Good Works Wednesday
A newsletter celebrating ASB progress, programs and people.
At Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, we work every day to help individuals build skills and gain access to the information, experiences and resources they need to live the lives they wish to lead. We are an agency for anyone, anywhere on the vision loss continuum and offer education, training, community-based enrichment opportunities and referrals to help them achieve their individual goals.
AFB Hosts a Centennial Event Lineup
Since 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has been at the forefront of creating a more inclusive world for people who are blind or low vision. To celebrate its100th anniversary, AFB is hosting a series of Centennial Conversations. These curated webinars will focus on the most pressing issues and topics affecting the blind and low vision communities, pairing prominent speakers with younger voices.
Links to the next two conversations are below. We’ll be sure to share links to the others as they become available:
- Blind and Visually Impaired Women in Leadership—March 18, 2 p.m. EST
- The Inclusive Power of Music—April 22, 2 p.m. EST
- Gratitude, Courage, and Joy—May 27, 2 p.m. EST
- Inclusion, Intersectionality, and the Future of Work—June 24, 2 p.m. EST
- Making Money Work: Including Disability in the Financial Equation—July 22, 2 p.m. EST
In case any of the participants you work with missed AFB’s previous centennial events, they can catch the replays below:
- Dinner and Music for a Historic Celebration: Join a conversation with MasterChef winner, cookbook author and restaurateur Christine Ha; entrepreneur and wine expert Dr. Hoby Wedler; and jazz pianist and composer Marcus Roberts as they discuss food, wine, music, creativity and pursuing your dreams. You can learn how to create dishes from a special menu written by Ha, share a glass of wine from a list created by Wedler and discover new music from a song list curated by Roberts.
- Art of Inclusion: AFB100 Concert & Celebration: You can still catch the replay of the “Art of Inclusion” concert and gala, co-hosted by Haben Girma, author of the best-selling memoir Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, and AFB president and CEO Kirk Adams, Ph.D. – with performances by Grammy-nominated artists Amadou & Mariam and Marcus Roberts; jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker; Tony-nominated actor and singer Sean Allan Krill; songwriter and singer Jennah Bell; hip-hop artist Aloe Blacc; students from the New York Institute For Special Education Choir; and more!
For additional information about 100 years of AFB and the ongoing series of Centennial Conversations, participants can visit afb.org/100.
AFB is committed to creating inclusive events. Captions, ASL, audio descriptions, and transcripts will be available for all events. If any of the participants you work with require additional accommodations, they can contact the AFB at communications@afb.org.
Get To Know ASB’s Interns
This week we are highlighting our hardworking and passionate interns who have been assisting our staff and participants.
Mingtoy LaMar
Mingtoy is with ASB from Bryn Mawr School of Social Work, where she is studying for her master’s in social work. She received her MBA in 2014 from DeVry University Keller Graduate School of Management. Her career background includes serving as a judicial secretary for a criminal court judge presiding over homicide cases, as a pre-certification specialist for Independence Blue Cross and as a mutual fund specialist at Lincoln Investment Planning. She is also a Children’s Tumor Foundation volunteer and an Inspire Ambassador who offers resources and encouragement to her community members.
“I am a people-orientated person who helps others to empower and express themselves. I also provide a healthy support group and a nonjudgmental workplace climate,” says Mingtoy.
Marzetta Logan
Marzetta is currently a senior at La Salle University studying for a bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in psychology. Since last year, she has been working with ASB as an intern, with her main priority being participant success. Since working with ASB, Marzetta has enjoyed the opportunity to help ASB serve the people in its community. She attends various women’s groups with a focus on completing annual reviews for each participant in attendance. In processing the annual reviews, participants are informed about improvements and changes to our virtual education and enrichment programs.
“My time here at ASB has proved invaluable as I am constantly expanding my ever-present knowledge about the field of social work and [my] focus on advocating for the participants we serve. Through conducting surveys, active supervision and participant conversation and feedback, it is apparent to me that ASB is consistently focused on improving the services we offer,” she said.