[NFBofSC] FW: NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 11/7/2022

Mon Nov 7 22:57:23 UTC 2022

Good Afternoon All,

Please take a moment to read through this e-mail. There is a great deal of very important information from President Riccobono and the National Office.

My Thanks,

Marty

From: President, National Federation of the Blind <OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>
Sent: Monday, November 7, 2022 2:29 PM
To: State Presidents <StatePresidents at nfb.org>; NFB-Division-Leaders at nfbnet.org; NCB Staff <NCBStaff at nfb.org>
Subject: NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 11/7/2022

President’s Notebook
National Federation of the Blind
Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
410-659-9314

Dear Federation Family,

It is that time of year that finds me writing from an airplane somewhere over middle America. This weekend I attended the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of California where many outstanding members are working to build our movement. I will be turning around and jumping on a plane to New Hampshire where I will work to inspire transition-age students to contribute to our Federation community. Later this week I will go to Texas to visit our convention hotel and then participate in the Texas convention. Just imagine, eight months from now our 2023 NFB National Convention will be wrapping up.

As our conventions and meetings are coming back more and more to in-person status, I urge us to take care to ensure that we are clearly sharing how our organization works and what our practices are. I especially ask that we continue to explain to people how decisions are made in our organization and how voting by members works in the affiliate. Remember that those membership lists are very important for maintaining a clear list of eligible members in good standing.
Also, a number of affiliates are now using Zoom as the platform for streaming convention activities to virtual participants. If your affiliate has developed some best practices for the setup of Zoom and the delivery of audio from the public address system to Zoom and from Zoom to the public address system, please let us know. We are thinking about compiling some best-practice materials for affiliates to use.

Please be sure to amplify our survey for blind voters and, if you have not already, please plan to vote in your local elections. We are making great progress on equal access to voting, let’s use this election as a springboard to ensure that the next presidential election in 2024 is the most accessible to the blind in history.

Critical Actions:
Blind Voter Survey:
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that voters with disabilities must be afforded an opportunity to vote privately and independently that is equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters without disabilities. This requirement applies to both in-person voting and voting by mail for the upcoming general election on November 8, 2022.
After exercising the fundamental right to vote, all blind and low-vision voters are encouraged to complete our 2022 Blind and Low-Vision Voter Experience Survey! The 2022 survey consists of two separate surveys: one survey for those who voted in person at an early voting center or their local polling place, and a second survey for blind and low-vision voters who voted by mail. Both surveys can be accessed, in English and Spanish, from our Voting Resources webpage.<https://nfb.org/resources/voting-resources>
If someone is not able to access the survey online, they can call 410-659-9314 and get assistance from either Lou Ann Blake (extension 2221) or Jeff Kaloc (extension 2206).

Lyft Code to Vote:
Lyft is offering Federation members a special code to offset costs incurred when traveling to the polls to vote. The code is NFBVOTE2022 and is valued at $30. Please share with local members. Learn more at https://ride.lyft.com/invite/NFBVOTE2022.

News:
Early Childhood Initiatives: Santa Letters and Winter Celebration Program:
Again this year, the National Federation of the Blind is not only helping Santa out with Braille letters to blind children but our program also has a winter-themed Braille letter for those who do not celebrate the Christmas holiday. We are excited to provide both of these letters in English and Spanish. Parents of children under the age of ten can select one of the options that best fits their family.
Starting November 7, parents can request the Braille activity packet online, via fax, or email. The celebration packets will start going out to blind children around the country on December 6. The Braille letter will also be accompanied by a print copy so the whole family can participate in the fun activities that accompany the celebration letters. The deadline for letter requests is December 16 to ensure that a return letter in Braille is received before the winter season ends. Learn more about the Santa Letters and Winter Celebration Program<https://nfb.org/programs-services/early-childhood-initiatives/santa-letters>.

Member Contact Data Correction:
Reminder that if you have member information that needs correcting, you can send it to Danielle McCann (dmccann at nfb.org<mailto:dmccann at nfb.org>) by December 31 for updating. This does not include adding new members; they should be entered in the new member form.<https://nfb.org/new_member_form> This process is for existing members whose information is either incorrect in the portal or needs updating.

2023 Washington Seminar:
We are less than three months away from the 2023 Great Gathering-In on Monday, January 30, 2023. The Great Gathering-In is the official kickoff meeting for our 2023 Washington Seminar. For next year, the Washington Seminar will be back in person at the Holiday Inn Washington – Capitol, located at 550 C Street, SW Washington, DC. January will mark the start of the 118th Congress, and we wanted to make sure we were one of the first groups new members met with. That’s why we scheduled the 2023 Washington Seminar from Monday, January 30 through Thursday, February 2, 2023. You can reserve your room today by calling  877-834-3613 and using group code NB8, OR by using our booking link<https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/washington/wassm/hoteldetail?fromRedirect=true&qSrt=sBR&qIta=99801505&icdv=99801505&qSlH=WASSM&qGrpCd=NB8&setPMCookies=true&qSHBrC=HI&qDest=550%20C%20Street%20S.W.,%20Washington,%20DC,%20US&srb_u=1>. Rates are $129 per night for a double or $109 per night for a single. Keep in mind those rates do not include the 14.95% District of Columbia sales tax. Please stay tuned in the coming weeks for updates on our legislative issues and training schedules. Regarding COVID-19, we will not be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test to attend the 2023 Washington Seminar. We will require that all attendees of the Great Gathering-In and the 2:00 p.m. Legislative Seminar Training on Monday, January 30, wear masks.

November Legislative Surge:
Congress has been out of Washington for the past few weeks leading up to tomorrow’s elections, but both chambers will be back in session starting next week (the week of Monday, November 14), before they break again for the Thanksgiving holiday. They then return to Washington for the three weeks immediately after Thanksgiving. This is a perfect time to contact your members of Congress to urge them to cosponsor our legislation: Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212), Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853), Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238), and Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act (H.R. 9021/S. 4998). If we gain support for our legislation in these final few weeks of the 117th Congress, it might be just enough to push it over the top for a late vote before they adjourn for the year. This is our last chance in this Congress, and we have to make it count! Your calls and emails absolutely make a difference!

Amazon:
The National Federation of the Blind and Amazon have collaboratively resolved back-pay claims for five blind Amazon employees, and Amazon representatives recently toured the Colorado Center for the Blind. NFB is pleased that Amazon remains committed to working to identify accessibility solutions and innovations for blind employees. We know, however, that our advocacy is not yet done. If you have had workplace accommodations denied, been placed on unpaid leave, and/or otherwise experienced discrimination related to Amazon fulfillment center employment, please contact Valerie Yingling at legal at nfb.org<mailto:legal at nfb.org>.

Seeking Updated Contact Information for 2022-2023 NFB BELL® Academy Coordinators:
The NFB BELL® Academy is designed to give children ages four through twelve hands-on experiences with Braille during the summer, as well as expose them to positive blind role models who can show them that blindness does not have to hold them back from achieving their dreams. We encourage affiliate presidents, including those who have appointed BELL coordinators in previous years, to appoint an NFB BELL Coordinator in your state who will receive specific news and information about the upcoming 2023 NFB BELL Academy season. Please note that BELL coordinators must be reappointed each year by you as an affiliate president in order to receive information about the upcoming NFB BELL Academy season. Please email your NFB BELL Academy coordinator’s name and email to bell at nfb.org<mailto:bell at nfb.org>. If you have questions about the NFB BELL coordinator role, please reach out to Karen Anderson, education programs coordinator, at kanderson at nfb.org<mailto:kanderson at nfb.org> or by calling 410-659-9314, extension 2243.

Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act at the M-Enabling Summit 2022:
Last month, we discussed the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act (H.R. 9021/S. 4998) at the 2022 M-Enabling Summit. The M-Enabling Summit is a major technology conference held each year just outside of Washington, DC, to help promote accessible technologies and environments. The presentation for the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act featured a panel led by our very own John Paré, with leaders from the American Council of the Blind and the American Foundation for the Blind. The presentation also included a video from Congressman John Sarbanes of Maryland<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clx6B_YvwzA>, the bill’s sponsor in the House of Representatives.

Roll Call Pledges:
Thanks go out to all affiliates; we have our affiliate pledges in from the roll call of states for 2022. We have a few divisions still to account for, but thanks go out to the majority of divisions. Most of our division pledges have already been honored. We appreciate the teamwork to build the National Federation of the Blind.

Mark Your Calendar for December Presidential Release:
The next Presidential Release of the National Federation of the Blind is scheduled for December 1, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. Zoom details coming soon. Access the November presidential release for upcoming chapter meetings.<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases>

Help Us Meet the Match: Vispero Is Matching Donations (up to $50,000) through December 31, 2022:

·         Give online at nfb.org/donate<https://nfb.org/donate>

·         Mail a check to National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

·         Contribute by phone using a credit card by calling 410-659-9314, extension 2430

·         Share this information with family and friends!
Thank you for contributing to our mission and helping blind people live the lives they want.

Vehicle Donations:
The National Federation of the Blind uses car donations to improve the education of blind children, distribute free white canes, help veterans, and so much more. We have partnered with Vehicles for Charity to process donated vehicles. Please call toll-free 855-659-9314, and a representative can make arrangements, or you can donate online by visiting www.nfb.org/vehicledonations<http://www.nfb.org/vehicledonations>.

Dates to Keep in Mind:
(all times eastern)

  *   December 1: Presidential Release, 8:00 p.m.
  *   January 30, 2023: Great Gathering-In
  *   March 23, 2023: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
  *   July 1-6, 2023: National Convention; Houston, Texas

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 | Officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:Officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
Twitter: @Riccobono
Pronouns: he, him, his

[National Federation of the Blind]<https://nfb.org/>

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The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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