[Nfbwv-talk] President Riccobono's Notebook for August 8, 2016

Wed Aug 10 13:50:27 UTC 2016

August 8, 2016
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,

This week I am traveling to cities in California doing the work of the Federation. If you need to reach me, my mobile number or email will be the best. As I was flying to the West coast, I was thinking about the need to continue to talk to members of the organization about active participation. We frequently come across blind people who need something, and they say they are members of the Federation. When we dig into it, we find that they paid dues one time, somewhere, but they have never been contacted again. I encourage us to find clear ways to make sure our new members receive ongoing contact with veteran members of the organization. Building membership is not simply about getting dues, it is about building a relationship that brings someone into the family. I encourage you to share interesting things happening in your affiliate to follow up with new members. Send your interesting items to Danielle Trevino (dtrevino at nfb.org<mailto:dtrevino at nfb.org>) in my office, so we can compile the ideas and share them around the organization.

Building the Federation on the road,
Mark

Critical Actions This Week:

NFB BELL Academy Training Seminars:
By the end of this month, more than thirty affiliates will have hosted forty-six NFB BELL Academy sites across the nation. Hundreds of NFB members have provided more than seventeen thousand instructional hours to more than three hundred NFB BELL Academy students. But just as this summer's programs are winding down, we must prepare for the summer of 2017. Affiliates that did not host an NFB BELL Academy site this year are welcome to apply to host next summer. NFB BELL Academy affiliate applications<https://nfb.org/bell-program-online-application> must be submitted by September 8, 2016. Please contact Carlton Walker at (410) 659-9314, extension 2225, or via email at cwalker at nfb.org<mailto:cwalker at nfb.org>, with any questions.

Additionally, for veteran and rookie NFB BELL Academy affiliates, we will hold two training seminars for affiliates planning to host one or more NFB BELL Academy sites in the summer of 2017. These training seminars will be held in early fall of this year, descriptions and registration deadlines below. If your affiliate is planning to host one or more NFB BELL Academy sites in the summer of 2017, attendance at one of these training seminars is required.

The NFB will pay travel expenses for up to two representatives from each new NFB BELL Academy affiliate and for one representative from each veteran affiliate. Please note that travel reimbursement is available on a per-affiliate basis, not on a per-site basis. Additionally, food, lodging, and conference instruction will be provided by the NFB at no cost to all applicants who are accepted to attend a training seminar.

The first seminar, to be held September 30-October 2, 2016, will be geared toward more experienced NFB BELL Academy coordinators. Only states that hosted one or more NFB BELL Academy sites in the summer of 2016 may attend this training seminar. The registration form<https://nfb.org/bell-seminar-registration-form> must be returned by August 31, 2016.

The second seminar, to be held October 20-24, 2016, will be geared toward novice- and intermediate-level NFB BELL Academy staff. Each novice affiliate hosting an NFB BELL Academy for the first time must attend this seminar. While this training seminar will be geared to the novice and intermediate levels, any NFB BELL Academy representatives are welcome to attend this training seminar. The registration form<https://nfb.org/bell-seminar-registration-form> must be returned by September 15, 2016.

News:

Presidential Release:
The August release has been posted to the presidential releases page here: https://nfb.org/presidential-releases.

Upcoming Accessibility Boutique:
On August 11 from 8:00-10:00 a.m., we will be hosting an Accessibility Boutique on "Testing Accessibility with NVDA." A screen reader can be a great tool for learning how well a website or software works for blind users. This boutique will cover the basics of using NVDA, an open-source screen reader that is freely available (donations requested) to find bugs and barriers. It will also touch on some of the reasons why NVDA is especially well suited for testing purposes. Our NFB Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access (CENA) to Education, Public Information, and Commerce, with support from the Maryland Department on Disability through a Nonvisual Access Initiative grant, continues to offer introductions to accessibility, free of charge and open to the public.
Convention Highlights:
The highlights from the 2016 National Convention are now up on NFB.org<http://nfb.org>. Here's the link: https://nfb.org/national-convention-highlights.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

*        May 23-August 26, 2016: NFB BELL Academy held at forty-six sites throughout the nation. More information at https://nfb.org/bell-academy.

*        August 18-25: WBU and ICEVI General Assembly, Rosen Centre, Orlando, Florida, www.wbu-icevi2016.org<http://www.wbu-icevi2016.org>

*        Fall Conventions<https://nfb.org/state-conventions>

*        August 31: Deadline for experienced NFB BELL Academy affiliate representatives to register for the NFB BELL Academy Training Seminar, September 30-October 2, 2016. Please choose Advanced or Novice/Intermediate; registration form<https://nfb.org/bell-seminar-registration-form>.

*        September 8: Deadline for prospective NFB BELL Academy affiliates to apply to host an NFB BELL Academy for the summer of 2017; application form<https://nfb.org/bell-program-online-application>.

*        September 15: Deadline for representatives from accepted prospective NFB BELL Academy affiliates to register for the NFB BELL Academy Training Seminar, October 20-24, 2016. Please choose Novice/Intermediate; registration form<https://nfb.org/bell-seminar-registration-form>.

*        September 30-October 2: NFB BELL Academy Training Seminar (Advanced) in Baltimore, Maryland

*        October 20-24: NFB BELL Academy Training Seminar (Novice/Intermediate) in Baltimore, Maryland

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/>

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.

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