<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="" size="4"><a name="m_4443469380848776917_OLE_LINK9" style="background-color:transparent"><b>President\u2019s Notebook</b></a></font></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">National Federation of the Blind<u></u><u></u></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Mark A. Riccobono<u></u><u></u></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">officeofthepresident@nfb.org</span></b></a><b><u></u><u></u></b></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a href="tel:(410)%20659-9314" value="+14106599314" target="_blank">410-659-9314</a><u></u><u></u></font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 10pt;line-height:14.95px"><span style="line-height:16.8667px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 10pt;line-height:14.95px"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><b><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">2027 Washington Seminar \u2013 New Hotel:<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0in 10pt 0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span style="line-height:14.95px">We are just a little over four months from the 2027 Washington Seminar, but we wanted to get the word out as soon as possible because we will be at a new hotel for the first time in several years. First and foremost, the 2027 Washington Seminar will take place from Monday, February 1, through Thursday, February 4, 2027. It will be held at the Washington Plaza Hotel, located at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/10+Thomas+Circle,+NW,+Washington,+DC?entry=gmail&amp;source=g">10 Thomas Circle, NW, Washington, DC</a>. By <span aria-invalid="grammar" class="Lm ng" style="border-style:none;background:none">longstanding</span> tradition, the Great Gathering-In will be on Monday, February 1, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the hotel\u2019s Grand Ballroom. We will be posting more details about the 2027 Washington Seminar, like hotel booking information, a hotel description, and our legislative priorities in the near future, so be sure to check out our </span><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:14.95px;color:blue">Washington Seminar Page</span></a><span style="line-height:14.95px"> frequently.<u></u><u></u></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><b><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4">Dare to Be Remarkable Conference \u2013 Early Registration Deadline Approaching:<u></u><u></u></font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0in 10pt 0.25in;line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><span style="line-height:14.95px">Attend the 2026 Dare to Be Remarkable Conference, November 18\u201320, at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in Baltimore. This national professional development event brings together education and rehabilitation professionals for immersive learning grounded in Structured Discovery, practical strategies, and high expectations for blind people. Encourage teachers, orientation and mobility specialists, access technology instructors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, administrators, and emerging professionals in your networks to register. Early registration ends October 2. Dare to teach with purpose. Dare to lead with high expectations. </span><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/employment/dare-be-remarkable" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:14.95px;color:blue">Register now!</span></a><span style="line-height:14.95px"><u></u><u></u></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.25in"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><u></u> <u></u></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" size="4"><a name="m_4443469380848776917__Hlk216694561"></a><a name="m_4443469380848776917__Hlk183426075"><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:<u></u><u></u></b></a></font></p><ul type="disc" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-top:0in"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 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:0px 0px 0px 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:0px 0px 0px 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:0px 0px 0px 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:0px 0px 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-bottom:0in;margin-top:0in"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 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</font></li></ul><br></div>