[NFB_of_Georgia] Information form NFB National President

[Dorothy Griffin]

Dear Fellow Federationists,



Happy seventy-ninth anniversary to us! Another November 16 has come and
gone, causing us to pause and reflect upon all that we have accomplished as
a movement since that date in 1940. I was pleased to share the day with
Federation members. I know our eightieth year will be marked with many
important milestones, and I know we will think up some new things to pursue
along the way.


I want to take this opportunity to wish each of you a very happy
Thanksgiving. I anticipate that there may not be any urgent news next
Monday, leaving this as our final notebook before the holiday. I am deeply
grateful for the service, leadership, and friendship of each of you. It
makes a tremendous difference in the lives of so many people. It is also a
true blessing for my family to have the opportunity to know you and enjoy
time with you. We appreciate how many of you who have asked for updates on
Oriana. Thank you for being who you are and doing what you do. We recognize
that your best contributions will go uncelebrated because you do them out
of love and dedication, not to seek award or acknowledgement. Thank you for
all of those unknown kindnesses that may go unrecognized but are deeply
impactful and gratefully appreciated by those of us working in the spirit
of the Federation family.


NewsCelebrating Seventy-Nine Years:Saturday was the seventy-ninth
anniversary of the founding of the National Federation of the Blind. Since
1940, we have worked collectively in a unified national organization,
improving the lives of blind people throughout the country, and in some
cases, the world. Along with high expectations and strong values, our
structure continues to empower members of the National Federation of the
Blind to live the lives we want. Consider sharing the history of the
organized blind movement
<https://www.nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance?fbclid=IwAR1R0E8vvGqkFao45ZMxiQDEf6mgHifKJ2ABQ2OrA01ghYujvK9qHSo59Uk>
and
invite members to read *Building the Lives We Want*
<https://www.nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/building-lives-we-want>
.Send Comments for Elimination of 14(c):
On Friday, November 15, 2019 at 9:00 a.m., the United States Commission on
Civil Rights held a public briefing on the elimination of Section 14(c) of
the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows subminimum wages for people with
disabilities. The commission plans to issue a report with actionable
recommendations to address this critical civil rights issue. Review the
testimony from many panelists <https://www.youtube.com/user/USCCR>, which
included Anil Lewis, Kimie Eacobacci, John Pare, Melissa Riccobono, and
Derek Manners. Panelists also included those who are still in favor of
14(c). Although it seems like the tides are turning, more voices need to be
heard to end these discriminatory practices. Submit comments to
subminimumwages at usccr.gov for the commission’s consideration no later than
December 15, 2019.Open-House-Gathering Call this Wednesday:
The National Federation of the Blind’s next open-house-gathering call for
people interested in membership will be this Wednesday, November 20, at
8:00 p.m. eastern. This is a great opportunity to learn about joining and
its benefits. The calls cover membership, philosophy, and purpose. Sign up
by emailing membership at nfb.org or calling 410-659-9314, extension 2509.Apple
TV+ Releases New Blindness Show, *See*:
A fantasy world in which everyone is blind, and also strong, capable, and
dynamic. This new show, *See*, on Apple TV+ could set forth a new way that
the entertainment industry portrays blindness. Additionally, there are five
blind actors cast in roles, although not in leading roles. This seems like
progress. Per our 2019 resolution on authentic representation of blind
people in the entertainment industry
<https://www.nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2019-resolutions#14>,
more progress for the growth and inclusion of blind people in the
entertainment industry is needed. Read the recent blog post regarding the
show <https://www.nfb.org/blog/treading-carefully-new-blindness-drama-see> and
share your thoughts on the show.

Disney+:
Last week the Disney+ service was launched. A number of blind grandparents
and parents reported accessibility challenges with the website. We have
raised this with Disney, and they are working with our team to resolve
barriers. We will send additional news as we have it.
Dates to Keep in Mind:

   - January 4, 2020: World Braille Day
   - January 9-11, 2020: BELL® Academy Training Seminar
   - February 10, 2020: Great Gathering-In; Washington Seminar begins
   - March 26-27, 2020: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium, Baltimore, Maryland
   - April 14-17, 2020: NABM BLAST <http://www.blindmerchants.org>;
   Chicago, Illinois
   - July 14-19, 2020: NFB National Convention, Houston, Texas



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.





Mark A. Riccobono, President

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659-9314 | officeofthepresident at nfb.org


-- 
Dorothy Griffin - President
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia
dgriffin at nfbga.org
404-632-5989

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.