Need info regarding this year’s BPI convention schedule? The website has lots of information you will need for the week – hotel, transportation and schedule info. Visit http://blindlgbtpride.org /convention for details.
Don’t forget to share that page with your social media networks by clicking the share buttons at the bottom of the page!
It’s time for Blind LGBT Pride International elections!
The open seats this year are: president, treasurer, board member-at-large 3 and the 9th board seat created at 2013 convention. You may nominate yourself or someone else for one of these positions. All info is due by May 15, 2014 by 5:00 P.M. EDT in order to be included on the ballot.
Send your completed nomination forms and/or questions to elections@blind-lgbt-pride.org.
*note: You must be a member in good standing before submitting your forms.
The Justice Department has filed a Statement of Interest in private litigation pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, David New v. Lucky Brand Jeans. In that case, plaintiff has alleged an ADA violation based on Lucky Brand Jeans’ use of touch-screen point-of-sale devices that do not allow individuals who are blind to independently enter their private personal identification number when making an in-store purchase using a debit card. Among other things, the Department’s Statement of Interest addresses the proper framework for evaluating the title III ADA claim at issue in this case.
To find out more about the ADA or statement of interest, call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA.gov website.
2014 BPI Convention Scholarship
Application Process, Requirements, & Criteria
Blind LGBT Pride International, BPI is thrilled and delighted to announce that we will be offering the first ever Scholarship, to attend the annual ACB national Conference & Convention,
which will be held in Las Vegas Nevada this year!
Our 2014 recipient will receive round trip airfare to Las Vegas, lodging, our BPI Convention Package, which includes tickets to all BPI sponsored activities, 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 7, 2014, NO LATER than11:59 PM EDT. The recipient will be named on May 21.
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 April 7, 2014:
– at least 18 years of age, a BPI member in good standing, and 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 2014 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 April 6, 2014.
The 2014 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,
– all ACB General Sessions, and
– the ACB Farewell Banquet.
Essay Details –
Please submit a 500 word SA 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?
Dear BPI Members & Supporters:
Blind LGBT Pride International (BPI) is a special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind (ACB). The purpose of Blind LGBT Pride International (“Blind Pride” or “BPI”), a 501c (3) organization, is to provide for the betterment of the lives of those who are visually impaired and who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, around the world. By working with other blindness organizations and organizations in the LGBT community internationally, BPI will do our part to foster a greater understanding of LGBT issues in blindness organizations and also bring greater awareness of the issues and concerns facing visually impaired people who are also part of the LGBT community.
Each year BPI holds its annual convention in conjunction with the national convention of ACB, which boasts an attendance of over 2,000 attendees! The BPI convention is a time for its members to gather in a safe environment to explore many equality issues involving people who are blind, and also to learn more about our role within the LGBT community. This year, our national convention will be in Las Vegas from July 10 to 18. To help us offset the cost of the convention, we will be holding a silent auction during the convention week. We are looking for donations of products and services we can utilize for our first ever auction. Please keep in mind that we will have participants from all over the United States and other countries, so tangible gifts, or services which can be redeemed within a large region would be most appreciated. Further more, the retail value of your donation is tax deductible. One of our committee members will be in touch with you within this week, so we can discuss the best way for your company or organization to be the most valuable partner possible in assisting us to bring greater awareness of people who are blind in the LGBT community and also to bring greater equality for people who are part of the LGBT community within blindness organizations like ACB.
We look forward to working with you on this exciting project to assist us our organization in organizing the only gathering of its type in the world involving people who are blind or visually impaired and part of the LGBT community. We will recognize your donation through our various social media outlets and on our website. Recognition will also be given on our list of donated auction items in our conference program which will be the on- site guide to the Convention provided to all attendees. For further information please contact Richard Marion by email atmember2@blind-lgbt-pride.org.
Sincerely,
Guillermo Robles
BPI President
Recently Inside Out eNews had a chance to correspond with Bradley Chippington, the creator of the invisible Campaign. Below is an excerpt of this conversation.
Inside Out eNews: Brad, can you tell us what is the Invisible Campaign?
Bradley Chippington: I began to feel disheartened that there are few campaigns of awareness for (gay) male domestic violence cases. There is more promotion for heterosexual abuse but very little for gay or bi-sexual abuse. However just because it is not being paid attention to does not mean that it isn’t happening. In fact ManKind Initiative state that there are double the case of gay or bi-sexual male cases of abuse than that of heterosexual male abuse.
My research engendered me to create the Invisible campaign. Focusing on male victims, predominantly in same sex relationships. ‘Invisible’ is how it feels being in a relationship like this, your family sometimes doesn’t know. You’re invisible to the general public, as a male walking down the road with bruises and cuts over your face you’re more likely to be looked at as someone who as been in a fight or up to no good. Not as someone that may be suffering inside.
Inside Out ENews: What raised your intrest with gay male domestic violence?
Bradley Chippington: My interest in domestic abuse in male relationships was ignited by my own experiences in an abusive relationship between 2010/12. My then partner engendered some of the most emotionally exhausting experiences of my life.
As I look back the warning signs are obvious from the beginning of our relationship, but I still fell madly in love with him. He maintained the high life lifestyle in a penthouse apartment, by escorting and appearing in porn films. He was completely the opposite of everything I was brought up to not be and instilled excitement into our relationship.
However after some time of being with him the excitement failed and only torment remained. I was threatened with my life from knives to shards of glass being slashed towards me. I’ve pulled him down from hanging himself. Every time I tried to break up with him he would lash out in violence or anger. Stabbing himself, trying to stab me. He pushed drugs into our relationship and as a crutch to his abusive nature I turned to them for relief and a means of escape.
There are countless events that I could talk about but to summarise my experience would include the following words: Verbal abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse engendering a vicious circle of entrapment. Suffice to say I was able to get out of the relationship, but not before I was hospitalised a few times.
Inside Out eNews: That’s so Horrific! As you said, this happens daily and we cannot picture it because we sweep it under the rug where no one can see…So this project is a way of making this issue better known.
Bradley Chippington: Yes, exactly! ‘Invisible’ is built from my initial project ‘Trauma’ which touched on the personal aspects of my experiences and the emotions this conveyed. The project is generally themed as a bolder, bloody piece that concentrates on destruction and violence.
Inside Out eNews: What is the overall goal you want for this campaign?
Bradley Chippington: I want the work I create to contain a reflection of my own experiences but to build on the experiences of others. Currently I envisage a series of short films and a collection of posters, which have been designed for the victim as a method of communication saying “there is support out there and this is what you can do”, and also others aimed at awareness to the general public.
Inside Out eNews: Where can people find out more about the Invisible Campaign?
Bradley Chippington: The website www.invisiblecampaign.com has recently gone active. Plus a Twitter feed @invisible_DV which both work side by side to show people the work that I am producing for this project but to also hopefully allow people a gateway which directs them to support groups.
Inside Out eNews: We encourage you to visit Brad’s Invisible Campaign website and to follow the campaign on Twitter! We wish to thank Bradley for allowing us a peek into this project . We know it will be beneficial to pulling back the veil on this dark secret by shedding light on it!