<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="" size="4"><b style=""><span style="line-height:107%">President’s
Notebook</span></b><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b><span style="line-height:107%">
National Federation of the Blind<br>
Mark A. Riccobono<br>
</span></b><span style="line-height:107%"><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a></span><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="line-height:107%"><br>
</span></b></span><b><span style="line-height:107%">410-659-9314<span></span></span></b></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Dear Federation Family,<span></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">This year’s White Cane Awareness Day prompts me to think
deeply about how well we are getting outside of our typical circles and truly
helping the public know who we are. One example is that I notice a lot of local
fundraising efforts for the Federation where effort is put into pitching the
fundraiser to other Federation members across the country. It often appears as
though the effort to get the word out beyond the organized blind movement is
much more limited. Why is that? I believe it is because we could do more to
stretch ourselves and also be strategic about our communications. If you want
someone to support the work of the National Federation of the Blind, you have
to be able to articulate why it makes a difference to those who do not know us.
If you ask me to support the Federation, I already know the difference it
makes. If you ask your neighbor, it might take more effort and have a bigger
return.<span></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">As we close the second half of our Blind Equality
Achievement Month for 2023, I encourage all of our leaders to reflect on our
work to determine if we can do it even better in 2024. However, you have one
more thing you can do this week. The Federation has a triple-matching opportunity
available to us for just this week. Can you think of three people that you can
go to, who do not know the Federation already, and invite them to join the
movement by providing us with a financial contribution? You already get to sell
them on having their money tripled—can you articulate the value of the movement
in a way that moves them to action? I believe you can, and I am asking each of
us to ask three new people this week.<span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Thank you for your work to raise expectations every day!<span></span></font></p>
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<h1 style=""><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Critical Actions:<span></span></font></span></h1>
<h1 style=""><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Triple Your Impact with Matching Gift
Opportunities:<span></span></font></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">During our October <a href="https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases"><b>Presidential
Release</b></a><u><span style="color:blue">,</span></u> President Riccobono announced that HumanWare has generously
offered a matching grant. HumanWare will match gifts to the National Federation
of the Blind up to $50,000 during the months of October, November, and
December. In addition to that challenge grant, an anonymous donor has offered a
$25,000 matching grant for gifts to the National Federation of the Blind during
the week beginning October 15 in honor of White Cane Awareness Day. Donors can
triple their impact by giving from October 15 through October 22. Participate
by visiting our <a href="https://nfb.org/donate"><b>donate page</b></a> and share with your friends and family. Learn more about
the <a href="https://nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/matching-gift-opportunity"><b>HumanWare
challenge grant and watch our launch video</b></a>.<span></span></font></p>
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<h1 style=""><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">News:<span></span></font></span></h1>
<h1 style=""><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">October Presidential Release Chapter Version Available:<span></span></font></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font size="4"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:black">The National Federation of the Blind </span><a href="https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases"><b>Presidential
Release #531 chapter version</b></a><span style="color:black"> is available. Please mark your calendars for the next
Presidential Release scheduled for November 1, 2023, at 8:00 p.m., eastern.
Zoom details coming soon.</span></font><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> </span></font></p>
<h1 style=""><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">On #BlindMonth Branding and Social Media
Posting:<span></span></font></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">We love the energy and enthusiasm of this #BlindMonth and
how you have translated that to social media. It’s wonderful reading about how
your chapters, divisions, and affiliates are celebrating the power of blind
people. As a reminder for promoting this month’s activities, the short form of
Blind Equality Achievement Month is Blind Month. Acronyms can represent any
number of things, and we want to be clear to blind and non-blind people alike
that we are celebrating blind people and the power and progress of our
organization.<span></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Additional reminder for social media: please include alt
text (image descriptions) for the pictures that are posted and consider adding
contextual information to explain why the picture is being posted. For example,
add context by identifying the event where the picture was taken. We are
excited to share your #BlindMonth posts.</font><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"> </span></p>
<h1 style=""><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Websites and Software Applications
Accessibility Act:<span></span></font></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">On Thursday, September 28, the Websites and Software
Applications Accessibility Act was introduced in both the Senate and the House.
In the Senate, the bill is sponsored by Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois,
with Senators Warren and Markey of Massachusetts as original cosponsors, and
the Senate bill number is S. 2984. In the House, the bill is sponsored by
Representative John Sarbanes of Maryland, with Representative Pete Sessions of
Texas as original cosponsor, and the bill number is H.R. 5813. Please call or
email your senators and representatives and ask them to cosponsor the Websites
and Software Applications Accessibility Act.</font><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"> </span></p>
<h1 style=""><font size="4"><span style="line-height:107%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Dates
to Keep in Mind: </font></span>(all times eastern)</font></h1>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height:12pt"></p><ul><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">October: Blind Equality
Achievement Month</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">October 18: <i>Where the Blind
Work</i> Webinar, 8:00 p.m.</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">October 26: National Federation
of the Blind Virtual Career Fair, 1:00 p.m.</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">November 8: Introduction to the
Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.</font></li><li><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size="4">July 3-8, 2024: National
Convention; Orlando, Florida</font></span></li></ul><p></p>
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