[Mn-at-large] NFB President's Notebook - week of 10/17/2016

[President, National Federation of the Blind]

President’s Notebook


National Federation of the Blind


Mark A. Riccobono


<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>officeofthepresident at nfb.org


(410) 659-9314





Critical Actions This Week:

PAC Plan: I urge every affiliate to include 
mention of the PAC Plan in the activities of the 
affiliate convention. More importantly, I 
encourage you to have an individual identified to 
help people sign up for the PAC plan. Discussing 
the importance of funding our movement should be 
a priority for each of our affiliates. Please 
refer to the online version of the PAC form as a 
resource 
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/pac-form-fillout-accessible.pdf



News:

Blind student Aleeha Dudley and US Department of 
Justice resolve Miami University of Ohio 
discrimination case: Read the 
<https://nfb.org/blind-student-aleeha-dudley-and-us-department-justice-resolve-miami-university-ohio-discrimination>press 
release.
NFB Voting Hotline:
We will be hosting an Election Day hotline for 
blind and visually impaired voters, poll workers, 
and voting rights advocates can call when 
problems with accessible voting technology or 
other barriers are preventing a blind voter from 
casting a private and independent ballot. The 
hotline will be available November 8, 2016, from 
7:00 a.m. Eastern to 10:00 p.m. Eastern (7:00 
p.m. Pacific). The number is (877) 632-1940.

Documentary about Subminimum Wages:
A new documentary, "Rooted in Rights," has 
recently been released. This film, produced by 
Rooted in Rights, an organization that 
specializes in documentaries and social media 
campaigns related to disability issues, addresses 
exploitation of workers with disabilities through 
the payment of subminimum wages and calls for a 
phase-out of this discriminatory practice. I am 
featured in the film; and we are having a free 
screening here at the Jernigan Institute this 
week. If you are interested in hosting a 
screening in your state, visit 
<http://www.bottomdollarsmovie.com>www.bottomdollarsmovie.com 
for more information.

Communications Seminar:
As we continue to strengthen our communications 
and branding presence, it is important that our 
affiliates, divisions, and chapters get involved 
and up-to-date on our tools, techniques, and 
strategies. Therefore, I’m reaching out to let 
you know that I will be hosting a communications 
seminar over the weekend of February 17-20, 2017. 
I invite you to nominate one member of your 
division's or affiliate’s communications team 
to attend this conference, which will be held 
here at the NFB Jernigan Institute. Please send 
your nominee’s name, email address, and phone 
number to our communications team at 
<mailto:communicationsteam at nfb.org>communicationsteam at nfb.org 
no later than Thursday, December 1, 2016. As 
always, feel free to reach out to me with questions.



Dates to Keep in Mind:

·         <https://nfb.org/state-conventions>Fall Conventions
·         November 8: Election Day; NFB voter 
hotline available at (877) 632-1940
·         January 30, 2017: Great Gathering-In
·         January 30-February 2, 2017: 
<https://nfb.org/washington-seminar>Washington Seminar
·         March 30-31, 2017: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium
·         July 21-29, 2017: Youth Slam, Towson University
·         September 12-17, 2017: BLAST, Nashville, Tennessee

The National Federation of the Blind 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.


Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Email: <mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>officeofthepresident at nfb.org
Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice
Web: <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org

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