[NFB_of_Georgia] Information from President Riccobono

Tue May 21 16:42:54 UTC 2019

Dear Fellow Federationists,

As we come to the week before Memorial Day, I would like to begin by
acknowledging the opportunities we have to pursue freedom due to the many
individuals who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. We also
extend a thank you to the many active members of our organization who
served in the military. I know many of our chapters and affiliates have
events during the Memorial Day weekend, and I hope that everyone finds
fellowship and joy among the reflections that come with this holiday.

Here are a couple of notes for you to consider. As you know, we have two
more weeks until our convention registration closes. While rooms at the
hotel are going fast, we have been able to expand our block of rooms
slightly. Thus, you can encourage those waiting until the last minute that
they still have a chance to get a room at the Mandalay Bay. Additionally,
we have spoken with the hotel about the deposit that is taken during the
initial check-in process on site. The hotel has agreed that those attending
our convention will only be asked to put down a $200.00 deposit. This is
far less than the hotel usually holds for events of our size. Please share
this information with those who have previously been given other numbers.

News:

Transformation to Competitive Employment Act Hearing:
The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a full committee hearing
on the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act, H.R. 873, on Tuesday,
May 21, 2019, at 10:15 a.m. in 2175 Rayburn House Office Building. This
bill phases out Section 14(c) subminimum wage certificates over a six-year
period while providing the funding, supports, and training necessary to
change the infrastructure of outdated business models. It is critical that
we build cosponsor support for this bill.

Parent Leadership Program:
The NFB’s National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) seeks
recommendations for our next Parent Leadership Program (PLP) to be held at
the 2019 National Convention in Las Vegas.

We seek parents who show the commitment and leadership potential to found
or strengthen a parents division in your state. To recommend one or more
parents of blind children, please send names and contact information to
Carol Castellano, secretary, National Organization of Parents of Blind
Children, 973-377-0976, carol_castellano at verizon.net, and we will send that
parent an invitation to become a part of the PLP. We will also send
invitations to parents from your state who participated in the PLP session
at Washington Seminar this year. The NOPBC may be able to provide a small
travel stipend for unreimbursed expenses for parents who need it.

To participate in PLP, parents will need to arrive in Las Vegas by
Saturday, July 6, so that they can attend the NOPBC Seminar on Sunday, July
7, along with special PLP meetings, mentor matches, and other NOPBC and NFB
events throughout the week.

We look forward to hearing about potential leaders from your state and will
keep you informed as to who accepts the PLP invitation. Thanks so much for
your assistance in identifying leaders!

Los Angeles County Discrimination Case:
We are supporting TRE Legal in their representation of a blind employee of
Los Angeles County who has filed a suit alleging violations of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Details can be
found in our press release <https://www.nfb.org/about-us/press-room>.

           Membership Calls for Chapter Presidents:

The NFB Membership Committee invites and encourages all chapter presidents
to one of our upcoming quarterly conference calls. Bringing in new members
is one of our top priorities as an organization. The topic is building
membership in our local chapters. We will discuss new ideas for attracting
new members, programs and projects that have successfully brought new
members to the Federation, and what to do when a new member visits for the
first time. If you have organized and implemented an innovative program or
activity that has been successful in building your chapter, please email us
a description of the program, activity, or event  membership at nfb.org, and
tell us about it.  You may find your strategy promoted on this call.

All chapter presidents are encouraged to attend one of the conference calls
(all times eastern): Wednesday, May 29, 9:00 p.m., Friday, May 31, 6:00
p.m. ET, or Sunday, June 2, 4:00 p.m.

 NFB-NEWSLINE Web News on Demand:

To learn about accessing NFB-NEWSLINE on the web, join us for our webinar
on Thursday, May 23, at 8:00 p.m. eastern. We will cover topics such as
enhanced search features, emailing articles on demand, accessing your
favorite publications, TV listings, and more. To participate in the
webinar, join the Zoom meeting on your computer or mobile device by
following this link:

https://zoom.us/j/355350964

Or dial: 646-876-9923; webinar ID: 355350964

To minimize distractions, we will be using a system that will mute the
participants.

 Correction:

Corrected Dates:
There are two upcoming student seminars. The Southeast Student Seminar will
be *August 16-18*, and the Pacific Student Seminar will be *August 9-11*.
Registration opens May 15 for each of them. Contact Kathryn Webster (
nabs.president at gmail.com) with questions.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

   - May 28, 2019: Accessibility Boutique - Building a Culture of
   Accessibility in Your Organization
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/accessibility-boutiques>,
   Online
   - May 31, 2019: Last day to preregister for NFB National Convention
   <https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention>
   - May 31, 2019: Last day to apply for Blindness Experience Teaching
   Internship
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/blindness-experience-teaching-internship>
   - June 16-22, 2019: NFB EQ
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/national-center-blind-youth-science>,
   Baltimore, Maryland
   - June 25, 2019: Accessibility Boutique - Nonvisual Accessibility of
   G-Suite Products
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/accessibility-boutiques>,
   Baltimore, Maryland
   - July 7-12, 2019: NFB National Convention
   <https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention>, Las Vegas, Nevada
   - February 10, 2020: Great Gathering-In; Washington Seminar begins

-- 
Dorothy Griffin - President
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia
dgriffin at nfbga.org
770-374-4832

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.