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Blind LGBT Pride International (BPI) is thrilled and delighted to announce that we will be offering the annual Paul Kaplin Memorial Scholarship, to attend the annual
American Counsel of the blind (ACB) national Conference & Convention, which will be held in Dallas Texas from July 3RD – 11TH this year!

Our 2015 recipient will receive round trip airfare to Dallas, lodging, our BPI Convention Package, which includes tickets to all BPI sponsored activities and workshops, and a ticket to the ACB Banquet.

APPLICATION PROCESS –

Note: submissions MUST be received by email at scholarships@blind-lgbt-pride.org,
By May 8Th, 2015, NO LATER than11:59 PM EDT. The recipient will be announced on May 22ND.

*Please answer all questions fully, incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please submit the following information on a cover sheet:

– Name

– Address

– City, State/Province, Country, Zip

– Phone number you are best reached at

– Email Address

– Length of time you have been a member of BPI?

– Include a statement indicating that you are both the following by March 31, 2015:

-at least 18 years of age.

-A BPI member in good standing.

If chosen, you agree to attend all events, and meet all conditions as they have been expressed and posted under the requirements section of the 2015 BPI Scholarship Information located on the official BPI web site at:

www.blind-lgbt-pride.org

REQUIREMENTS

– Must be over 18 years of age.

– Must be a BPI member in good standing, as of March 31, 2015.

-Must have a record of not having attended an ACB Conference and Convention in the past.

-Must be available to schedule and attend a phone interview with members of the BPI Scholarships Committee.

The 2015 BPI Scholarship Recipient will be responsible to –

– Submit a cover sheet as outlined above.

– Submit a 1 page essay as outlined below.

– Write an article for our post-convention “Inside Out” Newsletter,
detailing your experience at the ACB convention, and attendance at the BPI
sponsored activities, & workshops.

Attend the following:

– all BPI sponsored activities & workshops, including the Annual Board Meeting & Caucus,

– A minimum of 3(3) of 5 ACB General Sessions, and

– the ACB Farewell Banquet as well as the keys to convention workshop.

Essay Details –

Please submit a 500 word essay which includes your thoughts on the following points:

– What experience would you be able to bring to BPI, as a volunteer, and
potentially in a future Leadership role?

– How and why would coming to the ACB convention and participating in BPI be of help to you personally?

– What do you hope to gain and learn from the overall experience?

– How do you see yourself using the knowledge that you will gain from this experience to “Pay It Forward” to BPI, and to your fellow members of BPI and ACB?

– BPI is not responsible for any room charges and incidentals that may be incurred during the recipient’s stay.
* – BPI is not responsible for any expenses not specifically outlined in this award package, including, but not limited to, lost luggage, medical expenses, and any expenses related to any unforeseen emergency, or anything
related to any agreement, or situation, which the recipient may incur, or enter into, on their own accord.

*Any questions regarding this scholarship and its requirements may be directed to
Tiffany Taylor at 734-578-7841 or by email at
scholarships@blind-lgbt-pride.org

Blind LGBT Pride International Announces Its 2015 Social Networking Event To Be Held in New York City

BPI Rocks the Big Apple
October 21 through October 25 2015
Holiday Inn Express Manhattan Westside

Following BPI’s tradition of offering exciting Fall events for our members and friends, we are now inviting you to “Rock” the Big Apple with us!
Start planning now to attend this fun filled Social Networking event which is sure to sell out early!!

These are just some of the activities that you will enjoy in vibrant New York City!

Audio Described Broadway Shows
Accessible Museum Tours
Cultural Performances
Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!
Live television Studio Audiences
Iconic Sight Seeing Tours
World renowned restaurants and amazing Street food
General networking opportunities….

Interested in knowing more? Subscribe to the BPI Rocks the Big Apple E-Mail list by sending a blank message to:
rock-the-big-apple-request@blindlgbtpride.org

By subscribing, you will get up to the minute information on developing plans, activities, Hotel and Travel arrangements and more!

For additional inquiries or for questions on how to subscribe, send an e-mail to: bpi-rocks@blindlgbtpride.org

Join the crowd and we’ll all take a giant bite of the big apple in October 2015!

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BPI is a proud special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. We offer advocacy, education, programs, alliances and support for persons who are blind or vision impaired and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. For more information on our programs and activities, please visit us at: http://blindlgbtpride.org.

From, BPI Rocks the Big Apple Planning Team

This “Easy, Almost No Effort Fundraiser” is a way you can help fund your Blind LGBT Pride International Special Interest affiliate without having to do much of anything. You don’t have to ask people for money. You don’t have to participate in any fundraising walks, or sell raffle tickets or yard sales, or anything of the kind. It requires just a tiny bit of information when initially enrolling in the program, and after that, it is on automatic! You don’t have to do anything more!

This is one fundraiser that if it sounds too good to be true, really is true!

In fact, this fundraiser is so good that you can not only help generate much needed revenue for BPI, but you can even help your affiliate’s parent organization, the National ACB, all at the same time!

You can by participating in the ACB’s Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program. You simply enroll in the program and an amount, designated by you and completely controlled by you, is automatically deducted from your bank account or charged to your credit or debit card each month. It starts when you want it to begin and will end upon your request. It is so easy. Once you enroll in the program, there is nothing more you or BPI need to do. Everything is completely handled by ACB’s financial office. If you ever want to change the amount of your contribution, you can by simply contacting our ACB financial office. You can have up to 50% of the net amount of your contribution designated to support Blind LGBT Pride International.

So, by participating in this “Easy, Almost No Effort Fundraiser,” you can support your BPI and the national organization, both at the same time, with a single contribution, two-for-one!

Some members can afford more or less than others, and we certainly realize and respect that.  All we are asking is that you help fund BPI and our national programs with whatever monthly amount you can afford.  We equally value everyone’s contribution.  To give you some idea, currently, contributions range from $10 per month and go all the way up to over $100 per month.

To enroll in the program, just contact  Will Burley at president@blind-lgbt-pride.org  or call the ACB financial office at 1-800- 866-3242 and have Nancy Becker assist you with filling out the required form or have one sent to you, or alternatively, you can access the form on ACB’s website at http://www.acb.org/node/28#main-content.

Thanks for your support of Blind LGBT Pride International!

Four members of Blind LGBT Pride International–Connor Head, Caitlin Hernandez, Megan Miller, and Guillermo Robles–have been working on an original play which is being produced by CRE Outreach, a Los Angeles-based company which hosts the only acting troupe in the country consisting solely of blind actors.  The premise of the play, entitled Losing It, was conceptualized by the blind and visually impaired actors and actresses, who are collectively known as Theatre By the Blind, or, more affectionately, TBTB.  The show was written by Caitlin Hernandez, directed by Greg Shane, the artistic director of CRE Outreach, and assistant-directed by Pelita Dasalla; it opens on November 14th at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica and will run for two weekends.

Losing It follows Sandra Jones, a renowned theater director who is about to spearhead a production of the musical Jekyll and Hyde.  The stars of her upcoming production include a quirky but tender-hearted Russian exchange student, played with both comedy and warmth by Head; a small-town actress with big dreams, played with touching relatability and affecting honesty by Miller; and a famous actor who, as poignantly and vulnerably depicted by Robles, is severely addicted to drugs and uses acting as a way to avoid his demons.  As Sandra Jones struggles to unify this motley cast enough to create a block-buster production, a wrench is thrown into her plans: her vision is deteriorating, causing her to lose sight, not just of the world around her, but of her own goals, aspirations, and self-confidence. Hernandez, who has now written three plays for CRE Outreach, including an original musical, scripted Losing It with the specific intention of crafting characters which were both similar to and different from the actors who would bring them to life.  “Since I know all the cast members well, I get to write with their personalities and talents in mind, and I love that.  For instance, all three of the BPI contingent can sing, so I wanted to take advantage of that and show off their voices.  Connor and Megan were both in the last play I wrote, Walk Me Home, so I wanted to mix things up for them and give them very new, different characters.  But I also wanted to write roles that would retain the things I love most about their acting, like Connor’s silliness and Megan’s ability to play a lot of different emotions. This is Guillermo’s first play with TBTB, and I wanted to write a really edgy, complicated character for him: someone who had a lot going on beneath the surface.”

Robles rose to the challenge and, much to the surprise of all involved, found that he and his character had many things in common.  This has both helped and hindered his acting experience: helped because the emotions he plays become very real, and hindered because those real emotions were often overwhelming.  “When I was growing up, both my mother and my youngest aunt dealt with drug addiction and alcoholism.  From childhood to adulthood, I have been able to see the roller coaster they were on and how easy it was to be sucked into it all.  Like my character, I tried to pretend that everything was all right.  Now that rehearsals for the play are over, I feel like I have a lot more compassion for those facing addiction.  I was able to come to terms with how and what I was raised with.”

Though Miller, to a degree, relates personally to her role as well, she has also enjoyed the chance to step outside herself: “It has been good for me to get out of my comfort zone, and really put myself into this character.  It has really helped me, as an actress, to be challenged to do and say things I wouldn’t normally; it makes me really dig down deep, leave myself behind, and become the character.” Miller also appreciates the benefits of Theatre By the Blind in and of itself: “We’re all treated like people.  Our personalities, talents, and strengths are appreciated and valued for what they are rather than overblown or undervalued because of our visual impairments.  There is no coddling us because we’re blind, no telling us we can’t do something; TBTB makes it possible for us to really shine.” Head, the youngest cast member, not only views his fellow cast mates as friends, but as role models who prove to him daily that blindness is not as much of an obstacle as he sometimes fears.  “I used to think that me being blind was like a factory defect.  I almost began to think that, if and when I lost all my sight, I’d be done, broken.  But after doing TBTB plays, and hearing everyone’s story, I don’t care so much.  I’d rather not lose the rest of my sight, but if I do, then I think I’ll be able to deal with it just fine, because I’ve seen people who have.  If I lose my sight, I’ll keep going, because, simply put, they all did it.  It’s really made me feel much more hopeful for my own future.”

Robles is currently interning for CRE Outreach; he is assisting with the fundraising and planning for an upcoming trip to Wales, which is one of very few other countries to host an all-blind acting troupe like TBTB.  Head, Hernandez, and Miller are also planning on attending.  Through his work with CRE, Robles has been exposed to their other missions as well; these include teaching homeless veterans, at-risk youth, and children with autism.  “I believe that the one thing that joins all three of these targeted groups is that we are constantly striving to improve our lives by learning more about ourselves through theatre,” says Robles.  “For me, personally, it’s a rather unique way in which to educate those who might come to see a show.  It also gives a much-needed break from the everyday goings-on that we face in trying to educate the public.”

Greg Shane, who has worked with Theatre By the Blind for ten years, feels that Losing It, more than TBTB’s other productions, pushes the typical boundaries, both in terms of its content and in the demands it places upon its actors.  “It all comes together in the end, though, because the cast is so supportive of one another,” says Shane.  “TBTB isn’t just another acting troupe; it’s a family where everyone is able to grow, and to encourage the people around them to grow as well.”

Losing It will be performed from November 14th through the 23rd.  A special performance on the 15th will incorporate audio description for blind and visually impaired audience members.  For more information about the production, Theatre By the Blind, and CRE Outreach, please visit www.creoutreach.org. You can also join CRE Outreach on Facebook at www.facebook.com/creoutreach, or follow the company on Twitter at creoutreach.