[IABS-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of February 5

Tue Feb 6 17:11:46 UTC 2024

Critical Actions:

February Presidential Release:

The
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fresources%2Fpublicatio
ns-and-media%2Fpresidential-releases&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw070-a89QjTh-TJrWS
JM5Zl> February Presidential Release recording and transcript are available
for chapter meetings. Please note that we are currently experiencing
technical difficulties with our presidential release podcast format. Please
use
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fresources%2Fpublicatio
ns-and-media%2Fpresidential-releases&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw070-a89QjTh-TJrWS
JM5Zl> the release webpage or NFB-NEWSLINER to access the presidential
release. The next live presidential release is scheduled for February 29,
2024, at 8:00 p.m., eastern. Zoom TBD.

Washington Seminar:

2024 Washington Seminar Recap:

Last week we held our annual Washington Seminar. Federation members
conducted over four hundred meetings with their senators and representatives
in Congress. The week began with our traditional Great Gathering-In on
Monday, January 29, where Representative Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Chair of the
House Democratic Caucus, delivered remarks. Representative Aguilar's
grandfather was a Randolph-Sheppard Vendor in the San Bernardino County
Courthouse, so he is very familiar with that program, as well as some of the
other issues blind Americans face.

On Tuesday, January 30, we had our annual Congressional Reception in the
Cannon Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Building. This year's
reception was sponsored by Waymo. Fifteen members of Congress attended the
reception, and most of them delivered remarks.

Thank you to everyone who traveled to Washington, DC, for this year's event,
and we look forward to making next year's Washington Seminar even better.
Please remember to enter your ratings into the Washington Seminar Portal if
you haven't already done so. The ratings are very important and help give
our government affairs group here in Baltimore an idea of where to best
focus our efforts in order to get our legislation passed.

Washington Seminar Great Gathering-In:

The Great Gathering-In is the very exciting opening session of the
Washington Seminar. You can access the remarks, watch the live stream, or
read the transcript.

*        Read
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fblog%2Fsignificance-20
24-washington-seminar&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2iKaCzeWlFQ_UgDc2nRT5K>
Presidential Remarks about the Significance of Washington Seminar

*        Watch the
<https://www.youtube.com/live/tUzrJ7w0aOU?si=P7Tonn5_vxRvGDlS&t=66> Great
Gathering-In live stream on YouTube

*        Read the
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fad
vocacy%2Fwashington-seminar%2F2024-great-gathering-transcript&sa=D&sntz=1&us
g=AOvVaw0vJZ7tIHFgQ8T5L9npZXon> Great Gathering-In Transcript

Share Stories from Washington Seminar-Write an Article:

We are looking to hear about your experiences during the 2024 Washington
Seminar. Who was at Washington Seminar for the first time? What stories did
members share with their representatives that can be shared more? If you or
someone in your affiliate is interested in writing an article about being in
DC, please send an email to
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/z7d3a955w2ul/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=story@nfb.or
g> story at nfb.org. If you are not sure about writing, we can help! We are
excited to help share your stories in future communications.

News:

Legislative Update:

In the week following the 2024 Washington Seminar we gained seventeen new
cosponsors on our legislation between the House and the Senate. In the
House, the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act gained eight
new cosponsors to bring the total number up to twelve. Also in the House,
the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act gained eight new cosponsors
to bring the total number up to sixty-one. In the Senate, the Access
Technology Affordability Act gained one new cosponsor to bring the total
number up to eighteen. We may all be back home now that our time in the
nation's capital is over, but that doesn't mean that the work stops. Please
continue to follow up with your members of Congress and urge them to
cosponsor our legislation.

#NFB24 Book Your Hotel:

Join us for the 2024 National Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind, July 3 through July 8, in Orlando, Florida, at the Rosen Centre. Our
2024room rate for singles and doubles is $129; for triples and quads, the
rate is $139. Occupancy taxes and surcharges are an additional 13.5 percent.
To book your room, call the hotel at 800-204-7234. Ask for the "NFB
Convention" block. At the time you make a reservation, a $146 deposit is
required for each room reserved. If you use a credit card, the deposit will
be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a
$146 check. If a reservation is canceled before Saturday, June 1, 2024, half
of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise, refunds will not be made.

Submit Nominations for the 2024 Bolotin Awards:

The National Federation of the Blind is accepting nominations of individuals
or organizations who are a positive force in the lives of blind people and
help us transform dreams into reality. Each application must include a
letter of recommendation.
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fsc
holarships-and-awards%2Fdr-jacob-bolotin-awards%2Fapplication-information&sa
=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw33OTCrsq2843D2Kf0s4SnV> Learn more and submit a
nomination for the 2024 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards.

Catch Up on Content and Share on Social Media:

Highlights, news, and stories are available in the most recent Braille
Monitor, Future Reflections, Nation's Blind Podcast, and Voice of the
Nation's Blind Blog. The following are National Federation of the Blind
publications for you to access and share with Federationists. These articles
and episodes are great to share on affiliate and division social media to
create discussions on various topics.

*
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fimages%2Fnfb%2Fpublica
tions%2Fbm%2Fbm24%2Fbm2402%2Fbm2402tc.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw0Cltokh2R5mW
Yt-uFEGCnL> February Braille Monitor

*
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fimages%2Fnfb%2Fpublica
tions%2Ffr%2Ffr42%2F4%2Ffr4204tc.htm&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw1M6rdzTpQ_3eMlAvy
tZ1o6> Future Reflections, Fall 2023

*
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fresources%2Fpublicatio
ns-and-media%2Fnations-blind-podcast&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2WUpuwuoF9EMv8xhW
KHX7m> Nation's Blind Podcast episode, "Washington Seminar"

*        Blog article, "
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fblog%2Fcoming-full-cir
cle-investing-myself-and-our-community-mentors-training-and-scholarships&sa=
D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw03ZcpS3pu8ly0xpsWr9nO0> Coming Full Circle: Investing in
Myself and Our Community with Mentors, Training, and Scholarships"

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

*	April 15, 2024: Deadline for
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fsc
holarships-and-awards%2Fdr-jacob-bolotin-awards%2Fapplication-information&sa
=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw33OTCrsq2843D2Kf0s4SnV> Bolotin Award nominations
*	July 3-8, 2024: National Convention; Orlando, Florida

Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement

*	Wednesday, February 7, 8:00 p.m.
*	Wednesday, May 8, 8:00 p.m.
*	Wednesday, August 7, 8:00 p.m.
*	Wednesday, November 6, 8:00 p.m.

Chapter Presidents Calls

*	Thursday, March 14, and Sunday, March 17, at 8:00 p.m.
*	Thursday, June 13, and Sunday, June 16, at 8:00 p.m.
*	Thursday, September 12, and Sunday, September 15, at 8:00 p.m.
*	Thursday, December 19, and Sunday, December 22, at 8:00 p.m.

Marilyn Green, President

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

312-343-8396

 <mailto:president at nfbofillinois.org> president at nfbofillinois.org

 <http://www.nfbofillinois.org> www.nfbofillinois.org

Live the life you want!

The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois is a community of members
and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every
day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.