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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline
live the life you want.<BR>WASHINGTON SEMINAR 2017<BR>Holiday Inn Capitol,
Washington DC<BR>550 C Street, SW<BR>Washington, DC 20024<BR>(202)
479-4000<BR>January 29 February 2, 2017<BR>AGENDA<BR>SUNDAY, JANUARY
29<BR>9:00 AM 5:00 PM Parent Leadership ProgramPLP<BR>Senate Room<BR>This
seminar, sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind<BR>Children
(NOPBC), a division of the National Federation of the Blind,<BR>empowers parents
with the critical leadership skills, advocacy tools, and<BR>Federation
philosophy they need to build a strong state division of the<BR>NOPBC. If you
wish to recommend a parent (or yourself) to participate,<BR>please contact Carol
Castellano prior to the seminar at<BR><A
href="mailto:carol_castellano@verizon.net">carol_castellano@verizon.net</A>.<BR>3:00
PM 6:30 PM INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP:<BR>Many Communicate - Few Connect<BR>House
Room<BR>This seminar will provide you with skills, strategies, and techniques
to<BR>empower you in becoming an exceptional communicator.<BR>You will gain more
self-confidence, independence, and become a more<BR>self-sufficient person by
using these newly acquired skills.<BR>A great paradox of our digital age is that
we seem to be drifting apart.<BR>Increasingly, however, research confirms our
deepest intuition: human<BR>connection lies at the heart of human
well-being.<BR>Session 1: Rules of Engagement<BR>Session 2: Communications
Workshop<BR>Each will be 90 minutes separated by a 15-minute break.<BR>The
seminar will be 3:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.<BR>The cost is $15 for each ninety-minute
session or $20 for both.<BR>Sponsored by the Potomac Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind<BR>of Virginia.<BR>Facilitated by Mary Crane, Esq.,
creator of the 100 Things You Need To<BR>Know book series, which provides people
entering the workforce with<BR>crucial information in easy-to-absorb, almost
tweetable, chunks. The series<BR>currently includes Starting Work and
Networking.<BR>MONDAY, JANUARY 30<BR>7:30 AM 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM 11:00
AM<BR>Invigorating Morning Flow Yoga<BR>House Room<BR>1:00 PM 3:00 PM National
Association of Blind Merchants:<BR>Changes in DC, Changes for Blind
Entrepreneurs<BR>Congressional I Ballroom<BR>We will be discussing breaking out
into the private sector, an exciting<BR>initiative for blind entrepreneurs. We
will also be discussing what changes<BR>in DC will be affecting blind
entrepreneurs with rest areas and Department<BR>of Defense locations and what
our next steps will be. We will also be<BR>discussing BLAST in Nashville,
September 12, 2017 to September 15,<BR>2017, and how blind entrepreneurs can
participate and be excited about<BR>new opportunities.<BR>(Room #275 is open
1:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m.)<BR>2:00 PM 4:00 PM Legislative Seminar<BR>Capitol
Ballroom<BR>Whether you are a Washington Seminar veteran or an enthusiastic
rookie,<BR>we urge you to attend this seminar. The Government Affairs team of
the<BR>National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute will provide
essential<BR>information about this year's issues on Capitol Hill. We will also
engage in<BR>role-playing, giving participants an opportunity to present our
positions just<BR>as they will on Capitol Hill while we offer constructive
feedback and<BR>dialogue. Experienced Washington Seminar attendees will share
their<BR>methods for effective advocacy on Capitol Hill. The fact sheets
are<BR>available to download online at <A
href="https://nfb.org/washington-seminar">https://nfb.org/washington-seminar</A>.
Please<BR>review them carefully and come prepared with questions. If you
are<BR>struggling with a concept in the fact sheets, you are probably not alone.
The<BR>goal of this seminar is to engage in informative and interactive
dialogue<BR>that prepares you to discuss the nuances of all of the issues with
your<BR>members of Congress. Attending this seminar, as well as spending
plenty<BR>of time thoroughly studying the fact sheets, is the best way to
prepare for<BR>our critical work during the First Session of the 115th Congress.
Please join<BR>us for an informative discussion of this year's Washington
Seminar issues.<BR>Health and Wellness Focus Groups<BR>In order to better
understand the barriers to exercise, nutrition, and access<BR>to medical
equipment and services faced by blind people, we will be<BR>conducting focus
groups. We are recruiting six to ten participants for each<BR>focus group
session listed below. Focus groups will be held:<BR>Monday House Room<BR>8:30
a.m. 10:00 a.m.<BR>11:00 a.m. 12:30 a.m.<BR>Tuesday House Room<BR>6:30
a.m. 8:00 a.m.<BR>9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m.<BR>1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m.<BR>3:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.<BR>If you are interested in participating in one of the above focus
group<BR>sessions please email Jessica Beecham at <A
href="mailto:jessica@wefitwellness.com">jessica@wefitwellness.com</A> or<BR>call
(615) 497-0435. If we do not have at least six participants in a group,<BR>we
will not have the session so please RSVP if you are willing and able
to<BR>participate.<BR>9:00 AM 4:00 PM Parent Leadership Program
PLP<BR>Senate Room<BR>This seminar, sponsored by the National Organization of
Parents of Blind<BR>Children (NOPBC), a division of the National Federation of
the Blind,<BR>empowers parents with the critical leadership skills, advocacy
tools, and<BR>Federation philosophy they need to build a strong state division
of the<BR>NOPBC. If you wish to recommend a parent (or yourself) to
participate,<BR>please contact Carol Castellano prior to the seminar at<BR><A
href="mailto:carol_castellano@verizon.net">carol_castellano@verizon.net</A>.<BR>Start
your morning off right with the National Federation of the Blind<BR>Sports and
Recreation Division and WE Fit Wellness as we delve into an<BR>invigorating
morning flow yoga practice. Whether you are an avid Yogi or<BR>someone who has
just always wanted to check out a yoga class in a stress-<BR>free,
judgement-free, and blind-friendly environment, this is the meet up<BR>for you.
Our invigorating flow practice will set the mood for a powerful<BR>week on the
Hill. Mats will not be provided so please feel free to bring<BR>your own yoga
mat or towel from your room. We will conduct two sessions<BR>so that there is
plenty of space for everyone to participate. You can RSVP<BR>to reserve your
spot. Contact Jessica Beecham at<BR><A
href="mailto:jessica@wefitwellness.com">jessica@wefitwellness.com</A> or call
(615) 497-0435. Remaining spots will<BR>be filled on a first come, first serve
basis. Namaste!<BR>7:45 AM 1:00 PM National Center Tour<BR>Lobby<BR>Bus will
load at 7:45 a.m. and will depart at 8:00 a.m. sharp.<BR>Tours of the National
Center will begin at 9:30 a.m. and buses will leave<BR>the National Center for
the return to the Holiday Inn Capitol-Washington at<BR>noon.<BR>Health and
Wellness Survey Table<BR>The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
is partnering with<BR>the Sports and Recreation Division and WE Fit Wellness to
conduct<BR>research regarding the barriers to exercise, nutrition, and access to
medical<BR>equipment and services faced by individuals who are blind and
low-vision.<BR>Amber Sherrard will be the principal investigator. She and her
research<BR>team will have a table set up in the lobby near the 21st Amendment
that<BR>will be attended from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and from
8<BR>a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday. Please stop by to complete a short
survey.<BR>This survey will take less than twenty minutes to complete.
Participants<BR>will have the opportunity to be entered for a chance to win a
$25 gift card.<BR>Four winners will be chosen. For more information, please
contact Jessica<BR>Beecham at <A
href="mailto:jessica@wefitwellness.com">jessica@wefitwellness.com</A> or call
(615) 497-0435.<BR>5:00 PM 7:00 PM Great Gathering-In<BR>Capitol
Ballroom<BR>Congressional II Ballroom is the overflow room<BR>8:00 PM. 12:00
AM Annual NABS Cafι<BR>Congressional Ballroom<BR>What are you doing after the
Great Gathering-In? Come on out to have<BR>mouth-watering desserts, see old
friends, and make some new ones, while<BR>supporting your NFB students
division! Enjoy great music from our DJ,<BR>taking full advantage of the song
requests and dedications, while<BR>socializing and bidding on exciting items in
our annual auction. There will<BR>be a cash bar as well as delectable desserts
such as cheesecakes, pastries,<BR>and chocolate mousse available throughout the
evening. Come early to get<BR>a good seat and to check out all of the awesome
auction items before they<BR>go up for bidding. Tickets are $5.00 in advance or
$7.00 at the door. To<BR>pre-order, please see any member of the NABS Board any
time before 7:30<BR>p.m. on January 30 or a member of the NABS Fundraising
Committee.<BR>Please contact NABS President Kathryn Webster at (203) 273-8463
or<BR><A href="mailto:nabs.president@gmail.com">nabs.president@gmail.com</A> or
NABS Treasurer Luke Schwinck at<BR><A
href="mailto:luke.schwinck@hotmail.com">luke.schwinck@hotmail.com</A> with any
questions or for further information.<BR>TUESDAY, JANUARY 31<BR>(Room #275 is
open 7:00 a.m. 7:30 p.m.)<BR>12:00 PM 1:00 PM #DontDenyAimHigh: Rally to
Fight for Equal Access In<BR>the Classroom<BR>Upper Senate Park (North of
Constitution Avenue,<BR>between Delaware Avenue and New Jersey Avenue)<BR>Only
steps from the U.S. Senate office buildings and the U.S. Capitol<BR>building,
join fellow Federationists in a rally to urge Congress to swiftly<BR>pass the
Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act.<BR>Federation
leaders will gather to call on our elected representatives to level<BR>the
technological playing field for blind students at institutions of
higher<BR>education nationwide. In case of inclement weather or unforeseen
delays,<BR>the indoor location for the rally will be at the Holiday Inn
Capitol.<BR>5:00 PM 7:00 PM Congressional Reception<BR>Dirksen G50<BR>Mingle
with legislators, Congressional staff, and fellow Federationists<BR>while
enjoying refreshments and discussing our 2017 legislative priorities<BR>for the
First Session of the 115th Congress.<BR>WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1<BR>(Room #275 is
open 7:00 a.m. 5:45 p.m. and for one hour following the<BR>evening
briefing)<BR>4:00 PM 5:30 PM Screening of Bottom Dollars,<BR>a Rooted in
Rights original documentary<BR>Capitol Ballroom<BR>Nearly 250,000 people are
legally paid less than the minimum wage, on<BR>average, less than $2 an hour.
Bottom Dollars, a Rooted in Rights original<BR>documentary, exposes the
exploitation of people with disabilities through<BR>personal stories and
interviews with experts, including Mark Riccobono,<BR>President of the National
Federation of the Blind.<BR>Join your Federation family for this first screening
before a national<BR>audience followed by a discussion of the unfair, immoral,
and<BR>discriminatory practice of paying subminimum wages to disabled
workers.<BR>Immediately following, panel members John Parι and Shawn
Callaway<BR>will engage in a discussion of the documentary.<BR>6:00 PM Reviewing
Our Day on the Hill<BR>Capitol Ballroom<BR>A meeting with John Parι, Parnell
Diggs, Gabe Cazares, and Kimie<BR>Beverly.<BR>THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2<BR>(Room #275
is open 7:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m.)<BR> 9:00 AM 10:00 AM National Association
of Blind Students<BR>Winter Student Seminar Registration ($5.00)<BR>Capitol
Ballroom Foyer<BR>10:00 AM 1:00 PM National Association of Blind
Students<BR>Winter Student Seminar<BR>Capitol Ballroom<BR>Attention students,
teachers, and young professionals: Join the National<BR>Association of Blind
Students (NABS), a proud division of the National<BR>Federation of the Blind,
for our annual Winter Seminar to learn about the<BR>current work of our
movement; benefit from informative presentations on<BR>topics including
internships, study abroad, transitioning, recreational<BR>activities, and
scholarships; and participate in discussions on issues ranging<BR>from
technology to self-advocacy in the classroom. Registration is $5.00 at<BR>the
door. Please take advantage of our online registration by
visiting<BR>nabslink.org prior to January 30, 2017 to preregister!<BR>If you
have any questions or require further information, please contact<BR>NABS
President Kathryn Webster at (203) 273-8463 or via email at<BR><A
href="mailto:nabs.president@gmail.com">nabs.president@gmail.com</A>.<BR>10:00 AM
2:00 PM NFB DC Fourth Annual Career Fair at<BR>2017 Washington
Seminar<BR>Congressional II Ballroom<BR>Join us for the chance to meet
employers, including federal agencies, which<BR>will be here to speak with you
about job opportunities. For those interested<BR>in becoming entrepreneurs, we
also have organizations that will provide<BR>information and resources.<BR>For
more information, please contact Janice Forbes at<BR><A
href="mailto:j.forbes@nfbofdc.org">j.forbes@nfbofdc.org</A>.<BR></FONT></DIV><BR>
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