In 1996, a group of members within the American Council of the Blind believed a voice was missing in the organized blind movement – that of individuals who were lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. This small group held the first of four annual informal meetings to begin discussion of the needs of the vision impaired glbtq population; these gatherings also began to ponder what it would mean to build a path forward to getting their voices heard by the broader community. During the ACB convention in Los Angeles in 1999, a decision was made to apply for formal status as a special interest affiliate.

On February 20, 2000, the ACB Board of Directors approved the request for affiliation of the members of Blind Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or BFLAG. The affiliation certificate was presented during the first general session of the ACB convention that year in Louisville, Kentucky. . Rob Hill became the first president of the new organization.

BFLAG continued its growth in Houston, Texas in 2002, and Connie David was elected as president. Many of the local Houston LGBT volunteers became members, and the week was very successful.

The next year saw a great deal of hard work pay off for the members as BFLAG earned its 501c(3) status, and a new logo was created. These two events made it much easier to promote the work and objectives of BFLAG, and this lent the organization strength in pursuing donations. Our organization also received the Growth Award by ACB for having the highest percentage of new members for 2003.

2008 saw even more growth as BFLAG reported its 200^th member as well as the formation of four affiliates – BFLAG Washington, D.C., BFLAG Texas, BFLAG Tulsa and BFLAG Mid Atlantic.

2009 saw more growth for BFLAG, as our name was changed to Blind LGBT Pride International or BPI. This was also the year that board meetings became open to the public, providing more transparency to members, allowing them to have firsthand knowledge of how organizational business was conducted.

As we enter into our 15^th year of existence as a special-interest affiliate, we can be proud of the work that has been done to further the advancement and inclusion of people who are blind or visually impaired and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. We must also continue to ask ourselves, what we can do to further our goals and reach more individuals with our powerful message.

As members of BPI, we are part of the only organization in the world dedicated to the issues experienced by those that are LGBTQ and blind and vision impaired. We can continue to be the leading special interest affiliate as LGBT baby boomers begin to age into vision loss.

According to a study released by the American Foundation for the Blind in 2008, by 2030, rates of vision loss will have doubled along with the country’s aging population. Blind and Vision Impaired individuals who are LGBT face a number of particular concerns as they age. Several studies document they are less likely than their straight sighted counterparts to access adequate health care, affordable housing or other social services that they may need; this due to attitudinal barriers, institutionalized discrimination, and a lack of access to safety net programs. As an active member and advocate dedicated to social justice and equality, you will have the opportunity to collaborate in a joint effort that works to reverse this pervasive trend.

You belong to a unique organization that strives to make a difference. I invite you to more fully support our continual efforts to eliminate societal barriers while increasing opportunities for those members of the LGBT community who happen to be blind or vision impaired. I look forward to working with you as we head into the next 15 years at the forefront…

The post Happy Anniversary BPI: Fifteen Years at the Forefront appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Accessibility and Innovation Initiative is hosting an event called “Accessing Social Media” on July 17, 2014 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC. The event is free and open to the public. Representatives from government agencies, disability advocacy groups, technology companies and members of the public will discuss tools and best practices for making social media accessible. RSVP to AccSocMedia@fcc.gov, or watch the event live via webcast on July 17. After the event there will be demonstrations of accessible technology solutions in the FCC’s Technology Experience Center.

The post FCC to Host Free Event on Making Social Media Accessible for People with Disabilities appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

After reviewing all applications, and conducting subsequent phone interviews, we are excited to announce that Tiffany Taylor of Farmington Hills Michigan is the recipient of this first ever award!

Tiffany currently serves as Legislative and Advocacy Co—Chair. She also volunteers as a proofreader, speaker and fundraiser for Seedlings Braille Books. She has also served as President of the Disabilities Awareness Group on the Campus of Adrian College. Tiffany holds a Bachellor’s degree in Theater. In the past, she has worked with blind and visually impaired youth in various capacities. It is Tiffany’s hope to empower and educate both blind and LGBT individuals and help bring them to their fullest potential. In doing so, she hopes to bring down stereotypes facing both Blind and LGBT individuals.

As a recipient of this award, Tiffany will receive round trip airfare to and from Las Vegas, lodging at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, BPI’s convention package, which includes tickets to all BPI sponsored activities, workshops, and a ticket to the ACB banquet. The scholarship committee extends their congratulations and best wishes to Tiffany in her future endeavors.

The committee thanks those who applied and encourages those applicants to apply next year.

With Pride,

2014 Scholarship Committee

Andrea Damitio, Chair

Leah Gardner

Geno Stone

Gabriel Lopez

Guillermo Robles, President

The post BPI Announces 1st Convention scholarship Winner appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

Recently, at the national level, we’ve finally gotten the Treasury to make the next generation of paper currency tactilely identifiable for us, we’ve made some kind of noise mandatory so we all can hear a “quiet car” coming, and we’ve got the government working on medication labels that will allow us to know what and when a prescription drug should be taken.  Things we are still working on:  getting Medicare to pay for some of the expensive equipment we need to be able to live independently such as “reading machines”, making sure multi disabled kids are getting the skills needed to be educated and prepared for living and working independently to the extent possible, and working to reduce the 70 percent unemployment rate among blind and visually impaired people.  Believe it or not, there’s still a lot to do.

Here’s how you can participate:

1.  Sign up with the Blind Pride team, walk in Las Vegas or “virtually” anywhere on July 13, and raise money from your friends and family.  (Go to acb.org and follow the link to the Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk to register under the Blind Pride team.

or

2.  Donate to ACB and BPI by credit card online by going to https://walk.acb.org/donation#main-content, or by sending a check payable to ACB to :

American Council of the Blind

6300 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 195

Brooklyn Center, MN 55430

(please be sure to indicate that the check is for the Walk, and that President Guillermo Robles is the solicitor on the Blind Pride team)

For further questions, please visit our contact page at http://blindlgbtpride.org/contact and choose to write the President.

The post Blind Pride Walks in Las Vegas…Say What?! appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

Don’t forget to share that page with your social media networks by clicking the share buttons at the bottom of the page!

The post 2014 BPI Convention schedule appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

The Issue

Since 1975, Public Law 94-142, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), has revolutionized educational opportunity for all children and youth with disabilities. However, without key improvements, our national special education system cannot fully keep IDEA’s promise of a truly appropriate education for students who are blind or visually impaired. H.R. 4040, The Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, is intended to do just that, to improve the delivery of appropriate special education and related services to all students who are blind or visually impaired and deaf or hard of hearing, including students who may have additional disabilities. Once enacted, the legislation will ensure that properly designed and individually tailored services are in fact provided, meeting the unique learning needs of students who are blind or visually impaired, and that the educators who serve them are prepared and supported to do their jobs well, based on evidence-driven best practice.

Strategy

During the next two years, the U.S. Congress may review and amend IDEA as part of Congress’ periodic reauthorization of the law. The Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act can be passed by Congress at any time in advance of IDEA reauthorization, or it can be incorporated, in whole or in part, into reauthorization itself.

Legislative Proposal

ACB and BPI urge the U.S. House of Representatives to promptly pass H.R. 4040, The Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act. This legislation will:

• Ensure that every student with vision loss is properly      identified regardless of formal disability category or classification so      that all students who are blind or visually impaired, including those with      additional disabilities, are counted and properly served.
• Expand knowledge about the scope and quality of      special education and related services provided to students who are blind      or visually impaired through refined data collection that tracks all      students with vision loss, regardless of formal disability category or      classification.
• Expect      states to conduct strategic planning, and commit such planning to writing,      to guarantee that all students who are blind or visually impaired within      each state receive all specialized instruction and services needed by      students with vision loss provided by properly trained personnel.

• Clarify that proper evaluation of students who are      blind or visually impaired includes evaluation for students’ needs for      instruction in communication and productivity (including braille      instruction and assistive technology proficiency inclusive of low-vision      devices where appropriate); self-sufficiency and interaction (including      orientation and mobility, self-determination, sensory efficiency,      socialization, recreation and fitness, and independent living skills); and      age-appropriate career education. Such instruction and services constitute      the Expanded Core Curriculum, the body of services which teachers of      students with visual impairments and related professions are expertly      trained to provide.
• Ramp up U.S. Department of Education responsibilities      to monitor and report on states’ compliance with their obligations with      respect to instruction and services specifically provided to students who      are blind or visually impaired.
• Assist parents and educators of students who are blind      or visually impaired through regular and up-to-date written policy      guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.
• Establish      a national collaborative organizational resource, the Anne Sullivan Macy      Center on Vision Loss and Educational Excellence, to proliferate      evidence-based practices in the education of students who are blind or      visually impaired, to keep special educators current with the latest      instructional methods, and to supplement state and local educational      agency provision of the instruction and services constituting the Expanded      Core Curriculum.

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Democrats

Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)

Patty Murray (D-WA)

Bernard Sanders (I-VT)

Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA)

Kay R. Hagan (D-NC)

Al Franken (D-MN)

Michael F. Bennet (D-CO)

Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT)

Elizabeth Warren (D-MD)

Republicans

Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Michael B. Enzi (R-WY)

Richard Burr (R-NC)

Johnny Isakson (R-GA)

Rand Paul (R-KY)

Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT)

Pat Roberts (RKS)

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Mark Kirk (R-IL)

Tim Scott (R-SC)

House Committee on Education and the Workforce

Republicans

John Kline (R-MN), Chairman

Thomas E. Petri (R-WI)

Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA)

Joe Wilson (R-SC)

Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Tom Price (R-GA)

Kenny Marchant (R-TX)

Duncan Hunter (R-CA)

David P. Roe (R-TN)

Glenn Thompson (R-PA)

Tim Walberg (R-MI)

Matt Salmon (R-AZ)

Brett Guthrie (R-KY)

Scott DesJarlais (R-TN)

Todd Rokita (R-IN)

Larry Bucshon (R-IN)

Trey Gowdy (R-SC)

Lou Barletta (R-PA)

Joseph J. Heck (R-NV)

Susan W. Brooks (R-IN)

Richard Hudson (R-NC)

Luke Messer (R-IN)

​

Democrats

George Miller (D-CA), Senior Democratic Member

Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ)

Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA)

Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX)

Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)

John F. Tierney (D-MA)

Rush Holt (D-NJ)

Susan A. Davis (D-CA)

Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ)

Timothy H. Bishop (D-NY)

David Loebsack (D-IA)

Joe Courtney (D-CT)

Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH)

Jared Polis (D-CO)

Gregorio Sablan (D-Northern Mariana Islands)

Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL)

Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

Mark Pocan (D-WI)

The post Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

Making it Clearer: Medicare Coverage of Low Vision Devices Pending Legislation, Policy Implications, and What You Can Do About It

A Free Teleseminar Jointly Hosted by:

The American Foundation for the Blind

and

The American Council of the Blind

Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 3:00 p.m., Eastern

***Sponsored by HumanWare***

For further information, contact:

Mark Richert, Esq.

Director, Public Policy, AFB

(202) 469-6833

MRichert@afb.net

You are invited to participate in a free national teleseminar jointly hosted by ACB and AFB to learn about recent activities in the U.S. Congress to promote Medicare coverage of low vision devices. We are grateful to HumanWare, www.HumanWare.com, a global leader in low vision and other assistive technologies, for their gracious support which is making this teleseminar possible.

There is no need to register or RSVP for this free teleseminar. To join the call, simply dial the toll-free number below at least ten minutes prior to the March 12, 3pm Eastern, start time. Dial:

1-866-939-3921

Tell the operator that you are joining the “low vision devices” call.

We look forward to a lively discussion with all who are interested in advancing the cause of Medicare coverage for low vision devices and other assistive technologies. During the teleseminar, topics to be covered will include pending legislation in Congress, the array of policy implications of a permanent change in the Medicare program, and how advocates can participate in the policy process.

Background

For decades, the vision loss community has been advocating for Medicare’s coverage of assistive technologies, particularly low vision devices. Currently, Medicare will not pay for any device that happens to use a lens, regardless of whether such device incorporates any other features. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency responsible for the management of Medicare, has ruled that devices, such as low vision devices, that use a lens are excluded from coverage just as are eye glasses or contact lenses except in very narrow circumstances.

Now, for the first time, federal legislation would begin to change this unacceptable national policy by establishing a nationwide Medicare demonstration project to evaluate the fiscal impact of a permanent change in Medicare coverage to pay for low vision devices. The legislation, H.R. 3749, introduced by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), would initiate a five-year demonstration project that would put low vision devices in the hands of Medicare beneficiaries who, after a clinical evaluation by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, can benefit from a low vision device and for whom such devices are medically necessary. The legislation is careful to require that the demonstration project be genuinely national in scope and is explicitly designed to yield reliable data and meaningful results. Once the legislation is enacted and the demonstration project is successfully completed, Congress will have significantly richer data upon which to consider changes to the Medicare program to make coverage of low vision devices, especially the most costly devices, a permanent feature of the program. Precisely how many individuals will receive low vision devices and how many physicians across the country will participate in the demo project will need to be determined by CMS, working in consultation with stakeholder groups, as it develops and implements the project. The legislation makes $12.5 million available for the project over five years.

Advocates are encouraged to contact your members of the United States Congress.

The post Seminar: Medicare Coverage of Low Vision Devices appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

Resolving ADA
Complaints Through Mediation: An Overview outlines the Program, and The ADA Mediation Program responds to frequently asked questions about the Program.

To find out more about the ADA and the ADA Mediation Program, call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or visit its ADA.gov website.

The post Department of Justice Issues Two New Mediation Publications appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

Saying Hello to a Guide Dog Team!

• As tempting as it may be to pet a Guide Dog, remember that this dog is responsible for leading someone who cannot see. The dog should never be distracted
from that duty. A person’s safety may depend on their dog’s alertness and concentration.
• It is okay to ask someone if you may pet their guide. Many people enjoy introducing their dogs when they have the time. The dog’s primary responsibility
is to its blind partner and it is important that the dog not become solicitous.
• A Guide Dog should never be offered food or other distracting treats. The dogs are fed on a schedule and follow a specific diet in order to keep them
in optimum condition. Even slight deviations from their routine can disrupt their regular eating and relieving schedules and seriously inconvenience their
handlers. Guide Dogs are trained to resist offers of food so they will be able to visit restaurants without begging. Feeding treats to a Guide Dog weakens
this training.
• Although Guide Dogs cannot read traffic signals, they are responsible for helping their handlers safely cross a street. Calling out to a Guide Dog or
intentionally obstructing its path can be dangerous for the team as it could break the dog’s concentration on its work.
• Listening for traffic flow has become harder for Guide Dog handlers due to quieter car engines and the increasing number of cars on the road. Please don’t
honk your horn or call out from your car to signal when it is safe to cross. This can be distracting and confusing. Be especially careful of pedestrians
in crosswalks when making right-hand turns at red lights.
• It’s not all work and no play for a Guide Dog. When they are not in harness, they are treated in much the same way as pets. However, for their safety
they are only allowed to play with specific toys. Please don’t offer them toys without first asking their handler’s permission.
• In some situations, working with a Guide Dog may not be appropriate. Instead, the handler may prefer to take your arm just above the elbow and allow their
dog to heel. Others will prefer to have their dog follow you. In this case, be sure to talk to the handler and not the dog when giving directions for turns.
• A Guide Dog can make mistakes and must be corrected in order to maintain its training. This correction usually involves a verbal admonishment coupled
with a leash correction, followed by praise when the dog regains focus and correctly follows a command. Guide Dog handlers have been taught the appropriate
correction methods to use with their dogs.
• Access laws, including the United States’ Americans with Disabilities Act and Canada’s Blind Persons’ Rights Act, permit people who are blind to be accompanied
by their guide dogs anywhere the general public is allowed, including taxis and buses, restaurants, theaters, stores, schools, hotels, apartment and office
buildings.
• Before asking a question of a person handling a dog, allow them to complete the task at hand.
• Remain calm in your approach and mannerisms.
• Never tease a dog.

Have a question that we didn’t cover? Place it in the comment section below and we will be glad to answer!

The post Meeting a Guide Dog Team – Some Words of Advice appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.

1. A small percentage of people have openly negative attitudes that are associated with prejudice, fear, ignorance, intolerance, insensitivity, discrimination,
dislike, condescension, and the like. They subscribe to most of the myths surrounding disabilities, even in the face of documented evidence to the contrary.

2. The vast majority of the American public is neither positive nor negative-toward people with disabilities. Their general reaction is one of massive and
deliberate indifference. They just prefer not to think about disability at all.

3. This indifference is rooted in a perfectly natural psychological phenomenon in which, when we think about or encounter disability, we must think about
and deal with the fragility of our own health and ultimately our own mortality. To do so is unpleasant and uncomfortable for most people.

Avoiding this discomfort has cost us as a society too much. Any indifference, unpleasantness, or discomfort felt, any attitudinal barriers that may have
been erected around the issue of disability must be removed!

Examples of Attitudinal Barriers

Negative attitudes associated with prejudice, fear, ignorance, intolerance, insensitivity, discrimination, dislike and condescension:

* showing a lack of dignity and respect

* shouting instead of speaking in a normal voice

* not making eye contact or face-to-face interaction

* not listening attentively

* interrupting when he/she is speaking

* – showing a lack of patience and tolerance

* – not being sensitive to special needs

* – not acknowledging his/her point of view

* – using inappropriate, non-inclusive language

* – using negative body language and facial expressions

* – disconfirmation

* – lack of acceptance

* – treating adults like children

* – ignoring the person rather than asking if you can assist

* Deliberate indifference:

* – lack of necessary accommodations such as Braille and large print materials, audio information, TTY, assistive listening devices, TV captioning and decoders,
readers, interpreters.

* – not wanting to allow service animal into establishment

* – not introducing as you would others

* – not shaking hands as you do with others

* – not concerned with accessibility issues

* – lack of clear communication

* – not speaking directly to the person

* – being rude or dismissive

* – unthinkingly asking personal questions

* – making him/her feel conspicuous or embarrassed

* – ignoring the person rather than asking if you can assist

Suggestions to Improve Positive Interactions with People Who Are Disabled

Ask the person if they need assistance. And if they do, ask them how you can help them. Offer assistance if you wish, but never insist.

Focus on the person, rather than on their disability.

Use appropriate language.

Listen to them, and do not interrupt.

Treat them as an adult with dignity and respect.

Be patient and polite.

Remember to Just Ask! and then listen ….

A person with a disability is the expert about his or her disability! So as you can see, it doesn’t take much to erase the fear…

The post Dealing with LGBT Attitudinal Barriers Relating to Disability appeared first on Blind LGBT Pride International.