[NFBofSC] NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 08/04/2022

Fri Aug 5 10:12:25 UTC 2022

Dear Federation Family,

I am happy to be back! Please see below for lots of great information.

 News:

Collaborative Advocacy to Pass Legislation at the State Level:

Please note, the meeting originally scheduled for August 2 at 8:00 p.m. has been moved to September 13 at 8:00 p.m., eastern. The Zoom information remains the same and will be redistributed soon.

 Share Your #NFB22 Feedback:

Thank you for your participation, engagement, and support in New Orleans. Please share your experiences of the 2022 National Convention.  <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z3236GT> Take the #NFB22 survey now online or by phone. To complete the survey by phone, call 229-632-7878 or toll-free 833-632-7878. As an encore to the general sessions’ preshow commentary, a post-convention review is available now on the Nation’s Blind Podcast with the preshow panelists.  <http://nfb.org/convention> Get more details on the survey, highlights, and podcast episode.

 2022 Resolutions:

On July 9 at the 2022 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind, the Federation passed eighteen resolutions. All of these resolutions have been posted to our website and can be read at  <https://nfb.org/resolutions> nfb.org/resolutions.  

 Presidential Release: September Save the Date & August Recording:

The next Presidential Release will take place Thursday, September 1, at 8:00 p.m., eastern (CC and Spanish available). Zoom details coming soon!  <https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases> Access the August Presidential Release for chapter meetings, the full live event, or the transcripts.

 Prepare for October Presidential Release on the Road:

Host the October Presidential Release LIVE in your affiliate! By chapter, affiliate, or even region, submit a brief proposal to have the October Presidential Release LIVE in your area. We will come to you! Please email  <mailto:membership at nfb.org> membership at nfb.orgyour pitch on what the release setup would be and any details that would help determine this exciting release. Why should we come to you? Be creative and share stories on why it will be important to your chapter or group. Deadline to submit is Sunday, August 28, and we will announce the location on the September Release.

 Braille Calendars for Affiliates and Individuals:

The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults has graciously extended an offer to all National Federation of the Blind affiliates to request up to fifty 2023 Braille calendars. These are the 6 x 6 1/2 inch pocket calendars that have the month, date, day, and pertinent holidays. Please send an email to Jen White at  <mailto:jwhite at nfb.org> jwhite at nfb.org no later than August 31. Individuals can also  <https://actionfund.org/resources/braille-calendars> order their free Braille calendar now.

Senate Committee on Aging Hearing Regarding Accessible Federal Technology:

On Thursday, July 28, Anil Lewis testified before the US Senate Special Committee on Aging on the importance of accessible federal websites and technology.  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/anil-lewiss-testimony-senate-special-committee-aging> Anil’s full written testimony can be found on the  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements> Policy Statements page of our website. You can also watch the hearing in its entirety on the Committee on Aging’s website at  <https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/click-here-accessible-federal-technology-for-people-with-disabilities-older-americans-and-veterans> https://www.aging.senate.gov/hearings/click-here-accessible-federal-technology-for-people-with-disabilities-older-americans-and-veterans.

 United States Postal Service Report Regarding Free Matter for the Blind:

On Tuesday, July 26, the United States Postal Service Inspector General released a report with the result of their review of the Free Matter for the Blind Program, as requested by Senators Van Hollen, Hyde-Smith, Peters, and Portman. The report is available online at  <https://www.uspsoig.gov/document/free-matter-blind> https://www.uspsoig.gov/document/free-matter-blind. An impetus for this Inspector General investigation was the testimony of Federationist Rania Dima before the Senate Subcommittee on Financial Services and the Federal Government at a hearing in July 2021. The full hearing, including Rania’s testimony, can be watched at  <https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-hearing-to-review-the-fy-2022-budget-request-for-the-usps-office-of-inspector-general-and-usps-service-issues-> https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-hearing-to-review-the-fy-2022-budget-request-for-the-usps-office-of-inspector-general-and-usps-service-issues-.

 Justice Department and Department of Health and Human Services Issue Joint Guidance on Nondiscrimination in Telehealth:

The NFB applauds DOJ and HHS for recently issuing guidance on nondiscrimination in telehealth, and we encourage members and health-care providers to review this important information available on HHS’s website at <https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/guidance-on-nondiscrimination-in-telehealth/index.html> https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/guidance-on-nondiscrimination-in-telehealth/index.html.

 Social Security Administration Kiosks:

The NFB continues to seek information about the accessibility of the Social Security Administration’s current visitor-intake-processing methods. If you have visited an SSA field office since their reopening in April 2022, plan to visit an office soon, or would be interested in being a tester for the NFB, please contact Valerie Yingling at 410-659-9314, extension 2440, or  <mailto:legal at nfb.org> legal at nfb.org. We are specifically gathering information on whether the field offices are using kiosk, web-based, or human check-in processes, and whether these processes are accessible to blind individuals.

 Uber and Lyft Ride Denials:

The NFB continues to gather information regarding Uber and Lyft ride denials not only due to service animals, but also related to a traveler’s use of a white cane, as well as access barriers on the companies’ apps. We know that rideshare drivers continue to discriminate and request that you complete  <https://nfb.org/programs-services/legal-program/rideshare-discrimination-survey> NFB’s rideshare discrimination survey and share your experiences with us for our continued legal advocacy. The survey is available via nfb.org/legal <http://nfb.org/legal> . We are especially interested in hearing from individuals who use Uber and who do not have their own account, using either a third-party service such as GoGo Grandparent; paratransit, concierge, or medical appointment dispatchers; or who use Uber via a friend, spouse, or other individual’s account.

Center for Employment Opportunities: 

In the 2022 Presidential Report, I referenced our Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) initiatives intended to help bridge the gap of unemployment and underemployment among the nation’s blind. This includes the launching of ourWhere the Blind Work webinar series, featuring blind professionals in a wide range of jobs and careers. We seek your help to identify blind individuals in your network and/or affiliate.

We want to highlight blind workers in blue collar jobs in our upcoming segment. If you have members who are mechanics, machinists, carpenters, hair stylists, wait staff, hospitality, or other crafts and labor jobs, we want to hear from them. While you are at it, we are looking for a range of blind people working in all sorts of interesting jobs and careers, so please join our efforts to feature them in our Where the Blind Work series by contacting Maurice Peret, coordinator of career mentoring and employment programs, at  <mailto:mperet at nfb.org> mperet at nfb.org or at 410-659-9314, extension 2350.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

(all times eastern)

*  August 31: Deadline for affiliates to request Action Fund Braille calendars

*  September 1: Presidential Release

*  January 30, 2023: Great Gathering-In

*  March 23, 2023: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium

The National Federation of the Blind knows 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. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

Mark A. Riccobono, President

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

410-659-9314 |  <mailto:Officeofthepresident at nfb.org> Officeofthepresident at nfb.org

Twitter: @Riccobono

Pronouns: he, him, his

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