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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Please find below some notable items from the NFB National organization.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>2026 Voting Survey:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>If you voted at an early voting center or your local polling place in the 2026 general election, please </span><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RWB66LZ" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none'>complete the in-person survey</span></a><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>. If you voted absentee or by mail, please </span><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TJ93YV7" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none'>complete the by-mail survey</span></a><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>. A phone survey and an election-day hotline will be available soon, the information for which will be found at nfb.org/vote.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><b><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Access On</span></i></b><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> Webinar - Panel Discussion on Vibe Coding:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span lang=EN-NZ style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>For decades, blind people have waited. We have waited for developers to fix an inaccessible interface, for vendors to prioritize a bug report, and for someone, somewhere, to decide our problem was worth solving. Vibe coding changes that equation. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span lang=EN-NZ style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span lang=EN-NZ style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Vibe coding, sometimes called AI-assisted coding, lets you describe what you want in plain language and work with an AI model to build it. You do not need a computer science degree. You do need a clear idea of the problem you want to solve, and blind people understand our own problems better than anyone. People are already using these tools to build custom scripts, access technology add-ons, web apps, and workflow tools that fit the way they actually work.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span lang=EN-NZ style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span lang=EN-NZ style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>On Tuesday, October 27, 2:00-3:30 p.m., Eastern, our panelists will tell you what works and what does not. Expect candid stories from people building real projects, practical advice on getting started with a screen reader, and an open look at the risks, including code quality, security, and the accessibility of the tools themselves.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Register at: </span><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/trainings/accessibility-webinar-registration"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none'>https://nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/trainings/accessibility-webinar-registration</span></a><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Dare to Be Remarkable Conference Early Registration Deadline Approaching:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Attend the 2026 Dare to Be Remarkable Conference, November 18–20, at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in Baltimore. This national professional development event brings together education and rehabilitation professionals for immersive learning grounded in Structured Discovery, practical strategies, and high expectations for blind people. Encourage teachers, orientation and mobility specialists, access technology instructors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, administrators, and emerging professionals in your networks to register. Early registration has been extended to October 16. Dare to teach with purpose. Dare to lead with high expectations. </span><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/employment/dare-be-remarkable"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none'>Register now!</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><b><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>2027 Washington Seminar – New Hotel Booking Information Available:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Our 2027 Washington Seminar is quickly approaching, and we wanted to remind everyone that we’re at a new hotel for next year. Our annual winter fly-in will take place from February 1 through February 4, 2027, at the Washington Plaza Hotel. Booking information for the hotel is now available on our </span><a href="https://nfb.org/index.php/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue;mso-ligatures:none'>Washington Seminar Page</span></a><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>. Please continue to check the Washington Seminar page frequently for updates. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;line-height:115%'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Ronza Othman, </b>President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Need to meet with me? <a href="https://calendly.com/president-nfbmd/30min"><span style='color:blue'>Please use this link to schedule through Calendly</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>