[Mn-at-large] Fwd: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 02/ 06/2017

Wed Feb 8 01:14:21 UTC 2017

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>President's Notebook
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>National Federation of the Blind
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>Mark A. Riccobono
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><mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>officeofthepresident at nfb.org
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>(410) 659-9314
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>Dear Fellow Federationists,
>
>POWERFUL: I think that was the brand personality 
>trait that was most in evidence for me during 
>our 2017 National Federation of the Blind 
>Washington Seminar. I was particularly INSPIRED 
>by the work of our blind students. They were 
>passionate, energetic, and out in front in so 
>many ways. Not to mention, if you dropped by the 
>NABS CafÃ©, as I did, you noticed how INVITING 
>they were in building our organization.
>
>The question for us is what are we going to do 
>as a follow up to the week? How are we going to 
>close the loop, lock in our members of Congress, 
>and continue the momentum with the members who 
>could not be in Washington? We have an 
>opportunity to INNOVATE some new ways to get our 
>members engaged with our legislative priorities. 
>Please share your ideas for keeping the momentum 
>going on the affiliate leadership list so we can 
>all benefit from the work being done in your affiliate.
>
>Thank you again for your active participation in 
>our state affiliate president retreat. I have 
>received a lot of good feedback, and I encourage 
>you to continue sharing your thoughts with me. 
>We are quickly moving into the spring convention 
>time, and I am looking forward to being out on 
>the road with members in local communities. 
>Please continue to invite me to engage in local 
>activities, and I will do my best to be in all 
>of the places I can and definitely in all of the places where I am most needed.
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>Critical Actions This Week:
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>Please Sign the Petition:
>Jamie Principato, who 
><https://www.nfb.org/national-convention-highlights>spoke 
>at our national convention last summer about her 
>experience with inaccessible technology, has 
>launched a 
><https://www.change.org/p/united-states-congress-remove-barriers-to-classroom-equality-ensure-accessibility-of-instructional-materials?recruiter=75359047&utm_source=share_for_starters&utm_medium=copyLink>petition 
>calling on congressional leaders to move swiftly 
>to pass our Accessible Instructional Materials 
>in Higher Education Act. The 
><https://www.change.org/p/united-states-congress-remove-barriers-to-classroom-equality-ensure-accessibility-of-instructional-materials?recruiter=75359047&utm_source=share_for_starters&utm_medium=copyLink>petition 
>further calls upon President Trump to 
>unequivocally commit to supporting this legislation by urging its passage.
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>News:
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>Presidential Release:
>The February Presidential Release has been 
>posted to our website at 
><https://nfb.org/podcast/presidential-releases-en/rss.xml>https://nfb.org/podcast/presidential-releases-en/rss.xml.
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>Presidential Release Sources:
>One item that was mentioned at the retreat was 
>that all members don't know how they can access 
>the Presidential Release individually. We have 
>produced a one-page document, attached to this 
>message, that describes the different methods by which it can be heard.
>
>Washington Seminar Follow Up:
>In case you need additional information so that 
>you can follow up on the Washington Seminar 
>issues back home, the fact sheets can be found 
>at 
><https://nfb.org/washington-seminar#Legislative%20Agenda%20and%20Fact%20Sheets>https://nfb.org/washington-seminar#Legislative%20Agenda%20and%20Fact%20Sheets. 
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>Dates to Keep in Mind:
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>Â·        March 23, 2017: 
><https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6317&qid=1522699>eBooks 
>and EPUB accessibility event
>Â·        March 30-31, 2017: 
><http://nfb.org/law-symposium>Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium
>Â·        March 31, 2017: Deadline for 
><http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>scholarship applications
>Â·        April 15, 2017: Deadline for 
><https://nfb.org/bolotin-award-main>Jacob Bolotin Award applications
>Â·        May 1, 2017: Deadline for 
><https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award-form-fillable.pdf>Distinguished 
>Educator of Blind Students Award
>Â·        July 10-15, 2017: 
><https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm161101.htm>National 
>Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida
>Â·        July 23-29, 2017: 
><http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam>Youth Slam, Towson University
>Â·        September 12-17, 2017: 
><http://blindmerchants.org/blast-2017/>BLAST, Nashville, Tennessee
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>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
>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
>(410) 659-9314 | 
><mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>officeofthepresident at nfb.org
>
>
><https://nfb.org/>
>National Federation of the Blind
>
>
> 
><http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind>
>Facebook
>     <https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice>
>Twitter
>     <https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind>
>Youtube
>
>
>The National Federation of the Blind is a 
>community of members and friends who believe in 
>the hopes and dreams of the nationâ€™s blind. 
>Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
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