[IL-Talk] at large minutes december 2021

[David Meyer]

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
Minutes of meeting held Sunday December 5th, 2021
Members Present: President Dave Meyer, Marilyn Green, Debbie Pittman, 
Bridgid Burke, Natalie Shaheen, Linda Hendel, Cathy Randall, Danny 
Mandrell, Jemal Powell and Yvonne Agyarko. Secretary Bill Reif was 
absent, and prepared these minutes based on a meeting recording by 
President Meyer.

The program item consisted of the presentation and discussion of a 
portion of a panel on diversity presented at our 2020 NFB National 
Convention. In this presentation, Bobbie Pompay who is African American 
and whose accent does not match what is typically associated with 
African Americans described the discrimination she experienced after 
blind people who would not otherwise have known were informed she was 
black. A leader had actually paid the dues of many Student Chapter 
attendees so they would vote against her in her run for President. Many 
participants acknowledged the degree to which their own biases based on 
how people sound or other things we discover about them influenced 
their opinions. Those biases can be racial, gender-based, or based on 
disability or socioeconomic status.

Presidential Release 511 was presented. A crowd of board members and 
supporters were present at the National Center. Our Washington Seminar 
will kick off on February 7th. In person attendance will be limited due 
to congressional Covid-19 protocols. We continue efforts to promote the 
Access Technology Affordability Act, HR 431 which has 114 cosponsors 
and S 212 which has 32 cosponsors. On November 18, Senator Casey and 
Steve Danes of Montana introduced s 3238, the Transformation to 
Competitive Integrated Employment Act. This is a companion to HR 2373. 
President Riccobono noted that 2021 is the first year the PAC Plan has 
an annualized amount over $500,000.

Marilyn gave the State Report, informing us of our upcoming 12/13 Board 
Meeting at 7:00 via Zoom. The State Scholarship application period open 
12/1 and will run through 3/31/2022. Washington Seminar applications 
are due to Marilyn by December 10th. National Convention will be 
7/6/2022 through 7/10 in New Orleans. Planning has begun for the 2022 
Midwest Student Seminar to be held in Chicago 3/18 through 3/20.

The meeting adjourned at 8:36 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for 
Sunday January 2nd at 7:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Bill Reif, Secretary