I know it’s been awhile, but a lot has been going on! I just recently returned from a three and a half week long book tour, my first ever!
My first stop was Omaha, NE! I met with the Commissioner for the Blind, the American Council for the Blind, the students of various groups from American Council for the Blind, NFB people as well! If that wasn’t enough, when that was all over, I left for South Dakota!
South Dakota was Ski For Light, a skiing winter sports event for people that are blind or low vision. Minus 20 degrees stopped all outdoor events one day.
I was able to speak with almost 100 people, from teenagers to seniors. Commissioners for the Blind and the heads of different departments were very welcoming. I even did a live interview on radio with Talking Book Service of Nebraska – it will be aired on their website, and you can listen to it in full.
My podcast on the Tactile Traveler with Nick Isenberg will air in the beginning of March, episode #61. My radio interview will be available on Radio Talking Book Service on February 28, and you can listen to it on the Internet.
I will be speaking on Zoom at the Silver Seniors summit for Nebraska on March 22. I will also be on Zoom for the Nebraska State Convention in May.
I am grateful to be able to speak to many people about identity theft. Oh! I even spoke on something called “The Bus Across Nebraska,” which went from Omaha to South Dakota for the Ski For Light trip. After hearing my story, many people asked for the microphone and told their story as well. It was kind of sad to hear how many people were victimized by identity theft, and or knew someone who was a victim of identity theft, but they all told me that they felt better hearing my story because it made them feel less like a victim and that they weren’t alone.
What I learned from the entire trip was that we need to share our stories. We need to go to the police, go to the Commissions for the Blind, talk to the State and let them know that we need protection from scammers. We need to go to the bank and let them know that we want a flag put on our account so that our account can be safe One of the listeners said she is a blind vendor, and was going to go to the bank when she went home. The banks think that they don’t have to watch out for our money, that it’s our responsibility. However my money is in their bank, therefore they should be watching out for it!
I’m glad to be back, I will be writing again as soon as I recover! Please feel free to pitch in and give your feedback on my blog. Don’t be afraid, we all need to hear and share our stories so that we can stand stronger and be empowered together
As always, stay safe, Deb Joyce
