

THE BLIND NEW YORKER
WINTER SPRING, 1991


NEWSLETTER OF THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
OF NEW YORK INC.

                         
BETH HATCH-ALLEYNE, EDITOR
1063 EAST AVENUE, #6
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK  14607
(716) 271-4825


DAVID AROCHO, PRESIDENT
600 WARREN STREET, APT. 4
ALBANY, NEW YORK 122008
(800) 356-7713
                         


THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND;
IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES.



COPYRIGHT NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND



From The Editor:

Welcome to my first issue of The Blind New Yorker! I want to thank
those of you who sent items and ideas for articles for this issue.

  I also want to thank Mr. Rodell Lawrence, and  Brunswick Tape
Media Inc.   for their help in the pro- duction of the print and
cassette editions of this newsletter.

  My job is to inform you of  events and issues that concern blind
people of our state.

  I cannot continue the success of this issue without your help. I
am planning now for future articles and announcements. Please send
me any suggestions, corrections, articles, or ideas for Around the
State. You can write me at:  

     1063 East Avenue, #6,
     Rochester, NY 14607. 

Or you may call me at:  (716) 271-4825. 

With your help, we can make the Blind New Yorker better and better!

                           -----------

Buffalo Workshop Gets Union:
The Blind Continue To Fight For Justice
                      By Beth Hatch-Alleyne

Most of you are probably aware of the wonderful news from our
friends in Buffalo who voted in a two to one majority to unionize
the workshop at the Blind Association of Western New York on July
27, 1990. Members of the National Federation of the Blind of
Buffalo, including Edna Rouse, Betty Wilson, Vincent Tagliarino,
among many others, worked with representatives of the International
Service Employees Union, Local 200C, in the culmination of activity
leading up to, and proceeding the union drive.

  We join in solidarity with the members of the Buffalo chapter in
the belief that every blind person has the right to work and to be
treated as a first-class citizen.

  Under the scrutiny of agency heads who threatened workers would
lose their jobs and/or social security benefits if they supported
the union, the organized blind prevailed.

  The wages at the workshop were deplorable. On a good day,
employees make $2.51 an hour; on a bad day wages are as low as .50
an hour.

  The working conditions in the workshop were unhealthy, and not
conducive to high production. Employees worked in a windowless
room, with no air conditioning.

  The blind workers most involved in the union drive were employed
at the paper products division; the rest worked at the sewing
division.

  The paper products division of the workshop makes expandable
business file folders for a government contractor in Durham, North
Carolina. The paper products division was employing 45 workers
until 30  workers were laid off in mid-November of 1990.

  Agency officials and workers acknowledge that production problems
continue to plague the workshop.

  Agency officials contend the workshop was losing money, and blame
the lack of profit on blind employees. New equipment brought in to
increase, purportedly, the production of every blind employee could
not prevent monetary losses.

  Workers believe mismanagement, and a lack of quality control are
the reasons for the workshop's financial decline. 

  Workers did not receive enough training on the new equipment.
Employees were given three days of training; if they did not
produce what the agency considered enough files, blind employees
were sent back to manual production and were replaced by sighted
workers.

  Quality control inspectors who would ensure no rejected products
would leave the workshop were eliminated by the agency in 1988.

  Agency officials have been quoted as saying, "We don't care about
the quality, just pack them," according to Edna Rouse, an employee
at the workshop, and a member of the negotiating committee working
with the agency and the International Service Employees Union.

  Workers were accused of stealing file folders. In 1988, agency
personnel accused workers of stealing one skid, or four thousand
file folders. Workers had been allowed to take home rejected files
for their personal use. When the agency could not find the files,
the blind were blamed for their loss.

  The agency did not tell workers the Government Services
Administration, in 1988, had changed its standards for paper used
to produce the files.

  A rational person might wonder why the agency did not tell blind
employees about the new GSA standards for paper used to make the
files if it wanted its workshop to be profitable.

  In April of 1990, a local group of employees from the workshop
and other employees of the agency called Foresight, A Coalition for
a Better Blind Association, (now part of the National Federation of
the Blind of Buffalo), organized a demonstration for better wages
and working conditions outside the agency. On April 9, 1990,
Foresight invited the media to report on the efforts of the
organized blind to push for equality, security, and opportunity for
blind employees.

  A foresight member contacted the International Service Employees
Union soon after the demonstration, and asked for its help to
better conditions for the blind of western New York, said Betty
Wilson, a co-founder of Foresight.

  The members of the National Federation of the Blind of Buffalo
and Foresight, including Shirley Lazich, Edna Rouse, Betty Wilson,
and Jesse Lee III. and Rick Williamson of the National Federation
of the Blind of Rochester, went to work recruiting union members in
the work shop.

  Agency officials continuously threatened that employees would
lose their jobs and/or social security benefits if they supported
the union, right up to the time the vote was taken.

  The thrill of victory was overshadowed by the layoffs of 30
employees in mid-November of 1990. Although the union could not
prevent workers from losing their jobs, workers received two weeks
notice they would be laid off.

  The agency blames blind employees for the layoffs, noting it
could not keep thirty people on staff after the Government Services
Administration rejected one hundred thousand file folders.

  Joan Simon, Vice President of Community Relations at the Blind
Association of Western New York made the following comments to me
in preparation for this article:  "We don't think employees have
beenthreatened or harassed at our facility. They voted for a union.
They did what they thought was right, that is the American way. We
have a good relationship with the union. We are working to get the
jobs back of those who were laid off. We didn't want to lay off any
of our workers, but when one hundred thousand file folders are
rejected, obviously we had to cut production and cut our staff."

  It remains to be seen how  willing the agency is to work to
change its attitude about the blind, negotiate with the Union, and
work with the National Federation of theBlind.

  Though the workers now have a union, there is much work to be
done. The union is now negotiating to get the workers' jobs back,
and then it plans to tackle working conditions, wages, and other
collective bargaining activities.

  On July 27, 1990, employees of the workshop at the Blind
Association of Western New York won a stunning victory, a victory
that is living proof of the philosophy of the National Federation
of the Blind!

  As Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, our distinguished National Executive
Director has said: "...We are no longer willing to be second-class
citizens. We know who we are, and we will never go back."
                           -----------

Philanthropy Is One Thing,
But Money IS Money

The following article appeared in the September 17 issue of People
Magazine, copyright 1990 by Time Inc. Company.

Two Braille Trading-Card Makers Try To Give The
Blind A Feel For Collecting 

With sports card collecting still a growth industry, there's a bull
market that makes anything unusual a potential bonanza. So the
first Braille football card, invented by John Bosworth, 65, and
John Scalice, 48, of Hi-Pro Marketing in Fort Lee, N.J., is a
marketing gambit for their regular card line as well as a
philanthropic gesture.

  The two men tried a test run of cards last year as a sideline to
their cosmetic package-design business. This year they're selling
a 280-card NFL set and scrambling for attention. One Hi-Pro card is
partly in Ibo--native language of Nigeria-born Christian Okoye of
the Kansas City Chiefs. 

  All their cards are embossed, and last year Bosworth joked that
one of them was "so good, a blind person could read it." Thus
inspired, he and Scalice designed a card of ex-quarterback Jim
Plunkett, son of blind parents and a volunteer with blind groups in
San Francisco. It has an embossed picture on one side, Braille on
the other. (The rest of the Hi-Pro set is all ordinary cards.) 

  How will the blind react to the Braille card? Bosworth says they
can feel and understand the embossed picture. But Fran Libowitz,
supervisor of the Braille department of the New York Lighthouse for
the Blind, says "I don't think a blind person can get a real feel
of what the picture is all about." And unlike most sports cards,
the Braille card has little data on the flip side; because of size
limitations, its message says only "Raiders Win Super Bowl XV--Jim
Plunkett named MVP." 

  Hi-Pro may produce more Braille materials, including a card
series on U.S. Presidents. For now, says Bosworth, "We just want to
help. We think it would be great if blind people could say, 'Hey,
there's a sports card for me.' " The company won't object, though,
if some sighted collectors are saying, "Hey, there's a sports card
for my portfolio." According to one collectors journal, even before
the season started, the Braille cards were trading for up to $45 a
piece.

                            ---------

Comments
  
Obviously, the author of this article feels blind people don't
collect anything of value to sighted people.    

  The author's ignorance of what blind people do and do not do is
evidenced by the title, since we it implies blind people must
depend on the benevolence of others to give us a "feel for
collecting."  It may appear cute as a play on words to readers, but
it implies blind people don't share the same hobbies as those who
are sighted.

   Bosworth and Scalice display their arrogance when they say their
regular cards were "so good a blind person can read them." If this
is what inspires them to make an inferior card, not many blind
collectors will spend the $45, an amount much higher than ordinary
cards, to obtain an inferior card.  

  As a blind sports-card collector, I can personally attest to the
value of collecting cards for my personal enjoyment, and the
appreciation of other blind and sighted collectors.

  The reporter wrote that     the cards were made as a
"philanthropic gesture," and said Mr. Bosworth and Mr. Scalice
"want to help the blind."

  Let's not be naive: the cards were made to make money, not as a
"philanthropic gesture" to"help" blind people. If the manufacturers were truly interested in
making a sports-card blind people would appreciate, it should make
the cards larger, as are Brailled versions of Monopoly, and other
games such as those manufactured by the American Foundation for the
Blind. The manufacturers could then leave all the vital statistics
in Braille with the two full action pictures on either side, as is
common in regular sports cards.  It seems from the author's and the
manufacturers point of view, the cards are a novelty; for both the
manufacturers andthe author have fallen into the common trap that
any effort made to give blind people access to printed or visual
materials is helpful, even if it does not meet the standards for
what the manufacturers produce for sighted collectors.      

  While staff at the Lighthouse for the Blind and the manufacturers
debate whether or not a blind person can make sense of an embossed
picture, neither considered asking the blind what we want.  The
market place, not the conjecture of agency and business viewpoints
will determine whether the card is successful.  

  Blind people must decide where and how to spend our money,
regardless of whether we can actually see a picture on a card.

                           -----------

Resolutions

The following Resolutions were past at the 35th annual Convention
of the National Federation of the Blind of New York, held in
Rochester, October 19 to October 21, 1990.

Resolution 90-01:

Whereas, Blind New Yorkers on a daily basis may require access to
public telephones, and whereas, some public telephones no longer
give audible signals to indicate important information such as
"your time is up, deposit more money", and whereas, this lack of
access violates the New York State Human Rights Law and the
Americans With Disabilities Act, Therefore, be it Resolved, by the
National Federation of the Blind of New York State Incorporated,
assembled in the city of Rochester, New York, on Sunday, the 20th
of October 1990, that the Public Service Commission shall take
immediate action to require New York state's, forty-one telephone
companies to provideaudible signals at all public telephones.

Resolution 90-02:

Whereas, economic opportunity is critical to full incorporation
into American Society, and whereas, 70 percent of blind people are
either unemployed or under employed, and whereas, the Business
Enterprise Program is assisting in the attainment of first-class
citizenship through full employment of hundreds of blind New
Yorkers, by participation in the federal Randolph-Sheppard Program, 
 Therefore, be it resolved by the National Federation of the Blind
of New York State Incorporated, assembled in the city of Rochester,
New York on Sunday, the 20th day of October 1990, that this
organization fully endorses and will work with the State
legislature to enact legislation known as "The
Mini-Randolph-Sheppard Act" which will further extend  employment
opportunities for blind New Yorkers.

                           -----------

Around The State

The National Federation of the Blind has been helping blind people
advocate for themselves, and live happy, successful, and productive
lives.
  The following three articles are just a sample of the state-wide
effort to show the public what blind people can do, and what the
National Federation of the Blind means to us.  The following
article appeared in the Newburgh Beacon of November 16, 1990.

  Lucy Carpenter is a weekly columnist for the Newburgh Beacon, and
is the president of the Eastern Orange County Chapter of the
National Federation of the Blind of New York. In this article, she
explains what the National Federation Of the Blind means to her,
and uses her talents to educate the public about blindness at the
same time.

National Federation Of The Blind Day
By Lucy Carpenter

This year Congress passed a resolution declaring that November 16th
be "National Federation Of The Blind Day". It is a fitting climax
for celebrating our fiftieth anniversary.

  It was the year of 1940, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that it
all began. Our brilliant founder, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, professor
of Civil Law at Berkeley University, in California, brought it
together with the cooperation of a group of blind persons from
seven states. They felt that the blind of the nation had to move
forward, out of the dark slump of discrimination and abuse.
  Today, fifty years later, there is an affiliate in each of our
states including Washington, D.C.

  It has been a spectacular change and an advancement for us. We of
N.F.B., are no longer hiding under the cloak of fear, futility, and
discrimination.

  Together, with the Dept. of Labor, N.F.B. has been finding
jobs... fruitful jobs for the blind. 

  In our local IBM facilities, there are at least a half dozen
blind employees. My own husband worked there for twenty-five years.

  Erase the picture of the blind man selling pencils and carrying
a tin cup. More and more of our young people are going into
computer work. There are attorneys, teachers, social workers,
judges, business people, and oh yes, even writers.

  A former student of Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Floyd Matson, has
written a vast history of blindness, "Walking Alone And Marching
Together."" N.F.B. is hoping to place this book in all of our
libraries across the country, including those of our colleges and
schools.

  Our national center is in Baltimore, Md. My husband and I were
privileged to attend a Leadership seminar there in 1980.

  Six months later, we organized our chapter here in Newburgh, the
Eastern Orange County chapter. We are constantly reaching out to
area blind in hopes of being of service to them, and most of all,
to change their views on what it means to be blind.

  We do not think of blindness as a handicap but a state of
inconvenience.

  Most important of all, we blind of N.F.B. need no longer be
ashamed and hide from our blindness. We know now that it is
respectful to be blind. Yes, as Dr. Floyd Matson says in his great
book, we now "Walk Alone And March Together." We have been marching
for a half century and hope to continue for many more years with
greater and greater success.

  We thank Congress for making this a special day. It is a special
day long due the blind.

  No longer are we to be pitied by the sighted world; for as I have
said: IT IS RESPECTABLE TO BE BLIND.

                            ---------

The following Press Release was sent to newspapers in the Capital
District area by Gisela Distel, our state Vice President, and
President of the Capital District Chapter. We applaud her efforts
to educate the public about the capabilities of the Blind, and the
fifty-year history of our movement.

For Immediate Release,
November 12, 1990

For Further Information Contact:
  David Arocho, (518) 459-6259
  Gisela Distel (518) 463-4810

MCNULTY PRESENTS "THE BOOK"

ALBANY, NY: Is it respectable to be blind? Are blind individuals
first-class citizens?

  According to Mr. David Arocho, President of the National
Federation of the Blind of New York State, and Gisela Distel,
President of the Capital District Chapter, the answer is a
resounding yes.

  Congressman Michael McNulty seems to think so, too.          
With McNulty's support, Congress has designated November 16th as
"National Federation of the Blind Day."  The President is
authorized and requested to issue a proclamation on the people to
observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  What better way to celebrate than presenting the Congressman with
an autographed  copy of the history book of the nation's blind,
"Walking Alone and Marching Together"? On November 16, 1990, at
11:00 A.M., in McNulty's office, in the Leo O'Brien Federal
Building on Broadway, the National Federation of the Blind Capital
District Chapter will present the Congressman with his own copy of
this recent publication of the National Federation of the Blind.
For the past 50 years, as now, the Federation's philosophy is
"Given  proper training and opportunities, the  blind of this
nation can compete on terms of equality with  society." The author,
Dr. Floyd W. Matson, emphasizes this philosophy in this hard-cover
book.  No author before Dr. Matson has looked at the American dream
from the viewpoint of blind Americans. This is a landmark book
which will supplement American history collections.

  McNulty emphasizes and promotes a positive attitude and
philosophy about blindness when offering his support to issues
facing blind people locally and nationally.

  The National Federation of the Blind Capital District Chapter
proudly presents Michael McNulty with this accurate history of the
blind movement in the United States.

                            ---------

The following article appeared in the November 16 Niagara Gazette.
Laura Herman, our state Secretary, and a member of the Niagara
Falls Chapter,   notes that although the paper had the right idea,
November 16 was a day for the Blind to celebrate, but it was to
celebrate the half century of work and accomplishment of the
National Federation of the Blind.

Blind Day Recognized With Donation Of Book

Congress has designated friday as National Federation of the Blind
Day to recognize the nation's largest organization for the
sightless. To honor the event, the Niagara Chapter, by way of Rep.
John Lafalce, (D. Tonawanda), will present a book written by two
blind people to the Earl W. Brydges Public Library.

  "Walking Alone and Marching Together", provides a history of
blindness, and the perception of blind people in our culture.

  The Federation, formed in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, is
celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.

  The Federation's goals are to achieve equality, opportunity, and
security, for blind people by way of programs to assist the blind
in obtaining jobs, as well as social functions.

                            ---------

A Reminder From Gisela Distel, Vice President,
National Federation Of The Blind Of New York:

Fulfilling promises made at last year's State Convention is a great
way to  start the year! Before we get too far into 1991, why not
send in your pledge? The N.F.B. of N.Y.S. appreciates your
continued support.

  With you, our message - it's respectable to be blind - continues
to get out.

                            ---------

Dick Carpenter Dies:

We regret to inform you of the death of Richard Carpenter, a long-
time leader of the Eastern Orange County Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of New York, on January 27.

  Throughout his life, Dick lived the philosophy of the Federation.
He asked those who wish to remember him to give generously of their
time, effort, and resources to the National Federation of the Blind
as he so often did.

                            ---------

Moving On:

After a long and hard-fought battle with the State Department, Rami
Rabby will join the Foreign Service, and is now in Washington D.C.
undergoing four months of training before beginning to serve his
country.
  We send him our best wishes, and know he will give his best for
our country, just as he has to the National Federation of the Blind
of New York as New York City Chapter President.

                            ---------

Elected:

Tracy Carcione writes:

On January 20, the New York City Chapter of the National Federation
of the Blind elected the following officers to two-year terms:
President, Carl Jacobsen; First Vice President, Ray Wayne; Second
Vice President, Vivian Yacu; Secretary, Tracy Carcione; Treasurer,
Gerald Carcione; State Delegate, Tracy Carcione; Alternate
Delegate, Bob Kraft; and four Board members: Bob Kraft,
HaroldWenning, Linda Johnsen, andBert Berg.

  We had more good candidates than positions to fill.

                            ---------

From The Capital District Chapter:

This was no turkey! But the prize was.  The CapitalDistrict Chapter held a successful donation drive, thispast
November, to raise funds for the Chapter.  The first and only prize
was a "Holiday Dinner" - a 20 pound turkey and a bottle of Cold
Duck. We had the local Price Chopper grocery store print the
tickets. (The Price Chopper chain has a deal where local
non-for-profit organizations can have fund-raising materials
printed for no charge, if you limit the number of tickets to 400. 
Something to consider when you hold your next chapter fund-raiser!) 
We raised over $300.00 for the Chapter and had lots of fun
spreading the Federation message throughout the area.

Jim Fraser Dies:

Laura Herman writes:

We lost one of our very dear members, Jim Fraser, during the month
of November.

  Jim was a quiet man who did his work, or any tasks assigned to
him. He was always ready to help; We have missed him greatly.

                           -----------
                      
For More Information:

If you would  like more information about blindness, or the
National Federation of the Blind of New York State, Inc.,  please
call the NFB of New York State at: (800) 356-7713. 

Please refer to the following numbers to contact state Divisions
and Committees, or the local chapter nearest to you.

Buffalo Chapter, (716) 681-1645.
Capital District Chapter, (518) 463-4810.
Eastern  Orange County Chapter, (914) 561-5333.
Greater Long Island Chapter, (516) 868-8718.
Mid-Hudson Chapter, (914) 297-5921.
New York City Chapter, (718) 633-4602.
Niagara Falls Chapter, (716) 282-5680.
Rochester Chapter, (716) 342-6036.
Sullivan Chapter, (914) 794-0294.
Syracuse Chapter, (315) 468-2856.

Diabetic Committee, (518) 459-6259, or (518) 463-4810.
Dog Guide Committee, Downstate (718) 539-3982, Upstate (518)
370-1773.
Merchants' Division, (718) 633-4602.
Student Division, (716) 754-7207.

Or Write:
David Arocho, President
National Federation of the Blind of New York Inc.
600 Warren Street, Apt 4
Albany, New York 12208
