<div dir="ltr"><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small">Hello all, </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small">Please see the current issue of the Braille Monitor, one of the many publications offered by the National Federation of the Blind. It is below. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small">Thanks, </div><br clear="all"></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Stacie </font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Stacie Leap </font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">President, Greater Philadelphia Chapter &</font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">President, Pennsylvania Organization of Blind Parents (POBP), </font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania </font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></font></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> <a href="mailto:stacie.leap@gmail.com" target="_blank">stacie.leap@gmail.com</a> | 215-776-6741</font></div><div><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/stacieleap" target="_blank"><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">LinkedIn</font></a></div><div><font color="#000000" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></font></div><div><span style="font-family:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:18px;text-align:justify;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font color="#000000">The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.</font></span></div></div></div></div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Brian Buhrow</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:buhrow@nfbcal.org">buhrow@nfbcal.org</a>></span><br>Date: Wed, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:17\u202fAM<br>Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, April 2026<br>To: <<a href="mailto:brl-monitor@nfbcal.org">brl-monitor@nfbcal.org</a>><br></div><br><br><div class="msg-6264072899085499244"><u></u>
<div>
<div id="m_-4486373412201775509header">
<h1>The Braille Monitor, April 2026</h1>
</div>
<h1 id="m_-4486373412201775509braille-monitor">BRAILLE MONITOR</h1>
<p>Vol. 69, No. 4 April 2026</p>
<p><em>Chris Danielsen, Editor</em></p>
<p>Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the</p>
<p>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND</p>
<p>Mark Riccobono, President</p>
<p>telephone: 410-659-9314</p>
<p>email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org" target="_blank">nfb@nfb.org</a></p>
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<p>Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the <em>Monitor</em> and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national office or may be emailed to <a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org" target="_blank">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a>.</p>
<p><em>Monitor</em> subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year. Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to <strong>National Federation of the Blind</strong> and sent to:</p>
<p>National Federation of the Blind</p>
<p>200 East Wells Street <em>at Jernigan Place</em><br>
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998</p>
<p><strong>THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT; BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND\u2014IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.</strong></p>
<p><em>ISSN 0006-8829</em></p>
<p>© 2026 by the National Federation of the Blind</p>
<p>Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots\u2014the familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.</p>
<p>You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device.</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Crystal Sanford enjoys a celebration of her win!</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509illustration-meet-a-texas-member-and-special-olympian">Illustration: Meet a Texas Member and Special Olympian</h2>
<p>As we highlight our Texas affiliate leading up to our Austin convention, and as the Federation encourages athletic participation, we thought we would share that Crystal Sanford is an active and enthusiastic member of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas and has participated in the Special Olympics for twenty-five years. Here she is pictured receiving a silver medal for bowling. Congratulations Crystal!</p>
<p>Vol. 69, No. 4 April 2026</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509contents">Contents</h2>
<p>Convention Bulletin</p>
<p>The Continued Fight to Protect Section 504 and the Integration Mandate</p>
<p>by Sanho Steele Louchart</p>
<p>My Walk with Astronomy as a Blind Scientist</p>
<p>by Cary Supalo</p>
<p>A Troubling Tragedy in Buffalo</p>
<p>by Chris Danielsen</p>
<p>Friendship in Action: Nyal McConoughey\u2019s Story</p>
<p>by Nichole Chrissis and Alison Tyler</p>
<p>New Jersey\u2019s Blind Refused to Be Collateral Damage<br>
by Linda Melendez</p>
<p>Finding Your Caregiving Superpower: Reflections from a Blind Caregiver of a Parent with Dementia</p>
<p>by Catherine Samuel</p>
<p>From the UK to the USA: Moving Forward Together</p>
<p>by Sania Kellogg</p>
<p>From the President\u2019s Desk</p>
<p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: The JW Marriott at dusk.]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509convention-bulletin-2026">Convention Bulletin 2026</h2>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind\u2019s National Convention brings together blind people from across the country and around the globe. We come from all walks of life. Some of us have been blind all our lives, while others may be new to blindness. Some are young, some have been around the sun more than a few times. Some are convention first-timers, while others have been attending for decades. Our patchwork of individual experiences makes us stronger together, and it means that our national conventions are a celebration of our diversity.</p>
<p>Over the course of eighty-five annual conventions, nearly three dozen cities reflecting similar diversity have played host to the NFB\u2019s biggest event of the year. Yet, among this broad list of destinations, our convention has never come to the capital city of Texas to gather and celebrate. This will change next July when we head to the JW Marriott Austin for our annual National Convention!</p>
<p>Austin is widely known as the \u201cLive Music Capital of the World,\u201d having been home to the PBS program <em>Austin City Limits</em> for more than fifty years and host to the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music and media festival. Austin also boasts a vibrant arts scene with many public art displays throughout the city. But Austin isn\u2019t just fueled by creative energy. A strong technology sector thrives here, with many tech companies establishing headquarters in the city. Waymo and Tesla are two notable names, as both companies offer autonomous vehicle rides within Austin. The University of Texas at Austin, with over 50,000 students, sits just north of downtown. Visitors will notice an emphasis on local retailers over national chains. This broad and eclectic diversity perpetuates the popular \u201cKeep Austin Weird\u201d vibe and makes for a truly unique destination.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509our-convention-hotels">Our Convention Hotels</h3>
<p>The upscale JW Marriott Austin will serve as our headquarters hotel and all convention events will take place here this July. As of this writing in mid-March, our block of sleeping rooms at the headquarters hotel is almost full. However, there are room blocks with plenty of space at several nearby hotels, including the recently opened Austin Marriott Downtown. The hotels are all within a couple blocks\u2019 walk to the JW Marriott. Visit our convention webpage at <a href="https://nfb.org/convention" target="_blank">nfb.org/convention</a> and choose the Planning for Your Trip link to explore your options.</p>
<p>Our 2026 convention hotel rate is $139 per night for singles and doubles. Triples and quads are available for $155 per night. Sales tax and a tourism fee total a combined 19.7 percent.</p>
<p>You may call 800-627-7468 to book your room at the Austin Marriott Downtown. Specify our room block code, BL1, to ensure you receive our convention room rate. For each room you book, the hotel requires a deposit of the first night\u2019s room rate, taxes, and fees, payable by credit card or a personal check. If a reservation is cancelled before Sunday, June 1, 2026, half of the deposit will be returned. Refunds will not be issued after that date.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509registration">Registration</h3>
<p>In-person registration for convention is now open. Registration costs $25 per person plus $85 per banquet ticket. Register early because prices go up if you register onsite in Austin. Registration includes the biggest event of the year, access to the mobile app, and communications on the latest news and events. Registration for the Convention Virtual Experience is also open. The Virtual Experience registration fee is $10. Virtual Experience registration includes access to the mobile app and the opportunity to win door prizes. Links to both registration forms are at <a href="http://nfb.org/convention" target="_blank">nfb.org/convention</a>.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509convention-schedule">Convention Schedule</h3>
<p>The 2026 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be an exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and renewed dedication to the goals and work of our movement.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick the week off on Friday, July 3. Onsite registration and registration and packet pick-up will also open on Friday.</p></li>
<li><p>Breakout sessions continue Saturday, July 4, along with committee meetings.</p></li>
<li><p>Sunday, July 5, begins with the annual meeting, open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind. National division meetings will follow that afternoon and evening.</p></li>
<li><p>General convention sessions will begin on Monday, July 6, and continue through noon on Wednesday, July 8. This year there will be no general session on Wednesday afternoon prior to the banquet; instead there will be more breakout sessions.</p></li>
<li><p>Convention ends on a high note with the banquet Wednesday evening, so be sure to pack your fancy clothes. The fall of the gavel at the close of banquet will signal convention\u2019s adjournment.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Make plans to be a part of it.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509request-for-door-prizes">Request for Door Prizes</h3>
<p>Remember that we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Prizes should be small in size but significant in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule, we ask that prizes have a value of at least $25 and do not include alcohol. Drawings take place throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet.</p>
<p>Important note for both in-person and virtual attendees: You must be registered to win a door prize!</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509first-time-attendees">First-Time Attendees</h3>
<p>If you or members of your chapter are first-time attendees, please learn about convention through the <em>First-Timer\u2019s Guide</em> available at <a href="https://nfb.org/convention" target="_blank"><u>nfb.org/convention</u></a>.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509countdown-to-austin">Countdown to Austin</h3>
<p>The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and thought-provoking program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships within our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions are made\u2014all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2026 National Convention. We look forward to seeing you in Austin in July!</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Sanho Steele-Louchart]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509the-continued-fight-to-protect-section-504-and-the-integration-mandate">The Continued Fight to Protect Section 504 and the Integration Mandate</h2>
<p>by Sanho Steele-Louchart</p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Sanho Steele-Louchart coordinates the legal program of the National Federation of the Blind. In this article, he updates us on a case that, sadly, is still in the court system and threatens our rights and the steps we are taking to counter that threat. Here is his update:</strong></p>
<p>A year ago, the <em>Braille Monitor</em> reported on the case of <em>Texas v. Kennedy</em>, which attacked the Constitutionality of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and thus sought to undermine one of the foundations of modern jurisprudence concerning people with disabilities. A year later, the parties and their allegations have changed slightly, but the core is the same. The right of blind people and other people with disabilities to live in our communities is threatened now more than ever.</p>
<p>The good news is that eight states dropped out of <em>Texas v. Kennedy</em> entirely, and the remaining nine (Texas, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota) said that they would no longer ask that Section 504 or its enforcement be ruled unconstitutional. The bad news, however, is that those same nine states began to attack Section 504 as it pertains to the integration mandate from the landmark United States Supreme Court decision of <em>Olmstead v. L.C.</em>, 527 U.S. 581 (1999). Olmstead\u2019s integration mandate requires that states make specialized services available to us in our local communities. These services include Braille instruction, Orientation and Mobility, activities of daily living, training to use accessible technology, and services from rehabilitation counselors.</p>
<p>The careful reader may note that overturning Olmstead\u2019s integration mandate does not automatically alleviate the government\u2019s need to provide those services. Instead, it would alleviate the government\u2019s need to provide those services in our local communities. The question then becomes: Where might the government provide such services? And therein lies the rub.</p>
<p>The expectation is that blind people and other people with disabilities would travel to specialized centers to receive training in specialized skills. Consider for a moment all of the services we receive in our communities. The vast majority of blind students receive itinerant services in their local schools, colleges, and universities. Blind adults receive services in their homes and workplaces. All of those revolve around Olmstead\u2019s community integration mandate. If the integration mandate is overturned or unenforced, the reality is that funding for these vital, community-based services would disappear, and with them, the services themselves. Importantly, we are not talking about cutting-edge facilities like the Federation\u2019s affiliated training centers or certified Structured Discovery centers. Blind people could instead be forced to attend schools for the blind or state-run rehabilitation centers for everything. It is not inconceivable that many blind people would !
be forced into long-term care facilities if they were ineligible for training or if that training didn\u2019t lead to their living independently and autonomously at home.</p>
<p>What\u2019s more, the community integration mandate doesn\u2019t stop at the provision of services like Braille, mobility, and technology. There\u2019s also an argument to be made that it applies to access to information. What would happen to government websites, software, and mobile applications? What would happen to a disabled person\u2019s right to request reasonable accommodations and effective communication from local agencies? It\u2019s true that those things should be protected under Title II of the ADA, but remember that the ADA is an extension of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It is not a great leap to wonder if the overruling of the community integration mandate would dovetail with the rolling back of the DOJ\u2019s Title II rule currently set to go into effect in April 2026.</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind is hard at work defending Olmstead, Section 504, and Title II at every level. In February, nine of our affiliate presidents wrote a letter addressing the attorneys general of the remaining plaintiffs. Here is the full text of that letter:</p>
<p>February 12, 2026</p>
<p>Dear Attorneys General Paxton, Cox, Uthmeier, Rokita, Kobach, Murrill, Hanaway, Knudsen, and Jackley:</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind, the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans, urges Attorneys General throughout the United States to acknowledge the full importance of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (\u201cSection 504\u201d) and <em>Olmstead v. L.C.</em>, 527 U.S. 581 (1999) (\u201c<em>Olmstead\u201d</em>) by immediately withdrawing their support for <em>Texas v. Kennedy</em> and its attacks on the integration mandate in the United States.</p>
<p>On January 23, 2026, the nine remaining plaintiffs in <em>Texas v. Kennedy</em> filed to overturn the <em>Olmstead</em> decision\u2019s community integration mandate, thereby laying the groundwork for the forced institutionalization of disabled people nationwide.</p>
<p>Specifically, the January 23 filing again seeks to declare the entire Section 504 rule as illegal, stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from enforcing the rule, and stop HHS from instructing states not to take actions which place people with disabilities at \u201cserious risk\u201d of institutionalization. The National Federation of the Blind unequivocally condemns this action and is inherently opposed to the forced institutionalization of people with disabilities or any action which may lead to forced institutionalization.</p>
<p>As the National Federation of the Blind indicated in our letter from February 2025, \u201cThe United States has long recognized a disabled person\u2019s value as a student, employee, and a member of the public.\u201d Overturning <em>Olmstead</em> would mean that rather than receiving services in our homes, neighborhood schools, and local communities, we would be forced out of public life entirely and into institutions which neither value nor serve us. Such a move could neither be interpreted as equitable nor as equal treatment under the law. Americans with disabilities are not inferior to our non-disabled peers and we will not be hidden away.</p>
<p>The ultimate goal of the National Federation of the Blind is complete integration of the blind into society. Throughout the course of our eighty-six-year history, the Federation has worked diligently and tirelessly to combat discrimination based on misconceptions and low expectations.</p>
<p>We believe that disabled Americans have the right to receive the education, training, and opportunity required to lead productive lives, and we do not believe that law-abiding people with disabilities who are simply trying to live the lives we want should be forced into any facility against our will. Such a move would not only be legally wrong, but also morally reprehensible.</p>
<p>We urge you to immediately withdraw your support for <em>Texas v. Kennedy</em> and the dismantling of <em>Olmstead</em>, including its community integration mandate and Section 504. </p>
<p>Sincerely, </p>
<p>Norma Crosby, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Texas</p>
<p>Kevin Whitley, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Alaska</p>
<p>Camille Tate, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Florida</p>
<p>R. Diane Graves, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Indiana</p>
<p>Tom Page, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Kansas</p>
<p>Pam Allen, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana</p>
<p>Shelia Wright, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri</p>
<p>Jim Marks, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of Montana</p>
<p>Ismael Collazo, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota</p>
<p>All is not lost. As said by Dr. Jacobus tenBroek himself, the National Federation of the Blind is committed to defending our right to live in the world. Whether it\u2019s writing letters to attorneys general, suing in federal court, joining lawsuits already in progress, working with Congress to maintain or create legislation, training attorneys and non-attorney advocates to amplify our message, or working with existing service providers to help them do the same, we are unflinching in our determination. We know this is hard work. We know all the same that to our members, hard work is merely an opportunity for advocacy, and where opportunity is knocking, there are countless Federationists already knocking alongside.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Cary Supalo]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509my-walk-with-astronomy-as-a-blind-scientist">My Walk with Astronomy as a Blind Scientist</h2>
<p>by Cary Supalo</p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Cary Supalo is a blind chemist. He has a faculty appointment as an honorary professor of chemistry at the University of Sydney in Australia and founded Independence Science, an access technology and consulting firm that specializes in the development of talking scientific data loggers for the blind. In this article, adapted from remarks he delivered as part of a panel discussion entitled <em>Sharing Astronomy with Blind and Low-Vision Audiences</em> at the 2025 American Astronomical Society\u2019s national meeting held in Anchorage, Alaska, on June 10, 2025, he shares his story about some of his earliest days as a budding scientist, which we now share with our readers in celebration of National Astronomy Month:</strong></p>
<p>Imagine a time when you dreamed about traveling to the stars. Or a time when you looked up into the night sky and had visions of faraway places with species from other worlds. From those dreams of distant stars and alien worlds, you then took a liking to science-fiction shows and movies where your imagination thrived. In my case, I took an interest in <em>Star Trek</em> and <em>Star Wars</em>. These shows fueled my curiosity about the universe, and in fourth grade I had the transformative experience of exploring the universe through my first planetarium show at a community college in Joliet, Illinois. I could not see much of the visual content projected on the dome above me. I relied on the narration to imagine the stars I was hearing about.</p>
<p>This immersive experience motivated me to choose the topic of planets in the Milky Way solar system for my fourth-grade science project. I took a piece of black burlap and glued construction paper, cardboard, and Styrofoam half-spheres to represent the planets in a tactile way. (At that time, we had nine planets. Now we just have eight.) Then I stapled orange and yellow tissue paper on the far end of the black burlap to represent the sun. I then gave estimates in miles for the distances from the sun to Mercury to Venus to the Earth and beyond.</p>
<p>Building that tactile model deepened my fascination with the cosmos. Next school year was my first visit to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, which opened my mind to even more wonders of the universe. I remember its dome theatre, where I saw a planetarium show that taught me about other moons, constellations like the Big and Little Dippers and Orion, and whether there was water and ice on other planets. The wonders I discovered at Adler motivated my fifth-grade term paper on the Milky Way solar system. I even did library research to use data from the original Voyager mission for much of the evidence in this report. Learning about the stars really inspired my imagination and love of science. I wanted to find planets around stars light-years from Earth. My hometown newspaper even wrote an article featuring me, in which I was quoted stating I wanted to be an astronomer when I grew up!</p>
<p>However, in sixth grade, our science curriculum had very little content about space or astronomy. I was introduced to general science, life science, and physical science. This trend in my school curriculum continued into high school, where I enrolled in the biology, chemistry, and physics science course sequence. I never had the chance to return to my initial love of astronomy.</p>
<p>While my journey in studying astronomy diverged in middle school, my love for the subject never faded. In college, I pursued chemistry. However, my fascination with space exploration remained a constant source of inspiration. I took immense pride in seeing technological innovations related to space exploration. I marveled over Space Shuttle missions and later the construction of the International Space Station as accomplishments by humanity to try to learn more about the cosmos. As an adult, I experienced a half-day program at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where I engaged in a simulated Space Shuttle mission with other blind participants. Braille-labeled controls in the shuttle simulator and Braille and tactile documents brought to life the specific scenarios we were investigating. This experience sustained my dream of someday travelling to the stars and beyond. I realize this aspect of my experiential learning was make-believe; however, I do love!
to imagine.</p>
<p>We as blind scientists want to be inspired by astronomy. This subject triggers us to imagine and dream about what is out there. We do not need to see the stars to feel their pull. We just need the freedom to dream. It is the audacious power of the dream that inspires children\u2014sighted or blind\u2014to explore astronomy. These dreams may be the first seeds planted for a lifelong journey towards scientific discovery.</p>
<p>Yet today\u2019s planetarium shows, as inspiring and breathtaking as they are, often leave blind learners like me in the shadows. Now, when I visit planetaria and observe various shows, it is more difficult for me because modern displays lean heavily on dazzling visuals, sidelining the rich, descriptive narration that once brought the cosmos to life for me. While audio sonification can give a qualitative representation of astronomical phenomena through sound, it can put the observer one step further removed from the visual representations used to convey astronomical phenomena and distances between stars. These and other challenges for blind learners, and the need for more accessible tools to bring astronomy to life for the blind, fuel my resolve to contribute to change. Astronomy belongs to everyone, not just the able-bodied.</p>
<p>Imagine a world where blind students can trace the contours of constellations with their fingertips, feeling the universe come alive through two-dimensional and three-dimensional tactile models. These tools are no longer a distant hope\u2014they\u2019re here, ready to revolutionize how we engage with astronomy. We can pair meticulously crafted and properly scaled 3D representations of constellations and other astronomical structures and phenomena with detailed raised-line drawings and tactile graphics. With the advent of the new paradigm-shifting access technology of refreshable tactile displays (RTDs), we can deliver real-time data from NASA and global space agencies directly to the fingertips of blind learners. By embracing these innovative accessibility solutions and quality enrichment programs that are inclusively designed for maximum participation, it is my hope we can unlock a universe of knowledge, inspiring a new generation of blind children to not just dream of the sta!
rs but to reach for them as future scientists, engineers, and explorers.</p>
<p>As humanity returns to the moon and figures out how to travel to Mars and beyond, astronomy can become a field where blind individuals are not just inspired but empowered to contribute meaningfully to humanity\u2019s cosmic journey. Many in the STEM ecosystem get hung up on how we as blind people can comprehend and understand astronomical and scientific phenomena. It is our responsibility to educate these individuals as to our true capabilities. We also must raise the expectations of the blind as to what is possible and how we can visualize, interpret, and most importantly, communicate scientific principles to our sighted colleagues. The contributions we can make as blind scientists and engineers should not be diminished or marginalized. These contributions and accomplishments can and should be included in this crack-in-time moment in human history. Astronomy\u2019s call to dream without limits and reach for the stars beckons the blind as it does the sighted. By harnessing the !
unique perspectives and talents of blind individuals, we can enrich the scientific community and redefine what is possible.</p>
<p>I leave you with this famous quote from one of my favorite movies of all time, <em>Back to the Future</em>. The character Dr. Emmett Brown says, \u201cIf you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.\u201d I believe that if we can inspire current and future generations of blind children, we can make real a more inclusive STEM workforce that welcomes the blind. Let us build a future where every child, regardless of disability, can touch the cosmos and claim their place in the grand adventure of discovery. The stars are calling us all. Let us ensure that no one is left behind.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Chris Danielsen]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509a-troubling-tragedy-in-buffalo">A Troubling Tragedy in Buffalo</h2>
<p>by Chris Danielsen</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind is saddened and troubled by the recent and tragic death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a blind Rohingya refugee whose body was found in Buffalo, New York, in February, 2026, a few days after being released from federal custody and reportedly left alone miles from home. His death has prompted investigations, widespread concern, and, we hope, renewed attention to how blind and other vulnerable people are treated by public authorities.</p>
<p>According to reports from multiple news sources, Mr. Shah Alam, fifty-six, had come to the United States from Myanmar with his family in December 2024 after fleeing persecution faced by Rohingya Muslims there. He spoke little English, and he was reportedly blind in one eye and had limited vision in the other, relying on a cane for mobility. On February 19, 2026, he was released from the Erie County Holding Center in Buffalo following a year in jail related to what his family said was a misunderstanding stemming from his being lost and his cane, or something that he was using as a cane (perhaps a curtain rod), being mistaken for a weapon or being perceived as being used in a threatening manner. Federal Border Patrol agents took him into custody upon his release but later determined he was not subject to deportation. Instead of returning him to his family or ensuring he reached a safe destination, agents allegedly drove him to a Tim Hortons coffee and donut shop and left hi!
m there alone. The shop was reportedly five miles from his home, although the Border Patrol claimed that at his own request, he had been left at a safe, warm location near his last known address. However, doubts about the Border Patrol\u2019s assertions are reasonable, since Mr. Shah Alam spoke limited English and does not appear to have been provided effective communication or accommodations. There are also conflicting reports as to whether the shop had already closed for the evening when he was left there.</p>
<p>Mr. Shah Alam disappeared that night. His family began searching for him after learning he had been released somewhere in the city. Five days later, police found his body near downtown Buffalo\u2019s sports arena. Authorities have said the precise circumstances of his death remain under investigation, while city officials, members of Congress, and the state attorney general have called the situation a preventable tragedy and demanded accountability.</p>
<p>In response, the National Federation of the Blind issued a statement expressing sorrow and deep concern over the circumstances surrounding Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s death. Here is the statement:</p>
<p><strong>Baltimore, Maryland</strong>: The National Federation of the Blind is deeply saddened by the death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a blind Rohingya refugee who passed away in Buffalo, New York, after being released from federal custody. </p>
<p>Although many details about Mr. Shah Alam\u2019s final days remain unavailable, this tragedy underscores the need for a careful and comprehensive review of the procedures in place for blind people who come into contact with law enforcement, immigration authorities, or detention facilities. This includes evaluating whether a proper white cane was offered, how information was communicated to someone with limited English proficiency and no access to written or digital formats, and how agencies plan and provide resources for blind individuals. Effective communications and reasonable accommodations are required by law. </p>
<p>\u201cMr. Shah Alam\u2019s death is a somber reminder of why accessible, disability-aware practices are essential across all stages of custody and release. There is currently no indication he was provided effective communication or reasonable accommodations,\u201d said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. \u201cThe lack of accommodations and disability support among law enforcement has long been a concern of our organization. We urge federal, state, and local agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the accommodations provided and to identify solutions to strengthen policies that protect the safety and dignity of blind immigrants and refugees. We remain prepared to serve as an expert resource to any agency seeking to improve their practices.\u201d</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind has fought for blind people who are incarcerated or have contact with law enforcement throughout our history. In the past few years, we have settled litigation with the corrections bureaucracies in both Colorado and Virginia, and we continue to work on enforcing these agreements. Equal treatment and effective communication are not rights that stop in custody or at the gates of correctional facilities, and law enforcement at all levels has legal and moral obligations to blind individuals regardless of their status in the judicial system. This tragedy emphasizes that the consequences of failing to recognize these obligations can be severe and even irreparable. We will continue to follow this story and hope that it leads not only to justice for this refugee and his family, but real improvements in the operations of all of the agencies involved.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Nicole Chrissis]</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Alison Tyler]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509friendship-in-action-nyal-mcconougheys-story">Friendship in Action: Nyal McConoughey\u2019s Story</h2>
<p>by Nichole Chrissis and Alison Tyler</p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Nichole Chrissis, MA, is the archivist of the National Federation of the Blind, and Alison Tyler is the project lead for the Museum of the Blind People\u2019s Movement. Here is what they want to share with readers about an exciting recent addition to the archives that sheds new light on part of the history of our movement:</strong></p>
<p>For the staff of the National Archives of the Blind People\u2019s Movement, a program of the National Federation of the Blind, early June is often a whirlwind before the storm of our annual National Convention\u2014our own sessions are planned, final Braille text is sent off for production, artifacts are pulled from the shelves and carefully packed for transportation, and any last-minute fact-checking and research for speeches and awards looms. It was in June 2025 that Amy Porterfield of Arizona-based SAAVI Services for the Blind made an introduction to her coworker, Reginald Laister, sending us on a path through time and highlighting the depth of our archives.</p>
<p>Reggie, who is SAAVI\u2019s Community Development Manager, had met a woman named Jan E. through his work with the local Lions Club. Jan\u2019s father was a man named Nyal McConoughey. Nyal, as we would come to learn, was the first blind man to work in the United States foreign service as a civilian. He would subsequently serve as the head of a printing reproduction shop at Tachikawa Air Base in the Tokyo prefecture of Japan. Jan, we were told, still had a number of items that had belonged to her late father that she was interested in potentially sharing with us.</p>
<p>We were instantly hooked. Nyal\u2019s story was great on its own, but the thought of having tangible artifacts that would help interpret his life was a dream for people working with historic collections, and we were eager to speak more about it. However, with the 2025 National Convention in New Orleans just a few weeks away, we scheduled a call with Jan for mid-July.</p>
<p>Our first phone call with Jan lasted almost an hour and a half. We both left with a page full of scribbled notes and promises to do additional research on our end and get back in touch. One thing was clear, however: this was a collection of items that would be beneficial to documenting the story of the organized blind movement. And with that arose another question\u2014did we have anything in our existing collections related to Nyal McConoughey that would help enhance the items Jan had just told us about? It wasn\u2019t a necessary prerequisite, but it might be helpful to make the link back to the National Federation of the Blind.</p>
<p>Typically, in terms of archival research, we are able to identify a range of years and locations that then correspond to unique folders in our collections, which <em>might</em> hold the content we\u2019re looking for after combing through each individual page of print. Then again, of course, the search is much simpler when your catalogs provide an entire folder dedicated solely to your research subject. In this case, the Jacobus tenBroek Personal Papers Collection, Box 66, Folder 34, \u201cNyal D. McConoughey, Ohio, Negotiations with Air Force,\u201d told the following fascinating story.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509not-the-slightest-doubt">\u201cNot the Slightest Doubt\u201d</h3>
<p>In the fall of 1955, a recently blinded federal employee named Nyal McConoughey reached out to the National Federation of the Blind. He explained in a letter, \u201cI am newly blind with a multiplicity of problems, ambitions and frustrations.\u201d The previous year, while working for the US government in Japan, McConoughey had lost his sight as the result of retinal detachment and cataracts. He was facing additional surgeries and felt uncertain about the future, but he expressed \u201chope that it may be possible to resume my former occupation.\u201d</p>
<p>Jacobus tenBroek, President of the Federation, responded with a firm and encouraging message. He urged McConoughey to \u201cgive serious thought to the possibility of retaining your federal government job even assuming the continuation of your blindness. There are not many jobs which cannot be performed by blind persons. You would be much better off to continue at your present work if that is at all possible.\u201d He asked McConoughey for more details about his duties and assured him that the Federation stood ready to help.</p>
<p>In January of 1956, McConoughey replied. He reported that he did not expect to regain \u201cuseful eyesight,\u201d and so he had decided to \u201credouble my efforts toward necessary adjustment to blindness.\u201d McConoughey had recently received a letter from his employing agency suggesting that \u201cit does not appear certain that I would be considered acceptable\u201d as a candidate in this role. However, he explained that his job duties depended far more on planning, coordination, and supervision than on visual inspection. Tasks requiring sight had long been delegated to other staff. He believed that, with reasonable adaptations, he could continue to perform effectively, and he asked tenBroek for his opinion.</p>
<p>tenBroek\u2019s reply left no room for doubt. He insisted that McConoughey should \u201cdo everything in [his] power\u201d to regain his job. As tenBroek explained, \u201cThere is not the slightest doubt but what you could continue the work. As a matter of fact, for the general supervisory functions you carried on, sight is not at all necessary.\u201d The Federation offered concrete assistance: advocacy through its Washington office; a letter testifying to \u201cthe jobs blind people are doing\u201d and \u201cthe methods you would employ in doing your work;\u201d and guidance on obtaining training in travel methods and Braille.</p>
<p>McConoughey took tenBroek\u2019s words to heart. By early 1956, he was enrolled in Braille classes, using a Braille writer, and preparing to travel to Washington, DC, to make his case. He recognized that the greatest obstacle was not his blindness but the lack of understanding about what blind people could do. As he wrote, \u201cThe biggest problem, I feel, is to get a chance to demonstrate the matter in which such little-understood abilities [as Braille] could compensate [for] the loss of physical sight.\u201d</p>
<p>Securing McConoughey\u2019s job was not easy. According to <a href="https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/abm/bm1957/thebraillemonitornovember1957.html" target="_blank">an article</a> in the November 1957 issue of the <em>Braille Monitor</em>, \u201cMcConoughey and Federation representatives talked with the highest official in Washington in charge of civilian personnel appointments for the Army-Air Force. This official became convinced that McConoughey could do the work and should be reinstated, but those in charge at Tachikawa [Air Base] were adamant in their opposition.\u201d New job requirements were even written to require visual inspection of work products, effectively excluding blind applicants.</p>
<p>Finally, as described in the <em>Braille Monitor</em>, \u201can agreement was reached that McConoughey would be given the first possible job at Tachikawa Air Base in Japan. On May 27, 1957, he was appointed administrative assistant to the military officer in charge of all billeting arrangements on the entire air base. He is now on the job and performing successfully.\u201d McConoughey became the first blind person employed in a civilian federal position overseas.</p>
<p>More than a year later, writing again from Japan, McConoughey reported to tenBroek that he was thriving. He explained that he was able to \u201ckeep ahead\u201d in his work, which was \u201cquite often a surprise to my sighted counterparts.\u201d Further, he said, \u201cIt has taken some time but, [I] can now report that I am being taken at face value by the ordinary business contact.\u201d Along with his letter, he sent a family photograph and warm holiday greetings.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/abm/bm1958/braillemonitorapril1958.html" target="_blank">1958 <em>Braille Monitor</em> article</a> reported on letters of commendation McConoughey received for his work. As McConoughey wrote in a letter to tenBroek, \u201cThese letters indicate some pretty solid achievements and I am grateful for the successes that I have had. Frankly, I do not see how it would have been possible without the effective representation provided by the Federation.\u201d</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509with-respect-and-dignity"> \u201cWith Respect and Dignity\u201d</h3>
<p>Nyal McConoughey\u2019s story reflects the stories of so many blind people, both in the United States and around the world. His story of resilience and perseverance, a desire to work and to provide for his family, was just as relatable in the 1950s as it is in 2026. These are themes that are constant in the Federation\u2019s archives. And while it is easy for us to explain these ideas as concepts, they are so much more powerful and impactful when shown through the actual writings, possessions, and photographs of people who have lived and are living the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind.</p>
<p>In November 2025, after much correspondence and quite a few phone calls with Jan and Reggie, the National Archives of the Blind People\u2019s Movement received its first shipment of five boxes of artifacts related to Nyal. A precursory inventory was taken of the items, which include a flag flown over the US Capitol; items with Japanese Braille; copies of the publication \u201cFriendship in Action\u201d that Nyal managed; awards, photographs, and small Braille writers; and a subsequent Deed of Gift sent to Jan to complete the donation. As of January 2026, the items are in the legal possession of the Federation and are in the process of being fully accessioned and cataloged into the archives. This ensures not only the industry standard archival preservation in the stewardship of the items, but the dedication of the National Federation of the Blind to help interpret and make public the blind people\u2019s movement. In one of our many phone calls, Jan said the following regarding the don!
ation of her father\u2019s items: \u201cThe goal was to hope to inspire future blind and low-vision people with respect and dignity.\u201d</p>
<p>If you have items in your possession that you think might also help enhance our ongoing documentation of the organized blind movement, please contact our staff at <a href="mailto:archives@nfb.org" target="_blank">archives@nfb.org.</a></p>
<p>----------</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509we-need-your-help">We Need Your Help</h2>
<p><em>Through the Federation, I learned that most of what I was taught to believe about blindness was untrue. Being blind wasn\u2019t something to be ashamed of. Using my cane in public wasn\u2019t weird. If I wanted to pick up my cane or my [guide] dog and walk somewhere, I could just do it because the fears of other people didn\u2019t have to be my fears too.</em> - Julie</p>
<p>Blind people across the United States are making powerful strides in education and leadership, but we need to continue helping people like Julie. For more than eighty years, the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality. With support from individuals like you, we can continue to provide powerful programs and critical resources now and for decades to come. We hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by including the National Federation of the Blind in your charitable giving and in your estate planning. It is easier than you think.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509with-your-help-the-nfb-will-continue-to">With your help, the NFB will continue to:</h3>
<ul>
<li><p>Give the gift of literacy through Braille.</p></li>
<li><p>Mentor young people.</p></li>
<li><p>Promote independent travel by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need.</p></li>
<li><p>Develop dynamic educational projects and programs to show blind youth that science and math careers are within their reach.</p></li>
<li><p>Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities.</p></li>
<li><p>Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Below are just a few of the many tax-deductible ways you can show your support of the National Federation of the Blind.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509vehicle-donation-program">Vehicle Donation Program</h3>
<p>We accept donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation. We can also answer any questions you have.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509general-donation">General Donation</h3>
<p>General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they want. You can call 410-659-9314, extension 2430, to give by phone. Give online with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit our online contribution page at: <a href="https://nfb.org/donate" target="_blank"><u>https://nfb.org/donate</u></a>.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509pre-authorized-contributions">Pre-Authorized Contributions</h3>
<p>Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdrawal of funds from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, call 877-NFB-2PAC, or fill out our PAC Donation Form <a href="https://www.nfb.org/pac" target="_blank"><u>https://www.nfb.org/pac</u></a>.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509plan-to-leave-a-legacy">Plan to Leave a Legacy</h3>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind legacy society, our Dream Makers Circle, honors and recognizes the generosity and imagination of members and special friends who have chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other planned giving option. You can join the Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.</p>
<h4 id="m_-4486373412201775509percentage-or-fixed-sum-of-assets">Percentage or Fixed Sum of Assets</h4>
<p>You can specify that a percentage or a fixed sum of your assets or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind in your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other accounts.</p>
<h4 id="m_-4486373412201775509payable-on-death-pod-account">Payable on Death (POD) Account</h4>
<p>You can name the National Federation of the Blind as the beneficiary on a Payable on Death (POD) account through your bank. You can turn any checking or savings account into a POD account. This is one of the simplest ways to leave a legacy. The account is totally in your control during your lifetime and you can change the beneficiary or percentage at any time with ease.</p>
<h4 id="m_-4486373412201775509will-or-trust">Will or Trust</h4>
<p>If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.</p>
<p>Visit our Planned Giving webpage (<a href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving" target="_blank"><u>https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving</u></a>) or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.</p>
<h4 id="m_-4486373412201775509in-2025-our-supporters-helped-the-nfb">In 2025 our supporters helped the NFB:</h4>
<ul>
<li><p>Host career fair and employment mentoring events for over three hundred and fifty job seekers.</p></li>
<li><p>Distribute over six thousand free white canes to blind people across the United States, empowering them to travel safely and independently throughout their communities.</p></li>
<li><p>Deliver more than five hundred newspapers and magazines to more than 135,000 subscribers with print disabilities free of charge.</p></li>
<li><p>Give over six hundred Braille-writing slates and styluses free of charge to blind users.</p></li>
<li><p>Mentor 153 blind youth during our Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning® Academy.</p></li>
<li><p>Distribute over twenty-three thousand Braille books to children and adult readers alike.</p></li>
<li><p>Award thirty scholarships each in the amount of $8,000 to blind students.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Just imagine what we will do in 2026, and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years to come. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Linda Melendez]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509new-jerseys-blind-refused-to-be-collateral-damage">New Jersey\u2019s Blind Refused to Be Collateral Damage</h2>
<p>by Linda Melendez</p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Linda Melendez is the energetic and infectiously enthusiastic president of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey. Here she shares a recent victory for the affiliate she leads:</strong></p>
<p>On the evening of Tuesday, January 13, 2026, I received alarming news that the transition team for Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill had requested the mass resignation of hundreds of employees within the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) through an email communication sent that morning. Included in that sweeping directive were employees of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI)\u2014the very professionals blind New Jerseyans rely on to learn Braille, travel safely with a white cane, secure employment, and live independently. The timeline was immediate, and the potential damage was staggering.</p>
<p>Teachers of blind students and orientation and mobility instructors are not political appointees, which are usually the category of state workers asked to resign when a new governor takes office. They are specialized, credentialed professionals. At a time when CBVI already faces a serious shortage of these experts, the forced resignation of even a handful would have destabilized services statewide. The reported eighteen-hour window for resignation submissions signaled urgency\u2014but not the right kind. Transitions of power are part of democracy. Destabilizing blindness services must never be.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509the-decision-to-act">The Decision to Act</h3>
<p>We decided right away to issue a public call to action. Silence was not an option. Within hours, we began drafting what would become the first of several coordinated advocacy messages. The following day, January 14, our first social-media public post went live. It reached more than 14,000 people within twenty-four hours and was shared more than 130 times. The blind community, our allies, and professionals across the state responded immediately.</p>
<p>At the same time, we drafted a resolution condemning the proposed action and demanding explicit protection for CBVI\u2019s specialized staff. That draft was sent via email to the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey Board of Directors on January 14. By January 15, after a majority of the Board had voted yes (two board members who are CBVI employees rightfully abstained), Resolution 2026-01 was formally adopted. We did not convene in a hotel ballroom or wait for a quarterly meeting. We used the tools available\u2014email, phones, and determination. Here is the full text of the resolution:</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509national-federation-of-the-blind-of-new-jersey-resolution-2026-01">NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF NEW JERSEY<br>
RESOLUTION 2026-01</h3>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509regarding-the-immediate-protection-of-specialized-blindness-services-staff-at-the-new-jersey-commission-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired">Regarding the Immediate Protection of Specialized Blindness Services Staff at the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired</h3>
<p>WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey (NFB of NJ), through its duly elected Board of Directors, speaks with authority on behalf of blind people throughout the State of New Jersey, including all chapters, divisions, members, and the broader blind community we represent; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI), within the Department of Human Services, is legally and morally obligated to provide essential education, rehabilitation, and independent living services to blind children and adults; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, Teachers of Blind Students (TBS) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Instructors are highly trained, credentialed professionals whose work is indispensable to Braille literacy, safe independent travel, employment readiness, and full participation in society; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, CBVI is already operating under a severe and well-documented shortage of qualified TBS and O&M professionals, resulting in unacceptable delays and unmet needs across the state; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the NFB of NJ Board of Directors is deeply disturbed and profoundly disappointed by reports that the governor-elect\u2019s transition team has demanded the mass resignation of Department of Human Services personnel, including specialized CBVI staff who are not political appointees and whose positions are mission-critical; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, forcing or accepting the resignation of these professionals would recklessly destabilize blindness services, immediately harm blind students and adults, and place New Jersey in jeopardy of failing its legal obligations under state and federal law; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, blind New Jerseyans cannot and will not accept being treated as collateral damage during a political transition, particularly when the consequences include loss of independence, educational neglect, and exclusion from the workforce; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, blindness is not the characteristic that limits opportunity, but rather the removal of competent services and the imposition of low expectations: NOW, THEREFORE,</p>
<p>BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, speaking on behalf of all blind New Jerseyans, on this fourteenth day of January, 2026, that we unequivocally condemn any action that results in the resignation, displacement, or loss of Teachers of Blind Students, Orientation and Mobility Instructors, or other specialized CBVI personnel; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NFB of NJ demands the immediate and explicit exemption of all CBVI specialized staff from any requested or implied resignations within the Department of Human Services; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NFB of NJ expresses its strong disappointment that such a harmful proposal was advanced without consultation with the organized blind community or consideration of its devastating consequences; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NFB of NJ demands a clear, public commitment from the governor-elect to protect the continuity, integrity, and staffing of blindness services in New Jersey; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NFB of NJ insists that no restructuring, transition action, or administrative directive affecting CBVI occur without meaningful engagement with the blind community and its representative organizations; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to the governor, governor-elect, Department of Human Services leadership, members of the New Jersey Legislature, and all relevant officials.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509coordinated-advocacy">Coordinated Advocacy</h3>
<p>Each evening for the next few days, a small team of leaders worked late drafting letters and social media posts for distribution the next morning. These were sent widely to members, to elected officials (including our members of Congress), and to the transition team itself. The Federation\u2019s national leadership was copied on each letter distributed. Multiple organizations and individuals forwarded our messages. My phone rang constantly. My inbox filled. It was a very busy time! Here is the letter that we sent to the governor-elect and her transition team:</p>
<p>Dear Governor-elect Sherrill,</p>
<p>On behalf of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey (NFB of NJ), we write to express our profound alarm and deep disappointment regarding reports that the governor-elect\u2019s transition team has requested the mass resignation of hundreds of employees within the New Jersey Department of Human Services, including highly specialized professionals serving the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI).</p>
<p>If accepted, this action would create an immediate and devastating crisis for blind New Jerseyans. Teachers of Blind Students (TBS) and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Instructors are not political appointees. They are frontline educators and rehabilitation professionals whose expertise cannot be quickly replaced. These professionals teach blind children to read and write Braille; instruct blind adults in safe and independent travel; and provide the skills that make employment, education, and full participation in community life possible.</p>
<p>CBVI is already facing a critical workforce shortage. There are simply not enough certified TBS and O&M instructors to meet current demand. Removing experienced professionals\u2014whether temporarily or permanently\u2014will not improve efficiency. It will cripple service delivery statewide.</p>
<p>If these resignations are accepted, the consequences will be severe and immediate:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Waiting lists for blindness training and rehabilitation services will expand dramatically.</p></li>
<li><p>Blind adults will lose the tools necessary to live and work independently.</p></li>
<li><p>Blind students will be denied legally mandated instruction, placing New Jersey at serious risk of noncompliance with state and federal law.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Blindness itself is not the barrier. The real barrier is the loss of timely, competent services delivered by trained professionals who hold blind people to high expectations.</p>
<p>Therefore, the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey demands the following actions:</p>
<ol style="list-style-type:decimal">
<li><p>Immediate and explicit exemption of all CBVI specialized staff, including Teachers of Blind Students and Orientation and Mobility Instructors, from any requested or implied resignations within the Department of Human Services.</p></li>
<li><p>A public commitment from the governor-elect to protect the continuity, integrity, and staffing of blindness services during the transition and beyond.</p></li>
<li><p>Meaningful engagement with the organized blind community before any administrative or structural changes affecting CBVI are implemented.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Transitions of power must never endanger essential disability services. Administrative efficiency cannot come at the cost of civil rights, independence, and opportunity for blind New Jerseyans.</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey stands ready to work collaboratively with the incoming administration. However, we will not remain silent while the infrastructure that enables equality and independence for blind people in this state is placed at risk.</p>
<p>Respectfully,</p>
<p>Linda Melendez<br>
President<br>
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey</p>
<p>Here is an example of one of our social media posts, issued on the third day of the crisis:</p>
<h4 id="m_-4486373412201775509d3-call-to-action-still-no-response-we-continue">D3 CALL TO ACTION: STILL NO RESPONSE \u2014 WE CONTINUE </h4>
<p>For the third time, we are publicly stating the facts: the transition team for Mikie Sherrill has not contacted us in any way. No response. No acknowledgment. No meeting.<br>
<br>
This silence continues despite three clear, documented attempts to engage in good faith.<br>
<br>
First attempt: At an Inclusivity Summit, we were given the opportunity to leave a recorded message directly for the transition team, clearly requesting an in-person meeting.<br>
<br>
Second attempt: At the New Jersey League of Municipalities conference, we spoke directly with a member of the transition team and provided information about our organization, again requesting a meeting.<br>
<br>
Third attempt: At a nonprofit conference, we provided information directly to the Lieutenant Governor\u2013elect about our organization and formally requested an in-person meeting.<br>
<br>
At every encounter, we asked for dialogue.</p>
<p>At every encounter, we requested a seat at the table.</p>
<p>Yet here we are, on the third phase of this public campaign, with no feedback and no response.<br>
<br>
Let this be unmistakably clear: we will not stop.<br>
<br>
We will continue this campaign until we receive notification, sit down with the transition team, and reach a resolution that protects blindness services and respects the lived experience of the blind community.<br>
<br>
We are walking alone and marching together.</p>
<p>This is our strength. This is our unity. This movement is not going away.</p>
<h4 id="m_-4486373412201775509take-action">TAKE ACTION</h4>
<p>Contact the governor-elect\u2019s transition team and demand engagement with the blind community.<br>
<br>
Call the State House: (609) 292-6000<br>
Transition team portal: <a href="https://www.nj.gov/govelect" target="_blank">https://www.nj.gov/govelect</a><br>
<br>
Suggested message:</p>
<p>\u201cI am calling to urge the governor-elect\u2019s transition team to respond to the blind community and schedule an in-person meeting. Three good-faith attempts have been made with no response. We are walking alone and marching together, and we will not stop until we are heard.\u201d<br>
<br>
The door remains open. The invitation stands.</p>
<p>The pressure continues until we are heard.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509the-response">The Response</h3>
<p>As advocacy intensified, we began to receive responses. The Executive Director of CBVI and the Assistant Director both responded directly. Finally, after three days of our sustained campaign, we learned that the reported demand that seventy unclassified employees submit resignations within eighteen hours\u2014including CBVI personnel\u2014was rescinded.</p>
<p>On Friday morning following our initial call to action, CBVI leadership confirmed this and personally expressed appreciation for our swift advocacy. The outcome was achieved through the collective efforts of our members, our supporters, and the union representing affected employees.</p>
<p>Let me be clear: this victory did not happen by accident. It happened because organized blind people acted immediately and in unity.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509accountability-continues">Accountability Continues</h3>
<p>On January 21, 2026, I spoke with Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services Kaylee McGuire of DHS. While that conversation was constructive, I am still awaiting a formal meeting with the newly appointed DHS Commissioner. We have requested that meeting, and we expect it to occur.</p>
<p>Our work is not finished. A rescinded directive is not the same as a structural safeguard. Political transitions will occur again. The question is whether blindness services will be insulated from unnecessary disruption in the future. We are insisting that they will.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509what-this-means">What This Means</h3>
<p>This experience reinforced several truths. First, speed matters. We began responding the same day the issue came to light. Second, unity matters. Our members amplified the message, and our allies joined us. Third, documentation matters. By adopting Resolution 2026-01 within forty-eight hours, we created a formal record that could not be ignored.</p>
<p>Organized blind people must always have a seat at the table when decisions are made about programs that shape our education, employment, and independence. Blind New Jerseyans will never accept being treated as an afterthought. Being adversarial is never our default position, and so we will communicate and collaborate when we can. But we will also act decisively when our rights and services are threatened.</p>
<p>The record reflects that in January 2026, we refused to be collateral damage. Because we stood together, blindness services in New Jersey remain intact.</p>
<p>That is the power of the National Federation of the Blind.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Catherine Samuel]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509finding-your-caregiving-superpower-reflections-from-a-blind-caregiver-of-a-parent-with-dementia">Finding Your Caregiving Superpower: Reflections from a Blind Caregiver of a Parent with Dementia</h2>
<p>by Catherine Samuel</p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Catherine Samuel serves as the Director of Disability Resources at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while also working part-time as a consultant for a data management company. For fun, she plays the trumpet with two community musical ensembles; enjoys hiking, tandem biking, kayaking, and cooking; and is studying Hindi. Yet somehow she still found the time to write this helpful article about her experience as a blind caregiver. Here is what she shares:</strong></p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509beginning-the-caregiving-journey">Beginning the Caregiving Journey</h3>
<p>My mom\u2019s cognitive and physical health has been declining for some years now, and she was recently diagnosed with dementia. My brother and I are both in our forties and have very full and busy lives. He is sighted and lives in Virginia, about fifteen minutes away from my mom\u2019s assisted living facility. I have been totally blind since birth and live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>As her condition deteriorated, I began thinking seriously about what role I could play in caring for my mom. When I was much younger and she was caring for her aging parents, she was constantly dropping everything in order to drive six hours each way to their assisted-living home to see to their affairs in person. Consequently, the model of caregiving that I was accustomed to was one that required a very frequent in-person presence, and so at first I feared that I wouldn\u2019t be able to be of much help, given that I live about three hundred miles away and cannot jump in the car to head to Virginia on short notice. I also worried that on the financial side, there would be loads of physical paperwork to sort through, a daunting prospect even with great tools like Be My Eyes, Seeing AI, AIRA, and others. But I did not want to leave my brother \u201cholding the caregiving bag,\u201d so to speak, nor did I want to perpetuate the stereotype that blind people can only be the recipients!
of care, not the givers of care.</p>
<p>When Mom moved into assisted living, she updated her Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney (POA) documents, naming my brother as her medical POA and me as her financial POA. This was a surprise to my brother and me when we received these documents in the mail. I think we both imagined that he, as a sighted person, would have an easier time with the financial management and that I could do a lot of the coordination of her medical care by phone, no vision required. But that\u2019s not how my mom set things up, so my brother and I took on our designated roles with open minds. And though my mom\u2019s cognition is impaired, this decision that she made in a rare moment of clarity turned out to be absolutely the correct one.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509division-of-labor">Division of Labor</h3>
<p>My brother is able to transport Mom to medical appointments and has been able to come to the hospital to support her during the few times she has been hospitalized in the last year. That\u2019s not something I could do, blind or sighted, because of how far away I live. But it turns out that financial caregiving is almost as easy to do from a distance as it is in person. With everything being online now, I have not had to sort through mountains of physical paperwork to find records, review statements, and the like. All her bills are set up on auto-pay, and thanks to the POA, I have gained access to her accounts at the five financial institutions where she has assets. I have set up text alerts so that I am immediately notified of any transactions. This has proven to be important in thwarting some fraudulent and ill-advised transactions, since her reasoning and judgment have become more and more impaired as time passes.</p>
<p>I am a very organized person with an electronic filing system that helps me keep all of Mom\u2019s financial records easily locatable and accessible. I keep track of when all her bills are due so that I can make sure there is enough money in her accounts. As blind people, we probably tend to rely less on paper records than sighted people do, so I would venture a guess that many of us have very organized electronic record-keeping systems\u2014a real leg up when seeing to the financial affairs of a loved one.</p>
<p>However, financial caregiving cannot all be done remotely. Though I live out of state, I have found it important to visit my mom several times a year. For example, her two banks required that I present myself in person with my mom to submit the Durable Power of Attorney in front of a banker. They essentially interviewed my mom and me to ensure that I was competent to manage her finances and that she indeed desired that I do so.</p>
<p>Gaining online access to her credit card and investment accounts was also challenging at first because she had lost or forgotten all of her passwords. It was much easier for us to reset those together in the same place, with me operating the computer and her doing the multifactor authentication processes on her phone. While a last-minute trip to Virginia would be expensive and difficult, I am able to plan ahead by shopping for reasonably-priced plane tickets and making arrangements to be away from work for a few days.</p>
<p>In the last year, my mom\u2019s finances have gotten a lot more organized and on solid footing. She has limited resources, but I have set up CDs and a high-yield savings account to maximize the liquid assets she has. This also means that my mom is less vulnerable to phishing scams such as the one she fell victim to recently. With her consent, she now has much more limited access to funds, so that if she were to inadvertently grant a scammer access to her account, they can do significantly less damage now than they could in the past.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509other-caregiving-opportunities">Other Caregiving Opportunities</h3>
<p>While I have found the financial caregiving side of things to be the area where I can contribute most, that may not be everyone\u2019s experience. For a blind caregiver who lives closer to their loved one than any other family, helping with more of the day-to-day tasks may be the more logical path. While we cannot drive our loved one to medical appointments, we can call a rideshare service or lean on a friend for transportation. We\u2019re the expert in helping them apply for paratransit, since many of us have navigated that process ourselves. We can be the ears, notetaker, and advocate at the doctor\u2019s office or hospital. We can access their electronic health record through relatively accessible platforms like MyChart. Using tools such as Be My Eyes or AIRA, we can help them organize their medication. We can grab our trusty white cane or guide dog harness to head to the pharmacy and pick up a prescription for them. We can use apps like Instacart to order grocery delivery for !
them, prepare a meal, and do kitchen clean-up. We can help with bathing and toileting, if necessary, as long as we can communicate well and work together.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509it-takes-a-village">It Takes a Village</h3>
<p>It is very much okay that we may need to ask for help for some tasks. For example, my brother helped me by physically locating, scanning, and sending me all Mom\u2019s old tax records so that I could get them to the accountant. When my mom and I were clearing out her house and bringing everything she needed over to her assisted-living apartment, I located and hired a college student to help me find and pack her belongings and transport them to the new place. She reimbursed me, but I did the legwork she could not do in finding the helper and organizing the weekend.</p>
<p>As is the case for any caregiver, we do not need to do it all by ourselves or play the hero. If we find the part of caregiving where we are best suited to help and collaborate with friends and family to do the rest, we can make an incredibly meaningful contribution to our loved one\u2019s quality of life in their golden years.</p>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509tips-for-financial-caregiving-as-a-blind-person">Tips for Financial Caregiving as a Blind Person</h3>
<ul>
<li><p>While your loved one is still able to make decisions, talk with them about your potential role as their financial caregiver. Get a sense of how they would like you to manage things when the time comes.</p></li>
<li><p>Have them review with you important documents such as their will, advanced medical directives, tax records, mortgage records, account passwords, and the like. Get electronic copies of these if you can. Since many of our older loved ones might rely on paper a lot more than we do, do what you can to avoid having to sort through piles of paper in an emergency situation just to keep their bills paid.</p></li>
<li><p>If they are willing, have them work with an elder law or estate law attorney to sign a Durable Power of Attorney (POA) document that will allow you to start managing their affairs if they are no longer able to do so. If they become cognitively incapacitated and a POA is not in place, it will be much more difficult for you to gain access to their accounts. So having them prepare the POA ahead of time is the best course of action, even if you don\u2019t need to start using it until many years later.</p></li>
<li><p>Keep electronic copies of the POA documents, tax documents, and login usernames and passwords to their accounts in an accessible, organized, secure, and password-protected place.</p></li>
<li><p>Keep the original POA paperwork and label it in Braille if needed so you can easily identify it. Some financial institutions require that you show them the original, notarized POA, not an electronic copy.</p></li>
<li><p>When meeting with a financial institution to submit the POA and set up joint access to your loved one\u2019s account, have all your paperwork organized and all the information you may need at your fingertips. Your trusty laptop, Braille notetaker, or tablet may be helpful to bring along. The representative may have biases and pre-conceived notions about your capabilities as a blind financial caregiver, and you can avoid unnecessary and uneducated questions by showing them right away that you are organized and competent.</p></li>
<li><p>If you find that the online interface for your loved one\u2019s financial institution is not screen-reader-accessible, consider moving their assets to a more accessible platform. If you do this, remember to update all auto-pays that might be connected with the old account.</p></li>
<li><p>Stay in regular communication with other family or friends who are also serving as caregivers for your loved one. For example, if someone else takes them to the doctor and you\u2019re paying the bills, you\u2019ll need to know if a bill for a co-pay will be forthcoming.</p></li>
<li><p>Be clear with fellow caregivers about the tasks you\u2019re able to do and the aspects of caregiving where you may need help so that you can agree upon who\u2019s doing what.</p></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="m_-4486373412201775509conclusion">Conclusion</h3>
<p>As children, most people do not contemplate the role reversal that many of us find ourselves in as adults, where we become the caregiver and decision-maker for our parents. As blind teenagers and young adults, we may not have been the ones grandpa and grandma relied upon to run errands, put together their new mobility scooter, or drive them to the doctor. We may constantly receive subtle and not-so-subtle messages from society that we should accept help from others and that we are not expected to be the givers of help. So we may feel uncertain about taking on this responsibility.</p>
<p>Yet most of us likely also feel a duty and desire to care for our aging loved ones, much as we observed them caring for us as children and for their elders years ago. Our own life circumstances likely dictate to what degree and in what manner we are positioned to care for a loved one. So, we each chart our own path to lend a hand in the ways that are most feasible and needed. My hope in writing this piece is to empower anyone who is or may soon be a caregiver to not let blindness stand in the way of fulfilling this important role. With the help of access technology and modern conveniences like rideshare services and grocery delivery, we now have much greater access to the tools we need to be excellent, reliable, and loving caregivers.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Sania Kellogg receives her graduation certificate for completing her blindness training.]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509from-the-uk-to-the-usa-moving-forward-together">From the UK to the USA: Moving Forward Together</h2>
<p>by Sania Kellogg</p>
<p>Content warning: This article discusses honor-based abuse.</p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: Sania Kellogg is a board member of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska Lincoln Chapter and currently serves as a Braille instructor at the Nebraska Center for the Blind, where she received her own blindness skills training. Originally from the United Kingdom, she recounted her story to the 2025 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, whose president, Jamie Richey, sent it to us. Here is what Sania shared:</strong></p>
<p>My mother often told me that I wouldn\u2019t be independent, that I would rely on her for the rest of my life, that I would always need looking after. She said it would be difficult for me to get married, that no one would want to marry a blind person. And when it came to work, she told me the best job for me would be to become a writer, because at least I could do that from home, in a safe, sheltered space. Those words stayed with me for a long time, and for a while, I believed them. But as time went on, I realized something: I wasn\u2019t going to let anyone, not even the people who were supposed to love me, define my limitations. I was determined to prove that my future could be one of independence, fulfillment, and endless possibility.</p>
<p>It\u2019s a true honor to be here with you today at the National Federation of the Blind state convention. My name is Sania Kellogg, and I\u2019m originally from the UK. Nearly two years ago, I made the decision to move to Nebraska, and it has been an exciting and fulfilling experience to be part of such a warm and welcoming community. In 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to train at the Nebraska Center for the Blind, where I spent the year learning and growing alongside inspiring individuals whose journeys fueled my own growth. The training was a life-changing experience, and it deepened my understanding of independence and the tools available to blind people. It was here that I truly learned how to navigate the world with confidence, gaining new skills and perspectives that have shaped who I am today. After completing my training, I\u2019m now proud to be stepping into the role as the new Braille Instructor at the Nebraska Center for the Blind. It\u2019s a position I\u2019m deepl!
y passionate about, and it\u2019s a privilege to share my knowledge of Braille with others, empowering them to achieve independence in their own lives.</p>
<p>My connection to the National Federation of the Blind began in 2023 when I attended my first national convention in Houston, Texas. That experience was transformative, and it sparked my desire to become more involved. Since then, I\u2019ve joined the Lincoln chapter, and I\u2019ve been honored to serve as a board member since the start of 2024. Being part of this community has been incredibly fulfilling, and I\u2019m excited to continue contributing, learning, and growing alongside all of you.</p>
<p>Outside of my work and NFB involvement, I\u2019m a person who loves to stay connected with the world around me. I\u2019m an avid reader and love diving into books that transport me to new places. I also enjoy socializing, traveling, and meeting new people, as it broadens my perspective and brings me joy. Music is a constant companion in my life, and I love winding down with a good TV show or movie. I\u2019m excited to share my story with you today and to explore how our journeys shape who we are. To start, I\u2019d like to take you back to where it all began, growing up in the UK, and the experiences that helped shape my perspective and determination.</p>
<p>My early years were shaped by a combination of formal education and personal challenges. I started out at a primary school for blind students, which in the UK covers children from ages four to eleven. It was there that I learned essential skills like using the white cane, Braille, and computers to navigate my world. I also began learning basic skills for everyday life, such as taking care of simple tasks and becoming more aware of my environment, which laid the groundwork for my future independence. However, when I was around nine or ten, the school closed down. I moved to a mainstream primary school. As one of the few blind students, I received help in classes, and any materials that weren\u2019t accessible to me were transcribed into Braille. While this was an adjustment, I had a strong network of people who made sure I wasn\u2019t left behind. When I finished primary school, I transitioned to a secondary school, which in the UK includes both middle school and high school. He!
re, I continued to receive support in my classes, and materials were made accessible. But as I got older, I realized the importance of not only academic learning but also of developing the confidence to advocate for myself and assert my independence.</p>
<p>At home, life was far from easy. My family dynamic was shaped by what is known as honor-based abuse, where every aspect of my life (my decisions, my movements, and my future) was controlled in the name of family honor. This environment was suffocating. My mother was extremely controlling. She limited my freedom, believing that my blindness meant I needed constant supervision and protection from the world. I wasn\u2019t allowed to make my own choices or even experience the normal freedoms that other children enjoyed. I felt trapped, as if my life was already written for me by someone else, based on their fears and restrictions, rather than my own hopes and dreams. But I didn\u2019t want to accept that. I knew I deserved more, more than being confined by someone else\u2019s beliefs and limitations. It took years of internal struggle, of feeling like my wings were clipped, but deep down, I knew I had to break free.</p>
<p>In July 2013, two months before my eighteenth birthday, and with still a year left of secondary school, I made the life-altering decision to leave home. With the support of school staff who believed in me, I gathered the courage to walk away from everything I had known, stepping into the unknown. It was terrifying, but it was also liberating. I moved into supported accommodation, where I had my own apartment, and began learning how to navigate life on my own while still continuing my studies. Leaving home was not just a physical act; it was a declaration that I would no longer allow anyone to define my limits. I was determined to create my own future. I learned how to manage my education while developing the skills I needed for independent living and travel. It wasn\u2019t easy, but every small victory felt like a triumph over the circumstances that had once held me back. I then went on to university in September 2014, where I lived in my own apartment and continued to grow !
in my independence. In November 2017, I graduated with a degree in English Literature, proud of all I had accomplished. After university, I continued to live independently, maintaining my own apartment and pursuing various voluntary roles. In September 2020, I began my first job, an apprenticeship as a customer service advisor. I qualified in 2021 and continued in the role until 2023, when I made the life-changing decision to move to the US, ready to embark on a new chapter of my journey.</p>
<p>The decision to move to the US was one of the most significant steps in my life, and it was motivated by love. In 2012, I met my husband online, and from the very beginning, there was something undeniably special between us. We made our relationship official in August 2013. Our connection grew stronger with each passing day, and over the years, we built a bond based on trust, laughter, and shared dreams. We visited each other every year, taking turns to travel between the UK and the US. While these visits were always too short, they were filled with joy and anticipation as we explored new places together and strengthened our relationship, despite the distance. The long-distance nature of our relationship wasn\u2019t easy, but it taught us the true meaning of patience and commitment. In 2017, after years of building our connection, he proposed, and in that moment, I knew my future was with him. But love, as beautiful as it is, isn\u2019t always without its challenges. As much as!
we cherished our visits, we both dreamed of a life where we didn\u2019t have to say goodbye each time. We wanted to be together, to share a home, to create our future side by side. In 2021, we officially embarked on the immigration journey together. It was a long and challenging process, but we knew the reward would be worth it. After navigating the paperwork, interviews, and waiting periods, I finally received my fiancée visa in 2023. It was a dream come true, and I was ready to start our life together in the US. This move was more than just a change of location; it was a commitment to our love and our future. It was an act of courage, filled with hope, as we faced the unknown together. A new life, new adventures, and endless possibilities awaited us.</p>
<p>As I prepared to settle in the US, I also looked forward to the opportunities I would have to grow and expand my knowledge. In the UK, while there was some training available for blind people, it didn\u2019t offer the same in-depth resources as the US. The UK lacks the kind of dedicated training centers that provide comprehensive programs for blind individuals to gain full independence. Although I received some training in the UK\u2014learning Braille, independent living skills, and travel\u2014there were gaps. The training wasn\u2019t as immersive or as extensive as the programs available here. Arriving in Nebraska, I was blown away by the difference in resources and opportunities. I had the chance to train at the Nebraska Center for the Blind, where I was able to immerse myself in a structured, hands-on environment that provided the depth and range of skills I had longed for. It was here that I learned to master independent living and travel, gaining the confidence I needed to live!
life to the fullest. The level of support, the expertise of the trainers, and the community of blind individuals working together made all the difference. This move wasn\u2019t just about a change of location; it was about fully embracing a new life, filled with opportunities for growth and empowerment. And now, with my husband by my side, I\u2019m more excited than ever to continue this journey together, one that blends love, independence, and the desire to continually push forward.</p>
<p>As I settled into life in Nebraska, I realized there was one more step I needed to take to fully embrace my new life and the independence I had worked so hard to build: finding a community that could support, inspire, and challenge me. That\u2019s when I discovered the National Federation of the Blind. The Federation is not just an organization. It\u2019s a movement, a community of individuals who, like me, are committed to living independently, advocating for their rights, and breaking down barriers that stand in our way. When I first learned about the Federation, I felt an immediate connection. Here was a group that not only provided the tools and training I needed, but also shared a vision of a world where blindness isn\u2019t a limitation, but an opportunity for growth and self-determination. Joining the NFB has had a profound impact on my life. It\u2019s given me the chance to connect with others who share similar experiences, to learn from mentors who have navigated challenges !
with grace and resilience, and to find my own voice in advocating for myself and others. The NFB has empowered me to take control of my future in ways I never imagined, and I\u2019m honored to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community.</p>
<p>As I reflect on my journey (my move from the UK to the US, my personal growth, and the incredible opportunities I\u2019ve had to learn and thrive), I\u2019m reminded that no challenge is insurmountable. Every step I\u2019ve taken has been driven by a belief in my own potential and the desire to live a life full of independence, joy, and purpose. And as I look forward to the future, I\u2019m excited to continue growing, to keep pushing boundaries, and to share my experiences with others who are on their own journeys.</p>
<p>For anyone who feels uncertain or unsure of their path, I want to leave you with this: You are capable of so much more than you realize. The road ahead may have its obstacles, but each challenge you face is an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to prove to yourself that you can overcome anything. No one else can define your potential; only you can do that. Keep pushing forward, trust in your abilities, and know that you are never alone in this journey. Let\u2019s continue to live the lives we want and make our dreams a reality. Thank you.</p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: President Riccobono]</p>
<h2 id="m_-4486373412201775509from-the-presidents-desk">From the President\u2019s Desk</h2>
<p><strong>From the Editor: The following are recent letters that President Riccobono sent to key senators and to the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), an executive agency. The first letter urges Senate action to advance legislation that would establish a national framework for the advancement of autonomous vehicle technology, including important nondiscrimination and accessibility provisions. The second seeks to protect the integrity of the forthcoming regulations applying Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act to websites operated by state and local government entities, including K-12 school systems and institutions of higher education. OIRA has issued an announcement that, while vague, signals that it may delay, amend, or otherwise undermine the new regulations which, as the letter documents, were well over a decade in the making. Here are the letters:</strong></p>
<p>February 2, 2026</p>
<p>The Honorable Ted Cruz <br>
Chair<br>
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation<br>
167 Russell Senate Office Building<br>
Washington, DC 20510</p>
<p>The Honorable Maria Cantwell <br>
Ranking Member<br>
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation<br>
511 Hart Senate Office Building<br>
Washington, DC 20510 </p>
<p>Dear Chairman Cruz and Ranking Member Cantwell:<br>
<br>
The National Federation of the Blind is the nation\u2019s transformative membership organization of blind people. We advance opportunity, equality, and independence for our members and all blind Americans. We write to ask the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to include an urgently needed national autonomous vehicle framework in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act.</p>
<p>You have a truly historic opportunity to expand transportation access for seven million blind and low-vision Americans and millions more with travel-limiting disabilities. The blind community, the autonomous vehicle industry, and the public need congressional leadership to establish a clear federal framework for this pivotal technology.</p>
<p>Many members of the National Federation of the Blind\u2019s state affiliates and local chapters across the country have ridden in SAE Level 4 fully autonomous vehicles, including those functioning with the technology spearheaded by Waymo in the states where the service commercially operates today.</p>
<p>For blind Americans, fully autonomous vehicles can provide a convenient, private, flexible, reliable, and discrimination-free transportation option that supports access to work, education, and community engagement. However, the autonomous vehicle industry needs regulatory certainty and a framework within which to expand. A national autonomous vehicle framework would create a necessary baseline for this technology, ensuring innovation continues to move forward.</p>
<p>Congress faces a watershed moment. The United States must lead globally in autonomous transportation policy rather than allowing other nations to define the future of this technology. We urge the committee to seize this bipartisan opportunity to demonstrate American leadership while expanding transportation access for all.</p>
<p>As you develop this framework, we ask that you explicitly protect the civil rights of blind people by including a provision that prohibits requiring a driver\u2019s license\u2014for any human operator\u2014to hail or use a fully autonomous vehicle. This protection is reflected in the AV Accessibility Act (H.R. 4419), introduced in the United States House of Representatives, and is essential to ensuring that blind people can benefit from this technology on equal terms.</p>
<p>For more than eighty-five years, the National Federation of the Blind has worked collaboratively with Congress to ensure that the lived experience of blind people informs public policy. We are positioned to continue that partnership and eager to work with you to develop a national autonomous vehicle framework that will shape transportation access and independence for generations to come.</p>
<p>Sincerely,<br>
Mark A. Riccobono, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind</p>
<p>March 5, 2026</p>
<p>Mark Paoletta<br>
Administrator <br>
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs <br>
New Executive Office Building<br>
725 17th Street, NW <br>
Washington, DC 20503</p>
<p>RE: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities Final Rule</p>
<p>Dear Mr. Paoletta:</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans. Throughout the course of our eighty-six year history, we have sought to advance the lives of all blind people in the United States. A major driver of that advancement during our existence has been equal access to information, particularly digital information. It is for this reason that we oppose any attempt to delay, rescind, or otherwise undermine the effectiveness of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II website regulation that is set to take effect on April 24, 2026.</p>
<p>While reflecting a compromise between the needs of people with disabilities and the resources of covered entities, the clarity provided by the website regulation is important to the lives of people with disabilities, in particular to blind students in public and higher education. Blind students are too often excluded from the curricula their sighted peers experience because educational materials are offered digitally through inaccessible websites and mobile applications. As a result, they are often unable to compete on a level playing field with their peers, are unable to benefit fully from their education, and are delayed in attaining their degrees and entering the workforce. The inaccessibility of educational materials is one of the most significant barriers to blind people being able to achieve their full potential and make their rightful contribution to American society. </p>
<p>The website regulation provides exactly the clarity state and local government institutions have been requesting regarding their obligations under Title II of the ADA to make their websites and mobile applications accessible. Since 1990, Title II of the ADA has required state and local governments to ensure their communications with individuals with disabilities are \u201cas effective as\u201d communications with nondisabled individuals. Since 1996, the Department of Justice has made clear that this obligation includes their communications via the internet and mobile applications.</p>
<p>Moreover, the communications of recipients of federal funding have been subject to that same requirement pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act since 1973. In the decades since, courts and other federal agencies have agreed, and the Department of Justice has issued several guidance documents providing technical assistance to covered entities. </p>
<p>Yet, educational institutions and other state and local government entities have claimed to be unclear exactly how they should comply with the \u201cequally effective communication\u201d obligation. In 2024, more than thirty years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act into law, the Department of Justice issued the website rule. Far from being a surprise to covered entities, the Department first issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (\u201cANPRM\u201d) in 2010, which sought information from covered entities and individuals on what should be included in the rule. The Department received approximately four hundred comments.</p>
<p>In 2016, the Department issued a supplemental ANPRM, again soliciting public input, which received more than two hundred comments. In 2023, the Department issued a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding website and mobile application accessibility requirements, setting forth the Department\u2019s proposals and including more than sixty questions for public comment. The Department received nearly three hundred fifty comments. In addition, the Department attended a variety of listening sessions to gather additional input. The final rule was issued on April 24, 2024.</p>
<p>The final rule clarifies what is required to meet Title II\u2019s equally effective communication requirement in the context of state and local government websites and mobile applications. It provides a clear technical standard based on an internationally recognized and widely adopted consensus standard. It also provides flexibility by allowing covered entities to achieve equivalent facilitation and preventing liability for inaccessible elements that do not substantively affect the usability of a website or mobile application.</p>
<p>Notably, the website rule also provides a series of exceptions, presumably implemented at the behest of covered entities, establishing web and mobile application elements and content that do not have to be made accessible. These exceptions are not available under the pre-existing equally effective communication requirement. Although the equally effective communication requirement has been in effect for decades, the final rule also provides delayed effective dates of two or three years, depending on the size of the affected government. Thus, rather than burdening state and local governments, the rule actually reduces the burdens on those entities. Further, the rule included a comprehensive and careful analysis of the benefits and costs of the regulation, showing that the benefits substantially outweigh the costs. </p>
<p>The website regulation reflects exactly what public entities have been seeking since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990\u2013a clear, transparent shared understanding of the applicable legal requirements. The final rule is clear and comprehensible, does not stray from legislative intent (which made clear that the effective communication requirements of the Rehabilitation Act should be incorporated in the ADA), accurately estimates the costs and burdens, and provides clear safe harbors.</p>
<p>There is no basis for reconsidering the website rule, which has already gone through fourteen years of consideration, public input, and adjustment, and which is based on a requirement in existence for nearly fifty years. Additionally, public entities have had nearly thirty-six years to prepare for the requirements that were initially established in the ADA, clarified by the final rule, and have been actively requested by stakeholders on all sides. Conversely, delaying or amending the regulation at this point would severely harm blind and other disabled Americans by denying us access to important civic information. </p>
<p>Thank you for your attention to this important issue.</p>
<p>Sincerely,<br>
Mark A. Riccobono, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind</p>
<p>----------</p>
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