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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;font-weight:normal'>National Federation of the Blind Partners with ElevenLabs to Transform Accessible Reading</span><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;color:initial;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:22.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;font-weight:normal'>Empowering Choice in How Stories Are Heard</span><span style='font-size:22.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Baltimore, MD (November 18, 2025):</span></strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is proud to announce a partnership with ElevenLabs, bringing the innovative ElevenReader platform to blind readers across the United States. This collaboration represents a major step forward in accessible technology, offering emotionally rich narration that empowers choice in how stories are heard.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Text-to-speech tools are not new for blind people; however, ElevenLabs enhances the experience with options for the readers. By using advanced AI technology to deliver natural, human-like voices—including celebrity voices—for books, newsletters, and other content, users can select from a wide range of voices and upload their own materials, creating a personalized reading experience.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>"Access to information has always been at the heart of our movement, and this partnership with ElevenLabs represents the kind of innovation that happens when we prioritize the authentic needs and preferences of blind people,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “ElevenReader gives blind readers real options in how they experience content. The ability to choose from natural-sounding voices, personalize the reading experience, and upload our own materials means we are active participants shaping how we consume information."</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>As part of this partnership, premium access to ElevenReader is available at no cost to members of the National Federation of the Blind. This benefit underscores NFB’s commitment to ensuring that blind individuals have access to cutting-edge tools that enhance independence and inclusion.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>###</span></strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>About the National Federation of the Blind</span></strong><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><br>The National Federation of the Blind, headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at<a href="https://nfb.org/" target="_blank"> nfb.org</a>.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>CONTACT</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Stephanie Cascone</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Director of Communications</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='box-sizing: border-box;overflow-wrap: break-word !important;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;background-color:initial;color:initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>410-659-9314, extension 2244</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Lonnie & Ashley Swafford<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>5109 Bannon Crossings Drive<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Louisville, KY 40218<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>H: (502) 491-1992<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>M: (502) 609-2394<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>