[Colorado-Talk] Fwd: Now, I’m going places!

Tue Dec 3 22:42:37 UTC 2024

---------- Forwarded message ---------
*Colorado Center for the Blind*

*Take Charge with Confidence and Self-Reliance*

[image: A smiling young woman wearing learning shades and reindeer antlers
stands to the right of a lighted, colorfully decorated Christmas tree]Ciara
graduates from the Colorado Center for the Blind on Thursday. Yesterday,
she completed her “Drop.” The Drop is the final travel challenge for our
students when we “drop” them in an unknown location and they must use all
the analog skills they’ve been learning and practicing for nine months to
get back to the Center. That means using the sun to sort out cardinal
directions, finding a busy street and then a bus stop, and asking only one
question of the general public.

Sound scary? Ciara felt great when she returned.

"I feel so empowered," she said. "When I came here 9 months ago, I was
afraid to walk down the sidewalk. Now I'm going places!"

“Going” places includes her Monster Route, which she also finished
recently. That assignment requires students to plan a one-day trip on
public transit with four new destinations in four Denver Metro cities. One
of those locations, a restaurant in Denver serving New Orleans cuisine, was
closed when she got there.

“I was walking down the street, smelling something good and thought there
has to be something around here,” she said of the new restaurant she
discovered that day.

“I was so boxed in,” she recalls of her life in small towns in Kansas.
“When I first got here, I couldn’t imagine I could ever do these things,”
she says of the Drop and Monster Route, as well as classes in Tech, Braille
and Home Management. “Now all my ‘can’ts’ have turned into ‘cans.’”

Ciara began posting as Divah Speaks on TikTok in 2020, but didn’t start
sharing her story about losing her vision until 2021. That’s where she
first encountered a supportive community of blind people. That’s also where
she first realized that there could be more for her, and she wanted more
for her life. One of her friends was in training at one of our sister NFB
centers, doing all kinds of things.

“I want to do those things,” Ciara realized, and ultimately decided to come
to the Colorado Center for the Blind.

“Going places” also describes Ciara’s future. She moves into a new
apartment this month. She will work part-time for the Center at our front
desk. She’s active in her church, working in the nursery (she loves working
with the little ones) and serving on the community outreach board. She will
start at Arapahoe Community College next fall. Early Childhood Education,
perhaps?

First, though, she will cook and serve a meal for the entire Center and her
guests. Red beans and rice for about 60 people in all. She’s already in the
kitchen working on it, smiling all the time.

“So many things have fallen into place for me. So many friends. So much
community. Such a family I never had before.”

We believe blind people can do anything, and that with a supportive,
positive community of other blind people they can pursue their dreams, just
like Ciara.

Your donation for Colorado Gives Day
<https://u23754554.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.lofmFcFAaz0i6x0AMaUD1kyj28Irr7g5AeKS5EYd0i7aoUUHs2GrxIhA6EKyUdxGl7T-2FTjZGUgPTpw7dVbF44swUNy6atofE3rDCIOpb7tuNdnTsekt1YJlzS8zMK3m0-JS9_yChoAUWYVun8-2FG8FI0mZlUxmtuJ12MN8PJMjSK4QS7fk5CusFUcAE771vjAELiiX6X-2FzeXf-2FYieMInM1joCAae5XfFZW-2FcxjoMIHLFHccQJJcG5m-2FQHXwdJB8ED-2Fsr5xbnr3HJ5x77R7o6t6PtBuao7ZGd8nwp4HbOQF6gKF-2BrKqg1p4P5Wtyz69CVxtE2UgKhBnBNpYykK6UZnygJENdBZ7qnaUEZ-2FrZRakh-2FS7cUfXonlrR52HM-2FAEsiMtL-2BPecKdelL4suHoZPySDuGcbUn4H3X1bY2UJso1LSNC7jN0-3D>
(Dec. 10) supports our training programs that teach our students to believe
that they can pursue their dreams! All donations between now and Dec. 10
count toward our Colorado Gives Day total, and a percentage of the $1
Million Incentive Fund from First Bank.

Daniel J. Burke, M.S.
Public Relations Specialist

[image: Colorado Gives Day Logo]
<https://u23754554.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.lofmFcFAaz0i6x0AMaUD1kyj28Irr7g5AeKS5EYd0i7aoUUHs2GrxIhA6EKyUdxGl7T-2FTjZGUgPTpw7dVbF44swUNy6atofE3rDCIOpb7tuNdnTsekt1YJlzS8zMK3m0sxTw_yChoAUWYVun8-2FG8FI0mZlUxmtuJ12MN8PJMjSK4QS7fk5CusFUcAE771vjAELiiX6X-2FzeXf-2FYieMInM1joCAae5XfFZW-2FcxjoMIHLFHccQJJcG5m-2FQHXwdJB8ED-2Fsr5xbnr3HJ5x77R7o6t6PtBuaoSFUr0v-2Bm37-2B-2F1JzdHMx0J7c0zXa9rOWjkDw9x161f-2BTtamXBFsUS7OCeVW5VSLE-2BMhfqQTYhOdDJMNxRKdp7w4O1W7fmocQa8muXs1IVEDoZULvhEsC2fRTrfy0YLvrnSGeuXfTZQD1yDGf8Tw8kY-3D>

The Colorado Center for the Blind is a training center and community of
blind and low vision people, proudly affiliated with the National
Federation of the Blind.

We believe blind people can do anything. Every day, we encourage and
challenge each student—and they come to understand their potential as they
build the skills and confidence to live the life they want. Because when
you believe in yourself and experience a thriving community of positive
blind people, nothing can hold you back from pursuing your dreams.

*Phone: *(303) 778 1130
2233 West Shepperd Ave
Littleton, Colorado 80120
United States

*Web:* cocenter.org
<https://u23754554.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.lofmFcFAaz0i6x0AMaUD1kyj28Irr7g5AeKS5EYd0i7aoUUHs2GrxIhA6EKyUdxGl7T-2FTjZGUgPTpw7dVbF44swUNy6atofE3rDCIOpb7tudrU53rHdXSZeqbEhJL7h1F2zL_yChoAUWYVun8-2FG8FI0mZlUxmtuJ12MN8PJMjSK4QS7fk5CusFUcAE771vjAELiiX6X-2FzeXf-2FYieMInM1joCAae5XfFZW-2FcxjoMIHLFHccQJJcG5m-2FQHXwdJB8ED-2Fsr5xbnr3HJ5x77R7o6t6PtBuahVX2B0Wojm24nZtDFmP9T8Yvpj2ZoPcqyaf4YQ8qocAshtIxbW9C5h-2BZR5whSULVhFvJs3xdJX85wGDKiPL12nTH63QzppAG7Fs8cbOp6YQtd0m8ZZHAAGT2nZo6d3CJgcWrref1Na1uol-2FhWDI9ZA-3D>
Facebook
<https://u23754554.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.lofmFcFAaz0i6x0AMaUD1kyj28Irr7g5AeKS5EYd0i7aoUUHs2GrxIhA6EKyUdxGl7T-2FTjZGUgPTpw7dVbF44swUNy6atofE3rDCIOpb7tvpa6Juh9V83OOrKvNgrk2po2Wm_yChoAUWYVun8-2FG8FI0mZlUxmtuJ12MN8PJMjSK4QS7fk5CusFUcAE771vjAELiiX6X-2FzeXf-2FYieMInM1joCAae5XfFZW-2FcxjoMIHLFHccQJJcG5m-2FQHXwdJB8ED-2Fsr5xbnr3HJ5x77R7o6t6PtBuapDDoHi74oUJcJFk9FrUvNMxw0lZngFBE0Wk3cTn6Ix2828G-2FPVqLK-2BdI6Cv9I-2FloQ7kqY-2FcrnnZJl8F-2Fl6nUrcJMKb6WhScAw5LOWOW4hZ4JaNXdpi-2BGHF4-2BwCMeVZCquzt5UFdZGVoXNjqESzpzl0-3D>
Twitter
<https://u23754554.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.lofmFcFAaz0i6x0AMaUD1kyj28Irr7g5AeKS5EYd0i7aoUUHs2GrxIhA6EKyUdxGl7T-2FTjZGUgPTpw7dVbF44swUNy6atofE3rDCIOpb7tupR-2FrkkPYrJ5bYk-2FXazAXm57lt_yChoAUWYVun8-2FG8FI0mZlUxmtuJ12MN8PJMjSK4QS7fk5CusFUcAE771vjAELiiX6X-2FzeXf-2FYieMInM1joCAae5XfFZW-2FcxjoMIHLFHccQJJcG5m-2FQHXwdJB8ED-2Fsr5xbnr3HJ5x77R7o6t6PtBuam3jWn1Fu1-2FB4KhJo0Ls6yMkKh0j1kpGjZRZkR3lqLjc74uY8-2BMMLqiU5nF7Ci-2Beka-2BZk9QecJvvon-2BnsvrtZ4-2FUu6iHi76kLQOv8q-2FlALhlOFp3bNtNTWSqTMpCHhCehGQ2P6skA0caaDCdW5DDo-2F8-3D>
YouTube
<https://u23754554.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.lofmFcFAaz0i6x0AMaUD1kyj28Irr7g5AeKS5EYd0i7aoUUHs2GrxIhA6EKyUdxGl7T-2FTjZGUgPTpw7dVbF44swUNy6atofE3rDCIOpb7tt6DYBy5KYoHlBZ6CPYQ2M7yFCw_yChoAUWYVun8-2FG8FI0mZlUxmtuJ12MN8PJMjSK4QS7fk5CusFUcAE771vjAELiiX6X-2FzeXf-2FYieMInM1joCAae5XfFZW-2FcxjoMIHLFHccQJJcG5m-2FQHXwdJB8ED-2Fsr5xbnr3HJ5x77R7o6t6PtBuaroixb4cgisgSamBlD-2FyA9peHNzii82KHIHR-2FMMyqnsRHN670HKm2xUkKMKBbjBGF2SgU4iHUXyajjb4JZvNqkpSJykzx7H0fL1mDp5OdXmVBOGr-2BrRjuNJiSsV5zxa8BKIkcLoCQV-2Bin8E8z25lyfU-3D>

-- 
Dan Burke

National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Legislative Co-chair

"Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"

My Cell:  406.546.8546
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20241203/3feab20f/attachment.htm>