[NFBofAlaska] Presidents notes.

Thu Aug 14 16:59:34 UTC 2025

Attn Alaska affiliate. 2026 American Action Fund Braille Calendars
Available:

Thanks to the generosity of the American Action Fund for Blind Children and
Adults, Individual blind people can order up to three Braille calendars for
2026. Requests from individuals will be fulfilled through the end of the
year. Calendar requests should be sent to calendars at actionfund.org
<mailto:calendars at actionfund.org> . Please allow up to two weeks for
delivery. 

National Convention Highlights: 

Thanks again to our members, sponsors, exhibitors, and everyone who made
#NFB25 a success. Access the 2025 National Convention highlights
<https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/past-conventions/2025-nati
onal-convention>  now to relive the most powerful moments.

Save the Date: Bay Bridge Run as Part of Our Coast-to-Coast Movement
Challenge:

The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) is again
welcoming any and all to participate in person by walking or running the Bay
Bridge in Maryland on November 9. Mark your calendars and plan to move with
us. Registration information will be coming soon. Learn more at
https://nfb.org/movers.

News:

2026 American Action Fund Calendars for Affiliates:

As mentioned above, thanks to the generosity of the American Action Fund for
Blind Children and Adults, Braille calendars are now available. Federation
affiliates can order up to fifty 2026 American Action Fund Braille
Calendars. Please note that your order must be received no later than August
31, 2025. To place an order for your affiliate, please send an email to
calendars at actionfund.org <mailto:calendars at actionfund.org>  and put
"Federation Affiliate Request" in the subject line. Your request must come
from the affiliate president, and it must be received by August 31, 2025. 

Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act Introduced in
Congress:

Late last month, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Steve Daines (R-MT),
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced S. 2438,
the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act. Representatives
Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) and Pete Sessions (R-TX-17) also introduced an
identical companion bill in the House, H.R. 4771. Now it's time for all of
us to contact our senators and representatives to request they cosponsor
this legislation so we can once and for all abolish subminimum wages for
disabled Americans!

State Presidents and Legislative Directors - Advocacy Update Call on Monday,
August 25:

On Monday, August 25, at 8:00 p.m., Eastern, the NFB government affairs
group will host an advocacy update call to discuss the progress of our
legislative priorities, as well as advocacy strategies for when Congress is
back in session in September. Please be sure to join us for this very
important call. The Zoom information for the meeting is below:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/97902242888?from=addon
Meeting ID: 979 0224 2888

Teachers of Tomorrow:

We are excited to have selected the 2025-2026 National Federation of the
Blind Teachers of Tomorrow cohort. This immersive professional development
opportunity connects early career teachers of blind students with the lived
experiences of blind people, helping them have higher expectations for their
students throughout their careers. This year we are excited to have teachers
from the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, New
Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. 

Contact information for teachers in your affiliate will be emailed to you
shortly. Please reach out to them and welcome them to the Federation.

Blind Equality Achievement Month Planning:

The National Federation of the Blind celebrates the organized blind movement
during October each year. Chapters across the country organize local
outreach events. Submit your events, activities, and celebrations to
web at nfb.org <mailto:web at nfb.org>  so they can be posted on
https://nfb.org/blind-month. Reminder: please use the terms Blind Equality
Achievement Month, Blind Month, or #BlindMonth when referring to and
promoting activities. 

One idea for an activity for Blind Equality Achievement Month: Plan an event
around virtual participation in the Coast-to-Coast Movement Challenge as a
chapter or an affiliate. Members and friends can walk together on a date you
choose. Visit https://nfb.org/movers and learn more. 

Please consider organizing an event for White Cane Awareness Day on October
15 with the White Cane Awareness Day Proclamation template. The template is
available to print or share digitally. Fill in the details of your local
area and identify a city council member or mayor to sponsor the
proclamation. Please note that the event can also take place the weekend
before or after October 15 if needed. 

*	White Cane Awareness Day Proclamation (HTML)
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/meet-blind-month/white-cane-awareness
-day-proclamation> 
*	White Cane Awareness Day Proclamation (Word)
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/word/white-cane-awareness-day-proclama
tion-final.docx> 

NFB Affiliate Treasurers Training:

Affiliate presidents please share with your treasurers that the affiliate
treasurers training originally scheduled for Saturday, August 9, is
rescheduled to Saturday, September 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Eastern.
We do not usually reschedule events, but we want to make sure as many
treasurers as possible can attend. There are no fall conventions to compete
with on September 27, and hopefully few vacations. The affiliate finance
team looks forward to spending a productive day with treasurers. If you
think there is a topic we should discuss with affiliate treasurers, please
send it to bburke at nfb.org <mailto:bburke at nfb.org> .

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times Eastern)

Save the Date

*	October: Blind Equality Achievement Month
*	January 26-29, 2026: Washington Seminar
*	July 8-13, 2026: National Convention; Austin, Texas

Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement

*	Wednesday, November 5

Chapter Presidents Calls

*	Thursday, September 11 and Sunday, September 14
*	Thursday, December 11 and Sunday, December 14

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.

Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind 
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
410-659-9314 |  <mailto:Officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
Officeofthepresident at nfb.org

Please engage with me through
<https://riccobono.personal.ai/messaging/profile> Riccobono Personal AI
Mastodon: @President at nfb.social 
Pronouns: he, him, his

 <https://nfb.org/> 

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