[Blind-Gov] Time Change: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21 - Now 9AM Eastern

Wed Oct 4 00:29:06 UTC 2023

Thanks, Graham.  This is what I was trying to share – I have a recording someone is sending me but I don’t yet have it.  I’ll share a dropbox link once I get it.

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of graham via Blind-Gov
Sent: Sunday, October 1, 2023 7:57 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: blind at trailstone.com
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Time Change: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21 - Now 9AM Eastern

Hi All, 

Until Ronza can provide a link to a copy of the hearing, I thought I would provide a link to the archive recording. Below I also provided a rough break down of the various parts of the hearing for quick reference. Oh and PWD means People With Disability. 

Thursday, September 21, 2023, the United States Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on Section 508, accessibility.  Details are available here:

 <https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/unlocking-the-virtual-front-door-ensuring-accessible-government-technology-for-people-with-disabilities-older-adults-and-veterans> Unlocking the Virtual Front Door: Ensuri... | Senate Committee On Aging

hearing starts at the 18-minute mark.

Witnesses’ introductions start at the 24-minute mark.

First witness starts at the 30 minute and 30 second mark.

second witness, Ronza Othman starts at the 35-minute mark through the 40-minute mark.

third witness starts at the 41 minute 45 second mark.

forth witness starts at 43 minutes and 35 second mark

hearing questions period start at the 52-minute mark.

question 2 for Ronza Othman at the 56-minute mark.

question 3 at the 58 minute 40 second mark.

question 4 at the 1 hour 1 minute mark.

question 5 for Ronza Othman at the 1 hour 1 minute mark.

committee stand in recess at the 1 hour 6-minute mark.

committee resumed at 02 Hours 36 Minutes 35 Seconds mark.

question 6 about veterans start at 02 Hours 36 Minutes 40 Seconds mark.

second respondent, Ronza Othman, started at the 02 Hours 41 Minutes 40 mark.

question 7 about transcription service and need to be more empathetic starts at 02 Hours 41 Minutes 45 second’s mark.

respondent 2, Ronza Othman, starts at 02 Hours 46 Minutes 55 Seconds mark. Hire and observe someone with a disability. listen and engage the PWD.

respondent 3 starts at 02 Hours 49 Minutes 55 Seconds mark. continuously get customer feedback. because technology is always evolving.

respondent 4 starts at 02 Hours 50 Minutes 45 Seconds mark.

conclusion and wrap up starts at 02 Hours 51 Minutes 35 Seconds mark.

Graham Mehl

blind at trailstone.com <mailto:blind at trailstone.com> 

NFB Central Maryland Chapter, Board Member

NFB of Maryland Website and Technology Committee, Member

LCB graduate, 2016

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of Ashley Bramlett via Blind-Gov
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2023 8:46 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org <mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net <mailto:bookwormahb at earthlink.net> >
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Time Change: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21 - Now 9AM Eastern

Hello,

I’m so glad someone could speak eloquently and succinctly about the problems of accessibility to the Senate committee.

I’d also like to see the clip because I only saw the end of it. By the time my computer was ready and I figured out how to start the video online, that ate up time.

So, I’d like to know the link on the Archive website where this is.

Noel, you will like the testimony. Excellent examples were given of blind employees being denied work or promotions due to lack of accessible software. It was sad and grim to hear such stories but true and I am glad someone spoke about them.

Thanks.

Ashley

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of Nightingale, Noel via Blind-Gov
Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2023 3:19 PM
To: List for blind government employees <blind-gov at nfbnet.org <mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: Nightingale, Noel <Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov <mailto:Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov> >
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] Time Change: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21 - Now 9AM Eastern

I didn’t see this until after you spoke, Ronza.  Any chance of getting a clip of your testimony?

From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of rothmanjd--- via Blind-Gov
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2023 7:17 PM
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Cc: rothmanjd at gmail.com <mailto:rothmanjd at gmail.com> 
Subject: [Blind-Gov] Time Change: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21 - Now 9AM Eastern

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Folks,

The time has changed to 9AM Eastern for this hearing.

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

From: rothmanjd at gmail.com <mailto:rothmanjd at gmail.com>  <rothmanjd at gmail.com <mailto:rothmanjd at gmail.com> > 
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2023 12:53 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org <mailto:blind-gov at nfbnet.org> >
Subject: FW: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21

FYI – please consider attending in person if you are local and viewing virtually if you are not.  I am testifying on behalf of this division, so it is your stories that I’ll be telling.

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

From: Pare, John <JPare at nfb.org <mailto:JPare at nfb.org> > 
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2023 12:25 PM
To: State President, District of Columbia <callaway.shawn at gmail.com <mailto:callaway.shawn at gmail.com> >; State President, Maryland <President at nfbmd.org <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> >; State President, Virginia <tracy.soforenko at gmail.com <mailto:tracy.soforenko at gmail.com> >
Cc: President, National Federation of the Blind <OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org <mailto:OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org> >
Subject: Ronza Othman to Testify at Senate Hearing on September 21

Colleagues: 

The United States Senate Special Committee on Aging will be conducting a hearing regarding accessible technology for people with disabilities, older adults, and veterans on Thursday, September 21 at 10:30 a.m. Our very own Ronza Othman will be testifying on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind. Along with serving as the President of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Ronza is the President of our National Association of Blind Government Employees and her testimony will address many of the accessibility issues faced by blind and low vision government workers. The hearing will take place in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., room SD-106, or can be viewed virtually at  <https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/unlocking-the-virtual-front-door-ensuring-accessible-government-technology-for-people-with-disabilities-older-adults-and-veterans> Unlocking the Virtual Front Door: Ensuri... | Senate Committee On Aging. The hearing is open to the public and we want to fill the room with as many Federationists as possible. We will be providing round-trip transportation to the hearing from the Jernigan Institute. If you would like to ride in our van, please contact Jeff Kaloc at jkaloc at nfb.org <mailto:jkaloc at nfb.org>  or call him at 410-659-9314, extension 2206 by noon on Tuesday, September 19. For those providing your own transportation, you should plan to arrive at the hearing room no later than 10:00 a.m. 

Warm regards, 

John 

John G. Paré Jr. 

Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659-9314, extension 2218 | Jpare at nfb.org <mailto:Jpare at nfb.org>  

 <https://nfb.org/> 

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