[IL-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of March 14

Tue Mar 15 11:30:28 UTC 2022

News:

Legislation Update:

In recent weeks our legislative priorities have seen a big bump in cosponsor
support. Since the beginning of March, the Access Technology Affordability
Act has gained eight new cosponsors in the House (H.R. 431) from the states
of California, Florida, New York, Illinois, and Tennessee. During that same
period, the Senate version of ATAA has gained two new cosponsors: Senator
Joni Ernst of Iowa and Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Similarly, the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853) has
gained seven new cosponsors in March from the states of California,
Illinois, Michigan, Rhode Island, and North Carolina. This is all thanks to
you and your continued advocacy. Please keep calling and emailing your
members of Congress and asking them to support our legislation!

Calling All NFB EQ Alumni:

This year an NFB EQ Convention program will be offered at our national
convention for all past NFB EQ participants (since 2018). Participants will
have fun in teaching art and engaging others at the exhibit hall while
participating in an insulation and roller coaster challenge. Field trips to
the Pharmacy and Presbytère museums are also on the agenda and even a STEM
reunion event to catch up with old friends! Parents/guardians will also have
the opportunity to participate in parent workshops, networking, and the
NOPBC national convention.

Please note that this opportunity is only available to students who have
participated in the NFB EQ Program since 2018. Invitation emails have been
sent to eligible students. For more information, please email
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1ku3teocp9azj/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=stem@nfb.or
g> stem at nfb.org.

NFB BELL® Academy Applications Open and More Locations:

The National Federation of the Blind is offering in-person and in-home
opportunities! Our in-person programs across the nation and our NFB BELL
Academy In-Home Edition will help prepare blind and low-vision children to
grow into confident and independent blind people.  

The current in-person program cities include Madison, Alabama; Mobile,
Alabama; Phoenix, Arizona; Tucson, Arizona; Littleton, Colorado; Rathdrum,
Idaho; Chicago, Illinois; Springfield, Illinois; Ruston, Louisiana;
Baltimore, Maryland; St. Louis, Missouri; Kansas City, Missouri; Perth
Amboy, New Jersey; and Portland, Oregon. More in-person programs coming
soon!

The NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition program will take place July 18-August
5, 2022. During the NFB BELL Academy In-Home Edition, students and families
will receive Braille and other fun materials for lessons, connect with
experienced teachers, and build relationships with other blind students and
mentors. Space is limited for this program, so apply soon!
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fnf
b-bell-academy&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFUx3ncAoa8GdNmQELMAcDS0Mg2mQ>
https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-bell-academy

2022-2023 Teachers of Tomorrow Program:

Individuals in the United States who are currently studying to be teachers
of blind students or career teachers who are currently employed teaching
blind/low-vision students in PK-12 settings are encouraged to apply for the
next cohort of NFB Teachers of Tomorrow. This is an immersive, professional
development program that connects teachers of blind and low-vision students
to the lived experiences of blind people. This program will begin in the
fall of 2022 and continue throughout the 2022-2023 school year, culminating
in a gathering at our 2023 National Convention. For more information and to
apply visit
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fed
ucation%2Fteachers-tomorrow&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHICCTmsSaTibYalw7OikIk9qgE
ww> https://nfb.org/programs-services/education/teachers-tomorrow.

Upcoming Event: Comparison of Collaboration Tools:

Join the National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual
Access on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, from 1:00-5:00 p.m., eastern, via Zoom
for a comparison and overview of the accessibility of several of the top
collaboration and communication services. Learn about the initial setup,
creating projects, chatting among team members, and sharing files. The use
of these skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic. Take advantage of this free
opportunity.
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfb.org%2Fprograms-services%
2Fcenter-excellence-nonvisual-access%2Ftrainings%2Faccessibility-boutiques%2
Faccessibility-boutique-registration&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGIKh9LaUF_mzp_nRU
ncYnugRcB-Q> Register today!

Upcoming Event: Accessible Excel and PowerPoint Creation:

Learn how to create accessible Excel documents and PowerPoint presentations.
Join the National Federation of the Blind on March 29 from 2:00 to 3:30
p.m., eastern, to discuss the powerful tools you can use in either program.
Take advantage of this free opportunity and
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fce
nter-excellence-nonvisual-access%2Ftrainings%2Faccessibility-boutiques%2Facc
essibility-boutique-registration&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEG0UXThYihuDaPEDFex9K
Zpd4VoQ> register for the accessibility boutique today!

Rideshare Denials Due to Service Animals

NFB and NAGDU are gathering video interviews about Uber and Lyft denials
from travelers with service animals. We hope to capture stories that
describe the significant barriers and stress travelers experience with each
denial and to use these videos in our advocacy efforts. If you were denied a
ride by Lyft or Uber because of your service animal anytime between October
1, 2021, and present and would like to participate in a recorded Zoom
interview, please contact the NAGDU board at 346-439-7444 or
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1ku3teocp9azj/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=board@nagdu
.org> board at nagdu.org.

Please Share Content with our Communications Team:

Our affiliates sponsor great content, and our outreach and communications
teams can repurpose and magnify it. We are asking that you record content
like presentations, podcasts, panels, and the like and send the link to your
recorded content with a quick explanation of what the content consists of to
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1ku3teocp9azj/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=comunicatio
nsteam at nfb.org> comunicationsteam at nfb.org. Please record anything you are
doing as it is too easy to miss good content. We don’t know how powerful a
presentation or panel will be until it is done. Let’s capture our amazing
stories told across the country.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

*	March 16: Comparison of Collaboration Tools
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfb.org%2Fprograms-services%
2Fcenter-excellence-nonvisual-access%2Ftrainings%2Faccessibility-boutiques%2
Faccessibility-boutique-registration&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGIKh9LaUF_mzp_nRU
ncYnugRcB-Q>  accessibility boutique
*	March 17: Deadline to register for the Jacobus tenBroek Disability
Law Symposium
*	March 29: Accessible Excel and PowerPoint Creation
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fce
nter-excellence-nonvisual-access%2Ftrainings%2Faccessibility-boutiques%2Facc
essibility-boutique-registration&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEG0UXThYihuDaPEDFex9K
Zpd4VoQ>  accessibility boutique
*	March 31: Deadline to submit scholarship application
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fscholarships&sa=D&sntz
=1&usg=AFQjCNFp6SXre0bQl8dnbvErJijyxbtp9Q> 
*	July 5-10: National Convention, New Orleans

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.