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The Braille MonitorJanuary/February

2002

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First-Timers' Convention

Reports

Chancey

Fleet

From

the Editor: The NFB of Virginia conducts a program which provides assistance

for two members to attend the National Convention for the first time. They call

these grants McDonald Fellowships in honor of a longtime leader of the affiliate.

Chancey Fleet and Joann McSorley were the 2001 McDonald Fellowship winners.

These two women, at very different stages in their lives, struck the same note

of wonder and excitement. Chancey is a student at William and Mary College,

and Joan is a newly blind mother with college-age children. Here is what they

had to say as first published in the Summer, 2001, issue of The Vigilant,

the publication of the NFB of Virginia:

.

Chancey

Fleet: Before I even arrived in Philadelphia, I knew I would be in good company

at the National Convention. Standing at the gate from which my flight would

take off, I discovered that another Federationist would be on my aircraft. In

the few minutes before we got on the plane I learned that this blind Texan was

outspoken and independent--just that week she was defending her right to continue

her job at a local childcare center despite the doubts of some of her colleagues.

She was reasonably upset at the challenge to her competence, but I could tell

that she had the resolve to win and the backing of the Federation to help her

stay confident.

Once

I arrived at the Philadelphia Marriott, I became fully aware of (and a little

overwhelmed by) the complexity of National Convention. I was given a several-page

pre-agenda covering just two days of meetings and activities. I found

that my hotel and the one across the street were both almost exclusively booked

by blind people (much to the bewilderment of a handful of sighted vacationers).

Each

day I spent in Philadelphia I expanded my understanding of how the Federation

works. I learned that we have fifty thousand members. We have been instrumental

in the decline of sheltered workshops for the blind. We have divisions of every

kind from one for writers to one for educators and a plethora of other things

I hadn't known before. What struck me most about the national organization was

discovering that we reach out to every sector of the blind population. During

general session I heard about a program called "Braille Is Beautiful,"

designed to increase the understanding and acceptance of Braille in our society

by introducing it to sighted middle-schoolers in classrooms.

I

also heard about our involvement in the World Blind Union and our commitment

to working with blind people outside the United States. A bill designed to use

Medicare funds for blind senior citizen rehabilitation services and another

which would increase the incentive to work for those of us who receive Social

Security Disability Insurance were discussed.

I

spent a few fascinating hours in the exhibit hall, a huge space on one of the

lower floors that was filled to capacity with gadgets, daily-living aids,

books, souvenirs and information of every kind. I have a particular interest

in technology and was instantly drawn to booths with names like "Clever

Devices" and "Beyond Sight."

The

innovation I was happiest to find was the Bank of America's talking ATM, which

operated smoothly through a speech interface. I was able to use my Bank of America

card to make a bank transaction without sighted assistance for the first time

in my life. Thousands of other blind people will be able to experience this

financial liberation in the coming months. Talking ATMs are being installed

in a few cities now, and they'll be popping up all over the country soon.

The

best gadget I discovered was the Atlas/GPS-Talk, a compilation of nonvisual

maps of the entire country (stored on CD-ROM), a vast collection of points

of interest (also on CD), and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver the

size of a cell phone. The CDs alone allow the buyer to explore his or her city

from a computer or learn the lay of the land in an unfamiliar area. In combination

with the receiver, the maps can be used on a notebook computer to tell travelers

exactly where they are and how to get to where they want to be.

Inevitably

new technology isn't always what the manufacturers or consumers expect. At one

booth I happened upon a little magic wand that didn't work--a small device which

purported to know and announce the color of any object. I've never actually

observed the color of my hand, but I'm fairly certain that the little wand was

lying when it told me my skin tone is "mat-black."

I

spent seven days in Philadelphia, but two moments stand out in my memory like

none of the others. The first occurred while I was watching the annual play

put on by the Louisiana Center for the Blind. This year the focus was the achievements

of the NFB in general, with particular attention to Kenneth Jernigan. Toward

the conclusion of the play three children took the stage to sing about Kenneth

Jernigan and their desire to "teach the blind like he did." The genuine

feeling in the voices of these members of the fourth generation was a strong

reminder of how the Federation changes lives.

The

other highly memorable moment took place during the banquet, and I can't ascribe

my feelings to a single sentence that I heard or a single idea that I gathered.

Instead it was Marc Maurer's entire speech that left me feeling both impressed

and invincible. His speech was by turns witty and stirring, and his command

of language was amazing. I felt as if the power of his speech represented the

power of the Federation, an organization of people as competent in their own

walks of life as Dr. Maurer is as a leader.

I'm

intensely grateful to have been given the opportunity to go to Philadelphia

and to learn and experience so much in one short week. Thank you to everyone

in the Virginia Affiliate who made my trip possible--I hope that the fellowship

can be continued in future years so that other Federationists in Virginia can

experience the National Convention firsthand.

Joann

McSorley: Overwhelmed does not begin to describe my feelings accurately as I

entered the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia on July 1. There were

hundreds of people, hundreds of white canes, many dogs, and twice as much luggage.

This was my first solo trip with my cane, and I admit that I was somewhat anxious.

It hadn't occurred to me that I am almost always with a sighted family member

or friend, but now I was totally on my own. And I am happy to report that I

survived, quite well I think.

Being

in Philadelphia was going home for me. It's my hometown, and I still have many

family members in the city and the surrounding areas. It just felt right hearing

and seeing the sights and sounds of a familiar city.

But I

must get back to the convention. Another first for me was that I had never attended

a convention of any kind before, and I really did not know what to expect. My

education began immediately--people and more people from all over the world,

people talking, people laughing, and sometimes engaging in impromptu fencing

matches with white canes right before me.

The

bustle and activity was stimulating to all my senses. After waiting for a few

hours for my room and wandering around the hotel hoping to find members of the

Potomac chapter, I finally checked in to my room and relaxed. Later that night

I found a friend, and still later in the evening I found myself at the Hard

Rock Cafe enjoying drinks with other chapter friends. This is not what I normally

do on a Sunday night, but I was enjoying myself.

On

Monday I registered and started attending various meetings. I was impressed

by the welcoming atmosphere and the relevance of the subjects being covered.

The entire week was a learning experience, and I loved the feeling of belonging

with these people, truly a brotherhood.

A

friend and I spoke of being normal for a whole week and how wonderful it felt.

I attended the introduction of the recipients of student scholarships and sat

in awe. They were well-spoken and definitely motivated, but the range of subjects

being pursued was amazing. There were no slouches here. From archeology to genetic

engineering, the list was incredible and the spirits indomitable.

When

the convention opened on Wednesday, once again I was very impressed with the

speakers. All were inspirational, and the learning process continued. The days

were so full and busy that it was hard to believe that the banquet had arrived

on Friday night and the week was drawing to a close. As I packed to leave on

Saturday morning, I realized that I didn't want to go home and doubted that

there would be fresh towels in my bathroom the next morning. My other life beckoned,

and I did return home. However, I am really looking forward to next summer and

Louisville!

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