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Welcome to the Going, Growing, Glowing edition of the Eyes Like Mine Inc. Newsletter. We hope you engage with the information shared in this publication and share it with your network of supporters and community members. Why Going, Growing, and Glowing? Because we are #BlindBookedAndBusy! We want to maintain our connection with you on all platforms virtually and in person. We have a little bit of everything for you including what we are doing, what’s happening in our communities, and some fun and resources.
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Thank you to everyone for supporting and getting involved with our work over the years! We want to especially extend a huge thank you to those who traveled a distance outside of New Jersey to participate in our recent 9th Anniversary that took place on March 31st, 2023 in partnership with the Newark Museum of Art. We also want to extend much gratitude to all our sponsors, volunteers, and interns who played a major role in our recent event, the return of Dancing with the Blind: Dancing with the Times Audio-Described. We are so excited about the partners we have joined forces with, Grounds for Sculpture and the Newark Museum of Art. On April 28th, we had a descriptive tour of the campus of Grounds for Sculpture and engaged our guests with exhibitors like NJPack, Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski, PSE&G, Eye screenings by the Lion's Club, Mirror me Grand Luxury photo booth, and most importantly, all of the performers from the Blind Money Gang record label, AMB Dance Theater Travel team, and a special spotlight on our Miss Blind Diva Titleholders. We are so grateful to the hosts of Dancing with the Blind 2023, Lisa Durden and Rhenotha Whitaker. We would also like to thank our judges Steven McCoy (Eyes Like Mine Board Member), Lisa Lewis (Omnium Circus Founder), D'Roy Royalty (Greater Vision Foundation), and Cazerney Bussey (Even Though I'm Blind Founder).
Lisa Durden Rhenotha Whitaker
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Presenting our Judges(From Left to Right): Steven McCoy (Eyes Like Mine Board Member), Lisa Lewis (Omnium Circus Founder), D'Roy Royalty (Greater Vision Foundation), and Cazerney Bussey (Even Though I'm Blind Founder).
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Congratulations to Team One, Hot Muffins, Dancing with the Blind 2023 Champions
Muffin says "Well, I am very excited! This is my first time dancing and my first time really accepting my condition so I'm happy to be a part of this celebration. It's a new chapter in my life and I'm looking forward to dancing with you guys. I'm in a great spirit whenever I'm around you and I'm looking forward to everything in the experience."
The winners, Hot Muffins pose for a picture
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Enjoy these pictures from Dancing with the Blind 2023!
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Congratulations to the men in the blind community. Our 2023 Armor of Armand Community Excellence Award to BMG Record Label and Even Though I’m Blind nonprofit organization.
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2023 Pageant Recruitment
Get ready for the 2023 Miss Blind Diva Empowerment Pageant! Recruitment opened March 1st, and will run through July 1st. We look forward to hosting more powerful independent women with visual impairments this year, and awarding prizes and titles to our stellar candidates!
Click here for Application Page
We will also be hosting In-person and virtual events for women to get involved in competing for the 2023 Pageant Crown!
Info: Ms.BlindDiva2022@eyeslikemine.org & Ms.Independent2022@eyeslikemine.org
General: Events@eyeslikemine.org & 973-327-3035
2022 Miss Blind Diva Fan Page: bit.ly/msblinddiva2022
2022 Miss Independent Fan Page: bit.ly/msindependent2022
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Humanitarian Trip to Cameroon
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Support ELM's humanitarian trip to Cameroon!
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Community Baby Shower
Eyes Like Mine in partnership with The Newark Museum of Art brings you Community Baby Shower for differently abled moms with babies of ages newborn to 3 years old. DONATIONS ARE WELCOMED!
Registration link: https://forms.gle/8mrg9D8VZpvCoQUi6
Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023
Time: 12:00PM until 3:00PM
Location and Address: The Newark Museum of Art, 49 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.
www.Info@newarkmuseumart.org
To register and for more info contact: www.eyeslikemine.org or 973-885-0280
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Coming Soon: Movies with the Blind
Date TBD. ELM will host Movies with the Blind at Newark CityPlex 12. We will play family-friendly films like Super Mario and The Little Mermaid, and attendees who happened to be visually impaired can receive audio-descriptive devices as well.
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Support Groups
All-Women Support Group: Facilitated by 2022 Miss Blind Diva Goddest Johnson, who can be reached at ms.blinddiva2022@eyeslikemine.org. The Support Groups are held the first Thursday of every month, from 7-9 PM.
The Zoom is tinyurl.com/elmwomen.
The Gentleman's Lounge: An all-male support group on the second Wednesday of each month from 7-9 PM.
Facilitated by Steven McCoy and Brandon Scott, board members of Eyes Like Mine
The Zoom is tinyurl.com/malesupportgroup.
For questions, contact events@eyeslikemine.org and 973-327-3035.
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Crushing it in the Kitchen with Ms. Independent
With Talia Woodard, our 2022 Ms. Independent, attendees get to learn about cooking from a person who happens to be visually impaired. The event occurs on Miss Blind Diva Mondays at 12 Noon EST. Check out her fan page: bit.ly/msindependent2022. For more info, email events@eyeslikemine.org or ms.independent2022@eyeslikemine.org.
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Speaker's Bureau Form
Link here: https://forms.gle/YrBYL4ZGVX16hzJL9
Vendor Sign Up Form (for all future 2023 events)
Link here: Click Here
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Omnium Circus
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Ms. Blind Diva Expo with Goddest Johnson
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Community Day at the Newark Museum of Art
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Jacksonville Expo
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Flashback! Mayor Baraka and Naquela at Dancing with the Blind 2017!
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Disrupt the Night Outreach Event
Featuring multi-award winning artist Lachi. Thursday, April 20th, from 5-6 PM EST. Thank you to MBC Universal Studios for inviting Eyes Like Mine to this event!
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9th Anniversary Event
Eyes Like Mine celebrated its 9th Anniversary on March 31st at the Newark Museum of Art. There were vendors, eye screenings, raffles, and light refreshments served.
We announced our member of the year, supportive honorees, and a new movement to empower our community. Attendees had the opportunity to meet and greet our 2022 titleholder Ms. Goddest Johnson Ms. Blind Diva 2022, sign up for the return of "dancing with the blind,” and more!
Below are some highlights from our Anniversary celebration in partnership with the Newark Museum of Art:
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A message from Alli K
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A message from Talia Woodard
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#GlovesUpGunsDown Youth Crime Prevention Event
Our Miss Blind Diva Titleholder, Goddest Johnson was on the panel for this event last Thursday, April 20th.
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The Voting Power Experience - Interactive Museum
This three-month-long interactive exhibit will allow residents near and far to explore historical moments during the Civil Rights Movement that set the tone for why our ancestors prioritized voting. Additionally, this experience will support visitors in understanding how to exercise their voting power and how to actively engage in the coming local and state elections in 2023.
The interactive experience has been curated to amplify community voices through art and history, activate voters to engage in local, state, and national elections, and provide a safe space for community, healing, reflection, and convening.
Click the link below to learn more about dates and location:
The Voting Power Experience - More Information
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Congratulations to our Member of the Year, Misha McAdoo
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Jocelyn Duvivier
Greetings to all,
My name is Jocelyn Duvivier and I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia but that hasn't stopped me from participating in my hometown community of affairs. I had the pleasure of meeting the Founder of ELM, Krystle Allen through my good friend who is also legally blind, Delric Collins, founder of the Greater Vision Foundation. Since I've joined Eyes Like Mine Inc, they've welcomed me with open arms as their new community outreach liaison. All of my work is done virtually and I've been handling social media marketing/advertising for ELM's events on all platforms. I'm also assisting with emails for grant filings, CNA meetings to connect and spread the word about our upcoming events, and actively researching other opportunities for Eyes Like Mine to be a part of. Working with them unbeknownst to me, has been an exciting thrill and informative ride. I honestly didn't know what to expect, prayed for great collaborations and that's exactly what I got! I'm proud to be a part of making a difference in the world we live in. This opportunity has opened up the doors to the day to day duties and tasks of Non Profit organizations. I'm so happy to be part of the team and I'm looking forward to our future as a community for the visually impaired. As our founder Krystle Allen would say, " let's keep going, growing, and glowing!
Thank you,
Jocelyn Duvivier
Veronica Santos
My name is Veronica Santos, and I am an intern at Eyes Like Mine Inc. and my role is Community Outreach Support Student. I am a student at Hudson County Community College graduating May 17, 2023. My goal is to learn more about the field that I’m going into as I am studying Social Work and Human Services. My short time here I’ve pretty much learned a lot about the organization. I join the Mens and Women’s Support Group via zoom to hear and share each other’s stories on vision loss. I have joined in person events such as the Omnium Circus, and the Harriet Tubman Statue unveil at the Newark Museum. I will be going to more in person events as they help me to understand the reason why I am in this field.
Lillian Betances
My name is Lillian Betances. I am a student at Hudson County Community College majoring in Human Resources. I am currently interning in a non-profit organization called Eyes like Mine Inc. . Out of all the interns I could have done, I choose to work with this specific organization because of the great opportunities eyes like mine inc., gives to those with special needs. The founder Krystle Allen created this organization to make people feel more important and show them that they matter. It always helps others understand how they should treat those different from us.
Casandra Dacueil
Hello everyone! My name is “Casandra Dacueil” I’m a community outreach student here at “Eyes Like Mine Inc”. During my short time volunteering at this nonprofit organization I’ve been exposed to learning how to network with others remotely through zoom meetings. I send out emails to various places to spread awareness of our upcoming events as well as calling people who previously attended to notify them. “Eyes Like Mine Inc” provides a great volunteering experience due to the fact that you are able to learn how to network, send professional emails, and learn how to do professional calls that will help you in any field of career you are interested in. This nonprofit organization spreads a marvelous message on how it's important to showcase the abilities and potentials of vision impaired people by giving them a platform to talk about how their vision loss affects them but doesn’t stop them from being successful. This organization creates a safe environment for people to be able to talk about their feelings through their support groups to where I learned a lot. Eye’s Like Mine Inc” is filled with many wonderful people who will help you gain the skills that you need to go out into the world. I’m forever grateful for this experience and opportunity.
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