Late August Updates

Writer, Aggregator: Kevan Worley.

Contributors: Dan Burke & Erin Daley. With assistance from Lisa Bonderson, National Federation Of The Blind Of Colorado, and President, Jessica Beecham. Email, jbbeecham@gmail.com

Here is what you need to know

NFBCO president Jessica Beecham is urging all members and friends of NFBCO to actively participate in the upcoming 6 Dot Dash 5k, blind beer tasting, and family festival. This is the big fundraiser for our affiliate. You can participate onsite or virtually. Join us on September 10 at 8 am at the Colorado Center for the Blind, Littleton, Colorado. As the longtime chairperson of our NFBCO scholarship committee, Jessica knows how important it is to have a robust scholarship program. She has also seen firsthand how the work of our NFBCO and Colorado Center for the Blind Braille Literacy programs and advocacy change lives.

This year we have amazing NFBCO 6 Dot Dash sponsors. Thank you, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Blackstone Consulting Inc, BCI, Comcast, Philadelphia Insurance, LaBarre Law, and J B & K Services. These and other corporate sponsors have supported our work over the years. We thank them. Please register today and participate in person or virtually in our NFBCO 6 Dot Dash 5K. http://6dotdashco.com/

 

Convention is coming! Convention is coming!

All roads lead to Greeley on October 27, 28, 29 & 30 for the annual state convention. Save those dates! Hotel reservations and convention registration are forthcoming in a matter of days! You and your family, your chapter, your organization or institution, and your company won't want to miss this year's Convention. Did we mention you should “Save those dates!”

 

National Federation of the Blind defends true equality for all

From the aggregator: Many readers of this blog know that we have been working for over a year to resolve discrepancies in how the Colorado Department treats blind inmates of Corrections compared to prisoners with sight. The Federation stands for equality of opportunity. We advocate for those who can not advocate for themselves. We have received the following press release from Fox and Robertson law firm. Congratulations to NFBCO president Beecham, NFB general counsel Scott LaBarre and our affiliates board for their commitment to seeing this battle through to its just conclusion. Here is what the release says.

Brian Christopher Mackes and Adrian Chávez, two blind men in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC), and the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, have settled the lawsuit they brought against CDOC last year.

The plaintiffs were represented by attorneys from Fox & Robertson, along with co-counsel at the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC), and the Baltimore law firm of Brown Goldstein & Levy.

The suit alleged that CDOC denied blind prisoners access to the aids and services needed to participate in educational programming, work assignments, and recreation. According to the complaint, CDOC also failed to provide blind prisoners with effective communication of the materials and information that the Department provides prisoners in written form, such as handbooks, regulations, and grievance forms. This conduct forced blind prisoners to rely on other inmates to help them with various tasks, such as reading mail and to provide them with information, threatening their privacy and safety.

The settlement requires that each blind prisoner have access to a laptop loaded with screen reader software, which reads digital material aloud, as well as a typing tutorial program, an ebook reader, and other assistive technology. These devices will also contain accessible-format versions of key prison documents. Blind prisoners will also have access to a scanner and printer to which the laptops can be connected so that they can read mail and other printed documents. All job and education information will be made accessible, and blind prisoners cannot be denied access to any such opportunity based on disability.

"Blind prisoners do not seek, and this settlement does not grant special treatment," said Jessica Beecham, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado. "Blind incarcerated people will now receive the accommodations they need, and to which they are legally entitled, in order to fully and equally participate in the programs and opportunities available to other members of the incarcerated population. We commend the Colorado Department of Corrections for reaching this agreement and hope that other corrections systems throughout our nation will take note of the necessary and humane reforms taking place in Colorado. We are grateful for the leadership of our national organization in coordinating the expertise, resources, and talent to make these changes a reality."

"We recognize and appreciate the courage of the individual plaintiffs, Brian Mackes and Adrian Chávez, who documented the discrimination they faced and worked with us and with the Department to craft this ground-breaking settlement," said Amy Robertson, an attorney with Denver's Fox & Robertson who represented the NFB of Colorado and the individual plaintiffs. "We look forward to working with the CDOC to ensure access and privacy for blind people in CDOC custody."

 

Building a Career By Maximizing Transferrable Skills

By Julia Zanon

From the aggregator: Readers of this blog tell us they have enjoyed these articles from Julia Zanon focusing on employment. Julia is a member of our Mile High chapter, a retired rehabilitation counselor, and a highly respected administrator with the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. She also shares her management savvy by serving on the Colorado Center for the Blind board of directors. In this article, she shares a bit about our Boulder Chapter president Maryann Migliorelli.

 Over the past two years, I have been highlighting the career paths of blind Coloradans. Here is another installment in this series featuring Boulder Chapter president Maryann Migliorelli.

When Maryann Migliorelli was in high school, she dreamed of becoming a full-time drummer working in Nashville. Her backup goal was to be a teacher. As I have been interviewing people for this blog, I have yet to find anyone who is doing what they imagined in high school for their future career. In fact, true confession, I dreamed of being a "go-go Dancer" because they got to wear cute boots and mini dresses. I, too, had to get real and went on to work in health care and vocational rehabilitation. However, as an adult, I also took ballroom lessons and competed in dance competitions as a hobby, fulfilling my dream of dancing and wearing beautiful costumes. Dreams are not lost; they sometimes show up in different ways. 

Maryann, a creative artist at heart, has followed her high school dreams for music and entertainment by pursuing avocational paths. She has become an actor for Phamaly Theatre Company, is an artist/advocate using Poetry for Personal Power, is a professional speaker and improv leader for Migs Motivation and Merriment Company, and is a distinguished Toastmaster.

Maryann has been working for The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment  (CDLE) since September of 2020, starting out in the call center. In April of 2022, she was promoted to unemployment insurance claims adjudicator. Maryann stated, "That's the fancy way of saying that I make decisions based on unemployment law to determine whether or not people get benefits based on how and why they separated from their jobs." Her work with CDLE  also gives her a much-needed chance to serve others at a time when the work is truly needed. She is a servant at heart. And working for Unemployment fulfills her need to give back. Maryann stated, "I love when I can use the law effectively to get claimants much-needed benefits. It's also kind of fun getting to the bottom of each separation. It feeds the curiosity seeker in me when I have to ask probing questions of both the claimants and employers to discover the truth."

Prior to working for CDLE, Maryann had been working in hospitality. However, Covid19 forced her to change careers, as it has done for many other people. When she saw the job posted on ColoradoTalk, she figured that her skills in retail, business ownership, and hospitality management could transfer nicely. Her future goal is to work her way up to joining the Unemployment training team.

 

I asked Maryann how she learned the skills she needed for this current career. She reported that her education came from a variety of sources. She learned customer service skills in the Business Enterprise Program and in hotel front desk and reservation work. She learned computer skills from college courses, Vocational Rehabilitation instructors, training provided by Google for state employees, and many hours of personal study. She has also attended on-the-job training for her work with CDLE. Despite many hours of training and access to blindness technology, Maryann said that there are parts of her job that are challenging. She spends many hours every day reading untagged PDF documents with many "Yes, No" checkboxes that don't read properly and the questions and answers don't line up for her. She often uses AIRA agents to read documents when she can't glean enough of the answers on her own.

Maryann lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado. She is the president of the Boulder Valley Chapter, treasurer of the Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users, and is a board member of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado. Maryann explained that the NFB has given her a place to serve in many capacities and to grow as a leader. She stated, "I know that what I do here makes a difference not just for me but for others who also want to live their dreams. Every time I call or email someone from Congress, mentor a newly blind person, or just be present and loving to the rest of the blind community, I'm giving back, and the giving matters."

 

A summer of growth for blind youth

By: Anahit Labarre

From the aggregator: If you have never visited the Colorado Center for the Blind during summertime, you don't know what you are missing! You can hear and feel and absorb the energy of youth. Our CCB is always bustling as people who are blind seek wisdom and find their wings. But the summer is truly special, as Anahit LaBarre tells us in the piece about this summer's dynamic summer youth programs.

The energy is high, and the students and staff are busy learning, having fun, and getting to know each other. This describes our daily life at the Colorado Center for the Blind as we race through our second session of the Summer Youth Program. It is incredible to see the transformation in the students when they graduate. Two or three weeks are just enough to plant the seeds of independent blindness skills and nurture them into sprouts of promise. The confidence, curiosity, desire to learn, and the realization that we grow daily through applying our skills is so rewarding to watch!                        

 

This summer, we held a three-week residential youth session in June, and a two-week session after the NFB convention, ending on Friday, August 5. These are our first residential summer programs since the summer of 2019, and it's been a wonderful time for all of us!

Of course, students have all the usual classes – Technology, Braille, Home Management, and Travel, along with philosophy and enrichment classes. One of the highlights has clearly been the woodshop, where students were introduced to various power and hand tools, made a keepsake braille cell out of wood, and learned how blind people could fix common problems around the house.

Paul Sandoval, a blind technology trainer, demonstrated assistive technology equipment and answered many questions about braille and mobile technology. Additionally, this tech guy shared with the students how valuable networking was as a tool.

April Hill, a chemistry professor from Metro State University in Denver, led an informative seminar on polymers, how they interact with various substances etc. She based all of her presentations on hands-on experiments for the students. It was incredible to watch them discover different textures, smells, and reactions. In June, the group made a trip to CU-Boulder and visited the Fiske Planetarium, but really students were most impressed by the constellation of options in the cafeteria.

Students participated in rock climbing, kayaking, self-defense classes, goalball, and outdoor summer games. It is great to watch our students rely on each other, learn about how teams work, emerge as leaders, and teach teammates the skills they know.

Education regarding interpersonal communication is the key to success. We held two seminars provided by WEAVE, an organization out of California, on healthy vs. unhealthy relationships and establishing healthy boundaries. The students responded very well, had many questions, and participated actively in the conversations.

In philosophy class, students discuss topics such as advocacy, the fact that being blind does not define who we are, the power of networking, and ways they can incorporate the skills they learned as they return home. In other words, how to continue the sprouts of confidence and independence!

 

RTD and Colorado Springs Transit

During the month of August, RTD is offering zero fares across the entire bus and rail system as part of the Zero Fare for Better Air initiative. From August 1 – 31, 2022, during Colorado's high ozone season, customers will not have to purchase mobile tickets or use fare products on any RTD service, including Access-a-Ride, Access-a-Cab, and Uber, as RTD aims to help reduce ground-level ozone by increasing the use of public transit. This collaborative, statewide initiative is made possible by Colorado Senate Bill 22-180, the ozone season transit grant program in partnership with the Colorado Energy Office.  

Experience the many benefits of RTD all month long at zero fares while we all do our part to reduce ground-level ozone and increase transit usage across the region.    

Learn more at https://www.rtd-denver.com/zerofare

 

Request for proposals for NFBCO state convention programming

The National Federation of the Blind of Colorado is excited to announce that we are seeking content for our 2022 State Convention seminars and breakout sessions. At this time, we are planning to be in person with a hybrid component.

The Convention will be held from Thursday, October 27 through Sunday, October 30. Breakout sessions will be held during the afternoon of Friday, October 28, and may also occur Saturday, October 29. The National Federation of the Blind is made up of blind people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. This year we are seeking new and dynamic content that will appeal to our diverse audience. If there is something fun, exciting, interesting, intriguing, evocative, or stimulating that you want to share with the Blind of Colorado, please fill out the information below and email it to Kevan Worley kevan@nfbco.org by September 17, 2022. We will review all proposals and will let you know by September 27 whether your proposal/seminar has been chosen as a part of this year's Convention festivities.

If you have attended a convention of the National Federation of the Blind in the past, you know that we often hold a large number of breakout sessions simultaneously. For this Convention, We will be limiting the number of seminars that can be held at the same time. We will be accepting a limited number of breakout sessions/seminars, including sessions organized by special interest groups and committees and activities hosted by divisions that are not annual division business meetings.

So, division leaders, if your group wants to host a breakout session/seminar, you need to submit a proposal. Please give us as much detail as possible about your session and how it will enhance the Convention. We will choose the presentations which best fit our agenda. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept all of the proposals that are submitted.

Name:

Title:

Is this presentation or seminar affiliated with a division or chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado?

Objective of Presentation or seminar:

Description of presentation or seminar (note, someone from the review committee may reach out to you for more details):

Best Method of contact:

How much time would you like for your session (Breakout Sessions/Seminars must be less than 2 hours in length )

 

Forward always forward!

 

 

 

 

 

August Blind Coloradan

 

Blind Coloradoan Blog

August 1, 2022

Writer, Aggregator: Kevan Worley.
Contributors: Dan Burke & Erin Daley. With assistance from Lisa Bonderson, National Federation Of The Blind Of Colorado, and President, Jessica Beecham. Email, jbbeecham@gmail.com

Here is what you need to know

From the aggregator: By popular demand, we will blog the Blind Coloradan more frequently with fewer articles. We hope you will read and share. In this issue, we spotlight our work on the 16^th Street Mall project, a fine article from our Boulder Chapter President, and a National Convention presentation from the Blind History Lady.

First, please participate in our NFBCO 6 Dot Dash. This fabulous, fun, family fundraiser will happen Saturday morning, September 10, at the Colorado Center for the Blind. We thank some fantastic sponsors, Vanda Pharmaceutical, Blackstone Consulting Inc., Comcast, LaBarre Law, and others. We will be spotlighting these great organizations in upcoming blogs. We thank them for supporting our NFBCO and CCB youth education programs. You can register to participate in the 6 Dot Dash. http://6dotdashco.com/

Advocacy Matters

More than two years ago, NFBCO led the effort to ensure that the new 16th street mall would be accessible to everyone. We received the following report on the latest work from Dan Burke.

It’s the 32nd anniversary of President George H. W. Bush signing the ADA into law, and about 20 members of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, including instructors and students from the Colorado Center for the Blind, celebrated with a bit of good advocacy on Denver’s 16th Street Mall this morning. We put canes and shoes on a mock-up of the granite pavers planners hope to install on the mall as part of the nearly 3-year reconstruction of the project, whose preliminary phases are already underway.

This is the latest activity resulting from the NFB’s nearly three years of involvement and advocacy regarding the redesign and reconstruction of the mall. The idea of a mock-up of the proposed design for the border of the transit and pedestrian areas, which will be curbless, was first put forward in our earliest meetings with the City of Denver, the Downtown Association, and RTD.

The four-decade-old mall needs a lot of maintenance both below and above ground. For the above-ground part, the redesign that will mean the removal of the curbs along the transit pathway where the mall shuttles run is the part that matters most to us in the NFB of Colorado, and indeed other blind mall visitors, as well as those with other disabilities. The question the mock-up was intended to help answer, in our minds, is will the border between the pedestrian area and the lanes where the shuttles drive be distinct enough tactilely to our canes and feet to alert us that we are at the edge.

This first focus group for blind mall users was hosted by PCL Construction in partnership with the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. The planners gave us a sneak peek at a mock-up of the granite pavers they hope to use. The idea we tested was a border of rougher granite pavers along the shuttle driving area, beyond which is a slight slope down to the drain pan (a shallow gutter), which would carry away rain and snowmelt.

Planners collected feedback from all of the focus group participants. This first of three focus groups were intended to give blind folks the chance to test the design materials. The next focus group on August 10 will bring in other groups, and a final public look will happen later next month.

We commend the mall project planners for listening and responding to our advocacy. Mall planners gave us the mock-up we asked for today, and it served the purpose we all wanted – to determine if the border pavers would be detectable enough for blind mall users. This is NFB advocacy at its best.

Disability Pride and the ADA

Reflections on access from the human hand on the harness

From the aggregator: Maryann Migloirelli has served as the long-time president of our Boulder chapter. She also works for the state of Colorado. Prior to the 32^nd anniversary of the ADA, Maryann was asked to write an article for the agency newsletter. Here it is.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was and still is groundbreaking legislation granting people with disabilities access to public accommodations. Most countries in the world do not have this kind of access written into their laws.

For me, as a woman who is blind and uses a guide dog, access opens many doors that used to be closed, whether intentionally or not. My colleges needed to make textbooks and classroom activities, including exams accessible since I was unable to see the print. Restaurants and other public places need to accommodate my guide dog as long as he is clean and well-behaved when visiting them. If websites aren’t screen reader friendly, I will not be able to conduct business or use them as all the sighted world does. Without these and many other requirements, the world would be a very small and limited place for me and many of my coworkers and friends, as it is in countries where disability inclusion is not part of everyday life.

When most people see Braille in public places they think, “That’s cool,” or “How do they read that,” or “that’s for the people who can’t see,” and all these thoughts are correct. Having Braille in public places makes life more accessible just like having alt-text on pictures, graphics that are properly labeled, and links with real words and proper coding for screen readers makes the internet usable.

Colorado has taken huge steps forward thanks to the passage and implementation of House Bill 21-1110, which requires that all state and local government websites be made fully accessible both internal and customer-facing by July of 2024. This matters for many reasons. Because the internal websites will be made accessible, more people with disabilities can pursue government jobs that used to be inaccessible to them. Building accessibility into customer-facing sites will give many people access to information and government services that were inaccessible, most recently up-to-date Covid19 information and testing.

While all of this is awesome and commendable, there are still times and places where the ADA applies, but people make the illegal choice to deny access. As a person who chooses to travel with a guide dog, I spend much of my time educating the public on the access laws for my dog. Simply put my dog is welcome almost everywhere everyone can go. My guide dog and I have traveled on planes, trains, buses, and cruise ships with minimal fuss and maximum enjoyment. The one transportation option that still gives us trouble is ride services, namely Lyft and Uber. While I have taken hundreds of rides using both services, I still encounter refusals almost on a weekly basis from drivers who believe that they don’t need to take my dog in their cars. There are several ways these denials happen. Sometimes drivers see my dog when they pull up. And then they just drive away and cancel the ride. Other times they pull up, and when I walk up to their car, they give excuses for why my dog can’t ride in their car. Some drivers don’t even bother with the excuses, they just say that they won’t take my dog and drive off. With any of the drivers who at least stop I try politely to educate them about Lyft and Uber policies and about the laws they are violating with their behavior, but their choices are their own, and they aren’t really punished for the violations.

Although much has been made more accessible in America thanks to the ADA and accompanying legislation, we still have plenty to do to ensure inclusivity for everyone. Join me, and together we can make Colorado and America a more accessible place for all.

The Blind History lady speaks at the 2022 convention of the National Federation of The Blind in New Orleans

From the aggregator: In upcoming blogs, we will feature reflections from our colleagues who attended the 2022 national convention. Peggy Chong, the blind history lady, posted this on Colorado Talk. Her presentation was so thoughtful and dynamic that we wanted you to see this post and hope you will listen to her presentation. It is important that we remember our history.

On Sunday, July 10, 2022 I had the pleasure of addressing the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind in support of the proposed project to launch a “History of the Blind Movement Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. In my presentation, I touched on several states. I thought you would like to listen to the speech.

Here is a link to the audio of my presentation, approximately 20 minutes in length.

https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001d_DBCfjfxMPsa9TnANzjtJZkpilsKb_ctGmtVAcOwbqyfygfmSBUkuryaqK7IQMyJwTjWYWJQhEaOLJw8Bs6YAvO_DV0LXfOwtPIKCHZGt3UhGyLdcn8-oQhmUSJT0gIBCLQpPSRc7unUk7FCHw1j8_7R12Gwk1g3CI-QKArPA8yftZjnPIC_wQy_LkQR46_Knoq81bLDqZSTC4m6U7JidnoIOk7tSXPJ52TIQiCGHZcAOyMbewu_w==&c=B4w-4UQTRVC97n94W9ogvAL6WYKSGZPMmb321F-L0-LVjyFtko8iAg==&ch=j-FAVGh843d232QaICs2ORGdcjneNl8o6DnrTXqGWruwnhtC_j-wdQ==

Here is a notice we received from Maryann Migliorelli

August audio described events in the metro area

August 7 Sponge Bob Square Pants - Boulder Dinner Theatre (BDTStage).

Tickets: 303-449-6000. http://www.bdtstage.com/

$45 discounted tickets are on sale on 8/2/22.

Tour at 11:00 A.M. shows at noon.

August 13 Meow Wolf audio described tour

https://meowwolf.com/visit/denver/audio-description-tour

$35 tickets on sale. Purchase for 10:00 AM and notify the tour desk of reserving audio described tour spots.

Arrival at 10:00 A.M. tour at 10:30 A.M.

August 20 Phamaly Theatre Company presents Rocky Horror show interactive—Su Teatro

Tickets: 303-563-0005 http://www.phamaly.org/

Screen reader users call the box office for tickets. Tickets $40 Prop bags $5

Tour 6:30 P.M. show 7:30 P.M.

August 24-27:  Reelabilities Film Festival at the Jewish Community Center Mizel Center for Arts and Culture. 

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24 AT 7:00 P.M. FILM: THE SPECIALS.

THURSDAY AUGUST 25 AT 6:00 P.M. 6000 WAITING AND NOT GOING QUIETLY.

FRIDAY AUGUST 26 AT SEE THROUGH, ONLY I CAN HEAR, CRUTCH.

SATURDAY AUGUST 27 4 P.M. ME TO PLAY  AND 7 P.M. IMPERFECT.

Box Office Contact Information

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm & 1 hour before in-person screenings

Phone: 303.316.6360 Email: boxoffice@jccdenver.org

Please expect a response within 1-2 business days.

If you require an Audio Description device, please enter AUDIO as a discount code when purchasing your tickets.

Tier One: $5, Tier Two: $10, Tier Three: $15

August 28 Phamaly Theatre Company presents Rocky Horror show not interactive—Su Teatro

Tickets: 303-563-0005 http://www.phamaly.org/

Screen reader users call the box office for tickets. Tickets $40

Tour 11:00 A.M. show 2:00 P.M.

Forward always forward!

May Blind Coloradan

 

Blind Coloradoan Blog

May 16, 2022

Writer, Aggregator: Kevan Worley.
Contributors: Dan Burke & Erin Daley. With assistance from Lisa Bonderson.

 National Federation Of The Blind Of Colorado, President, Jessica Beecham. Email, jbbeecham@gmail.com

Dear Reader,

We are a little late for mothers day. But I would suggest that mothers deserve the whole month of May. We honor the mothers of our movement. We also reflect on our work to ensure that mothers have the legal right to raise their children.

So much is happening in the land of the federation and the community. So let's get started.

We invite members and nonmembers to listen to the presidential release live or recorded with so much happening. We also urge the reading of our national publication, The Braille Monitor. If you are getting ready for the national convention in person or through the virtual convention experience, you will want to read The Monitor, check all of our social media and listen to the presidential release.

https://nfb.org/presidential-release-516-may-2022

https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/braille-monitor

 

 

Special Note!

People who are blind, low vision, and families in the Poudre Valley are warmly invited to the Red Robin at 701 E Harmony Rd, Tuesday evening, May 24 at 5:30 pm. Come break bread and share ideas with NFBCO. For info, call 303-929-2369. If you know blind people, teachers of the visually impaired, or parents of blind children, pass it along. 

NFBCO Colorado springs chapter would like to recognize the great work of Arise Beyond Barriers! Working with people with disabilities is what drives their social and recreational program for this community. The N Circle building is a hub of activity, including the NFB Springs Chapter meeting held on the 2^nd Saturday morning of the month. Except for September 10, the chapter and many Arise Beyond Barriers folks will participate in the NFB 6 dot dash. Arise Beyond Barriers even has interns from Colorado School For The Deaf and The Blind working on their website. Congratulations!

Super cool tactile bulletin board captures a student's attention in the School for the Blind. Tina, the CSDB Braillist, creates this art. Thanks to Robin Teuting for the Photo.

[Photo: student explores a tactile bulletin board with gigantic multi-colored and multi-shaped flowers.]

 

 

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY! May Learning Box

When: May 22, 2022 (2:00 to 3:00)

Where: Virtual, A Zoom link will be provided upon registration

How can you tell what your money is when you can't see it? You sure don't want to put a twenty-dollar bill into the soda machine! Coins are easy to identify tactually. Paper money, not so much. So, let's learn how to identify paper currency. We can fold it in certain ways. But how do we know for sure what bill is what when a clerk at a store hands us change for $8?

Some apps can be used on an iPhone to identify paper money. There is also an I bill, a pocket-sized device that can be used to identify paper currency. The U.S. Treasury distributes the IBill free to blind Americans for purposes of accessibility. The Colorado Talking Book Library distributes them, and for this Learning Box, you can get your free device! So, during this month's activity, students will learn how to use the IBill device to identify your cash!.

Register here for this month's Learning Box on identifying and organizing money.

The registration deadline is Sunday, May 15. To receive your free IBill from the Colorado Talking Book Library, we will contact you to gather the information they require for you to qualify. Understandably everyone can get just one free IBill.

This educational activity is developed and presented by The National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, the Colorado Center for the Blind, and the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults. It is free of charge for all participants, but please visit our donation page if you would like to donate.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Anahit LaBarre alabarre@cocenter.org

Michelle Chacon blindedcolo@gmail.com

 

Being a Call Center Agent

By Julia Zanon

 

How many of us cringe when we think about call centers or telemarketing? Indeed, in the past, it seemed to be the job blind people were steered into without considering other options, interests, or skills. However, especially with so many business services being provided remotely, there is a need for well-trained and professional customer service agents. Perhaps we could take a fresh look at virtual services as an attractive career.

Kat Hanks, a millennial who lives in Denver, places a high value on making sure the donors who call her are treated with respect and courtesy. Kat works for ARC Thrift Store call center part-time and arranges for the pickup of large items donated to the thrift store. She described her job as making sure the donor understands what the organization can accept as a donation, how to label and place the item for easy pickup, and schedules a pickup date. She said it feels good to provide clear information and successfully arrange for the donation. Kat has been working as a Call Center Agent for 5-1/2 years. She and seven other agents take incoming calls from donors, and she likes her job.

Before she got this job, she had been a silverware roller for a cafeteria, but that job was eliminated, so she needed to find a new job. With Help from her DVR vocational counselor, Kat learned how to work in a call center customer service environment and found that she was very good at this job. Team EEI provided the training she needed to do this work. She learned how to listen to her computer Jaws screen reading software through one side of her headset, listen to her customer on the other side of the headset, and speak clearly through a microphone. It requires computer skills and good listening concentration to do this job successfully. She explained that it could get very challenging when donors call her when there is a lot of background noise, such as construction or other noises, but she handles these challenges with grace and works hard to ensure a successful call. Her goal for this job is to be able to work full-time.

When I asked Kat about what she had wanted to do when she was in high school, she laughed and said that she was not thinking about work at that time. She was unsure what she wanted to do and chose to attend the  Independence training program at the Colorado Center for the Blind. Kat graduated from the CCB and proudly rang her graduation bell for me during the interview. She was so proud of this accomplishment that she even took the bell to work with her.

Being a seriously committed chocolate lover, Kat said that her dream job would be to work in a chocolate factory. She lives on her own and hopes someday to adopt a cat, specifically a Maine Coon breed. Of course, the cat would be named "Chocolate."

And finally, Kat wanted to express her appreciation for the great quality and variety of helpful information she has learned as a member of the NFBCO Aurora Chapter. She said that the Aurora Chapter promotes independence, and the members are so family-oriented and really care about each other.

 

 

Is there life for the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind of Colorado

By Kevan Worley

Most readers know that the Business Enterprise Program offers training, placement, and support for people who are blind wanting to become licensed entrepreneurs. These businesses are typically on state and federal properties and focus principally on service contracts such as food service, micro-markets, vending machine operations, and potentially other enterprises. Over the years, Colorado has proudly boasted one of the most successful programs of its type in the nation. It is a complex program that attempts to marry rehabilitation, free enterprise, and social program. For this program to thrive, an authentic culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, and respectful communication between all parties is a must. Our March and April blogs carried stories about this program's struggles over the last two years.

 NFBCO passed a significate and wide-ranging resolution at our 2020 state convention addressing a number of the challenges plaguing the program and calling for specific action. The affiliate acted upon the resolution in several ways. One of which was to bring our concerns and suggested solutions to the director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, CDLE, Joe Borella. Those meetings brought about little change.

Going into the spring of 2020 and beyond, the Business Enterprise Program became even more mired in conflict between licensed operators and program management.

Recognizing that all of us faced extraordinary and difficult times during the pandemic. Still, the program became paralyzed and directionless. The long-time program manager left the program under a cloud. Active participation between operators and agency, a cornerstone of this federal/state program, lacked vigor, energy, and commitment. Real active participation was "advisory" at best and little more than lip service at its worst.

Although some progress toward developing new BEP locations occurred, that progress continued work that had begun in earnest by the agency and operators before 2020.

Over the last two years, the program has lost 4, four respected frontline employees. When exiting the program, these highly qualified, caring staff members told us that they could not do their jobs in a regime of oppressive top-down management and the inflammatory and never-ending confrontation between agency management and operators. Note: One of these staff members resigned in the last few weeks. She is the only blind staff member any of us can recall working at the BEP. She is the only trainer in recent memory who has had a 100% success rate. 

The operators worked closely with the Division Of Vocational Rehabilitation, CDLE staff, and others to fix what was quickly becoming a broken program. This past summer, operators and state licensing agencies engaged in a mediation effort. It was clear that some did not participate in a good faith effort.

On Tuesday, May 3, we received an email of resignation from Mr. Troy Larson expressing his displeasure in a 2-page email diatribe faulting the operators and applauding his actions over the past 16 months. We took no joy in program manager Larson's resignation. That said, it's clear that we have now gone through one of the most painful and unproductive periods in the history of our program. It seems clear to this observer that the program leaders, operators, and management are ready to declare a new day. It is a time to reset expectations, behaviors, and consequences.

The program has been suffering the fallout of the past two years as we work under the burden of limited staffing, recruit and hire staff,  develop the budget for the next fiscal year, and work together to find our next qualified Business Enterprise Program Manager. Operators have called upon the agency to avoid the mistake made in 2020, not allowing their elected committee to play a significate role in the hiring process. Operators have called upon the agency to conduct a nationwide search for a new program manager rather than limiting the pool of applicants to Colorado only. We know that there are fewer people seeking employment. We understand that the agency has the flexibility to open the position nationwide. We know that finding a candidate who possesses the range of skills, experience, and understanding of this complicated program will very likely require a national search. The manager must understand blindness, business, state agency process, and fiscal control and have genuine respect for the capacity of blind people. This new manager must not come to the job with preconceived notions and a limited understanding of accessible technologies and frontline operators' demanding hours and tasks.

We know that the current stance of the state's human resources people is not to recruit out of state if they can find applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. We hope that the agency will have learned that trying to fill a position without a national search and with only limited active participation from the operators has not worked. The job is far too complex for someone who barely meets the minimum qualifications. We think that operators and the agency will find an appropriate manager, and the program can get back to the business of finally acting to implement HB 16-1048. It is time to promulgate a new set of state regulations that recognize the modern era. The current regs are from 2008.

We should mention the extraordinary work being done by our staff who have remained. There seems to be a fresh air of possibilities blowing through the program. The jury is out, but we must have hope for a program too long in controversy and disrepair.

 

Scripttalk

From the aggregator: we have been asked to carry the following announcement. Many of us have found this product to be beneficial. Ironically, last week I spoke with a member who had recently spent time in the hospital because he got his blood pressure meds mixed up. He told me he needed a different system for safety. I suggested scripttalk. Here is the announcement.

Many pharmacies today provide some type of accessible prescription label. Unfortunately, not many people are using them. En-Vision America needs to hear from you! Even if your pharmacy does NOT offer ScripTalk, they will help you get set up with the option your pharmacy provides.

1.         Reach out to En-Vision America by calling 800-890-1180 or emailing customerservice@envisionamerica.com

2.         Tell them what pharmacy you use

3.         Let them do the rest! They will help you get set up with the option that is provided OR they will contact your pharmacy to see if they will provide ScripTalk to you.

4.         ALL of these options are FREE to you

It is common that your pharmacy staff will not be aware of the options available. En-Vision America will take the frustration out of getting set up!

 

 

Resignation of super intendent

From the aggregator: We received the following announcement from Diane Taylor, Manager of Community Relations, Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind.

Dear CSDB Staff, Families, and Community,

We are reaching out to share some information regarding the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind leadership. After 2 ½ years as superintendent of the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, Dr. Nancy E. Benham has announced her immediate resignation. On behalf of the Board, we wish Dr. Benham the best in her new endeavors, and we are committed to the future at CSDB.

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved Tera Wilkins as the CSDB interim superintendent. Tera currently serves as the Director of CSDB Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. The Board's decision to name Tera as interim was an easy one. As Director of CSDB Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Tera has demonstrated strong leadership with good instincts. She is strategic, empathetic, and collaborative - all skills will serve CSDB well in this next chapter.

We look forward to working with you in these next steps.

 

Braille French Quarter Guide

From the aggregator: Are you ready for The Big Easy? Pre-registration for NFB national convention in New Orleans ends on May 31. To learn about the possibility of financial assistance sources for the convention, visit your chapter or division president. Make those hotel reservations today and join us for the party and the possibilities found at the world's largest gathering of blind people July 6-10. I am sure you will want to enjoy all the meetings, spirited discussions, exhibits, a banquet address from President Riccobono, and all of the fun New Orleans offers. Especially the food!

 Maria Morais has compiled a street guide and a list of historic landmarks, restaurants, and jazz clubs in the French Quarter. This Braille or print collection is available for $5 bucks. The entire amount goes towards blind kids' literacy programs. For more information or to place an order,  email sdi71270@gmail.com. Please help spread the word!

 

 

Free Webinar! Tips and Tricks for a More Enjoyable OCR Experience

We received the following from the genius. Thank you, Curtis Chong.  

Below please find an announcement from Freedom Scientific about a free webinar on May 26 at 10:00 am. Mountain Time. Users of the JAWS screen reading program for Windows may not know that JAWS is a powerful print-reading program in its own right compared to products such as Kurzweil 1000 or OpenBook. Anyone interested is free to register for the below event.

When: May 26 at 12:00 pm Eastern (U.S. and Canada)

Vispero Presenters: Mike Wood and Michelle Williams

 If you currently own an OCR (optical character recognition) product or are in the market for one, this session is for you. Join Mike and Michelle as they share helpful tips from experienced users and show them in action with our scanning products. Hear how material management and specific features can contribute to a more accurate, enjoyable OCR experience.

 Objectives

•          Identifying when a combo (magnifier/OCR) product vs. OCR only product is preferable

•          Managing print materials for accurate scanning

•          Using product features for better results

Register on Zoom

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vL1JSjtgQ5iOPU7bgg52oA?utm_campaign=LV_Webinars&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=212053608&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ofCF_zOnZrskDF_imLLGQaB9CeNMmO5jWfXVF0YWZUSuMSGZ5PSnMERkj8pIDRSUNYbt57bdrI4jch2ei7vHwcC3Q6g&utm_content=212054125&utm_source=hs_email

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Moms

Reflections After Mother's Day

by Jo Elizabeth Pinto

Human beings have a long history of valuing their moms. One of the earliest known annual tributes to motherhood occurred in ancient Greece, where people held spring festivals in honor of Rhea, the goddess of fertility and generation. Today, Mother's Day is celebrated around the world throughout the year. Besides the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Costa Rica, Samoa, Georgia, Australia, and Thailand have set aside official holidays to show respect for the mothers in their nations.

 

In the United States, Mother's Day began after the Civil War with a peacemaker named Ann Jarvis. Eager to foster community between mothers who had suffered incredible losses on both sides of the war, Ann Jarvis helped to establish "Mother's Friendship Day" in 1868. Her daughter, Anna Reeves Jarvis, built on the legacy by creating the official holiday. The first modern American Mother's Day was celebrated in 1908. President Woodrow Wilson placed the holiday on the second Sunday in May and signed it into law in 1914.

A century later, Mother's Day has become a tremendous commercial event, an outcome Anna Reeves Jarvis fought hard against when she set up the original holiday. Around 122 million phone calls are made on Mother's Day, more than on any other day of the year. The holiday ranks third in flower sales after Christmas and Hanukkah. About one-fourth of the plants and flowers purchased in the United States annually are bought for Mother's Day. According to the National Restaurant Association, about 87 million adults dined out on the second Sunday in May of 2018, and roughly 4.4 billion dollars were spent on lunches and dinners. Another 4.6 billion dollars were spent on jewelry. On average, shoppers spend $180 on Mother's Day gifts. The most popular gifts are greeting cards. Every Mother's Day, approximately 152 million cards are mailed.

With so much commercial hype and social pressure surrounding the holiday, Mother's Day can often lead to resentment and disappointment. Some moms are missing children who have left the nest or passed away. Some are estranged from their children. Some women long to be mothers but haven't been blessed with that chance, and some are grieving the loss of their own mothers. Many moms are deep in the trenches, worn out by crayons and carpools, and wanting a day off more than they want a dinner out or a bouquet of flowers.

As I scrolled through my Facebook feed on Mother's Day, I could identify with the women's feelings who posted. Some rejoiced, mourned, raged, and others simply prayed for bedtime. As a woman who has battled infertility, as a daughter who had her share of conflict with her own mother and who now grieves the resolutions death has forever stolen, and as a mom who has spent eleven challenging and wonderful years raising a child, I could relate to all of their raw and rightful emotions.

I began thinking about how dealing with Mother's Day and life, in general, has a lot to do with letting go of preset expectations.

I had to do exactly that on Mother's Day and the day after. My daughter had asked her dad to help her fix a holiday brunch for me. We'd bought bacon and eggs and fresh raspberries and strawberries at the store Saturday night. But by Sunday morning, our little girl had a fever, a sore throat, a headache, and an upset tummy. We went out to dinner once she felt better, which made her a little sad, but it suited me fine. Plans change.

Monday came, and my daughter still felt slightly weak and feverish. At lunchtime, she asked me to make the bacon and scrambled eggs for her that was supposed to be on the menu for my Mother's Day brunch. I didn't mind cooking bacon and eggs. But I was starting to feel exasperated--no, downright hacked off--because, although my kid wasn't quite over the bug that had zapped her on Mother's Day, she was definitely playing up her delicate condition, so I would wait on her. I'd been fetching and carrying cold drinks, headache and tummy medicine, and pillows all morning. The crowning moment came as I washed the lunch dishes, and she called for yet another glass of ice water. Annoyed, I asked her if I were her mom or the maid.

"I just fixed you my Mother's Day brunch," I reminded her.

"But it's not Mother's Day anymore," she snipped in that tone that makes moms of tweens go from zero to livid in less than a nanosecond.

Biting my tongue, I went back to washing dishes. Then I started putting things in perspective. The brunch didn't really matter. What matters is that I have a thriving child who, although she hasn't always learned to be empathetic, is kind and caring most of the time. I spent many a Mother's Day grieving my empty arms, which are now blessedly full. Conflicts come and go, but I have much to rejoice about.

My daughter eventually revived her brunch plans. She peeled herself off the couch in the middle of the afternoon and shooed me out of the kitchen. From the sounds I heard as she got busy making my snack, I guessed the feast would consist of a strawberry Poptart®, some fresh berries, and a strip of packaged fruit leather. Not exactly bacon and eggs, but who cared? She told me the scrambled eggs I had fixed for her were delicious.

 

MEOW WOLF OFFERS "HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONVERGENCE"

AUDIO DESCRIPTION TOURS FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION TRAVELERS

From the aggregator: I heard so much buzz about the Meow Wolf exhibit. I don't know what it is, but we are always happy to read about accessible exhibits. We would love to have one of our readers provide their commentary after attending this. We know that much work goes into making the dream of accessibility a reality.

We look forward to a time when accessibility will be the standard and always available, but these folks seem to be making a wonderful start.

The second Saturday of every month at 10 am @ Convergence Station

● Tours offer expert guides describing key visuals

● Designed to enhance touch exploration and interactive play elements of

Convergence Station

● No additional cost beyond exhibition tickets

Denver, CO (May 3, 2022) - Meow Wolf Denver has created a groundbreaking two-hour Audio Description Tour, Highlights of the Convergence. Travelers who want or need a guided experience can explore the Convergence through the descriptive narration of expert guides, detailing key visual elements and actions that someone with limited vision might not observe. This complimentary Audio Description Tour is designed specifically for audience members who are blind or have low vision, allowing for a more inclusive experience of the exhibition by means of description, storytelling, touch exploration, and play.

Led by the Meow Wolf QDOT Tour Team, the Audio Description tours feature a guide describing the visuals of the exhibit, invited touch exploration of select pieces, guidance with interactive elements like the Rocket Car and Snurtle, and a light introduction to the citizens, lore, and narrative of the Converged Worlds.

"It just had so much to offer, like the tactile feeling of the floor, the wheel, being able to touch the organ, and just all the exploration," said Melissa F., one of the tour participants. "We all have different levels of sight here…there was just so much to immerse yourself in, for all different levels of vision. It was just very interactive."

The projects are intended for all visitors to enjoy through cross-ability play and exploration. To help develop the best experience possible for all guests, Meow Wolf partnered with Artful Access, a Denver-based organization with over 60 combined years of experience bringing direct knowledge, skills, and advocacy in the areas of arts and accessibility. Meow Wolf offers a variety of supportive services and accessibility options when you visit Denver's Convergence Station, including sensory kits at the coat check desk for travelers with light and noise sensitivity.

About Meow Wolf

Recognized in Fast Company's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies (2022 and 2020), Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The company's first location in Santa Fe opened in 2016. It showcased the award-winning international sensation, House Of Eternal Return, where two million visitors have now discovered a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and surreal, maximalist, and mesmerizing art exhibits. In 2019, Meow Wolf expanded beyond Santa Fe and opened Kaleidoscape, the world's first artist-driven ride at Elitch Gardens in Denver. Meow Wolf opened their second permanent installation, Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas, and their third permanent installation in Denver opened in September 2021, Convergence Station. Meow Wolf is proud to be the only certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry, with a team dedicated to social impact and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Press Contact

Erin Barnes

Public Relations Manager, Meow Wolf

Ebarnes@MeowWolf.com | 720-369-4305 (cell)

https://meowwolf.com/visit/denver/audio-description-tour?fbclid=IwAR3FxJtiwmjM73Bd6On98QpUE07l2Rkg5d_Oq36FEiT3ir6sozLwwKAVnGg

Forward, always forward!