P.O. Box 4203
New York, NY 10163
212- 933-0688


Spring 2008.

Greetings to all members.  The spring season was spent putting the final touches on the convention plans.  Lisa Ostrow and Romeo Edmead were busy setting up the structure of the scholarship and subsidy programs.  The application process has been set up for the scholarship, and the fund raising has began.  Thanks to our partnership with CSB Management group, President Dennis Holston and Lisa Ostrow were able to host an internet radio show to promote the division.  The scholarship and the Sound in Sight album were the main topics on the show.  Tracks from the album were played, and other songs by blind artists were played as well, including a song recorded by the president that may be put out in the future.  The internet station, CaribVoiceRadio.com, offered the division a permanent time slot on the station.  The President will wait until after the elections before moving ahead with a possible internet radio show.  

As mentioned in past news updates, CSB Management group as put the division in contact with the Mayor's office of disabilities in Tampa Florida.  There will be an event taking place in September in Tampa, and Seria, one of the division's board members will be there.  She will perform at this event.  Seria has other good things that are going on with her and her music.  This past spring she was able to record a solo dance club song called Body Heat.  The song was released to the public, and became a top ten hit on a chart that tracks the songs that DJ's play in clubs.  This has led to other opportunities for her.  As well as being one half of Kemistry, a duo that has a song on Sound in Sight, she can also pursue her solo work.  

In the ever increasing effort to put the division on the public map, President Holston signed a proclamation proposal.  This proposal asks Governor David Paterson of New York to declare the first week in July as blind entertainer's week.  If the division got the proposal, this could put the division in newspapers and other outlets, help promote the album, and help raise money for the scholarship program.  If the division gets the proposal, the president will request the same from Massachusetts, and other select states.  

As mentioned in the last update, Derek Swarez stepped down from his appointed board seat after three years.  The president turned to board member and acting secretary Mindy Jacobsen to fill the seat.  Mindy Jacobsen was elected to the board in 2006, and also took on the roll of acting secretary in 2007 to finish out the term of Mary Anne Parks.  At the June board meeting, the appointment was approved.  This move will free up Mindy's elected board seat, and the president hopes to get some new people who are interested in helping to run the division.  

At the convention, all proceeds' from the talent show, and proceeds' from the sale of Lisa Ostrow's album will go towards the scholarship program.  We hope to see you at this year's convention.  This should be a great convention.  

Acting Secretary: Mindy Jacobsen.
President: Dennis Holston
Performing Arts Division.