[IABS-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of June 28

Tue Jun 29 12:40:13 UTC 2021

Convention Reminders:

#NFB21 Rookie Roundup on Tuesday:

Tuesday, June 29, 2021, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. eastern: All
convention attendees are cordially invited to attend a welcoming Zoom
meeting the week before convention starts. President Riccobono and
Board of Directors Chairperson Pam Allen will be on hand to preview
convention activities and provide a historical perspective of the
organization and how it grew into the leading voice in the blindness
field. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our dynamic
organization. Zoom meeting ID 996 0507 0015.

National Convention Registration Still Available:

The 2021 National Federation of the Blind National Convention
registration is still open. Early registration prior to May 31 was
required for member voting access. Register for door prizes and get
access to convention information as it becomes available at
nfb.org/registration.

Voting during Convention:

The phone number and related voting instructions will be sent via
email to qualified voters in addition to being posted to the
convention information page. A review of the voting process will be
provided during the Rookie Roundup with the opportunity to participate
in the first vote of the 2021 National Convention. The phone number
for voting is 667-206-6677.

Veteran Introductions - Last Call:

Vernon Humphries, the president of the National Association of Blind
Veterans, is still collecting video introductions for veterans. Please
send the ten-second audio recording of each veteran introducing
themself to him at mr_president at nabv.org.

PAC Prizes:

Every year the Pre-Authorized Contribution program holds various
contests during the national convention for which NFB affiliates and
individual members contribute to the prizes. We are again asking NFB
affiliates and national divisions to support our fun PAC contests by
contributing cash donations to the contest prizes. Thus far, we want
to thank the following affiliates for their contributions: Colorado,
Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New
Jersey, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.  Please make checks payable
to National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore,
MD 21230, Attention: Fiscal Services - PAC. You should also send an
email to PAC at nfb.org to let us know you are sending a contribution for
the contest prizes and the full name of the organization that the
contribution is from. We want to make sure we recognize your
organization in our thank-you list. You can contact Scott LaBarre
(slabarre at nfb.org or extension 2424) or Bridgid Burke (bburke at nfb.org
or extension 2271) if you have any questions. We are looking forward
to another fun-PACked convention.

Legal Office Hours during Convention:

Disability rights attorneys will be available to discuss blindness
discrimination concerns regarding employment, technology, education,
voting, and more. Legal office hours will be held on Tuesday, July 6,
and Wednesday, July 7, from 6:00-9:00 p.m., eastern. Schedule your
private twenty-minute appointment by emailing vyingling at nfb.org.

News:

Hot & Cold Tumblers:

The tumblers are now available in the Independence Market. These
sixteen-ounce tumblers are in black with clear tops and display the
NFB logo in white with the words “Live the Life You Want” on the
front. The tumblers cost $8.00, and orders can be placed by contacting
the Independence Market.

Safety and Support Initiatives Reminder:

As indicated in the open letter on April 15, we will be making another
report of our progress and next steps at the 2021 National Convention.
These reports have been grounded in on-going deep listening and best
practices that result from working with RAINN, input from our
survivor-led task force, recommendations of the Special Committee, and
the input of all of you. Your voice has been and continues to be
critical in this process. Reports from RAINN and the Special Committee
will be available prior to the start of convention at.

The July Braille Monitor Is Available:

The latest issue of the National Federation of the Blind flagship
publication is now available. Read about national convention, stories
from members, raising expectations, and more. Access the Braille
Monitor now.

Affiliate and Website Project Update:

At the end of 2020, we provided information for the start of rolling
out the National Federation of the Blind affiliate and website
redesign project. We are excited to share that the project has been
underway since that time, and we have the following six updated
Federation websites to share. When your website is up next, you will
receive an email from us with more specific instructions and more
exact timing. If you have questions, please email
NFBProjectTeam at nfb.org.

NFB of North Dakota
NFB of Wisconsin
NFB of Minnesota
NFB of Hawaii
National Association of Blind Students
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

June 29: Rookie Roundup, 8:30 p.m.
July 5-30: NFB EQ Online
July 6-10: NFB National Convention, anywhere and everywhere
July 19-30: BELL Session 2
August 2: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.
August 9-20: BELL Session 3
September 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.
October 1: Presidential Release, 12:00 p.m.
November 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.
December 2: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.

-- 
Marilyn Green, President
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
312-343-8396
www.nfbofillinois.org