Membership related
At this year’s Blind LGBT Pride International conference and convention, three new board members were elected during the annual meeting. The members would like to welcome:
Sarah Wilds as the new Treasurer;
Dennis Sims as the new member at large 3; and
Rob Hill as the new member at large 4.
Will Burley was re-elected as president.
We look forward to working with the new board members for the next two years!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Will Burley
Company: Blind LGBT Pride International
Address: 5010 Echo Lane, Unit A
Los Angeles, CA
Phone: (832) 779-1729
Email: vicepresident@blind-lgbt-pride.org
URL: http://blindlgbtpride.org
Blind LGBT Pride Congratulates Gabriel Lopez-Kafati for Obtaining His MBA
Los Angeles, CA – Gabriel Lopez-Kafati graduated with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Management, from the Andreas School of Business at Barry University in May of this year.
The faculty and staff of the Andreas School of Business selected Gabriel to speak to his graduating MBA class due to his achievement within the degree program and his volunteer efforts outside the classroom. Gabriel has also obtained membership in Beta Gamma Sigma – the international honor society for collegiate schools of business.
“Blind LGBT Pride International is very fortunate to have Gabriel among its members and as a part of the board of directors,” states Will Burley, vice president of the organization. “His talents will benefit Blind Pride as well as the American Council of the Blind (ACB) family as a whole.”
Founded in 1976, Barry University’s School of Business provides high-quality academic programs for undergraduate and graduate students in an inclusive and caring environment. They strive to maintain the most rigorous standards while providing an intimate setting that is dynamic and conducive to learning. The School of Business is accredited by AACSB – International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), which has been described as the “gold standard of accreditation” for business schools. Their holistic approach to business education results in a challenging academic experience that stimulates you to grow and become a responsible business practitioner and leader. To learn more visit http://www.barry.edu/business/.
Blind LGBT Pride International is a special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Its mission is to promote the equality and inclusion of LGBT people who are blind or vision impaired by providing its members and allies a forum to promote access to and integration into the LGBT communities as well as to provide a means of expression for the views and concerns of LGBT vision impaired persons in the broader society. To learn more please visit http://blindlgbtpride.org.
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The BPI Elections Committee will host the 2014 Candidates’ Forum on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. PDT, 4:00 P.M. CDT AND 5:00 P.M. EDT.
This will be an opportunity for members and friends to listen and ask questions of the individuals seeking the open seats of president, treasurer, board member-at-large 3 and the 9th board position created last year.
Please take the opportunity to find out what vision these candidates have for the forward movement of Blind LGBT Pride International!
If you have any questions, please visit www.blindlgbtpride.org/contact and choose to email the Elections Committee.
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.
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?
BPI Members and Friends:
As we get ready to usher in 2014, it is my hope that this Holiday season has been filled with the best in family, friends, and all that is good and positive around you. Whenever this time of year comes around, I can’t help but reflect on where things are, how things have been, and the future that lies ahead. The past 16 months of my presidency have definitely been an enlightening and enriching learning experience. I will admit that there have been times when I have asked myself what has been accomplished during this time. Though they may not seem like much, our accomplishments keep paving the way for a better BPI.
As with any organization, no organization can exist without an honest representation of its membership. As such, a long and arduous process was taken to ensure an accurate count of Blind Pride’s membership. It was during this time that BPI, along with other affiliates under the American Council of the Blind, (ACB) worked diligently to implement an online database for the certification of members.
This year, Blind Pride’s membership voted to broaden its membership criteria to those allies who support Blind Pride’s mission statement. No matter your vision status, or sexual orientation, we have added membership classes to fit your situation. Whether you are a Regular, Student, Associate, Supporting, or Lifetime member, we now have a place where all are welcome. For more information visit:
http://blindlgbtpride.org/joinrenew-membership/.
While on the subject of ACB, we have ensured a more active and unified collaboration with other affiliates within ACB during our annual conference and convention. Topics covered ranged from federal rights for BLIND and LGBT individuals, entrepreneurship, and successful transitioning for students in all phases of education and/or employment.
Lastly with regard to membership, BPI saw growth with the chartering of Blind LGBT Pride of Texas at our annual convention.
In the area of Public Relations, BPI was consulted by author Brandon Shire who has written a gay erotic fiction novel entitled Afflicted in which the main character happens to be blind. As a result of this consultation, the author acknowledged Blind Pride in his book. Secondly, BPI’s social media presence became more active than ever, thereby expanding the international part of our name both on Twitter and on Facebook. Finally, our web presence saw improvements in hopes that our page is more streamlined. We have even made our site more interactive by implementing a blog where members and the public may post comments. We continually use these powerful tools to gather information of interest for our members on a worldwide scale. We will continue to work with LGBT oriented media outlets to ensure that their publications and services are made accessible to those that wish to have access.
In other developments, BPI was proud to make history as we added a ninth board position, that of 2nd Vice President. We also elected our first international Board Member At Large from Canada. Speaking of elections, following the ratification of amendments to BPI’s constitution and bylaws in 2012, those not able to attend convention were able to vote electronically for the first time this Past July. This is certainly a major milestone for BPI as we continue to provide tangible services to our members.
This brings us to the present times. The past few months have allowed us the opportunity to focus our efforts in fund-raising and programming for BPI. Both the Fund-raising and Programs Committees are working together to ensure a successful conference and convention next year, but also to ensure viable ways to engage in successful fund-raising for the future.
What is in store for BPI in 2014? Looking ahead, we plan to find more ways to implement tools for education and outreach purposes. Our hope is to continue to work with other affiliates within ACB, as well as LGBT related groups in the regular mainstream society to dispel any myths out there, and make people aware of the needs that face this very unique community of blind LGBT individuals. One of the many questions that is often asked by members of the blind community is what does our group have to do with blindness? Anything from access to information to legislation, to advocacy, there is so much that goes along with being blind and LGBT. Blind Pride is the only organization of its kind around the world that represents the needs of Blind and Visually impaired LGBT people. Wouldn’t it be exciting to offer a service where someone can go to, either online or by phone that would provide a centralized information and referral service pertinent to people who are blind and LGBT in their community? Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could provide scholarship opportunities for those interested in higher education? Or, an awesome youth mentorship/alliance program that would engage youth in the interchange of each other’s lives? You see, it is awkward enough being blind, but then to be blind and LGBT, trying to fit into a “regular” way of living where you’re constantly having to adapt to day-to-day norms is totally a different, yet challenging experience. This exchange would not only improve social skills, but would do wonders for both the psychological, as well as the educational well- being of our youth.
All of these ideas, as well as any other programs and future endeavors take time, maybe some research and volunteering, and yes, even your much needed contributions. Your donations are very much needed. Blind Pride is a 501C3 organization, and your contributions are tax deductible. No contribution is too big or too small. You can pay securely by credit card using PayPal. Visit
http://blindlgbtpride.org/donate/.
Alternatively, you can make a check out to Blind LGBT Pride International. The address is:
Blind LGBT Pride International
c/o: Guillermo Robles
5010 Echo Street, Unit A.
Los Angeles CA, 90042.
In closing, I just want to thank those who have supported the work of BPI. As I said in the beginning of my letter, these have been interesting times, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Here’s to all the best that 2014 can offer. May you and your loved ones have a blessed and happy new year.
With Much Pride,
Guillermo Robles
President, Blind LGBT Pride International