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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor="#FDFDFD" lang=EN-US link="#1A1A1A" vlink="#1A1A1A" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Steve Cook<span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Association of Guide Dog Users Board Member<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President of the Computer Science & Technology Division of the National Federation of the Blind of SC <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Brl-monitor <brl-monitor-bounces@nfbcal.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Brian Buhrow<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, March 1, 2026 6:29 PM<br><b>To:</b> brl-monitor@nfbcal.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, March 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div id=header><h1><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Braille Monitor, March 2026<o:p></o:p></span></h1></div><h1 id=braille-monitor><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>BRAILLE MONITOR<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Vol. 69, No. 3 March 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Chris Danielsen, <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Editor</span></em><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Mark Riccobono, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>telephone: 410-659-9314<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>website address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>NFBnet.org: <a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>NFB-NEWSLINE information: 866-504-7300<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Like us on Facebook: <a href="http://Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Follow us on X: @NFB_Voice<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Follow us on Mastodon: @nationsblind@nfb.social<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Watch and share our videos: <a href="http://YouTube.com/NationsBlind">YouTube.com/NationsBlind</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Monitor</span></em> and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national office or may be emailed to <a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Monitor</span></em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year. Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to <strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>National Federation of the Blind</span></strong> and sent to:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>200 East Wells Street <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>at Jernigan Place</span></em><br>Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>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. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND—IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>ISSN 0006-8829<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> 2026 by the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots—the familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Vol. 69, No. 3 March 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=contents><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Contents<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Convention Bulletin 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Cold Weather and Common Sense: The 2026 Washington Seminar<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Significance of Washington Seminar 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Mark Riccobono<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Protecting Education, Employment, and Independent Living Fact Sheet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Access Technology Affordability Act Fact Sheet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind Americans Return to Work Act Fact Sheet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Adventure in Annapolis<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Shawn Jacobson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>National Federation of the Blind and Blind Entrepreneurs File Federal Lawsuit Challenging Army-Wide Waiver of Randolph-Sheppard Act<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>But I Don’t Know How to Dance<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Catherine Horn Randall<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Filling in the Gap<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Shawn Callaway<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Divorce Me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Peggy Chong<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind and Print-Disabled Harris County Voters File Federal Lawsuit Seeking Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballots<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Monitor</span></em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Miniatures<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: The JW Marriott at dusk.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=convention-bulletin-2026><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Convention Bulletin 2026<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The National Federation of the Blind’s National Convention brings together blind people from across the country and around the globe. We come from all walks of life. Some of us have been blind all our lives, while others may be new to blindness. Some are young, some have been around the sun more than a few times. Some are convention first-timers, while others have been attending for decades. Our patchwork of individual experiences makes us stronger together, and it means that our national conventions are a celebration of our diversity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Over the course of eighty-five annual conventions, nearly three dozen cities reflecting similar diversity have played host to the NFB’s biggest event of the year. Yet, among this broad list of destinations, our convention has never come to the capital city of Texas to gather and celebrate. This will change next July when we head to the JW Marriot Austin for our annual National Convention!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Austin is widely known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” having been home to the PBS program <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Austin City Limits</span></em> for more than fifty years and host to the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music and media festival. Austin also boasts a vibrant arts scene with many public art displays throughout the city. But Austin isn’t just fueled by creative energy. A strong technology sector thrives here, with many tech companies establishing headquarters in the city. Waymo and Tesla are two notable names, as both companies offer autonomous vehicle rides within Austin. The University of Texas at Austin, with over 50,000 students, sits just north of downtown. Visitors will notice an emphasis on local retailers over national chains. This broad and eclectic diversity perpetuates the popular “Keep Austin Weird” vibe and makes for a truly unique destination.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=our-convention-hotels><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Our Convention Hotels<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The upscale JW Marriott Austin will serve as our headquarters hotel, while the recently opened Austin Mariott Downtown, just a short walk away, will provide overflow space. All convention events will take place in the headquarters hotel this year. Both hotels offer a number of dining options, 24/7 fitness centers, and rooftop pools with cabana rentals. The hotels are in the heart of downtown Austin, surrounded by local restaurants and shops. A few blocks south, walking trails line the section of the Colorado River known as Lady Bird Lake.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Our 2026 convention hotel rate is $139 per night for singles and doubles. Triples and quads are available for $155 per night. Sales tax and a tourism fee total a combined 19 percent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Beginning on January 1, you may call 800-627-7468 to book a room at either hotel. Specify our room block code, BL1, to ensure you receive our convention room rate. For each room you book, the hotel requires a deposit of the first night’s room rate, taxes, and fees, payable by credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Sunday, June 1, 2026, half of the deposit will be returned. Refunds will not be issued after that date.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=convention-schedule><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Convention Schedule<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The 2026 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be an exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and renewed dedication to the goals and work of our movement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick the week off on Friday, July 3. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up will also open on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Breakout sessions continue Saturday, July 4, along with committee meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Sunday, July 5, begins with the annual meeting, open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind. National division meetings will follow that afternoon and evening.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>General convention sessions will begin on Monday, July 6, and continue through the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l4 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Convention ends on a high note with the banquet Wednesday evening, so be sure to pack your fancy clothes. The fall of the gavel at the close of banquet will signal convention’s adjournment.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Make plans to be a part of it. To ensure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, you should make reservations early. The hotels will be ready to take your call beginning January 1.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=request-for-door-prizes><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Request for Door Prizes<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Remember that we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Prizes should be small in size but significant in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule, we ask that prizes have a value of at least $25 and do not include alcohol. Drawings take place throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Important note for attendees: You must be registered to win a door prize! Registration opens in March.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=first-time-attendees><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>First-Time Attendees<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>If you or members of your chapter are first-time attendees, please learn about convention through the <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>First-Timer’s Guide</span></em> available at <a href="https://nfb.org/convention">nfb.org/convention</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=countdown-to-austin><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Countdown to Austin<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and thought-provoking program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships within our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions are made—all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2026 National Convention. To secure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, make your reservations early. We look forward to seeing you in Austin in July!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Chris Danielsen]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=cold-weather-and-common-sense-the-2026-washington-seminar><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Cold Weather and Common Sense: The 2026 Washington Seminar<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Chris Danielsen</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In the National Federation of the Blind, we raise expectations because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Low expectations, of course, are neither unique to the blind nor do they create the only obstacles we face, but other obstacles seem to be more evenly distributed across all of humanity. However, because we are used to facing artificial barriers created by low expectations and using problem-solving skills to surmount those barriers, members of the National Federation of the Blind are unusually resilient and flexible when things go sideways. That is probably why natural events like the winter storm named Fern did not deter as many Federationists as it might have from showing up in person in Washington, DC, to be part of the 2026 Washington Seminar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Raising expectations does not mean expecting heroics in the face of dangerous conditions but merely adapting to circumstances as they exist. Many of us, despite our best efforts, were victims of airline cancellations and, in the case of your correspondent, frozen railroad switches and signals up and down Amtrak’s Northeast corridor that made the normally short train trip from Baltimore to the nation’s capital impossible. For this reason, the virtual component of the 2026 Washington Seminar was enhanced. By most estimates over two hundred members of our movement were already ensconced in the Holiday Inn Capitol National Mall by the time the Washington Seminar kickoff, known by longstanding tradition as the Great Gathering-In, was gaveled to order at 5 p.m. on Monday, January 26. These included thirty-two state presidents who had earlier come to the NFB Jernigan Institute for the annual Presidents’ Retreat that takes place the weekend before each Washington Seminar. Their original schedule involved leaving Baltimore on Monday morning for the short trip to Washington, but when it became clear that circumstances would likely not permit this, the efficient and indefatigable logistics team at the NFB Jernigan Institute transported them all to the hotel on Saturday evening before the snow began to fall. The retreat continued in the Capitol Ballroom the next day. Those who could not make it to DC pivoted to making virtual appointments with their representatives and senators. Prior to the Great Gathering-In, Monday brought the usual midwinter conclave of the National Association of Blind Students and a professional development seminar for jobseekers who had preregistered. These were followed by the usual legislative training session, during which members of our Advocacy and Policy team went over our priorities and allowed members to role-play in mock meetings. Then the main event of the evening arrived. The larger-than-usual crowd of Zoom listeners got a lively preview of the event from the hosts of our <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Nation’s Blind Podcast</span></em> and others. Both the preview and the full Great Gathering-In proceedings are still available to watch on our YouTube channel and at <a href="https://nfb.org/washington-seminar">https://nfb.org/washington-seminar</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=common-sense-and-a-congressional-champion-the-great-gathering-in-begins><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Common Sense and a Congressional Champion: The Great Gathering-In Begins<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>After gaveling the session to order, President Riccobono launched into his annual assessment of the significance of Washington Seminar. This year, anticipating the celebration of our nation’s 250<sup>th</sup> birthday, he drew inspiration from Thomas Paine, the author of <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Common Sense</span></em>, the bestselling and historic 1776 pamphlet widely credited with convincing the majority of English colonists that a break with the fatherland was not merely advisable but the logical, even inevitable, result for a people who, practically speaking, had become accustomed to freedom from paternal control. President Riccobono drew a parallel between Paine’s arguments and the realization of blind Americans that we, too, needed to declare freedom from paternalism in the forms of pity disguised as charity and agency control of our choices. He characterized our legislative goals not only as common sense in view of our own quest for individual and collective freedom, but as common sense for America as well, since these policies will allow our nation to benefit from our contributions rather than being burdened by our artificial dependency. Our President’s full remarks follow this article.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The next item on the agenda was a presentation to honor a member of Congress who, through his long history of working with us and his remarks in accepting the honor, demonstrated that he well understands the role of our movement in realizing the promise put forward at our nation’s inception. The Honorable Steny Hoyer first entered Congress in 1980 having already served for fifteen years in the Maryland General Assembly. Within the next decade, he had already made his own mark on American history in many ways, not the least of which was his fight, along with a bipartisan group of other colleagues, for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. President Riccobono reviewed some of this history in introducing the presentation, and fondly reminisced about first meeting the Congressman during the finale of our 2009 Youth Slam, when participants marched to the brand-new Capitol Visitors Center from the Lincoln Memorial. At that event, the Congressman presented us with two of the brand-new Louis Braille commemorative coins, minted pursuant to legislation we had urged Congress to pass, that had flown on NASA’s ST-125 space mission.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Like so many others, Congressman Hoyer was unable to attend the Washington Seminar in person, so we will have to wait to present him his plaque, but its content was shared with those in the room and on Zoom. It read:<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#606060'>National Federation of the Blind Distinguished Legislative Award<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#606060'>Presented to the Honorable Steny Hoyer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#606060'>From your leadership of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 to your work on the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act in the 119th Congress, your leadership and dedication to equality for all Americans with disabilities is unparalleled. We honor you for an enduring and distinguished legacy of service and your deep belief in blind Americans. Together with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#606060'>January 26th, 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In his remarks graciously and humbly accepting this honor, Representative Hoyer observed that when he first came to Congress, most of his colleagues knew of the blind primarily through entertainers like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. Those two outstanding musicians joined their voices to the landmark “We are the World” charity single a few years later. Similarly, Congressman Hoyer noted, the Federation and our allies fought to make a better world by bringing the disabled out of the shadows, just as those entertainers were trying to make one by alleviating the famine in Africa. The continued struggle to enhance equality for all is still needed, he reminded us, because while our rights are self-evident, they are not self-executing. Although he is now serving his last year as a member of Congress, Representative Hoyer promised to continue to fight with us for an America and a world where everyone’s equality is recognized and actualized.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>President Riccobono followed Congressman Hoyer’s remarks by recognizing Federation dignitaries and thanking Waymo, the autonomous vehicle transportation company which, this year, sponsored our entire Washington Seminar. Next, your correspondent was introduced to talk about the many ways in which participants could share their Washington Seminar experiences, including via email to <a href="mailto:story@nfb.org">story@nfb.org</a> and by using the social media hash tag #NFBinDC. Sandy Halverson then took the microphone to remind all that a bucket was being passed to defray Washington Seminar costs, including the operation in Room 275, formerly known as the Mercury Room, which she capably leads each year. Using an impromptu bit of light verse, Sandy reminded us that Mercury’s functions include providing canes for cash, collecting business cards received from Hill staffers, and helping to file meeting reports if needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=national-movement-updates><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>National Movement Updates<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Returning to the theme of stories, President Riccobono shared that we are launching an expanded effort to collect, create, and present them in innovative ways. These include oral histories, artistic renderings, the written word, images and video, and much more. The new and expanded effort is called Blind Unbound, and while it will incorporate our goal of launching the Museum of the Blind People’s Movement, it will encompass much more, driven by the ideas of our members. More about the Blind Unbound initiative is forthcoming in these pages and other Federation communications.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Anil Lewis, Executive Director for Blindness Initiatives, came to the lectern to creatively tie our legislative advocacy to the many education and employment programs his department oversees. Woven through his remarks was the theme that we have moved from being perceived as needing handouts to requesting a hand up to extending our collective hand for a handshake of collaboration with educators, employers, and others. Among other things, he teased that a 2027 Youth Slam to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the first such event is in the works; thanked the members of the Teachers of Tomorrow and Kenneth Jernigan Leadership-In-Service cohorts present; and announced that new summer internships will soon be available at the NFB Jernigan Institute.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Jonathan Mosen, who has now been our Executive Director for Accessibility Excellence for over a year, called out its new initiative to employ dedicated accessibility excellence advocates in specific areas. The first two of these, Charles Hiser for Education and Employment and Ron Miller for Home and Independent Living, are already hard at work. Jonathan also emphasized our continued vigilance with respect to concerning developments at Vispero, makers of JAWS and other products that are mission-critical to so many blind people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=advocacy-updates-and-the-2026-washington-seminar-issues><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Advocacy Updates and the 2026 Washington Seminar Issues<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>After a brief teaser for our National Convention provided by Norma Crosby, the president of our Texas affiliate which will host the big event in Austin this July, President Riccobono introduced John Par, Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy, to get down to the real business of the week. John began by reminding us that advocacy takes place throughout the year, noting our work on a dozen pieces of legislation, six responses to regulatory actions in 2025 alone, and the fourteen legislative alerts sent out to activate members at critical points in the legislative process. He thanked the affiliates with members on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee whose delegations made an extra trip to Washington this past fall to protect education and employment programs when draconian cuts threatened the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (see the November and December 2025 issues of this magazine for more details). During that fall fly-in, the Alaska delegation met with both of the state’s senators and secured through Senator Dan Sullivan the room where our annual congressional reception would be held the following evening. Senator Sullivan also immediately signed on as a co-sponsor of the Access Technology Affordability Act after the meeting. This was just one example of the effective advocacy that took place.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>John introduced Dr. Justin Young, who stepped to the microphone to point out that the employment and education programs on which the blind rely are still threatened, and the Randolph-Sheppard program has come under specific attack from the United States Army Secretary, as reported in these pages last month. Therefore, in an echo of last year, one of our Washington Seminar priorities was simply to protect the programs we have. However, our advocacy focused specifically not only on Randolph-Sheppard but also the education and employment services and civil-rights enforcement mechanisms supported by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Rehabilitation Act of 1973, funding for the American Printing House for the Blind (which is currently distributing the groundbreaking Monarch device across our nation and the world), and the Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>John took the floor again to speak about the Accessible Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1529/S. 1918), which would grant a $2,000 tax credit over three years for blind people to purchase our own screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, hardcopy Braille embossers, and more. He advised members to show off their own access technology in their Capitol Hill meetings so that lawmakers would better understand the proposed law’s purpose. He also pointed out that the packets we would hand out contained an analysis from the respected firm Mathematica showing that, over five years, the tax credit would save the federal government $315 million, thereby benefitting all taxpayers and not just those of us who might use the credit. The fact sheets supporting this legislation and the other advocacy items mentioned here, which were also part of that packet, appear later in this issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Jesse Shirek, who has just assumed his new role as Director of Advocacy, addressed the audience with his characteristic eloquence and empathy to share the importance of the Blind Americans Return to Work Act. For the first time, Jesse publicly disclosed that he was a victim of the earnings cliff even as he attended his first Washington Seminar, constantly balancing trying to grow his accessibility training and website development business against keeping his income low enough to avoid losing cash and healthcare benefits for himself and his wife Sherry. It was Sherry who advised him, on his first day of work for the Federation, “Go out and change our future,” and he urged all assembled to do the same in the coming days. He armed us not only with the information about how the bill would work—by implementing a phase-out to replace the earnings cliff where one dollar of benefits would be given back for every two dollars earned in excess of the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit—but also shared that the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration had met with the bill’s chief sponsor, Representative Pete Sessions, and told him that he supported the legislation. A letter from Congressman Sessions to that effect was also included in our legislative packet. The letter reads in part:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>On December 2, 2025, I met with Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano and his legislative affairs team. The Commissioner gave his full support for the legislation and affirmed that Social Security Administration would have no issue with its passage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>John then introduced Kyle Walls, whose talent is prodigious and whose functions are diverse, to go over more logistics, including explaining the ratings scale for reporting the success of Capitol Hill meetings. Then it was time for some presentations about funding our movement. Marilyn Green energetically promoted the friendly competition among affiliates to get more members on the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) Plan, also encouraging members to ask their friends to contribute in this way. Patti Chang shared another new way for members and others to contribute, which is by creating a will through our new partner Freewill.com. And throughout all this, President Riccobono urged everyone to support our students by attending their auction to take place later that evening, while also engaging in friendly banter with the other two individuals besides himself who would serve as auctioneers, Qualik Ford and Everette Bacon, as to who could get the highest bids.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The final presentation before adjournment was from the aforementioned Everette Bacon in his capacity as chair of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee for the purpose of soliciting applications and nominations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=the-congressional-reception><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Congressional Reception<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The next evening, as ice and snow continued to coat Capitol Hill, many hardy blind advocates filled a Senate office building room for the annual Congressional Reception of the National Federation of the Blind. President Riccobono, in kicking off the event, observed that there might well have been more blind people on Capitol Hill than members of Congress. He then wasted no time in introducing the evening’s first speaker. This was Maryland’s senior senator, Chris Van Hollen, a longtime friend of the Federation. He was introduced not only as a consistent ally, but as a recent visitor to the NFB’s Baltimore headquarters, where he announced his support for legislation to designate part of the NFB headquarters as the National Museum of the Blind People’s Movement as reported in the January 2026 issue of this magazine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Senator Van Hollen situated the Federation’s work within the broader American civil rights tradition. He reminded the audience that the movement for blind equality helped secure the Supplemental Security Income program and expanded access to education and employment—not only for blind people, but for all Americans who benefit from a more inclusive society. Progress, he noted, rests on a fundamental commitment to human dignity, independence, and justice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Turning to current priorities, he emphasized the urgent need to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). While Congress originally pledged to cover 40 percent of the cost of special education, federal funding remains far below that mark. He also reaffirmed his commitment to ending the subminimum wage, calling it an injustice that still affects tens of thousands of Americans. Blind and disabled people, he said plainly, deserve equal pay for equal work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Finally, he returned to the importance of preserving and telling the history of the blind people’s movement. Remembering the past, he observed, helps light the way forward. The proposed National Museum of the Blind People’s Movement is not merely symbolic; it affirms that the struggle for equality is part of the American story.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire followed, praising the Federation’s steadfast advocacy and the power of personal testimony, particularly in the face of what she described as “wicked bad weather.” Legislative progress, she noted, does not happen through email alone. It happens when people show up—when they tell their stories and insist that the promise of democracy belongs to everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Drawing on her own family experience, Senator Hassan reflected on the transformative impact of IDEA. Though Congress has yet to fulfill its funding commitment, the law dramatically changed educational opportunity for millions of students with disabilities, including her own son. The work now, she said, is to protect and strengthen those gains. She highlighted her leadership in eliminating subminimum wage in New Hampshire and committed to continued federal efforts to end the practice nationwide. She also pointed to legislation we support requiring nonvisual accessibility features in medical devices such as insulin pumps—a practical but vital measure to ensure equal access to health technology. (While not one of our top priorities for the second half of the 119<sup>th</sup> Congress, the National Federation of the Blind continues to work toward this legislative goal.) At a moment when disability rights protections face political headwinds, Senator Hassan urged vigilance. Progress, she reminded the audience, is rarely linear. But in a democracy, progress remains possible so long as citizens continue to raise their voices.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The evening’s third senator, Dan Sullivan, was the aforementioned official sponsor of the Senate room. He brought greetings from members of the Alaska Federation of the Blind, many of whom were unable to travel due to weather but had spoken with him via Zoom earlier that day. With obvious pleasure and pride, he shared stories of blind Alaskans pursuing careers in music, psychology, athletics, and public service. Their accomplishments, he said, reflect talent, perseverance, and ambition—qualities too often overshadowed by assumptions about disability. He announced his co-sponsorship of the Access Technology Affordability Act and said that he was seriously considering serving as Senate lead co-sponsor of the Blind Americans Return to Work Act. Public policy, he argued, should incentivize work, not penalize it. Throughout his remarks, he returned to a theme that resonated across the evening: dignity. Policies that remove unnecessary barriers allow people to thrive. The Federation’s presence on Capitol Hill, he said, makes a difference precisely because it brings lived experience into legislative debate.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The program concluded with remarks from Stefania Yanachkov, Senior Manager, Federal Policy and Government Affairs for Waymo, the Washington Seminar’s sponsor and a partner in advancing accessible autonomous vehicle policy. Waymo has expanded its fully autonomous ride-hail service to numerous cities and announced additional expansions in the year ahead, including the Federation’s hometown of Baltimore. The company credited the Federation’s advocacy for shaping accessibility features in its vehicles and app, from adaptive navigation tools to distinctive vehicle-identification audio cues. Equally important is the policy collaboration. Federationists have worked alongside Waymo to promote federal legislation ensuring that riders in autonomous vehicles are not required to hold driver’s licenses—a common-sense reform that reflects the promise of this emerging technology. This partnership reflects our broader strategy: advancing accessibility not only through advocacy, but through direct engagement with industry innovators.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=conclusion><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The cold weather did not prevent Federationists from kicking off another legislative year with energy and success. Before the delegations that were able to make it in person had left the nation’s capital city, both of Maine’s senators, Susan Collins and Angus King, had signed on to co-sponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act. Along with the commitments from Senator Sullivan of Alaska, the Federation was receiving a lot of good news before the event even closed, and no doubt more will come in the next weeks and months. The <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Braille Monitor</span></em> will provide regular updates as our legislative and policy agenda advances.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Mark Riccobono]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=the-significance-of-washington-seminar-2026><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Significance of Washington Seminar 2026<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Mark Riccobono</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In January of 1776, Thomas Paine published <em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Common Sense</span></em>. What made that pamphlet revolutionary was not simply its call for independence, but the way it framed that call. Paine did not argue that independence was heroic or dramatic. He argued that it was obvious. He insisted that paternal rule had lost its legitimacy and that people long treated as dependents were fully capable of governing themselves. Reconciliation, he said, was no longer rational. Independence was simply common sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In November of 1940, Jacobus tenBroek made a similar declaration on behalf of blind Americans. At the time the National Federation of the Blind was founded, blind people were treated much like the colonies once had been—spoken for, managed by others, and constrained by low expectations presented as protection. Decisions about our lives were made without us, justified by charity rather than equality, by control rather than self-determination. Our Federation rejected that model outright. We asserted that blind people are not wards, not clients, and not objects of care, but independent, self-directing individuals capable of full participation in society. We insisted that blind people must speak for ourselves and shape the policies that govern our lives—reflecting the very values upon which this nation was founded.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Like Paine, Dr. tenBroek and our founding Federationists did not ask for special status. We claimed normalcy. We claimed agency. We claimed independence. And just as in 1776, that claim was not radical. It was common sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>That is what brings us to our nation’s capital today. Independence does not sustain itself; it must be claimed, defended, and advanced. Even as our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, our laws and policies continue to be shaped by misconceptions, low expectations, and charity rather than independence for the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind Americans have come to Capitol Hill because we expect to do what self-governing people must do: speak directly to those who craft the rules that shape our lives. We do not come asking to be taken care of. We come insisting on equal access, equal opportunity, and equal responsibility. Our presence here proves the principle that we advance. Blind people know what we need. We know how to build solutions. We know how to lead. Our independence is not a theory or an aspiration—it is self-evident and it is our daily experience. Advocating for its recognition is not radical. It is common sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Congress needs our advice and guidance because our first branch of government does not yet include enough blind experience for our solutions to be obvious. But do not worry, America—the blind are here to move beyond the nonsense and contribute meaningfully to achieve this nation’s ideals.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>For nearly a century, programs in education, employment, and independent living have been shaped through authentic advocacy by blind people themselves. These efforts have enabled blind children to receive instruction and materials in Braille so they could grow into fully contributing, tax-paying adults across every sector of our economy. These programs have supported newly blind individuals with meaningful rehabilitation, allowing them to continue offering their talents to employers rather than being forced into dependency. Independent living programs—though dramatically underfunded—have allowed blind seniors to remain in their homes, caring for grandchildren and living full lives instead of relying on costly custodial care. Yet, after 250 years, some claim that eliminating these programs represents progress. We, the blind, respond clearly: encourage our greater independence, and America will receive far more in return. That is common sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In 2026, technology touches nearly every aspect of life, yet accessibility has not been built into all the tools of modern progress. If blind people are given control over purchasing the accessible technology we need, we will unlock potential that benefits the entire nation. Independence, self-determination, and equal opportunity are not lofty policy aspirations for the blind—they are common sense solutions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Nearly a century ago, our nation established Social Security, and since 1940 blind Americans have played a significant role in making it meaningful. Yet one policy failure remains glaringly illogical: our nation encourages blind people to work, but only up to an arbitrary and inadequate earnings threshold, beyond which independence is punished rather than rewarded. We offer a better way: a solution that strengthens independence, streamlines government oversight, increases tax contributions, and encourages participation in the American dream. The Blind Americans Return to Work Act is not radical policy. It is common sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We come to Congress not as partisans, but as Americans. We are not Republicans or Democrats first—not Libertarians, Greens, or Independents. We are citizens who happen to be blind. Our work is not about ideology; it is about equality. We bring practical solutions grounded in lived experience, informed by responsibility, and aimed at strengthening the nation we share. By advocating together—across political lines—we affirm a fundamental democratic truth: self-governing people solve problems best when they come as equals, committed not to politics but to the ongoing work of forming a more perfect union.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>This is how blind people come together. This is how independence is claimed, protected, and advanced. This is how common sense becomes national policy. We are the National Federation of the Blind. And this is the significance of our Washington Seminar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=protecting-education-employment-and-independent-living-fact-sheet><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Protecting Education, Employment, and Independent Living Fact Sheet<o:p></o:p></span></h2><h3 id="we-urge-congress-to-protect-critical-education-employment-and-independent-living-programs-to-ensure-their-continuance-now-and-for-future-generations."><strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We urge Congress to protect critical education, employment, and independent living programs to ensure their continuance now and for future generations.</span></strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> initially became law in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Congress reauthorized this act in 1990 and officially changed its name to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. For fifty years, this law has ensured that all American students with a disability receive a free and appropriate public education that is tailored to our individual needs. Without appropriate funding and administration of IDEA programs, blind students will be left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Rehabilitation Act of 1973</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> strengthened vocational rehabilitation, prohibited discrimination in federally funded programs, and established the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Later amendments to the Act also included mandates for federal information technology accessibility. This landmark legislation served as a precursor to the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Without appropriate funding and administration of Rehab Act programs, blind Americans will not receive the skills training to make us job ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Randolph-Sheppard Program</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> was signed into law in 1936 to create employment opportunities for blind entrepreneurs by establishing a priority for the operation of blind vending facilities on all federal property. For nearly ninety years, this program has served as a major boon to the employment of blind Americans, who already suffer from an unemployment and underemployment rate that is significantly higher than the national average. Without appropriate administration of the Randolph-Sheppard program, blind entrepreneurs will lose valuable employment opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Older Individuals Who are Blind (OIB) Program</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> is a federal program that was created by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as part of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The goal of OIB is to focus on independent living for blind and low-vision Americans who are over the age of 55 and may need help learning how to live with their vision loss. Critical aspects of OIB include orientation and mobility training, learning Braille, cooking, and training on access technology. Without appropriate funding and administration of OIB programs, older blind Americans are at risk of living sedentary and solitary lives in their golden years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The American Printing House for the Blind (APH)</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1858, and is the oldest and largest nonprofit organization making accessible materials for the blind. The APH first received federal support in 1879 to become the national producer of Braille textbooks, maps, and educational aids. Most recently, APH began distributing the Monarch, the first dynamic tactile and multi-line Braille tablet. Without appropriate funding, the APH will be unable to produce and distribute Braille textbooks and education aids for blind students.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Below are a few testimonies from real blind Americans who have greatly benefitted from each of the above programs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“I attended public school in Durant, Iowa–a very rural school district. I was incredibly blessed to begin learning Braille and how to use accessible technology tools to access a computer at a young age. As a result of my terrific elementary school education, I thrived in high school and was able to go to college, where I earned dual degrees in English and Theatre. I am now employed and can proudly share that I pay both federal and FICA taxes.” – </span></em><strong><i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Elizabeth, from Durant, Iowa</span></i></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“I was able to go to a training center in Ruston, Louisiana, where I learned independent living skills and how to be a productive citizen. Because of my training, I have been a small business owner in the tech sector for more than thirty years.” – </span></em><strong><i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Karl, a blind business owner in Taylorsville, Utah</span></i></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“For twenty-one years, I have owned and operated a successful dining food facility and housekeeping service at the US Coast Guard Aviation Training Center because of the Randolph-Sheppard program. My business employs twenty employees while providing our Coast Guard personnel with the food and accommodations they need to defend our nation.” – </span></em><strong><i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Barbara, a blind business owner in Mobile, Alabama</span></i></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“I lost my sight in my late fifties from glaucoma. The older blind specialist was by my side at the beginning, thirteen years ago. She taught me blind skills so I could keep my home and be active in my kids’ and grandkids’ lives.” – </span></em><strong><i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Greg, from West Fargo, North Dakota</span></i></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“The Monarch has been life-changing for our daughter, Kennedy. As a blind elementary student, she has always loved reading and writing, but access to Braille materials was often limited and slow to obtain. With the Monarch, she can independently read consistent, high-quality, tactile Braille content and navigate her learning with confidence… Most importantly, the Monarch has opened doors that once seemed inaccessible. Through the innovation and support of the American Printing House for the Blind, she has the tools needed to thrive both in school and beyond. We are truly grateful.” – </span></em><strong><i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Katie, a parent of a blind child in Porterdale, Georgia</span></i></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Ensure that these critical programs for blind Americans will be able to function by committing to support funding to keep the above programs operating effectively and efficiently.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=access-technology-affordability-act-h.r.-1529s.-1918><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1529/S. 1918)<o:p></o:p></span></h2><h3 id=issuethe-cost-of-critically-needed-access-technology-is-out-of-reach-for-most-blind-americans.><strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Issue—The cost of critically needed access technology is out of reach for most blind Americans.</span></strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Access technology enables blind Americans to participate in today’s workforce.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Blindness is well-defined and measurable,<sup>1</sup> but affects each person differently and at different ages. Since individuals’ needs differ, manufacturers have designed various tools that enable each blind American to perform tasks that they were once unable to accomplish themselves due to their blindness. Braille note takers are frequently used in schools, screen reading software allows workers to check their email in the office, and screen magnification software can help seniors losing vision learn about community activities. Access technology equips blind Americans to seek employment and stay employed. For the 61.9 percent of blind Americans who are either unemployed or underemployed, it is a vehicle that facilitates the job seeking process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The high cost of access technology creates a difficult economic reality.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Most access technology ranges in cost from $1,000 to $6,000. For example, a leading screen reader is $900, a popular Braille note taker is $5,495, one model of a refreshable Braille display is $2,795, and a moderately priced Braille embosser is $3,695. According to the United States Census Bureau, 61.9 percent of working age blind Americans are either unemployed or underemployed.<sup>2</sup> Furthermore, one in four blind Americans live below the poverty line and therefore likely do not have sufficient financial resources needed to purchase these items.<sup>3</sup> These financial barriers can ultimately lead to a loss of employment, insufficient education, or even isolation from community activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Medical insurance will not cover the cost of access technology.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Current definitions of “medical care,” “medical necessity,” and “durable medical equipment” within common insurance policies do not include access technology. These definitions were adopted in the 1960s “when medical care was viewed primarily as curative and palliative, with little or no consideration given to increasing an individual’s functional status.”<sup>4</sup> Many states’ Medicaid programs and individual health insurance plans have adopted similar definitions and likewise will not cover the cost of access technology.<sup>5</sup><o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=solutionaccess-technology-affordability-act-ataa><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Solution—Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA):<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Makes access technology more affordable so that blind Americans can procure these items for themselves.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> It establishes a refundable tax credit for blind Americans in the amount of $2,000 to be used over a three-year period to offset the cost of qualified access technology. The credit created by ATAA will sunset after five years and will be indexed for inflation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Provides flexibility for individuals to obtain access technology based upon their specific needs.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Accessibility requires an individualized assessment of one’s own skills and needs. Therefore, blind Americans should be given the opportunity to procure access technology on their own to ensure that they are receiving the tools that are most useful for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Will save the government $315 million through increased federal income and FICA tax revenue.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> More blind Americans working means more people paying federal income taxes. It also means that those blind Americans who obtain gainful employment through this tax credit will no longer need to draw from federal programs such as Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance and will instead be paying into the Social Security Program through FICA taxes. This was demonstrated by a dynamic score calculated by Mathematica showing a $315 million cost savings over the lifetime of this legislation.<sup>6</sup><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Goal—Improve affordability of critically needed access technology necessary for employment and independent living.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>To cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act in the House (H.R. 1529), contact:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Quinn Ritchie, Legislative Director for Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) Phone: 202-225-5406 Email: <a href="mailto:Quinn.Ritchie@mail.house.gov">Quinn.Ritchie@mail.house.gov</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>To cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act in the Senate (S. 1918), contact:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Kathleen Bochow, Legislative Assistant for Senator John Boozman (R-AR) Phone: 202-224-4843 Email: <a href="mailto:Kathleen_Bochow@boozman.senate.gov">Kathleen_Bochow@boozman.senate.gov</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>For more information, contact:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Jesse Shirek, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2348, Email: <a href="mailto:jshirek@nfb.org">jshirek@nfb.org</a>, or visit <a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=footnotes><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Footnotes:<o:p></o:p></span></h3><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>26 U.S.C 63(f)(4).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey, “Percentage of non-institutionalized persons, ages 21-64 years, with visual disability, in the United States, who were employed full-time/full-year in 2023.” <a href="http://www.disabilitystatistics.org">www.disabilitystatistics.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey, “Percentage of non-institutionalized persons, ages 21-64 years, with visual disability, in the United States, who were living below the poverty line in 2023.” <a href="http://www.disabilitystatistics.org">www.disabilitystatistics.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>National Council on Disability, “Federal Policy Barriers to Assistive Technology,” (May 31, 2000) 8, <a href="http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5915519f.pdf">http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5915519f.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Assistive Technology Industry Associates, “AT Resources Funding Guide,” <a href="https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-guide/">https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-guide/</a> (last accessed December 10, 2018).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Mathematica, “Dynamic Score of the Access Technology Affordability Act,” (November 19, 2024) 1.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=blind-americans-return-to-work-act-h.r.-1175><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind Americans Return to Work Act (H.R. 1175)<o:p></o:p></span></h2><h3 id="issuethe-social-security-disability-insurance-benefits-program-contains-an-earnings-cliff-that-hinders-blind-individuals-from-achieving-the-american-dream."><strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Issue—The Social Security Disability Insurance benefits program contains an earnings cliff that hinders blind individuals from achieving the American dream.</span></strong><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program has a built-in “earnings cliff.”</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Title II of the Social Security Act provides that disability benefits paid to blind beneficiaries are eliminated if the beneficiary exceeds a monthly earnings limit.<sup>1</sup> This earnings limit, often called the “earnings cliff,” is in effect a penalty imposed on blind Americans when they work or earn too much. For example, the earnings limit in 2026 for a blind person is $2,830 per month.<sup>2</sup> If a blind individual earns more than that threshold, even by just one dollar, they are engaged in substantial gainful activity (SGA). Under the current law, any individual engaged in SGA is not entitled to any SSDI benefits. This means that if a blind person earns just one dollar over the earnings limit, all benefits are lost. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The earnings cliff incentivizes blind people to choose to remain unemployed or underemployed, despite their desire to work.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> In a 2018 survey, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) found that 21 percent of respondents from thirty-four of their non-profit associations had turned down a raise or promotion to retain their SSDI benefits.<sup>3</sup> The survey also found that 37 percent of respondents had turned down additional hours or even asked to reduce their hours in order to retain their SSDI benefits.<sup>4</sup> Blind Americans who are willing and able to work are intentionally limiting themselves out of fear of losing the entirety of their SSDI benefits and falling off the earnings cliff. For example, according to the Social Security Administration, the average SSDI benefit check in 2025 was $1,582,<sup>5</sup> which equates to $18,984 annually. Under this circumstance, a blind person would lose $18,984 just by earning an additional $12 in a calendar year. This is a trade-off no one wants to accept.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The current work incentive in the form of the trial work period is needlessly complicated and counterintuitive.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Under the current SSDI program, if a blind worker wants to try and earn more money, they will likely trigger a nine-month trial work period. These nine months do not have to be consecutive but instead are any nine months during a rolling sixty-month period in which the worker earned more than a certain amount (for 2026 this amount is $1,210 per month). When all of those nine months are exhausted, the worker is once again subject to the earnings cliff if they cross the SGA threshold. This is supposed to act as an incentive for blind recipients to determine if they are ready to work, but the complexity of the rules and the difference between the trial work period amount and the SGA threshold result in many blind Americans not receiving the benefit the process is intended to provide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=solutionblind-americans-return-to-work-act-h.r.-1175-will><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Solution—Blind Americans Return to Work Act (H.R. 1175) will:<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Eliminate the earnings cliff by instituting a ten-year demonstration program establishing a gradual two-for-one phase-out of SSDI benefits with earnings over the SGA limit.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> For every two dollars a blind worker earns above the SGA threshold, their benefits amount will be reduced by one dollar. This ten-year program will start in 2027 and conclude in 2036, demonstrating that blind Americans can and will achieve their highest earning potential.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Create a genuine work incentive for SSDI recipients.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> With a phase-out model, blind workers will always be better off striving to earn as much as possible, which will facilitate the transition of those workers out of the SSDI system as benefits are gradually reduced. With this model, blind Americans will never lose by working. As an added benefit, fewer workers will be earning SSDI benefits and instead be paying into the Social Security Trust Fund, which means a more balanced Trust Fund in time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Simplify the SSDI system by eliminating the trial work period and grace period, making the rules more consistent with the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Under the proposed system, the SSDI program will become less complicated. With both the SSI and SSDI programs using similar rules, there will be less confusion, and the incentive for blind people to return to work and maximize their earning potential will be consistent and clear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Goal—Eliminate the earnings cliff by adopting a solution used in other Social Security Administration programs.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Cosponsor the Blind Americans Return to Work Act.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>To cosponsor the Blind Americans Return to Work Act in the House (H.R. 1175), contact:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Sloan Hamill, Legislative Correspondent for Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX-17)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Phone: 202-225-6105 Email: <a href="mailto:sloan.hamill@mail.house.gov">sloan.hamill@mail.house.gov</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>For more information, contact:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Jesse Shirek, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2348, Email: <a href="mailto:jshirek@nfb.org">jshirek@nfb.org</a> or visit <a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=footnotes-1><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Footnotes:<o:p></o:p></span></h3><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>42 U.S.C. Sec. 423.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Social Security Administration, “Substantial Gainful Activity”, <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html">https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Commitment to Serve,</span></em><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'> A presentation given at the 2018 NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Ibid.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Social Security Administration, “Selected Data From Social Security’s Disability Program”, Average monthly benefit amounts from January-September 2025, <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/dib-g3.html">https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/dib-g3.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Shawn Jacobson]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=adventure-in-annapolis><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Adventure in Annapolis<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Shawn Jacobson</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>From the Editor: Shawn Jacobson is a longtime member of, and leader in, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. For years, he served as the state treasurer. Just as our national organization puts forth a legislative program each year, many of our affiliates do as well. Here Shawn relates his experience of how the affiliate kicks off its annual effort in the state capital of Annapolis when the Maryland General Assembly convenes each winter for its three-month session. This account is from 2025:</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We stand at the entrance to the Lowe Office Building waiting for someone to open the door. “Please let us in,” we say to a lady entering the building.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We had all awakened early on this chilly Thursday morning to ensure that we were on time, in my case before 4:30 a.m. My wife and I got to the meeting place for our group, the Amtrak Lounge at the New Carrollton Metro stop, just before 6:30 a.m., and the van soon arrived to take us to Annapolis for a day of talking to legislators about our issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>For me, preparation had begun three days earlier. On Monday, we had two conference calls. The first, for team leaders like me, covered team logistics such as when to take photographs with legislators, who to send them to, and what hashtag to use. We also discussed how the team report of our meetings with legislators or their aides should be given.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The meeting for all team members covered the issues we planned to discuss, as well as things people needed for Annapolis. A photo ID is needed to admit people to the office buildings of the state capital complex. Also, business attire is required. I made sure to find my sport coat, tie, tie clip, and dress shirt. This required some effort since I am retired and do not go into an office on a daily basis.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>One more act of preparation was needed. I needed to bring a small bag of candy in case someone on my team had an insulin reaction. My experience told me that such things were a possibility to guard against. With these advance preparations, I felt ready for the day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Soon we are admitted, as security personnel agree to process our early group of advocates. Once we pass through security, we walk the short distance to the Judiciary Committee hearing room. Being early allows us to pick out choice seats as we wait for the work of the day to begin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>On the way to Annapolis, those of us who were team leaders got our team assignments. I will have four team members to lead through the day, including one member who is our dedicated photographer. Now I seek out my team as I wait for our bag of folders to leave in each legislative office we visit. On the right side of the folder is a miscellaneous collection of items we want to give people who should understand blindness issues. This includes the Courtesy Rules of Blindness, an application for our affiliate scholarship program, and one of our Kernel books. The left side contains the fact sheets for our issues. This year we have six issues. One request is for an increase in the property tax exemption for blind homeowners. Another is to pass a bill that will allow the use of autonomous vehicles on Maryland streets; this will, among other things, solve our issues with discrimination by rideshare drivers. We also are asking the legislature to continue the annual grant from the state to our Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access, which benefits businesses and governments from Maryland and beyond. Even though there is a budget deficit that has been much in the news, I’m hopeful that this will be supported, particularly because legislators themselves have used this center in the past when they sought Braille business cards and other accessible materials.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The other three issues involve setting up a commission to study ways to make voting by mail both accessible and secure, setting up a grant program for service animal trainers, and providing Braille or tactile flags for veteran cemeteries. While thinking of the issues, I hear my name called; my bag is ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>I wondered what the schedule would be. I wanted to prepare myself for our travels, the best way to make it through our assigned offices with a minimum of walking. I look through my bag to see what my schedule is, but I don’t see one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Where is my schedule?” I ask.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“It’s coming,” says Ronza Othman, our state president.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Sure enough, I get a folder with a schedule of the offices I’m supposed to visit. In previous years, the hour between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. was the busiest hour for meetings. But now, the heaviest time for meetings is 11:00 a.m. to noon. My schedule shows that our first meeting is at 9:30 a.m. and our second is at 10:00 a.m. At the bottom of the list, I see three senators with a “0” for our meeting time. These are legislators for whom we were not able to set up a time. Since it is a while before our first scheduled appointment, I decide to try getting some of these unscheduled appointments set up. Early and often is my rule for visiting offices with no prescheduled appointment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In the next two hours, we are able to have four meetings, but none with the actual senator. One aide, in an office with a “0” appointment time, barely listens to us; he seems to want us out the door as soon as possible. The other three aides we talk to are pleasant enough, but it is hard to know if that means that the legislator will be supportive. Aides are often understandably noncommittal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Our third scheduled meeting takes us from the James Building, where most senators have offices, to the Miller Building, where committee chairs and some other senators work. “It’s Miller Time,” I joke as we head to our next appointment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We are scheduled to have meetings with three senators and three delegates (members of the lower house of the Maryland General Assembly) between 10:45 and 11:30 a.m., but we only get to talk to aides. I prompt my fellow team members to speak about our priorities. I don’t want to talk all the time. Also, I believe that a good leader involves the whole team if possible. Our shared presentation results in polite responses from the aides, but, again, it is hard to know just where their boss will stand on our issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We see our first, and only, senator when we return to the James Building for a noon meeting. Senator Benson has always been one of our great friends, so we are glad to see her. I judge it worth the wait for her to invite us into her office. Once we talk, the senator peruses our folder. Then she gets excited. “I didn’t realize you had a scholarship program,” she exclaims. She then starts asking us how we fund the program, and we discuss our fundraisers. “Why haven’t you told us about these fundraisers before?” she asks. “We should all know about them.” After a lengthy meeting, we get her support on all our issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The next meeting is set for 12:30 p.m. in the Miller Building. By the time we get to the appointment, we are thirty minutes late, and we miss the senator, who has to run to a committee meeting. Oh well, we get to talk to her aide. One more meeting, with an aide, and it is time for lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We get to the Capitol Cantina just before 2:00 p.m., expecting to be behind the lunch rush. However, we find the place crowded with members of other teams who also have a lengthy break before their next meeting. I settle in to get my lunch, grateful that we only have two meetings left, one scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and one that is yet to be scheduled.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>After lunch and rest, we get to our last meetings. The first of these is with one of the senators with whom we did not have a set time. The senator will be busy all day, so we settle for talking to an aide. Then we reach the office where our final appointment is scheduled only to find that the senator has gone to her daughter’s track meet. And so, we end our day of advocacy with one more cheerful, but noncommittal, aide. I have our designated photographer text the rest of the teams that we have finished, and we head to where an NFB van will take us to supper.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Buddy’s, the restaurant where our evening meal will happen, sits atop a jewelry store. When we leave the van, we are directed to the door and up the stairs to our dining area. It provides a view of the harbor, but we don’t stop to look.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>After a good meal of cream of crab soup followed by a cheeseburger for me, we got down to the real purpose of our group meal. This main purpose is for each of the team leaders to report on their advocacy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Because our schedule this year is ambitious (we usually don’t have six issues), the team reports run long. We are supposed to rank each legislator from one to five, five being the most favorable rating, on each of the issues. In the case of stand-alone bills, a rating of five indicates that the delegate or senator will cosponsor the legislation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>My report feels weak; we only met with one senator. Also, I did not always get the names of the aides we talked to. I explain that I prioritized talking about issues over getting the names of aides. Leaders must prioritize these things, though my prioritization is not always necessarily the best. Finally, with a great deal of relief, I end my report and thank my team members. I call my wife to pick me up at the restaurant. Finally, almost eighteen hours after I got out of bed, we return home. The Annapolis adventure is over for another year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Looking back, I think that the day was worthwhile. We did not get to see as many legislators as I would have hoped, but in each office, we talked to someone about our issues. What may be even more important is that we showed people in Annapolis how competent blind folks can work together to put forward a highly complex program of information on blindness issues. This may be the most lasting, and most worthwhile, thing we accomplished.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id="national-federation-of-the-blind-and-blind-entrepreneurs-file-federal-lawsuit-challenging-army-wide-waiver-of-randolph-sheppard-act"><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>National Federation of the Blind and Blind Entrepreneurs File Federal Lawsuit Challenging Army-Wide Waiver of Randolph-Sheppard Act<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>From the Editor: On January 30, 2026, the National Federation of the Blind and our affiliate, the National Association of Blind Merchants, filed a federal lawsuit challenging an action taken by the United States Department of Education that threatens the Randolph-Sheppard program. We reported this outrageous development in the February issue of this magazine, which had gone to print prior to the filing of this lawsuit. Here is the Federation’s press release announcing the litigation:</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Washington, DC</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>—The National Federation of the Blind, the National Association of Blind Merchants, and several blind entrepreneurs today filed a federal lawsuit challenging a decision by the United States Department of Education that purports to eliminate the Randolph-Sheppard Act priority for blind vendors to operate dining facilities on United States Army installations nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, asks the court to set aside a December 23, 2025, action by the Secretary of Education approving what the Department described as a “limitation” on the Randolph-Sheppard Act as applied to Army dining facility contracts. Plaintiffs contend that the decision exceeds the Secretary’s statutory authority, violates required procedures, and is arbitrary and capricious.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Randolph-Sheppard Act, passed in 1936 and strengthened by Congress in 1974, requires federal agencies to give priority to blind vendors in the operation of vending facilities, including cafeterias, on federal property. For more than thirty years, blind vendors have successfully operated Army dining facilities across the country, often winning awards from the military itself. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“The Randolph-Sheppard Act does not authorize the Secretary of Education to waive the law for an entire federal agency,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “Congress created and later enhanced this program to expand economic opportunity for blind entrepreneurs. The Department of Education cannot erase the work of America’s lawmakers through a sweeping administrative finding based on anecdote, speculation, or policy disagreement, and should not exclude blind people from shaping the future direction of the program. The National Federation of the Blind stands with the blind business owners who are providing outstanding and award-winning service to members of our nation’s armed forces every day, and we are determined to reverse this unlawful, unwarranted, and unjust action.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The Department of Education’s action marks the first time the Secretary has approved any limitation under the Randolph-Sheppard Act and the first time such a limitation has been applied on a nationwide, categorical basis. The lawsuit says that the Act authorizes only narrowly tailored limitations on the placement or operation of specific facilities, not a wholesale elimination of the priority established by Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In announcing the Army-wide waiver, the Department cited generalized claims regarding cost, delay, and performance. However, the Department did not publish any supporting documentation for those claims, despite an express statutory requirement to do so. According to the lawsuit, the decision rests on vague and anecdotal assertions that are contradicted by decades of successful performance by blind vendors operating Army dining facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>If allowed to stand, the Department’s action would jeopardize the livelihoods of blind vendors currently serving on Army installations, displace hundreds of employees, and undermine state programs that rely on revenue generated through Randolph-Sheppard contracts to support blind entrepreneurs nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The lawsuit follows a previously issued statement by the National Federation of the Blind expressing grave concern about the Department of Education’s decision and its implications for blind vendors and the integrity of the Randolph-Sheppard program. The plaintiffs are represented by the Baltimore law firm Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLC.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=we-need-your-help><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We Need Your Help<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Through the Federation, I learned that most of what I was taught to believe about blindness was untrue. Being blind wasn’t something to be ashamed of. Using my cane in public wasn’t weird. If I wanted to pick up my cane or my [guide] dog and walk somewhere, I could just do it because the fears of other people didn’t have to be my fears too. – Julie<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind people across the United States are making powerful strides in education and leadership, but we need to continue helping people like Julie. For more than eighty years, the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality. With support from individuals like you, we can continue to provide powerful programs and critical resources now and for decades to come. We hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by including the National Federation of the Blind in your charitable giving and in your estate planning. It is easier than you think.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=with-your-help-the-nfb-will-continue-to><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>With your help, the NFB will continue to:<o:p></o:p></span></h3><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Give the gift of literacy through Braille.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Mentor young people.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Promote independent travel by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Develop dynamic educational projects and programs to show blind youth that science and math careers are within their reach.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their communities.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li style='color:#1A1A1A;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Below are just a few of the many tax-deductible ways you can show your support of the National Federation of the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=vehicle-donation-program><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Vehicle Donation Program<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>We accept donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation. We can also answer any questions you have.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=general-donation><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>General Donation<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they want. You can call 410-659-9314, extension 2430, to give by phone. Give online with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit our online contribution page at: <a href="https://nfb.org/donate">https://nfb.org/donate</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=pre-authorized-contributions><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Pre-Authorized Contributions<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdrawal of funds from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, call 877-NFB-2PAC, or fill out our PAC Donation Form <a href="https://www.nfb.org/pac">https://www.nfb.org/pac</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=plan-to-leave-a-legacy><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Plan to Leave a Legacy<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The National Federation of the Blind legacy society, our Dream Makers Circle, honors and recognizes the generosity and imagination of members and special friends who have chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other planned giving option. You can join the Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 id=percentage-or-fixed-sum-of-assets><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Percentage or Fixed Sum of Assets<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>You can specify that a percentage or a fixed sum of your assets or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind in your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other accounts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 id=payable-on-death-pod-account><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Payable on Death (POD) Account<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>You can name the National Federation of the Blind as the beneficiary on a Payable on Death (POD) account through your bank. You can turn any checking or savings account into a POD account. This is one of the simplest ways to leave a legacy. The account is totally in your control during your lifetime and you can change the beneficiary or percentage at any time with ease.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 id=will-or-trust><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Will or Trust<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Visit our Planned Giving webpage (<a href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving">https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving</a> or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In 2025 our supporters helped the NFB:<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Host career fair and employment mentoring events for over three hundred and fifty job seekers.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Distribute over six thousand free white canes to blind people across the United States, empowering them to travel safely and independently throughout their communities.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Deliver more than five hundred newspapers and magazines to more than 135,000 subscribers with print disabilities free of charge.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Give over six hundred Braille-writing slates and styluses free of charge to blind users.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Mentor 153 blind youth during our Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning Academy.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Distribute over twenty-three thousand Braille books to children and adult readers alike.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #E6E6E6 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 12.0pt;margin-left:20.4pt;margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li style='color:#606060;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo5'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Award thirty scholarships each in the amount of $8,000 to blind students.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul></blockquote><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Just imagine what we will do in 2026, and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years to come. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Catherine Horn Randall]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Cathy and Bob dance at their wedding.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=but-i-dont-know-how-to-dance><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“But I Don’t Know How to Dance”<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Catherine Horn Randall</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>From the Editor: Cathy Randall is a longtime leader in the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois. Not too long ago, she lost her husband Bob, a partner in all she did including her Federationism. Here is how she tells their beautiful story:</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>When I was growing up in Quincy, Illinois, no one ever suggested that I was blind. People said I “didn’t see very well,” and I wore glasses for reading, but the B word was never spoken.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Like many other low-vision kids at that time, I attended what they used to call a “sight-saving class.” Children from kindergarten through eighth grade were all taught in the same classroom, with the teacher scampering from one kid to the next. We had some of our classes, such as music, with the mainstream kids.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Apart from touch typing, which I started in sixth grade, I can’t say I learned much in the sight-saving classroom. The playground was a different story! That’s where I learned to fight. Once a boy started teasing me, calling me Four-Eyes, and I beat the heck out of him. When he begged me to stop, I told him we could be friends as long as he promised never to tease me that way again. He promised. After that we became good friends, and he never broke his word.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>I was fully mainstreamed in high school, and that’s when I fell in love with literature. Shakespeare really opened the door to learning for me. I had plenty of friends, some I met at school and some who were the children of my parents’ friends. It was a happy time for me, and when I graduated I was ready to go away to college.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>I enrolled at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. It was a small coeducational liberal-arts college founded in 1846. The academic work was challenging, and I spent a lot of time studying. But I found plenty of time to have an active social life. One of the fellows I dated occasionally was a tall, shy guy named Bob Randall, who went to Illinois College, a school nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>During my junior year I went to Bob and told him, “Bob, will you take me to the Homecoming Dance at McMurray?” He said, “Cathy, I’d love to, but I don’t know how to dance.” I said, “Fine! I’ll teach you.” So I went over to his apartment and gave him dancing lessons. As it turned out, we danced together for the next fifty-five years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Looking back, I sometimes marvel that Bob had the guts to admit that he didn’t know how to dance. Even more, I appreciate his complete lack of concern about my blindness. It was never a problem for him at all, even when I lost my remaining vision in my thirties. His mother was a different story. She asked him, “Are you sure you want to get involved with Cathy? That girl can hardly see.” Bob told her, “I’m sure.” Eventually his mother and I became good friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>When Bob and I got married, I still had one more semester of college to go. My name on my diploma is Catherine Horn Randall. Bob and I lived in an apartment off campus, and later we bought a house in Jacksonville, where we spent the next fifty-five years. I taught him about literature, and he taught me about birds. Together we went on birding expeditions all over the world. I often think how blessed I have been, that I met a guy with the courage to admit that he didn’t know how to dance, and the willingness to let me teach him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>PHOTO CAPTION: Shawn Callaway]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=filling-in-the-gap><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Filling in the Gap<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Shawn Callaway</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>From the Editor: Among many other roles, Shawn Callaway is the co-chair of the Federation’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Since March is Women’s History Month, he has contributed an article about two outstanding blind women in his community. Here is what he shares:</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I would like to recognize the contributions of Joyce Brooks, Lois Staves, and the Inspirational Three Foundation (i3s) for their significant contributions to the blind community. I am extremely honored to express my appreciation in this periodical, because the i3s was originally founded by Joyce Brooks, Lois Staves, and Reggie Pratt due to concern about the minimal blind and low-vision services in Prince George’s County (PG), Maryland. Currently, Joyce and Lois are carrying on the mission of the i3s and continue to serve as active members of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Maryland’s Prince George’s County Chapter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Since becoming members of the NFB, Joyce and Lois have developed a passion for supporting the blind community in obtaining sufficient behavioral health services and intensive case management services. Many blind people that Joyce and Lois have encountered have not received behavioral health services, have received minimal case management services, are from underserved populations, and have low income. I humbly believe that the Division of Rehabilitation Services of Maryland is working diligently to provide services to the blind residents of PG County, but due to budget restraints and high caseloads, it is difficult for the agency to fulfill the demands of independent living skills training services that are required for blind residents.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Also, Prince George’s County government has provided minimal financial resources for training services for its blind residents. For example, I continue to serve as a board member for a nonprofit training center that provides training services for blind residents of the District of Columbia, Southern Maryland, and Northern Virginia. I am therefore aware of the funding to provide independent living services to blind consumers in the above jurisdictions. In fiscal year 2022 and 2023, the nonprofit received less than $25,000 to provide services to county residents. On the other hand, Montgomery County, Maryland, and the District of Columbia governments allocated substantial funding for their blind residents to receive independent living skills training services.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Determined to help blind consumers obtain some standard of quality of life, the i3s provides case management and peer support groups to consumers from the blind community and continues to be the only organization not receiving government funding that provides the above services in Prince George’s County for blind residents. Indeed, Joyce and Lois have provided intensive case management services to blind county residents on a volunteer basis. There have been dozens of residents who had no guidance after experiencing vision loss but were provided with instant direction and resourceful information from Joyce and Lois. These two dynamic individuals have taken calls from blind county residents as early as 7:00 a.m. and as late as 10:00 p.m. to ensure that they are given sufficient guidance to receive the correct services so they can live as independent blind people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Because of their connections to blind organizations, blind county residents are quickly engaged in activities provided by the i3s until they receive independent living skills training. In addition, the i3s have assisted blind unhoused individuals with locating shelter, food, and clothing. Assistive technology trainings are held on an as-needed basis. There are many blind county residents who have not received any assistive technology training after receiving their equipment from their state agency. However, i3s have referred individuals to organizations that provide basic JAWS keyboarding and smartphone training until the consumer receives a call from a state agency to begin more formal and intensive training. The i3s have called on the assistance of Federationists Libra Robinson and Tajuan Farmer to conduct the assistive technology training, which includes their wildly popular Tech Talk Tuesdays.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Since 2014, the i3s have facilitated weekly support groups for over 550 blind people. These support groups have been impactful in multiple ways. First, historically after experiencing vision loss, blind consumers are rarely referred for behavioral health resources by any agency that serves the blind. However, the i3s have conducted behavioral health discussions and provided resources to blind consumers who have participated in the support group. The i3s have collaborated with multiple behavioral health clinicians, and many of the consumers have acquired assistance to address their behavioral health needs. Second, there have been blind working-aged consumers who decided that they had no desire to be employed, or they thought that obtaining employment was a long shot. After participating in the daily support groups from the i3s, which included guest speakers from the employment sector who facilitated discussions on disability employment, these same county residents became motivated and sought out employment training services from their state agency. Third, the i3s have provided support to family members who have loved ones who have lost their vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Often, we fail to understand that family members are having a difficult time accepting that their loved one has lost their eyesight and feel that their loved one will no longer be independent. The i3s have developed support group sessions for family members to help them understand that their loved one who has lost their eyesight can be independent and can live the lives they want. Fourth, the i3s have been engaged in their local community events. For example, they have provided support to patrons at the Prince George’s County chapter resource day and the Reed Temple Mega Church community day. Lastly, some blind consumers who have participated in the i3s support groups have become members of the NFB. Many have joined the Prince George’s County Chapter and Greater Washington, DC, chapters and have made meaningful contributions to the organization and the blind community. Support group guests such as Melissa Riccobono, Ever Lee Hairston, Anil Lewis, and Ron Brown were helpful in encouraging support group members to consider the Federation. Furthermore, despite personal health challenges, Joyce and Lois have continued to provide case management services to blind consumers. It is important to note that both Joyce and Lois are over seventy years old and work harder than individuals half their age to serve the blind community.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The i3s have been recognized by multiple community stakeholders. After their first year of service, the i3s received the 2015 Community Service Outreach Award from the Prince Georges County Department of Child and Family Service and Department on Aging, and in 2019 they received the National Federation of the Blind of the District of Columbia Presidential Award.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In conclusion, the i3s have gone above and beyond in preparing blind PG County residents to live the lives they want. As I write this article, I am amazed that i3s continue to be the only non-government-funded organization in Prince George’s County to provide support groups, case management services, and referrals for assistive technology training to blind residents. If the i3s did not exist, it is highly probable that there would be dozens of blind county residents sitting at home and wondering if it is truly possible that they can live the lives they want. Therefore, for Women’s History Month, I tip my cap to Joyce Brooks and Lois Staves for their unselfish contributions to the blind community and for being a beacon of hope for blind people who now know that they can lead productive lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO CAPTION: Peggy Chong]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=divorce-me><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Divorce Me”<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>by Peggy Chong</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>From the Editor: Peggy Chong has won the Federation’s Dr. Jacob Bolotin award twice for her extensive research and writing telling the stories of blind people. She is known to all as the Blind History Lady and is available for presentations to affiliates and chapters. Here is an article adapted from one of her newsletters:</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Divorce me,” said the blind Marine lieutenant, lying in a bed at the base hospital at Camp Lejeune.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“No,” said his young bride of eleven months.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Divorce me! I can never be any good to you now. All I’m good for is standing on a corner with a tin cup,” Thomas Hasbrook repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“No. I am not divorcing you,” Mary Jane answered—for perhaps the hundredth time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>When Mary Jane was not in the room, Tom’s thoughts returned again and again to the training exercise he had led two weeks earlier. It had gone wrong. An explosion had taken his sight. He was haunted by the knowledge that the men he had expected to ship out with that February of 1944 were overseas without him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Neither Mary Jane nor Tom’s mother had much idea what a blind man could do. What they did know was that Tom could not remain trapped in despair. Mary Jane brought a typewriter to the hospital and taught him to type. His mother began learning Braille herself and taught Tom as she progressed. A deck of cards became an early teaching tool, helping him understand the value of learning to read and write by touch.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Within weeks, the Veterans Administration transferred Tom to its hospital in Philadelphia for further treatment and blindness rehabilitation. During one visit, Tom overheard his father-in-law speaking to Mary Jane outside his hospital room. He believed divorce would be best. Her friends, he said, would graduate from college, build careers, and raise families, while she would be burdened by marriage to a blind man. The words cut deeply, but they also hardened Tom’s resolve to prove him wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Mary Jane later brought Tom a letter from Eli Lilly, his employer before the war. The company wanted him back, no matter what. She urged Tom to respond, but the letter remained untouched in a drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>A priest visiting the hospital listened as Tom voiced his fears: Would he always be dependent on others, even to walk from a car to a doctor’s office? The priest suggested he explore training with a guide dog. A few weeks after leaving the VA hospital, Tom was in Morristown, New Jersey, training with his first guide dog.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>When the couple returned to Indianapolis, Eli Lilly made good on its promise of employment. Tom joined the public relations department as a staff writer, transcribing documents from Ediphone wax recordings. Accuracy mattered; before computers, a document riddled with errors had to be retyped in full. Tom’s precision made him an asset. On his first day back at work, Mary Jane could not drive him. Snow was falling. From the window, she watched anxiously as Tom raised his thumb and caught a ride. When he returned home safely, she began to understand that he could travel independently.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>At his father’s urging, Tom visited the local Veterans Affairs office to inquire about benefits. There he encountered his first direct experience with discrimination as a blind person.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“You can’t bring that dog in here,” the security guard said. Tom explained that he needed the dog to reach the second-floor offices. The guard refused. After several futile exchanges, Tom left. Across the street stood the office of his state representative. Tom told his story. Together they walked to the state capital, where Tom addressed other legislators. That morning, a bill was drafted to guarantee access to public buildings for blind people using a cane or guide dog. It passed both chambers that afternoon and was signed into law that evening—an unprecedented legislative feat. The political spark had been lit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Tom soon became active in the Blinded Veterans Association and was elected its national president in 1948. He traveled widely, urging blind veterans to organize, advocate, and demand meaningful employment opportunities. He pressed national leaders for stronger laws and better rehabilitation policies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Public service followed. Tom served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1951 to 1955, then in the Indiana Senate until 1958. In 1960 he was elected to the Indianapolis City Council. After city-county consolidation, he became council president from 1970 to 1975 and later served as deputy mayor. He led the Marion County Hospital Association and continued public service even after retiring from Eli Lilly in 1983. Years later, a county health and hospital building would bear his name.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Despite repeated encouragement from the Republican Party to run for Congress, Tom declined. Mary Jane made her position clear: she would not take her family away from Indianapolis.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Tom recognized that while politics achieved broad goals, personal service changed individual lives. He joined the Junior Chamber of Commerce and received its 1949 National Ten Outstanding Young Men Award. In the 1950s, he helped found Bosma Enterprises, creating pathways to employment for blind Hoosiers. The organization continues to honor him through the annual Thomas C. Hasbrook Award Luncheon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Family life remained central. Tom and Mary Jane raised six children in a lively household. Tom swam each morning before work, walked daily with his guide dog, washed the family car on Saturdays, and even taught his children how to back a car out of the garage—his hand resting on the hood to gauge speed and direction.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Mary Jane read to Tom in the early years, later joined by their children. Reading together became a shared education in ideas, philosophy, and politics. As the children grew older and drove him to engagements across the city, they witnessed Tom’s commitment to listening—particularly in Black neighborhoods that other politicians ignored. He earned trust because he showed up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Each of the Hasbrook children attended college, supported by their father. Tom liked to joke that he had “one doctor, three lawyers, and two teachers” for children—and that with six kids, he was clearly a good Catholic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Tom and Mary Jane never divorced. Tom died exactly four months after his wife who had refused to give up on him fifty-two years earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id="blind-and-print-disabled-harris-county-voters-file-federal-lawsuit-seeking-accessible-vote-by-mail-ballots"><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind and Print-Disabled Harris County Voters File Federal Lawsuit Seeking Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballots<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>From the Editor: The following is the text of a press release issued by the National Federation of the Blind on February 6, 2026, highlighting our continued nationwide fight for fully accessible, private, and independent voting. Here is the release:</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Houston, TX</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>—A group of Harris County voters who are blind and who have print disabilities, together with the National Federation of the Blind of Texas, filed a proposed class-action lawsuit today against Harris County and County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth challenging the county’s failure to provide remote accessible vote-by-mail (RAVBM) ballots for blind and other voters who cannot read or complete paper ballots.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleges violations of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The individual plaintiffs include Cedric Bryant, Ted Galanos, Louis Maher, and Michael McCulloch, all registered Harris County voters who are blind and/or have other disabilities that prevent them from independently holding, reading, marking, or handling paper ballots.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>They are joined by the National Federation of the Blind of Texas (NFB-TX ), the transformative civil rights organization of blind Texans, which is an affiliate of the Baltimore-based National Federation of the Blind. The plaintiffs filed this complaint not just on their own behalf, but on behalf of all registered Harris County voters with print disabilities and will seek class certification to represent that entire group in this lawsuit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Voting is a fundamental right essential to full and equal participation in American society, and that right necessarily includes the ability to cast a ballot privately and independently, without fear of disclosing our vote to others or having our ballot tampered with,” said Norma Crosby, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“Harris County already provides electronic ballots to military and overseas voters and even to astronauts in outer space. There is no lawful or practical reason to deny the same access to blind and print-disabled voters here at home. We are merely demanding the secret ballot that other voters already have and is guaranteed by law.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“The National Federation of the Blind has fought for, and won, the equal right to a secret and secure ballot elsewhere in Texas and beyond,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“We will continue to aggressively defend the right of every blind American to cast their ballot with complete privacy and independence and to break down the barriers that needlessly prevent blind people from participating in our democracy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Under Harris County’s current system, vote-by-mail ballots are provided only in paper form. As a result, voters who are blind or have print disabilities must rely on sighted assistants to read and mark their ballots, sacrificing privacy and independence and violating Texas law, which guarantees a secret ballot. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind and print-disabled voters regularly use access technologies—such as text-to-speech screen readers, Braille displays, mouth-stick styluses, and adaptive switches—to independently access digital devices and electronic documents. If Harris County provided ballots that could be marked and returned electronically with these technologies, these voters could complete them without assistance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The lawsuit also points out that Harris County previously offered a Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail (RAVBM) system for military and overseas voters and has successfully transmitted electronic ballots to astronauts on space missions, including Butch Wilmore and Sunni Williams, who were stranded for several months aboard the International Space Station. In addition, Bexar County, Texas, was ordered by a federal court in 2023 to provide accessible electronic ballots to blind voters as a result of a similar lawsuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Despite repeated requests from Disability Rights Texas and advocates for blind voters, Harris County has refused to extend its electronic ballot system to voters with print disabilities. In October 2024, after individual plaintiff Michael McCulloch requested an accessible ballot as an accommodation, the County Clerk’s Office denied the request, asserting that no such ballot existed and that Texas law prohibited electronic ballots for disabled voters.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>“That assertion is simply wrong,” said Eve Hill, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Federal disability rights laws require public entities to provide auxiliary aids and services, including accessible electronic documents, when necessary to ensure equal access. Accessible electronic ballots are readily available and already in use in Texas and many other jurisdictions.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The plaintiffs are asking the federal court to order Harris County to implement an accessible electronic vote-by-mail system, declare the current paper-only system unlawful, and award attorneys’ fees and costs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from Disability Rights Texas and the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=monitor-miniatures><em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Monitor</span></em><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'> Miniatures<o:p></o:p></span></h2><h3 id=news-from-the-federation-family><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>News from the Federation Family<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Two young STEM2U Arizona participants work diligently together on their project.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>[PHOTO/CAPTION: A group of Rhode Island BELL participants and mentors smile together on a field trip to the Kids Empire.]<o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 id=nfb-youth-programs-nfb-bell-academy-and-stem2u><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>2026 NFB Youth Programs: NFB BELL Academy and STEM2U<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to announce its 2026 youth programming through two signature initiatives: the NFB BELL Academy and NFB STEM2U.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The NFB BELL Academy (Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning) is designed for blind and low-vision children and focuses on building strong foundational skills in Braille literacy, nonvisual independence, and confidence. Through hands-on learning and positive blindness philosophy, students are encouraged to explore, learn, and grow alongside peers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>NFB STEM2U brings hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math experiences directly to blind and low-vision students. These programs emphasize accessible experimentation, problem-solving, and exposure to STEM concepts and careers—demonstrating that blind students belong in STEM spaces.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Programs will be offered in multiple locations during 2026. Learn more and find registration details on our website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-bell-academy">https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-bell-academy</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/education/nfb-stem2u">https://nfb.org/programs-services/education/nfb-stem2u</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 id=elected><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Elected<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The National Federation of the Blind of Arizona’s East Valley Chapter held their elections on January 17, 2026, and the following officers were elected to a one-year term.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>President: Megan Homrighausen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>First Vice President: Kristopher Crawley<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Second Vice President: Joe Sizemore<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Secretary: Tony Sohl<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Treasurer: Heather Bowes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Board Position 1: Tina Sohl<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Board Position 2: Matt Mazak<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Congratulations to these new leaders!<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 id=in-brief><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>In Brief<o:p></o:p></span></h3><p><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space and clarity.</span></strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'><o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 id=blind-birders-birdathon-goes-global><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Blind Birders Birdathon Goes Global<o:p></o:p></span></h4><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>The second annual Blind Birders Birdathon will be held May 3-4, 2026. Last year was our first experience of engaging birders from all over the United States who are blind and low vision. Participants agreed to listen for birds for at least two hours and turn in their birding lists to be part of an overall tally. This year we have added a day so that people can choose which day to bird and therefore have more transportation options. We are also going global and welcome participants from all over the world. Also, we are having monthly informational gatherings to help prepare participants for the adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>For more information or to register, you may go to <a href="http://Birdability.org">Birdability.org</a>. You can also contact Donna Posont, Coordinator: Birding by Ear and Beyond, Environmental Interpretive Center, University of Michigan-Dearborn at <a href="mailto:donnabutterfly50@gmail.com">donnabutterfly50@gmail.com</a>. Prizes will be awarded by a random drawing for those participants in the United States. You will receive notice of the wrap up meeting after the event once you have registered on the Birdability website.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>Friends and family or interested individuals who are sighted may also register and volunteer to bird with someone or join with a group of blind birders. Help us make this year bigger and better and a wonderful opportunity for all of us to get outside and engage in the natural world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>----------<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 id=nfb-pledge><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>NFB Pledge<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1A1A1A'>I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>