[NFBC-Info] {Spam?} President's notebook, April 2022

Sat Apr 2 19:04:18 UTC 2022

President’s Notebook, April 2022

Hey folks:

I apologize for the lateness of this update. I have been facing some
medical struggles. And it’s the first week of the quarter, but for
some reason, campus already has the Week 9 energy. Next month’s update
may also be a little late. I’ll be in the hospital getting surgery.
But never fear, the update will be there. I’ll make sure to write it
when I’m not loopy on anesthetics. Unless you’d prefer that, of
course.

April is National Financial Literacy month. Get those taxes in. Turbo
Tax is a miracle, and makes up for some lack of financial awareness.
At least in my case.

More importantly, April is National Sexual Assault Awareness month.
Over the last few years, I have sometimes been tempted to leave our
organization as the pattern of sexual assault among our membership and
at our training centers has become clearer. The stories of sexual
misconduct are heartbreaking, and so was the fact that I can relate to
various survivors’ testimonials. As mentors have reminded me though,
we can only achieve our organization’s goals, both external and
internal, by standing together. Externally, we hold legislators and
various entities accountable for lack of inclusivity and
accessibility. Internally, we must hold our organization accountable
when perpetrators are excused for violating others. We now have the
Code of Conduct, but there is still progress to be made. I hope that,
though it may occasionally be difficult, you stay with the
organization, and that you help us achieve our goals, both external
and internal. It is because of your strength that we can learn and
grow together.

As always, I am open to suggestions on improving this newsletter. Feel
free to email. You will find some updates below, and some general
resources at the bottom. The newsletter is also attached as a word
document. If you want to see updates from chapters not listed here,
contact your chapter president and urge them to send me something each
month. Thank you for everything you do.

All the best,
Cricket Bidleman

Contents:
A Note from the President
Special Interest groups
River City Update
General resources

A Note from the President
Dear Family:
I can’t believe that it’s already April! March has been a busy month,
and the work of the Federation continues moving forward.

National Convention is just around the corner. It will be held in
person in New Orleans from July 5-10. Safety precautions will be in
place. there will be a virtual experience as well that lacks some of
the benefits of the in-person convention.  You can register at
nfb.org/convention.

If this will be your first time attending an in-person convention, you
can also apply for the Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship at
https://nfb.org/form/kenneth-jernigan-convention-scho?q=form%2Fkenneth-jernigan-convention-scho.
Applications, along with a letter of recommendation from the
affiliate, are due on April 15.

Bookshare, a program that provides Braille and audio books for people
with print disabilities, is providing free membership for one year to
people who are fifty-five and over. They are also looking for
volunteers to help test out some features, and the first fifty seniors
who sign up to test will receive an Alexa smart speaker to access
Bookshare content. For more information and to sign up, go to
bookshare.org and use promo code Read4LifeCA.

Many folks have been discussing our Payan Vs LACCD litigation. The
community college district’s petition for review by the United States
Supreme Court has been dropped in response to our protests, political
efforts, and advocacy. Though the case is not yet over at the trial
court level,  our advocacy work continues. We will fully support our
blind students. I encourage all of you to continue having discussions
around the best ways to advocate and to share your experiences.

As always, I appreciate all of you and the work you do every day to
promote equality, opportunity, and security for the blind in
California.

Tim Elder

The National Federation of the Blind of California Affiliate Interest Groups
PURPOSE: To Incorporate inclusion for ALL NFB California Chapters,
which will lead to increasing membership and providing unlimited
access to tools and resources.

In order to build the California Affiliate Membership, we must be more
inviting, welcoming and embracing to  one another. One of the ideas is
to create Interest Groups that would bring more blind and visually
impaired persons together, where they can engage, share information,
and enhance their knowledge about the organization. This will give
members from various chapters a chance to chair, or participate in a
interest group. They will lead the group and oversee the content. The
Lead may also have an outside consultant. Some examples of groups are:
Cooking, Music, Book Club, Outreach, Sports, Technology, Arts and
Crafts and Fitness etc.

ALL Interest groups will be held via ZOOM.  This will allow for more
members to get involved and potentially bring in new members. If
interested, please contact Cheryl Thurston.

River City Update:

Angela's Awesome Jerky & The River City Chapter are joining forces for
a fundraiser. Purchase Angela's Awesome Jerky during the months of
April & May and a portion of the proceeds will go to the River City
Chapter. If you would like to place an order please fill out the form
below.

Jerky Flavors:
• Tantalizing Teriyaki: Tempt your taste buds with this tasty treat.
Sweet and smoky and completely non-spicy, this one is a hit with kids
and adults alike.
• Dad's Bragging Rights: The result of a father-daughter cooking
competition in which father reined supreme, its a perfect blend of
sweetness and spice,
with a somewhat fruity base and a pepper kick.
• Ragin' Cajun: fasten your seatbelt and take a ride on the wild side,
this one's as spicy as it is flavorful.
• Tiffany's Best: a gluten free option with a sweet tropical taste
which will take you straight to Hawaii. Its low sodium, gluten free,
and will accommodate
most diets.

Pricing:
6oz Bag - $10.00
By the Pound - $25.00
Shipping Cost - $8.00

https://ulwxastpyh.formstack.com/forms/jerky_fundraiser

Thank you for supporting the River City Chapter.  Enjoy your Jerky!

General resources:
NFB of California site: http://www.nfbcal.org
NFB site: http://www.nfb.org
National Convention page: http://www.nfb.org/convention
Request a free white cane here:
https://nfb.org/programs-services/free-white-cane-program

-- 
Cricket X. Bidleman, B.A (she/her/hers)
M.A Candidate | Stanford Journalism Class of 2022
Accessibility Consultant | Stanford University Computer Science
Chairperson | Stanford Daily Editorial Board
Co-Chair | Stanford Daily Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Member | Blind Advisory Committee, California Department of Vocational
rehabilitation
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