[NFBNJ] NFB President’s Notebook - week of 03/17/2020

Tue Mar 17 14:41:39 UTC 2020

Greetings to all!
Each week, I receive the President’s Notebook and at times I forward 
sections and at times, I forward the entire notebook.
With the importance of this weeks notebook, I have provided the entire 
notebook.
Please read through and share with others.
Take notice of the work that needs to continue and let’s make the time we 
are home to act to the items listed below.

Stay safe, continue to prepare each day to win the battle and most of all, 
stay informed.
Warmly,
Joe

---

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

Dear Fellow Federationists,

A leadership quote I like goes something like, “You can’t relate to a 
superhero, but you can identify with a real person who in times of crisis 
draws forth some extraordinary quality from within and triumphs but only 
after a struggle.” These are times not just for superheroes but for each of 
us to come together and support each other. In the last week I have read 
some of the most beautiful posts and had some of the deepest conversations 
with people in this leadership group. It demonstrates to me the strength 
that each of you has and the power and love that we gain from bonding 
together. I am so grateful to have this leadership group in these uncertain 
times.

You already know about the action of the board of directors to shut down all 
public meetings through Easter. Our training centers are closely monitoring 
the situation. The Colorado Center has already altered its operation based 
on local circumstances, and I expect our other centers will make similar 
modifications at some point. Our national office remains open at the moment, 
although we have shifted at-risk staff to remote work and reduced walk-in 
traffic and meetings at the building to minimize the risks. We have also 
increased our already-detailed cleaning procedures. I do not know about you, 
but I think the bones in my hands are starting to absorb hand sanitizer.

Many of you have asked about the national convention. It is just too far 
away for us to make a realistic decision about our annual family reunion. We 
are putting plans in place for the convention and for an alternative plan, 
but it is too early to know anything. As you know, on an unrelated note, our 
convention registration system experienced some issues in the first couple 
days of implementation. That system is now being retested. We hope that it 
will be back online soon.

There are a number of things that our chapters and affiliates can be doing 
to support and connect blind people. There are resources below that you 
should be aware of and share. For example, some affiliates have been nervous 
about jumping into the Zoom platform. Check out the great resource being 
made available from Jonathan Mosen. If you find it of value, drop Jonathan a 
note and thank him.

If you find other ways the Federation can help make a difference, or if your 
affiliate is undertaking an interesting new project in light of the 
situation, please let me know or share it on the leadership listserv.

Stay safe, healthy, and strong. I am here for you if you need anything.

Critical Actions:
Coronavirus COVID-19 Public Event Policy:
The public event policy that was updated late last week is available on our 
website at 
https://www.nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-covid-19-policy-relating-public-events. 
We are continuing to monitor best practices from the CDC and will update you 
all as the situation changes with respect to the National Federation of the 
Blind.

News:
Legislative Update:
As the excitement of Washington Seminar fades into the distance, our 
legislative priorities are still experiencing a tremendous amount of 
momentum from our time on Capitol Hill. The Access Technology Affordability 
Act (ATAA) now has 83 cosponsors in the House (H.R. 2086) and 22 cosponsors 
in the Senate (S. 815). That's nearly one quarter of each chamber. Just last 
week we gained seven new cosponsors in the House: David Schweikert (AZ), 
John Rutherford (FL), Lance Gooden (TX), Dwight Evans (PA), Ann Kuster (NH), 
Madeleine Dean (PA), and Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO). Special thanks to Arizona, 
Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Missouri. It may not seem 
like much, but those numbers are actually quite impressive and show 
significant support for our legislation.

This legislation may be more relevant now than ever. With the tragic 
outbreak of the coronavirus, we may see job loss in the very near future, 
and the ATAA would significantly improve employment opportunities for blind 
people when companies begin hiring again. Call or email your senators and 
representative and ask them to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability 
Act (ATAA) (H.R. 2086/S. 815). A legislative alert on this topic will follow 
soon.

Virtual Instruction for Students During COVID-19 School Closures - 
#AccessibleNOW:
The threat of COVID-19 has prompted many schools to close their physical 
locations and shift to virtual instruction. This sudden transition raises 
concern about the accessibility of web-based educational technology. The NFB 
has issued a blog that highlights how, regardless of COVID-19-driven 
closures, schools must continue to provide equal access for blind students 
to programs, benefits, and services. There are steps you can take now to 
help your school prevent access barriers for blind students and to help the 
NFB monitor barriers that do occur:

·         Share the NFB’s blog and listed resources

·         Complete the NFB’s education technology survey

·         Connect with us in our #AccessibleNOW #InEducation Twitter chat on 
Friday, March 20, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. eastern.

Furthermore, if you or your child or student has been discriminated against 
by their school, we urge you to file a complaint with the US Department of 
Education through the Office for Civil Rights. If you have questions or 
concerns, please email AccessibleNow at nfb.org.

Parental Rights Foundation Podcast:
Recently I recorded a podcast with the Parental Rights Foundation. You can 
listen to the recording on their website at 
https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/podcast/.

Hit Submit: Complete Scholarship Applications Today!:
Hundreds of applications get started for the National Federation of the 
Blind scholarship program, and many lose the opportunity to be a winner 
simply by not completely submitting the application. This annual scholarship 
program is an investment in the future of blind people who demonstrate 
scholastic aptitude, leadership, and service. Encourage every blind college 
student to apply. Share the secret to winning with blind students and urge 
them to complete their applications. The deadline to apply is March 31, 
2020.
Time to Be Counted - Census 2020:
The 2020 Census is making its way into all mailboxes between now and the end 
of March in order to be completed April 1. Rather than filling out the paper 
questionnaire that will be sent to every home, we can, for the first time, 
fill it out online or over the telephone. Learn about the importance, the 
accessibility, and how to participate in the recent Voice of the Nation’s 
Blind Blog article.
National Federation of the Blind Engineering Quotient (NFB EQ) Program - 
June 21-27 - Science Museum of Minnesota:
While there is uncertainty as to what the summer holds this year, it is 
worth considering the options. NFB EQ is a weeklong adventure into 
engineering and problem-solving. No specific level of engineering experience 
required. Engage in activities designed to strengthen knowledge and grow 
interests. Connect with the twenty-nine other high school teen participants. 
Enriched experiences. New friendships More independence. The deadline to 
apply is March 29. Apply now at www.nfb.org/eq.

Free Audiobook Resource for Learning the Zoom Platform:
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Jonathan Mosen has made his audiobook 
Meet Me in the Cloud freely available. This tutorial, which takes 
approximately three hours, walks through all aspects of the popular 
conferencing platform, from joining your first meeting, to hosting a 
meeting, to the differences between Basic and Pro accounts. Mosen’s book is 
thorough and accessible to all, regardless of technical background or 
proficiency. Note that at the time these recordings were made, several 
instances of accessibility glitches needed to be pointed out, however with 
current operating systems, and the latest versions of the Zoom conferencing 
software, most bugs have been resolved. In addition, Zoom has kept the 
labeling of commands and options, as well as their keyboard conventions 
consistent, meaning that none of the substance has altered from the time 
these recordings were produced. We believe this will be a useful resource, 
especially in this time of social distancing and greater adoption of 
teleconferencing. The book can be obtained free of charge at 
https://mosen.org/zoom/.

SSA:
The National Federation of the Blind and two blind individuals, Lisa Irving 
and Amy Bonano, have resolved their 2017 lawsuit against the Social Security 
Administration and entered into a settlement agreement designed to ensure 
that SSA’s visitor-intake-processing kiosks are accessible to blind users by 
December 31, 2021. Per the agreement, SSA will work with a third-party, 
kiosk-accessibility expert to redesign the agency’s kiosks so that blind 
users can enter required intake information, including their Social Security 
number, privately and independently. Read the press release.
Dates to Keep in Mind:
  a.. Spring Conventions (including new dates for postponed conventions)
  b.. March 31: Deadline for scholarship applications
·         April 15: Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award application deadline
  a.. May 1: Distinguished Educator Award nomination deadline
  b.. June 21-27: NFB EQ; St. Paul, Minnesota
  c.. July 14-19: NFB National Convention, Houston, Texas

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

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659-9314 | officeofthepresident at nfb.org

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends 
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work 
together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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