[Nfbmt] NFB President’s Notebook - week of 01/18/2016

Tue Jan 19 01:08:39 UTC 2016

President’s Notebook

National Federation of the Blind

Mark A. Riccobono

(410) 659-9314

Dear Fellow Federationists,

I am on my way back to Baltimore after a successful NFB of Florida convention. This is a busy week with the Legislative Directors meeting and Washington Seminar right around the corner. I urge everyone to share our petition widely throughout your affiliate before coming to Washington. This is a nice actionable task to give our members who are not coming to the seminar. 

Safe travels, 

Mark 

Critical actions this week:

Petition to Sign and Share:
Last week we launched a We the People petition <https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/direct-us-department-justice-promptly-release-ada-internet-regulations>  calling on the Obama administration to promptly release the ADA internet regulations. We need to have 100,000 signatures by February 11, 2016, so please sign and share with your contacts. The full URL for the petition is https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/direct-us-department-justice-promptly-release-ada-internet-regulations. 

Seeking Members Who Would Like to Use Redbox Kiosks:
The NFB is seeking members who have tried to use or would like to use Redbox’s video and video game rental kiosks. This request is in response to a pending class action settlement and is urgently time sensitive. If you have tried to use or would like to use Redbox kiosks, please contact Valerie Yingling, paralegal, at vyingling at nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2440, by January 31.

News:

NFB Writers' Division Writing Contest:
The annual writing contest for youth and adults is open. The deadline for entering is April 1, 2016. There are adult contests in short fiction, non-fiction, stories for youth, and poetry. There are youth contests in short fiction, poetry, and Federation history. For submission guidelines, cash prize amounts, and more detailed information, contact EvaMarie Sanchez at thirdeyeonlyinaz at gmail.com. 

WBU/ICEVI Joint Assembly Registration Open:
Registration is open for the World Blind Union (WBU) and International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) conferences to be held in August 2016 in Orlando, Florida. Register at www.wbu-icevi2016.org before June 1, 2016. Registration is only available online. 

Dates to keep in mind:

·         January 25-28: Washington Seminar, https://nfb.org/washington-seminar

·         March 3-5: NFB STEM2U San Francisco

·         March 31: NFB Scholarship Program application deadline, https://nfb.org/scholarships

·         April 15: Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Program nomination deadline, https://nfb.org/bolotin-award-main

·         May 17-20: BLAST, Chicago

·         May 19-21: NFB STEM2U Minneapolis

·         June 19-25: NFB EQ (first iteration)

·         June 30-July 5: National Federation of the Blind Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Florida

·         July 31-August 6: NFB EQ (second iteration) 

·         August 18-25: WBU and ICEVI General Assembly, Rosen Centre, Orlando, Florida, www.wbu-icevi2016.org

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

National Federation of the Blind

200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place

Baltimore, Maryland 21230

Phone: (410) 659-9314

Fax: (410) 659-5129

Email: officeofthepresident at nfb.org

Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice

Web:  <http://www.nfb.org/> www.nfb.org

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