NABS Notes – January 2022
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Welcome to the January edition of our NABS Notes! Whether you’re zipping up your parka to fend off the chill or braving the world in just a hoodie this winter, the contents of this edition of NABS Notes are bound to send a shiver of excitement up your spine. We predict 2022 will have plenty to offer in the realm of NABS news, so we invite you to utilize this collection of resources in order to prepare yourself for all that NABS has in the works. So, take some time to read up on all things new and exciting in our student movement, and reach out to anyone in NABS leadership with questions. Read on to learn more about our upcoming events and updates from committees. In this edition you will find:
Announcing the 2022 NABS Winter Seminar
•Reminder to Register for the 2022 NABS Midwest Student Seminar
•January Blog Post
•January Episode of the NABS Now Podcast
•Committee Updates
•Stay Connected | NABS Social Media
Announcing the 2022 NABS Winter Seminar!
Attention all students, educators, young professionals, and curious minds. Although we’re sad to not be seeing you in-person this February, we in NABS cannot wait to kick off this year’s Washington Seminar with our annual Winter Seminar, taking place on Monday, February 7 between 10 AM and 12 PM EST! Regardless of where you tune in from, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to connect with blind students from across the country, learn from successful blind professionals, hear about scholarships and internships, and prepare for your upcoming Congressional meetings.
Follow this registration link to receive the Zoom information via email, and buckle up for what is bound to be an energetic and informative meeting for all!
Reminder to Register for the 2022 NABS Midwest Student Seminar
We in NABS are here to remind you that you still have time to register for the 2022 Midwest Student Seminar, taking place in the great state of Illinois at the Holiday Inn Chicago O’Hare Area, from March 18-20, 2022.
As many of you know, this will be one of our first National Association of Blind Students in-person events since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are ecstatic to gather with some of our NABS family once again. The ever-changing state of our world over the last two years has been an immensely difficult time for many, and we hope that this year’s seminar, fittingly entitled “Back in Action,” provides attendees with the opportunity to learn and grow alongside many students from across the region who find themselves in similar situations.
The registration link for our event is below, and we invite you to get registered anytime between now and the closing of our registration window on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 11:59 PM CST; however, we would like to point out just a few things before you let excitement get the best of you.
•The city of Chicago has recently placed restrictions on restaurants and other public establishments, based on vaccination status. While there will most likely be more information released in the coming weeks regarding this policy, its practices, and its exemptions, we know we will be conducting a majority of our programming in such spaces. Please acknowledge before filling out this form that the lack of COVID-19 vaccination for non-disability or religious reasons may significantly limit your ability to participate fully in our programming or prevent participation altogether.
•Please also note that, in addition to this policy, all attendees will need to submit proof of a negative COVID test within 60 hours of our event’s start, regardless of vaccination status. This proof will need to be submitted to a designated party no later than noon on Friday, March 18, 2022. Additionally, masks will be required during any/all 2022 Midwest Student Seminar activities.
•Each attendee is responsible for a $100 registration fee, payable to NABS, which will cover meals throughout the weekend as well as administrative expenses necessary to support this event. We encourage you to proactively reach out to your vocational rehabilitation agency and/or National Federation of the Blind state affiliate to help offset this expense. This fee is due by the time registration closes on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 11:59 PM CST. Until we receive both your registration form response and this fee, your spot is not guaranteed.
•Finally, we will not be assigning roommates for this event. We are more than happy to support you in finding a roommate if you require assistance, which you can indicate on the registration form linked below; however, if you do not either take the initiative to procure a roommate or reach out for assistance, you will be responsible for the hotel expense of $109 + applicable taxes and fees for each night of the event.
Please take the time to get registered for the 2022 Midwest Student Seminar, and let the excitement begin!
January Blog Post | The Power of Popular Kitchen tools
This month’s blog post will have you running for your kitchen. Authors Lindsay Kerr and Nina Marranca make cooking sound easy, fun, and accessible. We hope you’ll try some of their tips and maybe even share some of whatever you create!
January Episode of the NABS Now Podcast | Beginning Blindness Skills Training – Deciding If it is Right for You
Blindness skills training offers an opportunity to develop the skills necessary for independence during college and beyond. While we know training is beneficial, deciding if this type of program is right can constitute a challenge. In this episode, we sit down with our students who have all completed blindness skills training at the various training centers located across the United States. Finally, we discuss how to come to this important decision and what that decision means for you. We also combat a few of the stereotypes surrounding who should participate in blindness skills training.
Thank you to special guests Erin Daring, Gene Kim, and Ammar Ahmad Tarin.
Created and produced by Kinshuk Tella, Melissa Sprouse, Nina Marranca, and Seyoon Choi.
Are you interested in assisting with the planning and production of the NABS Now Podcast? Email Nina at: ninam0814@gmail.com for more information.
Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or see our Anchor page for more ways to listen!
Committee Updates
March into Spring with the NABS Outreach Committee
With no interest in competing with Super Bowl LVI for your attention, the NABS Outreach Committee will not be meeting during the month of February.
Please join us for our next committee call, taking place on Sunday, March 13 at 8 PM EST, and reach out to committee chair Nina Marranca with questions on how to get further involved.
Full Force Forward for February Fundraising
The NABS Fundraising Committee is moving full speed ahead as we enter the month of February, but before the sense of Fantasy Football victory fades for the year, we want to congratulate our league champions for the 2021-2022 season and thank all those who participated, making this Federation competition a great success. We also invite anyone and everyone who isn’t too tired of football to get in on 2022 Super Bowl Roulette. This excellent way for football fanatics and commercial connoisseurs alike to support NABS, have fun, and get the chance to win big can be all yours for just $5 per square! With the possibility of walking away with up to $75, you won’t want to miss out. Contact NABS Treasurer Elizabeth Rouse at elizabethrouse.nfb@gmail.com anytime before the big game on Sunday, February 13 to get in on the action!
We are also thrilled to announce that our Washington Seminar Auction went live on Monday, January 24 and will remain open for bidding until Wednesday, February 9 at 11:59 PM EST. Whether beauty is your best friend or you are a copious coffee consumer, you won’t want to miss out on the fantastic items we’ve collected this year as we are bound to have an item that strikes your fancy. Please also feel free to share our auction with your friends and family!
Please note that there will be no February meeting of the NABS Fundraising Committee, but you are wanted and welcome to join us for our next committee call, taking place on Sunday, March 13 at 9 PM EST; reach out to committee chair Logan Stenzel with questions on how to get further involved.
Encouraging, Inspiring, & Empowering: A Conversation Surrounding MLK’s Message
The NABS Legislative and Self-Advocacy Committee took time to reflect on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a wonderful advocate and leader during the Civil Rights Movement, at this month’s meeting. After listening to one of MLK’s speeches, our committee discussed the values we hold central in our lives as well as some of the opportunities we hope to see ahead. We hope that you enter 2022 bound and determined to “be the best of whatever you are.”
Please note that there will be no February meeting of the NABS LSAC because of student involvement in Washington Seminar, but you are wanted and welcome to join us for our next committee call, taking place on Sunday, March 20 at 8 PM EST; reach out to committee chair Elizabeth Rouse with questions on how to get further involved.
New Year, New Intersections
The NABS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee has had a blast with attendees of NABS on Shuffle, our biweekly chill hour with rotating musical themes. From serious cultural conversations about songs to intense conversations about geography, we invite you to join us every other Monday at 9 PM EST.
Please also join the NABS DEI Committee for our next committee call, taking place on Sunday, February 20 at 9 PM EST, and reach out to new committee chair Sara Luna with questions on how to get further involved.
… And don’t forget our monthly NABS Sound Board, taking place on Sunday, February 27 at 9 PM EST!
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