NABS Notes | January 2021

“Every day is a chance to begin again. Don’t focus on the failures of yesterday, start today with positive thoughts and expectations.” -Catherine Pulsifer

Welcome to the January edition of our NABS Notes! As the new year is already well underway, we hope that you’ll find time to catch up on all things new with NABS; it is our goal for 2021 that our members find new ways to get involved, express themselves, and learn something new along the way. Read on to learn more about our upcoming events and updates from committees. In this edition you will find:

A Message from the Board
January Blog Post
January Episode of the NABS Now Podcast
Committee Updates
Stay Connected—NABS Social Media

Starting 2021 Off Right

NABS is thrilled to be back in 2021, stronger than ever and with some exciting events on the horizon. We sincerely thank everyone who made the NABS At Large Seminar, held on January 9 and 10, a success. It was a pleasure to be joined by close to 100 wonderful students, 20 esteemed mentors, and a wide array of dynamic speakers. Let’s keep this momentum going! See below for what’s coming up next.

NABS Events for Washington Seminar

Make sure to mark your calendars for our two virtual NABS events at Washington Seminar, both taking place on February 8. Please note that neither event involves a registration fee or the collection of any attendee information. Simply come and enjoy!

10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST. – NABS Winter Seminar
8:00 PM to 10:00 PM – NABS Unmuted

You can check out the Washington Seminar agenda for more details.

Register for the 2021 Midwest Student Seminar

In addition to Washington Seminar, don’t forget to register for our Midwest Student Seminar. Our theme this year is “Marching Towards Your Authenticity.” The seminar will take place March 19 and 20, 2021. This virtual program is dedicated to equip students with the knowledge and expertise to emulate their authentic selves in all facets of life, including academic settings, the workplace, and social environments. You can register today and make sure to pay your $25 registration fee before March 1. If finances are at all a concern, please don’t hesitate to email NABS 1st Vice President Kenia Flores to discuss alternative options.

January Blog Post | Braille with Five Fingers

If you yourself are a braille reader or you are simply interested in the concept of braille, this month’s blog post was written for you. Delve into a unique story on how braille changed one student’s life forever for the better. We hope you’ll remember to thank all those in your life who encourage independence through the advocacy of braille literacy; happy Braille Awareness Month!

January Episode of the NABS Now Podcast | Ready, Set, Goal

The NABS Now team wishes you and yours a very happy and healthy 2021! Keeping with the spirit of the new year, this episode focuses on goals, motivation, and what is needed to make those accomplishments happen. Certified coach Haley Sumner shares tips and advice for creating goals, getting and staying motivated, and what to do if a goal is not reached. We hope you find this episode helpful as you navigate your 2021 resolutions. Thank you to special guest Haley Sumner. Created and produced by 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

Pumped About our Projects!

The NABS Outreach Committee invites you to tune in for the second season of the NABS Now Podcast, and join us in celebrating the conclusion of a wonderful first season, which aired throughout 2020. We also hope you’ll drop by The Student Slate, the official blog of the National Association of Blind Students, where you’re bound to learn something new! While you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to stay up-to-date on newly released content. Each month features a new post covering an exciting topic; we’d love to share whatever tips and tricks our students reveal with you. Intrigued by our latest initiatives? Learn more at our next committee meeting, taking place on Sunday, February 14 at 8:00 PM EST. For questions on how to get involved, email Committee Chair Nina Marranca.

Crushing 2020 Goals & Facing Down 2021 Resolutions!

The NABS Fundraising Committee is in the midst of its busiest season. We congratulate our four 2020 Fantasy Football champions, three of whom are first-time competitors and one of whom is only 10 years old! We also thank those who helped us fill our Super Bowl Roulette board and wish you all the best of luck on February 8. Currently, we are finalizing details on NABS Unmuted, a social event to be held at the 2021 Washington Seminar, which includes our online, annual auction, launched on January 18! We also invite all students to join us in promoting our “Braille Rockstar” shirts, created and produced by Blind Girl Magic, a privately owned company. For more information about these endeavors and how you can support the work we do, please join us for our next committee meeting, taking place on Sunday, February 14 at 9:00 PM EST. For questions on how to get involved, email Committee Chair Robert Parsons.

Gearing up for Accessibility: Washington Seminar and Beyond

The NABS Legislative and Self-Advocacy Committee is currently devoted to helping students prepare for the 2021 Washington Seminar! No matter where students live, we should all actively participate in the work of our state affiliates when advocating for blindness legislation with Congressional members, and the LSAC committee is here to offer all the support we can. In addition to our four recently identified legislative priorities, we continue to build our repository of student accessibility stories to help with ongoing public education. Our #StudentAccessMoments campaign on social media has been extended to March 1st with the goal of gathering more stories. Interested in advocating for more change? Join our next committee meeting, happening on Sunday, February 21 at 8:00 PM EST. For questions on how to get involved, email Committee Chair Justin Salisbury.

Diversity in the New Decade

The NABS Diversity and Inclusion Committee would like to offer a special thank you to all who participated in the January membership call, where we discussed separating the art from the artist. In other news, the Biden administration has expressed an interest in passing the Equality Act, which features many encouraging non-discrimination protections. Additionally, February is African American History Month, a time for “paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.” Take advantage of the opportunity to learn something new and celebrate diversity this month and every month! Interested in taking a role in our latest work? Learn more at our next committee meeting on Sunday, February 21 at 9:00 PM EST. For questions on how to get involved, email Committee Chair Monica Wegner or join the committee GroupMe, where members coordinate our activities.

And don’t forget our monthly membership call, taking place on Sunday, February 28 at 9:00 PM EST!