QUE PASA
Newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico
September 2013
Who Are Curtis And Peggy Chong?
By Curtis Chong
In early June of this year, my wife, Peggy, and I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico so that I could accept a job with the New Mexico Commission for the Blind. Let me start out by saying that both of us are absolutely thrilled to be here.
Peggy and I are both long-time Federationists. We joined the Federation when we were teenagers; I joined the Federation in 1969 (I attended my first national convention in 1971), and Peggy joined the Federation in 1973 (she attended her first national convention in 1976). We spent more than two decades in Minnesota, first working with our Federation colleagues to try to reform the Minneapolis Society for the Blind and later helping to create and grow Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND, Inc.), an NFB training center. When, during the 1980 national convention, we marched on the Minneapolis Society for the Blind, Peggy and I were there. When, in the mid 1980s, the National Federation of the Blind fought for the right of blind airline passengers to sit in the exit row, Peggy and I were there. We were proud at that time to be part of a group of blind people who created a video demonstrating conclusively that the blind were just as capable as anyone else of jumping out of an airplane using the emergency slides. When, in the early 1990s, blind Minnesotans won the right to be treated like everybody else at the ValleyFair amusement park, we were there. I was one of eight blind people who staged a protest at ValleyFair because the park did not want the blind to ride without someone sighted sitting next to them.
Over the years, Peggy and I have held a variety of leadership positions in the Federation--both locally and nationally. Peggy has served as a chapter president in both Minnesota and Iowa, and she has planned, organized, and implemented too many Federation activities to count. As for me, I have served in various capacities: state secretary, state treasurer, chapter president, and national division president. Today, I am fortunate to serve as the president of the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science, a division devoted to the interests of blind computer programmers and other computer professionals.
In 1997, Peggy and I moved to Baltimore, Maryland where, for five years, I worked as Director of Technology for our national office. During that time, Peggy also worked at the National Center working to develop technology training programs for our Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB) program and later serving as the national coordinator of America's Jobline and NFB-NEWSLINE®.
In 2002, Peggy and I moved to Iowa, where I accepted employment with the Iowa Department for the Blind, managing rehabilitation, independent living, and technology service delivery programs for that agency.
In her spare time, Peggy is an avid historian--particularly in the area of genealogical research. She wrote an article about Lillien Blanche Fearing, a woman who became a lawyer in the late 1800s. This was published in the Iowa Historical Journal.
In my spare time, I try to keep tabs on technological developments that are of importance to the blind. I frequently write articles for the Braille Monitor about technologies that I believe will be useful to the blind.
In moving to Albuquerque, Peggy and I were extremely fortunate to find a place that has very convenient public transportation. We can go just about anywhere on the bus, and for those places where bus service is not available or is inconvenient, we ride taxicabs. We are thrilled to be here, and we expect to continue our active involvement in the Federation.