The ACB E-Forum Volume LXI August 2022 No. 2 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** * Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind™ 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, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, 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 (518) 906-1820 and choose option 8. Tune in to ACB Media at www.acbmedia.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acbnational. © 2022 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** ** Table of Contents President’s Message: Let’s All Scream, by Dan Spoone A Year Filled with Lasting Memories, by Kenneth Semien Sr. My Walk to Omaha, by Zelda Gebhard Wanted: A Fair Chance, by Emily Stenberg Brown How the Virus Got Me Fired and Launched My Future, by Ron Brooks Entrepreneurship: Is It for You?, by Ardis Bazyn Respectfully Yours, by Dan “Sully” Sullivan Winning Disney Legacy Award Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience, by John Gassman Affiliate News Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines October (E-Forum): Convention wrap-up; deadline: August 26th November: Diabetics in Action; deadline: September 23rd December (electronic): International Relations Committee; deadline: October 24th ** 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. ***** ** President’s Message: Let’s All Scream by Dan Spoone I’m taking this opportunity to look back over the past three years since our last in-person convention in Rochester, N.Y. We have lived through a COVID-19 pandemic, the most significant disruption to the world economy since World War II, an extreme time of social unrest, a very politically charged presidential election, the largest inflation rates in 40 years, the reversal by the Supreme Court of a national policy on abortion, and the expansion of accessible mail-in voting for many blind and low-vision Americans. Personally, the last year has been very difficult with the passing of my father, emergency surgery to stent the main artery into my heart, and the sudden death of my brother-in-law from COVID. They found him on his living room floor one week after my father passed. These difficult experiences are not unique to me and my family. All of us have been through the ringer over these past three years. We have all lived through multiple COVID surges, heartbreaking family tragedies and the feeling that we have lost control of our lives. I’m angry, scared, frustrated, tired and worried for our future. How do we start to heal? My first thought is that we need to express our frustration with our lack of control and give ourselves permission to scream. That’s right, I encouraged everyone at the 2022 ACB conference and convention, “Here, There, and Everywhere,” to stand up and scream at the opening session. Scream if you lost someone over the past three years to this hideous pandemic! Scream if you are tired of wearing masks and spraying your hands with bad-smelling hand sanitizer! Scream if you are sick of trying to get a COVID test every time you have a headache, a temperature or runny nose! Scream if you are exhausted by all the political bickering! Scream if you can’t believe that a Wendy’s single meal and a grilled chicken meal costs over $25! Scream if you are tired of talking with your doctor on a computer instead of in person! Scream if you don’t understand the other political party! Scream if you are worried about your Social Security check making it until the end of the month! We’re not done screaming yet. Scream if you are amazed by the ACB Community and how these events have lifted our lives at a very difficult time! Scream if you are proud of how ACB has held three amazing conventions in the middle of a pandemic! Scream if you are impressed that ACB has increased its financial reserves by over $1 million during a pandemic! Scream if you are experiencing the best audio description in our lives thanks to the efforts of ACB! Scream if you feel empowered as a member of ACB to vote independently in all ACB elections! Scream if you appreciate the ACB advocacy efforts to improve accessible home COVID test kits! Scream if you can’t wait to get back together in Schaumburg, Ill. next year for another amazing ACB hybrid convention! I’ll scream for my ACB family that came together in a time of crisis to make life better for our blind and low vision community! I’m so proud of all of our members and friends. Each of you are making a difference. Keep up the good work. And please, be kind to each other. This has been a tumultuous period in our country and throughout the world. It’s now time to stop screaming and take the time to listen to each other. Let’s celebrate our similarities and quit focusing on the differences that pull us apart. ACB Family, it’s time for a summer vacation. You’ve earned it. Hip, hip, hurray! ***** ** A Year Filled with Lasting Memories by Kenneth Semien Sr. The Durward K. McDaniel (DKM) Fund Committee marks 2022 as a remarkable and historical year, with three classes of DKM First-Timers and ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows being given the privilege of attending the first-ever hybrid ACB conference and convention and the first-ever induction ceremony of the Durward K. McDaniel (DKM) Leadership Select Honor Society officiated by Cindy Hollis, ACB’s Manager of Member Engagement. Members of all classes created memories by joining together from here, there and everywhere to participate in leadership development sessions, exclusive receptions, a variety of affiliate and committee activities, educational general sessions, tours and more. If asked, this group of current and future leaders would be willing to share personal memories that they will cherish forever. Presenting the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 DKM First-Timers: * Class of 2020 Sara Freeman-Smith of Houston, Tex. (West) Merisa Musemic of Sterling Heights, Mich. (East) * Class of 2021 Kaila Allen of Mesa, Ariz. (West) Belinda Collins of St. Pauls, N.C. (East) * Class of 2022 Joe Green of Sacremento, Calif. (West) Gregg Wandsneider of Waukesha, Wis. (East) Presenting the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellows: * Class of 2020 Regina M. Brink of Sacramento, Calif. Sajja Koirala of Fairborn, Ohio Meryl Ann Shecter of Windsor Mill, Md. Koni Sims of Sioux Falls, S.D. Wanda Williford of Trenton, N.J. * Class of 2021 Anthony Corona of Miami Lakes, Fla. Natalie Couch of Louisville, Ky. Becky Dunkerson of Des Moines, Iowa Greg Lindberg of Wesley Chapel, Fla. Winter Renfrow of Owensboro, Ky. * Class of 2022 Judy Brown of Shoreline, Wash. Danette Dixon of Lynnwood, Wash. Kristen Kelling of Grand Rapids, Mich. Byron Lee of Minneapolis, Minn. Cecily Laney Nipper of Covington, Ga. ***** ** My Walk to Omaha by Zelda Gebhard * Introduction As I climb into our family car on the morning of June 30, and we begin our drive across 453 miles to the in-person ACB 2022 convention in Omaha, Neb., I am writing to share my nearly year-long experience of walking to Omaha! I am celebrating achieving a goal which was surprising even to me when, motivated by my attendance at last summer’s ACB convention, I set it for myself! I hope you enjoy this account of my journey, and that you will find it motivating as well. Here goes: Walk from Edgeley, North Dakota to Omaha? Why not! * Part I: The Inspiration: July 30, 2021 Equally inspired by the trifecta of the kickoff of the “Get Up and Get Moving” campaign, the conclusion of the 2021 ACB Conference and Convention and the opening ceremonies of the 2021 Summer Olympics, a light bulb of an idea began to shine for me. I have found through the years that attendance at the ACB convention has annually motivated me to seek more, do more and be more. I must say the 2021 virtual convention had the predicted effect on me. Add to that the encouragement to get moving for better health and increased advocacy coupled with the inspiring stories of goal-setting and achieving Olympians, and I was hooked! The undeniable thought was born, “I could walk to Omaha for the 2022 ACB convention.” Now, don’t misunderstand me, I don’t plan to literally walk to Omaha in time for the convention next July. What I am committed to doing is to walk the 453 miles from my home north of Edgeley, N.D. to Omaha, Neb. So, at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 24, I began my journey by walking on the gravel road near my home. My faithful walking partners included my husband, Steven, and our golden retriever, Buck. They were unaware of my long-term goal and merely were happy to go for a walk with me. I must admit I waited until I had a few miles behind me before I revealed my plan. This morning, July 30, marks the seventh day of walking and now I feel confident that I will be able to achieve this goal despite my left knee, which has complained daily at the unaccustomed movement. Over the past seven days, I have walked 2 miles each day for a subtotal of 14 miles. I plan to keep that pace and hopefully increase it by day 14 to 3 miles daily. Here in North Dakota, I feel an urgency to walk while the walking is good, before the months of ice and snow begin. We never know for sure how long winter will last, but I suspect there will be approximately five to six months where the temperature and/or road conditions will force me to exercise inside. No worries, I have a plan for that. I have a stationary bike and indoor stairs in my home. By the time I need to use them, I will have a conversion in place so I can continue to rack up the miles that will get me to Omaha by July 1, 2022. Why am I sharing all of this with you? • They say if you share a goal with someone, you are more likely to achieve it. I believe the following “Goal Achieving Formula” has merit: dream and achieve 5%, write down and achieve 35%, set deadlines and achieve 65%, hold yourself accountable and achieve 95% of your goals. • Even if you don’t desire to “Walk to Omaha,” perhaps you will be inspired to set your own unique personal goal. What do you want to achieve in the next year? I challenge you to declare it to yourself, make plans of the daily things you will need to do to achieve it, and then share it with others. Let’s unite in a movement of encouragement and empowerment. As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do much.” I’m on my way to Omaha and I only have 439 miles to go! * Part II: The Challenge Goal setting is easy. Goal finishing is far less easy. The first few months of walking were enjoyable. The sun was shining, the birds singing, and I started racking up the miles. Then things started getting rocky. After I announced my goal to walk to Omaha on the ACB Leadership e-mail discussion list, I was fully committed and in need of a method of keeping track of the miles walked. Marking my calendar didn’t seem to work well for me, so I switched to popcorn. I counted 453 kernels and placed them in a small jar. Day by day I transferred a kernel for each mile walked from that jar to another. Alas, a tangible way for me to see and hear my progress and know how far I still had to go. Personal goal-setting was still new to me. Even though I have been setting and achieving goals all my life, those goals were not usually mine. They were usually for someone else – my family, church, work, and organizations. I wanted to be successful, so I remembered to do it the SMART way. I’ve been told goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Was my goal specific? Yes, I planned to walk 453 miles in a year. Could I easily measure my progress? I could track the miles by walking from one section line to another and be confident that each earned me a mile. And then, of course, I had my jar and popcorn method of counting my progress. Achievable? I thought so, as my calculator revealed I only needed to walk 1.3 miles a day and, in the beginning, I was walking 2 to 3 miles each day. I was also convinced that my goal was relevant and timely. This is where the shoes met the gravel. Yes, the road available to me is not paved. It is, however, seldom used and relatively safe. I could hear the cars, pickups, trucks, and tractors pulling machinery long before I could see them. Until my neighbors got used to seeing me out walking, many would stop to see if I needed a ride. As the days went by, the scenery changed. The corn and soybean fields alongside the road grew and then matured. Soon the sound of the wind changed from a rustle of green leaves to those of dry leaves and rattling of pods on the beans. As fall approached the singing of the birds changed to the honking of geese heading south. Then hunting season began, and the traffic increased. Suddenly, it wasn’t just my neighbors on the road – the ones who had grown used to seeing me and slowed down to meet or pass. I found and wore a blaze orange vest so the strangers who now shared the road with me could see me more easily, even if I couldn’t see them. When the beautiful fall weather, cool but the warm sun on my face, turned uncomfortably cold, I retreated inside to use my stationary bike. * Part III: The Journey’s End: June 30, 2022 I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Goals are easy to set but hard to achieve.” Many things look like a great idea when first conceived, but as time goes on, inspiration wanes and obstacles get in the way. I set my walk to Omaha goal at the end of the 2021 ACB convention, when the Get Up and Get Moving Campaign was new. The opening ceremonies of the 2021 Summer Olympics pushed me over the edge, and the decision was made. I was going to walk the 453 miles from my house to Omaha in time for the 2022 ACB convention. I live in rural North Dakota, no sidewalks, no pedestrian signals and thankfully almost no traffic. I started walking on the graveled township road that runs past my house, accompanied by our golden retriever, Buck, and sometimes my husband, Steven. Buck is always eager to go for a walk and is easily motivated by a few treats along the way. Steven likes a happy wife, so the only encouragement he needed was my smiles. Everyone is happy, right? Yes, as long as the weather was nice, and I could manage to find time between Zoom sessions and other obligations to walk, all was well. Unfortunately, there were days that were more of a challenge, like the day the dog encountered a skunk, or when the piriformis muscle near my sciatic nerve began hurting and, following that, when my knee decided to get its own attention with pain and swelling. I had planned for our North Dakota winters with below-zero temperatures, wind, ice, and snow. I would just ride my stationary bike, and so I did. It was great! I could pedal while I watched my favorite TV show or listened to an audio book from NLS. There were also days I would call a friend, set my timer, and pedal away. I have to admit there were days when I didn’t want to get off the couch, and some days I didn’t. But not many, because I would remember the faith many of you had in me. It was harder to let you down then myself. What had been just a goal, became a habit and now is a true joy. The time I spend exercising, whether inside or out, has become treasured “Me Time!” The break from my computer and phone allows me time to think, dream, and plan more goals! I have truly come to value and look forward to the time I set aside to make exercise a priority. Fast forward to June 27, 2022. Buck and I walked three miles, and I was able to transfer the final three popcorn kernels to the other jar to join the 450 already there. What a fantastic feeling! I set a goal, conquered my challenges, and accomplished what I set out to do. The benefits were many, but probably the greatest is that I gained confidence in my personal goal-setting and achieving ability. Now I know that taking time out of a busy schedule for myself may result in time better utilized. I encourage you to set a personal goal. Make sure it is a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely). Remember, you increase the likelihood of achieving your goal if you tell others about it. It would have been far easier for me to abandon my goal to walk to Omaha had I not posted it on the leadership list last July. Thanks for keeping me accountable and for the encouragement you provided along the way. ***** ** Wanted: A Fair Chance by Emily Stenberg Brown Individuals with a visual impairment from North and South Dakota share their experiences looking for and maintaining employment in a world that often discriminates against them and is uneducated about their needs and abilities. When Lexee Steffen graduated from Dickinson State University (North Dakota) in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, she felt prepared for the real world and an independent life. “I had a degree and learned a lot during classes and felt I had plenty of experience working with a variety of people and advocating for my needs,” Lexee says, reflecting on her optimism post-college graduation. “I thought I would work in my hometown for a year or two to get my feet wet in the workforce and then move to a bigger city to work using my Spanish skills as an interpreter or in a bilingual setting and possibly get my master’s.” Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out as she planned. She has kept busy with part-time work and volunteering, which has helped her maintain her computer skills and allowed her to gain experience in different work settings. But she has yet to find full-time consistent employment. “I think employers sometimes see us as a liability,” Lexee says. “I think they are worried about things going wrong because of us or that something might happen in the workplace that is discriminatory and that we would use that against the company.” The “us” Lexee is referring to are individuals like herself who have a visual impairment or are blind. Lexee, who has retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), is not alone in her inability to find full-time employment. According to research by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), only 44% of people who are blind or visually impaired are employed. And those who are employed are often underemployed, meaning they work part-time or only part of the year (Disability Employment Research: Key Takeaways, 2020). With assistive technology available to level the playing field and public schools and colleges and universities being held to the standards set forth by the ADA, the fact that more than half the blind and visually impaired population is unemployed is surprising and disappointing. But there are other factors at play that affect individuals’ rights and opportunities, and, ultimately, their employment. * Less vision, more obstacles Cole Roberts also felt ready for the real world when he graduated from Bismarck State College (North Dakota) in 2016. “I felt ready and comfortable to enter the work force and live on my own, thanks to the support and encouragement of North Dakota Vision Services and my family,” Cole says. And he has. He has successfully lived on his own since the fall of 2017 and currently works for New Song Church as the director of elderly ministry. But even with a degree, determination, a job, and support from family, he still faces a major obstacle in his day-to-day life. “I have faced discrimination at every stage of my work experience,” says Cole. Like many individuals who are visually impaired, Cole feels he has faced extra obstacles in the workplace and is often left out of activities. During a cleaning project, for example, he was never given a task, and, without visual cues, Cole was unsure what needed to be done. So, he started moving boxes on his own and asking what he could do with them to help. His help was dismissed, and he felt that the rest of the group was not giving him a fair chance to contribute. These little hurdles can add up over time and hurt the employee who is visually impaired and impede the entire team. “[Employers] doubt our capabilities,” Lexee explains. “They might not understand that sometimes the accommodation might be as simple as a label on a button,” she continues, or, in Cole’s case, taking the time to explain a task and give the person “trust and a chance,” Cole adds. * Accessibility and assistive technology Research by AFB has shown that many factors affect a person’s ability to find and maintain employment. Education, family support, early work experience, access to assistive technology, access to mentoring, access to vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, and networking all positively correlate to a person’s employment status. But even if all of these factors have been addressed, an employer still needs to hire that person, and that’s often where the problem lies. “I think that many employers have a hard time getting past the blindness factor,” Lexee says. “I think they look at the disability and cannot look past that to see the abilities that an applicant with a visual impairment can offer. They are also baffled by the fact that there is software out there, such as JAWS, that will make a computer accessible.” Nick Pavel also sees accessibility as a problem. “I think the big issue is most companies use computer systems that are not accessible with assistive technology,” Nick explains. “I know I ran into that problem multiple times. As a matter of fact, one of my jobs ended due to the company switching to a system that was not accessible.” Nick, who has Leber’s disease, lives and works in Sioux Falls, S.D., at Valentus, a company that sells health products. “Before I found my current job, I went through a lot of interviews,” Nick says. “I honestly lost count how many I went through. It took me almost 5 years to find the job I am currently at now.” But when he found his current job, it just clicked. “I filled out an application and went in to check it out and pretty much got hired. They did an assessment on the computer system to see if my screen reader would be accessible, and it worked very well, and I am still with the same employer to this day,” he says. AFB’s study found that employers were more likely to hire applicants with blindness or low vision if they had been in touch with a VR agency, if they had previously hired someone who is blind or visually impaired, and if they knew how a person can perform certain tasks using accessible technology. It really comes down to education, Lexee asserts, but in this case, it’s knowledge that the applicant has and that the employer needs to learn. “Education is key to limiting bias in the workforce,” she explains. “It might not seem so, but many employers simply do not know what to do when a person with a visual impairment applies for a job at their company.” * Educating the employer No doubt, walking into an interview with a cane or a guide dog can surprise an employer, and their lack of knowledge about the capabilities of the visually impaired can quickly become apparent. “It’s more of a vibe,” Lexee explains. “Employers seem really dismissive. They talk down to me in a way. While an employer should not give someone with a visual impairment preferential treatment, they should give a qualified applicant the chance to prove themselves, regardless of the inability to see.” Of course, this means additional work falls on the applicant who is visually impaired. Not only do they have to answer the interview questions that every applicant is expected to answer, but they also have to be prepared to explain what accommodations they will need to perform the job successfully and where and how the employer can obtain these accommodations. Occasionally this can seem as if they are simply proving why they are at the interview in the first place, and employers need to be reminded that the applicant’s education, skills, and experience already got them in the door. “If employers are constantly focused on the one thing that a candidate cannot do, then they will miss out on their skills and potential,” Lexee explains. “They might be surprised to learn what someone with a visual impairment is capable of if an employer can look beyond the disability.” * Staying positive Even if an individual gets the job, the work of advocating for themselves and educating others is not done; it’s really just begun. No doubt, advocating for oneself is exhausting, and sometimes it can feel as if an individual who is blind or visually impaired is advocating for the entire blind or visually impaired population. “I feel this all the time,” Lexee says. “I think that sometimes a lot of potential employers have never met someone with a visual impairment before me. I therefore feel like I kind of represent the blind community when I am meeting someone for the first time. I feel on display in this way; it is important that I might help them see past the blindness and learn that blind people are capable.” And, when she gets the chance, Lexee is able to do just that. “I use a computer and a variety of talking software on a daily basis. I am generally good with people, organized, and will do the best I can to do the job I need to do,” Lexee says. But years of rejection and discrimination is frustrating and “limits us from living independent and successful lives,” explains Cole. With so many people unemployed or underemployed, and with so many stories of employer bias, it can be hard to stay positive when looking for work. “The best thing I can say is to keep on trying,” Nick says. “You will have good days and bad days, but you have to keep on trying.” Cole adds, “Focus on jobs that you know you can do and be successful at, but also know your limitations. Don’t be afraid to speak up or ask for help or to have help with accommodations being provided like technology or labeling. These materials will only help you.” And these materials are a legal right that, in many cases, can be provided by agencies like vocational rehabilitation or North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind. “I want to work. I want to contribute to society,” says Lexee. But she also wants – and needs – a fair opportunity. “Just like the sighted population, we are not all one size fits all; we all have different skill sets,” she says. Unfortunately, not every employer has the same skill set either, including the ability to see all the things that a person who is blind or visually impaired can contribute to an organization. But like Nick and Cole, Lexee is not giving up. “It may seem easier to just give up because it feels like landing a job will never happen,” Lexee says, “but I think it is better to continue searching than it would be to give up completely.” For more information on AFB’s research on employment of people who are blind or visually impaired, go to https://tinyurl.com/yc6bdpwh. ***** ** How the Virus Got Me Fired and Launched My Future by Ron Brooks (Editor’s Note: Ron Brooks is a long-time member of the ACB, former member of the BOP and the founder and CEO of Accessible Avenue.) I was sleepwalking through life when everything changed. It was March 11, 2020, and my younger daughter and I were on a five-hour flight from Tampa back to Phoenix. I had just wrapped up a couple of meetings for the company whose business I was helping to build. My daughter was on spring break, so I brought her along to hang out in the hotel pool while I worked, and to share the downtimes roaming the beautiful Tampa Bay region. She was watching videos on her phone, and I was on my PC browsing social media when the news flashed that the National Basketball Association was temporarily suspending operations because a player had tested positive for the coronavirus. We had been hearing about corona for a few weeks, but in Phoenix, where we lived, almost no one had it. It was someone else’s problem. When I read that headline, I knew that this was a big deal. I mean, the NBA. They wouldn’t literally shut down and lose millions per day for nothing. And boy, was that ever true! Within a few days of landing in Phoenix, everything was different. School was at home; work was at home; Zoom fatigue was a thing; restaurants were either closed or takeout only; and we couldn’t buy paper towels at any price for weeks on end. And my transportation career began to swerve off course. I could share a blow-by-blow account of how my employers managed the storm — the belt tightening, the consolidation of call centers and the corresponding shift to virtual operations, the “voluntary” pay cuts we all took and all the rest. But at the end of the day, we were facing the same pressures as so many others. Put simply, we were in a war of attrition with the pandemic, and as the virus peaked in the west in January of 2021, picking the ultimate winners and losers was anyone’s bet. For me, the end came on March 12, 2021 — exactly one year and one day after my daughter and I surfed the Internet back to Phoenix. I saw it coming — the cancelled meetings, the lack of new projects, and the growing sense that I was no longer doing actual work. My boss and the CEO had scheduled a call for noon; it was a Friday, and after the pleasantries, they let me go. It wasn’t personal; it was business — a change in direction, a need to focus on current business instead of expansion, and a lot of conversation about how things might have been different had it not been for the virus. They were kind, and I harbor no ill will. In fact, the people on that call gave me a gift. It wasn’t the severance package, or the promise of a positive reference should I ever need one. It was the opportunity for me to realign my life and mission. Throughout the pandemic, I had spent a great deal of time reflecting on who I am and on my life’s purpose — call it “my mission.” And I figured out that the common thread running through everything I had ever done — from my first entry-level transit job to the meetings I was attending in Tampa back when everything started going sideways — all of it represented my desire to transform mobility for everyone and especially for people with disabilities and blind people like me. The problem was that instead of pursuing my mission, I was working for the missions of others. In most ways, the goals of the organizations for whom I worked aligned with mine, and I am proud of many of the projects I managed and the services I helped to deliver. But more often than I’d like to admit, I had to do work that did not contribute to better mobility for the people I sought to serve. Put another way, my efforts were being diluted by competing priorities, and I was beginning to feel more dissatisfied and less fulfilled. I had thought about starting an accessibility-focused training and consulting business for years, but had never gotten around to doing it. I was always too busy, and if I’m being honest, scared. However, with the world shut down, and with a growing sense that I was in the wrong place doing the wrong work, I decided to take action. On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, I sat down at our kitchen table, logged into the Maricopa County Clerk’s online portal and filed the Articles of Incorporation for our new business, Accessible Avenue. At that point, I was still focused on my so-called “day job,” so progress on Accessible Avenue was very slow. I took low-risk baby steps like opening a checking account, designing a logo and building the website. More important, I dove into the skills I would need to master for success, and I focused on getting past the two most important obstacles of all — fear and uncertainty. I began journaling every morning, reading books about shaping my vision, defining my goals, and managing my time. I enrolled in virtual sales and marketing trainings, and I began participating in morning accountability calls that began at 5 a.m. every weekday — something I still do today. I joined IVIE, ACB’s special-interest affiliate for entrepreneurs and business owners, and I began surrounding myself with other successful people who could point the way. Through these efforts, I began to recognize that I could launch a business. I could do the work, set the goals, make the calls, give the sales presentations, close the deals, and achieve success. In December of 2020, our family celebrated Christmas at home, and as soon as the presents were unwrapped and the Christmas dinner eaten, we launched the Accessible Avenue website and a brand-new LinkedIn company profile, and seeing the writing on the wall at my day job, I began getting serious about Accessible Avenue. Fear and uncertainty don’t evaporate like the morning dew, so even as I began working on Accessible Avenue, I further intensified my efforts to save my day job. I decided to push both my day job and Accessible Avenue as hard as I could until the future became clearer. In fact, on the day they let me go, I had two documents sitting on my desk: a list of HR-type questions if they let me go, and a series of sweeping ideas for saving the company’s business (and my job) if they didn’t. As it turned out, my HR questions came in handy, and on March 12, 2021, Accessible Avenue was promoted to Plan A for my future and that of our family. Monday, March 15, 2021, was my first full day at Accessible Avenue, and I got busy. I called and emailed every industry connection I had, looking for work. I reached out to trade associations and bartered webinars for membership dues. I ramped up my posts on LinkedIn and started participating in industry-focused virtual speed dates. It took a couple of weeks to get our first small contract, a few more weeks to land a second, and a little less time than that to find our third. That was about 18 months ago, and since that time, Accessible Avenue has continued to build momentum. Today, life looks a lot different. I spend about half my time building and managing Accessible Avenue. My daily work includes sales and marketing, industry and community outreach and networking, consulting, training, writing, speaking and travel. In addition, I took on a part-time position with a growing on-demand paratransit provider in order to stabilize our household income, and because I love the company’s mission, which aligns with mine. And I’m still working hard to become the best version of myself that I can — both inside and out. I’ll close with one final story. On March 1, 1999, my mom passed away back home in Indiana. On that same day, my sister-in-law out in central California gave birth to a baby girl who has now graduated from college and is thriving. For me, observing the passing of my mom and the coming of my niece on the same day is a perfect representation of the circle of life, and in many ways, so is the pandemic. On one hand, millions of people got sick and died. Others lost jobs, lost homes, and suffered in too many ways to count. And yet, many people reconnected with their families and with their life’s purpose. They went back to school, dumped jobs in favor of new careers, and rediscovered the things that truly mattered. In my own case, the pandemic disrupted my career, wrecked our finances and created a lot of uncertainty, and in so doing, it gave me the opportunity to reinvent my entire way of showing up, to build a business, and to pursue my purpose in a way I never thought possible. And here’s the thing. I’m betting that many other people are currently sitting right where I was sitting back in the early days of the pandemic — a little bored, a little bit unfulfilled and knowing that there must be more. And while it has been a long journey from that place to the place I stand today, it began with the same thing that begins all journeys — the first scary step. So if that’s you, I invite you to stop. Put on your traveling shoes, and just start walking. And in the immortal words of Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the places you’ll go!” Epilogue: Remember that second document I had open on my PC on the day my former company let me go? Like me, it survived. Today, it’s guiding much of my work at Accessible Avenue and with my new on-demand paratransit employers. But that’s a story for a future day. ***** ** Entrepreneurship: Is It for You? by Ardis Bazyn, IVIE President and owner of Bazyn Communications When I lost my sight at 20, I had to decide on a new career choice. Entrepreneurship was one option. I learned about the Randolph-Sheppard Act and the career opportunities offered through that program. I got my Food Service Training Certificate and was able to manage my first business. After more than 20 years in the Randolph-Sheppard program, I decided to start another business. I had been speaking and training others to overcome challenges and improve their lives and businesses. Hence, my current business, Bazyn Communications, where I offer business coaching, motivational speaking, writing services, and business consulting to individuals, small businesses, and organizations. I learned from my own experience and working with others that the first step in choosing entrepreneurship is deciding whether entrepreneurship is really right for you. Do you have the motivation to focus on setting up a business, marketing a business, and making priorities as necessary to keep it moving forward? As a business owner, you will not have a supervisor watching over you to make sure tasks are accomplished in a timely manner or give you jobs to do. You also will not have a steady income immediately. If you have lots of energy, like meeting new people all the time, and feel your personal life can be flexible, entrepreneurship may be a good choice. The second step is to choose the right type of business to start. Do you have skills that could be marketed as a business? For example, if you have the skills to fix or program computers, you might be able to sell these services to others. Do you currently work for another company doing a particular service such as styling hair, giving massages, giving nail or facial treatments, taking photos, making videos, or selling products and services? If so, you might feel like starting your own business offering these same services to your own customers. Another viable option is to sell products and services for a large networking products company. There are numerous options: Avon, Mary Kay, Arbonne, Party Lite, health and vitamin products. Each one has its own levels of earnings, most based on the amount of sales you make. Some require you to have inventory on hand and others do not. Check out several before deciding on the best one for you. Each charges you some up-front fees, but the amount varies widely. Most have training sessions to get you started. They also may want you to sign up other sales representatives under you. Another type of business is selling products or services for disability and accessibility-related companies. Most of these use contractors — you get paid for the amount of work you do but you primarily set your own schedule. You likely will have training and possibly some leads for getting sales. The next step is to consider family support and your education. Having your own business takes more than just having a skill. You might be great at that skill, but can you network with a variety of people, manage accounts, keep a schedule, and have a plan for how bookkeeping and financial records will be handled? Do you have the education necessary to accomplish these tasks yourself? Do you have a family member (spouse) who can assist you in the business? Classes for those with vision loss are available online, and a good business coach can assist you in finding out what is necessary. Some accessible online classes are available at the Carroll Center in MA and some correspondence courses are given by the Hadley School for the Blind. SBA.gov also has many resources available. Both the Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs (www.ivie-acb.org) and Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (www.randolph-sheppard.org) have websites with lots of information. The next step is to consider your financial resources and calculate the upfront cost of starting a business. All businesses take time to develop and become large enough to support you and your family. You will need some funding to assist you with living costs until you earn enough to pay your ongoing expenses. You may need to rent an office unless you are planning to have a home-based business. Even then, you will need enough room for inventory, computers, marketing materials, and other equipment. You may need to purchase some equipment, such as a new computer. Some funding is available through the Small Business Administration and local small business community development centers with low or no-cost training from retired business counselors/representatives (SCORE). Some statewide organizations may have funding for people with disabilities and may have employment-related grants and loans. You will need to research valuable online resources. You can do a search for other types of businesses, possible loans or grants, and other information relating to the industry you want to pursue. You may want to consult with someone else currently in that particular business —you can find others by searching for them on the Internet. The IVIE website has business related links and a list of members who own their own business. The CareerConnect site under APH also offers mentors. You can explore grants and/or low-interest loans online as well. Some funding is available for starting a new business, particularly if you are a veteran. Funds for minority-based businesses are also available. You can contact veteran organizations and minority organizations for assistance in this area. If you have a disability, you can get facts from vocational rehabilitation services in your state about how they can assist you in starting a business. The Randolph-Sheppard Program gives training in food service management to visually impaired individuals and assists them in applying for open positions for entrepreneurs. They also can assist you with some technology needs, particularly during your education. The Social Security Administration can give you information on incentives available for business owners and assistance for living costs and health care until you earn enough to support yourself. Another step in the process is checking state and local laws for starting a business. Depending on the type of business, there are licenses required. All states require you to have a sales tax license unless you sell products of an already established businesses. Other licenses may be required in the city and county in which you live. Local laws are different from city to city. Food services need health licenses to operate. Other retail establishments may need other licenses to sell liquor, over the counter drugs, and other items. Some counties require you to get a DBA-Doing Business As license, and you will have to make sure another business isn't already using the business name you’ve chosen. It is important to know all requirements before you begin a business The most important step in starting a business is writing a business plan. It forces you to think about the elements of a business such as your mission or vision, your products and services, and how you are unique from others. You will have to define how you will market your business and set goals to build your business. Finally, you will need to write a budget and plan how you will get the sales you need to pay the expenses. Consulting with people familiar with marketing will be beneficial in this process. ***** ** Respectfully Yours by Dan “Sully” Sullivan The late great comedian, Rodney Dangerfield, used a patented punchline by remarking, “I get no respect.” Sometimes I feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of the blind and visually impaired. Throughout the years, I’ve come to know that often the general public views vision loss, as an all or nothing situation. Therefore, individuals like me, with macular degeneration, boggle this stereotype. For whatever reason, it seems so hard for folks to understand that while my central vision is diminished, my peripheral still remains. Here is a good example of my circumstances. I once got on a bus and sat in the front seat. The bus driver immediately turned to me and said, “Sir, could you move back a seat. I’m picking up a blind guy on the next block and he needs to sit up front.” I obliged. While working at a university, I attended a meeting, during which a comment I made, ruffled the feathers of a professor. He stood up and shouted at me, “Are you blind?” I then responded, “Actually, with central vision rated at less than 20/400, I am legally blind!” An awkward silence then enveloped the room. When beginning my career through a Schedule A disability appointment with the federal government, I learned that the VA Medical Center had staff housing. Upon inquiring as to whether I could obtain housing, I was told that only one unit remained and that it was being saved as part of a benefits package to recruit another surgeon. However, an agreement was made that I could house there temporarily until this surgeon was hired. As I arrived and began moving in, communications got mixed up in this close-knit community. Word got around that a blind surgeon had been hired and was moving in, which really upset many of the veterans. I had to calm everyone down by proclaiming that I did not own a scalpel. While working for the federal government, a co-worker once stopped me in the hallway and said, “I heard you have really bad eyes. I thought you were normal!” I am still wondering if that is a good thing or a bad thing. After starting a new job with a nonprofit organization, I got approached by the Personnel Director about not responding to her emails. I then explained the trouble I was having utilizing their computer without adapted software, and how I had previously explained to her my vision impairment. With that she blurted, “I didn’t know you were that blind.” A day later, I got called into the vice president’s office and told by this same personnel director that a decision had been made that I was not a good fit for this organization and would be let go just after a week on the job. As a former EEO representative while in the federal government, I knew my rights and filed an EEO complaint. After several months of review, I got awarded a settlement, while the personnel director and VP both got fired. Sometimes there is justice. Now that I am retired and working as a visual artist, my folk art has gotten national acclaim, yet all to often the attention seems to focus on the fact that I am visually impaired, rather than artistically talented. I really cringe when someone says, “He’s really good for a disabled guy.” Again, like the late Rodney, I get no respect. Many of us who are visually impaired often fall into what I call the great in between. We see a little of everything and not much of anything. Because I have good peripheral vision, I do not use a white cane or guide dog for mobility. Ask me to read any print or describe something nearby, I am at a loss. You could mug me and I would not be able to give the cops much of a description. However, do not try. I neither flaunt my vision loss or try to conceal it. That is just the way I operate. However, I am oftentimes accused of not looking someone in the eye and thus being distrustful. To those who think this way, I certainly wish I could give them the evil eye or just turning a blind eye. Unfortunately, I am not sure which eye to use. Nonetheless, life goes on, while I get no respect! ***** ** Winning Disney Legacy Award Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience by John Gassman Someone once said, “Life is full of outstanding experiences.” My most recent came at work, when on, July 16, 2019, I was given the highest award Disney can give to an employee: the Walt Disney Legacy Award. Winners of this prestigious award are nominated by other cast members. Each winner is chosen based upon how they model three of Walt Disney’s legacy of excellence criteria: dream, create, and inspire while in the workplace. Those individuals who nominate a winner have to justify everything in writing and give examples of how the nominee dreams, creates and inspires. Committees choose the winners, which turn out to be half of 1% of the entire global Disney Company. We have about 450 people working at the Walt Disney Travel Company. Three of us won the award. I’ve worked for Disney Travel booking vacation packages since 2003. I was the first totally blind person hired by the Disneyland resort and perhaps even the entire Disney Company. We literally had to figure things out as we went along in the beginning of my time with Disney. We all worked together to make the reservation system accessible. An understanding group of Disney people and the JAWS for Windows screen reader have allowed me to become extremely successful through the years. I’ve trained 17 blind new hires in my time with Disney. I also test the new software we use to be sure it is compatible with JAWS. I hope that eventually other Disney areas will hire good, qualified blind individuals, and I hope that I can help make that happen before I retire. I still have trouble believing that I won this very important award! Everything culminated in July 2019 with the announcement. I’m so thankful that my two brothers, Larry and Kevin Gassman, my sister Lisa Millhauser, sister-in-law Debbie Gassman, niece and nephew Nikki and Eddie Millhauser could be there to experience it with me. When the award is given, the family is taken into the break room just as the name is announced. They had to hide my family until the last moment, because Larry is my twin brother and they didn’t want the rest of the cast to see him and give it away ahead of time. If I had been paying more attention, I would have heard the reaction when they saw him just as my name was announced. I understand that a cast member saw them in the parking garage and knew instantly that I had won. I was presented with a beautiful plaque, a photo of Walt Disney and a special name tag. Anna, my manager, gave me the following description: the nametag is all blue with a thin gold outline around the entire nametag. At the top of the nametag is a silver pin of sorcerer Mickey with a small diamond in the star right above his outstretched hand. Below the pin is my name (in white lettering) and below that is Anaheim, CA, also in white lettering. In gold lettering below the hometown are the words Dream – Create – Inspire. I’m proud to be able to wear that name tag each day at work. The other Legacy Award winner and I were also presented each with a 25-pound cake — mine was chocolate and Alondra’s, lemon. After the families had their share, the rest was given to the remaining cast and was devoured in no time flat. It was an honor to have won the award and to actually be thought of as somebody who models his work life true to the legacy of Walt Disney. Since the award was announced, I have had my photo taken in Disneyland at Sleeping Beauty Castle, been interviewed twice for Disney Publications and once for FSCast Freedom Scientific’s monthly podcast. I’ve also been interviewed for AIRACast, which is a podcast produced by AIRA. I think that every Disney cast member wonders what it might be like to win this award. I never dreamed I’d win it. You don’t orchestrate a plan for winning it. You just do your job and if you are lucky and it’s meant to be, it might happen. I know that my life will never be the same and that winning the Walt Disney Legacy Award is my proudest moment in 19 years with Disney. Let me tell you about the culmination of this story, which is the over-the-top dinner given to Walt Disney Legacy Award winners. Winners at Walt Disney World and those in Europe had their dinner in February of 2020. Those of us at the Disneyland Resort as well as Disney Asia were scheduled to have our dinner in March of 2020. But the pandemic shut down the resort and hotels, along with our dinner. One of the variants put an end to the January 2022 attempt. So it was rescheduled for May 25, 2022. We were allowed to invite one guest, and I invited my twin brother Larry. The award dinner took place in the ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel. Alexa Garcia, who formerly was a Disney ambassador and friend from Disney Travel, now on the events planning team, took me and Larry into the Disneyland Hotel ballroom, where we were able to sit and enjoy food served at the reception. I was given a special new badge to wear. The name tag is an all-black background. In the top left corner in bold writing it says John; below it in small writing, it says Gassman. Others from Travel Company were there, including Chris Mortensen, the director, along with my award-winning colleagues Alondra Preciado and Darwin Manzala. The entertainment was unbelievable! A special song written for the Legacy dinner was performed. I don’t know if it was brand-new for 2022 or used in previous Legacy dinners. We had brief presentations from Josh D’Amaro, Disney Parks’ Experiences and Products team, whom we met and had pictures taken with; and Ken Potrock, President of the Disneyland Resort. Performers included a live Disney band plus soloists and a chorus, including Josh Strickland from Disney’s original Tarzan on Broadway; Kissy Simmons, who played Nala in Disney’s Lion King on Broadway; and Jodi Benson from The Little Mermaid, who in my opinion stole the show. She can still sing and emote just as well as she did in the movie. The following day we met friends for a character breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen, then spent the rest of the day enjoying the parks at the Disneyland Resort. I think of how lucky I’ve been to work for Disney for 19 years. Everything the name Walt Disney represents is embodied in the Legacy picture and plaque. I proudly wear the name tag to work each day. In a few months, we will welcome several new recipients to the award ranks. It’s a lot like welcoming a new baby brother or sister to the family. I know I’ve grown since winning in July of 2019, and I am sure new winners will feel the same way. * Resources: My favorite two biographies on Walt Disney are available on BARD: Bob Thomas, “Walt Disney: An American Original,” DB11548 Neal Gabler, “Walt Disney – The Triumph of the American Imagination,” DB63503 ***** ** Affiliate News * Oklahoma Convention Oklahoma invites you to its 2022 conference and convention, which will be held in Lawton Sept. 16-18. This year’s theme is “Back Together, Better than Ever” which reflects anticipation of an outstanding in-person gathering. Make room reservations by Sept. 1 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 135 N.W. 2nd Street by calling (580) 280-2100. Room rates are $110 plus taxes for one to four people. Please let the hotel staff know you are with the OCB. Our convention registration form is available on our website, www.okcb.org. You may also request the form by contacting Vicky Golightly (contact information listed at the end of this article). Registration is $65 if you are only attending the consumer/professional seminar on Friday, $100 if you attend only the convention, and $120 if you attend the entire weekend. Registration must be completed by Sept. 1. There will be a consumer/professional seminar on Friday, sponsored by Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Presentations will include information on coping with eye disease and treatments, groups such as My Limitless Vision and Jeri’s House, SBVI services and how former clients became employed and what the counselor did to facilitate this outcome, and much more. The OCB convention will convene on Friday night, beginning with a dinner sponsored by the Lawton Council of the Blind, a welcoming session, and some fun activities. Saturday morning features an early breakfast followed by the presentation of colors by the Buffalo Soldiers, welcome from the Lawton mayor, and possibly a presentation from the Lawton Chamber of Commerce. There will also be agency updates, exhibits and much more programming on Saturday, followed by an awards banquet and a live auction on Saturday evening. You will not want to miss auctioneer Pat Kelly, who might have you bidding against yourself if you are not alert. Our featured speaker is Deb Cook Lewis, ACB’s first vice president, who will update us on the latest initiatives of ACB and a wide variety of topics. Most importantly, OCB’s business meeting takes place on Sunday morning, and will feature election of officers, resolutions, and updates on our many activities. For more information, visit our website or contact Vicky Golightly, Convention Co-Chair at (405) 740-6227 or email her at vgolight1@gmail.com. ***** ** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins 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 E-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. * Home, Garden & Agriculture Home, Garden and Agriculture is an ACB Community call on the second Saturday of each month. We’ve also now launched a listserv, Homesteading by Touch, for discussion of any and all topics related to homesteading. This group is not limited to those who are blind and visually impaired; homesteading is usually a family and often a community effort. This is a safe place for people who are blind and visually impaired, their family members and friends to share homesteading experiences. We welcome discussions on gardening, food preparation, food preservation, keeping livestock, home management and home maintenance. This is a place to ask questions, share knowledge and discuss adaptive techniques. It does not matter if you live on a large acreage or in an apartment; homesteading is a mentality, not where you live. To subscribe to the homesteading listserv, send an email to the following address: Homesteadingbytouch+subscribe@groups.io. You will then receive a message to confirm your subscription. * Utah Lions Club and NBP Book Project Utah Lions Club-Multiple District 28 joined forces with National Braille Press to build and donate over 400 books. Members of the Utah Lions Club along with NBP staff assembled hundreds of books for blind children and those with low vision. They assembled the braille children’s books “Love You to the Moon and Back” and “Froggy Get Dressed.” * Baking Blind World Cookbook Blind cook Penny Melville-Brown recently released her new cookbook, “A Cook’s Tour: Baking Blind Goes Global.” Cooking with professional chefs and home cooks (sighted or not), the book covers six continents, more than 100 recipes, and links to over 50 demonstration videos, plus practical insights into living with a disability. The book is available on Amazon and Kindle. For more information, visit www.pennymelvillebrown.com. * NLS Launches Braille-on-Demand Pilot Project As part of its braille modernization initiative, NLS launched the Braille-on-Demand pilot project on Monday, June 20, 2022. This project allows active NLS patrons to request and receive one hard-copy braille title per month, which they can retain for their personal use. Braille titles will be limited to books that are currently available on BARD. The form to request a braille-on-demand book can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NLSbrailleondemand. * ASCO’s 2022 Special Recognition Award Recipients • Lifetime Achievement Award — Dr. David S. Loshin • Dr. Jack Bennett Innovation in Optometric Education Award — Awarded to all the teaching faculty, both didactic and clinical teachers, at ASCO’s member institutions in the U.S. and Canada • Ophthalmic Industry Leadership Award — Vernon Dela Cruz • Rising Star Award — Dr. Lucy Kehinde • Student Award in Clinical Ethics — Dr. Andrea Meagher All award winners were acknowledged during ASCO’s annual business meeting in June. * 2022 HKS AccessAbility Awards Recipients Helen Keller Services recently announced the winners of its 2022 AccessAbility Awards. They are: • Clean Logic • Service Skills • UniDescription • Accessible Pharmacy • WundermanHealth “The companies we are recognizing have made significant contributions to improving the everyday life of those who are DeafBlind, blind and have low vision” said Larry Kinitsky, Chairman of HKS. * Lighthouse Guild Scholarships Lighthouse Guild recently awarded its 2022 scholarships. The winners are listed below. Undergraduate Scholarships • Noah Carver, Beals, Maine, University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music • Una Fonte, Vergennes, Vt., Smith College • Yael Korc, Herndon, Va., Dickinson College • Cindy Liu, Flushing, N.Y., Yale College • Iliana Mejia, Woodhaven, N.Y., Marymount Manhattan College • Caroline Mizer, Akron, Ohio, Otterbein University • David Mo, Ridgewood, N.J., Stevens Institute of Technology • Camille O’Neill, Gretna, Neb., Creighton University, Heider College of Business • Avery Sallean, Cary, N.C., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • Brandon Swallow, Rockingham, N.C., University of North Carolina at Pembroke Graduate Scholarships • Emma Chambers, Vestavia Hills, Ala., Samford University, School of Health Professions • Marieke Davis, Columbus, Ohio, Columbus College of Arts & Design • Katelyn Kelel, Redford, Mich., Seattle University • Jannik Pesch, Sarasota, Fla., Florida International University, Chapman Graduate School of Business • Blake Tarrants, Blue Springs, Mo., Missouri State University * Penny Forward Launches Innovative Online Courses This paid membership service provides self-paced, online financial education courses, regularly-scheduled group discussions held virtually, and access to one-to-one coaching services — all designed to help members improve their financial health. For more information, call 1-888-332-5558 or visit https://www.pennyforward.com. * New Books from National Braille Press Newly released is Usborne Books’ “That’s Not My Otter!” It’s available in UEB for ages baby through preschool. Little ones will love exploring the various textures on the otters. Also available is “Papa’s Mechanical Fish,” by Candace Fleming and Boris Kulikov. It’s available in UEB for ages 4 to 8. This story is based on a real-life inventor who creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan. Looking for new recipes to try? Take a look at “5-Ingredient Whole-Food Plant-Based Cookbook: Easy Recipes with No Salt, Oil, or Refined Sugar,” by Jennifer Marie Sinyerd. It’s available in hard-copy braille and as a BRF. This cookbook includes 70 easy meal recipes with no salt, oil, or refined sugar. Trying to teach your little ones about permission and boundaries? Check out the new “C Is for Consent,” by Eleanor Morrison and Faye Orlove. It’s available in UEB for ages baby to 3. If you have a patriotic music lover in your household, they’ll enjoy “For Spacious Skies: Katharine Lee Bates and the Inspiration for ‘America the Beautiful,’” by Nancy Churnin and Olga Baumert. It comes in UEB for ages 4 to 9. Katharine Lee Bates first wrote the words to “America the Beautiful” after a visit to Pikes Peak in 1893. Ms. Bates believed in the power of words to make a difference. And we’re still singing her song today. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323 or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop To submit items for this column, send your “for sale,” “looking for” or “free to good home” announcements to Sharon Lovering, info@acb.org, or call her at (202) 467-5081. * For Sale: Freedom Scientific Focus 40 Blue. Includes case and a charger. Barely used. Asking $1,000 or best offer. Contact Dawnetta Richardson via email, dawnettar@bosma.org, or by phone, (317) 704-8226. * For Sale: Merlin Ultra HD electronic magnifier, never used. Contact Nathaniel Beauchaine via email, nathanielb1999@gmail.com, or call him at (774) 813-9111. * For Sale: Betty Crocker’s Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook. Asking $10. Better Homes and Gardens Easy Vegetarian Dinners; comes in one volume, double-sided braille, stapled in the spine. Asking $5. Three slim volumes, including Campbell’s Homemade Meals, Greek Recipes, and Easy-to-Make Yeast Breads. I would prefer to keep them together. They’re in double-sided braille with stiff covers. Free. If interested, contact Nancy at nkarstens38@gmail.com. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Dan Spoone (2nd term, 2023) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 * First Vice President Deb Cook Lewis (1st term, 2023) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * Second Vice President Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2023) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 * Secretary Denise Colley (2nd term, 2023) 26131 Travis Brook Dr. Richmond, TX 77406-3990 * Treasurer David Trott (final term, 2023) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 * Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Christopher Bell, Pittsboro, NC (1st term, 2024) Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (2nd term, 2024) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (1st term, 2024) James Kracht, Miami, FL (1st term, 2022) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (2nd term, 2024) Kenneth Semien Sr., Beaumont, TX (1st term, 2024) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (2nd term, 2022) Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD (partial term, 2022) Michael Talley, Hueytown, AL (1st term, 2022) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (1st term, 2022) ** ACB Board of Publications Katie Frederick, Chair, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2023) Cheryl Cumings, Boston, MA (1st term, 2023) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (1st term, 2022) Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, MD (2nd term, 2022) Cachet Wells, Jacksonville, FL (1st term, 2022) ***** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by email, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (518) 906-1820. To subscribe to the email version, contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (518) 906-1820. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-braille-forum-and-e-forum. ###