[NFBNJ] NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 10/22/2024

Tue Oct 22 19:32:16 UTC 2024

President’s NotebookNational Federation of the BlindMark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org410-659-9314

Dear Federation Family,

I returned to Baltimore very early yesterday morning from a solid seven
days on the road. What a great week for the Federation. Congratulations to
the National Federation of the Blind on organizing and executing a truly
powerful and highly effective #RideshareRally in San Francisco on October
15. Of course, a lot of work went into the lead up to that event and much
follow-up is needed. We will persist in demanding these companies do what
they need to do.

I have heard some in our community express disappointment because the
denials did not suddenly stop when we closed our rally at Lyft on Tuesday
afternoon. Trust me, I understand; I was with Raul Gallegos and a number of
others that very evening when a Lyft driver refused to transport us. If
making progress was easy, everyone would be doing it. The reality is that
our determination to come together and stick with an issue is what has made
all the difference since 1940. I am calling on each of you to be part of
the “choir of progress” to let people know that we have successfully gotten
attention on this important issue, and we are determined to stick with it
to the end. We need to keep the pressure on, and I encourage our Federation
affiliates to continue to spread the word about the importance of our work
together. I encourage you not to get drawn into the negative debate. We
should continue to bring people together with the faith that as blind
people we will win on this issue.

Meanwhile, if you learn of other opportunities to help convey the message
to Uber and Lyft in interesting ways, please share that information with
John Paré and me so we can assess the merit of those opportunities.

I wanted to give you another reminder about our exploration with Mark AI.
Our goal is to determine what interesting things we can do with AI around
the organized blind movement. When you have questions about the movement or
need a reminder about something, ask Mark AI by sending a text to
833-564-2271. The more you engage with the system, the better we can train
it to reflect the wisdom of the blind movement. I encourage you to find
interesting ways to get your chapters to engage with Mark AI as well.

On a slightly different note, thank you to the small number of you who
wrote with feedback about the new format for the Presidential Release for
chapters. Your ideas, feedback, and suggestions are welcome.

Critical Actions:

*Go Vote:*

The National Federation of the Blind advocates for blind Americans' right
to vote privately and independently. In anticipation of Election Day,
review voting resources by state, election information, and
ballot-marking-device demonstrations. You can find the voting resources at
nfb.org/vote <https://nfb.org/resources/voting-resources>. Share the
importance of voting and the voting resources on affiliate social media,
during chapter meetings, and at state conventions.

*Bay Bridge Run:*

The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children invites you to join
us for the Bay Bridge Run on November 10. It’s not too late to register and
join Team NFB Dreamers for this 10k walk/run as we bridge the gap between
blind people and our dreams. Please visit https://nfb.org/BayBridge to
learn more and to register. Register by October 25 to receive a Team NFB
Dreamers hat before the event. You can also find our Participant Toolkit
<https://nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/bay-bridge-run/bay-bridge-run-participant-toolkit>
for
use in your fundraising efforts. If you have any questions or need
assistance registering, please contact Rachel at rheld at nfb.org or
410-659-9314, extension 2423.

News:

*Presidential Release Live Recording Available:*

In case you missed it, the October Presidential Release Live recording is
available on the Nation’s Blind YouTube
<https://www.youtube.com/live/xphq_PFDdEE?si=MK_NWYBpe3na2BAN&t=310> channel.
Our next Presidential Release Live will be on Monday, November 11, at 7:30
p.m., eastern. Please note that the time is different than our typical
time. The chapter-recorded presidential release will be available
separately each month by the first.

*Donated Services Reminder:*

Just a reminder to turn in your donated services forms and to please remind
those in your affiliate to do the same. We are tracking fewer hours this
year than we had last year, and this impacts our annual financials, which
influence donors. Please take a few minutes to follow up. Questions can be
directed to Belinda Hooks at extension 2508. Submit your NFB donated
services form here <https://nfb.org/get-involved/donated-services-form>.

*NFB Rideshare Rally in San Francisco:*

The turnout and member participation for our Rideshare Rally in front of
Uber and Lyft last Tuesday was fantastic. The Federation showed up strong,
with nearly two hundred members from all across the country, to voice our
displeasure with the nation’s two largest rideshare companies regarding
their treatment of blind riders, especially those with guide dogs. Aira was
generous enough to audio describe both portions of the rally, and the video
can be found on their YouTube channel under the “Live” tab at
https://www.youtube.com/@Airaio/streams. The rally is covered in the first
two videos on the page. Please continue engaging with the hashtag
#RightToRide on all social media platforms. Share your story, comment,
like, and repost.

*Letter to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled:*

On Tuesday, October 15, the National Federation of the Blind sent a letter
to the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-national-library-service-blind-and-print>.
Specifically, the letter was in regard to a policy that went into effect on
October 1 of this year that would require parental acknowledgement for all
new and existing patrons under the age of eighteen. We believe that this
policy will have a detrimental effect on our members who are library
patrons. To read the full letter, please visit the policy statements page
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements> of our
website.

*Members of Congress in Their Districts:*

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have left Washington until
after the election season. They will not return until Tuesday, November 12.
In the meantime, your elected representatives will be working in their
districts. This is a perfect opportunity for you to visit with your
senators or representatives in their district offices. Sometimes members of
Congress can be more likely to meet with constituents in their district
offices than in their Capitol Hill office. Remember, just because they’re
not in DC, doesn’t mean you can’t urge them to support our initiatives.

*Save the Date: Complete Blind Voter Survey in November:*

Since 2008, the National Federation of the Blind has conducted surveys of
blind and low-vision voters with funding from a Help America Vote Act
(HAVA) Training/Technical Assistance Grant from the US Department of Health
and Human Services. We need your experience to learn about aspects of
voting that have improved and the barriers that continue to need to be
removed. Mark your calendars to complete the Blind Voter Survey in
November. It will be published on nfb.org/vote
<https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=35990&qid=10408076> and sent via all
our communication channels. You can read about the previous Blind Voter
Survey results <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=35991&qid=10408076>.

 Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

   - November 10: Bay Bridge Run
   - February 3, 2025: Great Gathering-In
   - February 3-6, 2025: Washington Seminar
   - July 8-13, 2025: National Convention; New Orleans, Louisiana

Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement

   - Wednesday, November 6, 8:00 p.m.

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know 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. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
410-659-9314 | Officeofthepresident at nfb.org

Please engage with me through Riccobono Personal AI
<https://riccobono.personal.ai/messaging/profile>
Mastodon: @President at nfb.social
Pronouns: he, him, his

[image: National Federation of the Blind] <https://nfb.org/>
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