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<h1><b>President's Notebook</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>National Federation of the Blind</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>Mark A. Riccobono</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a></b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>(410) 659-9314</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
Dear Fellow Federationists,<br>
<br>
As leaders in the National Federation of the Blind it is important for us
to remember that we represent our organization all of the time. That
responsibility governs both our behavior and our mindset with respect to
talking about our organization with the general public. It is amazing how
many times I find an opportunity to connect something with the resources
of our organization or discover opportunities for us just by talking to
people about blindness. Often the partnership opportunities come when I
am least expecting it.<br>
<br>
Sometimes I have carried Kernel Books in my briefcase to give to people
when I come across them. Although we have not published a new Kernel Book
in over a decade, the content and stories are as relevant today as they
were when the first books came out in the 1990s. We have plenty of print
Kernel Books available for distribution, and I would urge you to consider
how you might use them in your own personal outreach and then with the
work you do as a leader in our affiliates. In the next month we will be
distributing further information about our stock of Kernel Books and ways
that affiliates might use them to build our organization.<br>
<br>
If you have other ideas of tools that you might need to better represent
our organization during your day-to-day work, please share those thoughts
with me and I will determine if we can put together some new
resources.<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Critical Actions This Week:</b></h2><br><br>
State Presidents Please Take Notice:<br>
Our advocacy efforts in the National Federation of the Blind are vital
not only at the federal level, but in state capitols across the nation.
Sometimes our advocacy at the affiliate level is necessary to defeat
legislation that would be harmful to the blind community. In Arizona for
example, SB1198, a bill that would diminish rights under that state’s
version of the ADA, was considered by the Judiciary Committee in the
Arizona State Senate within the past week and was sent to the senate
floor for a vote. You can read it at
<a href="https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/SB1198/2017">
https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/SB1198/2017</a>.<br>
<br>
Like similar bills introduced in the last Congress, the Arizona bill
would require people with disabilities to notify covered entities about
accessibility barriers and give additional time for covered entities to
comply with accessibility laws before being permitted to seek a legal
remedy in the courts. The ADA was enacted nearly thirty years ago,
which seems to us a sufficient amount of time for covered entities to
comply with the law.<br>
<br>
It is absolutely essential that Federation leaders across the nation be
vigilant in watching for bills that have a negative impact on our rights
as blind citizens. Our rights can be placed in jeopardy at any
time. Please make it a recurring practice to check online for
legislation containing words such as “blind” or “disability” in
your state. If we do not respond when legislation about us is
introduced, it might be assumed that we do not care. But we most
certainly do care and will take all steps at our disposal to protect our
rights.<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>News:</b></h2><br><br>
<i>New York Times</i> article:<br>
I was interviewed for an article published today in the <i>New York
Times</i>,
"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/27/well/live/aids-for-vision-loss-from-those-whove-been-there.html?action=click&contentCollection=well&module=NextInCollection®ion=Footer&pgtype=article&version=column&rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fpersonal-health">
Aids for Vision Loss, From Those Who’ve Been There</a>."<br>
<br>
Dare to Be Remarkable:<br>
Registration for the Dare to Be Remarkable conference is live at
<a href="https://nfb.org/dare-be-remarkable">
https://nfb.org/dare-be-remarkable</a>. Dare to Be Remarkable is a
three-day national training conference for education and rehabilitation
professionals who work with blind students and adults. After ten years of
progress, professionals will once again assemble to share successes,
strategies, and goals for the future. The conference will take place at
the NFB Jernigan Institute from November 6-8, 2017, and will consist of
plenary presentations, topical group work, and breakout sessions. <br>
<br>
NFB Social Media:<br>
The National Federation of the Blind is as active as ever before in
social media efforts. Stephanie Eller has taken over social media
coordination for us. If you have questions, comments, or concerns about
social media or how to implement a local social media strategy, you can
reach Stephanie at <a href="mailto:seller@nfb.org">seller@nfb.org</a> or
(410) 659-9314, extension 2423.<br>
<br>
Braille Book Fair:<br>
The NOPBC board is busy working on our upcoming convention this summer.
Please see the attached letter for details on how you can help by
donating Braille books. The text of the attachment is copied below for
your convenience.<br><br>
<h2><b> </b></h2><br><br>
<br>
<h2><b>Reminder:</b></h2><br><br>
Preregistration Opens:<br>
Preregistration for the 2017 National Convention opens Wednesday, March
1. <br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:</b></h2><br><br>
· March 23, 2017:
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=6317&qid=1522699">
eBooks and EPUB accessibility event</a><br>
· March 30-31, 2017:
<a href="http://nfb.org/law-symposium">Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium</a>
<br>
· March 31, 2017: Deadline for
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/scholarships">scholarship
applications</a><br>
· April 15, 2017: Deadline for
<a href="https://nfb.org/bolotin-award-main">Jacob Bolotin Award
applications</a><br>
· May 1, 2017: Deadline for
<a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award-form-fillable.pdf">
Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award</a><br>
· July 10-15, 2017:
<a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm161101.htm">
National Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando,
Florida</a><br>
· July 23-29, 2017:
<a href="http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam">Youth Slam</a>,
Towson University<br>
· September 12-17, 2017:
<a href="http://blindmerchants.org/blast-2017/">BLAST</a>, Nashville,
Tennessee <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Mark A. Riccobono<br>
President<br>
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
(410) 659-9314 |
<a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a> <br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://nfb.org/">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170227203247.02171d90@visi.com.4" width=210 height=76 alt="National Federation of the Blind">
</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170227203247.02171d90@visi.com.5" width=24 height=24 alt="Facebook">
</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170227203247.02171d90@visi.com.6" width=24 height=24 alt="Twitter">
</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170227203247.02171d90@visi.com.7" width=24 height=24 alt="Youtube">
</a><br>
<br>
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind.
Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
<br>
<br>
<br><br>
Hello NFB State Affiliate and Chapter Presidents!<br><br>
The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, a proud division
of the National Federation of the Blind plans to make the 2017 Braille
Book Fair our best yet! <br><br>
As many of you know, we host the Braille Book Fair every year at the NFB
National Convention. We invite everyone who attends the Braille Book Fair
to take as many books as they would like, free of charge, and UPS helps
us box the books and ship them via Free Matter for the Blind so children
and adults can enjoy them after returning home from Convention. We ask
your state affiliate and local chapters and divisions to help us by
donating to this much-anticipated event. <br><br>
There are two ways to donate this year. As always, we welcome gently-used
print-Braille or Braille-only books. We cannot accept Braille magazines
or textbooks, but we appreciate all other book donations, including
cookbooks. These can be newly-purchased books, or they can be books you
have enjoyed but no longer read. Please ship all books, via Free Matter
for the Blind, to the NFB Jernigan Institute; Attn: Melissa Riccobono,
2017 Braille Book Fair; 200 East Wells St.; Baltimore, MD 21230.<br><br>
For the first time, the NOPBC has launched a campaign to collect
financial contributions for the Braille Book Fair. We will use all
donated funds to purchase print-Braille books. We can never meet the
demand for print-Braille books, and we often run out very quickly. Our
youngest Braille readers, their blind and sighted parents, and their
blind and sighted grandparents rely on print-Braille books as a window to
literacy, as do blind parents wanting to read to their sighted children.
Please consider making a financial donation so we can make more
print-Braille books available this year. Please send financial donations
only, made payable to the NOPBC, to Sandra Oliver, Treasurer; 15707
Knauff Ranch Ct; Cypress, TX 77429.<br><br>
Thank you in advance for your donations. <br><br>
Sincerely,<br><br>
Kim Cunningham<br><br>
President, NOPBC<br>
<br><br>
<br>
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