[MN-at-Large] What's Happening in Minnesota

Mon Nov 14 22:54:59 UTC 2022

Hi Everyone,

Although it has only been a month since my previous update, a lot has
happened. Further, there is still much going on as well as you will see when
you read on. Thank you for reading through the information presented here.
. 

State Convention

After much anticipation and planning, we held our first in-person annual
convention last weekend since 2019. This was to some degree an experiment,
and although I felt confident that it would be well attended, I didn't know
what to expect. However, in-person attendance was very good. It was
wonderful to be able to talk to one another without the audio processing
that is a part of Zoom conversations. Thank you to everybody who attended.
Having said this, I completely get that not everybody was comfortable
attending in person yet. Thank you also to those of you who listened
virtually. 

White Cane Day Activities

On October 14, a White Cane Awareness Day celebration was held at our state
capitol. A program with speakers from BLIND Incorporated and the Minnesota
Academy for the blind, including reading of a proclamation from Governor
Walz as well as the actual white cane statute. I was also glad for the
opportunity to represent the NFB of Minnesota by talking some about the
history of White Cane Day. Did you know that a representative of the NFB was
on national TV with President Lyndon Johnson as he signed the second White
Cane Day proclamation in 1965? After the program we all went on a White Cane
Walk. 

Voter Feedback Requested

Now that Election Day has passed, we need your feedback. If you used the
Democracy Live OmniBallot machine, Send me your comments. We will be
following up with Democracy Live as a result of our previous contacts with
them. This machine replaced the Automark machine in Hennepin and many other
counties in Minnesota. Send your comments to president at nfbmn.org
<mailto:president at nfbmn.org> .

We are also looking for your feedback as part of a national effort. Title II
of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that voters with
disabilities must be afforded an opportunity to vote privately and
independently that is equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters
without disabilities. This requirement applies to both in-person voting and
voting by mail for the upcoming general election on November 8, 2022.

After exercising the fundamental right to vote, all blind and low-vision
voters are encouraged to complete our 2022 Blind and Low-Vision Voter
Experience Survey! The 2022 survey consists of two separate surveys: one
survey for those who voted in person at an early voting center or their
local polling place, and a second survey for blind and low-vision voters who
voted by mail. Both surveys can be accessed, in English and Spanish, from
our  <https://nfb.org/resources/voting-resources> Voting Resources webpage.

If someone is not able to access the survey online, they can call
410-659-9314 and get assistance from either Lou Ann Blake (extension 2221)
or Jeff Kaloc (extension 2206).     

Give to the Max Day Reminder

Yes, I realize I mentioned this last week, but this is already occurring
this week. Thursday, November 17, 2022, is the annual Give to the Max Day
(#GTMD22)-a day to inspire unprecedented levels of charitable giving in the
state of Minnesota. Any contributions collected between now and 11:59 PM on
the 17th will put the organization you donate to into a pool to receive
bonus contributions. Just as we have done in previous years, both NFB of
Minnesota and BLIND Inc. are participating. Every dollar given to either NFB
of MN or BLIND Inc. will help all of us by improving opportunities and
making life better for blind people in Minnesota and everywhere.

Please use these links to support and ask others to support the important
work of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota
<https://www.givemn.org/organization/Nfbmn>  and/or BLIND Incorporated
<https://www.givemn.org/organization/Blindinc>  during Give to the Max Day,
and share the opportunity with your contacts on email, word-of-mouth,
twitter, Facebook, etc.! (Please include the hashtag #gtmd22 in your tweets
and Facebook posts).

Thank you in advance for your generosity and especially for spreading the
word to the people you know

Day at the Capitol and Washington Seminar

It is already time to think about our efforts in the next sessions of our
state legislature and Congress. Shortly, we will be setting our date for our
Day at the Capitol which will almost certainly be in January. Also, our
Washington Seminar is going to be in person and will be held from January 30
through February 2. Please watch for more details on both of these events. 

An Unsettling News Story

Rocky Hart called this to my attention. A blind man in Florida ran into some
trouble with the police because they thought his cane was a gun. It appears
that cooler heads prevailed and this was quickly resolved. However, you can
watch and listen to the news story at
TV News Story
<https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/legally-blind-florida-man-arrested-can
e-confused-gun-rcna56396> 
or read the story at 
News Story Article
<https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-hodges-blind-arrested-columbia-county-sh
eriffs-officer-gun-collapsible-cane-lake-city-florida/> 

Dates to Keep in Mind

Please note that some chapter meetings for December are not given since some
may change due to the holiday season.

*	November 17 - Give to the Max Day
*	November 19 10:00 AM - In-person Metro Chapter Meeting
*	November 22 7:00 PM - Rochester Chapter Meeting
*	December 1 5:30 PM -State Rehabilitation Council - Blind meeting
*	December 5 7:00 PM - Chapter Leadership Check-in Meeting 
*	December 8, 7:00 PM - River Bend Chapter Meeting
*	December Board Meeting - Exact Date to be Established, watch for
details
*	January 30-February 2 - Washington Seminar

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson, President

National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota

www.nfbmn.org <http://www.nfbmn.org/> 

(612) 872-9363

www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org/> 

Live the life you Want.

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