Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic

"Why was reading so hard? Why did it seem easy for everyone else but me? I was constantly scared that the teacher would make me read out loud and I would look dumb in front of everyone because I did not know the words. If the teacher asked me a question, I would know and could tell her the answer but if I had to read a... test and write down the answers I would fail miserably...

"My mind processes things differently and it makes it hard to read. There is no magic pill, shot, or surgery to cure it. The only way to make it better is through a lot of hard work, determination and help from organizations such as RFB&D...

"I am going to graduate High School in a couple months. I have a part time job and a driver's license. I had to read and write to obtain both. I now get books on CD and read for fun which would have been torture before we found RFB&D. I am going to go to college this fall and study to become an architect. One day I hope to design landmarks like the Sydney Opera House or a future Olympic Arena...

"Most importantly, I can read thanks to the help of many supportive people in my life and the assistance of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic."

- Devon W., college student in ColoradoRead More

FROM THE BARRIO TO THE BOARDROOM, a new book by Corey Blake, is the inspirational story of Robert Renteria's life growing up in the inner city of East Los Angeles and his rise toward becoming an executive vice president of a major US company.

On October 21, Robert came to RFB&D's Loop Studio in Chicago, where his book ...is currently being recorded, to produce his own personal message of support and encouragement.

In his childhood, Robert sustained a traumatic head injury and had difficulty reading for several years. He has devoted his life to helping others break the cycle of poverty, and recently founded the From the Barrio Foundation.

Robert was recently honored by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White as a civic leader who helps eliminate conditions that foster violence, delinquency, drugs and gangs. He's received an endorsement of his work from State Representative Linda Chapa LaVia (the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee for Elementary and Secondary Ed) and the Latino Legislative Caucus.

A resident of the Chicago suburbs, Robert is currently touring several high-poverty middle and high schools in the Chicagoland area, where his book is being read by students, giving them the opportunity to interact with him and put a face to his story. While touring the schools, Renteria is also educating students and teachers about RFB&D and promoting the use of audio books.

Robert will be posting info about RFB&D on his website and would like to distribute info about us to other groups he visits. For example, he is a speaker for an association of social workers and will be telling them that his book is available through RFB&D.

For more information on his book, visit:

http://www.amazon.com/Barrio-Board-Room-Robert-Renteria/dp/0981454526/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258147082&sr=8-1Read More

Last week we announced that Dr. Linda Tessler delivered a rousing presentation at RFB&D headquarters on how she overcame obstacles as a person with severe dyslexia to earn a Ph.D. and become a clinical psychologist specializing in learning disabilities.

Today, Linda takes center stage at a major event, sharing her insig...hts at the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) 60th Annual Conference – the nation's premier professional development conference dedicated to dyslexia.

In her presentations, Linda shares her understanding of the psychology of success in dealing with dyslexia and reaching one’s potential. She also walks her audiences through a “packing list” of tools for understanding dyslexia and learning disabilities, and vividly illustrated how to incorporate and apply these principles into daily life.

As she describes in her book “One Word at a Time – A Road Map to Navigating Through Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities,” dyslexia tends to run in families – and Linda’s situation was no exception: her mother and uncle Freddy, and her son, Keith, faced similar challenges. In 1981, at age 32, Linda’s word fluency tested on a third-grade level.Shortly thereafter, Linda discovered RFB&D (then, just RFB) – and it opened up a whole new world for her.

Throughout her studies, Linda relied tremendously on recorded text.After receiving her doctorate, Linda became an RFB volunteer, serving on our Philadelphia board as well as on our National Advisory Board. In 1992, Linda testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to advocate the importance of audio assistance for individuals with dyslexia. Not long after, in 1995, we officially changed our name to Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D).

Audio recordings of Linda's November 4th presentation at RFB&D will be available soon, along with selected snippets of information from her book. For more information on her book, visit http://adultdyslexics.com/book.html.Read More

VETERANS DAY 2009 -- RFB&D celebrates the courage and service of our troops and veterans around the globe. Founded over 60 years ago to help thousands of blinded and sight-impaired veterans coming home from World War II, we have grown to serve over 250,000 members from all walks of life -- and support for veterans is s...till part of our core mission.

Thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs, as well as the generous support of private donors, RFB&D individual memberships are now offered free to veterans and individuals with proper certification.

If you are a veteran or soldier interested in membership, please contact Barbara Zustovich at vetmembership@rfbd.org, 609-520-8017, or ask for Barbara when you call 800-221-4792.Read More

On October 24, 2009, the newly expanded Hollywood, California studio was the setting for a ribbon cutting ceremony accompanied by a BBQ for its dedicated volunteers. Long-time and new volunteers came out in great numbers to celebrate the addition of six new recording booths at the Hollywood studio’s new downstairs room....

Area Director Mike Davis and Western Regional Executive Director Cindy Jackson were on hand to join in the celebration and help Production Supervisor Sherry Weeks cut the ribbon to launch the new room.

Sherry and many other staff members worked hard over the summer months to transform the formerly empty downstairs room into a fully-working studio, along with repainting the entire upstairs. With a fresh new look and reorganization, Hollywood now has a total of 13 recording booths, meaning more volunteers can record more books for more students! Read More