| Twenty-five years ago, few of us had computers. | | | | Tallahassee, FL. In 1978, Mindy became the first blind |
| Those who did were, primarily, playing games. Mindy | | | | woman ordained as a cantor. |
| Fliegelman Jacobsen (57, Brooklyn), however, was | | | | As a music education undergrad, her professors |
| seeing grand possibilities. She realized that computers | | | | insisted that she never lead a chorus. Many are |
| with screen reading software would revolutionize | | | | delighted that she ignored them. With Mindy as |
| opportunities for blind Americans. She persuaded the | | | | director, her local SWEET Adelines chorus won first |
| state of New York to incorporate computer training | | | | place in the regional’s small chorus division from |
| into their rehabilitation program. Now, she is helping | | | | 1994 through 1996. |
| young blind performers. Mindy, a professional singer | | | | An avid knitter who still teaches computer to blind |
| who also teaches voice, is on the Board of Directors | | | | people, Mindy says, 'I enjoy introducing technology to |
| of the volunteer-run nonprofit Performing Arts Division | | | | blind and visually impaired people and watching |
| of the National Federation of the Blind (PAD, NFB): | | | | renewed hope fill their hearts and dreams.' |
| Blind composer/arrangers, recording engineers and | | | | 'I also work with senior citizens who are losing vision,' |
| broadcasters rely on sophisticated software | | | | she continues, 'I attempt to help them out of their |
| programs. Music programs are not always | | | | depression and motivate them to learn the skills that |
| accessible with the screen readers used to create | | | | will enable them to enjoy their lives again.' |
| documents, do e mail or surf the web. The interfaces | | | | |
| which bridge the gaps and training to use them are | | | | President Dennis Holston invited Mindy to speak at |
| expensive. | | | | PAD’s 2006 convention. Afterwards, attendees |
| Mindy helped create the Mary Anne Parks Performing | | | | persuaded her to run for the board. In 2008, Holston |
| Arts Scholarship. Her leadership was crucial in | | | | appointed her to one of the board’s permanent |
| launching the Sound in Sight CD, a multi genre | | | | seats. Mindy is also First Vice President of the NFB |
| compilation of eighteen original tracks and covers, all | | | | of NY. |
| donated by blind recording artists. Sales support the | | | | Seventy percent of working-age blind Americans are |
| scholarship fund. Hear clips at: | | | | unemployed. Just ten percent of blind kids are taught |
| Blind from birth due to Retinopathy of Prematurity, | | | | Braille, the only tool offering blind people true literacy. |
| Mindy is a true pioneer. She was part of the first | | | | Nonetheless, there are blind lawyers, chemists, |
| group of blind children to attend public school in Miami, | | | | engineers, mechanics, teachers, journalists and so on. |
| she is practiced at ignoring other people’s low | | | | Many within the NFB, including Mindy, believe the |
| expectations of her. At age nine, she sang in her first | | | | reason for the disparity is social attitude. PAD hopes |
| quartet. As a high school junior, she was the first | | | | that bringing more blind entertainers into the |
| blind member of her local SING OUT cast (a branch of | | | | mainstream will improve public understanding and |
| UP WITH PEOPLE). She later founded a cast in | | | | acceptance for all blind people. |