[Nfbwv-talk] Fwd: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 04/29/2019

Mon Apr 29 21:30:44 UTC 2019

 Below is the presidents notebook. There’s lotta good information.

Sheri

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: President, National Federation of the Blind <
OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>
Date: Mon, Apr 29, 2019 at 3:55 PM
Subject: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 04/29/2019
To: President, National Federation of the Blind <
OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>

President’s Notebook National Federation of the Blind Mark A. Riccobono
officeofthepresident at nfb.org 410-659-9314

Dear Fellow Federationists,

I want to begin by expressing appreciation for our Federation leaders who
have reached out with offers of love and support to our members in
Louisiana. In case you missed it, we have included the announcement below
regarding our Ruston relief efforts. We are blessed that none of our
Federation family were physically harmed by the tornado that struck Ruston
on Thursday morning.

Many of you have been asking about how to get new members into our database
if they were not submitted with the original membership list for your
affiliate. We have been adjusting our new member form and it has taken much
longer than planned. Please know that the new member form is coming soon,
and we will provide clear instructions for how to get our new members
plugged in.

I want to again call your attention to the code of conduct update I sent
last week. The question came up about putting the code on an affiliate
website. Please note that it is not necessary for you to post the code to
the affiliate website. You should reference the code and link to it on the
national website--it is on every page of our website. This way, your
affiliate will always have a link to the latest version and to the
associated process for filing a report of violation of the code.

Critical Actions This Week:

Ruston Recovery for Blind Residents
On Thursday, April 25, 2019, a tornado touched down in Ruston, Louisiana,
doing significant damage to the homes of many members of the National
Federation of the Blind of Louisiana. Ruston is home to the Louisiana
Center for the Blind, one of the world's strongest programs for instilling
confidence and cultivating independence in blind people. Fortunately, the
training facilities of the Louisiana Center for the Blind were not directly
impacted although the homes of many staff and volunteers sustained
unbelievable damage. While no one was physically hurt, considerable work
and expense face these families as they secure temporary housing and begin
the long process of repairing and rebuilding their homes. The National
Federation of the Blind is coordinating donations to assist impacted
families who are part of Ruston's exceptional training programs for the
blind. Working with blind leaders in Ruston we will be identifying needs
for assistance and directing funds to where they are most needed.

Donations can be made to the National Federation of the Blind with a note
that they are for Ruston Recovery for Blind Residents. Please send your
donations to National Federation of the Blind, 200 East Wells Street,
Baltimore, Maryland, 21230
<https://maps.google.com/?q=200+East+Wells+Street,%0D%0A+Baltimore,+Maryland,+21230&entry=gmail&source=g>,
and put Ruston Recovery in the memo field, or visit
https://www.nfb.org/donate.

News:

Blindness Experience Teaching Internship:
Please distribute this opportunity to professionals who are or will be
working with blind individuals.

Attend this 2019–2020 internship at one of our training centers for the
hands-on training and experience necessary to jump-start a career in the
field of blindness. Lodging, travel, and a stipend for food and incidentals
are provided. Applications are due May 31, 2019. Learn dynamic nonvisual
skills. Take core classes. Prepare to raise expectations. To learn more and
apply, visit
https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/blindness-experience-teaching-internship
.

Congress Back in Session:
After a two-week period in the districts, Congress is back in Washington.
During the break, four House cosponsors were added to H.R. 2086, the Access
Technology Affordability Act: Stephanie Murphy of Florida, Chris Stewart of
Utah, Jim Cooper of Tennessee, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. We want to
send our thanks to the Florida, Utah, Tennessee, and Michigan affiliates
for all of your hard work in getting these representatives on the bill.
Keep up the good work, and remember, Congress will be in session for the
next four weeks so keep making calls and sending emails!

       Greyhound Secret Shopper Program:

Congratulations to the affiliates that participated in quarter three of the
NFB’s Greyhound Secret Shopper Program: Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, and
Oklahoma. The data we have gathered thus far has been critical to
monitoring whether Greyhound call center operators are waiving call center
booking fees for blind customers who experience difficulty booking tickets
through Greyhound’s website or mobile apps. For more information on this
important program, contact Valerie Yingling at vyingling at nfb.org or visit
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/legal_program/settlements/addendum_c_to_greyhound_agreement.pdf.

Upcoming Student Seminars:
There are two upcoming student seminars. The Southeast Student Seminar will
be August 9-11, and the Pacific Student Seminar will be August 16-18.
Registration opens May 15 for each of them. Contact Kathryn Webster (
nabs.president at gmail.com) with questions.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

   - May 1, 2019: Distinguished Educator Award
   <https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/distinguished-educator-blind-students-award>
   nomination deadline
   - May 15, 2019: Southeast Student Seminar and Pacific Student Seminar
   registration deadline
   - June 16-22, 2019: NFB EQ <http://www.blindscience.org/nfbeq>,
   Baltimore, Maryland
   - July 7-12, 2019: NFB National Convention
   <https://nfb.org/convention/2019>, Las Vegas, Nevada
   - February 10, 2020: Great Gathering-In; Washington Seminar begins

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
<https://maps.google.com/?q=200+East+Wells+Street,+Baltimore,+MD+21230&entry=gmail&source=g>

(410) 659-9314 | officeofthepresident at nfb.org

[image: National Federation of the Blind] <https://nfb.org/>

                         [image: Facebook]
<http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind>    [image: Twitter]
<https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice>    [image: Youtube]
<https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind>

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.

-- 
Sheri Koch, President
National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia
304-993-5103