<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br clear="all"></font></div><div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a name="m_-4085773325230036592_m_7764265300190587147_m_-3300519198464045692_m_7809989165816337455_OLE_LINK9"><b><span style="line-height:21.4667px">President\u2019s Notebook</span></b></a></font></div><div style="margin:0px;min-width:0px;padding:0px 0px 20px;width:auto"><div id="m_-4085773325230036592m_7764265300190587147m_-3300519198464045692gmail-:my" style="direction:ltr;margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px;overflow-x:hidden"><div id="m_-4085773325230036592m_7764265300190587147m_-3300519198464045692gmail-:mx" style="direction:ltr;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-kerning:auto;font-feature-settings:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:1.5;overflow:auto hidden"><div id="m_-4085773325230036592m_7764265300190587147m_-3300519198464045692gmail-avWBGd-17"><div lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.95px"><b><span style="line-height:21.4667px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">National Federation of the Blind<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.95px"><b><span style="line-height:21.4667px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Mark A. Riccobono<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org" target="_blank"><b><span style="line-height:21.4667px;color:blue">officeofthepresident@nfb.org</span></b></a><b><span style="line-height:21.4667px"><u></u><u></u></span></b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:14pt;line-height:14.95px"><b><span style="line-height:21.4667px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">410-659-9314</font></span></b></p><h3 style="margin-left:0.25in"><b><span style="color:windowtext"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Convention Hotels:<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">#NFB26 Convention Travel Update: Our JW Marriott room block is sold out\u2014but rooms are still available at nearby hotels (including the new Austin Marriott Downtown), all just a short walk away. Visit <a href="https://nfb.org/convention" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">nfb.org/convention</span></a> (<a href="https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention-prep" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Planning for Your Trip</span></a>) to get all the details. Rates: $139/night (single/double) or $155/night (triple/quad) + 19.7% tax/fees. To book Austin Marriott Downtown, call 800-627-7468 and use code BL1.<u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10pt;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><h3 style="margin-left:0.25in"><b><span style="color:windowtext"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">New NFB Song Available for Download:<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">The National Federation of the Blind song, \u201cWho Are We? NFB,\u201d by The Litigators is now available to listen to or download on the <a href="https://nfb.org/resources/jacobus-tenbroek-library/collections/nfb-songs" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">NFB songs webpage</span></a> or on your favorite music platform.<u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><h3 style="margin-left:0.25in"><b><span style="color:windowtext"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">March <i>Braille Monitor</i>:<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Read the March issue of the <i>Braille Monitor</i>, our flagship publication and the magazine of the organized blind movement. Access <a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm26/bm2603/bm2603tc.htm" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:blue">Braille Monitor</span></i><span style="color:blue"> Vol 69 No 3 March 2026</span></a><u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><h3 style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b><i><span style="color:windowtext"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span>Future Reflections</span></i></b><b><span style="color:windowtext">:<u></u><u></u></span></b></font></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Read the latest <i>Future Reflections</i>, a quarterly magazine for parents and teachers of blind children that offers stories, resources, and information. Access <a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr45/1/fr4501tc.htm" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:blue">Future Reflections</span></i><span style="color:blue"> Volume 45 Number 1 Winter 2026</span></a><u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><h3 style="margin-left:0.25in"><b><i><span style="color:windowtext"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Nation\u2019s Blind Podcast: <u></u><u></u></font></span></i></b></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Listen to the latest episode of the <i>Nation's Blind Podcast</i> titled, "We Can Have Our Pi and STEM, Too." In this episode, Melissa and Anil are joined by Ashleigh Moon, our STEM2U coordinator. They celebrate Pi Day and discuss accessible ways for blind students and blind adults to practice STEM. Subscribe to the <i>Nation\u2019s Blind Podcast</i> wherever you get podcasts, or download this episode at <a href="https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/x8k92ksm9xt8vj4b/STEM_episode_Edited60zhc.m4a." title="https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/x8k92ksm9xt8vj4b/stem_episode_edited60zhc.m4a." target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/x8k92ksm9xt8vj4b/STEM_episode_Edited60zhc.m4a.</span></a><u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b><i><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span>Access On </i></b><b>Podcast<i>:<u></u><u></u></i></b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Tune into episode 66 of <i>Access On</i>, which is devoted to NVDA, the open-source screen reader for Windows from NV Access. We welcome Mick Curran, who came up with the idea of NVDA and started developing it twenty years ago. We\u2019re also joined by Gerald Hartig and Quentin Christensen for a wide-ranging discussion about NVDA\u2019s past, present, future, philosophy, and user experience.<br>Subscribe to <i>Access On</i> wherever you get podcasts, or download the MP3 of this week\u2019s episode at <a href="https://buff.ly/y9Se1rQ" title="https://buff.ly/y9se1rq" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">https://buff.ly/y9Se1rQ</span></a>.<u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><b><i>Walking Alone and Marching Together </i></b><b>Podcast<i>:<u></u><u></u></i></b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Tune into episode twenty of our <i>Walking Alone and Marching Together</i> podcast entitled, "Episode 20: Chapter 6 - Restoration, The Beginning Years of the Second Jernigan Presidency, Part 3." Listen at <a href="https://buff.ly/cCJGZgg?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEyN3AxakJTR1A2NGlVaDRGeXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6HlrJbA-qCXtAgbMT62yKICPLKYs5KYi_GIjUGM65h_jfhrky56uM5MTf_Ww_aem_FDiA2p03NfLLxTkveC9qYQ" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:blue">https://buff.ly/cCJGZgg</span></b></a> or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on Amazon Music.<u></u><u></u></font></p><h2><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a name="m_-4085773325230036592_m_7764265300190587147_m_-3300519198464045692_m_7809989165816337455__Hlk216694561" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"></a><a name="m_-4085773325230036592_m_7764265300190587147_m_-3300519198464045692_m_7809989165816337455__Hlk183426075" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><b><span style="color:windowtext">Dates to Keep in Mind:<u></u><u></u></span></b></a></font></h2><ul type="disc" style="margin-top:0in"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">July 3-8, 2026: National Convention; Austin, Texas<u></u><u></u></font></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">July 2-7, 2027: National Convention; Austin, Texas<u></u><u></u></font></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">July 3-8, 2028: National Convention; Chicago, Illinois<u></u><u></u></font></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">July 2-7, 2029: National Convention; Chicago, Illinois<u></u><u></u></font></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10pt;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement Calls<u></u><u></u></font></span></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-top:0in"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Wednesday, May 6<u></u><u></u></font></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Wednesday, August 5<u></u><u></u></font></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:15px;color:black;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Wednesday, November 4<u></u><u></u></font></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.25in;line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.95px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:large"></span></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">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.<u></u><u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <br><u></u></font></p><div></div><div></div></div><div></div></div><div></div></div></div></div><div id="m_-4085773325230036592m_7764265300190587147m_-3300519198464045692gmail-avWBGd-18" style="clear:both"></div></div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font><br></div></div>
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