[IL-Talk] President Riccobono's Notebook 11-23-2020

Tue Nov 24 15:24:43 UTC 2020

FYI--

An Open Letter to Top Officials in Education:

The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to virtual learning has
highlighted several critical barriers that blind students face due to
inaccessible technology.
I sent an open letter that addresses these concerns and demands
immediate action. It was sent during American Education Week 2020 to
top education officials
in all fifty states; the District of Columbia; and Puerto Rico. Please
review and share
the open letter.
For blind students, parents, and teachers, please complete and
submit the education technology survey
to help continue tracking accessible and inaccessible technology being
used in the education systems.

News:
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

For the first time in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast
history, NBCUniversal is providing the full NBC broadcast with live
audio description on
the Secondary Audio Program channel (SAP), provided by Descriptive
Video Works. This year’s broadcast will be available with additional
audio narration,
describing the rich visuals of the parade including the magnificent
balloons, floats, and performances, to complement the storytelling and
celebration
that make the parade an annual Thanksgiving Day tradition for millions
of Americans. The parade is Thursday, November 26, from 9:00 a.m. to
noon eastern.

AIM HIGH House and Senate Cosponsors

The AIM HIGH Act got new cosponsors in both the House and Senate last
week. In the House, Representative Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) signed on
as a cosponsor,
and in the other chamber Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD) signed on. Well
done Pennsylvania and Maryland. Keep up the good work.

Braille UNO Cards

Braille UNO cards, with the National Federation of the Blind logo
featured on the box, are available via the Independence Market for
$10.00. These cards
were designed in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind
and feature Braille on the corner of each playing card to indicate the
card’s color
and number or action. UNO Braille packaging features Braille on the
front and back for clear identification and directs players to
UNOBraille.com where
they can find playing instructions featuring .BRF files for download.
Players can also access voice-enabled instructions through Amazon
Alexa and Google
Home.

Independence Market Gift Certificates

With the holiday season approaching, I’m sure you might like to
purchase that special gift from the Independence Market for a family
member, friend, neighbor,
or loved one. If you’re undecided as to what to buy them, why not
consider one of our Independence Market gift certificates? Gift
certificates are available
for purchase in $25, $50, $75, and $100 increments. They’re valid for
one year after purchase and can be redeemed over the phone. PDF gift
certificates
are available via email or in Braille via USPS. To learn more about
gift certificates, please email the Independence Market at
independencemarket at nfb.org,
or call us at 410-659-9314, extension 2216.

Facebook Is Doubling Gifts Made on GivingTuesday:

Want a way to triple your gifts? Give to NFB on GivingTuesday,
December 1, by hitting the donate button on our Facebook page or
posts. Facebook and Vispero
will both be matching those gifts, as long as matching funds are
available. Please feel free to reach out to Patti Chang, our director
of outreach, at
410-659-9314, extension 2422, or
pchang at nfb.org
 with any questions.

Next Tuesday: Attend the Presidential Release #500:

The December Presidential Release of the National Federation of the
Blind will be delivered on Tuesday, December 1, at 8:00 p.m. eastern.
Attend this celebration
and milestone of the five hundredth episode! After the remarks, there
is an opportunity for questions. Submit questions in advance to
cdanielsen at nfb.org
 and put PR500 in the subject line, or call 410-659-9314, extension
2473. Closed captions and Spanish interpretation will be available.
This milestone
release will include participation from Marc Maurer and Mary Ellen Jernigan.

New Blog Post: “Reflections of Gratitude” (en Espanol y English)

Last week, I wrote to Federation leaders a reflection for our
anniversary, which was November 16. It is now posted on the Voice of
the Nation's Blind Blog
to all of our friends and supporters as a way to say thank you and
happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for your support, which has made a
difference more
than ever in 2020. Below are links to the English and Spanish posts.

list of 2 items
•
English version: “
Reflections of Gratitude for Eighty Years of the Movement
”
•
Spanish version: “
Reflexiones de Gratitud por los Ochenta Años del Movimiento
”
list end

Open House Gathering: Share with Prospective Members:

Sunday, December 13, 2020, at 8:00 p.m. ET – The National Federation
of the Blind is hosting an open house gathering for people who are not
yet members
of the Federation to learn about becoming members. Share with
prospective members this opportunity to learn more from leaders about
the Federation and
why membership is crucial. Sign up by emailing
membership at nfb.org
 or calling 410-659-9314, extension 2509.

Dare to Be Remarkable: Conference for Blindness Professionals:

Tuesday, December 15 through Thursday, December 17, 2020 – Dare to Be
Remarkable is a three-day, virtual national training conference for
education and
rehabilitation professionals who work with blind and low-vision
transition-aged students or adults. The agenda includes breakout
sessions on various topics
and professions including administrators, O&M instructors, access
technology instructors, and more. Review the agenda and register now
for the
Dare to Be Remarkable
 conference.

Teachers of Tomorrow Program:

If you are preparing for a career in teaching blind students, or if
you are an early career educator looking to enhance your teaching,
then the National
Federation of the Blind invites you to apply for a spot in the first
cohort of our Teachers of Tomorrow program. This immersive,
professional development
program connects teachers of blind and low-vision students to the
lived experiences of blind people, equipping participants with
knowledge about the skills
and attitudes that can help blind students thrive in school and
beyond. The program is free to participants thanks to a partnership
between the National
Federation of the Blind and the Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research
Foundation. For more information or to apply visit
https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/education/teachers-tomorrow.

Affiliate Thank You to NFB of Michigan

Thanks go out to the NFB of Michigan for contributing recently. We can
only build the Federation if we do it together. Financial support is
appreciated.

Reminder:
It’s that Time of Year—Santa Letters:

Every year Santa Claus turns the staff at the National Federation of
the Blind into his honorary elves to help him send letters and
activities in Braille
to young children (those under the age of ten) across the United
States. Between November 9 and December 16, parents can submit a
request for a letter
at
http://www.nfb.org/santa-letters.
The form can also be printed and faxed to 410-685-2340 or emailed to
communityrelations at nfb.org.
Beginning Monday, November 30, the Braille letters from Santa will
start going out to children. The Braille letter will be accompanied by
a print copy
as well and some other fun holiday activities. The deadline for letter
requests is December 16.
Learn more about Santa Letters.

Braille Readers Are Leaders—A Contest for Children and Adults:

This contest is designed to encourage the contestants to read more
Braille, helping them to improve their reading skills and win prizes.
The National Federation
of the Blind is partnering with the American Action Fund for Blind
Children and Adults to present the 2020-2021 Braille Readers Are
Leaders contest to
encourage Braille literacy and reading for pleasure. Children and
adults across the United States compete against their same-grade peers
to read the most
Braille pages between December 1, 2020, through January 18, 2021.
Registration is open now. Learn more about the
Braille Readers Are Leaders
 contest.

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