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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Join our demonstration to protest rideshare discrimination against blind<br>people using guide dogs and white canes. <br><br>October 15, 2024<br>San Francisco, California<br>Uber and Lyft Headquarters*<br>10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time<br><br>Our headquarters hotel for this event will be the Crowne Plaza San Francisco<br>Airport<br><br>1177 Airport Blvd. <br><br>Burlingame, CA 94010<br><br>We have a room block at this hotel and will be meeting in the hotel after<br>the event. The room rate is $139 per night plus taxes. There is a free<br>shuttle between the airport (SFO) and the hotel which runs every 30 minutes.<br>The hotel has a restaurant which serves breakfast and dinner. We will<br>provide transportation from the hotel to the UBER rally, then to the Lyft<br>rally, and then back to the hotel. Space is limited and the special rate<br>ends on September 27, so please make your reservation early. We assume most<br>folks will want to arrive on Monday, October 14 and depart Wednesday,<br>October 16 but the rate is available for three additional days before and<br>after the October 14-16 dates in case you want to extend your visit. Please<br>note that President Riccobono will be conducting a post-rally meeting in the<br>hotel's Plaza Ballroom at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) that all rally attendees<br>are encouraged to attend. <br><br>You can make your reservation by calling the hotel at 650-342-9200 and<br>asking to reserve a room in the "National Federation" block, or by using the<br>link below.<br><br><a href="https://www.crowneplaza.com/redirect?path=asearch" target="_blank">https://www.crowneplaza.com/redirect?path=asearch</a><br><<a href="https://www.crowneplaza.com/redirect?path=asearch&brandCode=CP&localeCode=en®ionCode=1&hotelCode=URLCA&checkInDate=14&checkInMonthYear=092024&checkOutDate=16&checkOutMonthYear=092024&rateCode=6CBARC&_PMID=99801505&GPC=BLD&cn=no&viewfullsite=true" target="_blank">https://www.crowneplaza.com/redirect?path=asearch&brandCode=CP&localeCode=e<span style='color:blue'><br></span>n®ionCode=1&hotelCode=URLCA&checkInDate=14&checkInMonthYear=092024&checkO<span style='color:blue'><br></span>utDate=16&checkOutMonthYear=092024&rateCode=6CBARC&_PMID=99801505&GPC=BLD&cn<span style='color:blue'><br></span>=no&viewfullsite=true</a>><br>&brandCode=CP&localeCode=en®ionCode=1&hotelCode=URLCA&checkInDate=14&chec<br>kInMonthYear=092024&checkOutDate=16&checkOutMonthYear=092024&rateCode=6CBARC<br>&_PMID=99801505&GPC=BLD&cn=no&viewfullsite=true <br><br>The Uber rally will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the Lyft rally will end at 3:00<br>p.m.<br><br><br><br>Guiding Eyes for the Blind has agreed to support and participate in the<br>event, and we are working to contact other guide dog schools. <br><br><br><br>We are hoping to have at least one guide dog user from every affiliate in<br>attendance.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Additional background Information<br><br>As reported in the 2024 Presidential Report, "both of the leading<br>[rideshare] companies, Lyft and Uber, are failing to meet their obligations<br>to ensure that blind individuals are not discriminated against. While we<br>continue to hold regular meetings with both companies in good faith to<br>improve their policies and practices, there is rarely a day that goes by<br>when we do not learn of another ride denied to a blind person.We will take<br>all of the courageous steps necessary to stop this second-class treatment."<br><br>Rideshare Requirements<br><br>* Drivers must not discriminate; they must pick up blind passengers.<br>* Rideshare companies need a Zero Tolerance Policy for violators.<br>* Rideshare companies must reduce the burden imposed on blind<br>passengers to report denials when they happen.<br>* Rideshare companies must deliver better driver education on the<br>policy and laws regarding blind passengers, especially guide dog users.<br><br>Uber and Lyft are not meeting these requirements. The discrimination must<br>end. Don't deny; let us ride. <br><br>Submit Interest Form to Attend<br><br>Please let us know if you are interested in attending this demonstration on<br>October 15 by submitting the Rideshare Rally Interest Form. We will be<br>sharing more information regarding the logistics, rally route, and Rideshare<br>Rally details in the coming weeks. By completing the form, you are not<br>obligated to attend. <br><br> <<a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=35363&qid=10217548" target="_blank">https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=35363&qid=10217548</a>> Rideshare Rally<br>Interest Form<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>--<br><br>Raul Gallegos, President<br><br>National Association of Guide Dog Users<br><br>(346) 439-7444 . <a href="mailto:rgallegos@nagdu.org" target="_blank">rgallegos@nagdu.org</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:rgallegos@nagdu.org" target="_blank">rgallegos@nagdu.org</a>> <br><br><a href="http://www.nfb.org" target="_blank">www.nfb.org</a> <<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/df04fbdd43ea5830/Documents/www.nfb.org" target="_blank">https://d.docs.live.net/df04fbdd43ea5830/Documents/www.nfb.org</a>><br>. <a href="http://www.nagdu.org" target="_blank">www.nagdu.org</a><br><<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/df04fbdd43ea5830/Documents/www.nagdu.org" target="_blank">https://d.docs.live.net/df04fbdd43ea5830/Documents/www.nagdu.org</a>> <br><br>Subscribe to the NAGDU public calendar<br><<a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/nagdu.org_7eopjofhnd4968m46rcmgrc" target="_blank">https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/nagdu.org_7eopjofhnd4968m46rcmgrc</a><br>k0s%<a href="http://40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics</a>> <br><br>Facebook Group <<a href="https://facebook.com/groups/nagdu" target="_blank">https://facebook.com/groups/nagdu</a>> . Email list<br><<a href="https://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org" target="_blank">https://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org</a>> . Mastodon<br><<a href="https://nfb.social/@GuideDogUsers" target="_blank">https://nfb.social/@GuideDogUsers</a>> <br><br>"Blindness is a characteristic, not a handicap."<br><br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbma.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbma.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:sharawinton@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>sharawinton@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>