<div dir="auto"><div><h1 style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><a name="m_-193279505053098249_m_7075876696140024079_m_-5497872860823260913_OLE_LINK9" style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">President’s Notebook<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></a></h1><h1 style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">National Federation of the Blind<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></h1><h1 style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Mark A. Riccobono<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></h1><h1 style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org" style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(66,133,244)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">officeofthepresident@nfb.org</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></h1><h1 style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">410-659-9314<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></h1><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Dear Federation Family,<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem">Let me be the first to send you the warmest summer greetings, especially considering how hot it is already in many parts of the nation. Fortunately, we are only two weeks away from the highly air-conditioned convention of the National Federation of the Blind. I look forward to speaking with our new delegates later this week and joining the rest of you in Orlando very soon.</span></p><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem">In the midst of the convention prep, I am asking each of you to take twenty-five minutes to share our Give $25 Drive as widely as possible. The fact that donors can win a Monarch device—worth $20K—means we should be able to get a whole new network of people to support our efforts. Remember that you can get people to give and to honor you with their contribution, which means you could win the device. Part of this encouragement should be to get our members to promote the fundraising for the same reason. We all win when we raise money for the efforts of the Federation to promote equality, opportunity, and security for the blind!</span></p><h3 style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;line-height:18.4px;font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><b style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="line-height:25.299999px;font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Convention Ally Network Session, June 20:<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></b></h3><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-left:0.25in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white;color:black">The Convention Ally Network exists to help to facilitate participation in the convention and to ensure support for someone who is fearful of harassment or discrimination because of laws within the state of Florida. If you are attending the convention and are interested in learning about the Convention Ally Network, please join the training session on June 20, at 3:00 p.m., eastern. This session is focused on current laws impacting LGBTQ folks and how to be any ally. </span><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/98335324500?pwd=sSPYoXKbF2SKKyjaPoWTQrN62NJm43.1" style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";color:rgb(66,133,244)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white">Zoom ID: 983 3532 4500 Passcode: 881656</span></a><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white;color:black">.</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt"> </span></p><h2 style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1.166667rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">News:<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></h2><h3 style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;line-height:18.4px;font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><b style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="line-height:25.299999px;font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Independence Market Hours:<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></b></h3><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-left:0.25in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">The Independence Market will be closed starting Monday, July 1, through Friday, July 12. The last day to order items before the convention will be Friday, July 28.</span></p><h3 style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;line-height:18.4px;font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><b style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="line-height:25.299999px;font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Catch Up on Content and Share on Social Media:<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></b></h3><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-left:0.25in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white;color:black">Highlights, news, and stories are available in the most recent <i style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Braille Monitor</i>, <i style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Future Reflections</i>, <i style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Nation’s Blind Podcast</i>, and <i style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Voice of the Nation’s Blind Blog</i>. The following are National Federation of the Blind publications for you to access and share with Federationists. These articles and episodes are great to share on affiliate and division social media to create discussions on various topics. <u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0in;font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-top:0in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><li style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm24/bm2406/bm2406tc.htm" style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(66,133,244)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white">June <i style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Braille Monitor</i></span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></li><li style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr43/2/fr4302tc.htm" style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(66,133,244)" target="_blank"><i style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white">Future Reflections, Special Issue on Cooking</span></i></a><i style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></i></li><li style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/nations-blind-podcast" style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(66,133,244)" target="_blank"><i style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white">Nation’s Blind Podcast, “</span></i><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white">Fighting for Our Rights in the Courts and Beyond</span></a><span style="text-decoration:underline;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(70,120,134)"><i style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white">”</span></i></span><i style="font-size:16px;font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue""><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white;color:black"> </span></i></li></ul><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><i style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue""><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;border:1pt;padding:0in;background:repeat white;color:black"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u> </span></i><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.166667rem">Reminders:</span></p><h3 style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;line-height:18.4px;font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><b style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="line-height:25.299999px;font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Give $25:<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></b></h3><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-left:0.25in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Remember, there are new elements to this year’s Give $25 fundraising. When you give $25 or more before July 6, you're entered into the Dream Big: Give $25 Drive Drawing. Each $25 increment is a chance to win! Why "Dream Big"? Because blindness doesn't hold you back. You could win prizes like roundtrip transportation for two to the 2025 NFB National Convention, hotel accommodations, registration, banquet tickets, or $2,000 cash! Thanks to our partners at APH and HumanWare, you could also win a Monarch—a dynamic tactile device! New this year, friends and family can make donations in your honor, and you'll get extra entries. The drive supports funds like the Kenneth Jernigan Fund and the White Cane Fund, and you can choose one when you donate. To enter, visit <a href="http://nfb.org/Give25Donate" style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(66,133,244)" target="_blank">nfb.org/Give25Donate</a>; call 410-659-9314, extension 2430; or send a check to National Federation of the Blind and mention #Give25 and the fund in the memo. The winner will be announced July 8, 2024.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.25in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></p><span style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"></span><span style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"></span><span style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"></span><span style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;float:none;display:inline!important;color:rgb(49,49,49)"></span><h2 style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1.166667rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Dates to Keep in Mind:<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></h2><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">(all times eastern)<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0in;font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-top:0in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><li style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">July 3-8: National Convention; Orlando, Florida<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></li><li style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">February 3, 2025: Great Gathering-In<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></li><li style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">February 3-6, 2025: Washington Seminar<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></li></ul><p style="font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u> </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem">Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement</span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0in;font-family:-apple-system,"helvetica neue";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:1px;text-decoration:none;margin-top:0in;color:rgb(49,49,49)"><li style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;background:repeat white;color:black"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Wednesday, August 7, 8:00 p.m.<u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"></u></span></li><li style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri,sans-serif;background:repeat white;color:black"><span style="font-size:1rem;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Wednesday, November 6, 8:00 p.m.</span></li></ul></div>
</div>