[IL-Talk] FW: NFBI Chicago Chapter Minutes, December 9, 2023, with Corrections

[Deborah Kent Stein]

NFBI CHICAGO CHAPTER  MINUTES

December 9, 2023

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

Chicago Chapter President Denise Avant called the meeting to order at 12
noon instead of the usual 1 PM due to the annual holiday auction, which took
place following the business meeting. Members present included Mary
Grunwald, Nickie Nishijima, Pamela Provost, Debbie Stein, Ken Borst, Robert
Hansen, Bill Reif, Ken Schad, Eileen Truschke, David Meyer, Pam Gillmore,
Kira O'Bradovitch, Michal Nowicki, Marilyn Green, Chris Millsap, Dan
Tevelde, Jemal Powell, Dustin Cather, Melissa Fuller, Michelle Ault, and
first-timers Juan Lopez and Mayokunle Efunbote. Online were Gary Jones, Bob
Lee,  and Bob Widman. Michal Nowicki announced that he has been promoted to
senior associate attorney.

 

SECRETARY'S MINUTES

 

Ken Borst moved and Jemal Powell seconded approval of the November
Secretary's Minutes. The minutes were approved unanimously.

 

TREASURER'S Summary

 

Chapter Treasurer Kira O'Bradovitch reported that we have $3,241.90 in the
treasury. That included $750 from the Read-a-thon and $92.75 from the
collection. Denise reminded people to deposit reimbursement checks as soon
as possible, ideally within thirty days. 

 

STATE PRESIDENT'S REPORT

 

NFBI President Marilyn Green reported that the NFBI board meeting will take
place on December 14 at 7 PM. More information will be forthcoming. The
board meeting is a great opportunity for people to learn about programs and
policies within the affiliate. The Zoom link will go out on our email lists.
The NFB National Scholarship application is now available at
www.nfb.org/scholarships <http://www.nfb.org/scholarships> . Seven people
will represent Illinois at the 2024 Washington Seminar: Michelle Ault,
Denise Avant, Dustin Cather, Tasibih (Abboo) Elfaki, Kira O'Bradovitch,
Dilip Shah, and Caitlyn Ryan. The Great Gathering In will take place on
January 29, and it will be streamed for those who cannot attend in person. 

 

The 2024 National Convention will take place in Orlando, Florida, July 3-8.
Hotel reservations can be made after January 1. Illinois will host Chicago
and Springfield BELL Academies in 2024. 

 

FEDERAL LEGISLATION

 

Denise Avant reported that the following bills will be promoted at the 2024
Washington Seminar: the Website Software Applications Accessibility Act (S
2984 and HR 5813) and the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (HR
1328), which doesn't yet have a companion bill in the Senate. We are still
working on the Blind Americans Return to Work Act, designed to get rid of
the earnings limit. Denise sent out a call to action regarding the Access
Technology Affordability Act, which now has sixty-four cosponsors; however,
only four of them are from Illinois. Denise encouraged everyone to reach out
to their representatives and ask them to sign on as cosponsors for this
bill. We also need to contact Senators Tammy Duckworth and Richard Durbin.
Most of the representatives from Chicago in the 117th Congress previously
cosponsored the bill, as did Sen. Duckworth. 

 

Dustin Cather added that HR 1328 currently has forty-nine cosponsors.
Illinois cosponsors are Mike Quigley, Sean Casten, Jesús García, Danny
Davis, and Raja Krishnamoorthi. Jan Schakowsky was the original sponsor. The
Transformation to Integrated and Competitive Employment Act is S 533, and it
has one cosponsor in the Senate. The House version is HR 1253, with
twenty-six cosponsors. Cosponsors from Illinois are Robin Kelly and Mike
Quigley. In the Senate the Access Technology Affordability Act is S 1467,
with fifteen cosponsors. None of them come from Illinois. The House bill is
HR 3702, and it has sixty cosponsors. Four of them are from Illinois: Jan
Schakowsky, Mike Bost, Mike Quigley, and Brad Steiner. The House version of
the Website and Software Applications Accessibility Act is HR 5813, which
has two cosponsors. Tammy Duckworth introduced the Senate version, S 2984,
which has five cosponsors. 

 

PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE

 

NFB President Mark Riccobono delivered Presidential Release 533 on November
30 from Members Hall at the NFB Jernigan Institute. The NFB Board of
Directors was in attendance. We are closing out a very successful 2023 and
making exciting plans for 2024. We may be able to get the Access Technology
Affordability Act into the tax package to be advanced through Congress
before the end of the year. We will need to take immediate action to
increase the number of cosponsors on the bill in the House and the Senate.
The House bill is HR 3702, and the Senate bill is S 1467. This act creates a
two-thousand-dollar refundable tax credit to be spread over a three-year
period for the purchase of personal access technology. 

 

In 2024 we will bring back our summer internship program. This is a great
opportunity for people to gain work experience while contributing to the
mission of the NFB at national headquarters. Internships will run from June
3 through August 29. For information contact Anil Lewis at alewis at nfb.org
<mailto:alewis at nfb.org> . 

 

Information about Washington Seminar is available at
nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar. Get hotel
reservations in as soon as possible. Visit the website for information about
the issues. 

 

Regina Mitchell of Nevada, chair of the NFB in the Kitchen Group, announces
a campaign to increase the accessibility of emerging kitchen appliances.
What accessible or newly accessible devices are blind people using? In
December 2023 and January 2024 the group asks blind people to share
information about kitchen devices they know are accessible. In February the
group will begin a campaign to identify inaccessible devices and will
encourage  manufacturers to make them accessible. Email
nfb-inthekitchen-subscribe at nfbnet.org
<mailto:nfb-inthekitchen-subscribe at nfbnet.org>  or go to nfbnet.org  to sign
up for the listserv. Reach out to Regina at chefrdm at gmail.com
<mailto:chefrdm at gmail.com> . 

 

We encourage you to make end-of-year contributions to the NFB and encourage
others to do so. The Central Arkansas Chapter is the newest chapter to join
the PAC Plan. You can donate at nfb.org/donate. If you use Lyft you can join
the Lyft Roundup program, which makes donations by rounding up your fare to
the nearest dollar. 

 

President Riccobono noted the passing of Chicago Chapter member Ken Staley,
known as the Candy King. He was famous for his booming voice when he served
as a talking sign at national conventions. President Riccobono also
acknowledged the passing of Nicole Yarmolkevich, an NFBI Scholarship winner
in 2010. He extended condolences to Bill Reif for the loss of his father.

 

The next Presidential Release will be recorded on January 4, 2024.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

Fundraising: Dave Meyer noted that fundraisers tend to run their course, and
some of our longstanding events have become less successful over the years.
We need to come up with some fresh ideas. We will look at fundraisers that
have worked well for other chapters. One perennially successful fundraiser
is the Chicago Chapter Holiday Auction, which has been a mainstay for many
years. For the 2023 Holiday Auction, Dave and Dustin served as auctioneers.
Denise explained that if we raise between $1400 and $2400 with the auction
we can offer more money to help members who attend Washington Seminar. 

 

Advocacy Committee: Advocacy Committee Chair Kira O'Bradovitch reported that
we are in the middle of our letter-writing campaign for the CTA Advisory
Committee. We need to explain that we would like CTA to include more
accessible information at bus stops and in CTA stations. Signs need to be in
consistent locations and should have more information than "Bus Stop." Kira
will send out information again on the listservs. 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Denise explained that Exchequer Pub and Restaurant has hosted meetings of
the Chicago Chapter since the 1990s. Now the management has informed Denise
that it plans to renovate the room where we have held our meetings over the
years. Beginning in January the restaurant will no longer be able to
accommodate a group of our size. We don't know how long the renovation will
take, and we don't know whether Exchequer will be able to accommodate us
once the work is complete. Therefore we are looking for a new location where
we can hold in-person meetings. We need to find a place that is accessible
and cost efficient. Our January meeting will take place over Zoom. Ideas for
new locations are welcome! Send ideas to Denise at
chicago.president at nfbofillinois.org
<mailto:chicago.president at nfbofillinois.org> . We very much appreciate the
kindness and generosity that the Exchequer staff has extended to us over
these many years! 

 

Dave reported that he spoke with Cathy Randall, and the news about her
husband Bob is not good. His cancer has returned and has spread. Denise
urged us to keep the Randalls in our thoughts and prayers. 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting adjourned at 1:10 PM., and was followed by the Holiday Auction. 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Debbie Stein, Secretary 

 

   



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