[NFBofSC] Week of February 22, 2023 President Riccobono's Notebook, National Items of Interest and Dates to Keep in Mind

Thu Feb 23 11:23:03 UTC 2023

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

Dear Federation Family, 

Although baseball season is nearly upon us, much of the nation is still facing wintry weather. It is hard to know whether to put on boots or running shoes some days, but there is one constant: every day we need to pick up the tools of progress forged by the National Federation of the Blind. As leaders of our movement, you have made the commitment to do that every day, and it is appreciated. What makes it work is our coordination with each other. 

Since spring training is underway for Major League Baseball, it is on my mind. You may not know that one of the game’s legends, Babe Ruth, has roots right here in Baltimore. Babe is credited as saying, “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.” 

This applies equally to the National Federation of the Blind. It applies in our affiliates but also to the national organization and how our affiliates work together. We are all on the same team, and it takes a tremendous amount of coordination and trust to make our movement work. 

Critical Actions: 

March Presidential Release Next Week: 

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Presidential Release #525: Wednesday, March 1, at 8:00 p.m., eastern. Closed captions and Spanish interpretations are available. 

 <https://zoom.us/j/97552045970> https://zoom.us/j/97552045970 

Webinar ID: 975 5204 5970 

National Convention Registration Opens March 1: 

The 2023 NFB National Convention will be a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication to the goals and work of our movement. A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick the week off on Saturday, July 1, in Houston, Texas. Reminder: #NFB23 Registration will open on March 1. Read the  <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2302/bm230201.htm> latest convention bulletin or visit  <http://nfb.org/convention> nfb.org/convention for more information. 

News: 

Victory in Orozco v. Garland Appeal!: 

On Tuesday, October 18, a panel of three federal appellate judges heard oral arguments in the National Federation of the Blind-supported case, Orozco v. Garland, a case that stemmed from an inaccessible workplace for a blind federal employee. The opinion from the Federal Circuit Court released last week stated, “Orozco, an intelligence analyst at the FBI, wants his employer to use available software that is accessible to blind employees like himself. Both parties agree that Section 794d of the Rehabilitation Act generally requires federal agencies, including the FBI, to use technology that is accessible to employees with disabilities. But the district court dismissed Orozco’s action on the ground that the Rehabilitation Act does not give him any right to bring a lawsuit against the FBI to enforce that obligation. We reverse. The plain text of Section 794d extends a private right of action to all persons with disabilities who file administrative complaints requesting accessible technology and who seek only injunctive and declaratory relief.” 

Read and Share the Braille Monitor: 

Access the latest issue of our flagship publication. Read about the experience of learning about independence, seeking employment opportunities, stories from members, and more.  <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2302/bm2302tc.htm> February Braille Monitor (English)  <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2302/es/bm2302tc-es.htm> February Braille Monitor (Spanish) 

Latest Blog Post: “Accessible Payments and Banking with Cash App”: 

Learn about the features, services, and accessibility of Cash App from Karl Belanger, nonvisual access specialist, in our latest Voice of the Nation’s Blind blog post, “ <https://nfb.org/blog/accessible-payments-and-banking-cash-app> Accessible Payments and Banking with Cash App.” 

Legislative Advocacy after Washington Seminar: 

Now that we’ve all been home from the 2023 Washington Seminar for a couple of weeks, this is a perfect time to remind everyone that our legislative advocacy is not limited to one week at the beginning of the year. We encourage you to meet with your members of Congress at their district offices throughout the year, or even via Zoom if necessary. This is especially important if your member was unable to schedule a time to meet with you during Washington Seminar. It is critical that we build strong relationships with all members of Congress so they recognize our organization and understand our legislative priorities. 

Upcoming Event: iOS vs Android Low-vision Accessibility Face-off: 

On Tuesday, February 28, the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access will present an Accessibility Boutique to discuss low-vision accessibility features of iOS and Android. Come see how the features stack up against each other!  <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=28168&qid=8111077> Register for the Low-vision Face-off Accessibility Boutique.  

Reminders: 

Scholarship Program Deadline Approaching in March: 

The National Federation of the Blind scholarship program helps blind college students reach their educational and employment goals and so much more. Building on its strong foundation, we have enhanced the awards granted—making the experience even more inclusive, engaging, and meaningful for the thirty finalists. Each scholarship winner will receive $8,000. Encourage students to  <https://scholarships.nfb.org/> apply for the 2023 scholarship program. 

Lyft Up and Share: 

Please share the following blurb with members via emails and social media to help encourage people to participate. You can copy and paste the following: 

An exciting and easy giving option for everyone: the organized blind movement is part of the Lyft Up program, so you can contribute every time you ride with Lyft. The program will round up the cost of your ride to the nearest dollar and donate the difference. In the Lyft app, simply go to the menu, navigate to donate, and choose National Federation of the Blind. Share this with all of your friends and family, because all of our small changes lead to making a big difference. Thank you for your support! 

Dates to Keep in Mind: (all times eastern) 

*	March 23: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium 
*	May 10: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m. 
*	July 1-6, 2023: National Convention; Houston, Texas 
*	August 9: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m. 

November 8: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m. 

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