<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif"><b style="">President’s Notebook</b><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
Mark A. Riccobono</b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org" target="_blank">officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a></b><b><u><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"><br>
</span></u></b><b>410-659-9314<span></span></b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b><br></b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif"> Dear Federation
Family,<br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"> As
back-to-school time hits more of the country, the level of activity around the
Federation is also picking up. This week I am traveling to visit Comcast in
their accessibility lab, hosting APH and Human Ware to discuss our joint
project with the Dynamic Tactile Device (DTD) and traveling to South Carolina
for the first fall convention. In the midst of all that, we have a lot of other
projects going on. I know you all feel the same way, especially based on the
number of fall convention representatives I have been assigning over the past
couple of weeks.<span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Keep up the
great work and best wishes for those dealing with the back-to-school
activities.<span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">News:<br>
Next Week—the September Presidential Release:<span></span></font></h1>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">The next <a href="https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases" target="_blank">Presidential Release</a> of the National Federation of the Blind is scheduled for
September 1, 2022, at 8:00 p.m., eastern time. <span style="color:rgb(32,31,30)">The Zoom Meeting ID is 968 9179 1419 or use
the following link: </span><a href="https://zoom.us/j/96891791419" target="_blank">https://zoom.us/j/96891791419</a><span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">NFB.org Website Maintenance this Weekend:<span></span></font></h1>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Reminder that <a href="http://nfb.org/" target="_blank">nfb.org</a> and subdomains of <a href="http://nfb.org/" target="_blank">nfb.org</a> will be undergoing a scheduled
maintenance and upgrade to Drupal 9 again this Saturday, August 27. If there is
content you need for a weekend chapter meeting, it may be helpful to download
prior to Saturday. Thank you for your understanding.<span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Voice of the Nation’s Blind Blog Post:<span></span></font></h1>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Read the recent blog
post, “<a href="https://nfb.org/blog/contributor-editor-monitoring-movement" target="_blank">From Contributor to Editor: Monitoring a Movement,” by Gary
Wunder</a>.<span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Blind Prisoner Resources:<span></span></font></h1>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Earlier this month the
National Federation of the Blind of Colorado and two blind prisoners resolved
their suit against the Colorado Department of Corrections. The requirements
included in the settlement can be considered best practices: </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/rulings-filings-and-letters#blindprisoners" target="_blank">https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/rulings-filings-and-letters#blindprisoners</a>.<span></span></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Additionally, the NFB
reviewed and endorsed the white paper, <i>Project: Effective Communication
with Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, and Low Vision Incarcerated People</i>,
available at <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/support-and-resources" target="_blank">https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/support-and-resources</a>.<span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Regarding
Autonomous Vehicles:<span></span></font></h1>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">On Friday, August 19,
we submitted <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/comments-nhtsa-regarding-ford-and-gm-requests" target="_blank">comments to the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) regarding the development and testing of fully autonomous vehicles</a>. These comments were in response to petitions
from Ford and General Motors to be exempt from certain Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards as they pertain to autonomous vehicles. The exemption requests
included features in the area of brake pedals, rearview mirrors and backup
cameras, and positioning of windshield wipers and sun visors. Given the great
benefit that fully autonomous vehicles will likely have for blind Americans, we
reviewed this matter and believe that the exemptions sought by Ford and GM
should be granted in order to further the development of fully autonomous
vehicles. You can read our full comments on this, and many other regulatory
issues, on the <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements" target="_blank">policy statements page</a> of our website.<span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Attention Job Seekers and Employers:<span></span></font></h1>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">The NFB Employment
Committee is hosting a fall virtual career fair on October 26, 2022, between
2:00 and 4:00 p.m., eastern. Mark your calendars; d<span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">etails soon to follow.</span><span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><br></span></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Also,
don’t forget to join us on Friday, September 9, at 8:00 p.m., eastern, for the
next in our Where the Blind Work webinar series, highlighting blind workers in
blue-collar jobs in our upcoming segment.</span><span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><br></span></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Join Zoom Meeting<br>
<a href="https://zoom.us/j/98058249388" target="_blank">https://zoom.us/j/98058249388</a><span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font size="4" face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Meeting ID: 980 5824
9388</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br>
One tap mobile<br>
+13017158592,,98058249388# US (Washington DC)<br>
+13092053325,,98058249388# US<span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">For
more information, please contact Maurice Peret, coordinator of career mentoring
and employment programs at </span><a href="mailto:mperet@nfb.org" target="_blank"><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">mperet@nfb.org</span></a><span style="color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> or at 410-659-9314,
extension 2350.</span><span></span></font></p>

<h1><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Dates to Keep in Mind: (all times eastern)<span></span></font></h1>

<p style="line-height:normal"></p><ul><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">August 31: Deadline
for affiliates to request Action Fund Braille calendars</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">September 1:
Presidential Release</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">January 30, 2023: Great
Gathering-In</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">March 23, 2023:
Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">July 1-6, 2023:
National Convention; Houston, Texas</font></li></ul><p></p>











<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"> </font></p></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888"></font></div></div></div></div></div></div>