From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Mon Jun 5 22:30:16 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2023 18:30:16 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] news you can use, technology addition June 5th Message-ID: <014801d997fd$4d5d4ae0$e817e0a0$@gmail.com> Hey NFB Family and Friends, There has been so much going on in the technology world the last few weeks, this News you can use is only about technology! Another email will be send with all of the normal updates, career opportunities, things to do etc. Enjoy! Tek Talk welcomes Michael Janssen, founder and CEO of AYES Inc., to discuss OKO, the revolutionary new pedestrian crossing app. AYES Inc. is developing an AI service to assist the blind and visually impaired to explore cities effortlessly. They have developed a mobile application, called OKO, that assists blind and visually impaired people to receive the status of the pedestrian traffic light and helps you with not veering off when crossing the street. OKO doesn't require any additional infrastructure to be installed so every traffic light becomes accessible. OKO helps you cross the street with more ease and confidence. Presenter Contact Info Michael Janssen: founder and CEO of AYES Inc. Website: https://www.ayes.ai/oko About 10 minutes before each program dial the Zoom numbers or work with your computer link found on your Zoom invitation. Zoom invitation The Zoom meeting invitation for this Training Class is the following: Hi there, Larry Gassman and Alan Lemly are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Tek Talk welcomes Michael Janssen, founder and CEO of AYES Inc., to discuss OKO, the revolutionary new pedestrian crossing app. Time: Meets Monday, June 5, 2023, from 8-9 p.m. Eastern. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/839935813?pwd=eXFMRHpxNnhFZlRiMHAzRWNWYXM3Zz09 Or iPhone one-tap: +19292056099,,839935813# US (New York) +13126266799,,839935813# US (Chicago) Or Telephone: Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 839 935 813 Passcode: awz International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/cnnUjZ1oh Visually impaired Accessible technology - BingNews - Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 11:19 PM 25 Smartphone Accessibility Settings You Need to Know About These accessibility settings will change the way you use your phone, whether you have a disability or simply want to make your life easier. We rely on our smartphones for just about everything, but most of us know only a fraction of what they can do . Thanks to accessibility settings on iPhones and Androids-such as screen readers, voice-to-text dictation, and more-our phones can make daily tasks more convenient, especially for people with disabilities. "Using the accessibility features built into most smartphones improves the lives of people with disabilities in exactly the same ways smartphones have improved the everyday lives of everyone," says Matt Hackert, a nonvisual access technology specialist at the National Federation of the Blind. These settings aren't only for people with disabilities, though. Features like captions and sound amplification can help all of us more easily navigate our phones and the world around us. "Anyone can play with these on their iPhone to check out the possibilities," says Ashley Shew, PhD, a disability tech expert and assistant professor at Virginia Tech. Whether you live with a disability or just want to use your smartphone more effectively, you'll want to find out what these accessibility settings do and how to use them on iPhones and Androids. Once you're a pro, learn other hidden smartphone features you never knew about, such as how to hide text messages on an iPhone , how to turn off Google Assistant on your Android phone , and how to view (and delete) your iPhone 's call history. iPhone accessibility settings Apple launched the first iPhone accessibility features in 2009, and the brand has continued to expand its offerings ever since. Today, "Apple builds accessibility into the design process for everything we make so that people can access technology on their terms," says Sarah Herrlinger, senior director of Apple's Global Accessibility Policy & Initiatives. Experts recommend checking out the following accessibility settings on iPhones, all of which can be found under Settings > Accessibility. Make sure you're looped in on these secrets Apple insiders know about iPhones , too. VoiceOver VoiceOver uses artificial intelligence to provide audible descriptions of items on your screen, from images to battery level to who is calling you. According to Herrlinger, VoiceOver is the world's most popular mobile screen reader, with 70 percent of blind people using it every day. To turn VoiceOver on or off, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver and toggle the switch. You can also say, "Hey Siri, turn on VoiceOver" or "Turn off VoiceOver." Zoom Want to learn how to zoom in and out on any iPhone screen to see text or images better? Get familiar with Apple's Zoom feature. "Zoom magnifies the content on the screen and has many options to configure contrast, invert colors, and highlight focus," says Hackert. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Zoom, then turn on Zoom. From there, you can activate the feature any time you need it by double-tapping the screen with three fingers. If you want to see more of the screen, move the Zoom lens by dragging the screen with three fingers. You can turn off Zoom by double-tapping the screen with three fingers again. Magnifier No need to carry around a pair of reading glasses-you can use your iPhone's camera instead. "[As] a glasses wearer myself, [Magnifier] enables me to use my iPhone like a magnifying glass to read small print on things like medicine bottles and printed materials," Herrlinger says. To try this feature, go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier and toggle the switch to the "on" position. Then open the app on the home screen and point your iPhone's camera at the text or object you want to magnify. You can zoom in or out with the zoom control slider, or adjust the image's appearance using the Brightness, Contrast, Color filters, and Flashlight buttons below. rd.com, Getty Images Text Size Customizing the text settings on iPhones can make the screen easier to see, especially for people with vision challenges. For how to make text bigger on iPhones, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. There, you can turn on the Larger Accessibility Sizes setting and adjust the size of the text using the Font Size slider. Once you do that, apps like Settings, Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Messages, and Notes will use your preferred text size rather than the default size. Turns out there are many more hidden iPhone hacks most of us don't know about. Text Color and Readability iPhone also offers other text customization settings under its Display & Text Size feature, including inverting the display colors, increasing the contrast between the text and background, reducing the intensity of bright colors, and applying color filters. If you have color blindness, you can turn on the Button Shapes setting to underline hyperlinked text or the On/Off Labels setting to show numbers on sliders instead of colors. Like the text size feature, these settings are compatible with all of Apple's apps, including Settings, Mail, and Messages. Subtitles and Captions When watching videos on your iPhone, you can turn on subtitles and closed captions through iPhone's accessibility settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captioning and turn on Closed Captions + SDH for those who are the deaf or hard of hearing. You can even customize the subtitles display by tapping Style, then choosing an existing caption style or creating a new style with your preferred font, size, and color; opacity; and more. Make sure you also know these helpful iPhone and iPad keyboard shortcuts . Headphone Accommodations Want to know how to turn up the volume on your iPhone beyond the usual audio settings? Certain Apple and Beats headphones can help you amplify and adjust the sounds in the music, movies, phone calls, and podcasts you listen to on your device. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Headphone Accommodations, then turn on Headphone Accommodations. Tap Custom Audio Setup, then follow the instructions to customize the audio settings on your phone. Once you're finished, you can test it out by tapping Play Sample. Switch Control Switch Control helps iPhone users with limited mobility perform actions like texting and opening apps by clicking a switch instead of tapping. A switch can be a keyboard key, mouse button, trackpad button, joystick, or adaptive device. For users who are nonverbal or nonspeaking, Apple recently launched Sound Actions for Switch Control, which "replaces physical buttons and switches with mouth sounds, like a click, pop, or 'ee' sound," Herrlinger says. Add a new switch under Settings > Accessibility > Switch Control > Switches, then tap Add New Switch and choose a source. Then you can turn on Switch Control by going to Settings > Accessibility > Switch Control and turning the setting on or off. People Detection With People Detection, your iPhone scans the area around you, recognizes when other people are close by, and shares this information with vibrations or sounds. "This feature gives members of the blind and low vision community another tool to make the world more accessible," Herrlinger says. It's also a helpful reminder for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Turn it on by opening the Magnifier app, tapping the Settings icon, tapping the "+" icon beside People Detection, and then choosing People Detection. >From there, you can customize the measurement units, distance increments, and notification type. Don't miss these other iPhone tricks that can make things so much easier. Live Listen If you use hearing devices, your iPhone's Live Listen setting can help you hear conversations in loud places. Just connect your hearing devices to your iPhone and place your device close to the people who are speaking to boost the volume of their voices. To turn this feature on, go to Settings > Accessibility, then select Hearing Devices. Tap the name of your hearing device under MFi Hearing Devices, then tap Start Live Listen and place the phone in front of the person you want to hear. Turn it off again by going back to the Hearing Devices menu, tapping the name of your hearing device under MFi Hearing Devices, and then tapping End Live Listen. Dictation Dictation is a voice-to-text feature built into all iPhones. By allowing users to write and punctuate text with just their voices, it provides a hands-free (and efficient!) way to send text messages, emails, and other notes. "Many people, regardless of whether they are blind or not, find use for dictation," Hackert says. To use Dictation, just open the keyboard in the app you want to use and tap the microphone button. Begin speaking to make the text appear on the screen. You can also insert periods or exclamation points by saying the punctuation you want to add. When you are finished with your message, tap the keyboard icon at the bottom of the screen. Sound Detection Turning on the Sound Detection feature will allow your iPhone to listen for certain sounds like a doorbell or siren. If it detects those sounds, it will alert you by flashing and vibrating. To set up Sound Recognition, go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Recognition, then turn on Sound Recognition . Tap Sounds and choose the sounds you want your iPhone to recognize. rd.com, Getty Images Android accessibility settings Accessibility settings on Android phones have boomed in recent years, according to Angana Ghosh, an Android group project manager. "Google's mission is to make the world's information accessible to everyone," she says. "Over the years, we have launched new features, and we continue to improve those features by listening to user feedback and working directly with communities." Hackert agrees: "Google lagged significantly behind Apple in the quality and usefulness of its accessibility technology [early on], but in more recent years, Google has really made strong advances, to the point where they are easily on par with Apple," he says. Here are a few accessibility settings that Android users can try, along with these Android hacks you need to know. What is Android Accessibility Suite? The Android Accessibility Suite offers a wide range of accessibility settings to help the visually impaired navigate their devices. "Accessibility is core to the Android user experience, and we're passionate about making smartphones useful for everyone, including people with disabilities," Ghosh says. Found on nearly every version of Android, the Accessibility Suite can be activated through the Settings menu, where you can turn on features like a gesture-based screen reader and switch access. Bet you never knew about these hidden Android features either. TalkBack Like iPhone's VoiceControl feature, the TalkBack screen reader on Androids will give audible descriptions of the text and images on your screen. You can activate it by going to Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack. Toggle the Use TalkBack feature on or off, then tap OK. Bonus: Users with blindness or low vision can also use Android's TalkBack Braille Keyboard to add 6-dot braille to their keyboards-no extra hardware required. To turn on the keyboard's braille mode, go to Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Braille Keyboard > Layout. This feature was designed by a low-vision Googler in Australia, according to Ghosh. Action Blocks Action Blocks was one of Android's first accessibility settings. It offers customizable buttons on the Android home screen for routine actions like placing calls or controlling the lights, and it was "designed to make it easier for caregivers and people with cognitive disabilities and age-related cognitive conditions to fully access and perform tasks on their phone," according to Ghosh. Create your own Action Blocks by downloading the Action Blocks app from the Google Play Store, then opening the app and tapping on Create Action Block. From there, you can choose one of the common actions from the list, such as Make Phone Call, and label it with an image, name, or both. Once you're done, select Save Action Block. Display and Font Size If a visual impairment makes it hard to see your device's screen, you can adjust the size and display to see items on your screen more clearly. To change the font size of text on your screen, go to Settings > Accessibility > Font Size and move the slider up or down. Make the images on your screen bigger by going to Settings > Accessibility > Display Size and adjusting the slider. Under Settings > Accessibility, you can also choose to turn on High Contrast Text, Dark Theme, Color Inversion, or Color Correction to make everything on the screen more visible. Magnification Still struggling to make out items on your Android phone's screen? You can temporarily zoom or magnify your screen using Android's Magnification tool. To turn on this feature, open the Settings app and tap Accessibility > Magnification > Magnification Shortcut. Now, when you need to magnify your screen, just tap the Accessibility button and tap anywhere on the screen. Drag two fingers to move around the screen, or pinch with two fingers to adjust the zoom. When you're done, tap the Accessibility button again. Lookout Using an Android device's camera and sensors, Lookout can help people with blindness or low vision learn more about their surroundings. The feature relies on computer vision to recognize an object or text, then describes it to the user. Just install the Lookout app on Google Play, then open it by saying, "OK, Google, start Lookout," or by selecting Lookout in the Apps section. After giving the app permission to access your camera, hold your device with your camera facing outward. Your device will now be able to read text, documents, and food labels, describe your surroundings, and even recognize currency. Voice Access With Voice Access, users can provide spoken commands to do everything from opening apps to typing messages to placing a call. "This feature can be particularly helpful to people with dexterity impairments, which may make it difficult to touch a phone screen," Ghosh says. After installing the app from Google's app store, you can turn on this setting by going to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access and tapping Use Voice Access. From there, start Voice Access by opening the Voice Access app or saying, "Hey, Google, Voice Access." In case you were wondering, here's how Alexa can help in emergencies . Time to Take Action If you have ADHD, "chemobrain," or other cognitive disabilities, the Time to Take Action feature on Androids can be a helpful reminder tool. This setting keeps temporary alerts like calendar notifications, text messages, and more on your screen for a longer duration. After receiving intense chemotherapy eight years ago, Shew still struggles with memory loss and relies on her phone to remember the things that she can't. "I have my alarms ring to remind me of a lot of things, like picking kids up from school," she says. "Some people [with cognitive disabilities] use phone reminders and notifications from calendars, too." You can adjust how long these temporary alerts and notifications stay on your screen by going to Settings > Accessibility > Time to Take Action (Accessibility Timeout) and choosing your preferred timeout length. Voice Input Voice Input is a voice-to-text feature on Android that allows users with physical or visual impairments to type text messages, emails, and other notes by saying the words out loud. Just launch any app that uses text, like Email or Messages, and tap in the text field to make the on-screen keyboard appear. Then tap the microphone icon and begin saying your message. When you're finished, tap the microphone icon again, and then hit Send or Save. These smartphone keyboard shortcuts will make texting faster, too. Sound Amplifier Launched in 2019, the Sound Amplifier app connects with your headphones or hearing aids to boost and filter the sounds nearby or on your Android phone. "[The app] aims to help the deaf and hard of hearing community by providing an additional option for absorbing sound in the world around you, whether that's turning up the sound of the television or setting your phone closer to a professor in class so you can hear the lecture with more clarity," Ghosh says. Using Sound Amplifier is simple: Just download the app from the Google Play Store, then connect your headphones to your Android device, open the Sound Amplifier app, and follow the on-screen instructions. Live Transcribe Android's Live Transcribe app provides real-time speech-to-text captions in more than 80 languages, along with more than 30 common sounds like applause or laughter, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Android also offers a Live Caption feature that automatically captions the videos, podcasts, phone and video calls, and audio messages played on your device. To use Live Transcribe, download the app on Google Play, then open the app and hold your device near the person or sound to begin transcribing. Live Caption can be found under Settings > Sound > Live Caption. Toggle the switch to the "on" position to enable the feature. You can also adjust the settings to hide profanity and sound labels. Sound Notifications With a single tap, your phone could save a life. Android phones now offer Sound Notifications, a relatively new feature that alerts users when it hears sounds like fire alarms, doorbells, crying babies, and more. "This technology builds off of our sound detection work in Live Transcribe to provide a better picture of overall sound awareness," Ghosh says. To activate Sound Notifications, download the Live Transcribe & Sound Notifications app, then go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Notifications > Open Sound Notifications and tap OK. Switch Access Switch Access on Android devices works similarly to the same tool on iPhones. If users have limited mobility or sensory issues, Switch Access allows them to navigate their phones with a designated "switch" like a keyboard key or mouse button instead of tapping. The phone will continuously scan the items on the screen, highlighting each item until the user selects one using the switch. After connecting an external switch device or keyboard to your Android device via USB or Bluetooth, you can enable this tool by going to Settings > Language & Input > Select Keyboard. Then tap Show Virtual Keyboard (Android 7.0 or later) or Hardware (Android 6.0 or earlier). Morse Code Keyboard In 2018, Google partnered with developer Tania Finlayson, an expert in Morse code assistive technology, to add Morse code to Gboard keyboards on Android phones. Finlayson was born with cerebral palsy and uses Morse code to communicate in her daily life. "Developing communication tools like this is important, because for many people, it simply makes life livable," she said in a press release. Android users can set up the Morse code keyboard on their phones by installing Gboard, then going to Settings > System > Languages & Input > Virtual Keyboard > Keyboard. Tap Languages > English, and then swipe right through the options until reaching Morse code. Select Morse code, then tap Done. Next, check out the cell phone accessories you'll end up using every day. New and improved Windows 11 features in May 2023 Photos app Microsoft published a Photos app update in May 2023. The update added a new Slideshow feature, which allows users to sit back and relax while different photos are displayed on the screen. Another new feature adds a timeline to the scrollbar which may help going through a large folder of photos. The Spot Fix tool, finally, allows users to remove unwanted portions on an image. You can check out Ashwin's review of the new Photos app or head over to Microsoft's blog post instead . Start Menu notification ads Microsoft has accelerated the rollout of what it calls notification badges for Microsoft accounts on the Start Menu. These promote the company's OneDrive service for now, but may display different types of information in the future. Microsoft notes that this can be adjusted via Settings > Personalization > Start.. Start Menu website recommendations re-introduced Microsoft removed linking to websites in the recommended section of the Start Menu after a public outcry. The company has now re-introduced the feature in development builds and promised, that it has adjusted the feature. One of the main changes is that Microsoft is now pulling recommendations from a user's browsing history instead of a general pool of popular sites. It is unclear if links will be displayed if users do not use Microsoft Edge, or Google Chrome, if continuous import has been enabled. Microsoft notes that this can be adjusted via Settings > Personalization > Start. The question why anyone would want to see website recommendations based on the personal browsing history in Start remains unanswered for now. Microsoft is also trying out a new ranking for Recommended items that "considers when the file was last used, the file extension, and more". Dev Drive Dev Drive is a new storage volume designed specifically for development related tasks. It uses the Resilient File System (ReFS) and includes " file system optimizations and features that enable developers to better manage their performance and security profile" according to Microsoft. Dev Drives can be set up under System > Storage > Advanced Storage Settings > Disks & Volumes. Requirements include a size of at least 50 gigabytes and systems with 8 gigabytes of RAM or higher. Microsoft Defender Antivirus' performance mode was designed specifically for Dev Drive to "minimize impact on developer workloads". Smaller noteworthy Windows changes * Third-party widget for Facebook is now available for testing. It displays notifications from the social networking site in the widget's interface. Widgets are also getting a new widget picker experience, that displays an image as a visual preview. * Microsoft is rolling out animated icons for Widgets on the taskbar. * The new volume mixer experience, which displays volume mixers for each individual app, is now available for testing in the Canary channel. * File Explorer's Details pane, which Windows 11 users may activate with the shortcut Alt-Shift-P or via menus, has been "modernized". It displays additional information, including recent activity, related files and related conversations. * Microsoft is testing two different Windows Spotlight implementations, and has added support for 4K portrait images and "the ability to learn more about each desktop image". * The Narrator tool "provides a more succinct and efficient reading experience while working in Microsoft Excel". Microsoft has detailed the changes here . * Live Captions support has been added for Danish, English (Ireland), French (Canada), Korean and Portuguese (Portugal). * Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 111 was updated. New features include package verification for apps on WSA, a preference to set assigned memory to Android, and Linux kernel was updated to 5.15.94. * Support for vTPM in Hyper-V on Windows on Arm (Arm64) builds. * Support for Microsoft Endpoint DLP on Windows on Arm (Arm64) builds * Support for bridging adapters using netsh was added. * Passpoint Wi-Fi networks will now support enhanced connection performance. * Bluetooth Personal Area networks can now be joined under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices. * WPA3 support to Phone Link's instant hotspot feature was added. * The Advanced network settings page of the Settings app now links to the adapter options directly. * New way to view saved Wi-fi passwords under Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and "Manage known networks". * Backup and restore now supports syncing and restoring installed Microsoft Store applications. Check out Ashwin's review of the updated Windows 11 backup tool . * Text authoring experience in voice access. * You can say "correct [text]" or "correct that" to correct a specific piece of text or last dictated text. The correction window appears with a list of options labelled with numbers. * You can say "click [number]" to select any option from the list. If you choose an alternate word from the window , the selected text will be replaced by the word. You can also say "spell that" to dictate the correct spelling of the text. * Users can directly use the "spell that" or "spell out" command to dictate the right spelling of non-standard words such as usernames, topics, etc. * Narrator natural voices in Chinese. * New option to turn off toast notifications for certain apps. Sorting through all the AI lingo? Here's a glossary to help Hey, did you hear about LIMA? It's built on the LLM LLaMA, not to be confused with LaMDA. The language of AI is riddled with acronyms, platform names, tech slang and theories. If you've ever overheard a conversation about AI and thought, "What the heck is Stable Diffusion, and how is it different from ChatGPT?" but were too afraid to ask, we've put together an AI glossary to help navigate some of the lingo and identify the tech companies behind which tech. AI has been moving so quickly in 2023 that this list could be obsolete before long. There will most definitely be new terms emerging over the summer, and who knows where AI will be by the fall? But for now, we hope this helps: AI Glossary Act as if: A prompt starter for AI chatbots that has it respond as if it is something specific (e.g: job interviewer, therapist, fictional character) Algorithm: Instructions that a computer program follows to operate on its own Artificial general AI (AGI): An artificial intelligence system that can learn and adapt, as opposed to its capabilities being limited to what is programmed Alignment: A field of research that aims to make sure AI aligns with human value codes; for example, AI models may be trained to refuse to tell a user how to build a bomb or steal data Ameca: A humanoid robot designed by UK-based Engineering Arts as a platform for developing interactive AI Artstation: The largest online digital artist community on the internet; "Trending on Artstation" is a common prompt for creating AI art Autonomous: A robot, vehicle or device that operates without human control Bard: Google's AI chatbot, powered by PaLM 2. Bard is not an acronym; the chatbot is named after William Shakespeare, the "Bard of Avalon" Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT): A Google machine learning framework for natural language processing used since 2018 for tasks such as predicting text in search Bias: When an AI algorithm produces systemically prejudiced results due to biases in the training data. BingGPT: Bing's ChatGPT-based chatbot Black Box AI: A machine learning concept where developers do not control or understand how the AI model processes information. The opposite of "Explainable AI" Blinding: A method where certain information is intentionally withheld from an AI to make it more challenging to exploit Boxing: A method where an AI is isolated, for example, by not connecting it to the internet, to prevent it from potentially causing harm outside of its developers' control ChatGPT: An open-source deep learning chatbot by OpenAI, first released to the public in November 2022 . The current version is ChatGPT4 Chatbot: A computer program that uses AI and natural language processing to respond to human questions in real time Clone: An AI clone uses voice and video data of a person to create an interactive digital version of that person Convolutional neural network: An artificial neural network that can be trained to recognize objects or patterns, but is not predictive Confabulate: When an AI model randomly answers with false information presented as fact, often a result of insufficient data or bias. Interchangeable with "hallucinate." Confinement: Also known as AI capability control, AI confinement is a field related to alignment that aims to keep human control over AI systems. Corpus: A large set of texts used to train an AI that uses natural language processing; these could be anything from social media posts to news articles to movies Dall-E: OpenAI's deep learning model for creating images Data Dignity: A movement that advocates for the AI economy giving people control over their data and compensating them when data about or created by them is used Data poisoning: A type of cyber attack where inaccurate or otherwise bad data is incorporated into an AI model's training data set, causing it to give inaccurate or harmful results Data mining: The process of analyzing datasets to discover new patterns that might improve the model Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): The military research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense, a major AI and XAI researcher Deep learning: An AI function of neural networks where a model learns how to respond based on data it's given rather than simply performing what is programmed Deepfake: Using AI to create video, images or voices that appear to be real but are not Diffusion model: A generative AI model that can create high-resolution images by creating new data samples on top of the one they were trained on, leading to higher-quality images Dream Studio: The web app of Stable Diffusion, a major deep learning text-to-image AI engine. Explainable AI (XAI): A type of machine learning that designers can explain or interpret. The opposite of "Black Box AI" Gemini: A Google language model powered by PaLM 2; unlike Bard, it has multimodal capability (text, image, sound and video) Generative AI: AI that creates output, including text, images, music and video Golden prompts: Prompts that have been engineered to give the user desirable results and can be used as a template for other prompts Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT): OpenAI's large language model on which the ChatGPT chatbot is built Hallucinate: When an AI model randomly answers with false information presented as fact, often a result of insufficient data or bias. Interchangeable with "confabulate" Humanoid AI: A physical robot designed to look like a human with AI neural networks allowing it to interact with humans. Sophia and Ameca are examples of humanoids in development. Hypothetical intelligence agent: Potential artificial general AI that rewrites its own code to become independent of human programming Imagen: A text-to-image diffusion AI Image creator that outputs photo-realistic images Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA): A Google language model designed to engage in conversations that naturally evolve from one subject to another LAION: A German non-profit that makes open-source deep learning models, including the models Stable Diffusion and Imagen are built on; has met controversy for scraping images from art sites like ArtStation and Deviant Art. Large Language Model Meta A (LLaMA): Meta's large language model, released in February 2023 Large Language Model (LLM): A deep-learning transformer model that is trained to understand natural language and respond in a human-like way Lensa: A Stable Diffusion-based photo and video filter program by Prisma Labs that uses AI to transform images/selfies; many AI filters are built into TikTok, where they are popular and free Less is More for Alignment (LIMA): Meta's newest language model, considered competitive with Bard and ChatGPT, built on its LLaMA LLM. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM): First developed in 1997, a variety of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) that are capable of learning long-term dependencies, especially in sequence prediction problems Low-rank adaptation (LoRA): A Microsoft training method that freezes part of an LLM to make fine-tuning it more efficient and cost-effective Machine learning: The process or field of developing artificial intelligence by feeding a computer data and using the results to improve and evolve the technology. Massively Multilingual Speech (MMA): A text-to-speech/speech-to-text AI model that can process over 1,100 languages Meta Megabyte: AI architecture by Meta AI that can process large volumes of data without breaking down the input into smaller units (tokenization) Midjourney: A generative AI text-to-image platform by San Francisco research lab Midjourney, Inc. Users create AI images through its Discord. Moat: Not exclusively an AI term, a moat is a competitive advantage an AI company has over its competitors when its proprietary technology creates a barrier for other companies from entering the market Multimodal: An AI model that combines multiple types of data, including video, text, audio and images Narrow AI: AI that is designed to perform a single or narrow range of tasks, such as search engines, virtual assistants and facial recognition software Natural Language Processing (NLP): A type of linguistic computer science that programs computers to analyze and process natural language data, so, for example, Alexa can "listen" and respond to a human voice Neural Network: A method in AI where computers are trained to process data like a human brain rather than a programmed machine. Deep learning models are made up of neural networks Oracle: A hypothetical controlled AI platform that can only answer simple questions and can not grow its knowledge beyond its immediate environment Output: What the AI creates when prompted; it could be text, image, music or video PaLM 2: Google's AI model, used for Bard, Gemini and other Google AI uses Playground AI: A free (up to 1,000 images a day) AI art generator using Stable Diffusion Prompt crafting: Creating text prompts to interact with AI in a way that produces the desired results; interchangeable with "prompt engineering," sometimes preferred by people who use AI for creative uses Prompt engineering: Creating text prompts to interact with AI in a way that produces the desired results; interchangeable with "prompt crafting," sometimes preferred by people who use AI for technical uses Prompt framework: An outline of a prompt that includes all of the steps and information to create a specific output Reactive AI: AI that provides output based on the input it receives, but does not learn or evolve. Examples include spam filters and recommendations based on your activity Recurrent neural network (RNN): An artificial neural network that recognizes recurring patterns and uses the data to predict what comes next, often used in speech recognition and natural language processing Seed AI: A type of hypothetical intelligence agent that eventually does not need human intervention to learn new things Self-awareness: A level of AI, currently only existing in science fiction, in which AI has a level of consciousness similar to human beings, with emotions and needs Sophia: An advanced, socially intelligent humanoid robot created by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics 2016 Stable Diffusion: An open-source, deep learning, text-to-image model released in 2022 by Stability AI. In April 2023, a new version called SDXL was released in beta; its official web app is DreamStudio Theory of mind (ToM): In AI, ToM, or "emotional intelligence," is when a machine can recognize human emotions and adjust its behavior in response. Early ToM models include humanoid robots Ameca and Sophia Tokenization: Splitting large volume input or output into smaller units in order to make them manageable by large language models Transformer: A neural network invented and open source by Google Research in 2017. Chatbots including GPT-3, LaMDA and BERT were built on Transformer Vicuna: An open-source chatbot by Meta Research that runs on Meta's LLaMA-13B, considered a competitor of BARD and ChatGPT Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Mon Jun 5 22:35:21 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2023 18:35:21 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] News You Can Use, June 5th Message-ID: <015301d997fe$033ee080$09bca180$@gmail.com> Hey NFB Family and Friends, Thanks for the information you guys have been sending to be included here. Please keep it up and let me know if you?d like other information to be listed. Career Opportunities? Evelyn and Sandy, I received the request below from a woman who has written a musical and is looking for blind singers. I shared it among ACBVA members and am hoping you would be willing to share it among your NFB members as well. She says she is looking for singers 18-40, but when I talked to her, she is open to older blind folks as well. If people are interested, they should contact her directly. Thank you so much. From: Alice < Looking for Blind Singers Hello, RoseAnn, Thanks for writing to me. Yes, I am looking for singers with vision disabilities for a new original musical that I have written about my friend, who is a blind drummer. One of the people who is signed on to play drums is Kevin Pinder, who plays professionally with Lafayette Gilchrist, a jazz musician and composer for "The Wire" on HBO. I'm looking for two male singers, ages 18-40, and one female singer, age 18-40. Also looking for two singers without vision issues: a female, age 18-40, and a female, age 30-60. I'm located in Bethesda, MD, and the musical most likely will be staged as a reading in a theater in the DC or MD area early next year. We haven't rented the theater yet. I know it's early to be looking but it might take some time to pull this together. The music is musical theater style with some jazz elements. My favorite composers are Sondheim and Kurt Weill. Here is some information about me: https://www.self.com/story/shingles-infected-this-womans-eye-so-she-wrote-a-musical-about-it https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/after-shingles-painfully-infected-her-eye-she-wrote-a-musical-about-it/2017/08/11/d5216dee-7c8d-11e7-9d08-b79f191668ed_story.html I produced my musical, My Beautiful Darkened World, for three shows at the former Highlight Theater in Silver Spring, MD in 2017 and we had a full house each night. If you would like to talk further on the phone let me know and we can set that up. Thanks for your interest, Alice Lipowicz DBVI Career Opportunities - 6/2/23 Listed below are the DBVI Career Opportunities currently posted. Each position may be accessed directly in the state PageUp system by clicking on the applicable Quicklink. Since vacancies are posted frequently, check PageUp for the most up to date listing at jobs.virginia.gov. Here are some helpful tips to remember when applying: * Review the position?s Job Description. * Complete PageUp application accurately to reflect relevant work history as it relates to the position for which you are applying. * Contact HR, prior to the position closing, if you have any issues accessing PageUp or submitting an application. * PageUp closes all positions at 11:55 pm on the Closing Date. * Screening is based upon information relevant to the position for which you are applying. HR determines candidates for interview by comparing the information disclosed in the application, resume, cover letter and transcripts to the screening criteria for the particular position. Be sure to like DBVI on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI and visit us on the web at https://www.dbvi.virginia.gov. Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist Location: Fairfax Position #: 507554 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Rehabilitation Teacher Location: Henrico Position #: 507529 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB Procurement Buyer Location: Henrico Position #: 507206 Closing Date: June 9, 2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Security Officer (Weekend and Coverage 1, 2) Location: Richmond Position #: 507197 Closing Date: June 9, 2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Security Officer (Weekday Evenings and Nights) Location: Richmond Position #: 507192 Closing Date: June 9, 2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Receiver/ Delivery Driver - Ft. Gregg-Adams Location: Hopewell Position #: 506890 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist Location: Norfolk Position #: 506696 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Government Account Manager Location: Hampton/ Newport News/ Norfolk Position #: 506669 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Government Account Manager Location: Fairfax Position #: 506667 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Retail Manager I (NOVA Float) Location: Fairfax County Position #: 505169 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Access Technology Instructor Location: Henrico Position #: 499165 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Braille Instructor Location: Henrico Position #: 501412 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist (Sign on Bonus) Location: Staunton Position #: 499667 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Production Associate III Location: Charlottesville Position #: 501758 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Shipping/ Receiving Associate IV Location: Richmond Position #: 499261 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB-Associate - Fire Extinguisher Dept./ Driver/Shipping/Receiving Location: Richmond Position #: 498425 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Receiver/Delivery Driver - Ft. Belvoir VIB Base Supply Store Location: Fairfax County Position #: 498128 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB Kitting Warehouse Associate I (Wage) Location: Virginia Beach Position #: 495466 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Contract Closeout Specialist CMS /Chester Location: Chesterfield Position #: 494352 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Rehabilitation Technology Specialist (Wage) Location: Norfolk Position #: 494780 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Production Supervisor Location: Charlottesville Position #: 494686 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Things to do and places to go? NLS BARD Support: Topic for June?s Many Faces of BARD program The topic for The Many Faces of BARD program on June 8, 2023, will be BARD: Advanced Search Tips from an Expert. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. eastern time and last for one hour. This program will be recorded. For this session, our presenter will be Catherine O?Connor, a Collections Development Section librarian with more than 30 years of experience. Internally, she is our go-to person for search tips and tricks. After the presentation, we will answer questions about the presentation or any general BARD questions. The session can be joined by going to https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1612807633?pwd=bG9TSXdYTG5oaWxlclg2bGtxM2k3QT09. The complete Zoom invitation is below. The Many Faces of BARD is open to all patrons as well as network librarians, so we encourage you to spread the word about this program on social media, in your newsletters, on your websites, and in your other outreach efforts. Notice to attendees: Remember that the meeting is recorded. Do not speak if you do not wish to be on the recording. Hi all, Because I will be traveling out of state at the end of June, we will not have Vegan Cooking Fun in June. The NFB of Hawaii invites you to join us for the next Vegan Cooking Fun: n: Date: Saturday, July 22, 2023 Time: 12 noon Hawaii time 3 pm Pacific time 4 pm Mountain time 5 pm Central time 6 pm Eastern time Location: zoom. See below for link. Topic: bring your favorite recipe, vegan or not. If it is not vegan, we will help you ?veganize? it. And if you email the recipe to me, I can forward it out to everyone who attends. Zoom link: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/7454185223 Meeting ID: 745 418 5223 One tap mobile +13462487799,,7454185223# US (Houston) +14086380968,,7454185223# US (San Jose) See you in July, and have a great month. Debbie Gabe NFB of Hawaii Please share this within your organization! ? Hello Patrick, Please see revised email below. The deadline for applying to be in our videos and pictures is next Thursday, June 8th at 5 PM (rather than 5/8). My name is Joe Jamison, I'm the Founder of VisitAble, a new start-up focusing on enabling better experiences for individuals of all abilities through our Disability Awareness & Inclusion training. We are updating our current training to be more inclusive and representative of different disability populations - we would specifically like to have genuine and authentic representation from the Blind or low-vision community and have a couple paid opportunities for individuals to get involved: Be in our new videos and pictures! Share your experiences and self-advocate to a larger audience. More specifics about this opportunity can be found here. The deadline to apply is 5 PM on Thursday, 6/8, so please apply ASAP! Share your voice on our survey(s)! Our surveys (choose which survey(s) are most applicable) have questions which help everyone to gain insight and knowledge about those in the Blind or low-vision community to help us have a more authentic training. Respondents will have a chance to win 1 of 8 $25 Amazon gift cards, more information here. We are hoping to get as many responses as possible by 5 PM on Friday, 6/9. We strongly believe NFB of Virginia - At-Large?s mission of advocacy and serving those with disabilities in the community align well with VisitAble?s mission, and that these opportunities bring added value and a unique opportunity to the individuals with disabilities associated with NFB of Virginia - At-Large. Would you be willing to send out an email to your stakeholders (clients, consumers, employees, members, volunteers, etc.) or listserv subscribers with the following links? Actor/Model Job Description Actor/Model Application Surveys link If you or anyone else has trouble accessing and/or filling out any of these surveys or application, please email Cory Paradis, VisitAble?s Chief Operating Officer, or call him at (540) 850-5452. We will figure out a method that works for you. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss this further over the phone! Gratefully, Joe Jamison, CPACC CEO & Founder | VisitAble LLC Phone: (703) 731-7963 Website: www.visitable.org ? VisitAble LLC | 13202 Point Pleasant Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033 Unsubscribe Articles? $240,000.00 Jury Verdict in Blind Students? Accessibility Lawsuit against Community College On May 26, 2023 a jury in Los Angeles, California awarded two blind students a little over $240,000.00 in their lawsuit against the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The suit was filed in 2017 by students Roy Payan and Portia Mason under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for discrimination Payan and Mason experienced when they were denied accessible course materials and accessible software (including MyMathLab). One of Mr. Payan?s professor told him blind students weren?t welcome in his class at the school. Before filing their lawsuit, the students tried in vain to convince the LACCD to give them the accessible tools and content they needed to succeed in their programs. Congratulations to Mr. Payan and Ms. Mason, the National Federation of the Blind and its California affiliate who supported the case and were also plaintiffs, and to lawyers for the blind students from the law firm of Brown Goldstein & Levy. Jessie Weber is a partner at the law firm: We are grateful that the jury held LACCD accountable for failing to provide an equal educational opportunity to blind students. We hope other institutions of higher learning will take heed: failing to ensure accessibility ? including by maintaining inaccessible websites and educational resources?is unlawful discrimination. Jessie Weber, a partner at Brown Goldstein & Levy and co-leader of the legal team Winding road to the jury trail This is the rare digital accessibility lawsuit in the United States that makes it all the way to a jury trial. The case had a (very) long and winding path to get to the jurors. Mr. Payan and fellow student Portia Mason won their case in 2019, proving to the judge that textbooks, websites, databases, computer applications and other course materials were not accessible to them as screen-reader users. Read the NFB?s 2019 press release announcing the court victory . Instead of accepting the judge?s order, the community college district appealed. On appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals the students, supported by the NFB, won again! Read the 9th Circuit Opinion here . When that happened, the Community College District still did not accept the court?s opinion and decided to continue fighting the students? claims. Shockingly, this publicly-funded school district threatened to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. LACCD was poised to make a dangerous argument limiting the types of cases disabled students can file under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. With a strong conservative majority on the court, the District?s arguments could have significantly weakened these two foundational disability civil rights laws in the United States. In December 2021 the disability community mounted a national advocacy campaign to convince LACCD not to take the case to the Supreme Court. The advocacy effort was successful and the LACCD abandoned its effort to bring the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. What?s next? Once the community college district?s appeals were over, the case returned to the District Court to damages. Last week?s jury verdict of over $240,000.00 for Mr. Payan and Ms Mason was the result. Now the judge will be deciding other issues, including the scope of a court order that will (finally) ensure that blind students of LACCD are able to fully participate in the school?s courses. _____ I?m frustrated that the Los Angeles Community College District spent public money to fight this case at every turn. And I?m grateful for the advocacy of the blind students, the NFB, the legal team, and the broader disability community that made the victories in this case possible. Whatever happens next, this verdict sends a strong message to every higher education institution in the United States about the need for accessible software, course materials, websites, and other digital content. This verdict, along with the recent ?Dear Colleague Letter? from the United States Departments of Justice and Education , confirm that digital accessibility is a necessary component of educational civil rights for disabled people. The time for excluding blind and disabled students from higher education is over. Digital accessibility makes inclusion possible. The Payan case demonstrates that accessibility is not just the right thing to do. It?s the law. Making AI delivery robots disability-friendly and 'cautious pedestrians' By Beth Rose BBC Access All The company behind AI robots which deliver shopping to your door has said it "constantly" talks to disabled people to ensure safety. The knee-high machines from Starship Technologies can carry three bags across town. They use the same pavements as pedestrians and a new panel advises on collision avoidance Now in Wakefield, the team say "lived experience" and knowledge of disability is at the heart of its operation. They look like freezer coolers on wheels, Lisa Johnson head of public affairs at Starship Technologies says. "It trundles along on its six little wheels and it can climb up and down the kerbs as well." But as a robot designed to use pavements, it could have become another frustrating obstacle for disabled people to navigate, such as abandoned bikes, e-scooters and street furniture. But Lisa told the BBC's Access All podcast that some safety solutions have already been put in place and the robots had been programmed to be "cautious pedestrians". They use obstacle avoidance technology - sensors and a camera - to track what is moving towards it, and how quickly. "Its job is to stay out of your way," she adds. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. One of the scenarios the company has focused on is what happens when a wheelchair-user and robot come across each other on a narrow path. A similar problem made headlines in America in 2019 when a student at the University of Pittsburgh tweeted she had been trapped on a road as traffic approached because a Starship Technologies robot was blocking the only accessible entrance to the sidewalk. At the time, she told the local radio station, 90.5 WESA : "It was really bizarre to realize that a non-sentient thing was putting me in danger and making me feel I was helpless. I think I was just laughing at it like, 'Oh cool, this is my life right now'." The robots were removed for several days. And after reviewing the footage of the incident, the company released a statement saying it disputed the student had been impeded from getting on the sidewalk, but it did update its mapping system. Lisa says, since that incident "we spent a lot of time having the robots learn what mobility devices look like" and the robots now know to get out of the way. If it can't get out of the way on its own, human back-up will always be nearby to step-in to assist. One mobility aid it currently struggles to recognise is a white cane, used by blind and visually impaired people. "Canes are really thin," Lisa says. "And the robots don't encounter canes very often. So we've got to make sure we keep having these interactions so the robots can understand what canes are." After more on-the-job learning, it is hoped the robots will detect a cane and make its presence known with a spoken message: "Hi, I'm a Starship robot, I'm just letting you know that I'm here." Steve Tyler, director of assistive technology at the charity, Leonard Cheshire, is one of those who signed up to Starship Technologies' Disability Advisory Panel. He is blind himself. "There are lots of opportunities, [but] there are also lots of threats," Steve says of the rapidly-developing technology. "We need to be involved from the outset as a disability community to ensure that we drive some of what is delivered." One element Steve is keen to see improved is the arrival of the device at someone's home. Currently, once you lift the lid to retrieve your shopping it plays a song of your choice. But how would a blind person know it was there? "You might want a signal before that happens, so you know where it is," he advises. Although this technology might seem futuristic, Steve says it is essential everyone is involved in the conversation around such technology, as it has the potential to quickly become the norm and impact how we all live in the future. "These technologies not only bring accessibility closer to clients that need it, but it also has an impact on, potentially, how we develop cities and towns, how we lay out pavements, how we lay out shared spaces." As for the song it sings as you open its lid to retrieve your shopping, that's also become a contentious issue, according to Lisa. "One of our most popular songs at the moment is Baby Shark. Is that a plus or a minus? I don't know at this point." You can listen to the podcast and find information and support on the Access All homepage . Goods and services? Instacart Debuts AI Tool to Help You Shop Faster and Smarter - CNET Instacart is tapping into artificial intelligence with the launch of Ask Instacart, a new search tool powered by ChatGPT and its own in-house AI tech. Debuting Wednesday, the tool is designed to answer food-related questions, offer product recommendations, and information on ingredients, dietary factors and meal prep. Ask Instacart will begin rolling out today and will expand to US customers during the coming weeks, according to a press release from the grocery delivery service . Customers will find the feature in the shopping app's search bar where you can ask questions like, "What's for dinner?," "What fish is similar to salmon?" or "What are good sauces for grilling chicken?" Ask Instacart aims to help you track down ingredients and products while considering the specifics of your question. The tool can also show customers which foods pair well together and create shopping lists if you have recipe questions. [embedded content] Instacart regulars may find the upgraded search experience to be more intuitive. The company says that the search function now integrates "personalized question prompts into the search bar that anticipate customer preferences, remind them of their needs based on their shopping history, and inspire them to discover new products." Based on their questions via Ask Instacart, customers will be connected to retailers and brand campaigns that highlight new products and old favorites. Currently, Instacart provides access to over one billion items and more than 80,000 retail partners. Ask Instacart joins a flood of new AI-powered tools and services released this year from Microsoft , Google , Adobe , Meta and others. While these tools have vast potential to help people on tasks big and small, they've also sparked concerns about the risks advanced AI could pose to society . The grocery delivery company/ is increasing its reach with AI tools, and recently dropped the Instacart plugin for ChatGPT users. There are plans to introduce additional AI features next year and in the future. Don't miss our coverage on the best grocery delivery services , Instacart perks and whether it's cheaper to shop in-store . Editors' note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/instacart-debuts-ai-tool-to-help-you-shop-faster-and-smarter/#ftag=CAD590a51e Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation?s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Mon Jun 5 23:15:13 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2023 19:15:13 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] What's happening and zoom! June 5th Message-ID: <018001d99803$955faee0$c01f0ca0$@gmail.com> Hey NFB Family and Friends, Enjoy your week and attempt to make a difference in some ones life this week. This could be as simple as giving someone a hug or a smile. Be creative, you will be lifted also! Kudos Corner.. You've got it going on girlfriend! Check out Rene Valdez's new podcast. Hello there! I wanted you to know that I just launched my new podcast, VISIONS OF A BLIND WOMAN, VOL. 1, BLINDSIDED BY BLINDNESS! I am hoping you will check it out and share it with those you love! If this can help someone, then I will be happy! VISIONS OF A BLIND WOMAN . A podcast on Spotify for Podcasters A huge step for blind people everywhere! Aira Names Everette Bacon Vice President of Blindness Initiatives Aira, the leading global provider of Visual Interpreter Services, is proud to announce and welcome Everrette Bacon to the leadership team. We asked Everette about his background, advocating on behalf of blind people and the new position and he shared the following: Aira believes access to visual information is a right, not a privilege, and this is Aira's mission. And I believe that too - I am passionate about advocating for the rights of blind and low vision persons. Loss of vision is not a characteristic that defines me. I want to live the life I want without blindness holding me back. This mission of Aira I have long believed in, so I am happy to announce that I have joined the Aira team as Vice President of Blindness Initiatives. "The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don't really even notice it, so it's part of everyday life." Bill Gates The quote from Bill Gates characterizes my belief that visual interpreting can become a necessary tool of everyday life for the blind and low vision community. I believe this position is so important because it brings the lived, human experience of a qualified blind person to the executive leadership level of Aira. My career and education have been directly influenced by a curiosity in the advancement of technology and an admiration of the lived experiences of blind people like myself. My family history of genetic blindness dates back to the 1800s, some 13 generations. I grew up in Southern California and moved to Texas where I completed my undergraduate degree from Dallas Baptist University, where I learned how to be a "Servant Leader." A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. Servant leadership transformed how I approached the customer service experience during my time as a District Training Store Manager for Blockbuster Video in both Dallas and Houston. I directly and successfully managed 10 stores with an average operating budget of $20 million. Working in a fast-paced customer driven environment provided me the confidence to multitask in many different areas of operations, even as I was losing more of my vision. After my time at Blockbuster, I transitioned from a person who used low vision tools such as video magnifiers into a blind person relying on screen reading software. I learned how to be a blind person using braille and a white cane. I went on to earn a Master's degree in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy from Western Michigan University. Upon moving to my current home in Salt Lake City, I became the Assistive Technology Specialist for the Utah Division of Services for the Blind and was promoted to Field Services Coordinator. In this position, I directed all of the outreach services in low vision, assistive technology, employment services, and field training. Serving in the state government sector for over 18 years, working with blind people of all backgrounds, has prepared me for this opportunity. Winston Churchill said "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." I have the privilege of giving back by serving as the elected Secretary for the National Federation of the Blind, and I am the elected President of the NFB of Utah. I chair the Commission for Disability and Accessibility for Salt Lake City as well as serving on the Human Rights Commission. I am in my 5th term on the FCC Disability Advisory Committee where I work on issues regarding audio description and other services affecting the disabled community. Volunteering and advocating on behalf of blind people is a passion that I am very proud of and something that I will continue to do in my role at Aira. This is what the CEO of Aira, Troy Otillio, had to say about why they needed this position at Aira: "We are looking for an executive to advocate to be a champion of our effort to make visual interpreting a ubiquitous accommodation service. Our mission is to remove visual barriers and make the world more accessible, creating pathways to even greater independence. Making visual interpreting available for all those who seek the benefit, irrespective of the individual's ability to pay is core to Aira's belief system." I so much agree with Troy. The blind community must reach the understanding that visual interpretation is a human right, much like video relay is for the deaf and hard of hearing community. We need to be a part of the world, not apart from it. I have been an enthusiastic user of Aira since its inception and have spread my enthusiasm for it by advocating for visual interpreting all over the state of Utah. Aira is a wonderful service and I look forward to bringing this transforming tool to as many blind people as I possibly can, because we can do wonderful things. https://aira.io/aira-names-everette-bacon-vice-president-of-blindness-initia tives/ Spotlight On. Hello Chapter members, I wanted to share the heavy news that our member Carolyn Zdziera has passed away. I was unable to locate an official obituary. This news was shared via facebook on April 24, 2023. Carolyn joined the Winchester chapter in May of 2022 and was a member of the communication committee. Prior to serving in the NFB, Caroln served in the nonprofit world for many years. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director at the Community Alternatives to Violence in Martinsburg, West Virginia where their mission was to prevent abusive behavior by conducting educational programs for men and women to raise awareness. Please keep Carolyn in your thoughts and prayers. -- Respectfully, James Shobert Vice President National Federation of the Blind, Winchester Chapter The June meeting of our Potomac Chapter will take place Wednesday, June 14 from 7 to 9 pm on the affiliate zoom, link and phone numbers above Jacki's signature block. We have lots to discuss and plan so please join us; all are welcome. Sandy Halverson, President Here's how to join our Affiliate's Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/8297256345?pwd=SFAyamlQNU44ZTJ6dUZNMTV4RmhCQT09 One tap mobile tell: +13017158592,,8297256345# Telephone Dial: 1 (301) 715-8592 Meeting ID: 829 725 6345# If needed the password is 20201940 Chapter Information: Eastern Shore Chapter Althea Pittman Phone: 757-787-3853 E-mail: vaescil at gmail.com Contact the chapter for current meeting times. Chesapeake Bay Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Saturday from 11 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Gus and George's Spaghetti and Steakhouse, 4312 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, 23452. Virtual Meeting Information: None, in person only. Fairfax Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Thursday from 7 to 8:30 PM, virtual meetings only. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses the Affiliate's Zoom Greater Alexandria Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Thursday of most months from 7 to 9pm. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Greater Williamsburg Chapter Chapter meeting: First Saturday of each month >From 1 to 3 PM at the James City Rec. Center,5301 Long Hill Road, Williamsburg, 23188. Virtual Meeting Information: Peninsula Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 11:30 to 1 PM, My Neighbor's Pub, 12743 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, 23602. Virtual Meeting Information: Phone 605-475-4825 passcode, 549778#. Potomac Chapter Chapter meeting: Second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 PM. Virtual Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6025022255 Meeting ID: 602 502 2255 One tap mobile +13017158592,,6025022255 Prince William Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month, from 2 to 3PM. Virtual Meeting Information: Phone 605-313-5562 passcode, 293383. We occasionally meet at Bar Louie, 15001 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge, 22191, follow this weekly announcement to learn when we will be in person. Richmond Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Monday of the month from 6:30-8:30 PM in the assembly room of the Administrative Activities Building at VDBI, 401 Azalea Ave. Richmond 23227. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Tidewater Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 2PM to 3:30PM Virtual Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3661685508?pwd=a2RwY0o5TWVIa2xBbDBPSEJzL0l2QT09 Meeting ID: 366 168 5508 Passcode: 21211955 One tap mobile +13017158592,,3661685508#,,,,*21211955# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Winchester Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 10 AM to 11:30 AM at Sollenberger True Value Hardware, 832 Berryville Ave., Winchester, 22601. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses Affiliate Zoom. At-Large Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Tuesday of the month from 8 PM to 9 PM, August through May, with a face to face reception held during state convention. Designed to meet the needs of Virginians who do not live near a local chapter. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Seniors Division Chapter Meeting: Fourth Wednesday the month from 7 PM to 9 PM Virtual information: Uses Affiliate's zoom Honest people don't hide their deeds -Emily Bronte, Withering Heights Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com Thu Jun 8 14:55:20 2023 From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (tracy.soforenko at gmail.com) Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2023 10:55:20 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] 2023 NFB National Convention Agenda Published and attached Message-ID: <01c601d99a19$3f4e0d40$bdea27c0$@gmail.com> Hi, I am pleased to share the agenda for the 2023 National Federation of the Blind convention in Microsoft Word format in English. HTML, BRF, and the agenda in Spanish language in Word are available on the web site along with all kinds of additional details. https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention I will note that reservations are closed at the Hilton and the Marriott but additional overflow hotels are listed as alternatives on the web site. Looking forward to a great convention in Houston. Tracy Soforenko President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia 202 285-4595 Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Final-Convention-Agenda-2023-for-Web.docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 250706 bytes Desc: not available URL: From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Mon Jun 12 01:09:51 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2023 21:09:51 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] news you can use. June 11th Message-ID: <042501d99cca$97595040$c60bf0c0$@gmail.com> Hey NFB family and Friends, Ebs and tides?that?s all I can say! Last week I received so much information I had to send two emails to get everything in. This week, crickets! Enjoy and I hope this edition brings news you can use. Career opportunities? Find info regarding open positions at DBVI. Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. DBVI Career Opportunities - 6/8/23 Listed below are the DBVI Career Opportunities currently posted. Each position may be accessed directly in the state PageUp system by clicking on the applicable Quicklink. Since vacancies are posted frequently, check PageUp for the most up to date listing at jobs.virginia.gov. Here are some helpful tips to remember when applying: * Review the position?s Job Description. * Complete PageUp application accurately to reflect relevant work history as it relates to the position for which you are applying. * Contact HR, prior to the position closing, if you have any issues accessing PageUp or submitting an application. * PageUp closes all positions at 11:55 pm on the Closing Date. * Screening is based upon information relevant to the position for which you are applying. HR determines candidates for interview by comparing the information disclosed in the application, resume, cover letter and transcripts to the screening criteria for the particular position. Be sure to like DBVI on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI and visit us on the web at https://www.dbvi.virginia.gov. Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist (Sign on Bonus) Location: Staunton Position #: 499667 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist Location: Fairfax Position #: 507554 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Rehabilitation Teacher Location: Henrico Position #: 507529 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB Procurement Buyer Location: Henrico Position #: 507206 Closing Date: June 9, 2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Security Officer (Weekend and Coverage 1, 2) Location: Richmond Position #: 507197 Closing Date: June 9, 2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Security Officer (Weekday Evenings and Nights) Location: Richmond Position #: 507192 Closing Date: June 9, 2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Receiver/ Delivery Driver - Ft. Gregg-Adams Location: Hopewell Position #: 506890 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Government Account Manager Location: Hampton/ Newport News/ Norfolk Position #: 506669 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Government Account Manager Location: Fairfax Position #: 506667 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Retail Manager I (NOVA Float) Location: Fairfax County Position #: 505169 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Access Technology Instructor Location: Henrico Position #: 499165 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Braille Instructor Location: Henrico Position #: 501412 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Production Associate III Location: Charlottesville Position #: 501758 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Shipping/ Receiving Associate IV Location: Richmond Position #: 499261 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB-Associate - Fire Extinguisher Dept./ Driver/Shipping/Receiving Location: Richmond Position #: 498425 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Receiver/Delivery Driver - Ft. Belvoir VIB Base Supply Store Location: Fairfax County Position #: 498128 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB Kitting Warehouse Associate I (Wage) Location: Virginia Beach Position #: 495466 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Contract Closeout Specialist CMS /Chester Location: Chesterfield Position #: 494352 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Rehabilitation Technology Specialist (Wage) Location: Norfolk Position #: 494780 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Production Supervisor Location: Charlottesville Position #: 494686 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now ? Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired Stay Connected with Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe All | Help _____ This email was sent to jackibruce6 at gmail.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired ? 397 Azalea Avenue ? Richmond, Virginia ? 23227 ? (804) 371-3140 Things to do and places to go? Blindness and Glaucoma Webinar Friday, June 16 at 12:00PM ET Please join Accessible Pharmacy Services as we discuss blindness and glaucoma with expert presenters: * Elena Sturman: Overview of The Glaucoma Foundation's Support Services * Dr. Aakriti Shukla, MD: Glaucoma Epidemiology, Management, Treatment, and Lifestyle Recommendations To register for FREE and read more about our presenters, please click the link below: Click Here to Register! This webinar will have captioning and a live ASL interpreter. If you have already registered, you do not need to register again. After registering, a Zoom link and call-in phone numbers will be sent to your email. If you did not receive it, we will be circulating it again to everyone who has already registered. If you are unable to attend, please register to receive the webinar audio and video via email. Save the Date for our Next Webinar! Clinical Trials for the Blind Community Friday, October 13 at 12:00PM ET Mental Health in the Blind Community Coming Soon If you have any questions, please send us an email. Sincerely, Your friends at Accessible Pharmacy Accessible Pharmacy Services, LLC Website 1-888-633-7007 ? ? ? ? ? National Federation of the Blind National Organization of Blind Black Leaders Women?s Group Meeting Notice The Women?s Group of the NFB National Organization of Blind Black Leaders cordially invites you to our meeting on Monday, June 12, 2023, at 7 pm via Zoom. Our topic will be meeting management with Robert?s Rules. Our presenter will be Denice Avant who will share with us the basics of Robert?s Rules of Order, and we will have two chapter presidents, Suzanne Turner, and Denice Brown share how they use these guidelines in their meetings. We will then, as usual, open the meeting for your input and questions. All are invited, please join us, and share this invite with others. Sincerely? Carol King-Ries facilitator National Federation Of The Blind Of The District Of Columbia Washington, DC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: National Organization of Blind Black Leaders - Blind Women?s Group Time: Jun 12, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/92150415982 Meeting ID: 921 5041 5982 --- One tap mobile +13092053325,,92150415982# US +13126266799,,92150415982# US (Chicago) --- Dial by your location ? +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Meeting ID: 921 5041 5982 Find your local number: https://nfb-org.zoom.us/u/awTljrDDh --- Sean Articles? Empatheyes designs VR simulator to replicate an individual?s exact visual impairment A mother of 17-year-old twins who have a rare genetic condition, diagnosed when they were babies, which impacts their sight has designed new ?virtual reality? software to let parents see life through their children?s eyes. Sara McCracken formed social enterprise Empatheyes at Innovation Factory in West Belfast to produce a unique new system combining state of the art software with the latest virtual reality technology to replicate an individual?s exact visual impairment. The idea and passion came about when Sara, CEO and founder of charity Angel Eyes NI, which supports blind and partially sighted children, began searching for a product that would let parents understand how their children see the world to help them advocate on behalf of their children and secure the right services. How does it work? The system, which provides 360-degree immersion with built-in eye tracking can be specifically calibrated to recreate more than 30 eye conditions in a variety of settings such as a school classroom, a busy street, bus or play park. She set about putting a team together to develop the product, including clinical lead Professor Jonathan Jackson, head of optometry at the Royal Victoria Hospital and technology lead Dr Alec Kingsnorth, an optometry expert and software developer who has worked at Aston University in Birmingham. Ulster University?s Professor of Optometry and Vision Science Kathryn Saunders has also joined the social enterprise as clinical lead trainer. How does this VR headset benefit the user? By simply putting this headset on, it can demonstrate to parents, carers, teachers and others how the world looks to each visually impaired person so they can fully understand how to make the best adaptations. When is it available? After trialling the product with professionals and carers, it was successfully launched in the UK and Ireland in 2022. Empatheyes, which recently won a Tech for Good award from Digital DNA, will now be unveiled to an international audience at Vision 2023, a major conference in Denver that brings together professionals and researchers from around the world to share ideas and learn from each other to improve the lives of people with visual impairment or blindness. The profits of the social enterprise Empatheyes will help to fund the services of Angel Eyes NI to support families and children with a vision impairment. The organization now is located at Innovation Factory and has been supported by the team there. Innovation Factory is owned by Belfast City Council and operated on its behalf by Oxford Innovation Space. The ?9.1m business hub was funded by Belfast City Council and Invest NI with support from the European Regional Development Fund. Source https://coolblindtech.com/empatheyes-designs-vr-simulator-to-replicate-an-in dividuals-exact-visual-impairment/ David Goldfield Assistive Technology Specialist Goods and services? Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation?s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Mon Jun 12 02:15:34 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2023 22:15:34 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] what's happening and zoom! June 11th Message-ID: <047901d99cd3$c5ac0d80$51042880$@gmail.com> Hey NFB Family and Friends, Another fantastic week! Please read on and join your GAC family for Broadway in the park or your Tidewater family's chapter meeting and learn more about Newsline and accessible newspapers from WHRO, the Virginia Voice and then spend Saturday night with your girlfriends on Ladies Night! We are "stronger together" have fun and support YOUR NFB FAMILY! Kudos Corner. Greater Alexandria is at it again! Read on and join for Broadway in the park. A great group, a great price and great fun! Hey everybody! The deadline is fast approaching to reserve you seat at the show next Friday! Please read the message below for the information and RSVP by next Tuesday! We need 20 people in those seats to secure our fabulous negotiated price for Prime Orchestra Seating! Don't delay! And remember...transportation is available! Hello Friends! The Greater Alexandria Chapter is doing it again...BROADWAY IN THE PARK, that is! When: Friday, June 16th at 8:00 p.m. Where: Wolftrap, 1645 Trap Road Vienna, Virginia 22182 Here is the link to this year's Braodway in the Park:: https://www.wolftrap.org/calendar/performance/23filene/0616show23.aspx#datet ime=06162023T200000 Working with our connection at Wolftrap, we were able to secure a block of seats in the PRIME ORCHESTRA section, normally priced at $83! We have locked in a discounted price of $66.40 per person! That is a deal in itself, right? BUT...wait for it...The Greater Alexandria Chapter will secure your reservation fot a measley $60 per person and will pay the leftover amount of $6.40 for all who RSVP! YES! You read that right! AND...we are working to arrange for transportation to and from Wolftrap. Details will be shared with all who RSVP. So...please don't delay! June 16th is NEXT Friday! The deadline to RSVP is Tuesday, June 13th. To RSVP, please send your $60 per person to our Zelle account using our email, NFBVGAC1 at GMAIL.COM If you don't have Zell, please contact me right away by email, reneerome at yahoo.com or phone, 703-966-0836. I hope to see you all on the 16th at Wolftrap! Renee Valdez (703) 966-0836 Spotlight On. Greetings all, I hope everyone is doing well. If you live anywhere in the Hampton Roads area, from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach and everywhere in between, you will not want to miss the next meeting of the Tidewater Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia. Here are the particulars of when and where: When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 2-4 PM. Where: WHRO Public Media, 5200 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 235508. Please enter the building through the Employee/Volunteer entrance, which is the 2nd door on the left when you come into the building's parking lot. We will be meeting in their Teleconference Room. The meeting will also be on Zoom. The Zoom link details appear at the bottom of this email. This meeting will focus on accessing newspapers and other reading material. We are pleased to have two presenters: * Jim Holzer, Director, WHRO (Hampton Roads) Voice * John Halverson, Virginia Coordinator, Newsline for the Blind Both of our presenters will talk about ways that blind and low vision persons can access newspapers and other reading materials. Please come and have your questions ready for our presenters. Although we will be streaming the meeting via zoom, it would be great to have as many people there in person as possible. Since we have two speakers, our meeting will run for two hours. Please reserve your transportation to leave at or after 4 PM. We will also announce and start an exciting fundraiser for our chapter. In order to make sure that we have a seat for everyone who wants to come, please let me know by Thursday, June 15 @ 5 PM. My contact information appears at the bottom of this email. Of course anyone from any of our chapters, as well as members of the general public are welcome and encouraged to join us, either in person or virtually. I look forward to seeing all of you there! Stewart Prost, President, Tidewater Chapter, NFB of Virginia Phone: 757-572-6891 Email: sprost82 at gmail.con CALLING ALL LADIES. The 3rd Saturday of the Month is here and we all know what that means, right? It means joining your girlfriends on Saturday, June 17th from 7 thru 9 PM on the affiliate's zoom. We'll be chatting about all things SUMMER! How do you spend your Summer? Do you vacation and if so, where? What makes a perfect picnic? What is your favorite or least favorite thing about Summer? Is Summer different for you now then when you were a kid? Summer, summer, and more summer be there for chat and laughter with your girlfriends! The Virginia Ladies will be attending National Convention on the 1st Saturday of July. The 3rd Saturday will be a cooking demonstration, per your requests. Then the Ladies Night Crew will be taking a break, no Ladies Night in August! Mark your calendars for September the Ladies Night Crew will be back with new themes and ideas! Looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday! Here's how to join our Affiliate's Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/8297256345?pwd=SFAyamlQNU44ZTJ6dUZNMTV4RmhCQT09 One tap mobile tell: +13017158592,,8297256345# Telephone Dial: 1 (301) 715-8592 Meeting ID: 829 725 6345# If needed the password is 20201940 Chapter Information: Eastern Shore Chapter Althea Pittman Phone: 757-787-3853 E-mail: vaescil at gmail.com Contact the chapter for current meeting times. Chesapeake Bay Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Saturday from 11 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Gus and George's Spaghetti and Steakhouse, 4312 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, 23452. Virtual Meeting Information: None, in person only. Fairfax Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Thursday from 7 to 8:30 PM, virtual meetings only. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses the Affiliate's Zoom Greater Alexandria Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Thursday of most months from 7 to 9pm. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Greater Williamsburg Chapter Chapter meeting: First Saturday of each month >From 1 to 3 PM at the James City Rec. Center,5301 Long Hill Road, Williamsburg, 23188. Virtual Meeting Information: Peninsula Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 11:30 to 1 PM, Faith Community Church, 657 Harpersville Road, Newport News, 23601 Virtual Meeting Information: Phone 605-475-4825 passcode, 549778#. Potomac Chapter Chapter meeting: Second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 PM. Virtual Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6025022255 Meeting ID: 602 502 2255 One tap mobile +13017158592,,6025022255 Prince William Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month, from 2 to 3PM. Virtual Meeting Information: Phone 605-313-5562 passcode, 293383. We occasionally meet at Bar Louie, 15001 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge, 22191, follow this weekly announcement to learn when we will be in person. Richmond Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Monday of the month from 6:30-8:30 PM in the assembly room of the Administrative Activities Building at VDBI, 401 Azalea Ave. Richmond 23227. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Tidewater Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 2PM to 3:30PM Virtual Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3661685508?pwd=a2RwY0o5TWVIa2xBbDBPSEJzL0l2QT09 Meeting ID: 366 168 5508 Passcode: 21211955 One tap mobile +13017158592,,3661685508#,,,,*21211955# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Winchester Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 10 AM to 11:30 AM at Sollenberger True Value Hardware, 832 Berryville Ave., Winchester, 22601. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses Affiliate Zoom. At-Large Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Tuesday of the month from 8 PM to 9 PM, August through May, with a face to face reception held during state convention. Designed to meet the needs of Virginians who do not live near a local chapter. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Seniors Division Chapter Meeting: Fourth Wednesday the month from 7 PM to 9 PM Virtual information: Uses Affiliate's zoom I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com Thu Jun 15 23:34:57 2023 From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (tracy.soforenko at gmail.com) Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 19:34:57 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] Thursday (6/15) 8:00 PM ET Where the Blind Work: Government Contracting Message-ID: <051501d99fe1$fed9e0d0$fc8da270$@gmail.com> Please join us for this national seminar featuring a number of leaders from Virginia. As a national program, it is not on the normal Virginia affiliate Zoom so follow the instructions below. Welcome to the Where the Blind Work Webinar Series, an employment program as part of the National Federation of the Blind's Blindness Initiatives! Topic: Where the Blind Work Contract Specialists Webinar Join Zoom Meeting https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/8451905685 Meeting ID: 845 190 5685 One tap mobile +13017158592,,8451905685# US (Washington DC) 13052241968,,8451905685# US Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 876 9923 US (New York) +1 646 931 3860 US +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose) +1 507 473 4847 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 689 278 1000 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 253 205 0468 US +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 845 190 5685 Find your local number: https://nfb-org.zoom.us/u/ar15iQSSc Tracy Soforenko President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia 202 285-4595 Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tracy.soforenko at gmail.com Sat Jun 24 18:17:51 2023 From: tracy.soforenko at gmail.com (tracy.soforenko at gmail.com) Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2023 14:17:51 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] NFB23 Virginia Table is Table A40 - What we are selling and we need you Message-ID: <052e01d9a6c8$30a63810$91f2a830$@gmail.com> Hi virginia Federationists, Are you working the Virginia table at the convention? We need your help to sell our products and fund our movement. Our table (A40) will only be open on Sunday, July 2 and Monday, July 3 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Due to tax rules in Texas, the Virginia table will not be open on July 4 and 5. We will be selling 2 items: A) NFB Membership Coin Holders - Where your NFB Membership coin proudly with our custom made stainless steal coin holder that can be worn as a necklace or on a key ring. Your membership coin fits snugly in this coin holder's elegant clam shaped design. The cost is $20. B)Gorgeous tan canvas zippered tote bags with a navy blue handle and our National Federation of the blind logo in black. Each tote is $20. To be successful, we need volunteers to work the table for a few hours. Renee Valdez is booking people into shifts at the table. Please volunteer for a shift by emailing Renee at: Renee Valdez reneerome at yahoo.com We are excited that we will be together in Houston and need you to help us sell our products. Renee will pair experienced individuals with individuals who might be new to selling our products so it will be fun and engaging. Tracy Soforenko President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia 202 285-4595 Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Sun Jun 25 16:52:53 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2023 12:52:53 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] What's happening and zoom! Message-ID: <044e01d9a785$7c82dbe0$758893a0$@gmail.com> Hey NFB Family and Friends, National Convention is a mere week away! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. If you aren't able to attend this year, please make sure to register for the virtual convention. Our National Convention is something everyone should experience! If you have been on the fence about attending convention and think "no way I'll get a room now" you are in luck! Read below, a room has opened at the main hotel. You'll pay the discounted hotel rate and be where the action is. Check it out. ATTENTION: Room for National Convention! My name is Corlis Jones. I have put a deposit on a room with 2 beds for July 1-7 at Houston Americas. I am unable to attend the convention this year. Is there anyone who decided to attend the convention and needs a room? If so, my contact info is: Cmjones153 at cox.net Spotlight On. Not much going on in the world of News you can use. Please see below for career opportunities from DBVI. Find info regarding open positions at DBVI. Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. DBVI Career Opportunities - 6/22/23 Listed below are the DBVI Career Opportunities currently posted. Each position may be accessed directly in the state PageUp system by clicking on the applicable Quicklink. Since vacancies are posted frequently, check PageUp for the most up to date listing at jobs.virginia.gov. Here are some helpful tips to remember when applying: * Review the position's Job Description. * Complete PageUp application accurately to reflect relevant work history as it relates to the position for which you are applying. * Contact HR, prior to the position closing, if you have any issues accessing PageUp or submitting an application. * PageUp closes all positions at 11:55 pm on the Closing Date. * Screening is based upon information relevant to the position for which you are applying. HR determines candidates for interview by comparing the information disclosed in the application, resume, cover letter and transcripts to the screening criteria for the particular position. Be sure to like DBVI on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI and visit us on the web at https://www.dbvi.virginia.gov. Job Title: VIB Associate / Janitor - Norfolk Location: Norfolk Position #: 509531 Closing Date: 07/07/2023 Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Braille Instructor Location: Henrico Position #: 501412 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Rehabilitation Technology Specialist Location: Norfolk Position #: 509141 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Receiver/ Delivery Driver - Ft. Gregg-Adams Location: Hopewell Position #: 506890 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Retail Manager I (NOVA Float) Location: Fairfax County Position #: 505169 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Receiver/Delivery Driver - Ft. Belvoir VIB Base Supply Store Location: Fairfax County Position #: 498128 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist (Sign on Bonus) Location: Staunton Position #: 499667 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Orientation & Mobility Specialist Location: Fairfax Position #: 507554 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Government Account Manager Location: Fairfax Position #: 506667 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Government Account Manager Location: Hampton/ Newport News/ Norfolk Position #: 506669 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB Kitting Warehouse Associate I (Wage) Location: Virginia Beach Position #: 495466 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Production Associate III Location: Charlottesville Position #: 501758 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Production Supervisor Location: Charlottesville Position #: 494686 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Access Technology Instructor Location: Henrico Position #: 499165 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Contract Closeout Specialist CMS /Chester Location: Chesterfield Position #: 494352 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Security Officer (Weekend and Coverage 1, 2) Location: Richmond Position #: 507197 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Security Officer (Weekday Evenings and Nights) Location: Richmond Position #: 507192 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: Shipping/ Receiving Associate IV Location: Richmond Position #: 499261 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now Job Title: VIB-Associate - Fire Extinguisher Dept./ Driver/Shipping/Receiving Location: Richmond Position #: 498425 Closing Date: Open until filled Quicklink: Apply Now C Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired Stay Connected with Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe All | Help _____ This email was sent to jackibruce6 at gmail.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired . 397 Azalea Avenue . Richmond, Virginia . 23227 . (804) 371-3140 Here's how to join our Affiliate's Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/8297256345?pwd=SFAyamlQNU44ZTJ6dUZNMTV4RmhCQT09 One tap mobile tell: +13017158592,,8297256345# Telephone Dial: 1 (301) 715-8592 Meeting ID: 829 725 6345# If needed the password is 20201940 Chapter Information: Eastern Shore Chapter Althea Pittman Phone: 757-787-3853 E-mail: vaescil at gmail.com Contact the chapter for current meeting times. Chesapeake Bay Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Saturday from 11 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Gus and George's Spaghetti and Steakhouse, 4312 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, 23452. Virtual Meeting Information: None, in person only. Fairfax Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Thursday from 7 to 8:30 PM, virtual meetings only. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses the Affiliate's Zoom Greater Alexandria Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Thursday of most months from 7 to 9pm. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Greater Williamsburg Chapter Chapter meeting: First Saturday of each month >From 1 to 3 PM at the James City Rec. Center,5301 Long Hill Road, Williamsburg, 23188. Virtual Meeting Information: Peninsula Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 11:30 to 1 PM, Faith Community Church, 657 Harpersville Road, Newport News, 23601 Virtual Meeting Information: Phone 605-475-4825 passcode, 549778#. Potomac Chapter Chapter meeting: Second Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 PM. Virtual Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6025022255 Meeting ID: 602 502 2255 One tap mobile +13017158592,,6025022255 Prince William Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month, from 2 to 3PM. Virtual Meeting Information: Phone 605-313-5562 passcode, 293383. We occasionally meet at Bar Louie, 15001 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge, 22191, follow this weekly announcement to learn when we will be in person. Richmond Chapter Chapter meeting: Fourth Monday of the month from 6:30-8:30 PM in the assembly room of the Administrative Activities Building at VDBI, 401 Azalea Ave. Richmond 23227. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Tidewater Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 2PM to 3:30PM Virtual Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3661685508?pwd=a2RwY0o5TWVIa2xBbDBPSEJzL0l2QT09 Meeting ID: 366 168 5508 Passcode: 21211955 One tap mobile +13017158592,,3661685508#,,,,*21211955# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Winchester Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Saturday of the month from 10 AM to 11:30 AM at Sollenberger True Value Hardware, 832 Berryville Ave., Winchester, 22601. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses Affiliate Zoom. At-Large Chapter Chapter meeting: Third Tuesday of the month from 8 PM to 9 PM, August through May, with a face to face reception held during state convention. Designed to meet the needs of Virginians who do not live near a local chapter. Virtual Meeting Information: Uses affiliate zoom. Seniors Division Chapter Meeting: Fourth Wednesday the month from 7 PM to 9 PM Virtual information: Uses Affiliate's zoom Do not judge me by my success, judge me by the number of times I fell and got back up again. -Nelson Mandela Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jackibruce6 at gmail.com Tue Jun 27 14:28:22 2023 From: jackibruce6 at gmail.com (jackibruce6 at gmail.com) Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 10:28:22 -0400 Subject: [NFBV-Announce] Do you need a room for National Convention? Message-ID: <00be01d9a903$a0aba5e0$e202f1a0$@gmail.com> Room for National Convention! Is there anyone who decided to attend the National convention and you need a room? Look no further! I have a room in the Hilton Americas, the main hotel, and I am no longer able to attend Convention. My name is Corlis Jones. I have put a deposit on a room with 2 beds for July 1-7. Yes! You could be where all of the action is happening, at the discounted NFB rate and in the sold out Hilton!! My contact info is: Cmjones153 at cox.net and my cell is 757-565-1185. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you. Peace, Jacki Bruce Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia RISE/Silver Bells Outreach Coordinator mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com tel:(757)291-1789 www.nfb.org www.nfbv.org Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia Live the life you want. The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: