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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>From the desk of NFBNJ President Joe Ruffalo.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Received from Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations, NFB.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Greetings to all,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Please read the following <b><u>TWO</u></b> important press releases.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>1. NFB: Party Platforms Call for End to Subminimum Wage: National Federation of the Blind Urges Passage of TIME Act<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>2. NFB: LinkNYC Discriminates Against Blind New Yorkers and Visitors<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The press releases follow.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>1. NFB: Party Platforms Call for End to Subminimum Wage: National Federation of the Blind Urges Passage of TIME Act<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span><span style='font-size:20.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><p><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>CONTACT:</span></strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Chris Danielsen</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Director of Public Relations</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Party Platforms Call for End to Subminimum Wage</span></strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><em><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind Urges Passage of TIME Act</span></b></em><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Baltimore, Maryland (July 26, 2016)</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>: The National Federation of the Blind today applauded language in the platforms of both major political parties that calls for the end of the payment of subminimum wages to workers with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The National Federation of the Blind has advocated for the elimination of the subminimum wage since our founding, and the recognition of this issue by leaders of both political parties further confirms that the time has long passed to eliminate the unfair and separate wage system for people with disabilities. We applaud the statements of both Democratic and Republican delegates, and urge members of Congress to follow those statements with the actions required to pass the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act as soon as possible when Congress resumes its session."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>The Democratic Party platform states in pertinent part: "We … support … ending the sub-minimum wage for … people with disabilities." The Republican Party platform states in pertinent part: "Our TIME Act (Transition[ing] to Integrated and Meaningful Employment) will modernize the Fair Labor Standards Act to encourage competitive employment for persons with disabilities. … We endorse efforts like Employment First that replace dependency with jobs in the mainstream of the American workforce."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>###</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>About the National Federation of the Blind</span></strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, please visit: <u><a href="http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=5587&qid=1336868">www.nfb.org</a>. </u><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=street-address><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>200 East Wells Street</span></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br><span class=extended-address>at Jernigan Place</span><br><span class=locality>Baltimore</span><span class=adr>, </span><span class=region>MD</span><span class=adr> </span><span class=postal-code>21230</span><br><span class=country-name>United States</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>(410) 659-9314</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>2. NFB: LinkNYC Discriminates Against Blind New Yorkers and Visitors<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span><span style='font-size:20.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><p><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>CONTACT:</span></strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Chris Danielsen</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Director of Public Relations</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;font-weight:normal'>LinkNYC Discriminates Against Blind New Yorkers and Visitors</span></strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></h2><p align=center style='text-align:center'><em><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind Sues City over New Service</span></b></em><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>New York City (July 28, 2016)</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>: The National Federation of the Blind has filed suit today against the city of New York because its new LinkNYC program, which provides various free services to citizens via public "links" that are being deployed with the goal of replacing public payphones, is not accessible to the blind. The links that are part of the program, already installed along Third and Eighth Avenues in Manhattan, are supposed to provide free internet surfing, local and long distance phone calls, and access to emergency services with a dedicated 911 button. Although the links are equipped with audio jacks, there is no audio guidance for blind users to access these services, even though the technology for such guidance is readily available and already in use at ATM's, public transit ticketing machines, and similar services throughout the nation. Mindy Jacobsen, first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of New York, who has unsuccessfully attempted to use the links, is also a named plaintiff in the lawsuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "By treating accessibility as an afterthought, New York City is discriminating against its blind citizens and relegating them to second-class status. The blind cannot even use this new technology in an emergency. This is shameful conduct on the part of the most populous and high-profile city in the United States, and the National Federation of the Blind will not tolerate this artificial limit on our participation."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>###</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>About the National Federation of the Blind</span></strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=street-address><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>200 East Wells Street</span></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><br><span class=extended-address>at Jernigan Place</span><br><span class=locality>Baltimore</span><span class=adr>, </span><span class=region>MD</span><span class=adr> </span><span class=postal-code>21230</span><br><span class=country-name>United States</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>(410) 659-9314<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Forwarded by:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Freestyle Script"'>Brian A. Mackey<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Brian A. Mackey<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Owner, Mackey Enterprises, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Treasurer, National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>609-953-6988<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:Bmackey88@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Bmackey88@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.mackeyenterprisesllc.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>“Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make those dreams come true”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <i>-Vince Papale<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>