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<p>Dear Federation family,</p>
<p>We hope you'll be joining the Empire Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of New York State in two weeks for our
monthly chapter meeting on Monday, April 20<sup>th</sup>, 2026 at
7 PM EDT. We have an especially exciting program in store this
month!</p>
<p>We are pleased to welcome Casey Robertson as our guest speaker.
Ms. Robertson is a Braille instructor, the lead instructor at the
Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness at
Louisiana Tech University, and is First Vice President of the
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. She has earned
numerous awards for her work, including the Federation\u2019s
Distinguished Educator of Blind Children and Dr. Jacob Bolotin
Awards. She will also be joined by her current LA Tech students
who will be attending as part of their coursework. Ms. Robertson
will speak on the Natural Order of Braille Contractions, a system
she has developed over the past two decades that teaches Braille
contractions in the sequence that best matches how beginning
readers naturally encounter and retain writing, greatly improving
both the speed and effectiveness of Braille learning for blind
students of all ages. Afterward, we'll host a discussion
surrounding blindness philosophy and the importance of both
learning and teaching Braille.</p>
<p>We will also take time to address one of the most urgent issues
facing blind and disabled Americans today: the Texas v. Kennedy
lawsuit, which poses a direct threat to Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For more than five decades, Section
504 has been a cornerstone of civil rights for blind and disabled
people, prohibiting discrimination in programs and activities that
receive federal funding. This lawsuit, brought by nine states led
by Texas, challenges the federal government's authority to enforce
Section 504 and puts at risk our access to education, employment,
and public services. The National Federation of the Blind has
issued an urgent advocacy alert calling on all members to take
action. At our meeting, we will discuss what is at stake, what the
National Office is asking us to do, and how each of us can make a
difference. This is a moment that calls for all of us, and we hope
to see as many of you there as possible.</p>
<p>Meeting Details</p>
<p><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/9868886022"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext" moz-do-not-send="true">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/9868886022</a></p>
<p>Meeting ID: 986 888 6022</p>
<p>One tap mobile:</p>
<p><a href="tel:+16468769923,,9868886022#" moz-do-not-send="true">+16468769923,,9868886022#</a>
(US - New York)</p>
<p><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="tel:+16469313860,,9868886022#">+16469313860,,9868886022#</a>
(US)</p>
<p>We can\u2019t wait to see you there! If you have any questions, please
reach out to Noah Tobias Carver, President of the Empire Chapter,
via email at <a href="mailto:empire@nfbny.org"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext" moz-do-not-send="true">empire@nfbny.org</a>
or via phone/text at <a href="tel:+12072057303"
moz-do-not-send="true">207-205-7303</a>.</p>
<p>Warmly,</p>
<p>Noah and the Empire Chapter Board</p>
<p></p>
<div class="moz-signature">
<p>Noah Tobias Carver, President<br>
Empire Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of New York
State<br>
<a href="mailto:empire@nfbny.org" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
moz-do-not-send="true">empire@nfbny.org</a><br>
<a href="tel:+12072057303" moz-do-not-send="true">(207) 205-7303</a><br>
<a href="https://www.nfbny.org/" moz-do-not-send="true">www.nfbny.org</a><br>
Pronouns: he, him, his<br>
Live the life you want.</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members
and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation\u2019s
blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the
lives they want.</p>
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