[NFBofSC] FW: NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 05/08/2023

Marty McKenzie marty2music at outlook.com
Mon May 8 21:50:33 UTC 2023 

Good Afternoon all,

Please take a look at the below e-mail. It would be great if some folks can assist with the Independence Market on July 2-5. It is open the full day on July 2-3 and during lunch on 4-5. These dates are correct. Please check out the hours in the below message. Please reach out to me privately if you are able to work this event.

My Thanks,

Marty

From: President, National Federation of the Blind <OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>
Sent: Monday, May 8, 2023 4:49 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 05/08/2023

Dear Federation Family,

We continue to seek new and more effective methods for building and connecting the Federation community. In the last notebook I wrote a little about our need to be strategic. I believe one of our next strategic decisions is to frame how the blind of the nation build a social network that builds our movement.

As you heard on last week’s Presidential Release Live, we have moved to Mastodon in order to establish a more robust and blind-driven social media network. Through the nfb.social server, we intend to bring the voice of the nation’s blind to social media in a coordinated fashion. For those unfamiliar with Mastodon, a simple Google search will tell you what you need to know. Exploring Mastodon<https://martinfowler.com/articles/exploring-mastodon.html> is just one of the many resources you will find out there.

We are now seeking feedback from Federation members about how we might best leverage this network beyond our establishment of an NFB primary account: @NationsBlind at nfb.social<https://nfb.social/@nationsblind>.

We are preparing to establish an account for every Federation state affiliate and national division. Some of you have already requested accounts, and we appreciate your enthusiasm. It is going to take us a little time to establish our nfb.social community standards but we want to assess interest from Federation affiliates and divisions now. If your affiliate/division is already using Twitter, we recommend you migrate to Mastodon with one of these accounts. If you are interested in being part of the first wave of nfb.social organizational accounts, please email mastodon at nfb.org<mailto:mastodon at nfb.org>. This request must be made by the affiliate or national division president. Please keep in mind these will be organizational accounts, not accounts for individuals. One of the advantages of having an account on this server is that it will allow the password and credentials to be protected by the national organization. We would like to hear from you by May 19, 2023, if you want to have your affiliate or national division be part of the initial round of accounts we create.
If you are already on Mastodon, I encourage you to follow @Nationsblind at nfb.social and the official @President at nfb.social accounts.

We believe these accounts will allow us to project a common social media presence while emphasizing local priorities and resources. We hope that as a community, we can work together to determine what the next generation of our online presence for the organized blind movement will be.

Thank you for your work to build the organization.

National Convention:



2023 National Convention Resolutions:
It seems like we just left New Orleans yesterday, but it’s already that time of year again. As we really kick into high gear with our convention preparations, we are asking you, the members of the National Federation of the Blind, to submit your completed resolutions by emailing them to resolutions at nfb.org<mailto:resolutions at nfb.org>. The deadline for resolution submissions is Thursday, June 1, 2023, so make sure you start writing as soon as possible.

Honor Roll Call:
Convention time is when affiliates and national divisions make contributions to our four sustaining funds: Kenneth Jernigan Fund, Sun Shares, White Cane Fund, and Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund. To make your 2023 contributions, please send a check payable to National Federation of the Blind and mail it to 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21230, Attention: Fiscal Services – Roll Call and write Roll Call in the check memo. Please send an email to rollcall at nfb.org<mailto:rollcall at nfb.org> detailing the amount to go to each fund and the name of the organization so that we record the contributions correctly. If your organization is making a pledge to be paid later this year, please send an email to rollcall at nfb.org<mailto:rollcall at nfb.org> telling us how much is being pledged for each fund and when we can expect the check. All pledges should be fulfilled by August 31.

Volunteers Still Needed:
Volunteers are what makes the Independence Market operate smoothly at our national convention each year. If your affiliate has members planning to be in Houston this July and willing to serve as demonstrators, storekeepers, pay-station representatives, and line marshals during all four days the market is open, we’d be pleased to have their names. The dates for the market are Wednesday, July 6, through Saturday, July 9. We will be open on July 6 and 7 for the entire day and July 8 and 9 during the lunch period only.
Please ensure that those whose names you are submitting have agreed to pitch in. Share your affiliate volunteer names with Jen White at 410-659-9314, extension 2236, or email her at jwhite at nfb.org<mailto:jwhite at nfb.org> today.

National Association of Blind Veterans:
The NABV will be providing a grant for up to five first-time veterans to attend the national convention in Houston this year. The grant will be up to $750 for veterans who have never attended a national convention. They can apply by sending an email to mr_president at nabv.org<mailto:mr_president at nabv.org>. The grants will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. The email must contain the following: name, branch of service, time of service, chapter and state affiliate, local address, valid phone number, and email address.

Give $20 and AIRA Matching Gift:

Each year, thousands of Federation members contribute during national convention to various funds that support blind people. In 2023, your generosity is still needed to fund our great programs. When you give $20 or more between May 1 and July 6 (closing deadline 3:00 p.m., central time), you will be entered into the Give $20 Convention Drawing to win the following:

  *   Round-trip transportation for two for the 2024 NFB National Convention
  *   Hotel at the convention
  *   Registration and banquet tickets for two
  *   $1,000 in walking-around cash

This drawing will be to support the following funds:

  *   Kenneth Jernigan Fund: Funds donated to the Kenneth Jernigan Fund are designated by our board of directors for special projects such as getting first-timers to our national convention. The fund is named for Dr. Jernigan whose contributions to our movement are incalculable.
  *   SUN Fund: These funds are being set aside in the event that they are needed to support the Federation during difficult times.
  *   White Cane Fund: These dollars go directly to the general treasury of the Federation.
  *   tenBroek Fund: These dollars go to the tenBroek Memorial Fund, which owns the property at 200 East Wells in Baltimore for the benefit of blind people.

Each $20 donation is a chance to win. Your name will be placed in the drawing for each increment of $20 you give. Give $100 and you will be entered into the drawing five times.

You must specify a fund in order to be entered into the drawing.. Choose one of the following funds: Kenneth Jernigan Fund, SUN Fund, White Cane Fund, or the tenBroek Fund. Your contribution will be counted for the drawing regardless of which fund you designate.

  *   Give online now<https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=45>
  *   Give via phone by calling our donation line at 410-659-9314, extension 2430
  *   Send a check to National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230. Be sure to have #Give20 and the fund you are giving to in the memo. If you are not sure please choose the White Cane Fund as it affords the greatest flexibility.

The winner of the drawing will be announced July 6 at the banquet. Note: The drawing is for individuals and is not intended for contributions by divisions, state affiliates, or chapters.
Aira has generously issued a challenge grant. Aira will match up to $25,000 during our Give $20 campaign.

·         Aira has generously offered to double your dollars by matching up to $25,000.

·         We look for synergies with our partners and the National Federation of the Blind and AIRA, the leading provider of visual interpreting, are both focused on access to information.

News:
Traveling by Air with Guide Dogs:
Lizzie Schoen, a member of the National Federation of the Blind, was recently denied flying on JetBlue because she was traveling with a guide dog.  We know that other blind travelers have experienced similar discrimination. Recently, Al Elia and Lizzie Schoen, along with members of our government affairs group, met with senior officials at the US Department of Transportation to brief them on these issues. If you have experienced discrimination on airlines while traveling with guide dogs, please contact Al Elia at aelia at nagdu.org<mailto:aelia at nagdu.org>, and be sure to immediately file a complaint with the Department of Transportation by visiting transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint<https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint>.



Access Technology Affordability Act:
The Access Technology Affordability Act was reintroduced in the Senate on Thursday, May 4, by Senator Ben Cardin (Maryland), with Senators John Boozman (Arkansas), Ron Wyden (Oregon), and Todd Young (Indiana) as cosponsors. As a reminder, the bill will create a $2,000 refundable tax credit to help cover the cost of qualified access technology. We anticipate that the House version of the bill will also be introduced very soon, but in the meantime please be sure to call your Senators to ask them to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act (S. 1467).

May Presidential Release Chapter Version Available:
The National Federation of the Blind Presidential Release #527 chapter version<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases> is available. Additional formats coming soon. Please mark your calendars for the next Presidential Release scheduled for May 31, 2023, at 8 p.m., eastern.

Save the Date: 2023 Global Accessibility Awareness Day Is May 18:
Join the National Federation of the Blind and the US Access Board on Global Accessibility Awareness Day for a one-hour seminar about Section 508 for government employees with disabilities, their supervisors, human resource professionals, and anyone else interested. Learn about what it is supposed to do and how people with disabilities can work together to leverage the new ruling. Register for the #GAAD Section 508 Webinar Zoom details.<https://nfb.org/form/gaad-section-508-webinar>

Encourage Non-Members to Attend the Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement:
Share the following opportunity for non-members to attend the upcoming Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, formerly known as our Open House Gathering calls, scheduled for May 10 at 8:00 p.m., eastern, to learn about what it means to become a member of the National Federation of the Blind. During the one-hour-long open house, hear from active members and leaders on the myths and uncertainties of the Federation. We will discuss membership, philosophy, and purpose. Non-members can contact us at membership at nfb.org<mailto:membership at nfb.org>, or call 410-659-9314, extension 2401. Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement Zoom ID: 954 045 8112<https://zoom.us/j/9540458112>

USA Hire:
We are gathering feedback on the Federal government’s use of an assessment tool called USA Hire. This tool consists of a series of timed assessments that are administered as part of the Federal government’s employment application process. It is similar to the civil service exam (prior to its discontinuation due to discrimination in 1981) in that it attempts to measure reasoning and analytical skills. USA Hire assessments are applied to some but not all job applications posted on USAJobs. The purpose of the assessments is to evaluate an applicant’s “general competencies and soft skills.”
We are seeking information from those who have experienced challenges with USA Hire in the following areas:

  *   accessibility of the platform using assistive technology
  *   insufficient amount of time for the timed assessments
  *   difficulty with logic games and vision-centered questions
  *   difficulty requesting and receiving reasonable accommodations
  *   obstacles related to the requirement to produce medical documentation for a reasonable accommodation within the OPM-prescribed deadline (three calendar days)
  *   obstacles related to the requirement to produce medical documentation from only OPM-approved sources (ophthalmologist, etc.)
  *   other areas of difficulty

We are asking those who have experienced any of the challenges referenced to contact our advocacy and legal group at Legal at nfb.org<mailto:Legal at nfb.org> or by calling 410-659-9314, extension 2440.

Share Braille:
The first portion of our Share Braille project is complete. The contemporary Olivero theme has been launched, the website has a new look, and the layout is easy to follow. We will be adding new elements throughout the year.
Share Braille is a great place to get Braille and Braille/print books that you may be looking for, have had in the past and would like to have again, or if you are learning Braille and would like to have some books to help you do that. There are books in every genre, age range, and reading level. Why not give it a try today? Just go to www.sharebraille.org<http://www.sharebraille.org> and create your account. All of the books are free and yours to keep.





Dates to Keep in Mind:
(all times eastern)

  *   May 10: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.
  *   May 18: Global Accessibility Awareness Day
  *   June 1 and 4: Chapter Presidents Call, 8:00 p.m. (Member Engagement and National Convention)
  *   July 1-6, 2023: National Convention; Houston, Texas
  *   August 9: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.
  *   September 7 and 10: Chapter Presidents Call, 8:00 p.m. (Blind Equality Achievement Month)
  *   November 8: Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement, 8:00 p.m.
  *   December 7 and 10: Chapter Presidents Call, 8:00 p.m. (Planning the Year Ahead)

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/>

                         [Facebook] <http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind>     [Twitter] <https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice>     [Youtube] <https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind>

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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