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The Pathfinder |
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Whereas, Joanne Wilson founded and served as the first executive director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind; and Whereas, since 1985, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has been a model for all rehabilitation centers serving the blind and has produced countless leaders in the organized blind movement; and Whereas, the center's belief in, and work toward, the goal of providing blind people with proper training has allowed hundreds of blind Americans to live the dream of becoming employed, owning a home, starting a family, and being active in their communities; and Whereas, although Joanne Wilson has moved on to other endeavors, her influence continues to be felt each time the Freedom Bell is rung for a current or former student who has met another goal in his or her journey toward independence; and Whereas, members of the National Federation of the Blind and all blind Americans have expanded opportunities because Joanne Wilson had a vision and was willing to do the work necessary to make that vision a reality: Now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this eighth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that we honor Joanne Wilson for her pioneering work on behalf of the blind of Louisiana and the nation; and Be It Further Resolved that we recognize that in building the Louisiana Center for the Blind, Joanne has paved the way for future generations of Federationists who will continue the work of changing what it means to be blind. WHEREAS, Louis Braille, born in Coupvray, France, in 1809, is recognized throughout the world as the creator of the system of raised dots that allows blind people to read and write effectively; and WHEREAS, Braille's contribution to literacy for the blind makes it more likely that blind people today will achieve independence and become productive members of society; and WHEREAS, despite this fact, there seems to be a lack of commitment to Braille literacy in our nation's schools; and WHEREAS, this lack of commitment is evidenced by the fact that less than ten percent of blind children are taught to read and write Braille. By contrast, research demonstrates that more than 90% of employed blind people use Braille; and WHEREAS, increasing the Braille literacy rate is a key factor in helping the blind to become employed and productive; and WHEREAS, 2009 will mark the 200 th anniversary of Louis Braille's birth, and legislation has been proposed that would recognize his contributions by issuing a commemorative coin in his honor; and WHEREAS, issuance of a commemorative coin to recognize Louis Braille will also support a nationwide campaign to promote Braille literacy; and WHEREAS, every member of the Louisiana delegation to the 109 th Congress of the United States has signed on as a co-sponsor to this important legislation: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this ninth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that we commend and applaud our members of Congress for their effort to insure that all blind children receive a quality education that includes training in Braille. Whereas, Rodney Alexander has represented Louisiana 's fifth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2003; and Whereas, during his time in Congress, Rep. Alexander has been a champion of the rights of blind people throughout Louisiana and the nation; and Whereas, he has demonstrated his support of the blind by requesting special appropriations for NFB Newsline® and by taking the lead in protecting funds earmarked for rehabilitation services following Hurricane Katrina; and Whereas, Congressman Alexander understands that with proper training and opportunity, blind people can compete on terms of equality with their sighted peers, and he continues to partner with the blind to make those possibilities a reality: Now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this eighth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that we honor Representative Rodney Alexander for his past contributions to achieving security, equality, and opportunity for the blind; and Be It Further Resolved that we look forward to many more years of workig with him to change what it means to be blind in Louisiana. WHEREAS, in 2005 Louisiana was devastated by two major hurricanes; and WHEREAS, following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, hundreds of Federationists contacted the NFB of Louisiana with expressions of love and support; and WHEREAS, along with their good wishes, many in our Federation family sent donations intended to assist blind people throughout the state; and WHEREAS, as a result of the generosity shown by our brothers and sisters across the country, we have been able to assist blind people throughout the affected area as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this ninth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that the members of our affiliate thank all those who gave so generously when we needed so much; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will continue to support blind people throughout our state in their efforts to recover from these devastating natural disasters. WHEREAS, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) is the state agency designated to provide rehabilitation services for blind and disabled people who live in Louisiana ; and WHEREAS, funding for rehabilitation services is provided through a formula grant from the U. S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, with matching funds from the state of Louisiana; and WHEREAS, monies awarded but not utilized to serve blind and disabled LRS consumers must be returned to the federal government at the end of each fiscal year; and WHEREAS, in the past LRS has returned funds that could have been used to support additional programs and services for blind and disabled Louisianans; and WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana, through its Louisiana Center for the Blind, is continually developing new programs and services designed to increase the likelihood that blind and visually impaired people will become successfully employed; and WHEREAS, a lack of funding often stymies the implementation of these much needed programs; and WHEREAS, it is permissible to grant rehabilitation dollars to worthwhile programs that serve LRS consumers seeking employment, rather than returning unused funds to the Rehabilitation Services Administration; and WHEREAS, utilizing unused rehabilitation dollars to fund new and innovative programs for LRS consumers would likely increase the number and quality of successful employment outcomes in the state: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this eighth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that we call upon the director of Louisiana Rehabilitation Services to develop a mechanism by which we can receive notice that the agency intends to return unused funds to the Rehabilitation Services administration; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we be allowed to submit proposals to offer services that would effectively and efficiently utilize those funds, while providing quality rehabilitation services designed to improve employment outcomes for LRS consumers. WHEREAS, NFB Newsline® is a telephone based service that allows blind and other print disabled subscribers to access more than 200 daily newspapers, including five that originate in Louisiana; and WHEREAS, the service is available to subscribers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; and WHEREAS, NFB Newsline® can be used by high school and college students to conduct research, by blind professionals who need to stay informed about issues that may effect their jobs and their homes, and by senior citizens who want to remain plugged in to their communities after substantial vision loss; and WHEREAS, adequate funding is crucial if the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana is to continue offering this valuable service; and WHEREAS, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) has always been a strong financial partner for NFB Newsline®, often supporting the project through funding from the older blind program; and WHEREAS, in the most recent budget year, LRS has found it necessary to decrease overall funding for the services we provide to older blind people in the area we serve; and WHEREAS, this overall reduction has forced us to make service choices that include spending fewer dollars from the older blind program on the NFB Newsline® project; and WHEREAS, while this choice was necessary in order to maintain quality services for our older blind consumers, it has created the need to seek funding from outside sources at a time when most foundations and service organizations are concentrating their resources on hurricane relief: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this eighth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that we commend Louisiana Rehabilitation Services for its unwavering support of NFB Newsline®; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon LRS to recognize that access to the vital information this service provides is beneficial not only to older blind people, but to transition and working-aged blind and print disabled consumers as well, and to work with our state leaders to develop and implement a plan that will allow for adequate funding of the project without relying exclusively on monies granted through the older blind program. RESOLUTION 2006-07 WHEREAS, n ational surveys have estimated the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities to be as high as seventy percent; and WHEREAS, access to job information by computer is now becoming commonplace in schools connected to the Internet, Job Service offices, professional and vocational preparation and training programs, and the growing number of one-stop employment and training service centers; and WHEREAS, people who have difficulty using computers for any reason could be left behind. Accordingly, persons who are blind, individuals with significant visual impairments or dyslexia, and those unable to travel to job-service centers will certainly benefit greatly from "America's Jobline," which can give them an effective means of obtaining 24-hour-a-day access to the same job listings that can be seen on computer screens; and WHEREAS, America 's Jobline utilizes the same technology as NFB Newsline®, but Jobline may be accessed by everyone, regardless of disability. Therefore, all consumers of rehabilitation services can benefit from having access to this innovative service; and WHEREAS, Jobline allows subscribers to search for jobs, develop a resume, and apply online with employers who have job openings; and WHEREAS, Louisiana does not currently participate in America 's Jobline; and WHEREAS, members of the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services both have a strong commitment to finding new ways to assist disabled people with their efforts to find and maintain quality employment; and WHEREAS, a decision to participate in the America's Jobline Program would have only modest fiscal implications, but would allow thousands of disabled Louisianans to access all the jobs posted in Amerca's Job Bank: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana in Convention assembled this eighth day of April, 2006, in the City of Ruston that we urge Louisiana Rehabilitation Services to work with our state leaders to develop and implement a funding plan that will grant access to America's Jobline to all disabled persons in the State of Louisiana by 2007.
National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana, Inc. |
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