MINNESOTA BULLETIN April-June, 1993 Vol. LVIII No. 2 Published By National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota 715 Chamber of Commerce Building 15 South Fifth Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 Phone: (612) 332-5414 WE ARE CHANGING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND LES AFFAIRES By Joyce Scanlan ACCEPTING HELP: HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE As members of the National Federation of the Blind, we frequently find ourselves engaged in serious discussions of pertinent blindness-related issues. We compare notes on the most humorous stories, the absolutely unbelievable attitude demonstrated by someone, how to handle difficult family situations, blindness and relationships with significant others, what blindness really means, what constitutes independence and competence for a blind person, how blind people can achieve equality with the sighted and full acceptance in society, and a great number of other weighty topics. Depending upon personal experience, exposure to constructive training, and a variety of other factors, opinions on these matters cover a broad spectrum. The subject of accepting help--whether or not to, how to or not to, what to say or not say--generates profound conversations which stir up the emotions and challenge the intellect. The question comes up numerous times for a student in an orientation program. For some students, it is taken for granted that if one is blind, help is definitely needed and should be sought and accepted at all times. End of discussion. For others, if one is blind, accepting help is prohibited. Blind people must be independent and accepting help creates a negative public image. End of discussion. For most people, the answer lies somewhere between the two extremes. For most of us, because of our participation in the organized blind movement, our opinions and attitudes have evolved and are still evolving through constructive training, exposure to differing views, positive experiences, and ever-rising expectations. As we work with many people with different backgrounds, we learn how many facets there are to an issue which may seem so simple. In a recent discussion with an orientation center student who has been blind since birth, I found myself trying to convince the person that although he made a practice of soliciting help from sighted people, he could break that cycle and be independent. My friend brought forth all the arguments supporting his use of sighted help. "Although I may not need help, if I don't accept the offer, the sighted person may not be willing to help the next blind person who may really need it. Taking help from sighted people gives me good social contact; it's a way to meet people. It's disrespectful to turn down an offer of help, especially from someone like a policeman. If I turn down help, the sighted person may become angry and yell at me. I may think I can do it, but if I make a mistake, the sighted person will see that; I'll be embarrassed and be forced into letting the person help me anyway. I must accept help, because I don't know how to refuse it." I pointed out that, if one were to be perfectly honest about it, the underlying belief probably was that "I really do need help. As a blind person, I am expected to take assistance; that's what I'm used to, and I can't change." The extreme position of always using assistance is just as harmful as never taking help from others. Because my friend had habitually used sighted assistance whenever traveling about, he had developed numerous techniques to garner help whenever he felt the need, in his home or out on the street. He could cajole, guilt, manipulate, be direct or subtle--whatever a situation might call for. For a blind person on the public streets, attracting help is not at all difficult. If one merely stops for just a second, Mr. Public is sure to approach and ask, "May I help you?" or "Do you need help?" My friend had perfected some techniques which invariably drew attention to himself. These behaviors had become so natural to him that he no longer recognized them or their effect. For instance, he would approach a building or an intersection and begin talking aloud. "I wonder if this is the right building." Or, "I hope I can make this crossing without being run over." Hearing such comments, most individuals would be bound to conclude that help was not only needed but being requested. Therefore, without directly asking for help, my friend received just what he felt he needed. Yet he could claim, and rightfully so, that he hadn't requested help. Breaking a habit so ingrained is a major challenge. But overcoming the denial and accepting full responsibility for what is going on is a first step. It's easier to make excuses by saying, "The help came to me because of Mr. Public's negative attitudes toward blindness. People always think we need help. I did nothing to invite the help I got." To make someone understand that he had actually appeared helpless, had caused alarm, and was primarily responsible for what happened forces a painful realization upon the blind person. But once that has happened, the next step is to recognize that one can also take charge of making something else happen. The question is what do you want to happen? Do you want to be helped in a different way, or do you not want to be helped at all? As our discussion proceeded, my friend slowly but surely admitted that he sought and accepted any help he could get, because he firmly believed he could not function competently without it. That brings us to the question of how to have opportunity for successful experiences which will overcome such a negative belief. "How can I seize upon the chance to prove to myself that I can accomplish a task without help when all these people descend upon me?" Well, you can. And the best time to do that is when you're in a training program. There, you are in a structured environment where you will have as many successful experiences as possible so that you will overcome fears and doubts which have ruled your past. Remember that others are around; they may be watching you and certainly can hear what you say. Don't talk out loud. Think anything you want but to yourself only. If some over-zealous person approaches you to help, say, (and you must practice saying this to yourself ahead of time over and over again so that you can speak spontaneously, "Thank you, but I am in a training program and must work this out independently." You might also add, "My instructor is nearby watching to see me work this out by myself." Most people will not pursue the matter. When you have done this a few times, your successes will build upon each other, and you will find yourself believing that you definitely can be independent and do not need to accept help whenever it is offered to you. At this point, once you are convinced that you absolutely can locate an address, cross a street, or resolve any number of travel problems independently, you are in the wonderful position of having options. You are the decision-maker. You can accept help some of the time, or you can turn it down. The choice is yours. As long as you know you can accomplish whatever it is you want to do by yourself, you are in good shape. The pressure for worrying about whether or not someone else offers help to you is off. Your energies can be focused on other, more interesting matters. Because of the National Federation of the Blind, more and more people are breaking the stereotype of the helpless, pitiful blind person. We give ongoing encouragement and support to each other in our struggles to break the cycle of behavior that labels us and forces us into accepting less of ourselves than our full capabilities. Many of us are still in the process of convincing ourselves that we are fully capable of independence and first-class citizenship. Once we have gained full belief in ourselves, we will be in a better position to go out and convince the world. NFB OF MINNESOTA 1992 ANNUAL CONVENTION by Jan Bailey The 1992 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota was held on the weekend of October 23-25 at the Sunwood Inn in St. Cloud. Our Central Minnesota Chapter, under the capable leadership of chapter president Andy Virden, did a truly remarkable job of hosting the convention. In Central Minnesota, the Federation is held in high regard by state and federal political leaders. This was demonstrated by the fact that the convention was privileged to hear from two state senators, one state representative, one candidate for state senate, and Seventh District Congressman Collin Peterson. Our annual bake sale, which has become an annual convention tradition, broke all records this year and raised more money for the NFB of Minnesota treasury than ever before. This, combined with the plentiful door prizes, the high spirits, and the enthusiasm of the Federationists present, served to make the 1992 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota a memorable one indeed. Our national representative for the convention was none other than Joanne Wilson, a national board member, president of the NFB of Louisiana, and director of the well-known Louisiana Center for the Blind. Those who heard Ms. Wilson's banquet address Saturday night will tell you that she is a vivacious, charming, dynamic, and highly effective speaker. Activities for the convention began Friday afternoon, October 23, with a seminar on employment. Following that was a meeting of the Minnesota Association of Blind Students (Jennifer Lehman, president), the Student Chapter of the NFB of Minnesota. Convention registration and hospitality activities began Friday evening. While this was going on, two business meetings occurred. The first was a meeting of the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille in Minnesota, Jan Bailey president. Following that, the Resolutions Committee, chaired by Curtis Chong, met and recommended five resolutions to the convention. Another event which has become a virtual tradition at annual conventions of the NFB of Minnesota is the BLIND, Inc. Board of Directors breakfast meeting, which is open to all. This year, the meeting took place early Saturday morning. Everybody was pleased to meet with the staff and Board members of Minnesota's newest and most progressive training center for the blind. Promptly at 9:00 a.m., Saturday morning, President Joyce Scanlan gaveled the convention to order, and the official business of the convention began in earnest. The Saturday morning program touched upon a wide variety of subjects. The convention heard from a financial planner, a police sergeant, and a number of political figures, including a candidate for the State Senate, Seventh District Congressman Collin Peterson, and State Senator Joe Bertram. President Scanlan read a memo from R. Jane Brown, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Jobs and Training, announcing the appointment of Richard Davis as the new Assistant Commissioner in charge of Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB). President Scanlan pointed out that this is a development about which all of us can be pleased. Mr. Davis took an orientation center in the state of New Mexico and changed it from a repressive program to one in which blind people across the country can be proud. Hopefully, he can imbue State Services for the Blind with the same kind of progressive philosophy and leadership that characterizes the New Mexico Commission for the Blind. Joanne Wilson, our national representative, brought the convention up to date regarding matters affecting the blind nationally. The Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act passed the Congress on October 5. There will not be a National Commission on Blindness, but there will be one on rehabilitation services. The new Act contains many references to freedom of choice, a concept pioneered by the National Federation of the Blind. Eligibility requirements for rehabilitation services are becoming more liberal, making it extremely simple for recipients of SSI or SSDI who are blind to receive rehabilitation services. Ms. Wilson also discussed the many federal grants that are being received by the Federation. For example, we are engaged in a National Braille Literacy project with the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). APH, along with NFB consultants, will be developing training materials to teach blind adults braille. Part of the project involves an exploration of computer braille technology. Finally, Ms. Wilson reviewed some cases being handled by the Federation on behalf of individual blind people. The Saturday afternoon session began with more discussion of the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act. Bill Niederloh, Director of SSB's Career and Independent Living Services, gave the convention his perspective on the matter. SSB, he said, is in for some major challenges once the Act is signed into law. For example, the Act requires the agency to make eligibility determinations within sixty days. Currently, SSB is able to meet this goal only forty percent of the time. Mr. Niederloh thought that SSB would be forced to implement an Order of Selection. Historically, this has not been very popular with consumers. Mr. Niederloh also explained that we are likely to see some significant changes in the structure of the Minnesota Council for the Blind based upon requirements of the Rehabilitation Act. Educating Blind Children: How Can We Do It Better was the subject of the next program item. Participants on the panel included: Jean Martin, Director, Minnesota Resource Center for the Blind; Jenny Koch, a student at BLIND, Inc.; Bill Kazee, principal of the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind; and Joanne Wilson, Director, Louisiana Center for the Blind. All panel members stressed the importance of early skills training for children who are blind. Joanne Wilson pointed out the critical importance of developing a positive philosophy of blindness in the child as early as possible. Unfortunately, the education system today is still not as forward- looking as it ought to be. Blind children and their parents are often compelled to fight for badly needed training in braille and the use of the white cane. The National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota has worked for years to improve the availability of public transit for blind Minnesotans. It was highly appropriate, therefore, for the convention to hear next from Tony Kellen, Route Manager, St. Cloud Transit Commission. Mr. Kellen discussed the ways in which the Commission is working to stabilize and improve funding for transit. He said that the Commission was well aware of the vital role played by the Federation in promoting mass transit. Students from BLIND, Inc. next presented a humorous yet compelling play to the convention. Entitled Lifestyles of the Blind and Hopeless, the play depicted the struggles experienced by many blind people who are badly in need of positive skills and attitude training. It also graphically illustrated the positive results that can be achieved if only good training is obtained. As is always the case at Federation conventions, the banquet, held Saturday evening, was the high point of the convention. Andy Virden, Central Minnesota Chapter president, served as Master of Ceremonies, and Joanne Wilson was the keynote speaker. Prior to Ms. Wilson's moving and inspiring address, a number of awards were presented. Mike Heilman, winner of the 1992 NFB of Minnesota scholarship, was presented with a check for a thousand dollars. Legislative awards were presented to Representative Lee Greenfield and Senator Sandy Pappas for their efforts to support our Jury and Braille bills. Janet Lee was presented with the Federationist of the Year award, which consisted of a plaque and a lifetime membership in the NFB of Minnesota. Everyone enjoyed the dance and the music which followed the banquet. Many partied into the wee hours of Sunday morning. In spite of this, or because of it perhaps, folks were present at the Sunday morning session full of energy and ready to conduct the business of the day. We were pleased to begin the session with a visit from State Senator Joanne Benson, who welcomed us to the St. Cloud area and urged us to continue informing legislators like her about our issues and concerns. Later in the morning, we heard from State Representative Dave Gruenes. A number of Federationists represent the NFBM on a variety of councils and committees. We heard from these individuals: Jan Bailey on the Regional Library Advisory Committee, Tim Aune on the Communication Center Advisory Committee (which has not met for over a year) and the MTC's Advisory Committee on Transit, Nadine Jacobson on the Independent Living Committee of the Minnesota Council for the Blind and the Advisory Committee for the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, Janet Lee on the U.S. West Motion and Vision Impaired Advisory Committee, and Curtis Chong on the Minnesota Council for the Blind. Elections of NFBM officers and board members were held with the following results: Vice President, Curtis Chong; Treasurer, Tom Scanlan; and Board of Directors, Judy Sanders and Scott LaBarre. The offices of president and secretary plus one board position were not up for election, these positions being elected during annual conventions held in odd-numbered years. Scott LaBarre, who is president of the National Association of Blind Students and a third year law student at the University of Minnesota, next discussed the Americans with Disabilities Act with the convention. The Act is full of promise, but it can be somewhat of a problem for blind people who do not have accessibility problems in the traditional sense. Fortunately, we were able to get incorporated into the Act the concept that a disabled person can "opt out" of any "special accommodations" made on his or her behalf because of a disability. The true effectiveness of the ADA can only be determined over time, he said. Treasurer Tom Scanlan presented the financial report covering the period April 1, 1992, through September 30, 1992. It was moved, seconded, and unanimously passed to approve the report. In concluding the convention, President Joyce Scanlan pointed out that the future for the blind of Minnesota is bright with promise and fraught with responsibility. Even though State Services for the Blind has a new assistant commissioner whom we favor, this does not absolve us of the responsibility of working as hard as we can to ensure that blind Minnesotans receive the services they need to become equal partners and participants in society. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT THE 1992 NFB OF MINNESOTA ANNUAL CONVENTION Five resolutions were unanimously adopted at the 1992 annual convention of the NFB of Minnesota. For your information, each resolution is reprinted in full. Here is a brief summary along with some clarifying data: 1. Resolution A-92-01 strongly encourages Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) to raise the hourly wage it authorizes for the payment of readers to a wage equal to that paid by the University of Minnesota's work study program. Currently, blind students are authorized to pay sighted readers the minimum wage. Yet, work study programs at many colleges pay students an hourly wage that is significantly higher, making it more difficult for blind students to attract readers. 2. Resolution A-92-02 strongly encourages Minnesota State Services for the Blind to support the philosophy of the recently amended Rehabilitation Act by implementing without delay its freedom of choice provisions. This resolution seeks to ensure that SSB counselors allow their clients to make an informed choice as to where they will receive adjustment to blindness and other training. Far too many SSB counselors guide their clients toward the more repressive and paternalistic training options, thereby denying them the potential to achieve maximum independence. 3. Resolution A-92-03 calls upon Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) to allocate all of the federal funds, recently returned by the Division of Rehabilitation Services, to the provision of direct case services. The resolution also condemns SSB for proposing to spend part of the returned funds on computer equipment which it led consumers to believe would be financed solely from private sources. 4. Resolution A-92-04 places the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota squarely in opposition to any attempt to reinstate the Second Injury clause in Minnesota Workers' Compensation law. The Second Injury clause, which was removed from the Workers' Compensation law by the 1992 Minnesota Legislature, has not been helpful to Minnesotans who are blind. Instead, the clause has worked against blind people by creating a virtual registry of persons with a disability and by allowing employers to circumvent Minnesota anti-discrimination law by learning about a person's disability during the application process. 5. Resolution A-92-05 reaffirms the long-standing opposition of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota to the harmful and misguided practice of blindfolding sighted people as a means to educate them about the supposed reality of blindness. Further, the resolution censures the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind (MSAB) for approving an educational event which demeaned blind people and made a mockery of the spirit and intent of White Cane Safety Day. Finally, the resolution calls upon the MSAB to work with the Federation to develop an effective training program aimed at fostering positive attitudes toward blindness among new and existing employees of the Academy. The resolution was sparked by a news story and an editorial which both appeared in the October 15 edition of the Faribault Daily News. The title of the article says it all: "Woman Learns How 'Helpless, Terrifying' it can be to be Blind." That is not what we in the National Federation of the Blind want the public to learn about blindness. What truly appalls us is the Academy's approval of the event which led to the article--that is, blindfolding and guiding a sighted businesswoman and confirming her impression of blindness as a terrifying, helpless experience. As a principal governmental agency for the blind in the Faribault community, the Academy should be working to achieve a more positive impression of blindness and blind people in the minds of community leaders. As the article demonstrates, all of the Academy's efforts seem to be intended to achieve the opposite effect. Resolution A-92-01 WHEREAS, readers are a necessary component in the post secondary education of blind students; and WHEREAS, Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) provides the funding necessary for students to hire their readers; and WHEREAS, the hourly wage authorized by SSB for paying readers is far below that paid to students who perform work study jobs; and WHEREAS, these meager wages make it difficult for blind students to recruit enough qualified readers; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, in convention assembled this 24th day of October, 1992, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, that this organization strongly encourage Minnesota State Services for the Blind to raise the hourly wage it authorizes for the payment of readers to a wage equal to that paid by the University of Minnesota's work study program. Resolution unanimously adopted. Resolution A-92-02 WHEREAS, Congress recently reauthorized the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and WHEREAS, that legislation provides blind consumers of vocational rehabilitation services with the freedom to choose the training which is most appropriate for them; and WHEREAS, Minnesota has a number of different options available to blind consumers for adjustment to blindness training; and WHEREAS, officials and counselors of Minnesota State Services for the Blind have in the past largely failed to demonstrate a commitment to freedom of choice and the provision of first-class rehabilitation training services; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, in convention assembled this 24th day of October, 1992, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, that this organization strongly encourage Minnesota State Services for the Blind to support the philosophy of the recently amended Rehabilitation Act by implementing without delay its freedom of choice provisions. Resolution unanimously adopted. Resolution A-92-03 WHEREAS, the Minnesota Division of Rehabilitation Services has returned a sizable amount of federal rehabilitation funds; and WHEREAS, Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) is working to obtain this federal money by providing its own matching funds; and WHEREAS, SSB officials have indicated their intention to use these funds to purchase computer equipment for the agency's Resource Center for Assistive Technology as well as to acquire furniture and supplies for other parts of the agency; and WHEREAS, at the time the Resource Center was established, SSB promised that government funds would not be used to acquire necessary computer equipment; and WHEREAS, funds are badly needed to upgrade the quantity and quality of rehabilitation case services provided to blind Minnesotans; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, in convention assembled this 24th day of October, 1992, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, that this organization call upon Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) to allocate all of the returned federal funds to the provision of direct case services; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization condemn SSB for proposing to spend government funds on equipment which it led consumers to believe would be financed solely from private sources. Resolution unanimously adopted. Resolution A-92-04 WHEREAS, for many years, Minnesota's Workers' Compensation law contained a Second Injury clause; and WHEREAS, this provision of the law was often used to force many disabled individuals, including the blind, to register with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry; and WHEREAS, employers often used this virtual registry of persons with disabilities as a means to circumvent Minnesota anti-discrimination laws prohibiting employers from asking job applicants whether or not they have a disability; and WHEREAS, during its 1992 session, the Minnesota Legislature struck the Second Injury clause from the Workers' Compensation law; and WHEREAS, efforts have been made to restore the Second Injury provisions in Minnesota's Workers' Compensation law; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, in convention assembled this 25th day of October, 1992, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, that this organization oppose any attempt to put a Second Injury provision back into Minnesota Workers' Compensation law. Resolution unanimously adopted. Resolution A-92-05 WHEREAS, for nearly thirty years, White Cane Safety Day, October 15, has served as a vehicle for educating the public about the ability of blind people to travel independently and participate in the community as fully productive and equal partners in society; and WHEREAS, on October 13, Ray Stewardson, an orientation and mobility specialist at the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind (MSAB), led a blindfolded Faribault businesswoman on a tour of the Academy as part of a local White Cane Day observance; and WHEREAS, this event resulted in an extremely negative news story and editorial in the October 15 edition of the Faribault Daily News which exploited public misconceptions about blindness as a helpless, dangerous, and terrifying experience; and WHEREAS, on a number of occasions over the years, officials and employees of MSAB have made statements or participated in events which have been harmful to the progress of the blind; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, in convention assembled this 25th day of October, 1992, in the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota, that this organization reaffirm its opposition to the misguided practice of blindfolding sighted people as a method of educating them about the supposed reality of blindness; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization censure the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind (MSAB) for approving an educational event which demeaned blind people and made a mockery of the spirit and intent of White Cane Safety Day; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this organization call upon MSAB to work with the Federation to develop an effective training program aimed at fostering positive attitudes toward blindness among new and existing employees of the Academy. Resolution unanimously adopted. GET READY FOR THE 1993 MOVE-A-THON by Peggy Chong It is time to start preparing for the 1993 MOVE-A-THON. Start out with stretches and simple exercises. Then with a small walk, gradually working up to the 10 kilometers of our 13th annual MOVE-A-THON route. Once again, the MOVE-A-THON will be held in Minneapolis around Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet on Saturday, September 25. We will start bright and early at 9:00 a.m. Remember to dress for the weather. Brochures will be available at the July chapter meetings. Pick up several brochures for yourself, and grab a few for your friends and family. Then go out into your community and collect pledges and contributions for the Federation. Walking around these beautiful lakes with friends is a very pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning, and you'll be raising money for the Federation at the same time. Even if you yourself cannot come to Minneapolis for the MOVE-A-THON, you can still help to raise money for another member of your chapter who will be coming. Make it a contest within your chapter to see who can raise the most money in a given period of time. Last year we raised over $5,000 from this event. Members from all across the state made our last event a huge success. Let's shoot for an even better MOVE-A-THON this year. I'll see you here in Minneapolis on September 25. SOME EDUCATION ABOUT STEVIE WONDER Editor's note: Just about everyone knows about Stevie Wonder, a talented African American musician who happens to be blind. Wonder has recorded songs that have quite literally become standards in most musical repertoires. Tunes such as You are the Sunshine of my Life and For Once in my Life can be recognized by just about anyone who listens to the radio. You even hear these tunes on so-called "easy listening" stations. Tina Chong, the daughter of NFBM vice president Curtis Chong, attends De La Salle High School. Recently, her English class had to read some stories about the accomplishments of some famous African Americans, among them Stevie Wonder. Tina, who has been raised with a solid grounding in Federationism, brought this story to the attention of her parents, Curtis and Peggy. In an effort to provide Tina's class with more accurate and positive information about blindness than was contained in the story, Curtis Chong wrote a critique which was well received, both by Tina's English teacher and the class. Here is the story about Stevie Wonder, as it appeared in a book entitled Listen Children: an Anthology of black Literature, edited by Dorothy S. Strickland. The story, subtitled "Growing Up in a World of Darkness" is an excerpt from a book entitled "The Story of Stevie Wonder," by James Haskins. The subtitle alone is sufficient cause for one to be concerned about the story's treatment of blindness. "See, about sound...," Stevie Wonder says, "there's one thing you gotta remember about sound--sound happens all the time, ALL the time. If you put your hands right up to your ears, if you close your eyes and move your hands back and forth, you can hear the sound getting closer and farther away....Sound bounces off everything, there's always something happening." Stevie Wonder was born Steveland Morris on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan. He was the third boy in a family that would eventually include five boys and one girl. All except Stevie were born without handicaps. He was born prematurely, and his early birth led to his total blindness. "I guess that I first became aware that I was blind," Stevie recalls "--and I just vaguely remember this--when I'd be wallowing around in the grass back of the house, and I'd get myself and my clothes soiled. My mother would get on me about that. She explained that I couldn't move about so much, that I'd have to try and stay in one place. "When I was young," he says, "my mother taught me never to feel sorry for myself, because handicaps are really things to be used, another way to benefit yourself and others in the long run." This was the best possible advice Stevie's mother could have given. He learned to regard his blindness in more than one way. It could be a hindrance, but it could also be a special gift. He was able to accept this idea, sometimes better than his mother could. "I know it used to worry my mother," Stevie recalls, "and I know she prayed for me to have sight someday, and so finally I just told her that I was happy being blind, and I thought it was a gift from God, and I think she felt better after that." Stevie was a lucky child in many ways. He was lucky to have two brothers close enough to him in age not to understand at first about his blindness and to expect him to do many of the things they did. He was also lucky to have a mother and a father, and occasionally an uncle, who understood how important sound was to him, and how important it was for him to learn to identify things he could not see by their sound. He recalls: "I remember people dropping money on the table and saying, "What's that, Steve?" That's a dime--buh-duh-duh-da; that's a quarter--buh-duh-duh-duh-da; that's a nickel. I could almost always get it right except a penny and a nickel confused me. "I don't really feel my hearing is any better than yours," Stevie says now; "we all have the same abilities, you know. The only difference is how much you use it." Encouraged by his family, Stevie used his hearing more and more as he grew older. He learned how to tell birds apart by their call, and to tell trees apart by the sound their leaves made as they rustled in the wind. He learned to tell when people were tired or annoyed or pleased by listening to the tone of their voices. His world of sound grew larger, and the most frightening experience for him was silence. He depended so on sound that silence, for him, was like total darkness for deaf children. It is hard for sighted and hearing people to understand this. Perhaps the best way to understand is to imagine being shut up in a dark, soundproof box. People need to feel that they are part of the world around them. It is hard enough to do so when one cannot see, or when one cannot hear; but it is doubly hard for a blind person in a silent room or a deaf person in total darkness. He also spent a lot of time beating on things, to make sounds and to make music. Although his mother was a gospel singer, the family was not especially musical. But Stevie had shown musical interest and ability very young. By the time he was two years old his favorite toys were two spoons, with which he would beat rhythmically on pans and tabletops and anything else his mother would let him beat on. When she began to worry about her furniture, she bought him cardboard drums from the dime store. None of them lasted very long. "I'd beat 'em to death," Stevie says with a chuckle. But there would always be a new drum, and there were other toy instruments as well. "One day someone gave me a harmonica to put on my key chain, a little four-hole harmonica," Stevie recalls. He managed to get a remarkable range of sounds from that toy instrument. "Then one day my mother took me to a picnic and someone sat me behind my first set of drums. They put my foot on the pedal and I played. They give me a quarter. I liked the sound of quarters." At a very early age, too, Stevie began to sing. All voices were very important to him, for they brought him closer to the world around him, a world he could not see. As he grew older, his own voice became particularly important to him, especially at night when the rest of the house was silent. He learned the endless possibilities of the human voice by experimenting with his own, and by mimicking others. Music itself, not necessarily made by him, became very important to him. He loved to listen to the radio; his earliest memory is of hearing Johnny Ace singing "Pledging My Love" on the radio. Shortly before he entered school he was given a small transistor radio for his very own. From then on, that radio was his constant companion. He even slept with it under his pillow at night. It played softly, providing sounds for him in an otherwise silent apartment. When he started school, he insisted on taking it to school with him. Stevie was enrolled in special classes for the blind in the Detroit public school system. A special bus picked him up every morning and brought him back every afternoon. Stevie wished he could walk to school as his brothers did, and go to their neighborhood school. But he was learning to adjust to the fact that he must lead a different life, and in his special classes he was taught many things that would help him live as normal a life as possible. Sighted children attended the same school, and they often whispered about "the blind kids" as they passed by. Adults did the same thing. Somehow, normal people have the idea that blind people cannot hear them. It was hard to deal in an honest way with sighted people or even with his partially sighted classmates. Being blind is to be exposed to constant frustrations. Dropping something, especially something small, means having to grope about with little chance of finding it. Some blind children won't even bother looking for an object they have dropped because they are embarrassed to be seen groping about for it. Stevie had an additional problem in getting along with other children. Not only was he blind; he was also black. At first it might seem that the idea of skin color should not be very important to a child who has never seen color. But blackness is not just skin color; it is a culture, a way of looking at things. People divide themselves into "Us" and "Them" because of skin color, but that is not the only division. We also divide ourselves because of religion, education, economic class. If everyone in the entire world were blind, people would still divide themselves into "Us" and "Them"; it just would not be on the basis of appearance. At home, Stevie heard his brothers and their friends talk about the white kids they knew. Before long, even though Stevie could not himself see color, he was very aware of skin color, and in addition to being self-conscious because of his blindness he was a little bit ashamed of being black. "I remember when I was little," says Stevie, "I used to listen to this black radio station in Detroit on my way to school. Like I was the only black kid on the bus, and I would always turn the radio down, because I felt ashamed to let them hear me listening to B.B. King. But I LOVED B.B. King. Yet I felt ashamed because I was DIFFERENT enough to want to hear him and because I had never heard him anywhere else." Stevie was not about to stop listening to B.B. King; he simply played his radio softly in places where he felt uncomfortable. That radio meant more to him than just about anything else in the world. "I spent a lot of time listening to the radio," Stevie recalls, "and I was able to relate to the different instruments and know what they were. I began to know them by name. I used to listen to this program on station WCHB called "Sundown." The disc jockey was named Larry Dixon and he always played a lot of old songs. There was one thing he played, it was his theme song...da da duh duh dommm da duh...da da da da dommm dommm da da duh...Oh, it's really a bad tune, really a beautiful song--can't think of the name right now, but I could never forget that tune." He would sing the words of the songs quietly to himself. He would hum the tunes. He would tap out the beats on his toy drums and try to play the melodies on his four-note harmonica. It frustrated him not to have real, grown-up instruments to play on, and it was hard for him to accept the fact that his mother just did not have enough money to buy real instruments for him. But luck soon proved to be with Stevie. Within the space of about a year and a half, he managed to acquire not one but three real instruments. Every year the Detroit Lions Club gave a Christmas party for blind children, and at Christmas time during his first-grade year at school Stevie went to one. Each child received a gift, and someone must have told the Detroit Lions Club about Stevie's interest in music, for his gift--he could hardly believe it--was a set of real drums! Stevie sat right down and began to pound on them right then and there. Later a neighborhood barber gave Stevie a harmonica--a real one. He practiced and practiced until he had mastered that. Then, when he was seven, Stevie became the proud owner of a real piano. A neighbor was moving out of the housing project, and she really did not want to take her piano. Knowing how much Stevie loved music, she decided to give it to him. Stevie remembers, "I kept asking, "When they gonna bring the piano over, Mamma?" I never realized how important that was going to be to me." When the piano finally arrived, it was like all the birthdays Stevie could remember all rolled into one. He ran his hands along the smooth wooden top, down the sides and around the back, down the slim legs, around to the cold metal of the pedals, and back up to the keys, some flat, some raised. He asked his mother to open the top of the piano, so he could feel the strings inside. He asked her what color they were. They were kind of gold, and the small wooden blocks between them were light brown. What color was the piano? A dark brown. From that moment on, dark brown, although he had never seen it and would never see it, meant something nice to Stevie. And since, he had been told, his skin was a sort of dark brown, too, he began to feel much better about his skin color. By the time he was nine or ten Stevie was a very popular member of the neighborhood. He was certainly the most gifted musically, and he spent many Saturdays and after-school hours on the front porches of neighbors' houses on Horton Street. By this time Stevie had a set of bongo drums, which he had mastered as he had every other instrument to which he had been exposed. Often he would play his bongos; sometimes it would be the harmonica. Everyone would join in the singing, but Stevie's clear, strong voice always took the lead. Without exception the music was rhythm and blues, the kind the people listened to on WCHB. One of his favorite singing partners was a boy about his age named John Glover. John Glover had a grown-up cousin named Ronnie White, who lived in another part of the city. Ronnie White was a member of the singing group the Miracles, which had enjoyed great success recording with a company named Hitsville USA. Of course, John Glover was very proud to have a cousin like Ronnie White, and he often boasted about him. John Glover was also proud to have a friend like Stevie. "You oughta hear my friend Stevie," he kept telling his cousin. But naturally White was busy, and he didn't really believe this kid Stevie was anything special. Then, one day in 1960, he happened to drop by to visit his relatives on Horton Street, and Stevie just happened to be having one of his front-porch sessions at the time. White did not have to listen very long to realize that his little cousin was right. This kid was something! White arranged with the president of Hitsville USA, Berry Gordy, to take Stevie to the company's recording studio and to give him an audition, and one exciting afternoon Stevie was taken to the place that would be like a second home to him for the next ten years. Stevie will never forget that afternoon. White took him around the studio, helping him to the different instruments and sound equipment, letting him touch them. It seemed to Stevie that every wonderful instrument in the world was right there in that sound studio, and he never wanted to leave it. Then he was introduced to Berry Gordy. Gordy listened to him sing, and play the harmonica and drums, and hired him on the spot, which says a lot for Gordy. Few, if any, other record-company owners would have taken such a chance back in 1960. But then, few, if any, other record companies had or would have the history of Gordy's. No other black-owned label would prevail as his would, and perhaps this was because once they were established, those other labels were too busy holding on to their position to take any risk or to try anything new. Anyway, signing an artist brought in by a performer already with the company has become a common, and famous, practice of Gordy's. The Supremes were discovered by the Temptations. Diana Ross discovered the Jackson Five. Of course, Stevie's mother actually signed Stevie's contract with Hitsville, for he was underage. There was little talk of money or other conditions. Stevie's family was so excited, so grateful for this opportunity for him, that they would have agreed to anything! CRITIQUE by Curtis Chong This is my critique of "Growing Up in a World of Darkness," which was extracted from "The Story of Stevie Wonder," by James Haskins. Please note that the comments made here represent my initial reaction to the story and are not the result of a thorough analysis. Let me begin by stating unequivocally that I believe Stevie Wonder to be a talented musician. It happens that he is blind, and he is also black. Neither one of these characteristics is, in my view, anything to get all that excited about. Unfortunately, because our society, today, tends to isolate blacks and blind people alike from the mainstream, a person is necessarily part of a minority group if he or she happens to be either blind or black. Clearly, Stevie Wonder belongs to both minorities. It should also be observed at this point that Stevie Wonder is not held in high regard by other members of the blind community--particularly those members of the community like myself who have worked for years to elevate the public's perception of persons who are blind. Stevie Wonder may be a talented musician and is, consequently, fairly well off. Yet, he has never deigned to help his blind brothers and sisters, either through positive and informative public service announcements or through financial contributions to civil rights organizations of the blind such as the National Federation of the Blind. To his credit, Wonder has contributed to causes promoting efforts of the black minority to achieve equal status in society. Now to the story. In my judgement, the author made far too much of Stevie Wonder's blindness, and he did it in a way which confirms the stereotypical notion, held by far too many members of the general public, that the blind are naturally musical. I understand that this story is part of a collection of literature designed to extol the accomplishments of persons who are black. Yet, in the story about Stevie Wonder, a relatively small section was devoted to any discussion of the problems he might have experienced because he was black. The author mentions that Wonder's brothers, not understanding at first that he was blind, treated him like any other member of the family. My initial pleasure upon reading this statement quickly dissipated as I read on. Why? Because the facts set forth in the story about Wonder's childhood clearly indicate that he was not treated as a normal child. We are told that he banged on anything he could use as a drum and that he often experimented with his voice. We are told that he was given a tiny transistor radio and that he listened to the radio almost all of the time. Is this something that a supposedly "normal" child would do? We are told that Wonder listened to his radio often on the school bus. Did he then not play with other children in his age group? In fact, the author clearly does not consider Wonder (or blind people, for that matter) to be a "normal child" as witnessed by the statement, "Somehow normal people have the idea that blind people cannot hear them." Although it is indeed true that many sighted people seem to think that blind people are deaf as well as blind, I am offended by the author's use of the word "normal" in this context. Blind people are indeed "normal." The problems of exclusion and discrimination that we often experience in society are based on assumptions which classify the blind as somehow different or "abnormal." In other words, either a blind person is expected to be totally helpless and dependent upon others for even the most basic personal needs or the blind person is expected to be a superior human being endowed with an exceptional talent. In point of fact, blind people are just like everybody else--neither exceptionally blessed nor exceptionally cursed. It is only misunderstanding and negative stereotypes that have resulted in a 70% unemployment rate among blind Americans of working age. But I ramble. My over-all reaction to the story (at least with respect to its treatment of blindness) is mixed. The author does seem to recognize the importance of raising a blind child in a "normal" manner, expecting that child to do the same things as every other child. And, in a limited way, the author does recognize that people who are sighted do hold misconceptions about the abilities of persons who are blind. Witness the reference (albeit inappropriately stated) to the assumption, made by "normal" people, that blind people can't hear. The author can't help that Wonder lived as he did and that, perhaps, his childhood may not have been as normal as someone else's. Those are simply the facts as the author sees them. My two criticisms are that (1) the author spent too much time talking about Stevie Wonder's blindness and (2) the author failed to do a bit of education about the true nature of blindness and blind people. IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR by Judy Sanders Contrary to what some people may have thought, the State Legislature did think about other things besides telephone bills. We know this because the members of the National Federation of the Blind made their presence known at the State Capitol. We met with many legislators to share our 1993 legislative agenda. Where were you on February 23, 1993? You may have been at the State Capitol with other Federationists to kick things off. If you were there, here's what you helped to do. You helped educate new and old legislators about the ability of blind persons to travel independently from one place to another; you reinforced the fact that blind people should be and are literate through the use of braille; and you taught new and old legislators alike that the National Federation of the Blind is truly the voice of blind persons in this state. Here is the fact sheet that was distributed on that day. LEGISLATIVE MEMORANDUM To: The Members of the Minnesota State Legislature From: The Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota (NFBM) Re: Legislative Agenda for 1993 Date: February 23, 1993 The following information is provided by the members of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota (NFBM), the state's largest membership organization of blind and interested sighted people. We have made a firm commitment to bring about needed social changes which will make blind citizens equal participants in the community with the sighted. NFBM is the vehicle through which we can convey to you our major concerns about what must be done to improve the quality of life for our blind population. Through local chapter meetings and state and national conventions, NFB sets our policies. We are an organization of blind people speaking for ourselves. NFBM members want to share with you our 1993 legislative agenda. We ask that you consider the following information and act accordingly: MASS TRANSIT IS FOR EVERYONE Whether in Hibbing, St. Cloud, Mankato, or Minneapolis, people need to get from place to place, and it cannot be disputed that there are too many cars on our highways. Throughout the state, blind citizens work cooperatively with local public transit officials to bring improvements in the service delivery system that are favorable to everyone. As an example of what can be accomplished, we focus on our efforts with the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC). We ask that you remember that this is only one example. We emphasize the importance of full funding for mass transit throughout the state. Over the past couple of years, the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota has developed a close working relationship with officials at the MTC. The MTC has made a sincere effort to respond to our concerns. For instance, MTC has initiated programs to encourage drivers to call out transfer points; they have improved access to information on their automated schedule available by phone; and they appointed a blind person to their advisory group. These improvements are helpful to all potential customers. Good bus service benefits everyone. It relieves traffic congestion on the roads and helps our environment. Bus service allows commuters to get to work more cheaply than when using private automobiles, and allows passengers to make efficient use of their commuting time to do paperwork or read as they ride to work. Good bus service is more likely if more people use the bus, and more people will use the bus if service is better. Legislators must take the lead to break this "CATCH-22" situation. LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION: Forty-three counties in Minnesota do not have county-wide mass transit. Any legislative remedy should provide for development of mass transit services in these counties. We ask that you support S.F. 187 and H.F. 324 which have been introduced by Senator Sandy Pappas and Representative Edwina Garcia to extend the 6-1/2 percent sales tax to the purchase of gasoline and dedicate that money to mass transit. We also ask that you support the over sixteen million dollars requested by Governor Carlson for funding of mass transit throughout the state. MN STATE ACADEMY FOR THE BLIND The Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, located in Faribault, is a residential school for blind children and young adults. It serves students until age 21 and averages about 60 students. Along with the usual academic subjects offered at any school, the Academy teaches blind children to travel independently with a long white cane. When properly taught, this means encouraging students to walk about the campus with confidence and competence. The school's neighbor is the Faribault Regional Treatment Center and it has been proposed that this center be closed. Adjacent to the treatment center is a medium-security state prison that could make use of additional space. It is natural that the prison should gravitate toward the treatment facility and make use of its empty buildings. If this expansion occurs, the prison will border the school unless the Minnesota Legislature specifically prohibits it or the Minnesota Department of Corrections makes an effort to keep it from happening. Parents of blind children currently enrolled at the Academy tell us that they are not pleased to know that the school's neighbor will be a medium-security prison. They do not consider this a healthy environment for children. Parents of other blind children tell us that they would think twice about sending their children to the Academy because of the prison. Recent graduates of schools for the blind say that they would worry about the image of the school. They point out that it is unlikely that any other school would be located next to a prison. LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION: We seek legislation that would designate the distance that must be left between the prison and the school. There should be a definite plan to insure that there would be no view of the prison from any window of the Academy. Trees should be planted to create a barrier between the two facilities. An effort should be made to give parents maximum assurances that their children will be safe while living next door to the prison. NEED FOR LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT It has come to our attention that M.S. Section 120.17, Subdivision 2, the Blind Persons' Literacy Rights and Education Act of 1992, has not been fully implemented because of a possible conflict with an existing administrative rule. In 1987, the Minnesota State Legislature passed its original braille literacy bill. Unfortunately, the rule which the Minnesota Department of Education promulgated under the first act was contrary to the intent of the original law. It allowed teachers of blind children to avoid teaching braille even if it was demonstrated that the blind student's reading and writing levels were below grade level. As a result, last year, the Minnesota State Legislature amended the Literacy Act to ensure that blind children who needed it would receive instruction in braille. The 1992 Act, however, did not authorize a rule to be written. Consequently, the already existing rule may in fact circumvent the clear intent of the Legislature and perpetuate the illiteracy of blind children in Minnesota. LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION: We are requesting that the Minnesota State Legislature conduct a review to ensure that its intent is being carried out. We recommend, at a minimum, that the following questions be asked of the Minnesota Department of Education: 1) How many legally blind Minnesota students are braille readers? 2) How many are learning braille? 3) How many students read braille and print with braille as the primary reading mode? 4) How many students read print and do not use braille? 5) Which of these students is reading at grade level? If the Legislature's mandate is not followed, the barriers to education which so many blind persons have faced will only continue and most likely grow worse. If the spirit of last year's law can be translated into reality, blind children in Minnesota will be another step closer to receiving the training they need to one day become competent and fully literate adults. Legislators hear from many different people with various opinions on a wide variety of subjects. Whenever you are asked to deal with an issue specifically related to blindness, it is our sincere hope that you will contact the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota. Our membership consists of a cross-section of the blind population, and we have the expertise to evaluate wisely any issue affecting the blind that may come before you. We are proud to join you in developing an approach to addressing the needs of blind Minnesotans that acknowledges our right to equality. We appreciate the respect you have shown us in the past. With your support, Minnesota can lead the nation in ensuring that blind individuals become first-class, taxpaying citizens. For further information, contact: Joyce Scanlan, President, at 332-5414. Now that the legislative session is over, what were our accomplishments and what do we still have left to do? The Governor and the Legislature agreed that mass transit needed to be funded. However, they did not agree on how to do it. In addition to the Pappas/Garcia bill, there were various proposals to tax gasoline and dedicate the funds to mass transit. There was debate about the constitutionality of using a gas tax on anything other than highway construction and repairs. Furthermore, the governor opposed any increase in the gas tax. The Pappas/Garcia proposal was meant to avoid the constitutional issue. All of these complications killed all bills to raise revenue for transit. In the end, MTC got an increase of six million dollars added to its budget, and MNDOT received an additional three million dollars for rural mass transit. During our "Day At The Capitol" we met with Representative Peter Rodosovich, whose legislative district houses the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind. He shared our concern about the prison and did not know of any plans to expand the correctional facility. Although we cannot assume our work is done on this issue, it is helpful that we raised an early alert to the potential problem. It is also encouraging that the Department of Corrections is aware of the possible problem and seems cooperative. Senator Larry Pogemiller introduced a bill that would have repealed many antiquated rules in the Department of Education. When we met with him we said that we found this bill a perfect means for repealing the Braille Literacy Rule. Senator Pogemiller wanted to know how we felt about the rest of his bill. We responded with the following letter: March 15, 1993 Dear Senator Pogemiller: In your recent meeting with members of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, you asked that we review and comment on the proposed repeal of special education rules. After reviewing your material, we would make the following comments. We express wholehearted agreement on the repeal of three rules. They are: 3530.1500: dealing with grants to the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections for the provision of library services to the blind and physically handicapped. The Minnesota Department of Human Services no longer provides such services. These services, as provided by Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB), were moved to the Department of Jobs and Training. SSB has no trouble in applying for grants without a rule because of federal regulations. 8700.5503: This rule states qualifications for being licensed to teach blind and visually handicapped children. There is no evidence to show that this rule has given children a better caliber teacher. In fact, this rule may limit some creative options for filling a shortage of teachers in rural areas. We understand that this rule sets criteria for teachers of blind children and we do not mean to imply that teachers should not know how to use the alternative skills of blindness; but it might be interesting to see how local school districts can meet the needs of their blind students. If we find that their needs are not being met, then we may return asking for a better solution. 3525.2850: This rule was written after the passage of the Braille Literacy Act of 1987. As we discussed, this law was amended in 1992 and the Rule is obsolete. In fact, we have found it a hindrance because it has been used as a means of circumventing the new law. You have listed many other rules that could be repealed. Since none of them pertain directly to blind children, we are not taking a position on how to handle them. We are sure that you can get advice from appropriate consumer groups. Please let us know if we can be of further help to you. You may call at any time. Sincerely, Joyce Scanlan, President As a result of our visit to the Legislature, many inquiries were made of the Department of Education. They have decided to repeal the Braille Literacy Rule without waiting for Senator Pogemiller's bill. They acknowledge that the new law is stronger and are even beginning to see the need for it. The rule regarding the licensing of teachers for the blind and visually handicapped was also repealed effective August 1, 1996. Along with offering testimony in support of Minnesota State Services for the Blind's budget request, we supported a bill to expand the Minnesota Council for the Blind to comply with the reauthorized Rehabilitation Act of 1992. In accordance with these requirements, the Minnesota Council for the Blind will become the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council for the Blind, and its membership will grow from nine to fifteen. One other matter came to our attention in the middle of the session. It pertains to proper identification when purchasing liquor in nightclubs. The young lady involved figured out that it was the National Federation of the Blind who could best solve her problem (See article elsewhere in this issue). All in all, it was a busy year at the Minnesota Legislature. The influence of the NFB of Minnesota was certainly felt. There will be more funding for mass transit, legislators and public officials are alerted to a possible problem between the State Department of Corrections and the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, there will be a new and improved State Rehabilitation Advisory Council for the Blind, blind people can use their legal identification in lounges, and the Braille Law will finally be enforced by the Minnesota Department of Education. NEWS FROM OUR CHAPTERS Editor's note: The National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota is truly a statewide organization, with local chapters in communities as far flung as Mankato, Rochester, the Twin Cities, and St. Cloud. As each chapter continues the work of the National Federation of the Blind at the local level and labors to elevate public perceptions and information about the blind, it is helpful to learn about the projects and activities conducted by other chapters around the state. As all of us work to increase our chapter membership and raise the level of chapter activities, it helps to know that each local chapter is not standing out there, all by itself, with no one to turn to for help and encouragement. Through the activities of the NFB of Minnesota, both at the state and local level, we can and often do learn from each other. Mankato Chapter News by Lola Schartel Secretary, Riverbend Chapter Under the capable leadership of our chapter president, Chris Cuppett, the attendance at chapter meetings has grown, and our treasury continues to remain healthy. One fundraising project being conducted by the chapter is the sale of the elegant and artistic calendars being distributed by the Federation's national office. The chapter expects to sell 400 calendars at a profit of $4 each. Members of the Riverbend chapter were excited and pleased to host the NFB of Minnesota semiannual convention on May 1. Our members went out and solicited quite a few door prizes for the convention. We were glad to meet with our fellow Federationists from around the state. Chapter members were pleased with the appointment of Tom Mertesdorf to the Board of Directors of BLIND, Inc. Tom Mertesdorf attended the program at BLIND, Inc.; and because of the training he received there, he was able to return to his job at the Telex Corporation. It is hoped that many more blind people in the area will be able to take advantage of the training opportunities at BLIND. Chapter members continue to speak before schools and other community groups about blindness. Chapter member Bernice Edwards had an opportunity to address all of the students at Grace Christian School. President Chris Cuppett spoke to about 200 Girl Scouts and participated in six workshops for girls in the fourth to sixth grades. News from the Rochester Chapter by Jan Bailey, Secretary-Treasurer More than a few of our members are senior citizens. More important, these people had an opportunity to receive training from the classroom program being conducted in southern Minnesota as a part of what used to be called the SSB Elderoptions program. This has enabled them to share information with each other about the newest and greatest alternative technique one or the other of them might have discovered from the time of the last chapter meeting. Our president, Joe DeBeer, joined the National Federation of the Blind long before many of us were born. He is living proof that just because a person is over sixty-five doesn't mean that life is done with. We were glad to participate in the Day at the Capitol in February. It was a good opportunity for many of us to get a first hand look at the legislative process and also for us to influence the process directly. We are planning to have some discussions with Marilyn Alcott from the Friends of the Communication Center about ways in which blind people can read the local Rochester newspaper. One option would involve reading the paper over a local transmitter of the Radio Talking book. Another would be to set up a dial-in news type of system similar to that in the Metro area. Our membership continues to increase, and we just completed a successful fundraiser selling potato and corn chips. Although the 1993 Move-A-Thon will not be in Rochester as it has in years past, it is our intention to play an active part in this important fundraising project. News from Central Minnesota by Andy Virden, President Central Minnesota Chapter The Central Minnesota chapter is doing quite well. We were proud to host the annual state convention last fall. Combine this with a good fund raiser, a few new members, and a good Christmas party, and you will see why I feel good about the chapter's progress to date. We still have a few things to do, however. Federationists never rest upon their laurels. Like our colleagues in the Metro Chapter, we have been involved in efforts to improve public transportation. As you may recall, there was a speaker at the annual convention from our transit commission, one Tony Kellen. Our new transit station is turning out to be quite useful to a lot of people. Bus riders, including the blind, can have most of their transit needs satisfied in one location, free from troublesome weather conditions. Not only can we catch city buses and transfer between buses at the station, but we can buy tokens, passes, and get general information, too. Even Greyhound buses load and unload at the transit station. You can buy Greyhound tickets. Local people, who know the local bus system, can get off and on the Greyhound and take the local bus home. This can save a lot of cab fare. Our local chapter came out in support of a modest price increase for the local bus system. Chapter members felt the fare increase would help to maintain current levels of bus service. Bus fares in St. Cloud are still less than bus fares in most cities across the country. Riding the bus in St. Cloud is still cheaper than a bar of candy. The Central Minnesota Chapter is participating in another Transit Commission project in its continuing effort to improve bus service in the St. Cloud area. The local Transit Commission has hired a private firm to survey current and future needs of local bus riders. Many different groups of riders were interviewed, about ten people to a group. Bob Albrecht and Andy Virden were among the people surveyed. We expressed our desire to have all buses running until ten or eleven at night and our desire to have some Sunday bus service. The Central Minnesota Chapter was happy to be a part of our Day at the Capitol. We were exceptionally pleased to have as one of our issues the promotion of public transit for all of Minnesota. Another item about bus service in the St. Cloud area is worth mentioning here. The St. Cloud Area Transit Commission serves only the cities of St. Cloud, Waite Park, and Sauk Rapids. There are some blind people who would like the Commission to add bus service for Sartel. The lack of bus service for this township has discouraged some blind people from moving there. If you intend to move to the St. Cloud area and are interested in bus service, Andy Virden and the other members of the Central Minnesota Chapter can provide you with the latest and most up to date information about bus service available in that area. News from Our Student Division by Jennifer Lehman, President Minnesota Association of Blind Students (MABS) The Minnesota Association of Blind Students (affectionately known as MABS) has accomplished much since August of 1992. One of our major accomplishments has been to raise the wages authorized by State Services for the Blind (SSB) for the payment of readers for blind students. We understood that the policy was to pay readers $4.25 an hour, a rate which is hardly competitive in today's labor market. A letter was sent to Mr. Richard Davis, Assistant Commissioner of SSB, explaining our position on this matter. Mr. Davis found that there was no rule governing the amount of money authorized to pay readers. It had simply been standard operating procedure for counselors to provide only the minimum wage of $4.25 an hour. Through our efforts and with Mr. Davis' help, the wage authorized for readers is now $5.25 an hour, with higher wages negotiable if there is difficulty in obtaining readers at this rate. Our fundraising efforts have been very successful. Through such events as Tupperware parties, a fifty-fifty raffle at state convention, and selling chocolate Santas, we were able to raise enough money to contribute to the expenses of four of our members who went to the Washington Seminar. We are planning other fundraisers, which we hope will be equally successful. We have also accomplished a great deal in the area of public education. At our meetings, we have heard from individuals from Offices for Students with Disabilities. The person from Augsburg arranged a meeting between us and her staff so that we could discuss our points more fully. We hope to meet with similar positive responses from such educational institutions as the University of Minnesota and Normandale Community College. Offices for students with disabilities can be of tremendous harm to blind students, particularly those students who have not received proper training in the alternative techniques of blindness such as is provided by BLIND, Inc. It is our goal to show these offices how they can provide services to blind students, encourage independence, and promote a positive philosophy of blindness. News from the Metro Chapter by Peggy Chong, Metro Chapter President Our Metro Chapter continues to keep busy. Each meeting is filled with interesting topics and information that our members wish to know. At our February meeting, we had a panel discussion entitled "Discrimination, Alive and Well." This was presented by three chapter members who have experienced discrimination on the basis of their blindness. Mike Heilman told us of how the dorm where he is staying put a sticker on his door to alert fire officials that a disabled person (him) lived in the dorm and required special assistance. No one bothered to asked Mike if he wanted that sticker on his door or if he needed help in an emergency. In true Federation fashion, Mike took quick steps and solved the problem right away. Today, there is no sticker on Mike's door. Linda Oliva, our chapter secretary, and Tim Aune talked about problems each of them was experiencing with discrimination on the job. Each of them took a different approach to solve their respective problem, and it was interesting for the members to hear about the results achieved. Contrary to what most people believe, it would seem that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is supposed to protect the rights of disabled individuals, often creates more discrimination problems for the blind. The Federation's legislative agenda, both here in Minnesota and in our nation's capital, has been discussed at several meetings. At our February meeting, two of the 17 Minnesota Federationists who attended the Washington seminar reported to us about the issues they worked on in Washington. We heard one story involving a few members of the group who, upon their return to Minnesota, literally ran into none other than Governor Arne Carlson at the airport. Our folks availed themselves of the opportunity to inform the governor about the reasons why they had gone to Washington in the first place. The governor was kind enough to help some of them with their luggage. At our March meeting, we learned about a new issue that had not come up during our Day at the Capitol in February. It seems that if you wish to drink at a bar in Minnesota and you are from another state, your non-driver's ID is not considered a valid form of identification. The NFBM Legislative Committee moved quickly to research and introduce proper legislation to correct this situation. Dick Davis, the new Assistant Commissioner for State Services for the Blind (SSB) has been attending our chapter meeting each month. Federationists are not shy about discussing matters of individual concern with the assistant commissioner, who has shown himself to be extremely responsive and committed to having SSB provide the highest quality of individual service to the blind clients it serves. We continue to read press clippings relating to blindness at our meetings. Many of them lead to interesting philosophical discussions which members, old and new, have found to be of tremendous value. There is always a fundraiser going on in the Metro Chapter. In addition to the Fifty-Fifty raffle which has brought in more than a little money over the years, the chapter does extremely well at candy sales, and our Word Scramble fundraiser has become a tradition at national conventions of the Federation. Every three months or so, the Metro Chapter puts out a little newsletter that we send to as many blind people as we can find in the Metro area. It helps them to know what the National Federation of the Blind is doing and encourages them to join and to be a part of everything that is happening on behalf of blind people. Transportation is always a big item in our chapter. Over the years, we have formed a close working relationship with the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC), particularly with Mike Christenson, formerly the MTC's chief administrator. When Mr. Christenson left the MTC, he took time from his busy schedule to send us the following letter: Metropolitan Transit Commission March 3, 1993 Dear Peggy: Effective March 9th, I will leave my position at the MTC for an exciting new job heading the Medica Foundation. Thank you, Peggy, for your support of both transit and my work over the last two years. The Federation has been an active and understanding partner in improving transit. Please extend my gratitude to all those who have given freely of their time and effort to help us on the streets and at the legislature. On the legislative front, our chief lobbyist, Tom Weaver, has moved over to the Governor's office. Tom Johnson will be the MTC's chief lobbyist for the remainder of the session. I'll have Tom call you for further direction for the important activities ahead. Again, a very personal thanks to you and your colleagues at the Federation. Sincerely, Michael D. Christenson, Chief Administrator As you can see, the Metro Chapter is a busy chapter. We welcome folks from other chapters around the state and even from outside of Minnesota. If you are ever in the Metro area on the third Saturday of the month, please plan to attend the Metro Chapter meeting. Our meetings start promptly at 2:00 p.m., and they are held at the Hennepin County Government Center. YOUR ID PLEASE by Judy Sanders She came from Wisconsin for some Minnesota hospitality. She found the atmosphere unwelcome to a young, blind customer from out of state. Janell was a student at the University of Wisconsin, Stout. She and her friends decided to experience the joys of the night life at the Mall of America. Their youthful appearance required that they show identification. All ID's were accepted, except Janell's. She offered her non-driver's identification issued by the state of Wisconsin and was told it was an unacceptable form of ID in Minnesota. She was angry and embarrassed to discover that her friends would either have to leave her outside or forego an evening's entertainment with her. Most of the entertainment establishments at the Mall of America are managed by one company. Janell and her friends quickly discovered that most of the entertainment establishments would not recognize her non-driver's identification. Her friends stuck with her, and they finally found one establishment that would accept her ID. Janell is not a blind person to take such matters lightly. She began doing her own checking and found out that, according to the manager of one of the lounges, there is a law in Minnesota which prohibits bartenders from accepting non-driver identifications from other states to validate age. Janell could not tackle this problem alone so she called the National Federation of the Blind. We had never run up against a situation quite like this one. Our first reaction was to blame the bar management for being ignorant. However, further research showed that Minnesota did indeed have a law that designates acceptable forms of identification. Acceptable forms of identification include: drivers licenses from any state, passports, and non-driver ID's issued by the Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles. Therefore, the one establishment that did allow Janell to enter was technically in violation of the law. The only solution to this problem seemed to be with the Minnesota Legislature. We found two willing authors in Representative Joel Jacobs and Senator Jane Krentz. They agreed to introduce a bill which would add non-driver ID's from other states to the list of recognized means for age verification for purposes of buying liquor. Eventually, our bill was added to a larger bill that set forth regulations for the liquor industry. Amazingly, our amendment became controversial when a lobbyist for the liquor industry expressed opposition to the idea claiming that non-driver's identifications were too easily falsified. He told Senator Sam Solon, chairman of the committee hearing the bill, that the Minnesota Department of Public Safety was opposed to the idea. Senator Solon responded that anyone who expressed opposition would have to do so for themselves. That ended the controversy. The bill then passed without difficulty. Thanks to the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, young blind people from other states can now use their valid non-driver's identification cards to verify their age. It is a small victory to be sure but one of the growing number of reasons why it is a good thing to have the National Federation of the Blind in your corner. FEDERATIONIST RECOGNIZED During Minnesota Volunteer Recognition Week in April, Curtis Chong, NFB of Minnesota vice president, was recognized by the Department of Jobs and Training (DJT) for his volunteer commitment to blind people in the state of Minnesota. He was one of twelve outstanding volunteers honored by DJT and Governor Arne Carlson at a ceremony of recognition and appreciation. The following was printed as part of an article in the April 1993 volume of Connecting, the newsletter of the Minnesota Department of Jobs and Training: Curtis Chong is chair of the Minnesota Council for the Blind and has served two terms in that position. As such, he has spent a considerable amount of time working for the benefit of blind persons in Minnesota. He also works on the Council's various committees and task forces. He has worked for the SSB (State Services for the Blind) Resource Center and the Employment Committee and has been a participant in the formulation of SSB's administrative rule and updates. Chong also has offered assistance and advice on high level technology for the blind and has been instrumental in developing the qualifications for orientation and mobility, as well as for Braille instructors. BULLETIN BRIEFS Responses from our Day at the Capitol One of the issues we were vigorously promoting during our Day at the Capitol had to do with braille and the obvious reluctance of the Department of Education to implement the Blind Persons' Literacy Rights and Education Act of 1992. We thought that you would like to see two letters written to the Department of Education on our behalf by Senators Don Samuelson and Sandra Pappas. Here they are: Senator Don Samuelson 124D State Capitol St. Paul, MN 55155 February 24, 1993 Commissioner Gene Mammenga Department of Education 550 Cedar Street St. Paul, MN 55101 Dear Commissioner Mammenga: In 1987, the Minnesota State Legislature passed the original braille literacy bill. Unfortunately, the rule which the Minnesota Department of Education promulgated under the first act was contrary to the intent of the original law. It allowed teachers of blind children to avoid teaching braille even if it was demonstrated that the blind student's reading and writing levels were below grade level. As a result of this the Minnesota Legislature amended the Literacy Act last year to ensure that blind children who needed braille instruction would receive it. However, a new rule was not written so consequently the existing rule may in fact be circumventing the clear intent of the Legislature. Would you please respond to the following questions: (1) How many legally blind Minnesota students are braille readers? (2) How many are learning braille? (3) How many students read braille and print with braille as their primary reading mode? (4) How many students read print and do not use braille? (5) Which of these students are reading at grade level? Would you please let me know what can be done to see that the intent of the Legislature in instructing blind children in braille is followed. Sincerely, Don Samuelson State Senator Sandra L. Pappas Senate District 65 State of Minnesota Senate G-24 Capitol Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155 March 19, 1993 Commissioner Gene Mammenga Minnesota Department of Education 712 Capitol Square Building 550 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN 55101 Dear Commissioner Mammenga, It has been brought to my attention by members of the blind community that the Department of Education may not be fully implementing the Blind Persons' Literacy Rights and Education Act of 1992. I am told that the Department is operating under an administrative rule which contravenes the spirit of the Act. It has been said that the administrative rule promotes illiteracy among blind children by allowing teachers of the blind to avoid teaching braille even though the reading and writing levels of the child in question may be below grade level. At a minimum, I would appreciate a written response to the following questions: 1. What specific action steps are being taken by the Department to comply with the Blind Persons' Literacy Rights and Education Act of 1992? 2. In compliance with braille literacy legislation passed in 1987, the Department adopted administrative rules which set forth conditions under which blind children would be taught braille. Please indicate whether or not these administrative rules are still in force within the Department. 3. Among the vision teachers who provide instruction in braille, how many are competent and proficient at reading and writing braille? 4. How many legally blind students served by the Department read print and do not use braille? Of these students, how many read at or above grade level? 5. How many legally blind students served by the Department read both braille and print, with braille as the primary reading mode? Of these students, how many read at or above grade level? 6. How many legally blind students served by the Department use braille and not print? Of these students, how many read at or above grade level? I thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter and look forward to your response. Sincerely, (signed) Sandra L. Pappas State Senator Triathlon Opportunity Editor's note: We have been asked by Steve Porter, a person who says he is "visually challenged," to print the following announcement. I still remember when I completed my first triathlon. As I ran across the finish line, even though I was very tired, the accomplishment felt great. Now that I am planning this year's racing season, I am hoping to extend this opportunity to someone else. Being visually challenged myself, I know how important and invigorating it can be to complete something new. I am looking for a visually challenged partner to complete a triathlon with me, someone who would like to learn and may not otherwise be able to try a triathlon. My idea is quite simple. Complete the swimming portion swimming between myself and another one of my lifeguard friends. (I am Red Cross certified in First Aid, C.P.R., Lifeguard Training, and am a certified Water Safety Instructor.) The biking leg of the race can be done on a tandem bike. And finally, to cross the finish line running right next to me. Training is also important and can be worked out. I am currently taking a university course specifically on "Triathlon Training." If you have any further questions, are interested in the challenge, or have a tandem bike that you are willing to lend, please respond to Steve Porter, 781 Newell Dr., Apple Valley, MN 55124. Volunteer Braille Services: a Service we Should All Know About Editor's note: Peggy Chong, president of our Metro Chapter, had an opportunity to visit Volunteer Braille Services in April to help them celebrate their 25th anniversary. This important braille organization is not well known by a lot of blind people. Here's what Peggy has to say about her visit: On Thursday, April 22, five Federationists took the bus out to Robinsdale to attend the 25th anniversary celebration of Volunteer Braille Services (VBS). Many other people also came out to wish VBS well. As Federationists, we took this opportunity to educate many of the people there about the Federation and about blindness. We found them very eager to listen and learn. Volunteer Braille Services, after 25 years, is still not as well known to the blind community as it should be. VBS does all kinds of braille transcribing for individuals and organizations. No matter the reason, VBS will braille anything from books to single sheets of paper. If the material is for an educational purpose of any kind, there is no cost. If a person wishes material copied for a Bible class or community education class, that is also done free of charge. Otherwise, the cost is seven cents a page plus $3.50 for binding. This is not a bad deal. One of VBS' new and exciting projects is its twin vision lending library called "Very Bumpy Stories." There are already several hundred titles in the list of twin vision books available for blind parents, blind children, or anyone who has an interest and joins the club. Titles include Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham and the Berenstein Bears series. There are now over 80 braille book titles for older children as well. Not only can this all be done through the mail, but the exciting thing is that finally blind kids can go to a library and browse through the books available, sit and read and check out the books of their choice right there. Jean Zolik says that some of the vision teachers in the Twin Cities have brought their students over to look at the books. There is a small charge to join the book club. It is refreshing to see so many people excited about braille and literacy for blind kids. The folks at VBS are dedicated volunteers who have passed a braille transcribing class. They do quality work and try to get it done as soon as possible. If you would like to find out more about Volunteer Braille Services, talk with Jean Zolik. You can call (612) 521-0732 or write Volunteer Braille Services, 3730 Toledo Avenue North, Robinsdale, MN 55422. A Word About Capable Partners Editor's note: Mike Hanson, who is blind, has asked us to print the following information. Capable Partners is an organization which offers outdoor activities for disabled and non-disabled outdoor sportsmen and women. Since its founding by Jim Hale in the 1980s, Capable Partners has offered hunting and fishing outings for disabled and non-disabled hunters and fishers. These outings are within easy traveling distance of the Twin Cities. Since joining Capable Partners in December, 1991, I have fished and hunted turkeys, pheasants, and geese successfully with them. I have been blind since birth. I have hunted and fished with my family most of my life. I have also fished with friends. I found it hard to convince them that I could hunt safely. I have gotten comments ranging from disbelief to concerns about the danger the person making the comments thinks my blindness creates for fellow hunters. When I said I liked to hunt, Capable Partners encouraged me to hunt with them. They didn't overreact to the safety concerns presented by my blindness. They have provided people to make sure I am shooting in a safe direction and to help me aim more accurately than I can by using sound alone. Capable Partners doesn't assume that limitations are present when they aren't. As a person who has fished everywhere from Wisconsin to western Montana and hunted deer, geese, pheasants, squirrels, and turkeys, I can say that Capable Partners does the real thing when it comes to hunting and fishing. Capable Partners is also very safety-conscious. There has never been an injury in the history of the organization. If you are an outdoor sportsperson who is looking for a chance to hunt and fish with people who know how it's done and how to have a good time doing it, Capable Partners can offer you just such an opportunity. In addition to hunting and fishing, there are many opportunities within the organization to volunteer for everything from fund raising and sharing information about Capable Partners with others to planning activities. Capable Partners is run entirely by volunteers. Money raised goes to pay for activities. Membership dues are $10 per year. You can't find a better value for the money. Capable Partners is a nonprofit organization. Membership dues and donations are tax deductible. If you would like more information about Capable Partners, feel free to call me at (612) 475-9081. Congratulations to Scholarship Winners We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate two scholarship winners from Minnesota. Linda Oliva, who is the competent secretary of our Metro Chapter, won the 1993 NFB of Minnesota scholarship. Linda was awarded a grant of $1,000 plus a trip to the National Federation of the Blind convention in Dallas, Texas. Jennifer Lehman, who serves as president of the Minnesota Association of Blind Students (MABS) and who was recently elected secretary of the National Association of Blind Students, was awarded a ten-thousand-dollar scholarship at the Federation's national convention in Dallas. Congratulations to Linda and Jennifer. Both of you exemplify success. In the true spirit of Federationism, there is no doubt that you will achieve whatever goals you set for yourselves. Annual Convention Coming Soon The 1993 annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota will be held during the weekend of October 29-31 at the Park Inn International, Minneapolis. Room rates for the convention are $55 per night. The members of the Metro Chapter are looking forward to welcoming Federationists from greater Minnesota to the convention. In addition to the usual program items (including resolutions and elections), we will be having our traditional convention bake sale. So, bring your large appetite for those scrumptious baked goods. Persons interested in having resolutions considered by the convention should get in touch with Curtis Chong, Resolutions Committee chairman. It is important that resolutions be presented to the committee chairman in writing before the meeting of the Resolutions Committee, which is scheduled to begin some time Friday evening, October 29. Curtis can be reached by telephone at (612) 521-3202. Look for the formal convention announcement to be delivered to your mailbox. It will provide additional information that you will need. Annual conventions of the NFB of Minnesota are chock full of excitement, enthusiasm, fun, reflection, and serious business. Come and join your fellow Federationists as we shape our own destiny.