Narrator:
Tonight's performance will begin shortly...
Good evening and welcome to the Art of Inclusion, the AFB Centennial Concert and Celebration. March 4th, 2021.
"Only people count. Only people who think and feel and work together make civilization.”
-Helen Keller
Logo:
AFB100 – The Power of Inclusion.
On screen: Musical Superstars Matthew Whitaker and Aloe Blacc perform with students via Zoom. Matthew, a young black man with short hair and sunglasses, plays the piano. Aloe Blacc, an African-American man wearing a leather jacket and a stylish porkpie hat, stands at a microphone.
Aloe Blacc + Students:
I see trees of green
Red roses, too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue
Clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"
I hear babies cry, yeah,
Watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"
I hear babies cry, yeah,
Watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Kirk Adams:
Thank you to the phenomenal Matthew Whitaker on piano, along with the incredible Aloe Blacc and the students from the New York Institute for Special Education with vocals. What a wonderful world it is! Listening to that song always reminds me that there is so much beauty, hope, and joy in the world. Welcome, welcome, welcome everyone to our American Foundation for the Blind 100th anniversary celebration: The Art of Inclusion.
I’m so honored to be here with all of you to commemorate this fabulous milestone. I am Kirk Adams, and I am truly delighted to say I am the 6th president and the 6th blind president of the American Foundation for the Blind. Tonight, you’ll notice we’ll be describing ourselves and providing audio description of visual elements so that all are aware of what’s happening on screen. For example, I am a white man with silver hair, and I'm wearing a blue suit and tie with a white shirt.
We are thrilled with this opportunity to spend some time with you, to reflect on our remarkable history, and to energize our fellow Americans around AFB’s vision of a truly inclusive and accessible world for the 32 million people living in America who are blind or visually impaired. It's my distinct pleasure to introduce my co-host for the evening, my dear friend Haben Girma.
Haben is a human rights lawyer who has made it her life's work to advance disability equity. Not only is she a recipient of AFB’s Helen Keller Achievement Award, she was also named a White House Champion of Change by President Barack Obama among many other honors. She's the bestselling author of Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law. Please join me in welcoming Haben Girma.
Haben Girma:
Thank you, Kirk. This is Haben speaking, and I'll describe myself. I'm a Black woman, my heritage is Eritrean-Ethiopian American. I'm sitting in my living room on a black sofa with a white wall in the background, and I'm wearing a blue and white dress. My hair is black, for the moment.
Kirk and I are your hosts for this gala. People are watching from all over, and we have captioning, ASL interpretation, and a transcript. I'm pointing this out because a lot of videos online are not accessible. That needs to change. All videos, all technology, all space shuttles should be fully accessible to everyone.
There are a lot of barriers in this world. It's important to talk about the injustice, to point it out. Just as important is to have moments of joy, of celebration. I'm really excited to introduce two pop stars who use their music to send a message and encourage people to dance. Please welcome Amadou & Mariam, the blind couple from Mali.
On screen:
Amadou and Mariam, a Malian man and woman, stand behind tall microphones in a room with brightly colored lights and fabrics. Amadou holds a guitar. They introduce themselves, in French, and congratulate the American Foundation for the Blind for their incredible work, and extend a message of peace, love, and encouragement.
Amadou & Mariam:
Hi, it's Amadou and Mariam.
Amadou:
My name is Amadou Bagayoko. I am a guitarist and singer. We met at the Institute for Young Blind People in 1975 in Bamako, Mali, and we started singing together in 1976.
Mariam:
My name is Mariam Doumbia, author, composer, and singer. We met at the Institute for Young Blind People in 1975. Since those days we are together, we work together. We would like to congratulate the American Foundation for the Blind for its 100-year anniversary.
Amadou:
For their incredible work with the community.
Mariam:
Our message is a message of peace, a message of love, a message of encouragement for the blind.
Amadou:
And we wish for much hope for the blind of the world. A lot of peace in the world, a lot of love in this world. Thank you!
Mariam:
Thank you! We would now like to perform “Sundays in Bamako."
Song:
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Djembés and doundouns resound everywhere
Les djembés et les n'doulous résonnent partout
Baras and n'tamas resound everywhere
Les baras et les n'tamas résonnent partout
The kora and the n'goni are present, too
La kora et le n'goni sont aussi au rendez-vous
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Parents and sympathizers are present
Les parents et les sympathisants sont au rendez-vous
Friends and neighbors are present
Les copains et les voisins sont au rendez-vous
Founés and Djidis are present, too
Les Founés et les Djidis sont aussi au rendez-vous
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Men and women are wearing their beautiful boubous
Les hommes et les femmes ont mis les beaux boubous
Jewels and shoes are present
Les bijoux et les chaussures sont au rendez-vous
Bazins and bogolans are present
Les basins et les bogolans sont au rendez-vous
The bride and the groom are present, too
La mariée et le marié sont aussi au rendez-vous
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Sotramas, dougounis, taxis, cars
Les sotramas, les durunis, les taxis, les voitures
Brothers, sisters, passers-by, griots
Les frères, les soeurs, les badaux, les Griots
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
These are wedding days
C'est les jours de mariage
These are wedding days
C'est les jours de mariage
These are wedding days
C'est les jours de mariage
These are wedding days
C'est les jours de mariage
These are wedding days
C'est les jours de mariage
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Sundays in Bamako are wedding days
Les dimanches à Bamako c'est les jours de mariage
Olé!
These are wedding days
C'est les jours de mariage
Haben Girma:
Hi, it's Haben speaking. Bamako is the capital city of Mali. Amadou & Mariam met at the Bamako School for the Blind. They made music together, fell in love, and now they're known around the world as the blind couple from Mali. Their album, “Welcome to Mali,” was nominated for a Grammy. I actually traveled to Mali several years ago. I had an amazing time. And some of the best stories in my book took place in Mali. Amadou & Mariam are a big part of our world's blind history.
Kirk Adams:
And speaking of history, few figures are as well known and beloved as Helen Keller, who worked for the American Foundation for the Blind for 44 years. She continues to inspire a new generation of activists and artists. Now, I’m honored to introduce singer-songwriter Jennah Bell, who composed this beautiful song especially for us using Helen Keller’s own words.
On screen:
Jennah Bell, a young black woman with long hair and glasses, sings an original song she composed using the words of Hellen Keller as lyrics. Archival photographs show Helen Keller throughout her extraordinary life.
Jennah Bell (Singing):
Once I knew the depth
where no hope and darkness lay
Beat myself against the wall that shut me in
But a little word from the fingers of another
Love came like the fire within the flint
Oh, the mortal hours I sat
scattered like gold-dust
My soul sinks, as if into the sea
It was, through the hands of others
my soul sweeps upwards, on its majestic wings
Every particle of skin, touches and is touched
For it is my hand that binds me to humanity
When it rains, when the spring winds blow
upon my hands, flowers have spoken
With me, what I feel, I see
What I feel, I see
We are taught that
competition is essential
put off 'til tomorrow
what I might better do today
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing
Each galaxy discovered, is another proof of change
I have learned much
Wearing the feathers of darkness
The best, and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen
Of course the furrows of suffering have been dug deeper
But so have those of understanding sympathy
Every particle of skin, touches and is touched
For it is my hand that binds me to humanity
When it rains, when the spring winds blow
upon my hands, flowers have spoken
With me, what I feel, I see
With me, what I feel, I see
What I feel, I see
Kirk Adams:
Thank you so much, Jennah. And now we turn to another Helen, AFB’s archivist Helen Selsdon, to share highlights from our truly remarkable 100-year history.
Helen Selsdon:
Hi, I’m Helen Selsdon, AFB’s archivist. I’m a white woman with dark curly hair and a passion for history. We are here to celebrate 100 years of impact of this incredible organization, which has been at the heart of the battle for equity for people who are blind since 1921. First created in large part to assist veterans blinded in World War One – this image shows Helen Keller with a soldier in 1919 – from its earliest days, AFB set change in motion through legislation, research, and innovation and fought to advocate for all blind people.
Helen Keller, the famous disability rights and social justice activist, joined AFB in 1924 and was at the heart of our work. Helen traveled the nation from the 1920s to the 1940s – she’s seen here in 1927 with Senator Schall from Minnesota, who was also blind. Helen appeared in front of at least 14 state legislatures, on Capitol Hill and at the White House. This image, taken in 1931 at the World Conference on Work for the Blind, shows her with blind leaders and President Herbert Hoover in front of the White House. Helen partnered with politicians and social and cultural leaders to effect change, including Mark Twain, Eleanor Roosevelt, and President John F. Kennedy. Her advocacy helped transform education, employment, and rehabilitation services for people who were blind and low vision. Here she is with veterans in a military hospital in 1944.
And beyond this her own life showed what a deafblind woman could do. She’s seen here in Japan in 1948. A group of children are reaching through a train window into a carriage car where she’s sitting. And Helen’s arms are outstretched to greet theirs. In the 1930s, AFB achieved a huge milestone when it invented the Talking Book today known as the audiobook. This image taken in 1941 shows Thomas Mann recording his work Buddenbrooks. The Talking Book was a game-changer for people who were blind. It opened up doors to literature, poetry, and vital news of the day. In its Talking Book studios in New York City, AFB recorded a host of celebrity readers including the acclaimed poet Maya Angelou.
Maya Angelou:
"This book is dedicated to my son, Guy Johnson, and all the strong black birds of promise who defy the odds and gods and sing their songs. I know why the caged bird sings."
Helen Selsdon:
But we didn’t stop there! For decades, AFB pioneered technology that empowered blind people in the workplace, classrooms, and their everyday lives. We made hundreds of devices accessible, we adapted sewing machines, and designed paper money identifiers and talking calculators. And at the beginning of the 21st century, when the “Help America Vote Act” was passed, AFB Tech staff tested accessible voting machines that would enable blind people to vote independently in precincts around the country.
Public policy has always been central to our work. We lobbied for transformative civil rights laws, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1975, which ensures that children who are blind or have low vision get the education that is their right. We were instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark civil rights bill signed into law in 1990.
And in 2010 we led the way for the passage of the Twenty- First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, signed by President Obama, and seen here celebrating the bill’s passage with Stevie Wonder. There is never a status quo, there are always challenges to meet – and we will always meet those challenges. Please do go to afb.org/100 to learn more about our incredible past and exciting future! Thank you.
Haben Girma:
It's Haben again. Thank you, Helen, for that history lesson. Historically, Talking Books were sighted people reading out loud to blind individuals. I was very, very blessed to have the braille skills to read my own book out loud to create the audiobook. Braille is critical for literacy, so I hope more and more people are able to read braille and more Talking Books are by blind braille readers.
Now I'm going to introduce another musician. His name is Matthew Whitaker. He started playing piano at age three, and then expanded to other instruments. He is a musician, composer, arranger, and the first blind person to attend the jazz program at Juilliard. Please welcome Matthew Whitaker, who is going to play “Lately.”
Matthew Whitaker:
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, or even touched. They must be felt...from the heart.
On screen:
Matthew Whitaker sits at a grand piano and plays.
Kirk Adams:
That song – so beautifully played by Matthew – was written by the incomparable Stevie Wonder, who is also, like Haben, a past recipient of AFB’s Helen Keller Achievement Award, and a huge champion for equity and inclusion. The Helen Keller Achievement Award recognizes those who break barriers and are leaders in improving the lives of people with disabilities.
These awards are AFB's way of thanking and recognizing the individuals and organizations who are transforming the world. As Helen Keller always said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." AFB is privileged to celebrate our partnerships and honor our allies in creating social change. Throughout the night, we will be celebrating three special honorees who have each made a significant contribution to creating a world of no limits: the winners of the 2020 Helen Keller Achievement Awards!
Last year’s ceremony had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our great pleasure to recognize them tonight. Our first honoree is the American Printing House for the Blind, recipient of the 2020 Helen Keller Achievement Award for Accessibility and Inclusion. A longtime partner of AFB dedicated to creating accessible learning experiences for people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired, APH believes, like AFB, that “The future belongs to everyone.” Let’s learn a little bit more about APH’s work.
On screen:
Anne Durham, American's Publishing House's Vice President and Chief Officer of Innovation and Strategy, a woman with brown hair and a black APH shirt, speaks to the viewer.
Anne:
The American Printing House is honored to be invited by AFB to share our most recent video about Code Jumper, an innovative learning tool that teaches children who are blind or visually impaired about fundamental coding concepts.
On screen:
Now a young Asian boy speaks from a living room:
Side note:
Soft inspirational music plays.
Joshua:
Row, Row, Row Your Boat; Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; Helen's Story...
Narrator:
All different strands of code 9-year-old Joshua Lewis has pieced together using Code Jumper.
Joshua:
I'm gonna have to loop around here.
Narrator:
By plugging together small pods, Joshua is learning the basics of computer coding. Something that is fun, but also puts him on a path to reach future goals. Joshua has some big dreams that can't happen without coding.
On screen:
On top of each pod is a big knob. Joshua turns two of them. Now, smiling, Joshua speaks to us.
Joshua:
Maybe invent self-driving cars when I get a lot older. Some stuff I pretty much I want to invent now.
On screen:
Now Joshua's dad, a white man with glasses and a short beard, speaks to us from the living room.
Darren:
The ability to learn and to do things that other kids get to do is just, it's a joy. It's a joy to watch his face light up when he plays with these things and to have him talk about what he wants to do in the future is all amazing.
Narrator:
He knows that accessible innovations like Code Jumper will break down barriers for young people who are blind or visually impaired.
On screen:
Joshua and a girl with blonde hair play and learn using Code Jumper together.
Darren:
Joshua wants to be an inventor. He wants to invent flying cars one day, and the next day it may be a way for him, as a visually impaired person, to be able to fly an airplane.
Narrator:
And as long as tools like Code Jumper are available, Darren has no doubt Joshua can build his inventions.
Darren:
Our hope is that he will be able to do whatever he puts his mind to do.
Text on screen:
Code jumper.
Text on screen: "I do not like the world as it is; so I'm trying it make it a little more as I want it." -Helen Keller
Haben Girma:
Haben speaking. Next up we have Sean Allan Krill. He was the star in the Broadway musical, Jagged Little Pill, and he's going to be singing something you'll probably recognize. Here we go.
Side note: Banjo music plays.
On screen:
Sean Allan Krill, a white man with short hair, sings to us. His shirt changes colors throughout his song, displaying, one-by-one, all the colors of a rainbow.
Sean Allan Krill (singing):
Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
Rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
Look what it's done so far
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
All of us under its spell
We know that it's probably magic
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name (I've heard them calling my name)
Is this the sweet sound
That call the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same (I know it's calling my name)
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
Something that I'm supposed to be (I'm supposed to be)
Ooh, someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
Why are there so many songs
'Cause rainbows have nothing to hide
Haben Girma:
It's Haben again. A lot of people feel isolated right now. I want to acknowledge those feelings. I want to reach out to the dreamers, the hopers, the wishers. It will get better. Music and dancing connections are some other things that can help us dream a better world into being. Don't you think so, Kirk?
Kirk Adams:
Absolutely, Haben. And that’s why AFB’s centennial theme is Inclusion Knows No Limits. We are proud to advocate on behalf of the 32 million blind or visually impaired people living in America today, blind people of all races, religions, genders, sexual orientations, ages, immigration statuses, and political persuasions. Disability rights are human rights.
The American Foundation for the Blind has spent the last year addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our community by doing the research, listening, and sharing what we’ve learned with decision makers at every level. Our commitment is to address ableism head on and ensure equity in classrooms, workplaces, and communities across our country.
We depend on individuals like you to create a world with no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired. That is why your support is so important! Please go to AFB.org/donate to support this essential work.
On screen:
Video clip shows children with visual impairments reading, learning, playing, and socializing. Now, a white woman with long brown hair and wearing a yellow jacket, speaks to us.
Text on screen:
Melody Goodspeed, Major Gifts Specialist, American Foundation for the Blind.
Melody: Inclusion to me, where it knows no limits, just means for a child to walk through a classroom with a cane and it represent equality.
On screen:
An African-American woman with shoulder-length hair, and wearing a dark blazer, speaks to us.
Text on screen:
Denna Lambert, Program Manager, Goddard Information and Collaboration Center, NASA.
Denna:
Whether you are a person of color, whether you're blind or sighted, or have some other disability, it's seen as an asset or a value that's added to society, rather than a barrier to your full potential.
On screen:
A white man with short dark hair and wearing a white dress shirt, speaks to us.
Text on screen:
Aaron Preece, Editor-in-Chief, AccessWorld, American Foundation for the Blind.
Aaron:
Attempt to achieve anything they set their mind to, that there aren't barriers.
On screen:
Adults with visual impairments involved in daily activities: A woman crosses a street with her service dog and a man works in his garden. Now, a Pakistani-American man wearing a plaid flannel shirt, speaks to us.
Text on screen:
Syed Hassan, Software Development and Support Engineer, American Foundation for the Blind.
Syed:
Removing discrimination and intolerance from the community, regardless of their ability or disability, can be successful in life.
On screen:
A Middle Eastern man wearing glasses and a dark sweater speaks to us.
Text on screen:
Amir Rahimi, Major Donor and Corporate Relations Specialist, American Foundation for the Blind.
Amir:
Someone who's blind can go on the computer and reply to emails. They can write their reports, they can travel on their own, they can go on vacation. They can get married, they can have kids. They can do anything.
On screen:
Video clips show Amir working on his computer using a screen magnifier, Denna reading a braille book to a young boy, and Syed exercising on a step machine. Now, an African-American woman with short hair, black earrings, and wearing a white jacket, speaks to us.
Text on screen:
Stephanae McCoy, Founder, Bold Blind Beauty.
Stephanae:
We get along when we have respect for one another and we're helping one another. It's fully embracing our humanity. That's a world with no limits.
Text on screen:
AFB 100. The Power of Inclusion. Celebrating 100 Years.
Kirk Adams:
Our second honoree of the night is Procter & Gamble, recipient of the 2020 Helen Keller Achievement Award for Diversity and Inclusion. Here’s Sam Latif, P&G’s Company Accessibility Leader, on how P&G is leading the way in incorporating inclusive design and pioneering features into its products. For example, they’re putting tactile markings on products like shampoo and conditioner bottles, and recently committed to making sure their ads include audio description.
Sam:
For someone like me, who is blind, independence and confidence comes when the world around you is accessible.
On screen:
That was Sam Latif, Procter and Gamble’s Inclusive Design Consultant. An adorable blind boy with sandy-blonde hair reads a braille document, his fingertips gliding gently over the embossed paper.
Text on screen:
253 million people around the world live with low to no vision. That's equivalent to the entire populations of Mexio and Japan combined.
Shane:
Herbal Essences is leading the way in developing packaging that is distinguishable by touch.
Sam:
The lines tell you that it's shampoo. The dots tell you that it's conditioner.
On screen:
Sam runs her fingers along embossed plastic lines below the label of an Herbal Essences Bio Renew shampoo bottle.
Sam:
This little change, it's just made such a big difference in my life. This packaging innovation doesn't only help people with low or no vision. It helps people who don't have English as a first language, people like my mum.
Shane:
When we have the opportunity to make the world a better place, even if it's just through small things like shampoo and conditioner, I think we should all get on board.
Sam:
How can we make every product more inclusive?
On screen:
Sam and Shane walk together, then pose smiling on a bridge over a river.
Text on screen:
"Tomorrow! What possibilities there are in that word." -Helen Keller.
Kirk Adams:
Congratulations to Procter & Gamble. And now we turn to another Helen Keller Achievement Award recipient: the Grammy-nominated jazz musician and composer Marcus Roberts and The Modern Jazz Generation performing “Tomorrow’s Promises.”
On screen:
On a large stage, Marcus Roberts, an African American man wearing sunglasses, plays a grand piano along with a drummer, a bass player, and a seven-piece brass section.
Text on screen:
Tomorrow's Promises. Marcus Roberts.
Side note: The audience at the performance applauds.
Kirk Adams:
Amazing, what a beautiful piece of music. Thank you, Marcus. And now it’s a pleasure to announce our final honoree of the night: Dr. Chieko Asakawa, recipient of the 2020 Helen Keller Achievement Award for Personal Achievement. As we reflect on the last 100 years, one thing that’s really clear is that technology has been a transformative game-changer when it comes to knocking down barriers faced by people who are blind or visually impaired, as long as that technology is designed to be inclusive from the outset. With a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Tokyo, Dr. Asakawa’s work includes developing digital braille in the 1980s, screenreading software via the IBM Home Page Reader in the 1990s, and more recently, technologies that allow people who are visually impaired to independently navigate public spaces like shopping malls and airports using artificial intelligence and robotics, making urban environments accessible to us all. Let’s learn a little more about Dr. Asakawa’s life and work.
Dr. Asakawa (VO):
When I lost my sight, my biggest fear was losing my independence.
Text on screen:
Dr. Asakawa Asakawa. IBM Researcher.
Dr. Asakawa:
Mmm, good.
Dr. Asakawa (VO):
So, I've spent my life developing technology to help the visually impaired.
Dr. Asakawa:
We are so good.
Dr. Asakawa (VO):
We built a guide that uses IBM Watson…
Phone Voice:
The library is in 40 meters.
Dr. Asakawa (VO):
...to help the blind.
On screen:
Chieko travels to an airport.
Dr. Asakawa (VO):
It is already working in cities like Tokyo.
Phone Voice:
Your gate is in 50 meters on the right.
Text on screen:
Smart loves problems.
Dr. Asakawa (VO):
My dream is to help millions more people like me.
Logo:
IBM (Registered trademark).
Text on screen: Let's put smart to work (trademark).
Haben Girma:
It's Haben speaking. I want to thank our performers tonight, our ASL interpreters, and, of course, our audience. Kirk, it was really fun to co-host this gala with you. We had rainbow connections and trips to Mali and experiences from all over.
Kirk Adams:
And a big thank you to you, Haben, and the incredibly talented musicians who joined us tonight and generously shared their time and their art, and filled tonight's celebration with joy. And of course, we are grateful to our sponsors and supporters who made this event possible. And a special thank you to the students from the New York Institute for Special Education who are already leading the way to a brighter future. Let’s hear from them about their vision for a future with no limits.
Iliana:
So, I want the future to be inclusive.
David:
I want the future to be...I want the future to be great and love.
Alana:
I want the future to be eventful.
Lana:
So, I want the future to be great, and I also want so that in the future the COVID will stop, and we won't have to be here, and nobody gets sick.
Millie:
The future about the COVID, the same thing as Lana. Like I want it to stop and no remote.
Wani:
I want the future to be accessible. We're ready for the world, but the world's not ready for us.
Iliana:
Inclusion knows no limits!
Alana:
Inclusion knows no limits!
Millie & Lana:
Inclusion knows no limits!
David:
[giggling] Inclusion knows no limits. [giggling]
Wani:
Okay. Inclusion knows no limits!
Kirk Adams:
On behalf of the staff and the board of trustees of the American Foundation for the Blind, thank you to all of you for joining us to celebrate AFB’s 100-year anniversary. Once again, please do take a moment to visit afb.org/donate. It is your support that makes it possible for us to create a more inclusive and accessible world. And for the final song of the night, please welcome back: Amadou & Mariam.
On screen:
Now, Amadou and Mariam:
Amadou & Mariam:
We would now like to perform “Batoma."
Song:
Batoma, your child is crying
Batoma hé dén bê kassi la
Come take him Batoma
Na dén mina Batoma
We sing
On chante
We dance
On danse
We shake
On se remue
We get a move on
On bouge
Me, I don’t give a damn!
Moi, je m'en fou!
We sing
On chante
We dance
On danse
We shake
On se remue
We get a move on
On bouge
Me, I don’t give a damn!
Moi, je m'en fou!
Batoma, your baby cries, Batoma
Batoma, ton bébé pleure, Batoma
Batoma, everyone asks you, Batoma
Batoma, tout le monde te demande, Batoma
Batoma, everyone calls you, Batoma
Batoma, tout le monde t'appelle, Batoma
Batoma, your baby cries, Batoma
Batoma, ton bébé pleure, Batoma
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou.
Batoma, your baby cries, Batoma
Batoma, ton bébé pleure, Batoma
Batoma, everyone asks you, Batoma
Batoma, tout le monde te demande, Batoma
Batoma, everyone calls you, Batoma
Batoma, tout le monde t'appelle, Batoma
Batoma, your baby cries, Batoma
Batoma, ton bébé pleure, Batoma
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou.
If the child is crying,
Ni dén bê kassi
Give him your milk
Sin do a da
If the namesake of my father is crying,
Ni né Fatoma bê kassi
Give him your milk
Sin do a da
If the namesake of my mother is crying,
Ni né Batoma bê kassi
Give her your milk
Sin do a da
If the namesake of my grandfather is crying,
Bournakê toma ni o bê kassila
Give him your milk
Sin do a da
If the namesake of my father-in-law is crying,
Bagayoko toma ni o bê kassi la
Give him your milk
Sin do a da
If the namesake of Baguayogo is crying,
Né toma ni o bê kassi la
Give him your milk
Sin do a da
We sing
On chante
We dance
On danse
We shake
On se remue
We get a move on
On bouge
Me, I don’t give a damn!
Moi, je m'en fou!
We sing
On chante
We dance
On danse
We shake
On se remue
We get a move on
On bouge
Me, I don’t give a damn!
Moi, je m'en fou!
And if the namesake of the grandfather is crying?
Mô kê toma a to ka kassi ka dafara
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou!
And if the namesake of the grandmother is crying?
Mo mousso toma a to kassi ka dafara
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou!
And if the namesake of the nasty father-in-law is crying?
Bouran kê djougou toma a to kassi ka dafara
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou!
And if the namesake of the nasty brother-in-law is crying?
Bouran mousso djougou toma a to kassi ka da dafara
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou!
And if the namesake of the nasty wife of the polygamist is crying
Nimogokê djougou toma a to kassi ka dafara
Me, I don’t give a damn
Moi, je m'en fou!
We sing
On chante
We dance
On danse
We shake
On se remue
We get a move on
On bouge
Me, I don’t give a damn!
Moi, je m'en fou!
Ni dénouw bê kassi.
A yé nani.
If the children are crying
Ni dénouw bê kassi
Carry them on your backs
A yé dénouw nani.
If the children are crying
Ni dénouw bê kassi
Carry them on your backs
A yé dénouw nani.
If the children are crying
Ni dénouw bê kassi
Carry them on your backs
A yé dénouw nani.
Tjou! Tjou! Tjou!
Carry him on your back
Dén nani
Tjou! Tjou! Tjou!
Carry him on your back
Dén nani
Tjou! Tjou! Tjou!
Carry him on your back
Dén nani
Tjou! Tjou! Tjou!
Give him your milk.
Sin do a da.
Text on screen: American Foundation for the Blind would like to thank our Centennial Sponsors for their generous support.
Diamond Sponsors:
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
- (and) JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Platinum Sponsors:
- American Printing House
- Exelon
- LHH
- Northrop Grumman
- Pepco - An Exelon Company
- U.S. Bank
- Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- (and) Walmart
Gold Sponsors:
- Microsoft
- (and) Verizon
Silver Sponsors:
- Charter Communications
- Challenger Gray and Christmas, Inc. "Guiding Change - Getting Results"
- (and) IBM
Exhibitor:
- NLS, The National Library Service for the blind and print disabled, Library of Congress
Additional Supporters:
- New York Life
- (and) The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.
END
