[NABS-L] December RISE Call: Too Blind to Leave, Too Sighted to Stay

[Kaleigh Brendle]

NABS,

We hope you’ll join the Advocacy Committee in attending the upcoming RISE
call being held on Wednesday, December 18th at 8 PM Eastern focusing on
adjustment to vision loss. Blind professionals who have navigated that
journey will be present to share their stories, and there will also be time
for discussion so that you can ask any questions you might have or share
your own experiences. The link to register and additional information about
the call can be found below. Please reach out to Joe Orozco, Program
Coordinator of Project RISE at rise at nfbv.org with any questions. Best of
luck on finals!

Best,
Kaleigh

***
Too Blind to Leave, Too Sighted to Stay

Why learn Braille if I can still read print? Why pick up a cane when I can
just pick up and go? And perhaps the most important question: Why be blind
when I can still see? It’s a persistent gray area that makes us feel like
we don’t belong in either world.

In October we kicked off our virtual series with learning all about
assistive technology that could help us be more productive at school and
how to advocate for it. This month we’re taking a step back and
acknowledging that in order for assistive technology, reasonable
accommodations, and accessibility to make sense, we have to recognize these
items apply to us at all.

If you are a blind or low vision high school or college student, please
join us for an evening of personal stories from seasoned blind
professionals who went from seeing everything to losing it all. Also learn
from young adults who are still navigating this space, because as you may
suspect, you are not alone.

Accepting your blindness is a huge leap. No positive philosophy in the
world is going to make you feel better about it overnight, but perhaps, by
creating a safe space where you can share your experiences and ask
questions, you might learn to come to terms and start to learn ways to
genuinely advocate for what you need. For this hour, you don’t have to
pretend. You can be yourself. You just might learn a few things about
yourself and come away from the discussion with a more solid foot, not as a
member of any one community, but rather, as an informed participant of the
world at large, however you choose to shape it.

Date: Wednesday, December 18

Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Eastern

Format: Virtual, Zoom details will be provided after registration.

The way you think about blindness affects everything, including the way
others treat your blindness. Acceptance doesn't mean giving up. It just
means opening yourself to new possibilities and ways of doing things and
creating your new normal. Think of blindness skills like learning a new
language. The sooner you embrace them, the more fluent you become. Whether
it's Braille, screen readers, or mobility techniques—these aren't just
tools, they're your bridge to independence.

But, maybe you’re not ready to hear that?

That’s okay. As counterintuitive as this may sound, this means you’re the
perfect candidate for this dynamic discussion, no matter your sight acuity.

Are you at least a little curious? Good. Please register below. We can’t
wait to talk to you soon.

https://nfbv.org/rsvp

Yours in service,

Joe Orozco, Program Coordinator

Project RISE