[NFBNJ] Week of June 21, 2021 President Riccobono's Notebook, National Items of Interest and Dates to Keep in Mind

[Linda Melendez]

Greetings all,



To help stay connected with our National Office and with 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.



Warmly,
Linda Melendez, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
732-421-7063
Email: president at nfbnj.org
President’s Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
410-659-9314
officeofthepresident at nfb.org

Dear Federation Family,


Eckhart Tolle says, "Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever
have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life." Meanwhile, Will Rogers
is credited as saying, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” This
is my way of sharing that it is convention time, and that needs to be our
focus for the next three weeks. Yes, it would be great if you could help
the movement get those last few members of Congress on A.T.A.A. Of course,
we need you to get a few more families connected with our 2021 NFB BELL
Academy. No doubt that we want our legislative agenda in the local
affiliate to move forward. However if you, as our main affiliate or
national division leader, can only do one thing in the next three weeks it
should be convention, convention, convention.


Having said that, I will save my writing for the Presidential Report. As a
reminder, I urge you and your delegation to support the SAFE Fund
resolution offered by the NFB Board of Directors.



*Critical Actions:*


*The 2021 National Convention Agenda Is Available Now:*

The agenda of the 2021 National Federation of the Blind National Convention
is available in several formats, including HTML, ePub, Word, BRF, and on
NFB-NEWSLINE. Please review and share with members who may not have
received the email. The formats can be found at https://nfb.org/convention.
Here is quick access to the HTML version:
https://nfb.org/2021-national-convention-agenda. Please note: the 2021
National Convention Agenda in Spanish is coming soon!



*News:*


*Accessing the National Convention Agenda on NFB-NEWSLINE:*

The following are the instructions for accessing the national convention
agenda on NFB-NEWSLINE:



   - Using the telephone-access method, press 5 on the Main Menu for
   Newspapers in Different State and then choose 5 again for National
   Meetings of Interest to the Print-Disabled. From there, you can press 2 for
   the NFB 2021 Convention Agenda. If you want to email any of the articles to
   your inbox, simply press Pound 9.
   - To read the agenda on WEB NEWS ON DEMAND, select PUBLICATIONS
   ORGANIZED BY STATE, and then select the category NATIONAL MEETINGS OF
   INTEREST TO THE PRINT-DISABLED and select the NFB 2021 Convention Agenda.
   - To read the agenda using NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile for iOS, open the app and
   navigate to the INFORMATION SOURCES page. From there, select ALL
   PUBLICATIONS, and search NFB 2021 Convention Agenda.


*Box Office Open to Purchase Tickets for One Voice #NFB21 Concert:*

The National Federation of the Blind and our Performing Arts Division are
hosting a fundraiser concert on July 6, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. during the 2021
National Convention. Tickets are $20 for a household and can be purchased
online or by calling the Independence Market at 410-659-9314, extension
2216. *Purchase your tickets now
<https://nfb.org/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=460>*! Get a sneak peek
at the performances <https://youtu.be/YzwjTGgMlag>.



*#NFB21 Career Fair and Career Track Events—Pre-Registration Required:*

If you are looking for a job, please consider attending the National
Federation of the Blind Career Fair and Career Track Events, hosted by the
Employment Committee. There are several opportunities to learn how to
prepare for an interview and a chance to meet with employers. Registration
will close at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, June 26. Sorry, no last-minute walk-ins!
Learn more about the career fair and events
<https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/2021-nfb-career-fair-and-career-track-events>
.



*2021 Braille Independence Market Catalogs Now Available!*

The Braille and print catalogs for the Independence Market are available
today. You can request one by either calling the Independence Market or
sending an email to Independencemarket at nfb.org.



*June Open-House Gathering Call for Non-Members:*

The National Federation of the Blind invites blind people to learn more
about being a member and the benefits of membership on June 30, 2021, at
8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Take advantage of this opportunity to hear from active
members and leaders on the myths and uncertainties of the Federation.
Register for the June Open-House Gathering Call.
<https://nfb.org/form/open-house-gathering-call-regist>



*Upcoming Event: Gaming for Everyone Boutique:  *

On Tuesday, June 29, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. eastern, the National
Federation of the Blind, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of
Disabilities, is hosting a boutique discussing the many games accessible to
the blind. Whether for PC, mobile phones, or gaming consoles, there are
many games that the blind can play. Register today at
https://nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/trainings/accessibility-boutiques/accessibility-boutique-registration
.



*Access Technology Affordability Act:*

Our advocacy continues to pay off! Last week we gained nine new cosponsors
in the House. They were:

Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (New Jersey)

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (New Jersey)

Rep. C. Scott Franklin, (Florida)

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, (North Carolina)

Rep. Bill Huizenga, (Michigan)

Rep. Anthony G. Brown, (Maryland)

Rep. Bill Johnson, (Ohio)

Rep. Fred Keller, (Pennsylvania)

Rep. Andre Carson, (Indiana)



This puts our total House cosponsor count at ninety-five, meaning we are
within reach of our goal of having one quarter of the 117th Congress
members on the bill in the first six months of the legislative session.
Your calls and emails ARE making a big difference! Please keep calling and
emailing your senators and representative.



*Education Technology Survey:*

The NFB continues to gather information about accessible and inaccessible
education technology. We are specifically seeking feedback regarding
Seesaw, Zearn, Epic Books, and Prodigy software. If you or your student has
had recent experience with these technologies or any education technology,
please take time to complete the NFB’s Education Technology Survey: Education
Technology Survey
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/education-technology-survey>
.



*Dates to Keep in Mind:*

(all times eastern)

·     June 29: Rookie Roundup, 8:30 p.m.

·     July 5-30: NFB EQ Online

·     July 6-10: NFB National Convention, anywhere and everywhere

·     July 19-30: BELL Session 2

·     August 2: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.

·     August 9-20: BELL Session 3

·     September 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.

·     October 1: Presidential Release, 12:00 p.m.

·     November 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.

·     December 2: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.
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