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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It is really hard these days to know which season we’re in. Just last week, we experienced temperatures in the high 80’s here in the Twin Cities, but by last Sunday there was snow on the back steps here. I believe that one of our members, Jeff Kubas, reported 7 inches of snow where he lives in the Baxter-Brainerd area. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There is plenty of information to cover here so let’s get right to it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2>National Convention Coming Soon<o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Our national convention is coming soon. It will take place in Houston Texas from Saturday, July 1 through Thursday, July 6. As usual, we have a headquarters hotel and also an overflow hotels. Both hotels are very nice, but all meetings and other events occur in the main hotel. The headquarters hotel is <span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white'>The Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar Street, Houston, TX 77010. There phone number is 800-236-2905. If you try to reserve a room and they are full, or if you just would like to be in a hotel that is perhaps a little quieter, our overflow hotel is Marriott Marquis Houston, 1777 Walker St,, Houston, TX 77010, phone: 877-622-3056.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white'>There is a lot of information about the convention on our website at </span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/convention"><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white'>http://www.nfb.org/convention</span></a><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white'>, including links to pre-register. There is also a pre-registration process for attending the national convention virtually as well.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;background:white'>Each year, our state Board of Directors approves some funding to provide financial assistance to individuals needing such assistance to attend. Please see the separate announcement which was sent on April 16 to this list.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2>Legislative Activities<o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal>We have also sent a separate announcement and call to action regarding a hearing in the Minnesota House this Thursday to phase out the use of the Section 14C subminimum wage certificates in Minnesota. If you haven’t already done so, please read this announcement and help by contacting members of the House Ways and Means committee.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We continue working to broaden our bill to protect blind parents to include all disabled parents since this has been a key to get this legislation passed in other states. We are closely watching legislation that affects how we vote, transportation, and also legislation providing budget increases for State Services for the Blind. Watch for more details.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Regarding our national efforts, we now have forty-three co-sponsors, including Minnesota’s Angie Craig, for our Medical Devices Nonvisual Accessibility Act and five for the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act. This is a strong showing in the early parts of the 118th Congress, but we need to keep pressing to really show that our priorities are important. Please call or email your representatives and ask them to cosponsor the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 1328) and the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 1263).</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2>Minnesota BELL Program Next August<o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal>We are proceeding with our plans to have an in-person BELL program here in Minnesota next summer in cooperation with BLIND Incorporated. BELL stands for Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning and it incorporates braille along with other interesting activities to help make learning fun for our blind kids. Our Minnesota BELL Academy will begin on August 7, and it will go through August 18. lease be on the look-out for children ages 4-12 who could benefit and give us the names of the parents of kids who would be interested. There is also a need for volunteers for this program. If you have questions or would like to learn more about opportunities to volunteer, contact Briley O’Connor at <a href="mailto:bell@nfbmn.org">bell@nfbmn.org</a>. Also, please note that BLIND Incorporated has the Buddy and the Prep programs for blind youth in June and July as well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2>Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library is Moving<o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal>The Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library will be moving from its current location in Faribault to the Minnesota Department of Education Building in Northeast Minneapolis. This building is located at <span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#1F497D'>400 NE Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55413-2614. However, the Faribault address is still the official current address. An official written announcement for library patrons will come out very shortly and I will send that to this list when it is available. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2>River Bend Chapter Date Change for May<o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Please note that the River Bend Chapter will occur on May 18 this month due to scheduling issues. Normally, their meetings are on the second Thursday, but is being delayed by one week for May only due to scheduling conflicts. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2>Dates to Keep in Mind<o:p></o:p></h2><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>April 25 7:00 PM – Rochester Chapter Meeting<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 2 7:00 PM – National Presidential Release<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 3 6:00 PM – NFB of Minnesota Board of Directors meeting<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 18, 7:00 PM – River Bend Chapter Meeting (special date for this month only)<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 20 10:00 AM – Metro Chapter Meeting<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 21 7:00 PM At Large Chapter Meeting<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 23 7:00 PM Rochester Chapter meeting<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>May 31 – National Convention pre-registration closes<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>June 12-23 – BLIND Incorporated Buddy Program<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>July 1-6 – National Convention in Houston, TX<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>July 10-28 – BLIND Incorporated PREP program<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'>August 7-18 – Our Minnesota BELL Academy<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Steve Jacobson, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbmn.org/">www.nfbmn.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(612) 872-9363<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: he, him, his<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfb.org/">www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Live the life you Want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>