[NFBC-Info] A note from the student division

[Cricket X. Bidleman]

Hello all,

I hope this is the start of a wonderful holiday season full of life,
love, and happiness. I am certainly happy to have some time off
school, during which I am reflecting on the progress I've made and
those who have helped me get there.

One thing I will never forget is that, while I'm always hoping for the
increased accessibility of modern technology, those in the past (some
of whom I know and some of whom I do not) have built the foundations
upon which I am becoming successful. The best way to thank everyone
who has worked--and is working--to make all aspects of life accessible
is by taking a few moments to work toward the same goal.

At the moment, the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher
Education Act (AIMHEA) has been introduced in the House of
Representatives. If passed, this will provide accessibility guidelines
for educational technology. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
has gotten us to where we are today but since technology is constantly
developing, we need accessibility to continue improving with it.
That's one of the many reasons why AIMHEA is important.

During this holiday season, I'm sure you're having some fun with
family and friends. Please consider taking a few minutes out of your
day to write a testimonial outlining an experience you had involving
inaccessibility, and then why accessibility and the AIMHEA are
important to both you and people in general. I'm including a link to a
form where you can do so.

This form is specifically for students but if you would like to write
a testimonial and are not a student, I welcome you to send me an
email. I am hoping to earn a doctorate and from the perspective of a
prospective educator, accessible technology and materials is
imperative to all areas of growth. As I said in my testimonial, we
have canes and guide dogs as mobility aids through physical spaces,
but we need technology to navigate academic and societal ones.

Also, this is most definitely not limited to people who are a part of
the division or the NFB. Please share this with anyone you know who
can provide some useful perspective, in California and everywhere.
Thanks so much!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf68TacBetKMAHZcMhGJLmYgeWDIjjpSm9Sz1OUwYKxzsIEAg/viewform

Much love and aloha,
Cricket
-- 
Cricket X. Bidleman (she/her/hers)
Stanford University | Class of 2021
BA Candidate | Communications
Accessibility Consultant | Stanford University Computer Science
Director of Communications | Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU)
Education SME and Student Liaison | AIRA
President | California Association of Blind Students (CABS)