NFB Youth Slam!

Ameenah Lippold is a member of the Department of Defense and also works at a Customer Service where soldiers go for help to find jobs if they need them. She is also one of the helpers in the 2009 NFB Youth Slam. To her her career choice was a leap of faith, so she looks forward to the future. But her life’s career didn’t start out that way.
She grew up in a very supportive family. Her mother recently passed away, but, when she was living, she never told her daughter, “I don’t think you can do this.” She always encouraged Ameenah to do well. Her siblings were just as supportive. They never doubted or questioned her, and they were great with support. Ameenah and her stepfather never really saw eye to eye on things, but he never pushed her aside, which some people do when going through difficult times.
Ameenah had a difficult road getting to where she is today. She was a history major, focusing on the business side of technology and also on science. She worked at the Jernigan Institute, going from site to site and understanding other people’s needs. Not only did Ameenah struggle with her majors in college, but she also dealt with depression and anxiety. She looked for jobs, but she was constantly rejected because of her blindness. She had trouble figuring out the right balance between getting accommodations at work and asking people for assistance when she needed it. Ameenah had Vocational Rehabilitation Services in college, but she had to pay for her own equipment and take a test in order to enter the Institute, which was frustrating.
But, like others, she has made it through. Amina never thought she’d be where she is today, and she is happy and satisfied. She advises those who want to pursue her career to get their blindness skills under their belts, the sooner the better, and to work on becoming more social.
In her spare time Ameenah loves to play the piano and is an avid performer. She is also a devoted Christian, so she goes to church every chance she gets. She loves going to concerts, mentoring, and of course doing NFB-related events.

Amina Liepol is a member of the Defense System Agency and is also working at a Customer Self Service, which is where solders go for help to find jobs if they needed it. She is also one of the helpers in the 2009 NFB Youth Slam. To her, this career choice was like a leap of faith, so she looked forward to the future. But her life’s career didn’t start out that way.

She grew up in a very supportive family. Her mother recently passed away, but she has never told her daughter, “I don’t think you can do this.” She has always encouraged Amina to do well in life. Her siblings were just as supportive because they never doubted or questioned her and they were great with support. Amina and her stepfather never really saw eye to eye on things, but he never pushed her aside, which some people tend to do while going through difficult times.

Amina had a difficult road getting to where she is today. She was a history major, focusing on the business side of technology and also on science. She worked at the Jerrigan Institute, going from site to site and understanding other people’s needs. Amina not only struggled with her majors in college, but she also dealt with depression and anxiety. She also looked for jobs, but she was constantly rejected, due to her blindness. She was also having a difficult time figuring out the balance of getting accommodations at work and asking people for assistance when needed. Amina also had Vocational Rehabilitation Services in college, but the problem was that she had to pay for her own equipment and she had to take a foot test in order to enter the institute, which became frustrating to her.

But, like everyone else, she has managed to make it through. Amina felt that she never thought she’d be here today and she was happy and satisfied in a good way. She advises those who want to pursue this career to put their blindness skills under their belts, the sooner the better, and to learn to be more social.

In her spare time, Amina loves to play the piano and is an avid performer. She is also a devoted Christian, so she goes to church every chance she gets. And she also loves going to concerts, mentoring, and of course, doing NFB related events.

Whether it’s whipping up a delicious recipe, managing his own restaurant, or coaching his children’s soccer team. Willie Black doesn’t take no for an answer if he wants to pursue any of his passions.

Willie Black works at a variety of jobs. He is the manager of several snack bars for the Federal Court, operates his own culinary business, manages a restaurant, and is pursuing a bachelors degree in Culinary management.

Willie has always had an interest in food. “I love the way two people can cook the same thing and it always tastes different,” Willie said. It turns out that Willie was encouraged by his mentors in the National Federation of the Blind to try to pursue his dream of being a chef, and the rest, as they say, is history.