[IL-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of August 4

Sun Aug 7 14:53:26 UTC 2022

News:

Collaborative Advocacy to Pass Legislation at the State Level:

Please note, the meeting originally scheduled for August 2 at 8:00 p.m. has
been moved to September 13 at 8:00 p.m., eastern. The Zoom information
remains the same and will be redistributed soon.

Share Your #NFB22 Feedback:

Thank you for your participation, engagement, and support in New Orleans.
Please share your experiences of the 2022 National Convention.
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FZ3236
GT&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw1cKUfqC4B_fnEbRj1dmJCv> Take the #NFB22 survey now
online or by phone. To complete the survey by phone, call 229-632-7878 or
toll-free 833-632-7878. As an encore to the general sessions' preshow
commentary, a post-convention review is available now on the Nation's Blind
Podcast with the preshow panelists.
<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fconvention&sa=D&sntz=1&u
sg=AOvVaw36u5TempAZcKws7r4z6676> Get more details on the survey, highlights,
and podcast episode.

2022 Resolutions:

On July 9 at the 2022 National Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind, the Federation passed eighteen resolutions. All of these resolutions
have been posted to our website and can be read at
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fresolutions&sa=D&sntz=
1&usg=AOvVaw3rWR4_nb_d79pBJ4dwKTcb> nfb.org/resolutions.  

Presidential Release: September Save the Date & August Recording:

The next Presidential Release will take place Thursday, September 1, at 8:00
p.m., eastern (CC and Spanish available). Zoom details coming soon!
<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> Access the August Presidential Release for chapter meetings, the full
live event, or the transcripts.

Prepare for October Presidential Release on the Road:

Host the October Presidential Release LIVE in your affiliate! By chapter,
affiliate, or even region, submit a brief proposal to have the October
Presidential Release LIVE in your area. We will come to you! Please email
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1oubvz0r0h9tb/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=membership@
nfb.org> membership at nfb.org your pitch on what the release setup would be
and any details that would help determine this exciting release. Why should
we come to you? Be creative and share stories on why it will be important to
your chapter or group. Deadline to submit is Sunday, August 28, and we will
announce the location on the September Release.

Braille Calendars for Affiliates and Individuals:

The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults has graciously
extended an offer to all National Federation of the Blind affiliates to
request up to fifty 2023 Braille calendars. These are the 6 x 6 1/2 inch
pocket calendars that have the month, date, day, and pertinent holidays.
Please send an email to Jen White at
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1oubvz0r0h9tb/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=jwhite@nfb.
org> jwhite at nfb.org no later than August 31. Individuals can also
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Factionfund.org%2Fresources%2Fbra
ille-calendars&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw09UV8o8oxo15b4hjdLO9py> order their
free Braille calendar now.

Senate Committee on Aging Hearing Regarding Accessible Federal Technology:

On Thursday, July 28, Anil Lewis testified before the US Senate Special
Committee on Aging on the importance of accessible federal websites and
technology.
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fad
vocacy%2Fpolicy-statements%2Fanil-lewiss-testimony-senate-special-committee-
aging&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw3flX-VMFMw1qJC9FvjJjYN> Anil's full written
testimony can be found on the
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fad
vocacy%2Fpolicy-statements&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw0EXlbeWMG6kvuG4KNGNuOl>
Policy Statements page of our website. You can also watch the hearing in its
entirety on the Committee on Aging's website at
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aging.senate.gov%2Fhearings%
2Fclick-here-accessible-federal-technology-for-people-with-disabilities-olde
r-americans-and-veterans&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2MLnUYiofwaANg_jGw2t8i>
https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/click-here-accessible-federal-technolo
gy-for-people-with-disabilities-older-americans-and-veterans.

United States Postal Service Report Regarding Free Matter for the Blind:

On Tuesday, July 26, the United States Postal Service Inspector General
released a report with the result of their review of the Free Matter for the
Blind Program, as requested by Senators Van Hollen, Hyde-Smith, Peters, and
Portman. The report is available online at
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uspsoig.gov%2Fdocument%2Ffre
e-matter-blind&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw30jF2JlPIzOfPbByQ5gI4t>
https://www.uspsoig.gov/document/free-matter-blind. An impetus for this
Inspector General investigation was the testimony of Federationist Rania
Dima before the Senate Subcommittee on Financial Services and the Federal
Government at a hearing in July 2021. The full hearing, including Rania's
testimony, can be watched at
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.appropriations.senate.gov%2F
hearings%2Fa-hearing-to-review-the-fy-2022-budget-request-for-the-usps-offic
e-of-inspector-general-and-usps-service-issues-&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw0AFAqD
7WDWP0Uc010mo4Tt>
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-hearing-to-review-the-fy-20
22-budget-request-for-the-usps-office-of-inspector-general-and-usps-service-
issues-.

Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services Issue Joint
Guidance on Nondiscrimination in Telehealth:

The NFB applauds DOJ and HHS for recently issuing guidance on
nondiscrimination in telehealth, and we encourage members and health-care
providers to review this important information available on HHS's website at
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hhs.gov%2Fcivil-rights%2Ffor
-individuals%2Fdisability%2Fguidance-on-nondiscrimination-in-telehealth%2Fin
dex.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw1vMThCXuEYVVRct0XxL-sb>
https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/guidance-on-nond
iscrimination-in-telehealth/index.html.

Social Security Administration Kiosks:

The NFB continues to seek information about the accessibility of the Social
Security Administration's current visitor-intake-processing methods. If you
have visited an SSA field office since their reopening in April 2022, plan
to visit an office soon, or would be interested in being a tester for the
NFB, please contact Valerie Yingling at 410-659-9314, extension 2440, or
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1oubvz0r0h9tb/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=legal@nfb.o
rg> legal at nfb.org. We are specifically gathering information on whether the
field offices are using kiosk, web-based, or human check-in processes, and
whether these processes are accessible to blind individuals.

Uber and Lyft Ride Denials:

The NFB continues to gather information regarding Uber and Lyft ride denials
not only due to service animals, but also related to a traveler's use of a
white cane, as well as access barriers on the companies' apps. We know that
rideshare drivers continue to discriminate and request that you complete
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fle
gal-program%2Frideshare-discrimination-survey&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw0eTyDQsP
doOIACM4CpEIPr> NFB's rideshare discrimination survey and share your
experiences with us for our continued legal advocacy. The survey is
available via
<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Flegal&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AO
vVaw17u-WYB9f96Cut3PgnazKd> nfb.org/legal. We are especially interested in
hearing from individuals who use Uber and who do not have their own account,
using either a third-party service such as GoGo Grandparent; paratransit,
concierge, or medical appointment dispatchers; or who use Uber via a friend,
spouse, or other individual's account.

Center for Employment Opportunities:

In the 2022 Presidential Report, I referenced our Center for Employment
Opportunities (CEO) initiatives intended to help bridge the gap of
unemployment and underemployment among the nation's blind. This includes the
launching of our Where the Blind Work webinar series, featuring blind
professionals in a wide range of jobs and careers. We seek your help to
identify blind individuals in your network and/or affiliate.

We want to highlight blind workers in blue collar jobs in our upcoming
segment. If you have members who are mechanics, machinists, carpenters, hair
stylists, wait staff, hospitality, or other crafts and labor jobs, we want
to hear from them. While you are at it, we are looking for a range of blind
people working in all sorts of interesting jobs and careers, so please join
our efforts to feature them in our Where the Blind Work series by contacting
Maurice Peret, coordinator of career mentoring and employment programs, at
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1oubvz0r0h9tb/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=mperet@nfb.
org> mperet at nfb.org or at 410-659-9314, extension 2350.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

*	August 31: Deadline for affiliates to request Action Fund Braille
calendars
*	September 1: Presidential Release
*	January 30, 2023: Great Gathering-In
*	March 23, 2023: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium

Marilyn Green, President

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

312-343-8396

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

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