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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>
We had a great time last week with the hearing about the Marrakesh
Treaty. It was a historic step on a long journey that is not yet done for
us. It is worth pausing to recognize that progress is often slow but our
progress is always advancing, due to the commitment of so many great
Federationists. A considerable amount of credit goes to Scott LaBarre and
Marc Maurer for their detailed attention, skillful negotiation, and
visionary leadership in this process. Thank you to those who came to the
hearing from around the Federation.<br>
<br>
Please continue to send me those thoughts about the national convention.
The time is drawing near to finalize the agenda and start making plans
for the presentations at the convention. This week our Bolotin and
scholarship committees will meet to discuss those important aspects of
our convention. This being our last year in Orlando for a while, I hope
that you are encouraging people to be with us at our family reunion.<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>News:</b></h2><br><br>
Marrakesh Treaty Update:<br>
After a very successful hearing last week (audio recording available at
<a href="https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/treaties-041818">
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/treaties-041818</a>), both the
Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees are poised to vote on
the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementing legislation. In preparation for
that vote, we have been asked to redouble our efforts to build bipartisan
cosponsor support for S. 2559, the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act.
Over the next few days, affiliates who have representation on either of
these committees will be contacted by our Government Affairs team with
more information and should mobilize swiftly to bring on more cosponsor
support ahead of these important votes. <br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Ticketmaster Accessibility<br>
The NFB is investigating the accessibility of Ticketmaster’s website
and mobile app, as well as the effectiveness of requesting equal access
through Ticketmaster’s customer service personnel. If you have recently
purchased tickets or attempted to purchase tickets through Ticketmaster,
we would like to hear from you. If you have identified ways to work
around Ticketmaster, perhaps by purchasing tickets directly through a
concert venue, we would like to know about those workarounds. Please
direct your feedback to Valerie Yingling at
<a href="mailto:vyingling@nfb.org">vyingling@nfb.org</a> or 410-659-9314,
extension 2440, no later than April 27.</b></h2><br><br>
<br>
2018 National Convention Exhibit Hall Affiliate & Division
Registration: Deadline May 31:<br>
Remember to fill out the
<a href="https://nfb.org/national-convention-exhibitor-application">
registration form to reserve your State Affiliate or Division’s spot in
the 2018 National Convention Exhibit Hall</a> before the May 31 deadline.
Make sure you select “NFB Affiliate Exhibitor” as your Exhibitor
Type. Contact Anna Adler at
<a href="mailto:aadler@nfb.org">aadler@nfb.org</a> or 410-659-9314,
extension 2282, if you have any questions.<br>
Complete information about sponsoring and exhibiting, including the
exhibit hall dates and times, is
<a href="https://nfb.org/sponsor-and-exhibitor-info">available
online</a>. If you know any vendors or service providers who may be
interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the National Convention, please
encourage them to check us out and share the convention information with
them. <a href="mailto:aadler@nfb.org">Email Anna Adler</a> if she should
reach out or can help with follow up. Thank youwwe’re looking forward
to another great convention!<br>
Congratulations to our Nebraska affiliate for passing a blind parents
bill. The bill still needs to be signed by the governor, but we can now
count Nebraska as our tenth state with strong protections for blind
parents.<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b> </b></h2><br><br>
<br>
<h2><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:</b></h2><br><br>
<ul>
<li>May 1, 2018: Deadline for
<a href="http://www.blindscience.org/nfbeq">NFB EQ program
applications</a>
<li>May 1, 2018: Deadline for
<a href="https://nfb.org/divisions-and-committees#DistinguishedEducatorBlindChildren">
Distinguished Educator of the Year nominations</a>
<li>May 31, 2018: Deadline for
<a href="https://convention.nfb.org/">preregistration for 2018 National
Convention</a>
<li>July 3-8, 2018: <a href="https://nfb.org/convention">National
Federation of the Blind National Convention</a>, Orlando, Florida
<li>July 29-August 4, 2018:
<a href="http://www.blindscience.org/nfbeq">NFB EQ</a>
</ul> <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:7.1.0.9.2.20180423204947.05838ce8@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:7.1.0.9.2.20180423204947.05838ce8@visi.com.5" width=24 height=24 alt="Facebook">
</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20180423204947.05838ce8@visi.com.6" width=24 height=24 alt="Twitter">
</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20180423204947.05838ce8@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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