[MN-at-Large] Fwd: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 05/ 04/2020

Mon May 4 22:25:31 UTC 2020

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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,
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>We need your help pushing Giving Tuesday Now. 
>Please share our Facebook event, solicit your 
>networks, encourage the Federation spirit, and 
>give if you can. Thank you so much to those 
>affiliates and divisions that have already 
>reached out with gifts above and beyond the 
>normal contributions that would be given this 
>time of year. The generosity of the Federation network is incredible.
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>Also, please take a moment to write a thank you 
>note to The Gibney Family Foundation and email 
>it to <mailto:outreach at nfb.org>outreach at nfb.org. 
>It would be outstanding to have a thank you from 
>each of our affiliates to our partner for Giving Tuesday Now.
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>Have a great week and keep building the Federation.
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>Critical Actions:
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>Celebrate #GivingTuesdayNow with Us:
>#GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and 
>unity, set to take place on May 5, 2020, as an 
>emergency response to the unprecedented need 
>caused by COVID-19. Our partner, 
><https://tgff.org/>The Gibney Family Foundation, 
>is generously matching all donations made. If 
>you are able, please help us continue to 
>advocate and provide essential services by 
>contributing on #GivingTuesdayNow, and join us 
>on 
><https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=16828&qid=3618590>Facebook 
>to see how weâ€™re doing.
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>News:
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>May Presidential Release Live:
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>In case you missed it on Friday, the May 
>Presidential Release recording and English 
>transcript are now available at 
><https://www.nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases>https://www.nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases. 
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>Advocacy and Policy Update:
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>Several times in recent weeks Iâ€™ve made it a 
>point to mention that the COVID-19 pandemic has 
>not stopped, or even slowed, the work of the 
>National Federation of the Blind. On April 10, 
>we sent a letter to Secretary of Education, 
>Betsy DeVos, urging her to not recommend any 
>waivers for IDEA or the Rehabilitation Act 
>during this national emergency. On April 27, 
>Secretary DeVos sent her report to Congress and 
>recommended no unnecessary waivers for the 
>requirements of IDEA or the Rehabilitation Act. 
>Today, we sent 
><https://www.nfb.org/sites/www.nfb.org/files/files-pdf/letter-to-congress-concerning-the-dept-of-ed-report-on-waivers.pdf>a 
>letter to the chairs and ranking members of the 
>relevant House and Senate committees urging them 
>to heed the secretaryâ€™s recommendations, while 
>making a few of our own that will strengthen 
>educational opportunities for students with 
>disabilities during the pandemic and beyond.
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>In other legislative news, we continue to 
>impress upon members of Congress the importance 
>of the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 
>2086/S. 815). Most of you undoubtedly read John 
>ParÃ©â€™s legislative alert last week that was 
>partially on this topic. While Iâ€™m sure many 
>of you have already called or emailed your 
>senators and representative, I would like to 
>urge those of you who havenâ€™t made those calls 
>or sent those emails to do so as soon as 
>possible. The next coronavirus relief 
>legislation is just over the horizon, and we 
>want to make sure that we build up enough 
>support for the Access Technology Affordability 
>Act to have it included in the bill.
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>May Issue of the Braille Monitor:
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>Check out the latest issue of the Braille 
>Monitor, the National Federation of the Blind 
>flagship publication. There are a number of 
>articles this month about issues related to 
>COVID-19 that may be of interest and an article 
>about counseling and the coronavirus, a 
>perspective on well-being, authored by Candace 
>Chapman and Jeannie Massay. Read the 
><https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm20/bm2005/bm2005tc.htm>May 
>2020<https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm20/bm2005/bm2005tc.htm> 
>Braille Monitor.
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>Accessibility Boutiques for May:
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>Accessibility boutiques are workshops presented 
>by access technology experts that provide 
>introductions to accessibility best practices 
>and the latest trends in access tech. The 
>National Federation of the Blind is providing the following boutiques in May:
>Â·       How to Create Accessible Documents on May 12 at 2:00 p.m. eastern
>Â·       The COVID-19 Response: Keeping 
>Employees and Students Connected from Home on May 21 at 2:00 p.m. eastern
>Â·       Textbook-Provider Showdown on May 26 at 8:30 a.m. eastern
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>Learn more about 
><https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/trainings/accessibility-boutiques>accessibility 
>boutiques and register today.
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>Distance Education—Daily Activities and Request for Feedbackk:
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>The National Federation of the Blind is 
>providing daily distance-education resources, 
>from reviewing a calendar to creating a chain of 
>kindness. Share the videos of how-to activities 
>and story times. Join the upcoming live, 
>interactive Zoom lesson on the slate and 
>stylus—a versatile, portable tool for life. 
>Learn more abouut the 
><https://www.nfb.org/resources/distance-education-resources>distance-education 
>resources. All of the videos can be found on the 
><https://www.youtube.com/user/NationsBlind/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=1&view_as=subscriber>National 
>Federation of the Blind YouTube channel.
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>Request for Students—Submit Feedback on Access Barriers:
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>As a result of COVID-19, many schools have 
>shifted to virtual instruction. The National 
>Federation of the Blind is gathering information 
>regarding the accessibility of virtual 
>instruction and education technology. If you are 
>a student, parent, teacher, or administrator 
>please take time now to complete the 
><https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/education-technology-survey>education 
>technology survey.
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>Reminders:
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>National Convention Door Prizes:
>Door prizes can be sent to the address below.
>National Federation of the Blind
>Attn: Convention—FS
>200 East Wells Street
>Baltimore, Maryland 21230
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>Dates to Keep in Mind:
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>Â·       May 5: Giving Tuesday Now
>Â·       June 1-12: NFB BELLÂ® In-Home Edition
>Â·       June 4: Live Presidential Release
>Â·       June 10: Membership Open House
>Â·       June 22-July 3: NFB BELLÂ® In-Home Edition
>Â·       July 27-August 7: NFB BELLÂ® In-Home Edition
>    * July 14-18: 
> <https://www.nfb.org/convention>NFB National Convention, Everywhere
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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.
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>Mark A. Riccobono, President
>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
>(410) 659-9314 | 
><mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>officeofthepresident at nfb.org
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><https://nfb.org/>
>National Federation of the Blind
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>
> 
><http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind>
>Facebook
>     <https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice>
>Twitter
>     <https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind>
>Youtube
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>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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