<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <meta
http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> <meta name="generator"
content="pandoc" /> <title>The Braille Monitor, April 2022 – The Braille
Monitor, April 2022</title> <style type="text/css">
html {
line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; color:
#1a1a1a; background-color: #fdfdfd; } body {
margin: 0 auto; max-width: 36em; padding-left: 50px; padding-right: 50px;
padding-top: 50px; padding-bottom: 50px; hyphens: auto; word-wrap: break-word;
text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; font-kerning: normal; } @media (max-width:
600px) {
body {
font-size: 0.9em; padding: 1em; } } @media print {
body {
background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 12pt; } p, h2, h3
{
orphans: 3; widows: 3; } h2, h3, h4 {
page-break-after: avoid; } } p {
margin: 1em 0; } a {
color: #1a1a1a; } a:visited {
color: #1a1a1a; } img {
max-width: 100%; } h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
margin-top: 1.4em; } h5, h6 {
font-size: 1em; font-style: italic; } h6 {
font-weight: normal; } ol, ul {
padding-left: 1.7em; margin-top: 1em; } li > ol, li > ul {
margin-top: 0; } blockquote {
margin: 1em 0 1em 1.7em; padding-left: 1em; border-left: 2px solid #e6e6e6;
color: #606060; } code {
font-family: Menlo, Monaco, 'Lucida Console', Consolas, monospace; font-size:
85%; margin: 0; } pre {
margin: 1em 0; overflow: auto; } pre code {
padding: 0; overflow: visible; }
.sourceCode {
background-color: transparent; overflow: visible; } hr {
background-color: #1a1a1a; border: none; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0; } table
{
margin: 1em 0; border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; overflow-x: auto;
display: block; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums tabular-nums; } table
caption {
margin-bottom: 0.75em; } tbody {
margin-top: 0.5em; border-top: 1px solid #1a1a1a; border-bottom: 1px solid
#1a1a1a; } th {
border-top: 1px solid #1a1a1a; padding: 0.25em 0.5em 0.25em 0.5em; } td {
padding: 0.125em 0.5em 0.25em 0.5em; } header {
margin-bottom: 4em; text-align: center; } #TOC li {
list-style: none; } #TOC a:not(:hover) {
text-decoration: none; } code{white-space: pre-wrap;} span.smallcaps{font-variant:
small-caps;} span.underline{text-decoration: underline;} div.column{display:
inline-block; vertical-align: top; width: 50%;} div.hanging-indent{margin-left:
1.5em; text-indent: -1.5em;} ul.task-list{list-style: none;}
.display.math{display: block; text-align: center; margin: 0.5rem auto;}
</style> </head> <body> <div id="header"> <h1 class="title">The Braille Monitor,
April 2022</h1> </div> <h1 id="braille-monitor">BRAILLE MONITOR</h1> <p>Vol. 65,
No. 4 April 2022</p> <p>Gary Wunder, Editor</p> <p>Distributed by email, in
inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the</p> <p>NATIONAL FEDERATION
OF THE BLIND</p> <p>Mark Riccobono, President</p> <p>telephone: 410-659-9314</p>
<p>email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a></p> <p>website
address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a></p> <p>NFBnet.org:
<a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a></p> <p>NFB-NEWSLINE®
information: 866-504-7300</p> <p>Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind</p>
<p>Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice</p> <p>Watch and share our videos:
YouTube.com/NationsBlind</p> <p>Letters to the President, address changes,
subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national
office. Articles for the <em>Monitor</em> and letters to the editor may also be
sent to the national office or may be emailed to <a
href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.</p> <p><em>Monitor</em>
subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year. Members are invited,
and nonmembers are requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be
made payable to <strong>National Federation of the Blind</strong> and sent to:</p>
<p>National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>200 East Wells Street <em>at Jernigan
Place</em><br /> Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998</p> <p>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.</p> <p>ISSN 0006-8829</p> <p>© 2022 by the National Federation of
the Blind</p> <p>Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory
stick or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a
National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots—the
familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and a
second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This smaller slot
is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad covering this slot
and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one position. If you encounter
resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is
not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the
thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function
as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the
player for cartridges, when you insert it again, reading should resume at the
point you stopped.</p> <p>You can transfer the recording of each issue from the
thumb drive to your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because
thumb drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in
order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with the
drive when you return the device.</p> <p>Vol. 65, No. 4 April 2022</p> <h2
id="contents">Contents</h2> <p>New Orleans Site of 2022 Convention</p> <p>by John
Berggren</p> <p>The 2022 Washington Seminar in Review</p> <p>by Gary Wunder</p>
<p>Significance of the Washington Seminar 2022</p> <p>by Mark Riccobono</p>
<p>Access Technology Affordability Act Fact Sheet</p> <p>Medical Device Nonvisual
Accessibility Act Fact Sheet</p> <p>Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications
Accessibility Act Fact Sheet</p> <p>Transformation to Competitive Integrated
Employment Act Fact Sheet</p> <p>The Movement at Work: Federationists March on
Washington</p> <p>by James Gashel</p> <p>An Apology to Our Readers</p> <p>by Gary
Wunder</p> <p>A Letter to Myself or an Awkward Stage</p> <p>by Buddy Collier</p>
<p>See for Me: Finally, We’re on the Right Track</p> <p>by Danielle McCann
and Chris Danielsen</p> <p>What Does It Mean to Be Part of a Civil Rights Organization
Today?</p> <p>by Maurice Peret</p> <p>The 2022 Blind Educator of the Year Award</p>
<p>by Robin House</p> <p>A Funny Thing Happened to Me Today, but Is It Really
Funny?</p> <p>by Gary Wunder</p> <p>Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Applications Accepted</p>
<p>by Everette Bacon</p> <p>An Appeal for Help</p> <p>by Kane Brolin</p> <p>The
2022 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award</p> <p>by Carla McQuillan</p>
<p>Recipes</p> <p><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: An aerial
view of the New Orleans Marriott]</p> <h2 id="new-orleans-site-of-2022-convention">New
Orleans Site of 2022 Convention</h2> <p><strong>by John Berggren</strong></p>
<p>The 2022 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in
New Orleans, Louisiana, July 5 to July 10, at the New Orleans Marriott at 555
Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130. You can reserve a room now at the
Marriott by calling 800-654-3990 ensuring you’ll be in our headquarters
hotel. If you wish to stay in our overflow hotel directly across Canal Street,
call 855-516-1090 to book a room at the Sheraton New Orleans.</p> <p>The nightly
rate for both the Marriott and the Sheraton is $109 for singles and doubles.
Triples and quads can be booked for $119 per night. You should also anticipate
the combined sales tax and tourism support rate of 16.2 percent, and note there
is a hotel occupancy fee of $3.00 per night.</p> <p>Both hotels will take a deposit
of the first night’s room rate, taxes, and fees and will require a credit
card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged
against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Monday, June
1, 2022, half of the deposit will be returned. Refunds will not be issued for
cancellations made beyond that date.</p> <p>The hotels sit astride the storied
Canal Street at 555 and 500 Canal Street respectively, only blocks from the mighty
Mississippi River and even closer to the historic French Quarter. Both hotels
offer a range of dining options as well as twenty-four-hour fitness centers.
You’ll find a rooftop pool at the Marriott, while the Sheraton features a
Starbucks in its atrium lobby.</p> <p>The schedule for the 2022 convention is:</p>
<p>Tuesday, July 5 Seminar Day<br /> Wednesday, July 6 Registration and Resolutions
Day<br /> Thursday, July 7 Board Meeting and Division Day<br /> Friday, July 8
Opening Session<br /> Saturday, July 9 Business Session<br /> Sunday, July 10
Banquet Day and Adjournment</p> <p>The health of our members is of paramount
importance as we plan for our first in-person convention in three years. Both of
our convention hotels are committed to ensuring the safety of guests and have
implemented cleaning protocols and elevated practices to deliver on this commitment.
The National Federation of the Blind will continually monitor masking policies,
vaccination requirements, and other health guidelines that may apply to our
convention. Updates will be shared with members throughout the months leading up
to convention, so members can plan accordingly.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Gary Wunder]</p> <h2 id="the-2022-washington-seminar-in-review">The 2022
Washington Seminar in Review</h2> <p><strong>by Gary Wunder</strong></p> <p>How
enabling it is to realize that, while others watch government from afar, feel
powerless over it, and believe themselves distant from the way it works and how
they might engage, we have a tremendous gift; we have one another and the faith
to believe that together we can make a difference. Things don't happen as fast as
we would like, and there is no question that some have easier access to the levers
of power than we do. But as true as this is, we are strengthened not only by the
changes we bring about but also by the struggle to create them, the bonds we forge
in working together, and the actions we take to move from a dream to a strategy
to an implementation of a plan to make good things happen for ourselves and
others.</p> <p>Much work goes into the four-day event we call the Washington
Seminar. Our Government Affairs team carefully weighs what we have introduced
before, new issues that have surfaced, and the likelihood that something we need
will be positively received by Congress. Then the team makes its recommendations
to the President and the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors.
Often our elected leaders are given more priority issues than we can handle, so
a part of their job is to decide not just what is important but what issues we
will take as the most important. Their service as elected representatives of the
blind means they are in touch with the wants and needs of the people where they
live as well as the people they meet throughout the country on whom they rely for
advice. Throw into the mix the wisdom that comes from their own experience with
the legislative process, and you begin to get some idea about how the issues we
take become our legislative agenda each year.</p> <p>Arranging the logistics is
no small matter. When is the best time to hold the seminar, given that Congress
can change its schedule at will, and it may vary from year to year? When can we
get hotel space at the best price available? Writing the fact sheets, getting them
distributed, and organizing meetings to go over our issues all takes planning and
coordination. Often our staff pulls this off so well we are tempted to think it
is easy.</p> <p>Monday began with a lively student seminar hosted by the National
Association of Blind Students. Their message was quite clear: we are students,
and every one of these issues pertains to us. We are at this seminar because it
is our opportunity to improve our present and to carve out a future where we can
live the lives we want. Discussing the issues from the perspective of students
and role-playing was a big part of the agenda, and the participation was excellent.</p>
<p>In the afternoon the Government Affairs team held a seminar that also involved
reviewing the issues and featured two groups in meetings with Ron Brown who was,
for these meetings, Senator Ronald Brown. Questions were invited after each session,
and the beauty of having two of them was to see how the same issues could be
presented differently depending on the spokesperson.</p> <p>At 5:00 p.m. EST,
President Riccobono convened the Great Gathering-In for an audience present in
the NFB of Utah Auditorium and the hundreds of us located throughout the nation.
President Biden has asked the nation to embrace the challenge of building back
better, but President Riccobono believes that the real challenge should be building
back better with the blind. His keynote presentation stressed that we have been
coming to the United States Capitol for at least half a century, that the issues
we address make a real difference in the lives of blind people, and that, based
on the common sense that drives our legislative agenda, they are bipartisan in
nature. A copy of his address will be found later in this issue.</p> <p>Social
media is always a part of our legislative work, so President Riccobono introduced
Danielle McCann to give us an update. The conversations we had can be viewed on
Facebook and Twitter by using the hashtag #NFBINDC. She reminded us that when we
take or get pictures from any appointments, we should make sure we post them with
a caption. She concluded with a thank you to Vispero for including our Access
Technology Affordability Act in some of its publicity, and John Paré was
featured prominently in this effort.</p> <p>President Riccobono interrupted the
program to give special thanks to the people who were making it possible: those
maintaining the Zoom link, those who were providing captioning, and those who were
performing translation from English to Spanish. In his expression of appreciation,
the President also thanked all of those attending through the Zoom platform and
welcomed those who are not currently members to become a part of our Federation
family. He observed that we have affiliates in every state, chapters in most
communities of any size, and a way for members at large to participate if there
simply are no chapters in their area. There are many special interest divisions
in which one might wish to participate, and the benefits one derives from helping
another are incalculable.</p> <p>Our focus next turned to board member Everette
Bacon of Utah and his work as the chairman of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Committee.
Everette said that this is one of the most prestigious awards that is given to
recognize individuals and organizations bettering the lives of blind people. The
award is presented in honor of a blind physician who practiced in Chicago, Illinois,
and funds are provided by a generous donation made by his family. To apply for a
Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award, go to <a href="http://www.nfb.org/bolotin">www.nfb.org/bolotin</a>.
Applications are taken until April 15, and those chosen to receive the award must
attend the National Federation of the Blind Convention in New Orleans to receive
it.</p> <p>Blind people are a small part of the nation’s population, so we
regard those elected officials who work to pass legislation benefiting us as
champions. One such champion is Senator Steve Daines of Montana. He is the lead
sponsor of the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, S. 3238.
Before coming to the Senate, Steve Daines was a representative from Montana and
was voted the most effective first-term representative in 2013 and again in 2014.
In the Senate his commitment is to working for well-paying jobs in the state of
Montana, developing Montana’s energy resources, protecting our public lands,
and supporting the needs of Montana’s veterans and tribes. Given this
background, it is not surprising that he supports equal pay for people with
disabilities.</p> <p>Senator Daines has been married to his wife, Cindy, for
thirty-four years, and they are the parents of four children and the grandparents
of two. Like those of us who serve in the National Federation of the Blind, the
senator strives to maintain a healthy life balance that acknowledges the crucial
importance of family and the very important work of public service aimed at making
the world a better place.</p> <p>With these remarks of introduction, Senator Daines
took center stage. Here is some of what he said:</p> <p>Thank you very much for
that very gracious and warm introduction. I am truly honored to be here with you
all today and talk a bit about what we are trying to do here in Congress to remedy
an injustice that is occurring today in our society. I am very thankful that, in
a time when there are challenges here in what is certainly a polarized nation and
when there is not enough bipartisan cooperation in many areas, we do have a
bipartisan bill. I want to tip my hat and give gratitude to Senator Bob Casey of
Pennsylvania, a Democrat, working with me, a Republican, to fight on behalf of
those with disabilities.</p> <p>The truth is that there are thousands of Americans
with disabilities who are paid less than minimum wage, in fact sometimes as little
as a few cents an hour to work. It is my belief and the belief of so many that
treating Americans differently based on their ability status isn’t right.
It’s not what we stand for as a nation, and that’s why we have this
bipartisan bill to ensure that people with disabilities are never paid below the
minimum wage. I do not think that is too much to ask.</p> <p>There is dignity and
there is hope in work. In fact, when you meet somebody, the first thing you ask
is 'What is your name.' But the second question you ask is, 'What do you do?' Our
work defines who we are, and there is great dignity and there is great hope in
waking up in the morning and having a job and going to work. So I believe we should
be doing all that we can, not just for Montanans, but for all Americans who have
disabilities, to support them in the workforce. They must be treated fairly, not
treated unfairly. This bill will ensure that employers get the resources they need
to close that gap between paying minimum wage and below minimum wage so that all
Americans with disabilities are fairly compensated.</p> <p>Mr. President, thank
you for allowing me to share a few words about this important legislation. Thank
you for your advocacy; we are going to need that here on the Hill, so talk with
your members of Congress, and let them know that you support this. I look forward
to standing with you all shoulder to shoulder to get this done.</p> <p>The President
next introduced a man of tremendous talent who has served as a chapter president,
state president, national board member, and a staff member for more than ten years.
He currently is the executive director of our Blindness Initiatives program, and
the name to which he brings such honor is Anil Lewis. Anil began his presentation
by addressing the Federation as it was and as it is. The assertion that the
Federation is not the same organization it used to be is one with which he agrees
and vehemently disagrees. The Federation we have today is the same one that was
created by Dr. tenBroek. It is the same one nurtured and strengthened by Dr.
Jernigan, Dr. Maurer, and now by President Mark Riccobono. It believes in blind
people as it always has. It supports blind people as it always has. It is committed
to representing blind people to draw its strength, as it always has. Yes, it is
also different. The year is not 1940 but 2022. Society has different views about
the roles of men and women and the inferiority or superiority of people who differ
by race, and we view issues such as sexual orientation and gender differently from
the way we did eighty-two years ago. What Dr. Jernigan said about our being a
minority would not have played very well in 1940. The idea that we were a civil
rights organization became popular only after the society in which we live embraced
civil rights as a worthy cause. Former President Maurer could actively confront
the idea that blind people are not broken sighted people only after we had time
to consider this and make it part of our organizational philosophy. He could lead
us in creating a research institute on blindness only after he helped reinforce
our competence to speak for ourselves and our credentials to do and publish
research.</p> <p>All of our great leaders have shared one common characteristic:
they have not run from challenges but have aggressively marched to meet them. As
a Federationist, staff member, and leader in his own right, this is the style Anil
has tried to bring in all his work with the National Federation of the Blind.</p>
<p>With this as a backdrop, our executive director of Blindness Initiatives laid
out the challenges in remaining true to our roots and in dealing with the issues
facing blind people in the third decade of the twenty-first century. We saw blind
students not getting what they needed in the reading and writing of Braille, so
we created the BELL Program. In the BELL Program we dealt with the challenges
posed by COVID and created our BELL In-Home Edition. When we see racial inequality
in our society and even in our organization, we work to address it. As our society
has turned its attention to the painful issue of sexual abuse, we too have looked
within our organization for it and the means to eradicate such behavior. We need
all of our members to know that we are committed to see that every environment in
the Federation will be safe, protected, and will allow people to grow. Anil notes
that this takes courage, strength, and leadership, but the Federation demands
nothing less of our members.</p> <p>Seeing the need for more teachers of the blind,
we have reinstituted our Teacher of Tomorrow program. Whether it is providing
education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math or
whether it is focusing on where the blind work in creating job opportunities, the
National Federation of the Blind is about initiatives that blind people want and
need. We will again hold our summer internship program. This year it will run for
ten weeks, and we are actively urging those who apply to tell us what they would
like to do that will innovatively address the needs of blind people and simultaneously
build this organization that belongs to the blind.</p> <p>The important thing
Executive Director Lewis wants us to understand is that the Blindness Initiatives
department is not supported only by the few people who work in Baltimore. It is
all of us who have an interest in our present-day problems and who work today to
bring about a better future tomorrow.</p> <p>Valerie Yingling coordinates much of
the legal work we do in the Federation, and Scott LaBarre is our General Counsel.
The music introducing Scott was the theme song from Perry Mason, a show starring
Raymond Burr that was very popular in the 1960s. Although Scott said he would
briefly touch on several cases, his recommendation is that all of us who are truly
interested in some in-depth coverage go to <a
href="http://www.nfb.org/legal">www.nfb.org/legal</a>.</p> <p>Scott began by
describing a case in which we’re involved against Los Angeles Community
College District or LACCD. In the several years of involvement in this case, we
have won a few important victories. In both a lower court and the Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals, the LACCD is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by not providing accessible materials to
blind students and by having websites that are similarly inaccessible. We have
won based on the law, but there will now be a trial in which the facts of the case
are in dispute. In an already complicated situation, there is yet another wrinkle:
the LACCD is actively considering appealing the adverse rulings it has received
to the United States Supreme Court. The issue that keeps raising its ugly head is
whether the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act allow plaintiffs to seek injunctive relief. In layman’s terms, the
question at hand is whether one is able to make any systemic change or reform or
whether all one can do is go to court and argue about the individual facts and
one’s case. If it is determined that each case speaks only to the rights
of one individual, this would be a huge blow to the disability rights community
because we would no longer be able to use these laws to effect systemic change:
we could only get change person by person. With the hope that we can avoid a
confrontation before the Supreme Court, a petition has been circulated telling
the LACCD not to appeal this but instead to stand up for the rights of students
and others with disabilities. Many have signed the petition, and Scott encouraged
all of us to do so.</p> <p><strong>[From the Editor: Since this meeting, the LACCD
has decided not to appeal its case. The <em>Braille Monitor</em> will cover this
issue and LACCD’s decision once it is resolved.]</strong></p> <p>Amazon is
one of the largest retailers in the country. As such, it employs a number of men
and women to carry out its work. Blind people need to be a part of that workforce,
and we have been actively working with Amazon to see that this is so. While we
are making progress, there are difficulties still to be overcome. If you have had
difficulty in working with Amazon, please contact Valerie Yingling at the national
office by dialing 410-659-9314, extension 2440.</p> <p>We have continued to work
hard on the right of blind people to vote privately and independently. In New
Hampshire we have made significant strides, and the state has agreed to continue
using its accessible ballot-marking devices for absentee voting and is still
working on all aspects of its process to make it blind friendly. In the state of
Maryland, we have entered into a settlement to make sure that there are more
accessible ballot-marking devices at polling places.</p> <p>Valerie said that on
our legal page we have posted a number of templates that can be used by students
and parents who are running into inaccessible education technology. We are asking
that anyone who writes a letter copy <a href="mailto:advocacy@nfb.org">advocacy@nfb.org</a>.
Please use the NFB’s Technology Survey to report both accessible and
inaccessible technology.</p> <p>In addition to education, we are also interested
in seeing that blind patients have an accessible experience when they go for
examinations or care. Again, we want to hear about the good and the bad, and
Valerie is our contact point for this information.</p> <p>The agreements we have
to monitor Uber and Lyft have expired, but we continue to gather information about
ongoing discrimination for our legal advocacy work. If you have been discriminated
against by either of these ride services based on disability, whether or not you
use a service animal or white cane, we want to know. If you have encountered any
kind of inaccessible rideshare technology, please take time to report your experience
to us at NFB’s Rideshare Discrimination Survey, which is available from
the NFB legal webpage.</p> <p>Lastly, we want everyone to know that the NFB has
developed and actively looks at the Contact Us form on our legal page for anyone
needing to discuss blindness-related legal concerns or questions. To reiterate,
our legal folks can be contacted at 410-659-9314, with Valerie being at extension
2440 and Scott being reachable at 2424.</p> <p>Given that legal issues will be
one of the items receiving prominence on our 2022 Convention agenda, it seems
reasonable to hear from the host of our 2022 Convention, the president of the
National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana, Pam Allen. It has been a long time
since we all got to meet together, and this only builds on the enthusiasm that
the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana has for hosting this year’s
convention in New Orleans. Our last convention that set a record for attendance
was in New Orleans, and Pam has every hope that this will happen again in 2022.</p>
<p>One tradition of the Washington Seminar is that doughnuts are usually provided
by the District of Columbia Affiliate. Given that the seminar was virtual this
year, each affiliate had a chance to be in a drawing, and the affiliate that will
get doughnuts at the convention will be Georgia. Congratulations to them, and let
us hope that they extend their southern hospitality to invite their friends.</p>
<p>Denise Avant, a member of the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors
from Illinois, was next introduced to talk about the work of the Membership
Committee. Denise is a cochair of the committee, and the other is Tarik Williams.
The goal of the committee is to bring new members to the largest advocacy organization
in the United States and even the world. In doing this, we want to make sure that
they feel welcome and that they understand our organization. To help ensure that
this happens, we have an onboarding process, and it takes all of us to onboard
the new member. Watch for a new video, a revised form, and the tips and tricks
that we pass along at all levels to help grow our organization.</p> <p>Ryan Strunk
is the cochairperson of our Preauthorized Contribution Program known as PAC. This
year we are excited, because this is the first time in history that the program
has raised more than half a million dollars annually. Through the commitment of
our members, we were in fact able to raise $504,000. To demonstrate just how easy
it is to join the PAC Plan and in fact to get others to join, Ryan played a part
of a phone call in which he asked for support. His mother was on the other end of
the phone, and while they were talking she filled out the form, providing a
description of each field and how easily it was to complete.</p> <p>There are
several ways to begin giving or to increase your contribution. One is to call
877-632-2722. Alternatively, one can email <a href="mailto:pac@nfb.org">pac@nfb.org</a>
for assistance.</p> <p>John Paré and his fantastic team were next introduced
to discuss the issues that resulted in our having more than four hundred meetings
on Capitol Hill. Given that these are discussed in detail in the fact sheets
following this article, we will not attempt to summarize them here.</p> <p>President
Riccobono introduced Trisha Kulkarni, the president of the National Association
of Blind Students, and she began with a video created by the students demonstrating
their enthusiasm for what brings them to do the work of the Federation. The video
suggests that the future is bright for the organized blind of America.</p> <p>As
a final item on the evening's agenda, our President reviewed efforts to push the
administration for accessible COVID testing. Results of those efforts were
highlighted in the March issue, as is our ongoing work to help with test interpretation
by making them free through Aira. Below is the letter from the White House
acknowledging the need for testing and the role of the NFB in moving us in this
direction.</p> <p>In response to a letter we sent to the White House on January
3, 2022, we received the following statement which was read at the Washington
Seminar by President Riccobono:</p> <h3
id="from-the-white-house-office-on-the-covid19-response">From the White House
Office on the Covid19 Response</h3> <p>The White House Office on the Covid19
Response is incredibly grateful for the advocacy of the National Federation of
the Blind. Over the past month, we have had fruitful discussions with your president
and executive director for Advocacy and Policy following up on the Federation’s
January 3 letter regarding accessible testing. We are glad that blind individuals
have successfully been able to order at-home tests through the administration’s
recent distribution and recognize the importance of ensuring that all people in
the United States, including blind individuals, can efficiently use them and
interpret the results on their own.</p> <p>We are working quickly across the
agencies to develop short-term solutions for at-home tests currently on the market
and long-term solutions around the research and development of at-home tests and
alternative solutions to get accessible Covid19 testing to blind individuals.</p>
<p>We look forward to our continued partnership with the National Federation of
the Blind in this work.</p> <p>With the conclusion of the Great Gathering-In, we
went virtually to the Hill, and our results were everything we could have wished
for in our wildest dreams. For our 2022 Washington Seminar, we spoke with almost
80 percent of the elected leaders in Washington and informed them about our
legislative priorities. And all your hard work is paying off. As of March 9, our
legislation has experienced tremendous cosponsor support. In fact, the Access
Technology Affordability Act now has more cosponsors in the House and Senate than
it ever has had in any previous Congress. In the House, the ATAA has gained a
total of twenty-seven cosponsors since the start of Washington Seminar to bring
the total count up to 145. In the Senate we gained three cosponsors on ATAA to
bring the total number up to thirty-seven.</p> <p>However, the good news doesn’t
stop there. We also saw twenty-eight new cosponsors sign onto the Medical Device
Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853), to bring the total for that bill up to
thirty-eight. Furthermore, sixteen representatives cosponsored the Transformation
to Competitive Integrated Employment (H.R. 2373) in the House to bring the total
number up to forty.</p> <p>All of this additional support is fantastic, but let
us not rest on our laurels. We have to remember to keep pushing and keep advocating
for our legislative issues until they become law. As a great philosopher, who also
happened to be a pretty talented baseball player, once said, “It ain’t
over ‘til it’s over.” And we say, “It ain’t
over until we have won for the blind of America."</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Mark Riccobono]</p> <h2 id="significance-of-the-washington-seminar-2022">Significance
of the Washington Seminar 2022</h2> <p><strong>by Mark Riccobono</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: President Riccobono kicked off the Great Gathering-In
for the 2022 Washington Seminar of the National Federation of the Blind with the
keynote address that follows. It not only set the tone for the evening but its
theme was repeated throughout the week as we went about the work of addressing
our elected officials on Capitol Hill. Here is what he said:</strong></p> <p>We
gather in for this 2022 Washington Seminar of the National Federation of the Blind
to make America better. We gather because we want to put our hands to the building.
We want full participation in both the rights and responsibilities of our
democracy.</p> <p>This is not our first, our fifth, or our twenty-fifth time coming
back. Since 1940 we have been bringing the voice of the nation’s blind to
our nation’s capital, seeking equal treatment, equal opportunity, and equal
access. For fifty consecutive years we have come by the hundreds to meet our
representatives and senators with our priorities, and it is a certainty that, as
long as the blind are forced to overcome inequality and misunderstanding to enjoy
the rights and responsibilities of this nation, we will be back again.</p> <p>While
American society continues to hold us back with artificial barriers, the blind
continue to push back with hope and determination to overcome those obstacles and
live the lives we want. While our nation’s leaders speak of building back
better, the blind respond with the chant “build back better with the
blind.”</p> <p>While our nation has enjoyed many achievements, one of them
has not been eliminating the systemic discrimination, low expectations, and harmful
barriers that actively hold us back from building with the rest of America. There
is a deep need and great opportunity to build back better with the blind. We are
tired of being told that once it is built someone will make accommodations to
include the blind. We are tired of being apologized to because our nation’s
leaders just did not think about us. We are tired of fighting for the basic
protections, benefits, freedoms, and quality of life that many Americans enjoy
without struggle or waiting for the second, third, or fourteenth phase of
implementation.</p> <p>But though we are tired, we have not been broken. We come
to this Washington Seminar ready to build back America better than ever, because
the blind intend to be part of the solution. The blind are committed to meeting
our responsibilities in this nation to build communities that are equitable and
inclusive, as long as they do not leave us behind. The blind are prepared to
dedicate our energy and imagination to the innovative capacity of this nation.
The blind seek to contribute to the American economy through meaningful work and
to provide leadership in local communities through our volunteer service. The
blind also expect the protection of our equal rights under law.</p> <p>In order
to fulfill these commitments, America must build back better with the blind. We
come with solutions to some of the pressing problems we face, and we demand action
over nice words.</p> <p>Nonvisual technologies are required to give blind people
meaningful access to information in the digital age. While some technologies
include a measure of built-in accessibility features, frequently the most effective
accessibility tools require the blind to pay a premium above the cost charged to
the average non-blind user. We do not seek for the government to supply all of
this technology. We do seek a limited refundable tax credit when blind people
utilize their own financial resources to acquire the technology needed to access
the tremendous resources and capacities available through digital interfaces. We
have crafted our proposal, and it has support from both political parties. The
Access Technology Affordability Act will allow blind people to improve our
participation in building America through employment, education, civic engagement,
and commerce. Will this be the year America commits to increasing our participation
by passing the ATAA? We say yes, and we demand that America build back better with
the blind.</p> <p>Access to technology is not simply a luxury. Americans continue
to benefit from increased telehealth options and innovative in-home medical devices
that allow convenient monitoring and management of personal health. These devices
also assist parents and other caregivers in supporting their loved ones. That is
unless you are a blind American today. The vast majority of these critical medical
devices do not include the proven features that facilitate independent nonvisual
access. Improving the health of all Americans is essential to a better America.
Yet the law does not require in-home medical devices to be accessible to the blind.
We will not compromise our health. The time has come for the medical device industry
to offer equal access to the blind or to have the government pull the plug on
their ability to profit from their discrimination against us. The Medical Device
Nonvisual Accessibility Act calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to
promulgate nonvisual accessibility standards for Class II and Class III medical
devices to require that all of these devices be accessible to the blind. A healthy
America must include all of us, and we demand that America build medical devices
better with the blind.</p> <p>Even if we have accessible technologies in our homes
and offices, many other related artificial barriers exist. The COVID-19 Pandemic
has dramatically highlighted the inequality that exists with nonvisual access to
websites and applications. This is a concern that the blind have been raising for
more than twenty-five years. We were hopeful that the United States Department of
Justice would establish regulations to support our work in the courts to make it
clear that the protections of existing accessibility laws extend to the digital
environment, but the government continues to physically distance from action on
this issue. Meanwhile the expansion of inaccessible websites and applications has
been exponential. There are those who say we should not take our concern to Congress
because our elected leaders may use this as an opportunity to water down our
existing rights under the law. By whom were they elected anyway? The members of
the Federation say we are not afraid. We have come to Congress to ask America to
build twenty-first century websites and applications better with the blind. Every
blind person experiences these barriers any day that they attempt to access critical
websites and applications. We are going to educate Congress about this every day
until we gain the support we deserve. We will not wait any longer. We expect
America to build back better with the blind.</p> <p>Our nation is experiencing a
historical shift in pay for American workers. With wages heading upward in many
sectors of the economy, the potential to build back better is giving some Americans
a lot of hope. Yet what is the expectation for people with disabilities? We continue
to be held down by the crushing history of the Fair Labor Standards Act which,
even in 2022, endorses the payment of pennies per hour to people with disabilities.
We no longer believe that America can be built back better as long as people with
disabilities are granted only second class status under the law. 2022 is the year
to build back better with the blind and other workers with disabilities by enacting
the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act. We commend those
government and private agencies who have done their part to build America without
the use of the 14(c) provisions of the FLSA, but much more must be done, and we
demand it be accomplished in the Second Session of the 117th Congress.</p> <p>These
are only some of our priorities. As the government continues to invest in building
back America and protecting its people from the coronavirus, we say build back
better with the blind. The government has failed to provide any nonvisual access
in its initial distribution of COVID-19 at-home testing kits. However, thanks to
the National Federation of the Blind, future efforts will be built <em>with</em>
the blind.</p> <p>From government to commerce, in work and in play, the blind seek
to benefit and participate in this nation on terms of equality. When America
commits to building back better with the blind, all of its people will be better.
This is the petition we make to our elected officials this week. This is the
hopeful future we intend to build. This is the determination of the organized
blind movement. This is the significance of the Washington Seminar.</p>
<p>----------</p> <h2 id="make-a-difference">Make a Difference </h2> <p>Blind
children, students, and adults are making powerful strides in education and
leadership every day across the United States. For more than eighty years, the
National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds
of thousands of blind people into reality. With support from individuals like you,
we continue to provide powerful programs and critical resources for decades to
come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by
including the National Federation of the Blind in your charitable giving and in
your estate planning. It is easier than you think.</p> <p> </p> <p>With your
help, the NFB will continue to:</p> <ul> <li><p>Give blind children the gift of
literacy through Braille.</p></li> <li><p>Promote independent travel by
providing free, long white canes to blind people in need.</p></li> <li><p>Develop
dynamic educational projects and programs to show blind youth that science and
math careers are within their reach.</p></li> <li><p>Deliver hundreds of accessible
newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary
to be actively involved in their communities.</p></li> <li><p>Offer aids and
appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence.</p></li>
</ul> <h3 id="plan-to-leave-a-legacy">Plan to Leave a Legacy</h3> <p>The National
Federation of the Blind legacy society, our Dream Makers Circle, honors and
recognizes the generosity and vision of members and special friends of the National
Federation of the Blind who have chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other
planned giving option. You can join the Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.</p>
<h3 id="fixed-sum-of-assets">Fixed Sum of Assets</h3> <p>You can specify that a
fixed sum of your assets or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind
in your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or
other accounts.</p> <h3 id="percentage-of-assets">Percentage of Assets</h3> <p>You
can specify that a percentage of your assets or property goes to the National
Federation of the Blind in your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy,
brokerage account, or other accounts.</p> <h3 id="payable-on-death-pod-account">Payable
on Death (POD) Account</h3> <p>You can name the National Federation of the Blind
as the beneficiary on a Payable on Death (POD) account through your bank. You can
turn any checking or savings account into a POD account. This is one of the simplest
ways to leave a legacy. The account is totally in your control during your lifetime
and you can change the beneficiary or percentage at any time with ease.</p> <h3
id="will-or-trust">Will or Trust</h3> <p>If you do decide to create or revise your
will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.</p>
<p>Visit our Planned Giving webpage (<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving"><u>https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving</u></a>)
or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.</p> <p>Together with
love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams
into reality.</p> <h3 id="ways-to-contribute-now">Ways to Contribute Now </h3>
<p>Throughout 2021, the NFB:</p> <ul> <li><p>Sent nearly one thousand Braille
Santa and Winter Celebration letters to blind children, encouraging excitement
for Braille literacy.</p></li> <li><p>Distributed over five thousand canes to
blind people across the United States, empowering them to travel safely and
independently throughout their communities.</p></li> <li><p>Delivered audio
newspaper and magazine services to 126,823 subscribers, providing free access to
over five hundred local, national, and international publications.</p></li>
<li><p>Gave over six hundred Braille-writing slates and styluses free of charge
to blind users.</p></li> <li><p>Mentored 232 blind youth during our Braille
Enrichment for Literacy and Learning® Academy in-home editions.</p></li>
</ul> <p>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.</p> <h3 id="vehicle-donation-program">Vehicle Donation Program</h3> <p>The
NFB 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. We can also answer any questions you
have.</p> <h3 id="general-donation">General Donation</h3> <p>General donations
help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people
live the lives they want. You can call 410-659-9314 and elect option 4 to donate
by phone. Donate online with a credit card or through the mail with check or money
order. Visit our Ways to Give webpage (<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give"><u>https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give</u></a>)
for more information. </p> <h3 id="pre-authorized-contribution">Pre-Authorized
Contribution</h3> <p>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 withdrawal of funds from a checking account
or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, call 410-659-9314, extension 2213, or
fill out our PAC Donation Form (<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/pac"><u>https://www.nfb.org/pac</u></a>) online.</p>
<p>If you have questions about giving, please send an email to <a
href="mailto:outreach@nfb.org"><u>outreach@nfb.org</u></a> or call 410-659-9314,
extension 2422.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="access-technology-affordability-act-h.r.-431s.-212">Access Technology
Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212)</h2> <p><strong>Issue–The cost of
critically needed access technology is out of reach for most blind Americans.</strong></p>
<p><strong>The high cost of access technology creates a difficult economic
reality.</strong> Most access technology ranges from $1,000 to $6,000. For example,
a leading screen reader is $900, a popular Braille notetaker is $5,495, one model
of a refreshable Braille display is $2,795, and a moderately priced Braille embosser
is $3,695. According to the United States Census Bureau 69.1 percent of blind
Americans are either unemployed or underemployed. Consequently, most blind Americans
do not have sufficient financial resources needed to purchase these items. These
financial barriers can ultimately lead to a loss of employment, insufficient
education, or even isolation from community activities.</p> <p><strong>Medical
insurance will not cover the cost of access technology.</strong> Current definitions
of "medical care," "medical necessity," and "durable medical equipment" within
common insurance policies do not include access technology. These definitions were
adopted in the 1960s “when medical care was viewed primarily as curative
and palliative, with little or no consideration given to increasing an individual's
functional status.” [National Council on Disability] Many states’
Medicaid programs and individual health insurance plans have adopted similar
definitions and likewise will not cover the cost of access technology.</p>
<p><strong>Access technology enables blind Americans to participate in today’s
workforce.</strong> Blindness is well-defined and measurable but affects each
person differently and at different ages. Since individuals’ needs differ,
manufacturers have designed various tools that enable blind Americans to perform
tasks that they were once unable to accomplish themselves due to their blindness.
Braille notetakers are frequently used in schools, screen-reading software allows
workers to check their email at home, and screen-magnification software can help
seniors losing vision learn about community activities. Access technology equips
blind Americans to seek employment and stay employed. For the 69.1 percent of
blind Americans who are either unemployed or underemployed, it is a vehicle that
facilitates the job-seeking process. Despite this critical need, public and private
entities struggle to meet consumer demand. This leads to untimely delays in the
delivery of necessary technology and ultimately harms the blind consumer.</p> <h3
id="solutionaccess-technology-affordability-act-h.r.-431s.-212">Solution–Access
Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212):</h3> <p><strong>Makes access
technology more affordable so that blind Americans can procure these items for
themselves.</strong> It establishes a refundable tax credit for blind Americans
in the amount of $2,000 to be used over a three-year period to offset the cost of
access technology. The credit created by the Access Technology Affordability Act
will sunset after five years and will be indexed for inflation.</p> <p><strong>Provides
flexibility for individuals to obtain access technology based upon their specific
needs.</strong> Accessibility requires an individualized assessment of one’s
own skills and needs. Therefore, blind Americans should be given the opportunity
to procure access technology on their own to ensure that they are receiving the
tools that are most useful for them.</p> <p><strong>Will increase federal income
tax revenue.</strong> More blind Americans working means more people paying taxes.
It also means that those blind Americans who obtain gainful employment through
this tax credit will no longer need to draw from federal programs such as Supplemental
Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance and will instead be paying
into the Social Security Program.</p> <p>GOAL–IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY OF
CRITICALLY NEEDED ACCESS TECHNOLOGY NECESSARY FOR EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT
LIVING.</p> <p>Cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA).</p> <p>To
cosponsor the ATAA in the House of Representatives (H.R. 431), contact:</p>
<p>Crozer Connor, Senior Legislative Assistant for Congressman Mike Thompson
(D-CA)<br /> Phone: 202-225-3311, Email: <u>crozer.connor@mail.house.gov</u></p>
<p>To cosponsor the ATAA in the Senate (S. 212), contact:</p> <p>Ron Storhaug,
Legislative Aide for Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)</p> <p>Phone: 202-224-4524, Email:
<a href="mailto:Ryan_Losak@boozman.senate.gov">Ron_Storhaug@sbc.senate.gov</a></p>
<p>For more information, contact:</p> <p>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist,
National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206, Email:
<a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org">jkaloc@nfb.org</a>, or visit <a
href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a></p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="medical-device-nonvisual-accessibility-act-h.r.-4853">Medical Device Nonvisual
Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853)</h2> <p><strong>Issue–Inaccessible digital
interfaces prevent blind individuals from independently and safely operating
medical devices that are essential to their daily healthcare needs.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Medical devices with a digital interface are becoming more prevalent
and less accessible for blind Americans.</strong> The rapid proliferation of
advanced technology is undeniable. Most new models of medical devices, such as
glucose and blood pressure monitors, along with the emergence of in-home devices
that offer medical care options, such as chemotherapy treatments and dialysis,
require consumers to interact with a digital display or other interfaces. This
new technology has been and continues to be developed and deployed without nonvisual
accessibility as an integral part of the design phase, which creates a modern-day
barrier. The inaccessibility of these medical devices is not a mere inconvenience;
if accessibility for blind consumers is omitted from the medical technology
landscape, the health, safety, and independence of blind Americans will be in
imminent danger.</p> <p><strong>Telehealth currently makes up 20 percent of all
medical visits, and more healthcare providers are looking to expand telemedicine
services.</strong> Unfortunately, these visits assume that a person has easy access
to accessible medical devices in order to take their own vitals. As a result of
inaccessibility, blind and low-vision Americans are at a distinct disadvantage
when it comes to receiving the same virtual healthcare as their sighted
counterparts.</p> <p><strong>Nonvisual access is achievable, as demonstrated by
a number of mainstream products.</strong> Apple has incorporated VoiceOver (a
text-to-speech function) into all of their products, making iPhones, Macbooks and
Mac desktops, and iPads fully accessible to blind people right out of the box.
Virtually all ATMs manufactured in the United States are accessible, and every
polling place is required to have a nonvisually accessible voting machine.
Frequently, a simple audio output or vibrotactile feature can make a product
accessible at little to no additional cost for manufacturers.</p> <p><strong>Current
disability laws are not able to keep up with advancements due to the expeditious
evolution of medical technology and its incorporation into medical devices.</strong>
Although the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws require physical
accessibility for people with disabilities (e.g., wheelchair ramps, Braille in
public buildings), no laws protect the blind consumer’s right to access
medical devices. The National Council on Disability concluded that accessibility
standards lag behind the rapid pace of technology, which can interfere with
technology access. This trend of inaccessibility will continue if accessibility
solutions are ignored. Only a fraction of medical device manufacturers have
incorporated nonvisual access standards into their product design, while others
continue to resist these solutions.</p> <h3
id="solutionmedical-device-nonvisual-accessibility-act-h.r.-4853">Solution–Medical
Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853):</h3> <p><strong>Calls on the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) to promulgate nonvisual accessibility standards for
Class II and Class III medical devices.</strong> The FDA will consult with
stakeholders with disabilities and manufacturers and issue a notice of proposed
rulemaking no later than twelve months after the date of enactment of the Act. No
later than twenty-four months after the date of enactment of the Act, the FDA will
publish the final rule including the nonvisual accessibility standards.</p>
<p><strong>Requires manufacturers of Class II and Class III medical devices to
make their products nonvisually accessible.</strong> Manufacturers will have twelve
months following the publication of the final rule to ensure that all of the Class
II and Class III medical devices they produce are nonvisually accessible.</p>
<p><strong>Authorizes the FDA to enforce the nonvisual access standards for Class
II and Class III medical devices.</strong> Any manufactured device found to be
out of compliance, whether by a public complaint to the FDA or by an independent
FDA investigation, will be considered an adulterated product under the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.</p> <p>GOAL–END UNEQUAL ACCESS TO MEDICAL
DEVICES FOR BLIND AMERICANS.</p> <p>Cosponsor the Medical Device Nonvisual
Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853)</p> <p>To cosponsor H.R. 4853 contact:</p> <p>Gidget
Benitez, Health Policy Counsel, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Phone: 202-225-2111,
Email: <a href="mailto:gidget.benitez@mail.house.gov">gidget.benitez@mail.house.gov</a></p>
<p>For more information, contact:</p> <p>Jesa Medders, National Federation of the
Blind, Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2207</p> <p>Email: <a
href="mailto:jmedders@nfb.org">jmedders@nfb.org</a><u><br /> </u><a
href="http://www.nfb.org/">www.nfb.org</a></p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="twenty-first-century-websites-applications-accessibility-act">Twenty-First
Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act</h2> <p><strong>Issue–Websites
are required by law to be accessible, but without implementing regulations, most
businesses and retailers have little understanding of what accessible means.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Websites and mobile applications are an essential part of modern
living.</strong> More than 313 million Americans use the internet, and 81 percent
of Americans say that they access the internet at least once each day. The need
to access websites and mobile applications doesn’t stop when it reaches
Americans with disabilities. According to the American Community Survey, conducted
by the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately forty million Americans
who currently have a disability. Based on the numbers above, it is more than
reasonable to assume that the vast majority of them are trying to use websites
and mobile applications.</p> <p><strong>The Department of Justice announced its
intention to publish accessible website regulations more than a decade ago.</strong>
On July 26, 2010, the twentieth anniversary of the passage of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), the government published an advance notice of proposed
rulemaking to address website accessibility. After that initial announcement, no
further action was taken to substantially advance website accessibility. Without
regulations in place, blind and disabled Americans are not reliably able to
electronically access businesses, apply for jobs, and work at places due to the
barriers created by inaccessible websites and mobile applications.</p> <p><strong>The
past few years have seen a significant increase in the prevalence of so-called
“click-by” lawsuits.</strong> Accessibility is readily achievable,
but many businesses that are required by law to make their websites accessible
claim to have no clear-cut definition of what “accessible” actually
means. Meanwhile, people with disabilities must cope with inaccessible websites.
ADA Title III lawsuits, which include website accessibility suits, hit record
numbers in 2019, topping 11,000 for the first time. The number of lawsuits has
been increasing steadily since 2013, when the figure was first tracked. Businesses
yearn for a clear definition of accessibility standards and to be able to expand
their potential customer pool to consumers they were not reaching before.</p> <h3
id="solutiontwenty-first-century-websites-applications-accessibility-act-will">Solution–Twenty-First
Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act will:</h3> <p><strong>Direct
the US Access Board to promulgate accessibility guidelines.</strong> The US Access
Board will have six months following the enactment of the legislation to issue a
notice of proposed rulemaking regarding website and mobile application accessibility,
then an additional six months to issue the final rule.</p> <p><strong>Promulgate
guidelines that strive to harmonize with Section 508 standards.</strong> The
Section 508 standards promulgated by the US Access Board on January 18, 2017, are
established regulations for website and technology accessibility. Therefore, the
guidelines promulgated by the Access Board should harmonize with these standards.</p>
<p><strong>Authorize the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission to investigate the accessibility of websites and mobile applications.</strong>
Either of its own volition or via a logged complaint pertaining to inaccessibility,
the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will
have the authority to investigate accessibility concerns and commence civil action
if necessary.</p> <p>GOAL–END WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION INACCESSIBILITY
FOR BLIND AMERICANS.</p> <p>Cosponsor the Twenty-First Century Websites &
Applications Accessibility Act when introduced.</p> <p>For more information,
contact:</p> <p>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of
the Blind Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206</p> <p>Email: <a
href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org">jkaloc@nfb.org</a></p> <p><a
href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a></p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="transformation-to-competitive-integrated-employment-act-h.r.-2373s.-3238">Transformation
To Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238)</h2> <p><strong>Promote
competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to
discriminate against people with disabilities.</strong> Passed in 1938, Section
14(c) authorizes employers to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages while
they perform mundane tasks that do not transfer into skills necessary to transition
to other employment options. This law only reinforces stigmatic misconceptions of
people with disabilities and creates an artificial barrier to future employment
opportunities.</p> <p><strong>The misconception that the elimination of 14(c) will
displace workers with disabilities is based on speculation and rhetoric.</strong>
A growing number of employers have already stopped relying on Section 14(c) and
have voluntarily withdrawn their certificates. In 2011 420,000 people with
disabilities were paid subminimum wages under the 14(c) program. Today, only 39,386
people with disabilities continue to receive subminimum wages. During that same
time period (2011-2017), the employment rate for people with disabilities has
steadily increased every year from 33.4 percent to 37.3 percent. Additionally,
ten states have passed legislation limiting or barring the payment of subminimum
wages for people with disabilities.</p> <p><strong>Bipartisan consensus supports
the phase out of Section 14(c).</strong> The Republican and Democratic parties’
2016 platforms both called for an end to subminimum wages for people with
disabilities. In 2016 a committee tasked by Congress to increase employment
opportunities for people with disabilities also recommended the phase-out of
Section 14(c). In addition, in an October 2018 report, the National Council on
Disability, an independent federal agency charged with advising Congress, recommended
“the phase out of Section 14(c).” Furthermore, in September 2020,
the US Commission on Civil Rights recommended that “Congress should repeal
Section 14(c) with a planned phase-out period to allow transition among service
providers and people with disabilities to alternative service models prioritizing
competitive integrated employment.”</p> <h3
id="the-transformation-to-competitive-integrated-employment-act-h.r.-2373s.-3238">The
Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238):</h3>
<p><strong>Discontinues the issuance of new Special Wage Certificates.</strong>
The Secretary of Labor will no longer issue Special Wage Certificates to new
applicants.</p> <p><strong>Creates a grant program for states and individual 14(c)
certificate holders to assist with their transition to competitive, integrated
employment.</strong> This grant program will be available to all states and
individual 14(c) certificate holders who transition their business models to
support competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities. States
that receive grants must establish an advisory committee that includes employers,
organizations specializing in employment for people with disabilities, Medicaid
agencies, AbilityOne contractors, people with disabilities, and vocational
rehabilitation agencies.</p> <p><strong>Creates a technical assistance center to
support all 14(c) holders in their transition to competitive integrated
employment.</strong> Under the Department of Labor, the technical assistance center
will disseminate information about best practices to facilitate transition of
entities to competitive, integrated employment.</p> <p><strong>Requires reporting
and evaluation of the progress of creating and expanding support for workers with
disabilities.</strong> States and 14(c) certificate holders will be required to
report on their grant activities, evaluate changes in employment for people with
disabilities, report average wage information, and evaluate employer actions taken
to comply with the phase out of 14(c).</p> <p><strong>Sunsets Section 14(c) of
the Fair Labor Standards Act.</strong> Five years after enactment of the TCIEA,
employers will no longer be permitted to pay workers with disabilities subminimum
wages.</p> <p>REMOVE ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.</p> <p>Cosponsor
the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act</p> <p>To cosponsor
H.R. 2373 in the House of Representatives, contact:</p> <p>Phoebe Ball, Disability
Counsel, House Committee on Education and Labor, Phone: 202-225-3725, Email: <a
href="mailto:phoebe.ball@mail.house.gov">phoebe.ball@mail.house.gov</a></p>
<p>or</p> <p>Kristin Flukey, Senior Legislative Assistant for Representative Cathy
McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)</p> <p>Phone: 202-225-2006, Email: <a
href="mailto:kristin.flukey@mail.house.gov">kristin.flukey@mail.house.gov</a></p>
<p>To cosponsor S. 3238 in the Senate, contact:</p> <p>Michael Gamel-McCormick,
Disability Policy Director, Senate Special Committee on Aging, Phone: 202-224-4193,
Email: <a
href="mailto:Michael_Gamel-McCormick@aging.senate.gov">Michael_Gamel-McCormick@aging.senate.gov</a></p>
<p>For more information on the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment
Act, contact:</p> <p>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation
of the Blind</p> <p>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206, Email: <a
href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org">jkaloc@nfb.org</a></p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: James Gashel]</p> <h2 id="the-movement-at-work-federationists-march-on-washington">The
Movement at Work: Federationists March on Washington</h2> <p><strong>by James
Gashel</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: I thought readers might like to
see what our legislative agenda and issues were forty years ago and contrast them
with what we are doing today. Some issues highlighted here have seen significant
progress because of our work. Other issues demonstrate the same old problems but
with a different focus. But through it all there is a consistency of purpose that
we see again and again: This is the same Federation we have always known, and this
is a Federation that evolves and remains the most effective vehicle for the blind
to express ourselves today. Our message goes to DC whether we call it the March
on Washington, as we did then, or the Washington Seminar, as we do now. Here is
what Mr. Gashel said in the <em>Braille Monitor</em> in April of 1982 and the
legislative agenda that followed:</strong></p> <p>The March on Washington is
becoming an annual tradition in our movement. Each year new states join the ranks
of those sending representatives to walk the halls of Congress and talk about the
national issues of special concern to the blind. The first of these marches was
held back in the fall of 1973, at the height of such historic events as Watergate,
when we gathered to tell Congress about how the federal government was harming
blind people by spending our tax dollars on annual grants to the National
Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped
(NAC). Congress listened to us, and the rest—NAC's loss of federal support,
along with a steady decline ever since—is history.</p> <p>In the years
since 1973, we have had many great marches. While the specific issues vary from
time to time, the theme (that blind people want independence and first-class
status) is always the same. Carrying this message to Congress from local communities
throughout our land is vital to the work and continued success of our movement,
legislatively and otherwise. A measure of our effectiveness in this effort is the
fact that members who have served in Congress for the past several years are now
well aware of our principal legislative goals. We know this by the encouraging
patterns of their responses and their willingness to help in a variety of ways.</p>
<p>During this particular march, we focused on six major areas of concern. These
will be presented later in detail. Our headquarters’ hotel was the Holiday
Inn Capitol, located only a few blocks west of the three office buildings used by
the members of the House of Representatives. This proved to be a superb facility
and an ideal location. Our work began as we assembled for initial briefings on
Sunday, January 31. Dr. Jernigan conducted the opening session, giving us an update
on recent events affecting our movement throughout the country and laying out the
challenge for the work to be done on Capitol Hill. Plans were also made for anyone
to visit the National Center in Baltimore.</p> <p>Then, on Monday, February 1, as
the Second Session of the 97th Congress entered its second week of business,
Federationists went in teams and individually to explain the status of the blind
in America today and to present our agenda for legislative action. After each
meeting a report was filed with a hardworking team assigned to coordinate all
appointments and to assemble the results. A bank of four telephones plus
Federation-owned radio communications equipment made for easy contact between
Capitol Hill and our Holiday Inn command post.</p> <p>This was a professional
operation through and through, showing the benefits of several years of experience
and organizational skills. In all, there were more than 200 of us participating.
Thirty states sent representatives; many more than one. The NFB of Pennsylvania
chartered a bus to bring in Federationists for Tuesday, February 2. These people
joined other Pennsylvanians on hand in Washington throughout the entire march.</p>
<p>Among the highlights were meetings with both Administration and Congressional
leaders. In a meeting with members of the White House staff, we described how
current laws and federal programs are failing to fulfill their intended objectives,
keeping most blind people outside the workforce and largely unassisted in any
meaningful way. We explained our position that many of the rehabilitation agencies
(public as well as private) need to undergo extensive reform. But, we also pointed
out that the President's programs have so far not stimulated the kind of reform
necessary. Then, we met with Congressional leaders, including House Speaker Thomas
P. (Tip) O'Neill, Senator Edward Kennedy, and Senator Howard Metzenbaum. These
gentlemen share political views quite different from those of the Administration.
There was a meeting with Senator Strom Thurmond, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Committee. His committee handles the voting rights issues which will be discussed
later. Meanwhile, on the House side of the Capitol other state delegations were
meeting with influential committee and subcommittee chairpersons such as Carl
Perkins and William Natcher. Together, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Natcher have the
principal responsibility for all legislation and distribution of federal funds
relating to programs of greatest importance to the blind of this country. When
the final reports were in, we had visited every Congressional office.</p> <p>And
by all accounts, our meetings were constructive. For one thing, there is a marked
increase in the number of House and Senate cosponsors for the bills of principal
interest to us. Also, we made great progress in the Senate, when on February 3,
as the finale to our march, Senator Paul Tsongas introduced a bill to prevent
paying blind and visually impaired workers less than the minimum wage. Senator
Tsongas is a member of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, the Committee
in the Senate having jurisdiction over all bills, such as this one, relating to
labor standards. In offering this bill, S. 2056, Senator Tsongas said:</p> <h3
id="congressional-record-senate">CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE</h3> <p>February 3,
1982</p> <p>Fair Wages for Blind Workers</p> <p>Mr. Tsongas. Mr. President, today
I am joining with Senators Levin and Chiles to introduce legislation that would
bar sub-standard wages for blind workers. It would amend the Fair Labor Standards
Act of 1938 to provide that blind persons may not be employed at less than the
applicable minimum wage.</p> <p>Currently the law allows blind workers to be paid
at a rate that can be as low as 25 percent of the Federal minimum wage. In sheltered
workshops, which employ one out of every seven blind workers, a sub-minimum wage
is the norm. Half of these workers are paid less than $1,500 a year.</p> <p>A few
sheltered workshops across the country have shown that fair pay is practical.
There are twenty workshops with more than 5,000 sightless employees that pay the
minimum wage. They produce a variety of products for healthy profits, and they do
it without taking economic advantage of the workers.</p> <p>By contrast, the others
use the law to make enormous profits. They are practicing economic discrimination
against their blind employees.</p> <p>Some people are concerned that closing this
loophole would adversely affect other benefits—Supplemental Security Income
and Social Security Disability Insurance. This is unfounded. A blind person can
earn above the minimum wage before SSI benefits are reduced.</p> <p>Although the
SSDI rules are not as flexible, a blind worker can earn $5,500 before those benefits
are affected. This is much higher than the average subminimum salary under the
present law.</p> <p>Current law is unjust and patronizing the blind workers. It
is an affront to the thousands of sightless workers who overcome major barriers
to gainful employment. Often they are placed in positions beneath their skills,
with little if any hope for advancement.</p> <p>Mr. President, our blind citizens
have many skills to contribute to America's economic strength. They have every
right to demand fair compensation for productive efforts . . . every right except
the legal right. This legislation, which is strongly supported by the National
Federation of the Blind, will finally give these workers the right to a decent
wage. I urge my colleagues to join in ending this chronic injustice."</p> <p>To
those words, we can only say Amen! Yes, our voice is being heard in communities
around this country and on Capitol Hill, today. Reprinted below are the position
papers we are currently using in the 97th Congress. These should be read and
understood by every Federationist. Then, each of us should actively join the effort
to inform our Senators and Representatives whenever we can arrange to see them.
The March on Washington is not simply a one-time event or even a once-a-year
observance. It is part of a total effort, and it is helping to keep our movement
on the move.</p> <h3 id="legislative-memorandum">LEGISLATIVE MEMORANDUM</h3>
<p>FROM: Members of the National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>TO: Members of
the Ninety-Seventh Congress, Second Session</p> <p>RE: The blind: An agenda for
legislative action</p> <p><strong>Background:</strong> Nearly one-half million
people in the United States are blind; we do not see, or we do not see very well,
but for most of us the lack of eyesight has not been the principal obstacle. As
much as any other group of citizens, we want to shoulder our share of the burden
by contributing to the growth of our nation's economy, and most of us have the
capacity (not merely the desire) to do this; several thousand of us are already
at work and proving ourselves every day.</p> <p>The rest of us have been sidetracked,
and as the economic times grow harder, our prospects for an equal chance to be
part of the productive life of our communities continue to diminish. The best
statistics we can gather show that only about 30,000 blind people have jobs which
pay them more than $500 per month, just enough to lose all of their Social Security
benefits but hardly enough to live on. Most blind people are not able to find
work, but when they do, they may often be channeled into jobs far beneath their
skills and potential, such as working at below poverty-level wages in sheltered
workshops. Few blind people own their own businesses. About 4,000 participate in
a special government-sponsored program, providing opportunities for them to manage
vending facilities on federal and other property.</p> <p>Most blind people have
only their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income checks to meet regular
daily living expenses, yet many could be self-sufficient and productive if given
the opportunity to do so. Social attitudes about blindness are our greatest
obstacle. The National Federation of the Blind is working to alter these conditions,
principally by means of educating the public to new ways of thinking. Yet, these
educational efforts need a framework of laws and related legislative actions in
order to move blind people from the historic status of isolation into the mainstream
of our social and economic life. A legislative agenda (described below) has been
forged to accomplish this. Comprehensive "fact sheets" on each item are also
attached. Our proposals address problems identified by the blind with workable
legislative solutions, and in each case, federal legislation represents the most
viable option available.</p> <p>(1) Congress should amend the Wagner-O'Day Act of
1938 to strengthen management and accountability in the distribution of federal
contracts to sheltered workshops. This proposal seeks improved administrative
mechanisms for allocating noncompetitive government contracts to sheltered workshops.
Under current law, a Presidentially-appointed "Committee for Purchase from the
Blind and Other Severely Handicapped" oversees government contracting with sheltered
workshops. The Committee has given National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
responsibility for allocating these contracts to workshops employing the blind,
and NIB (purportedly nonprofit) receives a commission on each contract. NIB opposes
guaranteeing minimum wage for blind workers and their right to labor union
representation, using money raised from sales to the government to underwrite
campaigns against these policy changes. According to the General Accounting Office,
in a recent report to Congress, NIB's spending of such money acquired from government
sales cannot be controlled through the normal appropriations process. Thorough
Congressional oversight, leading toward legislative reform, is needed.</p> <p>(2)
Congress should amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 to prohibit
paying blind workers less than minimum wage. This proposal seeks wage protection
for low-income blind workers and asks for nothing more than the wage guarantee
which the FLSA extends to employees who are not blind. FLSA allows wages as low
as 25% of the federal minimum, but all studies agree that there are numerous
uncontrolled violations.</p> <p>(3) Congress should amend Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit employment discrimination based on blindness or
physical disability. This proposal seeks to expand employment opportunities for
the blind through a federal prohibition against employment discrimination based
on prejudice or misconception. Despite all of the efforts we are making to change
public attitudes, the image of the helpless, dependent blind person is still
widespread in our culture. This has resulted in limiting substantially our
opportunities for competitive employment, and laws must be enacted to prevent
these unjustified restrictions. In some states, the laws which prohibit employment
discrimination against women and minorities have been amended to include protection
for disabled persons, and the results have shown that public policy against
discrimination on the basis of handicap can expand employment possibilities while
reducing the burden on our welfare system. The federal legislation in this area
is limited, and court rulings have largely eroded Congressional intent. This is
why Congress must act to insure equal employment opportunities for blind and
handicapped persons.</p> <p>(4) Congress should amend Title II of the Social
Security Act to remove employment disincentives from the conditions of eligibility
for blind persons to receive disability insurance. This proposal seeks to eliminate
a substantial economic barrier (the $500 per month earnings limitation) placed on
blind persons receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) checks. The
concept of Social Security replacing income lost because of a disability such as
blindness has merit. Its shortcoming, however, is the arbitrary limitation imposed
on income derived from earnings. This denies a hand up to those who want to achieve
self-sufficiency again, stifling the initiative of thousands of potentially
productive blind citizens. A legislative solution, calling for specific changes
in Title II of the Social Security Act, has enjoyed bi-partisan support in past
Congresses and several amendments to provide more work incentives for the blind
have actually become law; the most recent of these being part of the 1977 Social
Security amendments. Federal law should not continue to discourage the blind from
becoming self-supporting, tax-paying citizens, and the Social Security Act must
be amended accordingly.</p> <p>(5) Congress should provide adequate appropriations
under Title III of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act to allow continued
federal support for Job Opportunities for the Blind. This proposal seeks more and
better employment prospects for the blind through a targeted job information and
referral service, known as Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB). JOB is funded
through a contract with the United States Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration. The program offers an especially important service to
blind people by identifying employment opportunities and working with employers
to provide accurate information about the employment skills of qualified blind
people. JOB's objectives are consistent with our nation's current need for economic
recovery, since every blind person who becomes productive is one less individual
requiring financial assistance at public expense. Each member of Congress and each
staff member should know about and support with pride the work of JOB. Blind
constituents who require this service should be informed of its existence and may
be referred for help from JOB as long as the program continues to operate.</p>
<p>(6) Congress should amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to assure that each
blind person registered to vote will have the right to cast a vote in private with
the aid of a personal assistant freely chosen by the blind voter. This proposal
seeks nationwide observance of a fair and dignified voting procedure for the blind
and will thus encourage greater participation by the blind in our democratic
electoral process. Many states and political subdivisions have already enacted
laws which allow blind persons to vote with the aid of personally chosen sighted
assistants, but in other jurisdictions this right is limited. For example, some
states require the assistant to be a "relative" of the blind voter, and some even
add the qualification that the assistant be a "friend." In some instances, state
laws suggest that a spouse must accompany the blind voter, or if the voter has no
spouse available, two election officials (who may be unknown to the voter) must
help in casting the ballot. Thus, the laws are vague and inconsistent. In addition,
their requirements are inconsistently applied, even where they are specific. A
federal solution is available by amending the Voting Rights Act of 1965 during
the current Congressional action to extend certain expiring provisions of that
Act. Moreover, because of the language of a House-passed amendment, which introduces
into the Voting Rights Act the subject of voter assistance, it is imperative that
clarifying language be added in order to preserve and protect the voting assistance
rights of the blind.</p> <p>Blind people are asking for your help in gathering
support for legislation in the areas here outlined. Bills to achieve our objectives
have been introduced in the 97th Congress, and cosponsors are actively being
sought. Many priorities confront this session of Congress, but none is more
important than putting America back to work again. The blind must not be overlooked
in fashioning the best possible legislative program to do the job.</p> <p>----------</p>
<h2 id="an-apology-to-our-readers">An Apology to Our Readers</h2> <p>In the January
2022 issue we ran two articles concerning the trend of people describing themselves
in meetings and presentations. One article begins with what we thought were silly,
hyperbolic examples about the ways in which some people have attended Zoom meetings
in which they clearly did not intend video to be a part. In the description, a
hypothetical trans person describes themself as being naked. In retrospect, we
apologize for including this example given the harmful and unacceptable stereotype
of trans people being sexually aggressive, as well as the equally harmful belief
that trans people "change their gender" due to mental illness or the desire to
take advantage of others. Perpetuating these stereotypes was certainly not our
intent. We value all people, regardless of gender or gender expression. We made
a mistake in failing to recognize how that language might affect people we care
about, and for that we most sincerely apologize.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Buddy Collier]</p> <h2 id="a-letter-to-myself-or-an-awkward-stage">A
Letter to Myself or an Awkward Stage</h2> <p><strong>by Buddy Collier</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Buddy is a member who lives in Nevada. He is an active
member of our affiliate, and in this article he expresses something we talk little
about in the NFB, that being the transition from sight to blindness. Some of us
have not known the experience. Others of us have been blind long enough that we
see it as a stage we passed through and are now about living our lives as blind
people. While reality dictates that we accept our new situation and look for the
advantages to be found in it, we can’t simply offer the advice to work
through the transition by keeping a stiff upper lip and a positive attitude. For
most of us, feelings are not so easily manipulated, and feelings unacknowledged
can lead to long-term problems and a failure to transition to something
better—the realization that we are still human beings meant to thrive and
not broken sighted persons. Here is what Buddy, a person not yet blind but well
on the way, has to say:</strong></p> <p>This is a letter to myself, that self that
was trying to make sense of it all six years ago when the retina detached in my
right eye after a cataract removal surgery. In this letter I speak to myself, the
self that was going through so much trauma and pain six years ago. It is also a
kind of chat with anyone who may be experiencing some degree of vision loss but
who is not legally blind.</p> <p>Since all of that terrible stuff happened, I have
seen three of my friends suffer similar experiences. We are all sixty years of
age or older.</p> <p>If I had to give it a title, I would entitle this, “My
Awkward Stage.”</p> <p>After eight surgeries and weeks of holding my head
down—hoping that the air bubble, then the gas bubble, and then silicon oil
all placed in the eye to repair the retina—after all that, I can see, and
there are things that I can’t see. The vision in the right eye is gone.
When it went, it was almost a relief. The scleral buckle attached to the eye caused
me to see double, and that was worse than seeing with only one eye. So now, seeing
with one eye through trifocals, living with glaucoma, and a forming cataract means
I am frequently mindful of my vision situation. In addition there are things I
can see that confuse me. I think my brain is working overtime to translate the
signals it receives by making assumptions about the world that aren’t so.
I am someone who lives between the sighted world and the blind world. My usable
vision sets me outside the world of those who rely solely on other senses to
navigate their world. My impairment makes me cautious and sometimes fearful. I
love the vision that I have; I just don’t trust it completely. My vision
is frequently disorienting and unreliable.</p> <p>The gradual and unpredictable
loss of vision lasting months or years is a life-changing process. I doubt that
anyone who must live through the shock, depression, and challenges brought to them
because of vision loss found it an easy thing to deal with. We might as well face
it and call it what it is: it is a loss. The uncertainty which accompanies it,
like grief accompanies sorrow, only adds to the miasma. Almost daily the person
experiencing this loss wonders how far it is going to go. Has it stopped yet? Or,
am I going to step entirely into the darkness? Perhaps this experience should be
categorized as an auxiliary experience in addition to a decline in vision. One
thing is for sure, though: When you are in the middle of it, you can’t tell
where one ends and the other begins.</p> <p>In the beginning stages you probably
appear normal to your sighted friends. When they catch evidence of your impairment
in an odd moment, they may declare their surprise that it is real. Legally, you
may very well be sighted. You learn that the experts can’t agree 100 percent
on a definition of blindness. Kenneth Jernigan aptly explored the question of
where the term <span dir="rtl">‘</span>blindness<span dir="rtl">’</span>
might be applied in his article, "Who Are We? A Definition of Blindness." You
learn there is more to vision than the physical eye and that blindness has more
to do with function than with the state of the eye. You know something in you is
amiss. Things are not right, and you naturally feel threatened. The eye specialists
I consulted didn’t offer any direction or help when it comes to dealing
with vision loss or the emotional trauma accompanying it. Their world seemed to
be limited to numbers and observable conditions which they dutifully record in
files. My retina specialist stated that the last surgery he conducted on my right
eye had been a success. He said this in spite of the obvious fact that my eye was
now completely blind. He casually added that the left eye would probably follow
the same path as the right. He said that in ten or fifteen years I’ll have
serious challenges with vision. His concern was so narrowly focused that he had
excluded his patient.</p> <p>As an individual experiencing vision loss, you are
acutely aware that fundamental changes are taking place in your body and in your
life. The script of your life is being revised without your consent. You may, as
I did, feel that you are trying to live life from inside a box. In the early days
I had a feeling that I was physically disconnected from my environment. It was a
kind of numbness. At the beginning of this journey most people with whom you will
interact will be incapable of perceiving these changes happening inside you. No
one but you knows how you have cobbled together a developing set of skills to
navigate everyday life. Now you check the step with your toe before climbing a
staircase or when you encounter a curb. Then there is how, at the grocery store
checkout, you dip your card holding hand below the payment device and slowly move
up to find the slot where you’ll insert the card. There’s that trick
you figured out when people want to hand you a cup or return your debit card. You
learned that it is easier just to extend your hand out and wait for them to push
it into your fingers than to feel about in front of them, making a show of it all.
You choose a side to walk on when going out with friends. Every day you wonder,
"How far will this go?" You learn that your current vision is not to be completely
trusted. It is like an old friend who has turned against you. Once you felt you
could trust it completely. Now it randomly lies, abandoning you to figure out your
next move without reliable guidance.</p> <p>So, bit by bit, you start to figure
out that your fingers can help fill in some of the gaps. Are you about to graze
the corner of the kitchen counter? Your fingers can tell you. How far away is that
overhanging branch or cabinet door? Suddenly there are bumps and little ledges on
common household items that are speaking to you in a new language. Is that my
toothbrush? Feel the curve of the handle or put a rubber band around it so your
fingers will know. Do you over or under reach the glass when you are pouring a
liquid, making a mess? Let your fingers be the judge of distance there too. Is
there a dried bit of food on the top of the kitchen counter that your eyes
can’t see? Well, your fingers can find it. I have found my fingers are much
more strict about cleaning counter tops than my eyes had ever been. The same goes
for washing dishes.</p> <p>You would think this would be enough, but the experience
is bigger than that. How about seeing things that aren’t there? In my
journey I have seen many illusions. My personal favorite was the pictures of
galleons decorating a restaurant wall. They looked as if they were leaving the
painting and sticking out into the air.</p> <p>A word about complaining: You are
going to be inclined to do a lot of complaining that first year. Because we lack
an adequate vocabulary to explain our new experiences, we tend to struggle with
words that can help others understand our new world. Remember that there is a
limit to how much other people can focus on you. We don’t want to fatigue
the patience of our friends. This may invite you to become bitter and think no
one cares. Try to remember that to them understanding your situation may be like
explaining something that is happening on another planet. They know you are
disturbed, but they can’t see what you are seeing. And, as you are learning,
what people can’t see is frequently dismissed.</p> <p>You may also seek
some spiritual context in which to place all of this. At some point you have to
get on with it and do the best you can with what you’ve got. I think it
was at the place where I finally had cried enough and complained enough that I
began my journey to acceptance. That took me about three years. Patience!</p>
<p>So, since I am a person who usually overreacts to situations, I chose to inform
myself as fully as possible about blindness issues and skills. I really jumped in
the deep end of the pool. This meant I decided to learn Braille, some white cane
techniques, some helpful technology, and decided to talk to and listen to successful
blind people in my town. If indeed the dark is coming, do I really want to wait
until that moment to decide to inform myself? Being proactive is better than
waiting until some overworked social worker or family member takes on your case
and decides for you.</p> <p>Wait a minute! What if I never need any of this? Maybe
it’s just easier to have several magnifiers around the house and not go
out as much as I did. Well, maybe. And that is an option. But I believe it is the
lessor of two options, one of them clearly being an inferior choice. Personally,
I have always enjoyed learning new things. Braille has become a hobby of mine. I
don’t use it to function, but I enjoy reading and writing Braille. Shocked?
Why? Some people collect spoons or thimbles, and nobody thinks that’s odd.
It just so happens that my hobby may come in handy on a day when I really need
it.</p> <p>What about having an identification cane when you need it? Crowded
spaces can be a problem for me. I’ve already learned that falling down is
no fun, and some people get mad when I bump into them. When I have that short
little cane in my hand, people give me a couple inches of extra space, and I
don’t feel like I’m about to slam into a stranger at any moment.</p>
<p>So, I walk in the world of the sighted, and I borrow things from the world of
the blind. The line between the two is blurred. You either see or you don’t,
right? Sorry, it is a lot more nuanced than that. Go read Kenneth Jernigan’s
article I mentioned above.</p> <p>Even I, with an impairment, still harbor feelings
that I haven’t fully come to terms with. But I hope to someday. I have
suffered a loss of some of my visual acuity. Whether or not I experience further
decline in my vision, my world has become richer for the things I have learned
and the people I have befriended who teach me about living with various degrees
of vision. You lose something and you gain something if you reach out and try.
Now, doesn’t that sound better than sitting at home without an idea of what
to do?</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Danielle McCann]</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Chris Danielsen]</p> <h2 id="see-for-me-finally-were-on-the-right-track">See
for Me: Finally, We’re on the Right Track</h2> <p><strong>by Danielle McCann
and Chris Danielsen</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Both Danielle and
Chris are members of the Communications Team and are likely well known to readers.
Both are talented and articulate, so getting an article from either, not to mention
both, is a real pleasure. This originally appeared in our blog on Monday, February
14, 2022, and we gladly reprint it. Here is what they say:</strong></p> <p><em>See
for Me</em> is a new thriller in which a young blind woman, played by blind,
autistic, and nonbinary actor Skyler Davenport in their feature film debut, takes
a house-sitting job in an isolated mansion. When three intruders break in, the
protagonist, Sophie, uses an app called <em>See for Me</em> to get help from a
gamer named Kelly. (The See for Me app is a fictional version of a visual interpreting
service.) The premise will probably (understandably) make many readers apprehensive,
but read on to find out why our reviewers think this movie is well worth watching.
Be aware, though, that it isn’t family-friendly viewing. The film is rated
R and contains strong language and violence.</p> <p>Danielle: Since the National
Federation of the Blind began to push for screen production companies to stop
casting sighted people to play blind characters, I was hopeful that they would
listen and finally let blind people represent ourselves in TV and film. Then,
<em>In the Dark</em> came out, and I was not only disappointed, but it felt cringy
to know that once again the world would be shown all sorts of misconceptions of
what blind people are like, because the industry couldn’t be bothered to
cast authentically. Fast forward a couple of years and there has been some progress.
In particular, Netflix understood the assignment and cast a blind person in
<em>You</em>.* It has to be noted that the standout reason, in my opinion, that
this is a big deal is that the character’s blindness has very little to do
with the plot. He just happens to be blind; that’s it. So when <em>See for
Me</em> appeared on my Apple TV, I was optimistic, and it did not disappoint.</p>
<p>While the plot of <em>See for Me</em> does revolve around Sophie’s
blindness, it does not seek to make her a myth, a miracle, or somehow magical.
She’s actually kind of a jerk, and I really like seeing that because it
breaks down the idea that blind people are happy, good, cheerful, and perfectly
content all of the time. Without giving too much of the story away, I also appreciate
how most everyone in the film pauses to acknowledge the blindness, but they
don’t let it sway them from their original intent. The only person I have
a hard time with is Sophie’s mom, because she hovers and worries way too
much, but at Sophie’s age, I had problems with my own mom for the same
reasons. I love the teamwork between Sophie and Kelly, because again the blindness
is a factor in the equation, but it is not the sum of all parts. There are a few
things that Sophie does in the movie that really feel genuine, and I think
that’s because the actor is blind, so these movements and mannerisms are
very natural to them. Where the lead in <em>In the Dark</em> is often overexaggerated
in her presence and feels clunky, Sophie’s performance is smooth.</p> <p>The
end of the movie is great because there’s a tiny twist to how we get there,
and it goes to show that blind people aren’t always who society has played
us up to be. There is no inspirational hook here. It’s just a really good
film with a really great actor in the lead role.</p> <p>Chris: There was a time
when the blind community collectively worried about blind people being portrayed
as jerks or villains, even as we cringed at the sugary saintliness that some blind
characters displayed. But <em>See for Me</em> strikes the right balance. It’s
definitely true that Sophie is hard to like at first. Most of her problem is that
she’s in the stage of adjustment to blindness that Dr. Jernigan called
rebellious independence. She is reluctant to accept help from anyone. She’s
also bitter about her situation, so she uses her blindness to justify theft from
the people who hire her to house-sit (they would never suspect a blind girl, would
they?) This sounds contradictory, but the character was believable to me for
exactly that reason. Fortunately, the movie is smart enough to avoid becoming a
cheap thrill ride with a sappy ending about a blind person learning that it’s
okay to accept help sometimes. It’s hard to say more than that without
spoiling the plot, but this is most definitely not a film in which a sighted savior
rescues a helpless blind woman through the miracle of technology. Within the
confines of being a fast-paced thriller, it’s a complex story about two
complex characters navigating a frightening and unpredictable situation. There
are things to nitpick (no Braille, little independent cane travel), but I can
honestly say that <em>See for Me</em> has one of the most authentic portrayals of
a blind character that I have seen in a movie. While watching it, I never felt as
if either the capacity of blind people or my intelligence were being insulted.</p>
<p>Overall, we think this is a solid offering from the film industry. They’ve
now seen for themselves how easy it is to cast blind people. <em>See for Me</em>
is available to rent or buy on Apple TV; audio description is available. Have you
watched it or do you plan to check out this film? We’d love to hear what
others think.</p> <p>* Ben Mehl, a blind actor, plays a blind character named
Dante in the series <em>You</em> (season 3). Two blind actors will also make their
screen debut later this year in Netflix’s adaptation of the novel <em>All
the Light We Cannot See.</em></p> <p>---------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Maurice
Peret]</p> <h2 id="what-does-it-mean-to-be-part-of-a-civil-rights-organization-today">What
Does It Mean to Be Part of a Civil Rights Organization Today?</h2> <p><strong>by
Maurice Peret</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Maurice is a frequent
contributor to these pages. He and I love one another, and with each of his articles
we wrestle about which of his views belong in our magazine and which belong in
different forums. He is always good natured about my extraction of pearls of wisdom
he has inserted, and though I extract them, I admire his attempt to make sense of
the world and his different take on politics, economics, and the danger of
corporations. With thanks for what he contributes to us, here is what he has to
say about not making too much of our differences when they lead to conflict and
estrangement:</strong></p> <p>As I sit before my PC, planning learning activities
for youth and employment engagement opportunities for adult job seekers and
employers for our Federation, I am constantly aware that the office that I occupy
in either our Jernigan Institute or the condominium from where I telework twice
per week sits inside the Baltimore City limits, within the state of Maryland,
inside the United States of America, and in an ever-shrinking world.</p> <p>The
blind of America need jobs, independence, financial and personal security, along
with the hard-won rights that must be persistently defended. There are more of us
than we are aware of who lack basic housing, medical care, and decent living and
working conditions. In these circumstances, we are well integrated into the social
and economic fabric of millions struggling to keep hearth and home together.</p>
<p>That we co-exist in a class-divided society plagued by disparities of all kinds
is indisputable. The point is to properly understand the nature and scope of these
systemic inequities. Individuals may be forgiven for harboring certain misunderstandings
based often upon a lack of experience or exposure to groups of people who are
different from us. However, the same megaphones controlling the airwaves, educational
institutions controlling learning platforms and materials, and profiteers governing
our ability to sell our labor power, they who would point to us individually for
being to blame for prejudices, are in fact the very ones who have denied and
continue to deny equal access on a hierarchy of power and money. We should not
allow ourselves to be taken in by the real divisions that exist among a tiny
minority who monopolize the message by deflecting their prejudices onto us. Division
makes news, tribalism makes news, and news sells advertising. So I am reluctant
to let my world view be largely shaped by the cynicism, mistrust, and tribalism
that are all too focused in the public arena.</p> <p>The organized blind movement
is but one clear example to me that we, in our vast majority, are the solution,
not the problem. The obvious remedy to all the noise, of course, is to just simply
tune out, turn off, and focus upon the immediate important work before us. On the
other hand, the world happens around us and affects us in ways of varying urgency
and severity. Some of us worry about putting enough of our earnings away for
retirement. Others of us are concerned about where our next meal will come from
or if there will be enough work to avoid being laid off in the short term.</p>
<p>I find it useful to draw from proven strategies shared by the mighty mass
movements in our proud history. The most fundamental is instilling a strong sense
of individual empowerment, self-efficacy, and a positive self-concept. This is a
common thread through the Black rights movements both in this country and abroad,
the sense of connection to ancestral lands communicated through the authentic
lived wisdom of elder leaders among indigenous peoples, and the close family,
social, ethnic, and linguistic ties of immigrant communities. Only when we can
recognize our own individual worth and human value can we even begin to see
ourselves as part of a powerful collective movement of people, many just like us,
capable of societal transformation.</p> <p>Tremendous examples can be found in
any of the publications on the website of the National Federation of the Blind <a
href="https://nfb.org/publications">https://nfb.org/publications</a>. There, as
our banner reads, you will find the true and authentic voice of the nation’s
blind. There is no shortage of stories about overcoming adversity, but the emphasis
is not so much upon external adverse factors as it is on the internal and collective
response to them. They are not merely stories of victims of societal misunderstandings
about blindness but about blind people themselves and others who overcame those
misperceptions.</p> <p>How can our local chapters better position themselves to
respond to a diversity of needs? How can our local chapters tap into the resources
available in our communities in order to point blind and low vision folks with
whom we come across in the right direction? How can they be more visible and
accessible in the community? In other words, how do affiliate and chapter members
find blind members of our communities, and how do they find us?</p> <p>Our chapters
and affiliates must be like magnets, attracting anyone experiencing vision loss
to our dynamic movement. Members should be encouraged to function like little
magnets in the community where we will inevitably meet friends and family members
of blind and low vision folks who need the Federation in their lives. Even as we
more clearly define what responsible membership looks like in the Federation, we
should also be available to meet new candidates for membership where they are in
their blindness journey, understanding that, for most of us, it took years to
absorb and internalize the philosophical tenets of our organization. We should
also take an interest in what new members have to share about their lives. In a
sense, we should be prepared not only for them to join us but also to join them.
That is essentially what won me to the Federation: the fact that a leader in my
affiliate took enough interest in what I was involved in to recognize in me the
value in my potential contribution to the movement.</p> <p>It seems to me that
something has been lost or forgotten as we strive to extricate ourselves from the
imposed isolation due to the COVID-19 crisis. As wonderfully creative and innovative
as we have been in putting teleconferencing tools to our maximum use, there is
simply no virtual substitute to getting together. This struggle against inertia,
I believe, is also the challenge before any effective social movement worthy of
the name. I, for one, am looking forward to reacquainting myself with the enumerable
benefits of interacting, people-to-people and person-to-person, in the full range
of activities that define our movement from conventioneering, marching, working,
and playing together.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Robin House]</p>
<h2 id="the-2022-blind-educator-of-the-year-award">The 2022 Blind Educator of the
Year Award</h2> <p><strong>by Robin House</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor:
Robin House is an experienced educator in her own right, with many titles to her
name. She was named Blind Educator of the Year in 2018. She chairs the 2022 Blind
Educator of the Year Award Selection Committee, and she holds a Master of Education,
is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and is a Registered Play Therapist. What is
harder to convey is that, for the tremendous admiration we have for her accomplishments,
the thing that makes us blessed is that Robin is Robin and that she chooses to be
an active part of us. This is what she says:</strong></p> <p>A number of years
ago the Blind Educator of the Year Award was established by the National Organization
of Blind Educators (the educators’ division of the National Federation of
the Blind) to pay tribute to a blind teacher whose exceptional classroom performance,
notable community service, and uncommon commitment to the NFB merit national
recognition. Beginning with the 1991 presentation, this award became an honor
bestowed by our entire movement. This change reflects our recognition of the
importance of good teaching and the effect an outstanding blind teacher has on
students, faculty, community, and all blind Americans.</p> <p>This award is
presented in the spirit of the outstanding educators who founded and have continued
to nurture the National Federation of the Blind and who, by example, have imparted
knowledge of our strengths to us and raised our expectations. We have learned from
Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, Dr. Marc Maurer, and our current
President Mark Riccobono that a teacher not only provides a student with information
but also provides guidance, advocacy, and love. The recipient of the Blind Educator
of the Year Award must exhibit all these traits and must advance the cause of
blind people in the spirit and philosophy of the National Federation of the
Blind.</p> <p>The Blind Educator of the Year Award is presented at the annual
convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Honorees must be present to
receive an appropriately inscribed plaque and a check for $1,000.</p> <p>Nominations
should be sent to Ms. Robin House by email to <a
href="mailto:robin@mindsrealm.net"><u>robin@mindsrealm.net</u></a> or by mail to
Stix ECC, 647 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. Letters of nomination must
be accompanied by a copy of the nominee’s current résumé and
supporting documentation of community and Federation activity. All nomination
materials must be in the hands of the committee chairperson by May 1, 2022, to be
considered for this year’s award. For further information contact Robin
House at 314-265-6852, or <a href="mailto:robin@mindsrealm.net"><u>robin@mindsrealm.net</u></a>.</p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Gary Wunder]</p> <h2
id="a-funny-thing-happened-to-me-today-but-is-it-really-funny">A Funny Thing
Happened to Me Today, but Is It Really Funny?</h2> <p><strong>by Gary Wunder</strong></p>
<p>There are many different takes people have on humor. Some suggest that in our
humor we should be very circumspect. Never tell a joke that might offend someone.
Never tell a joke that tends to reinforce a stereotype. Never tell a joke we would
not tell our grandmother. Never tell a joke if we would be uncomfortable as the
object of its punchline. These seem like very common sense guidelines, though I
admit that I have not always followed them religiously.</p> <p>But it actually
gets much more complicated. A few folks have said to me that there is nothing
funny about blindness and that people who relate humorous incidents about blindness
are showing a lack of respect for themselves and other blind people. Some say that
jokes are considered acceptable only if told in certain groups. A few blind people
tell me that they are perfectly comfortable relating a blindness experience that
generates a laugh, but they are only willing to share it with other blind people.
This they refer to as “blindness moments,” ones we dare not share
with the sighted public because they would likely not understand. I assume we make
an exception for those sighted people who have joined our movement and are considered
blind at heart. This is an opinion I understand, but I think it does a disservice
to the sighted people I know who learn a little more each day about blindness or
at least my perspective on it.</p> <p>At the other end of the spectrum comes my
grandson and a whole host of comedians who believe that there is nothing so sacred
that it is beyond a joke. The comedians he has introduced me to would contend
that, if you want to be offended, go ahead, but their freedom of speech and their
audience’s right to laugh takes priority. Although I am uncomfortable with
this unbridled take on humor, I have to admit that a search of the internet and
looking at the work of some of today’s popular comedians makes me think I
may be in the minority.</p> <p>I am writing to find out how readers of the
<em>Braille Monitor</em> feel about this. Are there any funny incidents that arise
from the fact that one or more people in a story are blind? If you have such
stories, would you share them only with other blind people or with the wider
public? If indeed there are blindness moments that should only be shared within
the community, what makes them so, and can you provide me with examples? Are there
humorous incidents you would find acceptable in these pages and are willing to
contribute?</p> <p>As a final thought, how do we act wisely in deciding when to
register objections to humor and when to leave the objectionable material alone?
Morally it feels as though we have an obligation to speak out any time blindness
is portrayed negatively and in a way that is inconsistent with our experiences.
But given how often registering objections can add to the wider dissemination of
information we do not like, it is hard to view this as a clearcut obligation to
object to the objectionable. Again, I do not write this to state a firm opinion
but to ask for yours. Write to me at <a href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>,
and be as specific as you can about the way you would have us make these difficult
judgments.</p> <p>---------</p> <h2 id="dr.-jacob-bolotin-award-applications-accepted">Dr.
Jacob Bolotin Award Applications Accepted</h2> <p><strong>by Everette Bacon</strong></p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind is accepting nominations of individuals
or organizations who are a positive force in the lives of blind people and help
us transform dreams into reality. Each application must include a letter of
recommendation.</p> <p>Learn more and submit a nomination for the 2022 Dr. Jacob
Bolotin Awards at <a href="https://nfb.org/bolotin">https://nfb.org/bolotin</a></p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Kane Brolin]</p> <h2 id="an-appeal-for-help">An
Appeal for Help</h2> <p><strong>by Kane Brolin</strong></p> <p><strong>From the
Editor: Kane is a longtime chapter president who lives in Indiana. He is always
reaching out with the message of the Federation and trying to help those who can
benefit from our message. Here is a request he is making for special
expertise:</strong></p> <p>I am writing to ask humbly for the support of my
Federation brothers and sisters. I am not asking for financial help but for useful
advice on behalf of another individual residing outside of the United States who
nonetheless embodies the Federation spirit and who wishes earnestly to share in
the transformational strength and beauty of the NFB National Convention in 2022.</p>
<p>Mr. Youssef Makram is a blind, thirty-year-old, unmarried, male citizen of
Egypt to whom I talk on a bi-weekly basis. Striving toward a professional career,
his resources and available options in Egypt are few; yet he usually Zooms into
meetings of the NFB’s Michiana Chapter over which I preside, and he very
much wishes to attend our 2022 National Convention in New Orleans in order to
acquire knowledge, tools, and personal contacts that will help him move forward
in his life. Youssef is also fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and has sent proof
of his inoculation.</p> <p>From what I have observed, Youssef demonstrates an
insatiable desire to learn, a boundless determination to keep pushing forward in
spite of significant obstacles, and a desire to help others in need. A dedicated
Federationist in his heart, he simply has heretofore not been able to interact
with the Federation in a meaningful way.</p> <p>I have come to believe Youssef
has a lot to recommend him. To this end, I am committed to doing everything within
reason to make 2022 in New Orleans Youssef’s first-ever NFB National
Convention. The trouble is that I am not well versed in the nuance of gaining a
student visa or travel visa for anybody, nor am I one who is in a position to
officially invite Youssef or any other foreign national into the midst of our
Convention. So if you are reading this article and if you could provide the
expertise or the authority to help us figure out how to accomplish this from a
diplomatic or practical point of view, please phone me at (574) 386-8868 or email
<a href="mailto:kbrolin65@gmail.com">kbrolin65@gmail.com</a>. Thank you.</p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Carla McQuillan]</p> <h2
id="the-2022-distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award">The 2022 Distinguished
Educator of Blind Students Award</h2> <p><strong>by Carla McQuillan</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Carla McQuillan is the president of the National
Federation of the Blind of Oregon, a member of the national board of directors,
and the owner and executive director of Main Street Montessori Association,
operating two Montessori schools. She is the chairperson of the Distinguished
Educator of Blind Students Award Committee, and she has written this announcement
seeking applications for the 2022 award:</strong></p> <p>The National Federation
of the Blind will recognize an outstanding teacher of blind students at our 2022
National Convention taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana, from July 5 through
July 10, 2022. The winner of this award will receive the following:</p> <p>An
expense-paid trip to attend the convention</p> <p>A check for $1,000</p> <p>A
commemorative plaque</p> <p>A place on the agenda of the annual meeting of the
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children to make a presentation regarding
the education of blind children, and</p> <p>The opportunity to attend seminars
and workshops that address the current state of education of blind students, as
well as a chance to meet and network with hundreds of blind individuals, teachers,
parents, and other professionals in the field.</p> <p>The education of blind
children is one of the National Federation of the Blind's highest priorities. We
are committed to offering and supporting programs that enhance educational
opportunities for this group. Please help us recognize dedicated and innovative
teachers who provide quality education and meaningful experiences and opportunities
for their blind students.</p> <p>Q: Who is eligible for this award?</p> <p>A:
Anyone who is currently a teacher, counselor, or the administrator of programs
for blind students.</p> <p>Q: Does an applicant have to be a member of the National
Federation of the Blind?</p> <p>A: No, but attending the 2022 convention of the
National Federation of the Blind in New Orleans is required.</p> <p>Q: Can I
nominate someone else for this award?</p> <p>A: Yes. Applicants can be nominated
by colleagues, parents, supervisors, or friends who have first-hand knowledge of
the individual’s work with blind students.</p> <p>Q: How would I apply?</p>
<p>A: You can fill out the application at the end of this article or find it on
our website at
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award-form-fillable.pdf</p>
<p>Q: What is the deadline to submit an application or make a nomination?</p>
<p>A: All applications must be received no later than May 1, 2022.</p> <p>Please
complete the application and attach the required documents specified in the
application. If you are submitting a nomination for someone other than yourself,
please answer the questions to the best of your ability. Your experience and
observations of the nominee will assist the selection committee in their decision.
Questions? Contact Carla McQuillan at 541-653-9153, or by email at: <a
href="mailto:president@nfb-oregon.org">president@nfb-oregon.org</a>.</p> <h3
id="national-federation-of-the-blind">National Federation of the Blind</h3> <h3
id="distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award">Distinguished Educator of
Blind Students Award</h3> <h3 id="application">2022 Application</h3> <p>Deadline:
May 1, 2022</p> <p>Name: _______________________________________________________</p>
<p>Home Address: _________________________________________________</p> <p>City,
State, Zip: _________________________________________________</p> <p>Phone: (H)
____________________ (W) ____________________________</p> <p>Email:
______________________________________________________</p> <p>School/Program:
______________________________________________________</p> <p>Address:
_____________________________________________________</p> <p>City, State, Zip:
_________________________________________________</p> <p>Please list any awards
or commendations you have received.</p> <p>How long and in what programs have you
worked with blind children?</p> <p>In what setting do you currently work?</p>
<p>Briefly describe your current job and teaching responsibilities.</p> <p>How
would you describe your philosophy of blindness as it relates to the education of
blind students?</p> <p>What are your thoughts on teaching Braille and cane travel?
When and at what age would you begin? How do you determine whether to teach print
or Braille?</p> <p>What was your most memorable experience working with blind
students?</p> <p>Why should you be selected to receive this award?</p> <p>Email
is strongly encouraged for transmitting nominations; letters of support and other
relevant materials should be included as attachments. Applications sent by mail
and postmarked by the deadline will also be accepted. Send all material by May 1,
2022, to Carla McQuillan, chairperson, Teacher Award Committee, <a
href="mailto:president@nfb-oregon.org">president@nfb-oregon.org</a> or by mail
to:</p> <p>522 65th Street, Springfield, OR 97478, Phone: 541-653-9153.</p>
<p>----------</p> <h2 id="recipes">Recipes</h2> <p><strong>Recipes this month were
contributed by members of the National Federation of the Blind of Utah.</strong></p>
<h3 id="bite-size-shepherds-pie">Bite-Size Shepherd's Pie</h3> <p><strong>by
Dannielle Frampton, 1st VP, Salt Lake Chapter</strong></p> <p><strong>Dannielle
is the Residence Manager/Instructor for Utah’s Services for the Blind. She,
her husband Cameron, and daughter Kada live in Salt Lake City.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p>6 medium-sized potatoes or sweet potatoes,
peal and dice</p> <p>3 sticks of celery, finely minced</p> <p>1 small zucchini,
finely minced</p> <p>3 cloves garlic, finely minced</p> <p>1/2 pound lean or extra
lean ground beef</p> <p>1/2 cup shredded cheese</p> <p>2 tablespoon butter</p>
<p>1/4 cup milk or cream</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong> Preheat oven to 375
degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and dice potatoes, and place in a pot of boiling water
to soften. Finely mince celery, zucchini, and garlic. In a frying pan, start
browning ground beef. Add minced celery, zucchini, and garlic to the pan and cook
until vegetables are softened and beef is cooked through. Season to taste. Drain
water from potatoes, add butter and cream, and mash thoroughly. Season to taste.
In a six-cup non-stick muffin tin, oil before adding a small layer of cheese, then
add a layer of mashed potatoes on the bottom of each cup. Spoon in meat and
vegetable mixture, and top each one off with another layer of mashed potatoes.
Sprinkle shredded cheese onto each mini-pie and bake uncovered for eight minutes.
Remove from oven and let stand for two to three minutes. Carefully scoop out each
mini-pie with a rubber spatula or put cookie sheet on top like a lid, and flip
over for them to hopefully slide out on their own, and enjoy. Recipe makes six.</p>
<h3 id="funeral-potatoes-aka-cheesy-potato-casserole">Funeral Potatoes AKA Cheesy
Potato Casserole</h3> <p><strong>by Barbie Elliott, Secretary, NFB of Utah</strong></p>
<p><strong>Barbie is the Home Management Instructor at Utah’s Services for
the Blind. She is also a proud mother and grandma. This recipe is a favorite
amongst members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Why Are They Called Funeral Potatoes?</strong></p> <p>What's in a Name:
As the name suggests, in Utah this cheesy potato comfort food is traditionally
served at a meal for the grieving family following a funeral by neighbors and
friends. Most commonly known as Funeral Potatoes in the western United States they
are also known as a Cheesy Potato Casserole. Why Funerals: Besides cheese and
potatoes being an ultimate comfort food and just delicious, they are easy to
transport, easy to make, and easy to keep warm. Perfect for a potluck and a time
of need.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p>3/4 cup butter (divided)</p>
<p>1 small onion finely chopped (optional)</p> <p>1 to 2 cloves garlic minced
(optional)</p> <p>1 28 oz. bag hash browns-frozen, shredded, or cubed hash brown
potatoes, (I prefer the Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien with Onions and Peppers
precut), or you can make your own</p> <p>1 10.5 oz. can condensed cream of chicken
soup (creates creamy goodness and flavor)</p> <p>2 cups sour cream or plain Greek
yogurt, for more creaminess and a bit of tang</p> <p>1/2 cup parmesan cheese
(optional) to add a nice punch to the cheese.</p> <p>1/2 teaspoon salt</p> <p>1/2
teaspoon pepper</p> <p>2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and firmly packed,
and don't skimp on the good stuff.</p> <p>2 cups crushed corn flake cereal, panko
bread crumbs, Ritz crackers, or French's fried onions—any of these will
work</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong> Sauté: (If you choose not to add garlic
and onions, skip this step.) In a medium skillet melt two tablespoons of butter.
Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté, just
until fragrant.</p> <p>Mix: In a very large bowl combine the onions, garlic, soup,
sour cream, 1/2 cup butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and 1 1/2 cups cheddar
cheese. Stir until well blended. Add the hash browns and stir until well coated.</p>
<p>Pan: Spread into a 9 x 13 pan and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar
cheese. Crush: Put the cereal, crackers, or fried onions into a plastic bag and
crush with a rolling pin or your hands or a glass to make crumbs. Melt: Melt the
remaining 1/4 cup of butter and mix with the crumbs. Sprinkle on top of the
potatoes.</p> <p>Bake: Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake for 50-60 min. at
350 degrees until bubbly and cooked throughout.</p> <p><strong>Tips for the Best
Funeral Potatoes:</strong></p> <p>1. Make Ahead: These are one of those wonderful
dishes you can make ahead. Make as directed but do not put the crumb topping on.
Refrigerate till ready to bake. Remove from the fridge and let come to room
temperature, if you have time. Mix up the topping, put on top, and cook as
directed.</p> <p>2. Potatoes: Shredded potatoes as well as country style hash
browns (cubed potatoes) will work in this recipe. I like the O'Brien potatoes
best, since if using them you do not need to add onions because they have chopped
peppers and onions in the frozen potato bag.</p> <p>3. Bake Your Own Potatoes:
Make your own hash browns by parboiling twelve small potatoes and grating them
once cooled.</p> <p>4. To Top or Not to Top: You can leave the topping off if you
prefer. The crunchy topping does go slightly soggy if you have leftovers. So if
you know you will have leftovers you might want to leave it off. Either way it's
still amazing!</p> <p>5. Leftovers: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up
to four days. They are almost even better the next day!</p> <p>6. Make it a Meal:
Add in diced ham, chicken, or bacon and turn this side dish into the main dish!</p>
<p>7. Spice it up: I sometimes add red pepper flakes or green chilies or Cajun
spice.</p> <h3 id="sweet-n-sour-meat-loaf">Sweet “n” Sour Meat
Loaf</h3> <p><strong>by Cynthia Young</strong></p> <p><strong>Cynthia Young is
the treasurer of our Red Rocks Chapter located in St. George, Utah. This is her
favorite dish!</strong></p> <p><strong>Sauce Mixture:</strong></p> <p>1 8-oz. can
tomato sauce</p> <p>1/4 cup vinegar</p> <p>1/4 cup brown sugar</p> <p>1 teaspoon
prepared mustard</p> <p><strong>Meat Loaf Mixture:</strong></p> <p>1 egg, slightly
beaten with fork</p> <p>2 pounds hamburger</p> <p>1/4 cup minced onions</p> <p>1
1/2 tsp. salt</p> <p>1/4 cup quick oats or crushed</p> <p>1/4 tsp. black pepper</p>
<p>Crackers</p> <p>1/2 cup tomato sauce mixture</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong>
Shape meat into oval loaf. Place in shallow baking dish. Pour rest of tomato sauce
mixture on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Serves eight.</p> <h3
id="mexican-hot-dish">Mexican Hot Dish</h3> <p><strong>by Lisa Rowberry</strong></p>
<p><strong>Lisa Rowberry is the treasurer of the Utah Valley Chapter and is an
accountant with the State of Utah. Here is a favorite recipe passed to her by her
grandmother.</strong></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p>1 pound ground
beef</p> <p>1 chopped onion</p> <p>1 teaspoon salt</p> <p>1 teaspoon black pepper</p>
<p>1/2 cup milk</p> <p>1 can cream of mushroom soup</p> <p>1 can Rotel tomatoes
w/green chilies</p> <p>1 bag of Doritos (Nacho cheese)</p> <p>1/2 pound grated
cheese (I prefer mild cheddar)</p> <p><strong>Method</strong>: Brown ground beef
and onion with salt and pepper. Mix together Rotel, cream of mushroom soup, and
milk. Pour mixture into meat. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for three to
five minutes. Place a layer of crushed Doritos in bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking
dish. Place a layer of meat-soup mixture over Doritos. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts (about twenty minutes).</p>
<p>Recipe makes six.</p> <h3 id="ceviche">Ceviche</h3> <p><strong>by Ulivia
Guadarrama</strong></p> <p><strong>Ulvia Guadarrama is the founder of the NFB of
Utah Spanish-Speaking Division. She is also a low vision specialist at Utah’s
Services for the Blind.</strong></p> <p><strong>Ceviche is a South American dish.
It can be served as an appetizer and as a side dish with tostadas or corn chips.
Ceviche varies in flavor depending on the ingredients and taste. Ceviche is best
when using fresh ingredients.</strong></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p>
<p>Tomatoes</p> <p>Onion (of choice, I used a purple/red onion)</p> <p>Cilantro</p>
<p>Cucumber</p> <p>Hot peppers</p> <p>Imitation crab</p> <p>Avocado</p>
<p>Tostadas/chips</p> <p>Lemon</p> <p>Salt</p> <p><strong>Method:</strong> Start
by chopping a small onion into small cubes; once it’s cut place it in a
dish and pour some lime juice to allow it to absorb the flavor until everything
is all cut and ready to mix. Chop up in cubes: one jalapeño, one cucumber,
two tomatoes (Roma tomatoes work great), and some cilantro. Shred the full packet
of flaked imitation crab. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapeño, cilantro,
onion with the lime juice, and the shredded crab, all in a mixing bowl. Add to
taste: salt, black pepper, and the juice of three limes. Serve on a tostada or
chips and top it with some avocado and Valentina hot sauce. Yummy, enjoy!</p>
<p>----------</p> <h2 id="monitor-miniatures"><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures </h2>
<h3 id="news-from-the-federation-family">News from the Federation Family</h3>
<p>Rideshare Denials Due to Service Animals:</p> <p>NFB and NAGDU are gathering
video interviews about Uber and Lyft denials from travelers with service animals.
We hope to capture stories that describe the significant barriers and stress
travelers experience with each denial and to use these videos in our advocacy
efforts. If you were denied a ride by Lyft or Uber because of your service animal
anytime between October 1, 2021, and present and would like to participate in a
recorded Zoom interview, please contact the NAGDU board at 346-439-7444 or
<u>board@nagdu.org</u>.</p> <p>Please Share Content with our Communications
Team:</p> <p>Our affiliates sponsor great content, and our outreach and communications
teams can repurpose and magnify it. We are asking that you record content like
presentations, podcasts, panels, and the like and send the link to your recorded
content with a quick explanation of what the content consists of, to
<u>comunicationsteam@nfb.org</u>. Please record anything you are doing as it is
too easy to miss good content. We don’t know how powerful a presentation
or panel will be until it is done. Let’s capture our amazing stories told
across the country.</p> <p>2022-2023 Teachers of Tomorrow Program:</p> <p>Individuals
in the United States who are currently studying to be teachers of blind students
or career teachers who are currently employed teaching blind/low-vision students
in PK-12 settings are encouraged to apply for the next cohort of NFB Teachers of
Tomorrow. This is an immersive, professional development program that connects
teachers of blind and low-vision students to the lived experiences of blind people.
This program will begin in the fall of 2022 and continue throughout the 2022-2023
school year, culminating in a gathering at our 2023 National Convention. For more
information and to apply, visit <a
href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/education/teachers-tomorrow">https://nfb.org/programs-services/education/teachers-tomorrow</a>.</p>
<p>----------</p> <h2 id="nfb-pledge">NFB Pledge</h2> <p>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.</p> </body> </html>