[Nfbwv-talk] President Riccobono's Notebook for 1/2/17

Wed Jan 4 15:44:31 UTC 2017

January 2, 2017
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,

Happy New Year! I look forward to charging forward with the great work we are undertaking together in 2017. Some are debating whether there is reason to have hope in the new year, but I am of the belief that we are the masters of creating hope and opportunity, and I plan to do just that.

There are some high-level organizational priorities that I would like to call to your attention for 2017 (in no particular order):
1. Engage current and attract new members.
2. Connect, protect, and support blind parents and the parents of blind children.
3. Conduct advocacy, policy, legal, and partnership programs to protect the rights of blind people and increase accessibility and employment in education, public services, and commerce.
4. Promote equality by raising expectations of blind people and breaking down misconceptions.
5. Develop more effective mechanisms for communicating and interacting with organizational supporters.

As we undertake our work in 2017, we should keep these broad priorities in mind. Of course, this does not mean that there are no other items that will take some of our attention, but I view these items as the pressing, high-level priorities for organizing our activities this year.

Best wishes for the first week of 2017.

Critical Actions This Week:
Washington Seminar Hotel Rate Extended:
The Holiday Inn Capitol has extended the deadline for Washington Seminar reservations through this Tuesday, January 3, 2017. To book a reservation, please dial (877) 572-6951 using booking code F7B, or by going to https://nfb.org/Washington-seminar. Rates for the 2017 Washington Seminar are $188 per night with an applicable tax of 14.5 percent. The Great Gathering-In is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on January 30, and we will be visiting the offices of House and Senate members on Tuesday, January 31, through Thursday, February 2.

News:
Dare to Be Remarkable:
A three-day national training conference for education and rehabilitation professionals who work with blind students and adults will be held at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute from Monday, November 6 through Wednesday November 8, 2017.

Our first Dare to Be Remarkable conference took place in December 2007. After ten years of progress, professionals will once again assemble to share successes, strategies, and goals for the future. The conference will consist of plenary presentations, topical group work, and breakout sessions exploring structured discovery methods and principles. Preregistration (prior to October 13) will be $400 per person, and registration (after October 13) will be $500 per person. Registration includes all conference materials in alternative formats, lunches, periodic snack breaks, transportation to and from the hotel, and special hospitality/training events. Online registration will be available starting February 1, 2017.

Apply to Become a National Federation of the Blind BUILD Team Member:
Technologies are being developed every day that affect the way we all live, work, and play. In order to ensure access to the ever-evolving technologies that make it possible for blind people to live the lives we want, we need blind users to innovate and lead the design process. The NFB is establishing a database of Blind Users Innovating and Leading Design (BUILD) to evaluate websites, products, and services for accessibility. Apply to become a member of our BUILD team by completing the survey at https://nfb.org/build-team.

Spanish Version of the Presidential Release:
The Spanish version of the release is available at https://nfb.org/images/nfb/audio/pr/spanish/pr456_spanish.mp3.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

*        January 30, 2017: Great Gathering-In

*        January 30-February 2, 2017: Washington Seminar<https://nfb.org/washington-seminar>

*        March 30-31, 2017: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium

*        March 31, 2017: Deadline for scholarship applications<http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>

*        April 15, 2017: Deadline for Jacob Bolotin Award applications<https://nfb.org/bolotin-award-main>

*        July 10-15, 2017: National Convention, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Florida<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm16/bm1611/bm161101.htm>

*        July 21-29, 2017: Youth Slam<http://www.blindscience.org/nfb-youth-slam>, Towson University

*        September 12-17, 2017: BLAST<http://blindmerchants.org/blast-2017/>, Nashville, Tennessee

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

Mark A. Riccobono
President
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314 | officeofthepresident at nfb.org<mailto:officeofthepresident at nfb.org>

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The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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