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<h1><b><a name="OLE_LINK7"></a>President's
Notebook</b></h1><a name="OLE_LINK7"></a><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>
I wish to call your attention to a very pressing item today. There is
immediate need to get the word out about the elimination of the blind
exemption in the tax proposals that are moving on Capitol Hill now.
Please take a moment to call Congress, distribute the call-to-action to
other members, and encourage our members to make calls as soon as
possible. <br>
<br>
There were many affiliate conventions this weekend. I want to thank the
NFB of Connecticut for their hospitality this weekend. I also wish to
acknowledge the nearly two decades of service that Jim Antonacci gave as
president of our Pennsylvania affiliate. This past weekend, Jim
successfully passed the torch of leadership to Lynn Heitz. Thank you to
Jim and welcome to Lynn. <br>
<br>
The 2018 National Convention will be held from July 3-8 at the Rosen
Shingle Creek in Orlando Florida. We are seeking an affiliate or a team
of affiliates to serve as our host committee for 2018. If you are
interested, please reach out to me as soon as possible. More details
about the convention will appear in the December <i>Braille
Monitor</i>.<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Critical Actions This Week:</b></h2><br><br>
Action Needed Regarding the Proposed Tax Bill:<br>
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (H.R. 1) was introduced last Thursday,
November 2, in the United States House of Representatives. Beginning in
tax year 2018, this bill will repeal the standard deduction for blind
people valued at $6,350 for the 2017 tax year. Please call your
representative and urge him or her to maintain this critical tax
deduction for the blind as soon as possible. The House Ways and Means
Committee begins mark up on this bill today, Monday, November 6. The best
way to contact your member of Congress is to call the Capitol Switchboard
at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the office in question. Emailing your
member of Congress is also a good idea. If you do so, please copy
<a href="mailto:JPare@nfb.org">JPare@nfb.org</a>. <br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>News:</b></h2><br><br>
Presidential Release:<br>
The November release is available at
<a href="https://nfb.org/presidential-releases">
https://nfb.org/presidential-releases</a>. <br>
<br>
NFB Scholarship Program:<br>
We are accepting scholarship applications from November 1, 2017, to March
31, 2018. This annual program offers thirty scholarships worth from
$3,000 to $12,000 to eligible students, from high school seniors
beginning their freshman year in the fall semester of 2017, up through
graduate students working on their PhD degrees. Go to
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/scholarships">www.nfb.org/scholarships</a>
for complete rules and requirements.<br>
<br>
Santa Letter Program:<br>
Santa’s coming, Santa’s coming, and he’s sending Braille letters to
children all over the country. That’s right it’s the time of the year
for the NFB Santa Letter Program. Beginning next Monday, November 13,
parents can submit an application for their young blind child to receive
a Braille letter from Santa. This letter also comes with a coloring page,
a recipe, a craft, and song lyrics. The print for each of these items is
sent along as well. Once the program is open, you will be able to apply
at
<a href="https://nfb.org/santa-letters">https://nfb.org/santa-letters</a>
. The program runs until December 15. <br>
<br>
Tactile Art Program:<br>
As of October 27, 2017, we have had 415 applicants for the Tactile Art
Program, with at least a quarter of those participants completing the
pre-survey as well. We hope to have five hundred tactile art kits out by
the end of the year. <br>
<br>
Independence Market Closures:<br>
The Independence Market will be closed Friday, November 10, and Monday,
November 13. <br>
<br>
NAPUB Call:<br>
The National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) is pleased
to announce its first telephone conference/presentation/discussion on
issues surrounding Braille in the United States. On Thursday, November 9,
NAPUB will be pleased to have Curtis Chong share his experiences with the
Orbit Reader 20. The Orbit Reader 20 is a twenty-cell, eight-dot
refreshable Braille display. The call will take place at 8:00 p.m.
Eastern, 6:00 p.m. Mountain, 5:00 p.m. Pacific. The call-in information
is (605) 472-5772, code 154426#. <br>
<br>
BRAL Contest:<br>
The NFB of Illinois, in partnership with the National Association to
Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) is pleased to extend the 2017-18
Braille Readers Are Leaders (BRAL) contest to any NFB affiliate that
wishes to participate. If your affiliate submits $100 to the NFBI, an
unlimited number of children in your state can enter the contest. The
kids can start reading on December 15, so that amount should be received
by the NFBI before that date. Contact Patti Chang at
<a href="mailto:pattischang@gmail.com">pattischang@gmail.com</a> for
transaction details. The NFB of Illinois will take care of the
administrative details for the contest, including providing and mailing
out all prizes. Each participating affiliate, however, will be
responsible for publicizing the contest within its own state. The
complete contest rules, registration form, and the reading log form will
be available by November 8 on the website,
<a href="http://www.nfbofillinois.org">http://www.nfbofillinois.org</a>
.<br>
<br>
Autonomous Vehicle Summit:<br>
On Wednesday, October 25, we hosted a meeting of automakers, advocates,
disability organizations, and ride-sharing providers regarding the
development of autonomous vehicles. The intention of the meeting, titled
“The Promise: Autonomous Vehicles and the Disability Community” was
to reinforce the necessity that these future cars be made accessible to
all people, especially those with disabilities. As stated in a
<a href="https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-and-automakers-host-conference-promise-autonomous-vehicles-and-disability">
joint press release from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the
NFB</a>: “Autonomous vehicles offer disabled Americans opportunities
for increased mobility and independence, as well as reliable
transportation that could vastly increase employment opportunities.”
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:</b></h2><br><br>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://nfb.org/state-conventions">Fall Conventions</a>
<li>November 6-8, 2017:
<a href="https://nfb.org/dare-be-remarkable-call-presentations">Dare to
Be Remarkable Conference</a>
<li>January 29, 2018: Great Gathering-In
<li>January 29-February 1, 2018:
<a href="https://nfb.org/washington-seminar">Washington Seminar</a>
<li>March 1, 2018: Deadline for scholarship applications,
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/scholarships">www.nfb.org/scholarships</a>
<li>March 22-23, 2018: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
<li>April 15, 2018: Deadline for
<a href="https://nfb.org/bolotin-award-main">2018 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award
competition</a>
</ul> <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:7.1.0.9.2.20171106214203.053fd300@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:7.1.0.9.2.20171106214203.053fd300@visi.com.5" width=24 height=24 alt="Facebook">
</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171106214203.053fd300@visi.com.6" width=24 height=24 alt="Twitter">
</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171106214203.053fd300@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>
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