[NFBNJ] Week of January4 President Riccobono's Notebook, National Items of Interest and Dates to Keepin Mind

Wed Jan 6 14:21:14 UTC 2021

Greetings all,

To stay connected with our National Office and the work of our organization
I am sharing some of President Riccobono's weekly notebook, National Items
of Interest and Dates to Keep in Mind.

Please read and save for future reference.

Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
732-421-7063
Email: president at nfbnj.org

****

President’s Notebook
Week of January 4, 2021
National Federation of the Blind

Mark A. Riccobono
Dear Fellow Federationists,

Happy New Year to each of you. The year is already moving at an accelerated
pace. I encourage you to work to stay engaged with all of our updates,
especially this month.

I am sure each of you tuned in to the Presidential Release last night. You
can find the release in different formats on our website
<https://www.nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases>.
If you have not prioritized tuning in live, I would urge you to recognize
it is the best way to stay on the cutting edge of what is happening. I also
welcome your participation and questions in that forum. Last evening we
announced two important actions we are taking. These were our partnership
with RAINN
<https://www.nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-announces-partnership-rainn>
and the establishment of an initial Survivor Taskforce
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/safety-support-marchingtogether>. We
welcome your feedback and ideas as we build this out over the next couple
of months. We are eager to move forward on this important work with RAINN
and the Survivors Task Force.

*News:*

*In the News: “Is It Better to Be a Braille Reader Than a Print Reader?”:*

Please read the recent *Education and Career News *article titled, “Is It
Better to Be a Braille Reader Than a Print Reader?
<https://www.educationandcareernews.com/literacy-in-america/is-it-better-to-be-a-braille-reader-than-a-print-reader/>”
by Mark Riccobono, with input from Natalie Shaheen, EdD. This article was
featured in *USA Today* on December 29 and discusses what is needed to
improve literacy for blind students.

*Read the LatestBraille Monitor:*

The*Braille Monitor *is the flagship publication of the National Federation
of the Blind. It covers Federation events and activities, addresses the
issues we face as blind people, and more. Access the January *Braille
Monitor *now:
https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm21/bm2101/bm2101tc.htm

*Louis Braille Commemorative Silver Dollar on Sale in Honor of 2021 World
Braille Day:*

During the week of January 4-8 only, the National Federation of the Blind
Independence Market will be offering special pricing for the Louis Braille
Bicentennial Silver Dollar. This commemorative coin was issued by the
United States Mint in 2009 to honor the two hundredth anniversary of Louis
Braille's birth. The United States Mint issues only two commemorative
silver dollars each year, so it is truly special that our incredible
advocacy led to the recognition of Louis Braille’s contribution to the
literacy of blind people in this way. During this week, the price of this
collector’s coin will be $50.00 plus shipping and handling. To make a
purchase or for further questions, please contact the NFB Independence
Market by phone at 410-659-9314, extension 2216, or by email at
independencemarket at nfb.org.

*Independence Market Product of the Month:*

Independence Market is starting a new trend for 2021 with the “Product of
the Month.” The January 2021 Product of the Month is thermometers, both
oral and infrared (non-contact). You can purchase an oral thermometer from
the Independence Market for $18.00 and an infrared thermometer for $50.00.

*Upcoming Accessibility Boutiques (all via Zoom):*

Advocating for Accessibility—January 26, 2:00-3:30 p.m. eastern
Whether in school, the workplace, or everyday life, we often encounter
products or services that are not accessible. While lawsuits get most of
the attention, many products and services are made accessible through the
efforts of their users. Please join the National Federation of the Blind
Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility to learn how you can reach
companies and work with them to improve the accessibility of their
products. Check our website for updates, including the link to register.

Future Boutiques:
Accessibility of Virtual Meeting Platforms—February 23, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
eastern

How to Best Utilize Your Smartphone Accessibly—March 30, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
eastern

Accessibility of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) Products—April 27,
2:00-3:30 p.m. eastern

*National Dates to Keep in Mind:*

(all times eastern)

   - January 18: Braille Readers Are Leaders
   <https://actionfund.org/programs/braille-readers-are-leaders>
   registration (and page count) deadline
   - January 26: Advocating for Accessibility, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
   - February 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m.
   - February 8: Washington Seminar
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar>
   Great Gathering-In
   - February 23: Accessibility of Virtual Meeting Platforms, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
   - March 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m.
   - March 24-26: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium
   - March 31: Scholarship application
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program/scholarship-program-application-checklist>
   deadline
   - April 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m.
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