[NFBNJ] NFB President Riccobono's Notebook - week of 06/29/2020

[joe ruffalo]

Greetings to all!
I have pasted several items of interest from President Riccobono???s Notebook 
for week of June 29, 2020.
I have provided my comments after each item of interest.

Joe


We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!

Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
or call 855 659 9314


From: President, National Federation of the Blind
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 3:26 PM
Subject: NFB President???s Notebook - week of 06/29/2020

President???s Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org
410-659-9314


Dear Fellow Federationists,

Two weeks, just two weeks, until we kick off our most dynamic convention 
ever. It is hard to believe that we will not be gathering in person. It is 
even harder to believe how quickly we have reworked and built a new 
convention format for 2020. I have examined the registration numbers, and 
you are going to be blown away. The tremendous support and growth in our 
movement is because you have led the way in reaching out and building during 
this challenging and critical time.

Here is the link you have been anticipating: the agenda for the 2020 Annual 
Convention of the National Federation of the Blind can be found at 
https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/2020-national-convention-agenda.

This is the HTML version of the agenda and it does not yet include all of 
the Zoom meeting ID links. There will be many versions of the agenda to 
follow, but we wanted you to have the agenda text as early as possible

Comments: Please check your in box for additional updates and thanks for 
helping to make this years national convention the largest ever.





President Riccobono is anticipating being with all of you at the Rookie 
Roundup on July 7. Please plan to be there.

Comments: Information was forwarded several times highlighting this 
introductory meeting for all to attend.

Review the agenda and or the national website for updated information at

www.nfb.org





On a non-convention-related matter, I want to call your attention to a 
couple of blog posts from this week. These are to close out Pride Month. 
These posts are part of our ongoing effort to think critically about the 
diversity of our movement and actions we can undertake to ensure our 
meetings and activities allow all of our blind members to participate fully. 
Please be sure to review ???What Pride Means to Me??? by Connor ???Carley??? Mullin, 
and my post today entitled ???Love Is Love: Supporting Our LGBTQ+ Members and 
Celebrating Pride Month.???

Comments: In the Federation, our tag line is

???Live  The Life You Want!





Finally, seriously, if you have not verified the convention registration 
list for your affiliate, stop reading this and please turn your attention to 
that list right...now.

Comments: Thanks to Linda Melendez, Jane Degenshein and Ellen Sullivan with 
the completion of this assignment.





Convention
Host a Banquet Party during #NFB20:
Formal attire. Favorite dishes. Federation family. The annual banquet is the 
highlight of each convention and it???s a great opportunity for small local 
gatherings. Following local guidance, host a banquet party with members near 
you! During banquet, we are going to be dropping into parties with the 
chance to say hello to the whole convention. If you???ll be hosting a banquet 
party, please email rstevens at nfb.org or call 410-659-9314, extension 2246, 
with your contact information by Monday, July 13. More information on 
drop-ins during banquet will be provided to the hosts prior to the start of 
banquet.

Comments: The above is a terrific idea and I leave each chapter/divisions to 
consider.

If interested, please contact your chapter and or division president for a 
possible consideration.





Legal Office Hours during Convention:
Disability rights attorneys will be available to discuss employment 
discrimination, access barriers, and other concerns with individuals on 
Tuesday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 15, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. eastern. 
Schedule your private, twenty-minute appointment by emailing 
vyingling at nfb.org.

Comments: An opportunity for consideration.





News

Thanks to Affiliates:
Many of our affiliates have been contributing to our NFB BELL?? In-Home 
Edition. Putting on quality, nationwide programming like this takes 
resources, and I am happy that our state affiliates stepped up to support 
our national organization with financial resources in this regard. Thanks go 
out to the following affiliates for your help with NFB BELL this year.

NFB of Alabama

NFB of Arizona

NFB of California

NFB of Connecticut

NFB of Georgia

NFB of Illinois

NFB of Missouri

NFB of New Jersey

NFB of Ohio

NFB of Pennsylvania

NFB of Utah

Note: The affiliate gifted the BELL Academy national program with a check in 
the amount of $1,500.

In addition, the affiliate  gifted a check for Giving Tuesday in the amount 
of $1,000. This program provided matching funds.

We also purchased Angel Pins in the amount of $250 from the National 
Organization of Parents of Blind Children to assist with a technology 
drawing in memory of one of the students.

Thanks for the generosity!

Access Technology Affordability Act Update:

The past week has been a banner week for the Access Technology Affordability 
Act (HR 2086/S. 815). We added eight cosponsors in the House for a total of 
109 cosponsors. Special thanks to the following states:

California (Rep. Grace Napolitano)

Florida (Rep. Michael Waltz)

Indiana (Rep. Susan Brooks)

Missouri (Rep. Jason Smith)

North Dakota (Rep. Kelly Armstrong)

Oklahoma (Rep. Tom Cole)

Virginia (Rep. Denver Riggleman)

Washington (Rep. Dan Newhouse)



Please continue to urge your representative and senators to cosponsor this 
bill. Congress is likely to begin negotiations on another COVID-19 relief 
package when they return from the July 4th recess. The more cosponsors we 
have, the more likely Congress will include the provisions of the Access 
Technology Affordability Act in that legislation.

Comments: Ryan Stevens, NFBNJ Legislative Director hasreported that five NJ 
House of Representatives and one of NJ Senators have co-sponsored this 
important life changing bill.

When you receive notices from Ryan, please make the call or calls as your 
voices do make a difference!

With the upcoming notices, Ryan will provide the names that have 
co-sponsored and those that have not. With your support, we will add to this 
list of co-sponsors.


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