[IL-Talk] President Riccobono's notebook for the week of November 7

Tue Nov 8 14:32:23 UTC 2022

Critical Actions:

Blind Voter Survey:

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that voters with
disabilities must be afforded an opportunity to vote privately and
independently that is equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters
without disabilities. This requirement applies to both in-person voting and
voting by mail for the upcoming general election on November 8, 2022.

After exercising the fundamental right to vote, all blind and low-vision
voters are encouraged to complete our 2022 Blind and Low-Vision Voter
Experience Survey! The 2022 survey consists of two separate surveys: one
survey for those who voted in person at an early voting center or their
local polling place, and a second survey for blind and low-vision voters who
voted by mail. Both surveys can be accessed, in English and Spanish, from
our
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fresources%2Fvoting-res
ources&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw3AVjQQT4u2CEZKXjffNuh1> Voting Resources
webpage.

If someone is not able to access the survey online, they can call
410-659-9314 and get assistance from either Lou Ann Blake (extension 2221)
or Jeff Kaloc (extension 2206).

News:

Early Childhood Initiatives: Santa Letters and Winter Celebration Program:

Again this year, the National Federation of the Blind is not only helping
Santa out with Braille letters to blind children but our program also has a
winter-themed Braille letter for those who do not celebrate the Christmas
holiday. We are excited to provide both of these letters in English and
Spanish. Parents of children under the age of ten can select one of the
options that best fits their family.

Starting November 7, parents can request the Braille activity packet online,
via fax, or email. The celebration packets will start going out to blind
children around the country on December 6. The Braille letter will also be
accompanied by a print copy so the whole family can participate in the fun
activities that accompany the celebration letters. The deadline for letter
requests is December 16 to ensure that a return letter in Braille is
received before the winter season ends.
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fprograms-services%2Fea
rly-childhood-initiatives%2Fsanta-letters&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2dlKEs03B_Yo
o0TzB_eYUG> Learn more about the Santa Letters and Winter Celebration
Program.

2023 Washington Seminar:

We are less than three months away from the 2023 Great Gathering-In on
Monday, January 30, 2023. The Great Gathering-In is the official kickoff
meeting for our 2023 Washington Seminar. For next year, the Washington
Seminar will be back in person at the Holiday Inn Washington – Capitol,
located at
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/550+C+Street,+SW+Washington,+DC?entry=gm
ail&source=g> 550 C Street, SW Washington, DC. January will mark the start
of the 118th Congress, and we wanted to make sure we were one of the first
groups new members met with. That’s why we scheduled the 2023 Washington
Seminar from Monday, January 30 through Thursday, February 2, 2023. You can
reserve your room today by calling  877-834-3613 and using group code NB8,
OR by using our
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ihg.com%2Fholidayinn%2Fhotel
s%2Fus%2Fen%2Fwashington%2Fwassm%2Fhoteldetail%3FfromRedirect%3Dtrue%26qSrt%
3DsBR%26qIta%3D99801505%26icdv%3D99801505%26qSlH%3DWASSM%26qGrpCd%3DNB8%26se
tPMCookies%3Dtrue%26qSHBrC%3DHI%26qDest%3D550%2520C%2520Street%2520S.W.%2C%2
520Washington%2C%2520DC%2C%2520US%26srb_u%3D1&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw1DiD1IBQ
XZfPxCe2iIWCZw> booking link. Rates are $129 per night for a double or $109
per night for a single. Keep in mind those rates do not include the 14.95%
District of Columbia sales tax. Please stay tuned in the coming weeks for
updates on our legislative issues and training schedules. Regarding
COVID-19, we will not be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test
to attend the 2023 Washington Seminar. We will require that all attendees of
the Great Gathering-In and the 2:00 p.m. Legislative Seminar Training on
Monday, January 30, wear masks.  

November Legislative Surge:

Congress has been out of Washington for the past few weeks leading up to
tomorrow’s elections, but both chambers will be back in session starting
next week (the week of Monday, November 14), before they break again for the
Thanksgiving holiday. They then return to Washington for the three weeks
immediately after Thanksgiving. This is a perfect time to contact your
members of Congress to urge them to cosponsor our legislation: Access
Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212), Medical Device Nonvisual
Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853), Transformation to Competitive Integrated
Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238), and Websites and Software Applications
Accessibility Act (H.R. 9021/S. 4998). If we gain support for our
legislation in these final few weeks of the 117th Congress, it might be just
enough to push it over the top for a late vote before they adjourn for the
year. This is our last chance in this Congress, and we have to make it
count! Your calls and emails absolutely make a difference!

Amazon:

The National Federation of the Blind and Amazon have collaboratively
resolved back-pay claims for five blind Amazon employees, and Amazon
representatives recently toured the Colorado Center for the Blind. NFB is
pleased that Amazon remains committed to working to identify accessibility
solutions and innovations for blind employees. We know, however, that our
advocacy is not yet done. If you have had workplace accommodations denied,
been placed on unpaid leave, and/or otherwise experienced discrimination
related to Amazon fulfillment center employment, please contact Valerie
Yingling at
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/11hnlr8rk8t6m/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=legal@nfb.o
rg> legal at nfb.org.

Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act at the M-Enabling
Summit 2022:

Last month, we discussed the Websites and Software Applications
Accessibility Act (H.R. 9021/S. 4998) at the 2022 M-Enabling Summit. The
M-Enabling Summit is a major technology conference held each year just
outside of Washington, DC, to help promote accessible technologies and
environments. The presentation for the Websites and Software Applications
Accessibility Act featured a panel led by our very own John Paré, with
leaders from the American Council of the Blind and the American Foundation
for the Blind. The presentation also included a
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clx6B_YvwzA> video from Congressman John
Sarbanes of Maryland, the bill’s sponsor in the House of Representatives.

Roll Call Pledges:

Thanks go out to all affiliates; we have our affiliate pledges in from the
roll call of states for 2022. We have a few divisions still to account for,
but thanks go out to the majority of divisions. Most of our division pledges
have already been honored. We appreciate the teamwork to build the National
Federation of the Blind.

Mark Your Calendar for December Presidential Release:

The next Presidential Release of the National Federation of the Blind is
scheduled for December 1, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. 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 November presidential release for upcoming chapter
meetings.

Help Us Meet the Match: Vispero Is Matching Donations (up to $50,000)
through December 31, 2022:

*       Give online at
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb.org%2Fdonate&sa=D&sntz=1&usg
=AOvVaw2Mb_Q2kc1vCeb8oxDaTLo8> nfb.org/donate

*       Mail a check to National Federation of the Blind,
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+East+Wells+Street,+Baltimore,+MD+212
30?entry=gmail&source=g> 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

*       Contribute by phone using a credit card by calling 410-659-9314,
extension 2430

*       Share this information with family and friends!

Thank you for contributing to our mission and helping blind people live the
lives they want.

Vehicle Donations:

The National Federation of the Blind uses car donations to improve the
education of blind children, distribute free white canes, help veterans, and
so much more. We have partnered with Vehicles for Charity to process donated
vehicles. Please call toll-free 855-659-9314, and a representative can make
arrangements, or you can donate online by visiting
<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfb.org%2Fvehicledonations&sa=
D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw3dFcaxB5eNeOODYFkO2xnZ> www.nfb.org/vehicledonations.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

*	December 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.
*	January 30, 2023: Great Gathering-In
*	March 23, 2023: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
*	July 1-6, 2023: National Convention; Houston, Texas

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.