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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><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;line-height:13.8pt'><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Letter to the US Department of Education:</span><span style='font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h3><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Earlier this year, the United States Department of Education announced that it would be dismantling the Digital Accessibility Unit. On Wednesday, October 30, we sent a <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-us-secretary-education-regarding-dismantling" target="_blank">letter to the Department of Education</a> to communicate our displeasure and frustration with this decision. The letter can be read in its entirety on the <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements" target="_blank">Policy Statements page</a> of our website.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;line-height:13.8pt'><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Letter Regarding the Accessibility of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations:</span><span style='font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h3><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>In September, the United States Access Board published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the accessibility of electric vehicle charging stations. We sent our <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/comments-proposed-rule-regarding-accessibility" target="_blank">comments to the Access Board</a> on Friday, November 1. While we were, in general, very supportive of their proposals to ensure the accessibility of the charging stations, we also encouraged them to make sure that nonvisual accessibility was a priority. Our comments can be read in their entirety on the <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements" target="_blank">Policy Statements page</a> of our website.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;line-height:13.8pt'><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Communication with Uber Regarding Self-Identification for Riders with Guide Dogs:</span><span style='font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h3><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.25in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>On October 31, I sent an <a href="https://nfb.org/blog/rideshare-advocacy-unlawful-implementation-self-identification" target="_blank">email to Uber regarding their unlawful implementation of self-identification for riders who use guide dogs</a>. In short, we believe this could increase the discrimination that guide-dog users experience and provide no way for the platform to terminate those drivers who illegally refuse to transport riders with guide dogs. The full email was posted to our <i><a href="https://nfb.org/blog" target="_blank">Voice of the Nation’s Blind Blog</a></i>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.25in;line-height:13.8pt'><span style='font-weight:normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></h3><h2 style='margin:0in'><o:p> </o:p></h2><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>