment.

The next year I offered to teach. For many years I was just trying to find the edge of the envelope of what kind of art my students could make. We never did find that limit, and I now know that people who are blind are no more limited in their potential than a person with sight. Creative vision does not discriminate!

When I heard about the Arts in Society grant, I couldn’t help but think that this might enable me to explore the idea of offering training to a person who was interested in teaching art who was blind. I had a student in mind, and I wrote the grant. Her name is Jenny Callahan, and she had gone blind overnight about two years before I met her in my art class. She had just recently graduated from the Center when this opportunity presented itself.

We were awarded the grant in 2017, and the adventure began. It was not easy for Jenny and me to form this new partnership. This is where the true value of the grant became apparent: I felt a huge obligation to make it work or give it back. So when we ran into an obstacle, we would collect ourselves and try again.

Our big breakthrough came when I finally understood that even though she did indeed want to teach art, she had her own ideas about what she’d teach and how she was going to go about it! It seems funny, looking back now, that the key trait that anyone needs in the arts is creative thought, and that was what was getting in our way. Once I understood that I could best serve our goals by guidance and not instruction, we made headway. We began seeking out specific information to help Jenny accomplish her goals. This has taken the form of offering and taking workshops. We have also been able to order tools and materials for new techniques of art making for community projects.

The Arts in Society also allowed Jenny to test her abilities when she was able to conceive of and organize a large community project in Orlando, Florida, at the National Federation of the Blind Convention. She invited anyone interested to stop by and contribute as much or as little as they wanted in the construction of a huge colorful octopus, “Calypso.” It was then displayed in the main convention hall where 3,000 attendees could appreciate the work of their cohorts.

During this grant we have had the chance to work with Marie Gibbons to learn hand-built clay techniques. Jenny is working with an intern from Katie Caron’s ceramic class at Arapahoe Community College to set up the art room at the Center so that Jenny can offer wheel-thrown pottery instruction. We took a class on costuming from Virgil Ortiz at the Colorado Fine Arts Center. Now we are getting ready to take an anatomy class from the Zahourek Systems Anatomy in Clay learning series. These opportunities were made possible by the grant and are essential in building Jenny’s repertoire of creative options.

Our community is growing. Just as I was instructed by my first student, all my students became my instructors. Jenny is now teaching 3D sculpture at CCB on Fridays. She is offering paper mâché, chicken-wire float sculptures, alabaster stone carving, hand-building clay techniques, wax sculpture to be cast in bronze, and whatever else she cares to do! Soon she will also be able to offer wheel-thrown ceramics!

I am teaching a twenty-three-week program to all the students at the Center on tactile drawing. It includes concepts of perspective, drafting and STEM illustrations (charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams), as well as creative self-expression. And the great news is I am working with a staff member from the Center who is proving to be an adept teacher herself as she quickly learns the concepts and then assists me in teaching. My fingers are crossed that she will be interested in continuing!

This Arts in Society grant continues to make an impact every Tuesday and Friday in art classes at the Colorado Center for the Blind, and on the third Tuesday evening of each month at Tactile Art Club. If you would like to stop by and observe either class, please contact me at: [email protected] to make arrangements. Or if you would like to join us for Tactile Art Club please send me your email address, and we will send you an invitation with times and location. Everyone is welcome!

Marie Gibbons: http://www.mariegibbons.com
Katie Caron: http://katiecaron.com/About
Virgil Ortiz: http://virgilortiz.com
Zahourek Systems: https://www.anatomyinclay.com

The Power of Love and Commitment

by Nancy Burns

From the Editor: Nancy Burns is well known to readers of the Braille Monitor. She has a life filled with rich experiences, and what is so fantastic for readers of the Braille Monitor is that she knows how to share them. Here is what she has to say about her public education and the role that Dr. Isabelle Grant played in it:

Commitment is a commonly used word in today’s vocabulary. Television commercials may boast of a commitment to giving the buyer the best deal if you purchase a car from this dealership. Banks or loaning agencies may boast of being committed to providing customers with the best rates. Every business, from grocery stores to shoe stores, may boast of their commitment to providing customers with the lowest price. All of these promises seem to dilute the true meaning of commitment since they are tossed around so frequently and casually.

The National Federation of the Blind exemplifies the true meaning of commitment. This organization, which stretches from coast to coast and from Alaska to Puerto Rico, provides sincere commitment to the blind, visually impaired, and to their friends and family. At the root of this commitment is a philosophy, the cornerstone of which is the belief that blind people will lead happy and productive lives if they have a positive attitude and the proper training.

The best way for this writer to explain commitment is to share some of my own personal experiences. At the age of eleven I suddenly lost my vision as the result of a traumatic injury to both eyes. This took place in Southern Missouri, where I grew up and attended school. My parents knew nothing about blindness and mostly survived on denial and were certain that the next of numerous surgeries would restore my vision. This, however, did not happen.

A representative from our local school board visited and told us about a school for the blind in St. Louis. I was sent, although reluctantly, to this school, and that was the best thing that ever happened. It became the beginning of the belief in myself as I saw active blind students. They roller skated, swam, and carried around large Braille books which were used to do their homework assignments. Shortly after enrolling, I was taught Braille, and I soon found that I too could skate, swim, and read my assignments in Braille.

As I was ready to begin the tenth grade, my mother told my sister and me that we were moving to California. We were not pleased with this decision, but the move was made.

It was assumed that I would again attend a school for the blind, but this was not the case. We were living in the Los Angeles area, and the California School for the Blind was in Northern California. This transition in my life was yet another important turning point. I was enrolled in a large, metropolitan high school in Los Angeles. This move forced me to adjust from the segregated school for the blind to the “real” world of sighted students. This is where I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Isabelle Grant. I find it difficult to verbalize the right words to express the important role she played in my life. She was a tiny bundle of energy who said that she was Scottish, not Scotch. She explained that Scotch was something one might drink.

Dr. Grant had been the principal of a large school in Los Angeles until she lost her sight as the result of glaucoma. She was then placed in a resource room in the school I attended. This was way below her qualifications, but her impact on the blind students who returned from the classroom to that resource room was nothing short of phenomenal. If I asked her the meaning of a word, she didn’t stop at the definition but would tell me the derivation. She also strongly encouraged me to take the college prerequisites. Prior to her encouragement, I had no intention of attending college, and, without her support, I doubt that I would have gone on to UCLA. Much of who I became and who I am is the result of my association with Dr. Isabelle Grant. She opened my mind to possibilities that I might never have considered without her encouragement. She was truly a huge influence in my life.

In addition to her academic support, she began speaking to me about this organization of blind people. She invited me to her home one Friday evening, and I just went because she wanted me to do so. I was only a high school student, and the picture I had of this meeting I would attend was this room full of blind people, and most likely old blind people. Some of these attendees were possibly in their 40s or even 50s while I was a kid of only seventeen.

With her white cane she took us by bus through busy Friday evening Los Angeles traffic to her home. Blind men and women began arriving, and I met mechanics, homemakers, social workers, and office workers. During a break Dr. Grant served tea and cookies. What an eye-opener this all was. No pun intended. This was the beginning of a true commitment to me on the part of Dr. Isabelle Grant. No other individual has ever affected my life in such a positive manner. She encouraged me and began filling me with NFB philosophy. What an awesome honor for me to have her guidance.

After graduating from high school, I met several college students, and once again the name National Federation of the Blind popped up. I found myself in the student’s group and even became president. This was the first of many positions I have held within the NFB. It was also another lesson in the true meaning of commitment.

Students supported one another in many areas of life, and during these years the influence of Dr. Grant was again felt. She spoke with students and discussed the importance of organizing and of the affect that Dr. tenBroek was having on the blind population. She told us about the work at state and national conventions and encouraged students to become involved. As a blind teacher she led the movement in California to remove the vision requirement for teachers. She put forth the argument that, as long as an applicant was otherwise qualified, there should be no vision test required. With her support a law was passed revoking the controversial vision requirement.

I moved to San Francisco and completed my bachelor’s degree in sociology at San Francisco State. Good fortune continued to follow me since that was where I met Laurence (Muzzy) Marcelino, another dynamic leader in the National Federation of the Blind. I joined the local San Francisco chapter and demonstrated my own commitment to growing the NFB.

After completing my bachelor’s degree, I returned to Los Angeles and became even more involved in the movement. Since this organization had become a huge part in my training, I became totally involved and organized several local chapters. Even after marriage and having two sons, my commitment to the NFB continued to grow. I remember bundling my babies up, and my husband and I took them to chapter meetings.

I began attending state and national conventions and was elected to the California Board of Directors in the 1970s. My husband and I divorced, and I gained full custody of my boys. I was hired by the California State Department of Rehabilitation and maintained my involvement in the National Federation of the Blind.

In 1993 my life took yet another huge turn while attending the national convention in Dallas, Texas. It was there that I met Don Burns, a gentleman who asked me to dance with him at a huge barbecue. He was involved, although recently, in the NFB. Don was in the process of losing his vision, his wife, and at the same time he was struggling with his future. He was from New Mexico and had connected with Fred Schroeder and Adelmo Vigil, who became his mentors. We connected immediately, and three months later Don and I were married. Don told me about an opening at the commission for the blind training center, where he was working as a cane travel instructor. While still working in California, I had completed my master’s degree in Counseling and Psychology and was not certain as to where I wanted to work. I applied for the position of independent living instructor and was accepted and moved to New Mexico. Besides our love for one another, we both shared a commitment to the National Federation of the Blind. He confided that after losing his job in the field of construction for many years, then losing his wife, he had struggled until he met members of the organization. Our love for one another, along with our commitment to the organization, has continued to develop and grow.

After working for the commission for the blind for a year, Don and I moved to Burbank, California, where I still owned property. We both maintained our involvement in the NFB. Don was appointed to the position of legislative director by then NFBC president, Jim Willows. He worked for several years on legislation, and his work was instrumental in creating Braille and math standards for blind students in the state.

I was elected state president in 2000 and served until 2006. Following my service we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We, of course, maintained our commitment to the Federation. It is my sincere hope that I have been able to give to others even a small portion of the gift which was given to me by Dr. Isabelle Grant. She was the epitome of love and commitment, and her influence is still felt within the movement. The best way for me to describe the influence of Dr. Isabelle Grant on my life is to quote some words from Eleanor Roosevelt: “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart”.

Seminar for Computer Beginner

From the Editor: It is instructive to look back, sometimes several decades, and see what we were working on and how what we do has evolved. Here is an article run in May of 1989 talking about these devices called personal computers and the software that made them usable by the blind, software known as screen review software. When did we evolve to calling this software a screen reader? I should remember, having been in the field and likely at the meeting, but I don’t. Enjoy:

Have you ever thought about buying a computer? Perhaps you are one of those people who is being required to learn how to use a computer, either at work or at home. Maybe you are just one of the many confused and frustrated individuals who have heard that computers are simply marvelous! You've started thinking about getting one for yourself, perhaps, but you find that there is so much information available about hardware, software, screen review programs, and the like as to daunt even the most determined computer neophyte. What kind of computer should you buy? IBM? Apple? Another brand? What is a good word processor? What is the best screen review program? What should you buy if you want to communicate with other computer systems over the phone? And then, once you have a computer, what is the best way to go about learning how to use it?

Well, the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science is conducting a Seminar for Computer Beginners at this year's National Convention to deal with the concerns, questions, and frustrations of people just like you. Although we don't guarantee to answer all of your questions about computers, we will certainly try to deal with as many concerns and questions as we can. We may even have some interesting computer hardware for you to look at, and you won't be bothered by someone who is trying to sell you something. The seminar will be held on Monday, July 3, [1989] from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., somewhere in the headquarters hotel.

Shaking Things Up

by Jim Marks

From the Editor: Jim Marks is a stalwart Federationist of many years. He currently serves as the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Montana. Professionally, Jim served as the director of disability services for students at the University of Montana for twenty-one years and as the Montana director of vocational rehabilitation for seven years. He currently owns and operates the firm, The Blind Grizzly/Jim Marks Consulting, and he is writing an historical fiction novel based on his ancestors’ experiences in nineteenth-century Montana.

The State of Montana hired me in January 2010 to serve as its director of vocational rehabilitation in order to shake things up. Here is my story.

Quality vocational rehabilitation changes lives. Most mistakenly believe the services focus on employment, but the deep story is one of civil rights. Civil rights always speak to the self-determination of individuals who face limitations and denials of choice. For people with disabilities, as with other oppressed groups, the barriers come from outside of ourselves as well as within. Vocational rehabilitation services primarily address the internal oppression. When vocational rehabilitation functions as it should, it achieves success when those it serves believe in themselves. Good services guide, and clients decide. All people with disabilities want to live the lives we want, and services grounded in high expectations leverage the change that leads to employment.

When the public vocational rehabilitation program performs as Congress intends, its outcomes are stunningly beautiful. Forged in the letter and spirit of civil rights, vocational rehabilitation empowers people with disabilities to take control over our own lives and our services. The Rehabilitation Act and its amendments assert bedrock American values such as the values of informed choice, competitive integrated employment, and the priority for those with the most significant disabilities. Underlying the entire construct is a very simple premise: Believe in yourself and what you can do.

Here is the thing: such powerful transformative beliefs come from the National Federation of the Blind. For many decades, the fingerprints of Federation leaders show up all over our nation’s public vocational rehabilitation program. No bread is baked without a persuasive philosophy, and the Federation finds the high marks for what blind people can do. Federation leadership goes well beyond blindness as it lifts the aspirations of all people with disabilities. Additionally, the Federation possesses the grit and know-how to bake the bread for ourselves and others. Time and time again, the Federation relentlessly brings down barriers and engages everything necessary to leave our world better off than we found it.

Unfortunately, even the clearest and most compelling of ideas become obscured in day-to-day struggles. The public vocational rehabilitation program sometimes loses its way. One distraction comes from the dense set of written and unwritten rules under which vocational rehabilitation operates. Many policies and practices cause the program to focus on budgets over people or to adopt top-down medical models. One can see the negative results of such follies by examining the employment outcomes. For many decades, vocational rehabilitation failed to budge negative unemployment and under-employment rates of those served.

That is why Montana hired me to shake things up. However, the demand for corrections in the public vocational rehabilitation program erupted everywhere. It was not about me. Rather, it was about us. Together, we need to figure out public policies and practices that deliver positive change and better outcomes.

In 2014 Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act with the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As soon as former President Obama signed the bipartisan bill into law, it launched massive changes. In fact, the WIOA amended the Rehabilitation Act 100 times. Most of these amendments were so sweeping, experts declare that the vocational rehabilitation of today bears only passing resemblance to the program that led up to the WIOA.

Just to focus on one of the changes, the WIOA emphasizes services for youth. The law earmarks significant federal funds solely for brand-new services designed to prepare young people for transition to post-secondary education and work. Federationists embrace the concentration on youth because that kind of attention has long been fundamental to our beliefs and practices. After all, it is much better to educate young people about their power of self-determination than to try and repair the ravages of oppression on adults. Remember, if we can get individuals to believe in themselves, there are no limits on what can be accomplished.

Before and after the WIOA became reality, I enjoyed a front-row seat. I served on the Executive Committee of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). At the time, many in Congress expressed skepticism about the voice of CSAVR. After all, CSAVR is a membership organization comprised of directors of the state agencies Congress hoped to change. CSAVR tried to find allies, but some disability advocacy groups, particularly independent living center advocates, abandoned vocational rehabilitation in order to break free and to establish their own authority. I personally harbor no ill will toward the independent living folks because they were doing what they felt they had to do to find their own voice. Still, these were dark days for vocational rehabilitation professionals. Fortunately, CSAVR linked arms with the Federation and a few other disability organizations. True to form, the Federation made all the difference.

CSAVR CEO Steve Wooderson told me once that he felt confident that CSAVR knew what it was doing and how to work hard and effectively until he had the pleasure of collaborating with Federation leaders like John Paré and Anil Lewis. John and Anil led the Federation charge to amend the Rehabilitation Act under the direction and encouragement of Marc Maurer and Mark Riccobono as well as the entire Federation membership.

“Those guys,” Wooderson once told me, “set a bar I didn’t think possible.”

Vocational rehabilitation and Federation leaders enjoy much in common. Both believe in positive attitudes and quality training and opportunities. Both are change agents. Together, vocational rehabilitation and the Federation accomplish much. CSAVR pays attention to the big picture ideals while defining and developing what it takes to realize those ideals. That’s exactly what the Federation does.

For example, CSAVR recently sent a letter to Secretary Betsy DeVos of the US Department of Education strongly urging her support for competitive integrated employment services. CSAVR and the Federation speak as one against segregated subminimum wage employment. We believe all workers with disabilities can work in our communities for comparable pay and advancement opportunities. Our opposition harbors low expectations for people with disabilities, and partnerships forged in the spirit of civil rights convince everyone, including those who oppose us, to relegate sheltered workshops and subminimum wages to the history books. The time has come for all workers with disabilities to be guaranteed competitive integrated employment.

Make no mistake about it. We are engaged in a nationwide revolution that shakes things up. Yes, we have miles to go before we sleep, but we are getting there more and more each day.

Child Care During National Convention
NFB Camp Infused with BELL Academy Activities

by Carla McQuillan

From the Editor: Carla is a successful businesswoman who makes her living building the future of our nation by modeling and strengthening the character of its children. She owns and runs Main Street Montessori Association in Eugene, Oregon, and we are blessed by her service as the head of NFB Camp, the childcare service we provide for the children of those who attend our convention. Here is what Carla has to say about NFB day camp:

During National Convention this year in Las Vegas, we will be offering child care services to children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. NFB Camp is located in a block of meeting rooms at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, not far from the sleeping rooms. Camp is open to sighted and blind children in attendance at convention.

Camp Hours:
Sunday, July 7:           8:30-12 :30 and 1:30-5:30
Monday, July 8:          Camp is Closed
Tuesday, July 9:          8:30-12 and 12:45-5:30
Wednesday, July 10:  9-12:30 and 1:30-5:30
Thursday, July 11:      8:30-12:30 and 1:30-5:30
Friday, July 12:           8:30-12:30 and 1:30-5:30
Banquet:                     6:30-30 minutes after banquet ends

Please note that these times are approximate. The actual times will be thirty minutes before the start of meetings and general sessions, and thirty minutes after adjournment. If the President calls for an early start, or if meetings run long, the opening and closing times will reflect those changes. Late fees will apply if children are not picked up within that thirty-minute window.

Rooms and Setup:
The children will be divided by three age groupings: infants and toddlers, preschool/kindergarten, and elementary. There will also be an activity room for special projects, speakers, and small group activities. Each room will be equipped with toys, games, and books that are appropriate for the ages of the children in that room. In addition, we will be taking the older children outside on the hotel grounds for gross motor activities and water play. We will not be taking the children swimming.

NFB BELL Academy Activities:
We are excited to announce that again this year, we will have a variety of activities from our BELL curriculum, taught by BELL teachers from across the country. All children in camp, sighted or blind, will be invited to participate in these activities. We plan to offer BELL Academy activities during each session of camp throughout the week. Parents will receive the “Campers’ Curriculum,” which will list the times and dates for each of the planned activities.

Staff and Supervision:
Each of the camp rooms will be staffed by members of the Federation, many of whom have been working in camp for years. There will be a lead teacher in each room and additional helpers depending on the number of children in attendance. Carla McQuillan, executive director of Main Street Montessori Association, president of the NFB of Oregon, and a member of the National Board of Directors will be responsible for the supervision of the staff.

Registration and Fees:
Fees for NFB Camp are as follows:
First child: $100/week or $25/day
Additional children: $75/week or $25/day
Banquet: $25 for each child (includes dinner and a show)

Space in camp is limited. We accept children on a first come, first served basis. Please register by June 15 to allow adequate time to secure proper staffing. Online registration is now open. Please go to: https://nfb.org/nfb-camp-registration-form

Child Care Outside of Camp Hours:
We maintain a babysitting list at the NFB Camp desk for parents who are in need of child care when camp is closed. Arrangements must be made directly with the individual on the babysitting list. NFB Camp is not responsible for scheduling or making payment arrangements for child care outside of the regular camp hours.

All questions should be directed to Carla McQuillan at [email protected] or 541-653-9153.

Blindness Skills: The Only Sure Bet in Vegas!

by Carlton Walker

From the Editor: Carlton Walker is one of the most active advocates I’ve ever met. She knows what it is like to have a child who needs services, knows how to find the people who can help get them, and knows how to become a part of those people so that “they” become “us.” What a pleasure it is to be on the same team with her as once again the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children organizes a week-long educational and sharing opportunity for parents of blind children. Here is Carlton’s argument for why you and your children should be with us in Las Vegas:

Every year the Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) brings new ideas, incredible resources, and the love and support of NFB members into the lives of blind people of every age and their families. This July, thousands of members of the NFB will meet in Las Vegas, Nevada, to hold our annual convention. Concurrently, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind, will host a conference within the NFB convention. We gather together to learn and share, to reconnect with friends, and to meet new friends. We certainly hope that you can join us.

There’s an old truism: “Vegas wasn’t built on winners,” and it makes perfect sense. The odds of any game of chance must be in favor of “the house,” or there would be no way to afford the building, utilities, and staff required to host the game. Some games of chance have better odds, and some have worse, but all games are stacked in favor of “the house.”

Unfair odds are part of the gambling world, but they are not supposed to be part of our daily lives or part of school for our children. However, for years, it felt like the odds were stacked against my daughter, Anna Catherine, and our family. School officials insisted that she should “maximize” her vision—even though doing so gave her headaches, caused neck and back pain, and left her demoralized and exhausted.

Nothing can improve my daughter’s vision, so the odds are always stacked against her if she relies on her vision. However, with blindness skills, like Braille, cane travel, and accessible technology, my daughter can do what she needs to do—efficiently, effectively, and without headaches, neck pain, or feeling like she is less-than her peers.

This June my daughter will graduate from high school, and may I proudly say that she will do so with honors. Every day she uses blindness skills like Braille, Nemeth Code, a long white cane, and accessible technology to perform her schoolwork, take part in community activities, and perform chores around the house, like laundry, cleaning, and meal preparation. None of this would have been possible had we listened to the “experts” in the schools. If we had tried to maximize her use of vision, we would have been minimizing her in every way.

You’ll hear “There‘s no such thing as a sure bet,” but this is wrong. Throughout the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino July 7 through 12 you will find information about and access to the only sure bet in Vegas: blindness skills—those skills which allow our children to survive and thrive without any regard to how much vision they do or do not have.

Come join us at the NOPBC Conference and the NFB Convention in Las Vegas this July. Please join our sessions, which will include information and ideas for families of blind students from birth through college. We also will have sessions on IEPs (individualized education programs), tactile graphics, accessible art, and bringing more STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) into blind children’s lives. You will also enjoy:

Sunday, July 7:

• Kid Talk, with NFB President Mark Riccobono
• Lunch with the NOPBC Board
• Megan Bening Memorial Technology Giveaway (last year, we gave away $10,000 in accessible technology to blind children and youth)
• Family Game Night (where we will have accessible games for a great evening of family fun)

Monday, July 8:

• Cane Walks (an opportunity to receive free cane travel instruction from orientation and mobility professionals—and sighted family members are encouraged to participate as well)
• NOPBC Style Show (our children and youth walk the runway and share with us their interests and goals)

Tuesday, July 9:

• NOPBC Annual Meeting (an opportunity to learn more about and become involved with our division; speech from the 2019 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students; electing members to the NOPBC Board)
• Braille Book Fair (all books are available at no cost and will be shipped to you at no cost)
• Braille Carnival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American Action Fund (the organization which has provided thousands of Braille books at no charge to blind children and youth)

July 7-12 (Sunday through Friday):

• Exhibit Hall (opportunity to have hands-on experience with accessible technology; meet and speak to vendors of blindness and low vision tools and technology)
• Independence Market (opportunity to handle, test out, and learn how to use blindness and low vision tools and technology; accessible games and household items; accessible watches, calculators, books, and other items)
• NFB Literature (Free: hundreds of articles, speeches, Kernel Books, and past issues of Future Reflections and Braille Monitor magazines in print and Braille—all free for the taking)
• Breakout sessions on technology, interest areas, and many more topics

July 10-12 (Wednesday through Friday):

• NFB General Session: Hear from nationally-renowned speakers on a plethora of topics affecting blind individuals of all ages at the NFB General Session and vote on the resolutions which set forth NFB policy
• Wednesday July 10: IEP Night as well as Tactile Art and NFB BELL Academy sessions
• Friday, July 12: Mock Trial and other evening events put on by NFB divisions and centers for the blind
• NFB Banquet: Banquet speech by NFB President Mark Riccobono, announcement of NFB Scholarship winners, good food and conversation with our Federation family

Sharing a Room at Convention and How to Survive It with a Smile

by Grace Warn

From the Editor: Grace Warn lives in Missouri, and one of her passions is visiting Disney World. She believes that if there is a good business model in the country, Disney is it and that if a good proposal for providing customer service arrives on the scene, Disney will probably be the company bringing it.

This kind of loyalty translates into annual visits, and to cut down on the expenses, she rooms with folks. She thought her advice about roommates might translate well for those of us going to the 2019 national convention. Here is what she says:

Going to convention, whether national or state, is an amazing experience. But it often comes with another experience that isn't always so amazing: sharing a hotel room. Whether to save money or because you're traveling with children too young to be on their own, you're sharing a room with more than just your significant other. And, no matter how much you love your Federation friends or how well-behaved your children are in close quarters for a few days, little frustrations can build up and drain some of the joy from your time at convention. With a minimum of pre-trip planning and almost no effort while there, you can keep the positive energy and enthusiasm flowing during your time at convention.

The first step in this process is figuring out who's rooming with whom. Identify a few simple characteristics of each roommate: Who snores? Who prefers to shower in the morning versus in the evening? Who are the early birds, and who are the night owls? Who wakes up if a mouse sneezes, and who can sleep through brass bands? Now take a look at the roommate list again. Do you have a light sleeper in with three who snore like chainsaw jugglers riding Harleys? Is there a lone night owl in a flock of early birds? You may want to see if there's a way to juggle people to keep those of similar tendencies together. But, if you can't, there are ways to keep friction from these differences to a minimum:

If you're a light sleeper, consider packing foam earplugs or sleep wearing in-ear headphones. Either of these will block a lot of the sounds that might keep you awake. If you are more sensitive to light than sound, think about a sleep mask so that others can turn on bathroom lights without waking you.

If you snore, think about ways to lower the volume of it. If allergies make you snore more, make sure you are taking antihistamines and/or decongestants. From personal experience, I say try Breathe Right® strips; they can make a difference. Be aware of what sleep positions you may want to avoid if you can.

Early birds, lay out your clothes for the day the night before. That way you avoid making a lot of noise rummaging around in drawers/suitcases, without feeling trapped by the need for quiet. If you're the lone early riser, consider starting the coffee maker to sweeten the inevitable wake-up for the rest of the room.

Night owls, if you plan to stay out late socializing, be considerate coming in. Keep your voice lower, and make sure to kick off your shoes where no one will trip over them. Leave your pajamas in an easy-to-find spot in the suitcase or drawer. Basically, try not to wake everyone up, because everyone needs their sleep to make the most of the short time you'll have at convention.

Discuss amongst yourselves who prefers to shower when and for how long. If everyone takes quick showers, it's no problem if each of you in the room prefers to shower in the morning. Try to work out the rotation for showering, and keep in mind the number of sinks, outlets, and their accessibility while someone else showers so that everyone has a chance to shave, style, and prep for the day without feeling unduly rushed.

When you first get into the room, take a quick minute for one simple discussion and define territory. You will be coexisting in a smaller amount of space than you're used to, possibly with people you don't usually live with. Setting up whose stuff goes where and then abiding by what is decided can go a long way toward maintaining harmony. Decide as a group that Joe will get the bottom drawer in the dresser, Sally and Eric each get half of the next drawer up, etc. Try to base the division of territory on practical considerations such as mobility—don’t make the person with a bad back bend to use the bottom drawer. Once each of you has staked out your claim, respect the boundaries. Throwing something where you please is fine at home, but it’s not fine when it ends up being in a place allotted to one of your roommates.

Each of you will have a place for your things, and it’s a good idea to have at least one area designated for communal use, such as one place for all technology to sit safely as it recharges, etc. Remember that bathroom counter space can be a scarce commodity and a great cause of irritation before everyone has had their morning coffee. Taking along a hanging shoe organizer designed to either hang in a closet or over the back of a door can give you more places to sort your toiletries and leave a clearer path to the sinks. If you have a guide dog, make sure roommates know where the water bowl will be and decide whether it will be deployed only at feeding time or at any time the dog might wish a drink.

Tuck the suitcases in the bottom of the closet or in a corner as out of the way as possible, and make sure the main walkways remain clear. Because a tiny little frustration like tripping over someone's suitcase every time you try to go to the bathroom can become a major annoyance faster than you would expect, it can poison the rest of the experience. Depending on who you're rooming with and how long you're staying, a pop-up mesh laundry basket can be pretty handy for that. It doesn't take up much space in a suitcase, can be found in many dollar stores, and it can be endlessly useful. It can be a place to corral dirty clothes, an easy-to-carry transport for flyers or other merchandise for chapters/divisions, or can be used as the designated location for the day's haul of souvenirs.

Speaking of things to bring along from home, one of the best items to pack on your trip is at least one power strip. These days everyone has at least a cell phone. But there are also iPads, handheld gaming consoles, notetakers, and many other electronics that require regular recharging. Hotel rooms never have very many outlets, and sometimes the outlet is in a less-than-accessible place, such as a corner behind a small table and chair. The longer cord will bring the power strip up so that everyone can reach it to plug in items easily and give you many more outlets for everyone to share.

Sit down and consider exactly what your daily routine will involve, and make sure everyone understands it. You may never have considered that you have to decide which bed you’re sleeping on based on the distance from an outlet and availability of a flat surface for a CPAP machine, but what’s routine for you may not be for your roommate. That doesn’t mean you can’t share a room, but it does mean that you need to make sure they’re aware of the requirements that are important and perhaps even critical for you. Maybe you’re a guide dog user; your roommate doesn’t mind dogs—no problem, right? Except when you were considering who snores in the room, you only considered the humans, and your dog snores louder than you do. You and your spouse are used to it; it’s white noise that actually helps you sleep better in unfamiliar places. To your roommate, that could be a week spent wishing they’d packed earplugs and praying for a decent night’s sleep. Or maybe one roommate has a mild allergy to dog dander. For a couple of hours during a chapter meeting or dinner with a friend, no problem; but sharing a room for a week or so might mean they will need an antihistamine.

When you take just a few minutes to prevent the small disagreements and frustrations, you prevent the larger arguments that can happen when the little things add up with exhaustion and excitement to fuel them. While it only takes a few quick minutes of discussion before you leave home, all of these things become a lot harder to do once you’re away at convention. What you can tolerate for a day or two is a lot less tolerable on day five of a convention, when you’re tired and almost ready to head home.

See You in Washington at the Convention

by Kenneth Jernigan
First Vice President
National Federation of the Blind

From the Editor: For a number of years we have been holding our conventions in Orlando, and with each passing year we received less and less information about the city. The thinking, of course, was that there was less to tell, and perhaps this was indeed the case. But here, just to show what advertisement we did for our conventions forty-four years ago, is a promotion for our 1965 national convention that appeared in the May issue for 1965. As you read it, consider the number of tourist attractions that are highlighted, and consider also how you would begin to work many of them into what many now consider our convention experience. Enjoy:

How many times have you thought of going to Washington? How many times have you said to yourself, "What a thrill it would be to visit the Capitol and see Congress in action; visit the White House and meet the President; visit the imposing marble structure where the Supreme Court meets and makes historic decisions, some of which have shaken our society to its very foundation! And then, there is Mount Vernon, birthplace of the father of our country; Ford Theatre, where the Great Emancipator was shot; and Arlington National Cemetery, place of the Kennedy gravesite and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Add to these the great Smithsonian, the Pentagon building, the National Cathedral, B'nai B'rith, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial."

Well, make this dream a reality. Attend the Silver Anniversary Convention of the National Federation of the Blind to be held in the "Hotel of Presidents," Washington's aristocratic Mayflower, July 6-9, 1965.

There is so much to see in Washington, D.C. Every American, from childhood on, is imaginatively and emotionally attracted to see his nation's capitol. He knows he will feel at home, even before he gets there—for this wondrous, shining city belongs to all Americans.

Here, in Washington, are the national shrines, the stately public buildings, the foreign embassies and the historic tree-lined avenues where history is made; the city is alive with a cultural spirit all its own.

The late John F. Kennedy spoke of Washington as the Federal City, the hub of political activity. It houses, in addition to the imposing array of tourist attractions already mentioned, numerous other Federal Buildings such as: Veteran's Administration—servant to American inactive military men; Justice Department—home of the Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; State Department—factory of our foreign policy; Department of Interior—guardian of our national resources; Treasury Department—holder of the nation's purse strings; Commerce Department—overseer of America's numerous business enterprises; Department of Defense—watchdog of the nation's military might; Labor Department—coordinator of employer-employee relationships; Post Office Department—distributor of America's mountains of mail; Department of Health, Education, and Welfare—headquarters for those who minister to the nation's needs.

In terms of history, the nation's capital pays homage to most of America's great, from quaint old Georgetown with its 18th century homes (now the residence of the city's elite society) to the C&O Canal that was once Washington's "seaport on the Potomac."

View the Iwo Jima Statue, the Jefferson Memorial, the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the statue in Lafayette Square, memorial to the men of the Titanic, Sheridan Circle, or the Nathan Hale Statue and the Ben Franklin memorial. Or, tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Custis-Lee Mansion, the Executive Office Building next door to the White House, the National Geographic Society, the Naval Gun Factory, the National Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks estates.

Visit the Library of Congress, the Wax Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Constitution Hall, the beautiful Botanical Gardens, the Freer Gallery of Arts, the Franciscan Monastery, the Islamic Center and Mosque, the famed Cosmos Club, the Lisner Auditorium for the Performing Arts, or see the changing of the guards at the National Memorial Amphitheatre.

Be a part of a new artistic sensation, attend Washington's famous Watergate Stage. Listen to a symphony under star-studded skies, and hear the rippling waters of the Potomac murmur a soft and restful background. Or, if you prefer the modern, there is the Carter Baron Amphitheatre where most of our modern artists appear; but if your taste tends toward the local, then go to the Sylvan Amphitheatre where local artists display their many talents.

To round things out, add to these the gourmet restaurants offering a variety of cuisine to tempt the most fastidious palates. There are the French and the German restaurants, the Italian and the Chinese, the small and intimate, the large and palatial, the downbeat and the offbeat, you name it, Washington has it.

So, we will see you in Washington at the Convention!

The [1965] convention will open at 10:00 Tuesday morning, July 6, and will adjourn at 5 p.m. Friday, July 9. Single rooms at the Mayflower Hotel are $7.00; twins, $11.00. The banquet will be held on Thursday, July 8, priced at $4.95 (including tip and tax). If you have not yet requested reservations, write immediately to: Reservations Manager, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.

For further details on Washington convention plans and program, see "NFB Pre-Convention Bulletin," the Braille Monitor, January 1965.

Recipes

This month Monitor staff looked back in the archives for a selection of light, easy, delicious dishes that would be perfect for any dinner you might have.

Basic Chinese Dish
by Mrs. Florence Grannis

This recipe first appeared in May 1975 as Recipe of the Month. We at the Monitor thought it deserved a second run for the versatility of ingredients that could be used in it.

Ingredients:
1 to 2 cups cut meat (any kind) cooked or raw in quarter-inch cubes and marinate as long as you have time for in the following mixture:
2 or 3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 or 3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 to 3 cups cut vegetables (any kind except tomatoes, potatoes, or sweet potatoes) cooked or raw, very small.
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken-flavored broth
4 tablespoons oil (butter-flavored Wesson oil, if possible.)

Method: After the above is prepared, put in wok over highest heat. Add two tablespoons oil and the meat mixture, cook five minutes, stirring constantly (can cook less if meat is already cooked.) Remove, and add two tablespoons more oil. Add vegetables and cook no more than two minutes, stirring constantly. Add meat mixture to vegetable mixture in wok along with 1/2 cup chicken-flavored broth and cornstarch; let heat very briefly until amalgamated, stirring constantly.

Cheese Soufflé
by Arlene Gashel

This recipe was originally the Recipe of the Month in April 1978. At the time, it was introduced with this note: Arlene Gashel is secretary of the NFB of DC and the wife of Jim Gashel, chief of the NFB's Washington Office.

Ingredients:
6 ounces natural cheddar cheese (not processed cheese)
6 tablespoons flour
4 eggs, separated
3/4 stick butter or margarine 
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk
Pinch of red cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Method: Butter a two-quart casserole. Separate the eggs. In the top of a double boiler over boiling water, melt the butter; blend in the flour, grated cheese, and seasonings. Add the milk and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from the boiling water and let stand. Beat the egg yolks until thick. Stir the yolks into the other mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Put them in the buttered casserole and gradually pour in the cheese mixture, folding very carefully until well blended. Bake for forty-five minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Serve at once. Note: This recipe may be prepared and refrigerated for up to ten hours before baking. If you do this, place the refrigerated soufflé in a cold oven and bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cheesy Spinach Pie
by Eileen Rivera

This recipe originally appeared in the April-May 1989 Braille Monitor. It was introduced like this: Eileen Rivera is a former NFB scholarship winner and is now a resident of Maryland, where she actively participates in Federation work and holds (see elsewhere in this issue) a responsible position with the Wilmer Eye Clinic at Johns Hopkins.

Ingredients:
1 single pie shell
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar and/or swiss cheese
1 chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 packages frozen spinach
2 tablespoons crushed oregano
1 teaspoon each: pepper, sweet basil, salt
3 beaten eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cottage cheese

Method: Prepare pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for twelve minutes. Remove shell from oven and spread grated cheese in the hot shell. In a large sauce pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Next, add the defrosted spinach and spices. Stir the mixture over medium heat for about five minutes. Then combine the eggs, milk, and parmesan and cottage cheeses in the pot. Stir until mixture thickens. Pour filling into the pie shell and bake for thirty to forty minutes. Great with a crisp garden salad and warm rolls.

Baked Pineapple
by Mary Ellen Jernigan

This recipe is a favorite of many longtime Federationists and Monitor readers, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
crushed Ritz Crackers

Method: Mix all ingredients together except crackers. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty to thirty-five minutes.

Old-Fashioned Ice Box Pie
by Theodora Turner

This recipe was first published in April 1992 as part of a group of recipes submitted by the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas. At the time, Theodora Turner was a member of the Little Rock Chapter, and her husband was the president of the chapter. The associate editor then was Barbara Pierce.

Ingredients:
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
juice of 2 lemons
2 eggs, separated
graham cracker crust

Method: Prepare a graham cracker crumb crust by combining and pressing against the bottom and sides of a pie plate one packet of graham crackers, crushed, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter or margarine. Bake this until golden brown (ten minutes or so at 375 degrees), or chill crust thoroughly. Combine lemon juice with beaten egg yolks, add condensed milk, and beat mixture until it thickens. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and top with meringue, made by beating two egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in three tablespoons of sugar until it is dissolved. Cover pie with plastic wrap and freeze until set.

Associate Editor's Note: I make this pie with a slight variation. Instead of preparing a sweetened meringue for the top, I fold the unsweetened stiffly beaten egg whites into the lemon mixture before spreading it into the pie crust for freezing. It is delicious.

Monitor Miniatures

News from the Federation Family

How to Pay for Your Convention Hotel Stay:

This helpful information comes from Tony Cobb, who for many years served as a fixture in the lobby of our convention hotels. Here is an important warning for those who may be considering how to pay for their stay:

Every year at our national convention we have serious trouble with use of debit cards or cash payments at hotel check-in, and, having worked to solve these problems for years, I can tell you they can nearly ruin the convention week for those experiencing them. Planning to attend our national convention should therefore include thinking seriously about how to pay the hotel, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to avoid using cash or a debit card as your payment method. Doing so may seem convenient, but you should not do so. If you do not have a credit card of your own to use instead, prevail upon a close friend or family member to let you use one just for convention. Here’s why:

If you are paying in actual currency, most hotels will want enough cash up front at check-in to cover your room and tax charges for the entire stay, plus a one-time advance incidentals deposit to cover meals, telephone calls, internet service, and other things you may charge to your room. The unused portion of the incidentals deposit may be returned at check-out or by mail after departure. Understand, however, that, if your incidentals charges exceed the incidentals deposit credited, you are responsible for payment of the full balance at check-out. The total can end up being a very large sum indeed.

If you use a debit card, however, you are really at a potentially painful disadvantage. The hotel will put a hold on money in your bank account linked to the debit card to cover the estimated balance of your stay—that is, for the entire week’s room and tax charges plus a one-time incidentals deposit to cover meals, movies, and so on charged to your room. You should be aware that the hold can therefore be a considerable amount of money and that you will not have access to that amount for any other purchases or payments with your card. (Hotels sometimes also put authorizations on credit cards, by the way, but those are not often a problem unless they exceed your card’s credit limit.)

Holds can remain in effect for three to five days or even a week after you check out. If you have pre-authorized payments from your bank account, for example your monthly mortgage payment, or if you try to make a purchase with your debit card and it's refused, the hold from the hotel can cause you trouble or result in very large overdraft fees for payments you thought you had money in your account to cover. I have seen this hit some of our members in the form of hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees.

This means that, if you use a debit card, you would have to be certain you have a high enough balance in your checking account when you come to convention to cover any debit card holds. This is a perilous practice since charges may exceed your estimate by a considerable amount. (Some frequent travelers even open a separate checking account used only for debits like these.) Remember, a hold is going to be placed on your debit card regardless of how you end up paying the bill, and the hold is not necessarily released right away, even if you pay with a credit card or cash when you check out of the hotel.

Planning ahead in this area can ensure an untroubled week at convention, leaving you free to enjoy fully the world’s largest and most exciting meeting of the blind.

Braille Book Fair 2019:

Calling all Braille readers, teachers, and parents!

It's that time again: Time to sort through all those boxes of Braille books and donate those gently used but no longer needed Braille books to the 2019 Braille Book Fair sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.

Our primary goal is to get more Braille books into the hands of children, youth, and beginning adult readers, so here's what we need most:

• print/Braille storybooks (aka Twin Vision)
• books in good condition
• leisure reading (fiction or nonfiction) books
• cookbooks and poetry

Children are so hungry for their very own books that every year, despite generous donations of books, most of our books for young children are gone in less than an hour. So begin your search through the boxes in your basement and spare room and get those books shipped.

We do not accept magazines, textbooks, or audio books at this time. Mail books you are donating to: 2019 Braille Book Fair, National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230.

Please note that you are shipping the books FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND; you do not need to pay any shipping cost for Braille items. Handwrite, stamp, or affix a label to the upper right-hand corner of the box which says: FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND, and take your package(s) to your local post office to mail.

Internal Revenue Service Forms and Written Communication:

The NFB is investigating the accessibility of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) forms and written communication. If you have requested or would like to request alternative format documents from the IRS­ such as Braille, large print, or audio, please contact Valerie Yingling, legal program coordinator, at [email protected] or 410-659-9314, extension 2440.

Resolutions for Convention:

Here is a message from Sharon Maneki, who chairs the NFB Resolutions Committee:

Do you think we should change a government policy, take a stand concerning an agency for the blind, or create new regulations? If you do, consider writing a resolution. At the 2019 National Convention, the Resolutions Committee meeting will be held on Monday, July 8. The committee will debate and discuss resolutions on a wide variety of subjects. If passed by the convention, these resolutions will become the policy statements of the organization. To ensure that your resolution will be considered by the committee, please send it to President Riccobono or to me by June 24, two weeks before the committee meeting. Since things are always busy leading up to the convention, sending them earlier will be appreciated. If you send a resolution to me by email and do not receive a response acknowledging your email in two or three days, please call or send it again.

If you miss the deadline, you must get three members of the committee to sponsor your resolution and then get it to the chairman before the meeting begins. I will be pleased to accept resolutions by email at [email protected], or by mail at 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia, MD 21045.

In Brief

Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space and clarity.

Secretary Toulouse Oliver Awarded “Outstanding Innovations in Elections” by the US Election Assistance Commission:

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has received the 2018 “Clearie” Award for Outstanding Innovations in Elections by the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for her implementation of a new electronic ballot software system that allows blind and visually impaired voters to independently and privately cast an absentee ballot.

“Every eligible voter deserves the dignity and convenience of being able to mark their ballot in an independent and private manner, which is exactly what our electronic ballot system does for blind and visually impaired voters,” said Secretary Toulouse Oliver. “I want to thank the US Election Administration Commission for this award, and I want to dedicate it to the determined efforts of New Mexico’s blind and visually impaired community who worked closely with me and my Office to ensure blind and visually impaired voters have fair and equal access to the ballot box.”

According to the EAC, the annual “Clearie” awards “recognize best practices in election administration and highlight exemplary models which can serve as examples to other officials and jurisdictions.”

"We are thrilled to recognize Secretary Toulouse Oliver and her team for their innovative approach to serving voters with disabilities,” said EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks. “We are proud to share details about this program with election officials across the nation, as well as the voters they serve."

Secretary Toulouse Oliver and her staff worked closely with the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico and the New Mexico Commission for the Blind to create the system that allows blind and visually impaired voters to independently mark, print, and return their absentee ballot. As KOB News 4 noted in 2018 as the Secretary of State announced the new system, “New Mexico is leading the country when it comes to making absentee voting more accessible.”

“The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico deeply appreciates Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver,” said Adelmo Vigil, president of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. “Because of her work, blind voters in New Mexico, for the very first time in history, can now independently and privately mark the printed absentee ballot using the low-vision and nonvisual access technology of their choice. Secretary Toulouse Oliver worked closely with us to make this happen. She provided public testimony and support for the legislation that brought all of this about. She is a true friend of the blind.”

Greg Trapp, executive director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind, added to Mr. Vigil’s remarks, saying, "Because of the efforts of Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver and of the National Federation of the Blind, blind and visually impaired citizens of New Mexico can now fully and equally participate in the fundamental right to vote. This is a tremendous step forward, and New Mexico can take pride in what the Secretary of State and National Federation of the Blind have accomplished."

More information about the US Election Assistance Commission:

The US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds.

Monitor Mart

The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for sale.

For Sale:

We have one Freedom Scientific Braille Blazer for sale. It has the following features: serial or parallel connections to a PC (a USB-to-serial cable may be used with these embossers on machines which don't have serial or parallel ports), built-in carrying case, and standard computer power cord. The Braille Blazer may be used as a speech synthesizer as well as a Braille embosser. It embosses on 8.5-by-11-inch fan-fold tractor feed paper; embosses standard Braille in portrait or landscape mode; embosses graphics; is supported by most Braille translation software, including Duxbury Systems, and configuration is accomplished through voice-guided instructions. The user manual is available at https://www.edvisionservices.org/Manuals/ BrailleBlazerUserManual.pdf. Asking price is $300, contact Sheryl Pickering at 830-743-7655.

For Sale:

We have two Classic Electric Perkins Braillewriters for sale. One has a carrying case (asking $25 extra). Asking $300 each. Contact Sheryl Pickering at 830-743-7655

For Sale:

Romeo Braille Embosser by Enabling Technologies in carrying case. Excellent condition. $50 plus shipping if not Free Matter. Call or text Terry at 805-339-9853.

NFB Pledge

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.