[NFBNJ] NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 08/28/2022

[NFB New Jersey]

President’s Notebook

National Federation of the Blind

Mark A. Riccobono

officeofthepresident at nfb.org

410-659-9314



Dear Federation Family,

In Baltimore today it is the first day of school. It is a day that brings a
lot of new energy and nervous excitement. For me it is also a day of
reflection about the thousands of little interactions that built to this
moment. No matter what the past has been, with a new school year there is
opportunity for growth and development.


I am also reflecting on this new school year as we head into the next
Federation leadership seminar starting Wednesday evening. Fifty years ago,
Kenneth Jernigan was preparing for the first of this generation of
seminars. That pathway of leaders has made all the difference in building
our movement. Those leaders have also continued to grow and develop the
movement in ways that Kenneth Jernigan likely did not imagine in August
1973.

I reflect on all of this as today is also the sixtieth anniversary of the
March on Washington, which is more widely known for Dr. King’s “I Have a
Dream” speech. This all reminds me that progress, even within big sweeping
movements like ours, is not built in big moments but in small ones. Our
steady march forward relies on the thousands of contributions made by
individuals in local communities. It relies on us not always getting it
right but in always pointing toward our ultimate goals and adjusting our
work to get better each day. Each of you, as a leader in the movement, is
critical to pulling together those thousands of small actions and
connecting them into a network that makes all the difference to the blind
all around the world.


These are my reflections on the first day of school and on the next fifty
years of NFB leadership development, which begins this week.



Critical Actions:

September Presidential Release—On the Road: The National Federation of the
Blind Presidential Release #530
<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases> will
be broadcast from Chicago, Illinois, on September 7, 2023, at 8:00 p.m.,
eastern. Closed captions and Spanish interpretations will be
available. Presidential
Release Zoom ID: 929 8267 9807 <https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/92982679807>.



News:

2024 Washington Seminar:

While I won’t say that it’s right around the corner, the 2024 Washington
Seminar is quickly approaching. Consider this notification as a kind of
“save the date.” Next year’s Washington Seminar will be held at the Holiday
Inn Washington – National Capitol from Monday, January 29 through Thursday,
February 1, 2024. As is tradition, the Great Gathering-In will be on that
Monday (January 29, 2024) at 5:00 p.m. That’s only five months away, so be
sure to stay tuned for updates in the near future regarding hotel
reservation and additional scheduling details.



Service Animals on Airlines:

Amanda Morris, a journalist for The Washington Post, recently published an
article detailing the problems that blind Americans are encountering when
trying to fly on commercial airlines with their service animals. The
article can be read in the August 28 edition of The Washington Post
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/08/28/airline-regulations-service-animals/>.
In the article, Morris recounts the experience of Federation member
Elizabeth Schoen, who was recently denied boarding a JetBlue flight because
of her service dog.



Route 66 Ride for Literacy Update:

The National Federation of the Blind Route 66 Ride for Literacy with Dan
O’Rourke is still going strong. Dan crossed from Oklahoma to Kansas to
Missouri over the weekend. He has celebrated the ride so far with
Federationists along the way. There is one more pitstop party in Missouri
on August 31 before the final celebration in Chicago on September 8. Please
share this ride with your friends and family to raise awareness on the
importance of Braille literacy and connecting with our community. Follow
the Ride for Literacy at nfb.org/route66.



Lift Up with Lyft Round Up:

The National Federation of the Blind has joined Lyft’s Round Up program.
Please go to the menu in your Lyft app, choose “Donate,” and select the
National Federation of the Blind to have each fare rounded up to the
nearest dollar with 100 percent of your contribution going to raise
expectations and make dreams come true.



LEGO Braille Bricks:

Lego Braille Bricks, which have previously only been available to
educational partners serving the blind through the LEGO Foundation, are now
available for sale in the United States. Pre-orders are now being accepted
for the new LEGO® Braille Bricks – Play with Braille
<https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2023/august/lego-braille-bricks-play-with-braille->
 set, which contains over 250 of the Braille Bricks in five colors. Braille
is a key pathway to literacy, and engaging blind and low-vision children
with fun and creative Braille tools puts them on the path to success. LEGO
Braille Bricks are a cool way for blind and non-blind friends and family to
learn about and create with Braille together. LEGO is already an integral
part of the lives of many young people, including my own family. By making
Braille part of the LEGO experience, the company is creating exciting
opportunities for education, inclusion, and innovation. We are thrilled to
be a partner in the introduction of LEGO Braille Bricks to the American
market.



Submit Blind Equality Achievement Month Activities:

Throughout October, members of the National Federation of the Blind conduct
activities in our local communities such as white cane walks, film
screenings, and social events. Please submit your affiliate or
chapter-related #BlindMonth activities, including the white cane
proclamations
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/blind-equality-achievement-month/white-cane-awareness-day>,
with a brief description to web at nfb.org. They will be posted on the Blind
Equality Achievement Month page at nfb.org/blind-month.



Dates to Keep in Mind: (all times eastern)

September 14 and 17: Chapter Presidents Call, 8:00 p.m. (Blind Equality
Achievement Month)

October: Blind Equality Achievement Month

November 8: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.

July 3-8, 2024: National Convention; Orlando, Florida
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