[Nfbwv-talk] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] NFB President’s Notebook - week of 03/23/15 - with the attachment

[Smyth, Charlene R]

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

Dear Fellow Federationists,

I have just concluded the 80th leadership seminar—the Happy Bus Seminar. Building leadership is an on-going program of the Federation at all levels. If I can be helpful to you in your leadership development efforts within the affiliate, please let me know.

We had a great victory in our case against Scribd last week. I have attached the ruling from the judge in case it is of interest to you.

Critical actions this week:

Our national student division is currently working on securing meetings with top leaders at universities. Affiliate presidents should be in touch with local student division leaders to ensure coordination and adequate support from our local affiliate.



News:

The NFB App is available:
Search in the App Store for NFB Connect, or go to https://appsto.re/us/mhsU5.i to download the app for iOS devices. Please provide your feedback through the app regarding problems or future feature changes that would enhance the product.



Scribd Case Ruling:
The court’s ruling denied Scribd’s motion to have the case dismissed. The lawsuit alleges violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Scribd had argued that the ADA did not apply because the company does not offer its services from a public physical location. Judge Sessions rejected this argument, ruling that Scribd’s services clearly fall within at least one category of public accommodations covered by the ADA. The ADA therefore covers the claim that Scribd’s failure to make its services available to blind people who access its website or mobile apps violates the law. A ruling that Scribd can discriminate against people with disabilities online but not at a public physical location, Judge Sessions said, would be an “absurd result” clearly at odds with the intent of the law.


Video:
Tomorrow's video, Jacobus tenBroek and the Right to Live in the World, details the exciting life of Jacobus tenBroek, the first President of the National Federation of the Blind and disability law scholar. You can access the NFB channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/NationsBlind.
And in our latest video, Happy St. Patrick’s Day<https://youtu.be/jretXok3VKg>, Steven Booth and Chris Danielsen, two members of the National Federation of the Blind who have visited Ireland twice, share their thoughts about this beautiful country and its warm and friendly people. They also provide perspective on being blind and traveling abroad.



Reminders:

The deadline for submitting a nomination for the 2015 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award is Tuesday, March 31, 2015. For additional information contact Jim Gashel, chairman of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee at (720) 878-4248 or BolotinAward at nfb.org<mailto:BolotinAward at nfb.org>.



Also, the deadline for submitting applications to the National Federation of the Blind 2015 Scholarship Program is Tuesday, March 31, 2015. Additional information is available at www.nfb.org/scholarships<http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>.





Dates to keep in mind:

·         Spring affiliate conventions<https://nfb.org/state-conventions>

·         March 26-27, 2015: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium

·         May 14-16, 2015: NFB STEM2U Columbus (OH), COSI

·         June 7, 2015: NFB 6 DOT DASH

·         July 5-10, 2015: 75th Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind

·         August 2-8, 2015: NFB STEM EQ

·         September 11-13, 2015: NFB STEM2U Leadership Academy

·         May, 2016: WBU-ICEVI General Assembly

·         June 19-25, 2016: NFB EQ (first iteration)

·         July 31-August 6, 2016 (second iteration)


The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.


Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Email: officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>
Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice
Web: www.nfb.org<http://www.nfb.org/>
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