[NFBAZ-EastValleyChapter] Convention Bulletin 2025

Wed Jan 15 00:40:29 UTC 2025

Good evening East Valley family and friends. Please find information
relating to registration, hotel rates, and more for the NFB National
Convention below. This article appeared in this month's issue of the Braille
Monitor, the flagship publication of our movement. If you would like to
access the full issue, Vol 68, No. 1, you may do so at the following link.

 <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm25/bm2501/bm2501tc.htm>
https://nfb.org//images/nfb/publications/bm/bm25/bm2501/bm2501tc.htm

Enjoy.

Convention Bulletin 2025

The 2025 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place
in New Orleans, Louisiana, this summer. Start planning your trip now.

Tuesday, July 8 through Sunday, July 13

The Marriott New Orleans and the Sheraton New Orleans

As our headquarters hotel, the Marriott will host convention breakouts,
general sessions, and the banquet. Right across Canal Street, the Sheraton
serves as our overflow hotel and will be home to the Exhibit Hall and
Independence Market.

If this will be your first convention or if you need a refresher, check out
our First Timer's Guide at
<https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/first-timers-guide>
https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/first-timers-guide.

Book Your Hotel

Reserve your room by calling 888-236-2427 for the Marriott or 855-516-1090
for the Sheraton New Orleans. Ask for the "National Federation of the Blind
2025 Convention" block. Here are important things to know about the rates
and booking the room:

Rates and Taxes

The nightly rate for both the Marriott and the Sheraton is $119 for singles
and doubles, while triples and quads can be booked for $129 per night. You
should also anticipate the combined sales tax and tourism support rate of
16.2 percent and note there is a hotel occupancy fee of $3.00 per night.

Deposit and Cancellation

At the time you make a reservation, a deposit of the first night's stay is
required for each room reserved. If you use a credit card, the deposit will
be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a
check. If a reservation is cancelled before Sunday, June 1, 2025, half of
the deposit will be returned. Otherwise, refunds will not be made.

Registration

Registration for convention will open in March. Registration will be $25 per
person plus $80 per banquet ticket. Register early because prices go up if
you register onsite in New Orleans. Registration includes the biggest event
of the year, access to the event app, and communications on the latest news
and events.

Convention Schedule

The 2025 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be a truly
exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication
to the goals and work of our movement.

A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology
enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick the week off on
Tuesday, July 8. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up
will also open on Tuesday.

Breakout sessions continue on Wednesday, July 9, along with committee
meetings.

Thursday, July 10, will kick off with the annual meeting, open to all, of
the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind. National
division meetings will follow the board meeting that afternoon and evening.

General convention sessions will begin on Friday, July 11, and continue
through the afternoon of Sunday, July 13.

Convention ends on a high note with the banquet Sunday evening, so be sure
to pack your fancy clothes. The fall of the gavel at the close of banquet
will signal convention's adjournment. Make plans now to be a part of it.

Request for Door Prizes

Remember that as usual we need door prizes from state affiliates, local
chapters, and individuals. Prizes should be small in size but large in
value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. We ask that
prizes of all kinds have a value of at least $25 and not include alcohol.
Drawings will occur throughout the convention sessions, and you can
anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the
banquet. If you have a prize that must be shipped in advance of the
convention, please email Greater New Orleans Chapter President Tammy Green
at  <mailto:tammygreen4401 at gmail.com> tammygreen4401 at gmail.com to make
arrangements.

Division, Committee, Group Meetings

Over 200 sessions and meetings happen during convention. If you are a leader
in a division, committee, or group that will meet at convention, please
don't wait to organize. Start planning your agenda, goals, and connections
now. Stay tuned for details from the Convention Chair, John Berggren.

Volunteer

Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who help make the national
convention a big success. There are plenty of opportunities to pitch in
throughout the week of convention. Visit  <https://nfb.org/convention>
https://nfb.org/convention to learn more about the following opportunities.

Convention Ambassador: assist in making the national convention a welcoming
and empowering experience for all of our attendees.

Independence Market: serve as demonstrators, storekeepers, cashiers, and
line marshals during the days the market is open in the Exhibit Hall.

Ambassadors and the Independence Market are not the only areas where we need
volunteers. Stay tuned for more details on shifts, schedules, and signups
for the following areas.

Convention Ally Network: facilitate participation in the convention and
support those who feel unsafe because of laws in the host state.

Support Service Provider: assist with optimizing participation in the
convention for deafblind attendees.

Spanish Interpretation: help make the convention available to our
Spanish-speaking attendees.

Action Fund Book Fair: assist with box sorting, helping customers with book
decisions and selections, and packing selected books for delivery.

If you are interested in learning more about how to get involved, please
connect with your state affiliate president.

Countdown to New Orleans

The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our
special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and
provocative program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the
chance to renew friendships in our Federation family; and the unparalleled
opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions are being
made-all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2025
National Convention. To assure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at
convention rates, make your reservations early. We plan to see you in New
Orleans in July

Warmly,

Kristopher I. Crawley 

 <https://www.accessibilityassociation.org/> 

<https://education.acvrep.org/badges/badge.php?hash=18b8ae05639d02d02387d74e
47732a7cb8eeb657>
<https://www.freedomscientific.com/Training/Certification>
<https://www.zoomtext.com/learning/certification>
<https://certification.nvaccess.org/> 

Secretary

Assistive Technology Trainers Division

Communications Committee Chair

National Organization Of Blind Black Leaders

Email:  <mailto:KICrawley.NFB at Gmail.com> KICrawley.NFB at Gmail.com 

Phone/Text: (480) 788-9220

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