The ACB Braille Forum Volume LVI November 2017 No. 5 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** ** Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. ** Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. ** Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the “Washington Connection” 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (605) 475-8154 and choose option 3. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (605) 475-8130. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2017 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** Table of Contents ACB Creates Hurricane Relief Fund Inside Union Station Hotel, by Janet Dickelman We Really Should Say Thanks, by Tom Mitchell Holiday Auction 2017 – The Goodies Will Be Delightful!, by Carla Ruschival Summary of 2017 Resolutions Role Models and Mentors Help Build Employment Success, by Kendra Farrow Leading Across Generations, compiled by Ardis Bazyn And The Winners Are … Strategies for Membership Growth: Hear It from Those Who Have Done It, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Affiliate News Mini Mall Mayhem, by Carla Ruschival Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers, Board of Directors, and Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she’ll make the changes for you. ** Keep up with the most important ACB news and announcements without any other chatter. Subscribe to the ACB Announce listserv. Send a blank e-mail to announce-subscribe@acblists.org, or visit www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/announce and type your e-mail address and name where indicated. * ACB Radio Mainstream has blindness-related news you can use at www.acbradio.org/mainstream. * The ACB Radio Café features the work of blind artists 24/7 at www.acbradio.org/cafe. ***** ACB Creates Hurricane Relief Fund Dear ACB Members and Friends, With Hurricane Irma’s 180-mile-per-hour winds and torrents of rain hitting Florida, Georgia and other locations as yet unknown, and terrible fires clogging the skies with smoke, spreading destruction and ash all across the Northwest, and thousands still experiencing the devastation of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey - many of them just beginning the exhausting tasks associated with recovery and rebuilding - disasters are on all of our minds. Over the course of the past weeks, ACB members from all across the country have asked how they could help our fellow blind individuals negatively affected by Hurricane Harvey. Now our concern also extends to those from our community living in the path of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. We initially asked that people wait for more specific guidance once we could make contact with leaders in the ACB of Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico to determine the best way for all of us to assist, and we knew that would be to develop a thoughtful plan that best meets the needs of those impacted in hard-hit communities. Here is the best way for all of you to help! Make a tax-deductible donation to our Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria Relief Fund. We can also accept gift cards from major retailers, such as Target, Walmart, Amazon, Safeway, Publix, Albertsons, or other grocery retailers. These work well because they can easily be shipped and individuals can use them to purchase exactly what they need to support them in rebuilding their lives. Financial contributions to the ACB Disaster Relief Fund may be made at http://donate.acb.org/relief. Please mail checks made payable to the American Council of the Blind to: American Council of the Blind, 6300 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. Be sure to write in the memo field on your check that your gift is for disaster relief. Gift cards can also be sent to the above address. If you would prefer to make a contribution over the phone, call 1-800-866-3242. Our ACB special-interest affiliate Guide Dog Users, Inc. has a well-established Disaster Assistance and Preparedness Program, which supports any member with a working guide dog who needs financial assistance to care for their guide dog during recovery from a catastrophic event such as a hurricane, a fire emergency or other natural disaster. If you would like to make a donation to GDUI, it’s easy and secure to do so online at http://guidedogusersinc.org/donate/. We thank you for your support as we identified the best way to assist members and others in the blindness community in hard-hit areas. Together with our support, hope and love, we can assist those negatively impacted by natural disasters to rebuild their lives. Thank you! Kim Charlson, President American Council of the Blind ***** Inside Union Station Hotel by Janet Dickelman The Union Station Hotel in St. Louis will be home to the 2018 conference and convention of the American Council of the Blind. Opening general session will be held Saturday evening, June 30th. Come early for our first tours on Friday, June 29th, and stay for the final tours on Friday, July 6th. During convention week, attend affiliate and committee programming, numerous technology sessions, and visit the exhibit hall, Saturday, June 30th through Wednesday, July 4th. Don’t miss our banquet Thursday evening, July 5th. The convention and host committees are working to make this an outstanding convention; you’ll definitely want to be in St. Louis next July! ** Food for All There are food options at Union Station for all, from casual to fine dining. Hard Rock Café, Station Grille, Landry’s (steak and seafood), Grand Hall Bar and Starbucks are located in the hotel. The hotel also has room service available daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Adjacent to the hotel are Maggie O’Brien’s and Lombardo’s Trattoria, plus many restaurants within walking distance. Menus and details about the restaurants will be available closer to convention time. The hotel features a fitness center and a pool. ** Staying in Touch Once again, the convention announce list will be filled with information regarding the 2018 ACB conference and convention. You can subscribe to the list today by sending a blank e-mail to acbconvention-subscribe@acblists.org. If you received updates for the 2017 convention, you need not subscribe again. ** Hotel Details Room rates at Union Station are $89 per night; this rate applies for up to 2 people in a king room and up to 4 guests in a room with two queen beds. Room tax is currently 16.92%. Make telephone reservations by calling (314) 231-1234, and be sure to mention you are with American Council of the Blind to obtain the conference room rate. Visit www.acb.org and follow the 2018 convention link for online reservations. ** Convention Contacts 2018 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, amduo@bellsouth.net 2018 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, oleo50@hotmail.com For any other convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** We Really Should Say Thanks by Tom Mitchell As I write this, I’m on a train from Sparks, Nev. back to Salt Lake City. I’ve spent nearly a week, as many of you have, at ACB’s 56th annual conference and convention. But I attended no general sessions. I spent a good deal of my time helping with the production of braille materials that abound in every one of our conferences. The average attendee has no idea how much braille is turned out each year. This year, we used 4 embossers that produced literally thousands of pages. One of these was the Juliet 120, a new machine that produces braille at the rate of 120 characters per second. It sounds more like an angry metal monster chewing up its food than the kind of embossers we’re all used to. And this year, as Forum editor Sharon Lovering said: “It worked like a champ.” But as I listened to it chucking away, I couldn’t help but think of the people who produced it; the imagining, the planning, the testing, re-testing, and manufacturing that went into that one machine. I have no idea how many hours of work went into its production. But I’m certain that there are a lot of people to thank. And as I thought of that, I thought of the many things I’d seen at the conference: a pair of glasses with a camera that shows a person many, many miles away what’s in front of the wearer, allowing safer and more independent travel. Or the other pair which has a processor with an earphone which reads through an electronic voice what the glasses see. Or the new Victor Reader Trek, which combines the functions of the Victor Stream with the Trekker Breeze. Or some beautifully designed jewelry with braille words and sentiments. Oh, I could go on for pages. But all of these things require imagining, planning, testing, re-testing, and manufacturing. Now, I’m not naive enough think that these things are produced by people who want to make the lives of blind people happier, more independent, and wonderful. Many are, especially the people who think these things up. But they must be manufactured, and for everyone involved a living must be made and a salary paid. Nevertheless, the people who do all of this, I believe, really do set out to do a good job, one of which everyone who participates can be proud. And though so many of these things cost more than many of us can afford, they’re there. And so are the smaller things: slates, styluses, the paper on which to write, signature guides, tactile measuring cups and spoons, tactile cards and games, watches, both braille and talking — you could probably look around your own home and find a myriad of things made for blind and visually impaired people that you use every day and take for granted. And so, it seems to me, since this is the Thanksgiving season, that we ought to be thankful for all the things that can make our own personal world, for the personal worlds of the people around us, better and more satisfying, and to thank whatever deities we each believe in — if any — for the things we have, and for the fact that we don’t live the lives blind people lived in the past. Just a thought for the Thanksgiving season. ***** Holiday Auction 2017 – The Goodies Will Be Delightful! by Carla Ruschival Support ACB Radio! Bid and buy at the sixth annual ACB Radio Holiday Auction on Sunday, December 3. There will be lots of great items; you’ll have lots of fun; and there are lots of ways to listen right from the comfort of your home. The 2017 ACB Radio Holiday Auction is packed with incredible items that are guaranteed to create bidding frenzies. Techies will love the classy ACB computer messenger bag with an ACB mega power bank inside. Snap up beautiful holiday music boxes, collectibles, and a matching handcrafted gingerbread boy and girl. Choose exquisite jewelry, a handcrafted quilt, and a one-of-a-kind wind chime. Special items for dog lovers, too. And of course, you’ll want to feast on holiday treats such as Brian’s holiday cookies, Maker’s Mark bourbon balls, Patti’s holiday cookie balls, Keri’s muffins, and so much more. There isn’t space enough to list all of the amazing items in this year’s Holiday Auction. Follow the Holiday Auction link from www.acb.org for complete bidding rules and auction details; descriptions and photos of our great items will be posted on the website by Nov. 15. Items will be listed on the preview page in bidding order. Keep in mind that several items will be up for bid at the same time. Item descriptions and bidding rules will also be read on air during the auction. Save the date for the sixth annual ACB Holiday Auction, coming to you live on Sunday, December 3, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Central, 4 p.m. Pacific) from the iHeartRadio studios in Louisville, Ky. Listen on five channels on ACB Radio (www.acbradio.org), through the ACB Link iPhone app, by phone at (605) 475-8130, on the TuneIn app, or on your Amazon Alexa device by saying “Alexa, play ACB Radio Mainstream on TuneIn.” Questions? Contact Carla Ruschival, auction chair, at (502) 897-1472, or the Minneapolis office at (612) 332-3242. Thanks for supporting ACB Radio. ***** Summary of 2017 Resolutions The following are brief summaries of the resolutions adopted by the ACB membership at the 2017 conference and convention held at the Nugget Casino and Resort in July. One resolution was referred to ACB’s environmental access and information access committees. It is not included in this compilation. Please note that these summary statements are not the authoritative voice of the ACB membership; they are simply intended to capture the overall scope and intent of the membership as authoritatively embodied in the full text of each of the resolutions. You can find the full text of resolutions at www.acb.org/resolutions2017. Resolution 2017-01 directs ACB to strongly urge the Federal Communications Commission to exercise all appropriate authority to require the broadcast and non-broadcast networks to establish and/or join an automated digital listing of all available audio-described programming, and directs the FCC to monitor those listings on an ongoing basis for quality assurance and to ensure that such listings provide consumers of audio-described programming with a level of service equal to that provided today to consumers of closed-captioned television. Resolution 2017-02 instructs ACB to strongly urge the FCC commissioners to order an increase in the total number of required hours of audio description up to the CVAA’s allowable statutory maximum. Resolution 2017-03 directs that ACB join with the American Council of Blind Lions to congratulate Lions Clubs International on its 100th anniversary of service. Resolution 2017-04 instructs ACB to demand that the U.S. Department of Education declare in unambiguous terms that states’ and districts’ imposition of restrictions limiting the provision of the instruction and services comprising the Expanded Core Curriculum to school grounds and/or during normal school hours severely impairs, if not outright denies, the right of students with vision loss to a truly free and appropriate public education. Resolution 2017-05 directs ACB to call upon the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue regulations strengthening the rights of passengers with service animals by aligning them with the service animal rules already promulgated by the U.S. Department of Justice so as to reduce the fraud and abuse of service animal misrepresentation; and to collaborate with Guide Dog Users, Inc., to ensure that airlines improve quality of customer service by airline staff, the effectiveness of complaint resolution officers, and airlines’ overall commitment to the rights and responsibilities of passengers with service animals so as to honor the dignity with which all passengers deserve to travel, free of harassment and abuse. Resolution 2017-06 instructs ACB to join with its affiliate, Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, in urging, in the strongest terms possible, that micromarket manufacturers make these facilities fully accessible to consumers and operators who are blind or who have low vision; to offer micromarket manufacturers the assistance of the information access committee to achieve the goals of this resolution in the most expeditious manner possible; and, if the micromarket manufacturers fail to use their best efforts to ensure the full accessibility of micromarkets at the earliest possible time, that ACB demand that state licensing agencies refuse to allow the use of micromarkets in the business enterprise program. Resolution 2017-07 directs ACB to strongly urge Amtrak to include the disability discount as one of the options when purchasing a ticket using a smartphone app. Resolution 2017-08 tells ACB to instruct its transportation committee to work with state and local affiliates to ensure that local entities responsible for paratransit services adopt a door-to-door service policy. Resolution 2017-09 instructs ACB and the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America to work with the U.S. Congress to ensure that current and future Business Enterprise Program roadside rest areas are protected. Resolution 2017-10 commends the work of ACB’s officers, directors, staff and members for their efforts to hold makers of autonomous vehicles accountable for ensuring the full accessibility of such vehicles to people who are blind or visually impaired; directs the officers, directors and staff to advocate for autonomous vehicle accessibility while also enlisting the vehicles’ manufacturers as champions to partner with ACB to surmount other known and potential roadblocks, such as overbroad state drivers licensing schemes, which may impede or bar people with vision loss from having the full enjoyment and benefit of autonomous vehicles; and directs ACB to call upon the vehicles’ developers to partner with manufacturers of personal wayfinding technology so that these two game-changing technologies will be on course to provide people with vision loss with a fully integrated travel experience. Resolution 2017-11 instructs ACB to communicate to proponents of autonomous vehicle legislation currently under consideration in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that the American Council of the Blind will voice its deep disappointment with, if not opposition to, any package of legislative proposals that grants flexibility, incentives and/or exemptions to the autonomous vehicle industry but that fails to at least initiate a meaningful process, with measurable outcomes, for establishing user interface accessibility requirements on autonomous vehicle manufacturers. It also directs ACB to urge Congress to guide states in the exercise of their traditional roles in setting basic licensing requirements so as to honor the federal constitutional right to travel which people who are blind or visually impaired must be allowed to enjoy on an equal basis with our sighted fellow citizens. Resolution 2017-12 directs ACB to make it a priority to participate in Goal One of the American Foundation for the Blind’s 21st Century Agenda on Aging and Vision Loss to address the critical national need for dramatically increased, and better leveraged, funding for services to older individuals who are blind or visually impaired; to make it a national legislative imperative to advocate for a substantial increase in the level of federal funding for the OIB program; to encourage state chapters to work with other appropriate stakeholders to make more state dollars available to address this acute crisis of resources; and directs the officers, directors and staff to make finding better ways to create resources to serve older people with vision loss a priority over the next year. Resolution 2017-13 declares ACB’s opposition to the establishment and use of a unifying title to refer to each of the professional disciplines serving children, working-age adults, or seniors who are blind or visually impaired; directs the officers, board and staff to communicate with the proponents of such a designation to express our serious concerns with any strategy to brand, label or describe the existing array of professional disciplines in any way which may be construed, particularly by those outside and largely completely unfamiliar with the vision loss community, to combine or blur critical distinctions between and among the various educational and rehabilitative professions; and directs ACB to collaborate with the leading organizational voices in our field representing public and private agencies, professionals and other direct service providers to identify and pursue the most effective long-term strategies to ensure the availability and quality of services that truly meet individuals’ needs. Resolution 2017-14 directs ACB to formulate and implement a strategy for cultivating private foundation and individual grant funding streams for the field of blindness and visual impairment to use to supplement currently available public dollars for services to older individuals who are blind or visually impaired; directs that such a strategy involve partnerships with leading organizations and individuals in the field who should work collaboratively to pursue and obtain such private sources of support which should, in turn, be made available to those individuals and private organizations that are most in need and/or who serve the most vulnerable or overlooked segments of the older blind community across America; and adds that private funding streams cultivated through this strategy should support the delivery of all services that are now authorized to be provided pursuant to the OIB program. Resolution 2017-15 commends the members of the Nevada Council of the Blind, and the extraordinary leadership of Nevada state Senator Moises Denis, for exemplary and successful advocacy for accessible drug labeling statewide in Nevada, and directs ACB to offer its affiliates, as appropriate, such public policy counsel and related support as they may request to assist them with efforts to achieve the critical policy objective of accessible drug labeling in every state. Resolution 2017-17 instructs ACB to work to ensure that IMLS funding levels are not reduced during the 2018 federal fiscal year. Resolution 2017-18 directs that ACB, in partnership with the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, urge, in the strongest terms possible, that vending manufacturers and vending machine operators work together to make these vending machines fully accessible to consumers and operators who are blind or who have low vision; offer manufacturers the assistance of the information access committee in achieving the goals of this resolution; and in the event vending machine manufacturers are unwilling to enter into meaningful negotiations with vendors or their representatives concerning the accessibility of vending machines, this organization is hereby urged to intervene to take steps that are likely to advance the goals of this resolution. Resolution 2017-19 directs that ACB request the IRS to adopt a permanent policy to enable people with disabilities to claim a waiver that will not consider college loan forgiveness as a taxable event. Resolution 2017-20 instructs ACB staff to carry the issue of clear glass door hazards to the Access Board so that they may develop and potentially implement appropriate solutions for this serious concern, and directs the staff and board to report on what progress has been made by the Access Board over the next year to the environmental access committee at our 2018 convention. Resolution 2017-21 directs ACB to work with its affiliate, ACB Diabetics in Action, and with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. Congress, and manufacturers of continuous glucose monitoring devices and glucometers to ensure that all such devices are fully accessible to diabetics who are blind or visually impaired, and with leading private insurers and HMOs to ensure that their customers with diabetes who are blind or visually impaired can be provided with accessible devices which truly enable independent and reliable diabetes management. Resolution 2017-22 calls upon the federal government to allocate sufficient funds to provide accessible pedestrian signals in all communities, to support the deployment of indoor indicators that would enable people who are blind or have low vision to navigate public buildings independently, to develop and implement a program based on the use of wearable glasses that will enable people who are blind to have the same level of communication that is available for people who are deaf and for people who do not have disabilities, to develop and implement a large-scale training initiative that would assure that people who are blind or have low vision can learn to use the computer hardware and software that makes information access as available to this population as it is to the rest of our society, to allocate substantial funding to assure that the eventual release of self-driving vehicles is fully accessible for and usable by people who are blind or have low vision, and to provide a range of training for people who are blind or have low vision that would enable them to fully take advantage of the opportunities these technologies now make possible. It also directs the officers, directors and staff of this organization to make the implementation of the objectives of this resolution a priority. Resolution 2017-23 states ACB’s belief that the growing inaccessibility of stores, restaurants, places of entertainment and other public accommodations represents a threat to the civil rights and continuing advancement toward equality of Americans who are blind or visually impaired, and directs the organization to redouble its advocacy efforts in the arena of kiosk-dependent interaction with places of public accommodation to include, as appropriate, structured negotiations, state level legislative activity, federal enforcement actions, media outreach, and direct relationship-building with leading stakeholder organizations. Resolution 2017-24 directs ACB’s staff to contact the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to inquire as to the process for amending the MUTCD; to solicit participation from other organizations of and for the blind and low vision to assist in strengthening sections 4E.08 through 4E.13 of the MUTCD; and directs staff, along with the environmental access committee, to prepare amendments for the MUTCD that are to be submitted to the NCUTCD for its consideration. Resolution 2017-25 states ACB’s opposition to health care reform proposals that make it more difficult for people who are blind or who have low vision to obtain affordable, comprehensive health care coverage. Resolution 2017-26 expresses ACB’s thanks to the management and staff of the Nugget Casino and Resort for their warm welcome, very hard work and commitment to customer service. Resolution 2017-27 expresses ACB’s gratitude to the members of the Nevada host committee for their enthusiastic welcome, the untold hours of planning and hard work, and the tremendous privilege of bringing our national conference and convention to their home state. Resolution 2017-28 expresses ACB’s thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time and energy at this year’s national convention. ***** Role Models and Mentors Help Build Employment Success by Kendra Farrow Young people who are blind or visually impaired often benefit from interactions with role models and mentors who are visually impaired. I can still clearly remember my first encounter with an adult who was legally blind. At the age of 9, I had not thought very much about legal blindness and how it would affect my life. I was attending a camp for children with vision loss one summer, where most of the other children were totally blind. I saw myself as sighted compared to them. I did not read braille or use a white cane, but in some small way, I realized I was connected to their world. One day, we had a scavenger hunt around town. My group was supposed to find out the cost of a menu item at a restaurant with a menu posted on the wall behind the counter. There were about two or three children and one adult in my group. We entered the restaurant, and I turned to the adult in our group and asked him to read the price of the item we needed to find. He answered, “I can’t see it either; you’ll have to ask.” If a light bulb had been over my head, you would have seen it light up. I knew that this adult had some vision loss, but he was like me — no white cane. He seemed to be able to do anything except drive a car. I understood for the first time that I would grow up to be like him. I would not grow out of my visual disability. It was a permanent part of who I was, and the skills I was learning, like asking for assistance, would be my way of coping. Later on, I experimented with hiding my disability and refusing accommodations. Sometimes this caused some very uncomfortable situations, but other times it worked out with seemingly no problems. Having a mentor at this point would have facilitated conversations about these experiences and helped me balance my desire to fit in and my need to disclose. Four years ago, when I joined the National Research and Training Center (NRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision and learned about the mentoring project, I was excited to see how this program might help college students have a smoother path to successful employment. Looking back on my own experience, transitioning from college to my first professional job without a mentor probably took longer than necessary, and I missed opportunities because I was figuring it out on my own. As a new college graduate in social work applying for my first professional job, I did not give any forethought to disability disclosure, another important issue faced by job seekers with visual impairment. My previous, non-professional jobs had not entailed reading and filling in paperwork as an essential function of the job. Having a mentor at this point would have prepared me for discussing my vision impairment and explaining how I would complete these tasks. A mentor from my field would have also opened my eyes to related career opportunities. For me, the mentoring project at the NRTC seemed promising. The project paired college students who were legally blind with mentors who were legally blind and employed in the student’s field of study. Mentees were students in their final year of college. The mentor and mentee pair were instructed to meet in person or by phone at least once a month for one year. Interactions focused on the specific field of employment, the accommodations used to complete jobs in that field, and tips for interviewing and landing a job. Participants in the mentoring project improved their job-seeking assertiveness (O’Mally & Antonelli, 2016). To show assertiveness during a job interview, individuals who are visually impaired or blind must be comfortable with who they are, portray their strengths, disclose their disability, and identify the accommodations needed to complete the job requirements. One mentee explained it this way: “I believe the most challenging aspect of getting a job is feeling confident in your abilities rather than your impairments.” Mentees also benefitted from having self-confidence modeled by their mentor. As one study participant explained, “One of the most helpful things I learned from my mentor is learning to accept myself as I am, especially my blindness. This journey of acceptance began with accepting that I need to use my white cane in public. Hearing about my mentor’s daily use, even during professional interviews, encouraged me to use it and see it as second nature.” When mentors are in the same career field, mentees can also benefit from specific mentor knowledge. One study participant remarked, “Not only does a mentor show the blind job seeker that it is possible to get that job, but having that relationship also is a place to receive personal encouragement as well as strategies for finding jobs that are field specific.” Another mentee stated, “My mentor encouraged me to apply for my certification exams as soon as possible, and because I was not aware that the process would be longer for me, I was not going to have time to apply and take my exams before their due dates. She answered any questions I had regarding my education and future career.” Mentors also found their roles rewarding. They enjoyed the opportunity to pass along lessons they had learned, seeing their mentees grow, and watching their mentees apply concepts they had discussed. One mentor commented, “In our case, I think we made a relationship that will last beyond the project.” As a person who is legally blind, I feel strongly that individuals who are blind or visually impaired benefit in many ways from interacting with role models and mentors. Since vision impairment is a low-incidence disability, intentional planning is often needed to connect mentors and role models who are blind or visually impaired with young people who are blind or visually impaired. Programs like the American Foundation for the Blind’s CareerConnect® can help connect individuals who are willing to mentor with those who are looking for a mentor. You may also look to the American Council of the Blind, or other consumer or blindness agencies, to identify potential mentoring opportunities. To learn more about the NRTC’s mentoring project and other employment resources, visit www.blind.msstate.edu . The Employment Mentoring Manual is available free under the Our Products tab. O’Mally, J., & Antonelli, K. (2016). The effect of career mentoring on employment outcomes for college students who are legally blind. “Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness,” 110(5), 295-307. AFB (2017). CareerConnect®. American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved from http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/for-job-seekers/make-connections/123. ***** Leading Across Generations compiled by Ardis Bazyn The Leadership Institute training session held on July 2, 2017 started with a welcome from chair Cindy Van Winkle. A group activity called “Crossing the Bridge,” led by Rebecca Bridges, asked participants to share a time when they attempted to get involved in an organization or activity as a new or younger member. If they had a positive experience, what factors led to the outcome? If the experience was not as positive, what challenges were encountered? She asked groups to report. Once a person gets a new office or responsibility, they must be given information to get tasks done. Don’t expect too much all at once. Joining churches and getting jobs are the easiest way to have positive impact. Members need to let their needs be known. A new person may or may not learn from a negative so-called expert. Members need to teach others to learn and not just take the benefits. Try some method of inclusion. Attempt to create an inclusive environment to help people get engaged. Ray Campbell, ACB secretary, led a panel discussion called “The Journey.” The panelists were Katie Frederick, executive director, ACB of Ohio, and Steve Fiksdal, president of the Washington Council of the Blind. Katie read “The ACB Braille Forum” and applied for ACB scholarships. She first got involved with ACB during her college experience. She met affiliate members at the convention. Before being asked to serve on the board, she helped out and volunteered for various projects. When she got on the board, she asked, “What can I do?” She said it took patience and persistence to get more involved. Steve first needed stronger glasses. Diabetes caused his vision to grow worse and he tried different medications. He contacted Washington Services for the Blind. He joined WCB because he felt he needed something. He attended the first-timers group at the state convention, and joined the first-timers’ committee. He then applied for a school scholarship. He felt camaraderie with those attending. He got on the WCB board as secretary after others could not do it and later became president. He said passionate change is good, but it is better to keep improving. Ardis Bazyn led the group activity “Bridging the Gap.” She said, “Based on some of the challenges and successes shared by panelists as well as personal experiences, answer the following questions. What can your organization do to make new or younger members feel welcome? What is one thing you will try to do after you leave to either facilitate your increased involvement in an ACB affiliate or an ACB committee or to help an aspiring leader do so?” Doug Powell facilitated the report-out. The following suggestions came from participants. Current or past leaders should help to meet the needs of a new person. Inviting a newer person to come to an advocacy effort will get a member more involved. One member got in touch with a celebrity to come to an event. Beep baseball might interest a younger person. Give a new person something to do. Encourage a new person to find a mentor. Everyone should embrace change and listen to the thoughts from new people. Look for ideas from new or different people. Instead of saying “we did that before,” say, “it may work now.” Take ownership of your organization. Follow through and model good behavior. Learn to say no or ask for help if you can’t complete a task. Setting boundaries is OK. Let the leader know ahead of time if you can’t finish an assignment, so he/she has time to ask someone else to do the task. Jeff Thom, ACB’s first vice president, led the wrap-up. We learned that members have to be adaptable. Leadership means leaving your comfort zone, not worrying about failing. Embrace change to do something better. Be passionate to get things done. Getting buy-in from other people is important, as is finding out what people’s needs are. Then, leaders need to find how to help meet their needs. Think about the core goals of the organization and how to get people working with their colleagues and subordinates for lasting results. If you have ideas for leadership training topics, pass them along to chair Cindy Van Winkle at cindy.vw@gmail.com. Watch for “Lead and Learn” conference calls led by Sara Conrad each quarter. The dates will be December 12, March 13, and June 12. ***** And The Winners Are … Congratulations to the winners of the MMS drawing! Edward Crespin, Amazon Echo Thomas Burgunder, Amazon Dot Each person who began a new Monthly Monetary Support subscription or increased an existing one was eligible for the drawing. ***** Strategies for Membership Growth: Hear It from Those Who Have Done It compiled by Ardis Bazyn The latest ACB membership focus call outlined strategies for membership growth. We heard tips from affiliate leaders who won the Affiliate Growth Awards this year and the runner-up. Mary Lou Stip, vice president and membership chair of the North Dakota Association of the Blind, worked with their membership committee to build the NDAB membership. She said word of mouth is the best way to grow membership. Some of the strategies North Dakota used were to man booths at county fairs, visit nursing homes, and work tables at a Sleep Inn, Red Cross, and an independent living center. They also sent invitations to blind people for annual summer camps, spoke at family seminars and the school for the blind week-long training, and sent convention invitations to support groups. They helped with the Lions Clubs’ Dining in the Dark events, too. NDAB has no chapters, but the state has 8 regions. When speaking, they tell about NDAB and its activities. A welcome is given to first-timers at each convention. Follow-up phone calls are made to all contacts. NDAB phones members on their birthdays and calls first-timers to invite them to events and conventions. They created a document with questions and answers, and a brochure with NDAB info. They also wrote “Ten tips on what to do when you meet a blind person.” For more information, contact Mary Lou Stip at (701) 720-0738, or email mstip@srt.com. Leslie Gertsch from Utah Council of the Blind wrote a brochure asking the question, “Do you have problems with transportation, reading books, or living independently?” It has check boxes for the questions. UCB sends letters telling about their services, with return envelopes, via the state library service for the blind. Any affiliate can contact their state library for the blind and request mail-outs to their list. The affiliate would purchase envelopes and print the letters as well as insert the documents into the envelopes. Transportation scrip is available to non-members. Members get more in scrip by paying UCB $.15 per mile to get $.50. UCB gets grants for transportation from state foundations. They have 650 members. The state has over 30,000 blind or visually impaired people. Typically, 150 participants attend UCB conventions. Utah has a toll-free number for outgoing messages and leaving messages. Grants pay for teacher trainers to teach people losing their sight different independent living skills. Besides mileage reimbursement, they are paid for each visit. They provide basic independent living training for seniors and simple technology training on computers or iPhone. UCB tells seniors about the property tax exemption for elderly and disabled. The teacher training requirements include 18 basic blindness skills. They try to hire blind or visually impaired people for the training jobs. For advertising, they give away items with their name on them, such as magnifiers, signature guides, pens, etc. Members call members to invite them to attend events. Moran Eye Center and the veterans center give patients materials explaining the transportation scrip. UCB writes grant proposals. Many foundations now call them. Each grant ranges from $5,000 to $6,000. Chapters get contact info from members and those they meet and ask what their strengths are, making them feel valued. Members communicate by phone, email, and Facebook. Calling cards with contact info are given to new people, too. For more information about what Utah does, contact Leslie Gertsch at (801) 292-1156, or email her, lgertsch@comcast.net. David Dowland shared some of the strategies he used for promoting the Visually Impaired Veterans of America. He contacted local Blinded Veterans of America (BVA) blindness coordinators about the VIVA group. He got a good response from the Washington state BVA. He shared VIVA’s information with affiliate presidents and got an especially good response from the Minnesota president. He received a mix of positive and negative responses from affiliates. He made a lot of phone calls and emails to promote the organization. If you would like to talk with him about possible ways to reach veterans, call him at (918) 744-4208, or email d.l.dowland@sbcglobal.net. BITS used past rosters to reach past members. Affiliates must give a reason for members to stay. A lack of continuity in the message and services hurts your efforts. John McCann suggested ACB have an award for three years of sustained growth, since membership efforts aren’t always repeated. Affiliates should decide what message to give prospective members. Watch for announcements for quarterly membership focus calls to learn more about ideas to improve your affiliate and get more members. Contact the membership committee if your affiliate needs assistance with membership. If your affiliate membership chair changes, please send the new person’s name and email address to Ardis Bazyn, abazyn@bazyncommunications.com, for the ACB membership email discussion list. ***** Affiliate News ** 2018-19 Scheigert Scholarships from CCLVI Do you know a college-bound freshman student with a sound academic record, a dean’s list college undergraduate or a high-achieving graduate student, all of whom are low vision? Why not tell them about the Scheigert scholarships offered by the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI)? Eligible student applicants must complete an online application and submit the requisite record of academic performance as well as a low vision certification from an appropriate medical professional. Scholarship program forms and guidelines may be viewed on the CCLVI website at www.cclvi.org. Click on Scheigert Scholarship. The application window opens Jan. 1, 2018, and closes at 11:59 p.m. March 15th. After review of application packages, interviews with the committee will be scheduled for eligible applicants. Questions may be directed to scholarship@cclvi.org or 1-844-460-0625. ***** Mini Mall Mayhem by Carla Ruschival The holidays are almost here, and the ACB Mini Mall is ready with gifts for everyone on your list. The 2018 ACB calendar/planner is the perfect gift for friends, relatives, co-workers and students. This spiral-bound 8.5” by 11” large-print book has plenty of room for keeping track of appointments, birthdays, special occasions — even homework assignments. It has the ACB logo on the front, and there’s room to add your affiliate or chapter contact info on the back. Inside there’s a page for personal information; a calendar section with a page for each month with major holidays or events at the bottom of the page; a planner section with a pair of facing pages for each week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday on the left; Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the right); and blank black-line pages at the back for your own notes. The book begins with the week of Dec. 4, 2017 and ends with the week of Jan. 7, 2019. Buy 5 or more calendars and receive discounted pricing. Dress up or dress down with classy snag-resistant ACB Silk Touch polo shirts. They come in lots of colors and in men’s and women’s sizes from medium to 4XL. Stream music without getting tangled in cords with our ACB folding Bluetooth headphones. Built-in microphone lets you switch from music to phone calls. Includes a 35-mm audio input. Adjustable; fits nearly any head size. Folds inward for portability; fits into the included carrying pouch. Up to 8 hours of playing time on a fully charged 250 mAh battery. The roomy and durable ACB Sparks Success Tote has a zippered main pocket and a front slip pocket. Two mesh pockets for water bottles, or use one as a cane holder. Back, bottom, zipper, shoulder strap and mesh pockets are black; front is your choice of black, red, purple, royal, turquoise, apple green, or pink. Front slip pocket is black with very tactile white embroidered ACB logo; the words “ACB Sparks Success” are embroidered in white beneath the logo. Organize up to 15 business, credit and ID cards in 6 convenient slots with the ACB aluminum card case; protects your chip cards from prying eyes. Available in silver, pink, purple, blue, red or black. ACB stone coasters protect furniture from water marks; available singly or in sets of 2 or 4. ACB messenger bags accommodate most laptops; ACB mega power banks keep your tech devices charged all day. Shop the Mini Mall for charging cables up to 10 feet in length; for a wide range of SD cards and flash drives; and for storage solutions for SD cards and flash drives. Put an ACB luggage tag in every stocking this year; choose a white airplane with either gray or green wings, or a fun-loving sandal in your choice of colors; both with the ACB logo. Can’t decide what to buy for your friends or yourself? Mini Mall gift cards are now available; purchase them either online or by phone. Free shipping when you order $35 or more in eligible products. Visit the Mini Mall online at http://mall.acb.org to check out all of our great items, or find us in the ACB Link iPhone app. Or give us a call during regular business hours at 1-877-690-7130. ***** Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The ACB Braille Forum” cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering’s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** Bar Association to Honor Paradis The American Bar Association will posthumously honor Laurence “Larry” W. Paradis, the former executive director of Disability Rights Advocates in Berkeley, Calif., with its Paul G. Hearne Award for Disability Rights. Paradis died July 28, 2016. The ABA Commission on Disability Rights selected Paradis for his advocacy and leadership for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of American life. Paradis became disabled while attending Harvard Law School, where he received his J.D. in 1985. He co-founded and served as executive director of Disability Rights Advocates (DRA). A giant in the field of disability rights, Paradis took on and won hundreds of cases, achieving dramatic improvements for people with disabilities seeking access to disaster preparedness planning, education, employment, health care, housing, transportation, and voting. He broke down barriers. During his career, Paradis served as a member of the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities and on the board of directors of many advocacy organizations, including the National Council on Disability, the Berkeley Center for Independent Living, the Disability Rights Bar Association, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. Throughout his career, he received numerous honors, such as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (2004) and one of California’s Attorneys of the Year in 2003 and 2011. Paradis also served as the court-appointed mediator for the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California, as well as the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council Lawyer Representative from the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California. ** ADP Master List of DVDs with Description 2018 will bring the 10th year of ACB’s Audio Description Project. Since its inception, one of its most visible projects has been the website listing of television, film and DVD offerings with audio description. The ADP site is the only repository of all audio-described titles on DVD and the three video streaming services (Amazon, iTunes, and Netflix). Now it features a new index of all the titles. This new master index will allow you to look up any movie or TV series to see if it is available anywhere for purchase or with a subscription. (Current first-run movies and TV shows are not included but are still available in separate listings.) At present, there are 1,426 described videos available, 567 of which are duplicated in more than one service. We’ve also added a new navigation link to the full list of over 800 DVDs with AD tracks. Check it out at www.acb.org/adp/masterad.html. spell] ** Survey Seeks Service Animal Users Are you a U.S. resident (age 18 or older) who uses a service animal or other animal that assists you with your disability? If not, are you the parent of a child who uses such an animal? If so, the Southwest ADA Center would like to learn about your experiences with accessing public places with your animal. We invite you to complete the following anonymous survey at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3773597/Assistance-Animal-Survey. If you have questions, or need additional information, contact Marisa Demaya via email at mdemaya@bcm.edu. ** Macular Degeneration Fund The HealthWell Foundation®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, has launched a Macular Degeneration Fund to provide copayment and premium assistance to eligible patients living with macular degeneration. Under the fund, HealthWell will provide up to $4,000 to individuals who have annual household incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level to assist with out-of-pocket costs for treatment of their disease. To determine your eligibility and apply for financial assistance, visit https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/fund/macular-degeneration/. ** New Development in RP Researchers at the University of Louisville have discovered a way to revitalize cone receptors that have deteriorated as a result of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Working with animal models, Henry J. Kaplan, M.D., and a group of researchers in the UofL Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences discovered that replenishing glucose under the retina and transplanting healthy rod stem cells into the retina restore function of the cones. The research, conducted by Kaplan, chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Douglas Dean, Ph.D., and Wei Wang, Ph.D., and published in December in “Cell Reports,” could lead to therapies for preserving or recovering central vision in patients with RP. Recent research has shown that as the rods deteriorate, the cones are no longer able to access glucose, which becomes trapped in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). As a result of glucose starvation, the cones go dormant and eventually die. These researchers found that the cones remain dormant for a period of time before they are completely lost, and if the glucose supply can be replenished during dormancy, the cones can be regenerated. The researchers were able to successfully restore cone access to glucose in either of two procedures. First, by transplanting rod-specific induced pluripotent stem cells beneath the retina, and second by injecting glucose directly into the subretinal space. This research has the potential to lead to therapies that preserve or restore central vision for individuals with RP. ** Amazon Fire Updates Amazon has added braille input and output support to Fire tablets. With this update, VoiceView customers can read Kindle e-Books, browse the web, and otherwise interact with their Fire tablet using a Bluetooth-connected braille display. Customers can both input and read text using English contracted and uncontracted braille, Unified English braille, and computer braille codes. VoiceView supports a rich set of braille chord commands, including commands to navigate by character, word, control, HTML Link, HTML Section, HTML list item, and HTML form control, as well as jump to key parts of the Fire tablet user interface such as Home, Back, App Switcher, and the Notification/Quick Actions Shade. There are also chords to quickly bring up the VoiceView settings pane and invoke the braille Find command. Supported braille displays include BAUM, HumanWare, and the new Orbit Reader 20. Amazon has also added magnification to Amazon Fire TV. Customers will now be able to magnify their Fire TV user interface up to 10x. The magnified view will automatically follow the part of the screen you are interacting with, or you can manually pan around the screen. Fire TV magnification also works with the VoiceView screen reader, so you can use both at the same time. Learn more at www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202105050. Let us know how you are using braille or magnification at device-accessibility@amazon.com; we’d love to hear from you. ** New from NBP Now available from National Braille Press is “If You Give a Cat a Cupcake” by Laura Numeroff. It’s available in contracted braille (UEB), and is for ages 3 to 7. This book is written in the tradition of the bestselling “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” – you’ll be laughing along with your kids (or grandkids)! Also available is “Old Bear” by Kevin Henkes. It, too, is available in contracted braille (UEB) for preschoolers and up. Come explore the four seasons with Old Bear. As the snow falls in the winter, Old Bear sleeps and dreams; when he finally wakes, he finds that spring has sprung. Dr. Seuss fans will enjoy an old favorite, “Fox in Socks.” It’s available in contracted braille (UEB) for ages 3 to 8. The Fox in Socks loves to play tongue-twisting games with his friend Mr. Knox. “Here’s an easy game to play. Here’s an easy thing to say ... New socks. Two socks. Whose socks? Sue’s socks.” Eventually Mr. Knox catches on to the game. Now available is “Monday Morning Quotes, Volume 2!” This pocket-sized, spiral-bound booklet of 52 quotes to enjoy all year long features an eclectic group of luminaries, from Tim Gunn to Nietzsche, Thoreau to Calvin and Hobbes. Read one every Monday or binge-read in one inspired sitting. Useful for speeches and toasts, as well as for anyone learning braille. Newly available are (sim)braille bumper stickers from SensorySun.org. Show your love for braille on your car, laptop, or anywhere you choose. The words MOM, DAD, or TVI are displayed in print and simbraille (a printed simulation of braille – not embossed). The bumper stickers are 6” wide and 4” high; print is black on a white background. Looking for some new recipes? Check out “Fast & Fresh Main Courses” by Kate Sherwood. It includes main courses that are quick and easy, helping you get a healthy dinner on the table — even on the busiest days. Try these seafood, chicken, and vegetarian main-dish recipes — every one of them taste- and nutrition-tested in the kitchen of NutritionAction.com. Each recipe lists the calories, total fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, cholesterol, and sodium. Be prepared to drool as you read the recipe list. For more information, contact National Braille Press at 1-800-548-7323, or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: BrailleNote Apex QT 32 in very good condition; includes original leather carrying case, charger, an extra battery and Braille Command Summary. Will ship first class in original double container box. Asking $2,000. Will accept payment via check or PayPal. Contact Larry Johnson at (210) 590-6777, or via email, larjo1@prodigy.net. ** For Sale: Bowling guide rail for blind and visually impaired bowlers. In great condition. Asking $100 plus shipping. Contact Dan Dillon at (615) 874-1223. ** Wanted: Talking multimeter in any condition. Call Lee at (970) 818-2579. ***** ACB Officers ** President Kim Charlson (3rd term, 2019) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** First Vice President Dan Spoone (1st term, 2019) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 ** Second Vice President John McCann (2nd term, 2019) 8761 E. Placita Bolivar Tucson, AZ 85715-5650 ** Secretary Ray Campbell (3rd term, 2019) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Treasurer David Trott (1st term, 2019) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 ** Immediate Past President Mitch Pomerantz 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (1st term, 2020) Denise Colley, Lacey, WA (1st term, 2020) Sara Conrad, Madison, WI (final term, 2020) Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN (1st term, 2020) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2018) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (final term, 2018) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (final term, 2018) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (partial term, 2020) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2018) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (partial term, 2018) Ex Officio: Debbie Lewis, Seattle, WA ** ACB Board of Publications Ron Brooks, Chairman, Phoenix, AZ (2nd term, 2019) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (1st term, 2019) Paul Edwards, Miami, FL (1st term, 2018) Susan Glass, Saratoga, CA (2nd term, 2019) Debbie Lewis, Seattle, WA (1st term, 2018) Ex Officios: Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by e-mail, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (605) 475-8154. To subscribe to the e-mail version, visit the ACB e-mail lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, data CD, and via e-mail. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (605) 475-8154. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.