Fellow Federationists:
It’s already the beginning of summer, and we had a very busy and successful spring! We held our third annual STEM2U event for blind and low vision children, and it was a tremendous success. Maryland students now know that blindness is not an obstacle to studying STEM. We also held a concurrent seminar for parents of blind students, which they too learned to raise their expectations for their children. We finished a very successful state legislative session, attending a couple of bill signings, and worked on numerous individual case advocacy efforts. We had a wonderful Basket and Bag Bingo. We’ve held numerous events at the local level as well. We’re very much looking forward to our first NFB BELL Academy of the summer and the NFB National Convention in the next few weeks. And this summer promises to be as action-packed as ever. Read on for more happenings in the NFB of Maryland.
Success in Annapolis!
The 2025 session of the Maryland General Assembly closed sine die on April 7, and we were very successful. The Maryland General Assembly enacted and the Governor signed into law:
- Increasing the property Tax exemption for Blind Home Owners
- Braille Flags in State-run Veteran Cemeteries Act
- Establishment of a Service Animal Training Grant Program
- Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access (funding)
Sadly, we did not get the following over the finish line, but we will work to do so in the 2026 legislative session:
- Electronic Ballot Return for Voters with Disabilities
- Improving Transportation: Use of Autonomous Vehicles for Persons with Disabilities
In addition, NFBMD testified on over 200 bills, ranging from protecting students’ right to use cell phones for medical and accessibility purposes in school to eliminating medical documentation for MTA reduced fair card eligibility for those who have permanent disabilities like blindness, to strengthen access to accessible information for students, employees, and inmates with disabilities, to ensuring that the blind and those with other disabilities do not suffer from harmful and disproportionate and disparate delivery tax increases, e.g. rideshare, food delivery, grocery delivery, to promoting accessibility in voting and prohibiting additional discriminatory barriers from being enacted for those with disabilities, and many many more.
The General Assembly enacted a very important law this session that established the Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy within the Maryland Department of Disabilities. This important office will provide statewide leadership and supports to Maryland to increase employment, advancement, and retention of employees with disabilities.
We also awarded the 2025 NFB of Maryland Distinguished Legislator Award to Delegate Denise Roberts and Senator Ron Watson for their work on ensuring textbook equity during the 2024 legislative session.
We are very grateful to President Ferguson, Speaker Jones, Senator Simonaire, Senator Attar, Senator King, Senator Love, Senator Brooks, Delegate Ziegler, Delegate Guyton, Delegate Kaiser, Delegate Roberts, Delegate Feldmark, Delegate Wulek, and all those who worked with us to advance our legislative priorities.
Congratulations to everyone who has participated this session. This is what collective action looks like.
Get ready for New Orleans in 2025!
The NFB 2025 National Convention will take place from July 8 – 13, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Marriott Hotel will be the primary location. The NFB Board of Directors also announced that the 2026 and 2027 national conventions will take place in Austin, Texas, and the 2028 and 2029 national conventions will take place in Chicago, Illinois. It’s never too early to start preparing for the largest and most powerful gathering of blind people in America. The 2025 NFB Convention agenda is available at https://nfb.org/convention. Individuals can register on-site if they have not pre-registered, or they can register for the virtual experience at the above link.
NFBMD National Convention Orientation – Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 8:00PM
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland will once again be hosting a National Convention Orientation for Marylanders on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 starting at 8:00PM. All Marylanders who are attending an in-person NFB national convention for the first time or those who just want information about the Convention are welcome. We will be discussing what to expect, Maryland-specific events and activities, and mentoring and getting assistance during the convention.
Click this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/6248138327?pwd=eTZlYUgwR3ZQVVl1dXBLSHcrbml1QT09
Meeting ID: 624 813 8327
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,6248138327#
NFBMD Caucus– July 9, 2025
We will be holding the Maryland Caucus in person during the NFB National Convention, and it promises to be action-packed. Come to meet the NFBMD State Scholarship winners, discuss the resolutions that will come before the convention, and so much more! This is a very important event, so please plan to attend.
We will meet from 8:30 – 10:30PM on July 9, 2025 in Studio 7.
We hope to have a Zoom option for those attending the convention virtually, but as we have no control over the technology and internet connectivity at the hotel, we cannot guarantee this will work out.
Support NFBMD By Donating and Then Getting Stuff
We will be accepting donations in New Orleans at our affiliate table at the Exhibit Hall, and members of the affiliate may also be on hand to receive donations to NFBMD. In appreciation for donations at a certain level, we will offer in appreciation a particular item. You can donate at various levels and can combine levels to get more tokens of appreciation. Here’s what our menu looks like:
- In appreciation for a donation of $1, you can have a snack item.
- In appreciation for a donation of $5, you can get a luggage tag shaped like a crab. This luggage tag is branded with the NFB of Maryland logo.
- In appreciation for a donation of $10, you can receive a pen toolkit. This pocket-sized pen tool includes a flashlight and several multi-tool features. This luggage tag is branded with the NFBMD logo.
- In appreciation for a donation of $10, you can receive an entire back of assorted snacks.
- In appreciation for a donation of $20, you can receive a clear backpack with the NFB of Maryland logo on it. This stadium-approved bag is fun and practical, and it even has an outside pocket for your other stuff.
We’ll also have available the Sorry Try Again raffle, where you can, for a dollar per try, win instantly $1, $5, $10, $20, or some delicious mints.
Crabbing for Student Scholarships
Please purchase your tickets today for the NFB of Maryland Annual Crab Feast. This fundraiser supports the John T McCraw Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to blind post-secondary education students.
When: Friday, September 19, 2025 - 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Where: Rosedale Gardens – 8037Philadelphia Road - Baltimore, MD 21237
Tickets are $85 each if purchased before August 31, or $95 afterword’s. Children 6 and under are free.
Special Promotion: Buy or Sell 25 or more tickets and get your ticket FREE!
Dancing, 50 / 50 Raffle, Door Prizes, and more.
Menu Includes:
Steamed Crabs, fried chicken, beef Bar B Que – All You Can Eat!
Plus a Buffet of Entrees Including Maryland-style crab soup, corn-on-the-cob, other sides, salad, fruit, cake…
Yuengling and Miller beer
Carbonated Beverages, iced tea, and Coffee
To purchase tickets, visit http://www.nfbmd.org/crabs.
For additional information contact me at (443) 426-4110 or email President@NFBMD.org
NFB Scholarship Finalists Announced!
We are delighted to have two students from Maryland chosen as part of the 2025 NFB National Scholarship Class.
Millie Rivera will be working towards a Masters in Theology and Biblical Studies at either Moody Theological Seminary or Trinity Theological Seminary. Millie is a TenBroek fellow, having won a previous scholarship. Millie is in her second career after retiring as an attorney from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Millie is a member of the NFB of Maryland Board of Directors and Chapter President of the TLC Chapter. Millie is also a graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
Akliesia Teshome will be entering her junior year at Boston University, where she is studying Business with a focus on Data Informatics. Akliesia is well known to many of us, as she was in several of our youth programs, including the Maryland Mentoring Program. Akliesia is also a graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
Congratulations to them both. You’ll meet them at the NFB National Convention!
NFBMD John T. McCraw Scholarship Finalists
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland is pleased to announce that this year, three students have been selected as 2025 John T. McCraw Scholarship finalists. Shuketha Johnson will be attending Coppin State University working toward a dual Masters Degree in Addiction Counseling and mental health counseling. Shuketha intends to work toward ending intergenerational addiction. Shuketha is a Board Member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter.
Oso Ozo-Onyali will be a junior at the University of Delaware, studying Psychology and Criminal Justice, with a minor in Disability Studies. Oso is a Board Member of the Maryland Association of Blind Students.
Iva Rakic is an incoming Freshman at the University of Maryland College Park. She will be studying Civil and Environmental Engineering. Iva moved to the United States just two years ago. She is new to the Federation but has already joined the Sligo Creek chapter.
They will all be attending the NFB National Convention in New Orleans and the NFBMD State Convention in Ocean City, so you will have the chance to get to know them. They will receive their NFBMD scholarships of $4,000 each, at the state convention in February provided they remain eligible. We are thrilled with this year’s scholarship class and know you will be impressed as well.
2026 State Convention Theme Contest
Each year, we choose a State Convention theme that is representative of our hope, priorities, or expectations for the convention and what comes after. Recent themes have included: “Lead, Love, Live,” “Expect Much, Give Much, Get Much!”, “Celebrating our Stories, Defining our Future,” “Rise Up,” “Focus Forward,” and “Reconnect, Reimagine, Reignite.”
We use the theme to inform the opening ceremonies, tie together the presidential report, and hold seminars and other activities.
If you have a suggested theme, please call, text, or email it to me by July 31, 2025. The person whose theme is chosen will get a free banquet ticket for the 2026 state convention.
Please email me at President@nfbmd.org.
The BELLs Toll Once Again in Maryland!
The NFB BELL Academy provides children with Braille and nonvisual skills instruction through fun, hands-on learning activities. The NFB BELL Academy—which stands for National Federation of the Blind Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning®—is a nationwide summer program that prepares blind and low-vision children to grow into confident and independent blind people who live the lives they want. Activities at NFB Maryland BELL are provided in a day program. In addition to Braille crafts, games, and other engaging projects, children learn vital independent living skills, interact with blind adult mentors, and enjoy field trips to sites related to the NFB BELL Academy curriculum. Through these activities and interactions, the children learn that blindness or low vision does not define them or their future.
The NFB BELL Academy is appropriate for blind and low vision children ages four through twelve who:
- Do not receive enough Braille and nonvisual skills instruction in school
- Could benefit from more Braille exposure over the summer
- Would enjoy connecting with blind role models
The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland is offering three in-person sessions, including:
- A one-week NFB BELL Academy session in Southern Maryland from June 23 – 27, 2025;
- a two-week in person NFB BELL Academy session in Baltimore, Maryland, From August 4 – 15, 2025;
- a one-week in person NFB BELL Academy session in Salisbury, Maryland, in partnership with Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, From August 4 –8, 2025.
To register for the NFB BELL Academy, visit: https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-bell-academy. For questions, contact NFB of Maryland NFB BELL Academy Coordinator Garret Mooney at james.garret.mooney@gmail.com.
Pay Your 2025 Dues!
NFBMD maintains an online portal for individuals to pay their chapter and division dues. We are asking members to pay their 2025 dues by January 15, 2025 so we can ensure that our rolls are accurate for State Convention voting.
Individuals may use NFBMD’s Dues Portal to pay their 2025 annual dues and/or lifetime membership dues for those chapters that have lifetime membership. The portal lists all NFBMD chapters and divisions and their dues amounts. Individuals may pay for as many chapters and divisions as they wish. The portal is located at http://nfbmd.org/dues. Alternatively, individuals may mail a check to their chapter or division treasurer.
Individuals may also pay their chapter dues at the Registration Table at the State Convention.
Please note that those paying via the online portal will incur a small processing fee.
Important Upcoming Dates
- June 23 – 27, 2025 – Southern Maryland NFB BELL Academy, Southern Maryland, Maryland
- July 8 – 13, 2025 – NFB National Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana
- August 4 – 8, 2025 – Salisbury NFB BELL Academy, Salisbury, Maryland
- August 4 – 15, 2025 – Baltimore NFB BELL Academy, Baltimore, Maryland
- September 19, 2025 – NFBMD Crab Feast, Rosedale, Maryland
- October 1 – 31, 2025 – Blind Equality Achievement Month
- November 15, 2025 – NFBMD Scholarship Dinner and Auction, College Park, Maryland
- November 16, 2025 – NFBMD Winter Market, Baltimore, Maryland
- January 22, 2026 – NFBMD Day in Annapolis, Annapolis, Maryland
- January 25, 2026 – Washington Seminar Great Gathering In, Washington, DC
- January 26, 2026 – NFB of Maryland Day on the Hill, Washington, DC
- February 12 – 15, 2026 – NFBMD 2026 Convention, Ocean City, Maryland
- March 1, 2026 – Preregistration opens for NFB National Convention
- March 13, 2026 – Basket and Bag Bingo, Catonsville, Maryland
- March 31, 2026 – Deadline for National Scholarship Applications.
- March 31, 2026 – Deadline for NFBMD Scholarship Applications.
- Spring TBD, 2026 – NFBMD STEM2U, Baltimore, Maryland
- May 31, 2026 – Deadline to Preregister for NFB Annual Convention, Austin, Texas