[NFBWV-Talk] Fwd: NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 08/31/2020

Mon Aug 31 21:50:10 UTC 2020

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: President, National Federation of the Blind <
OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>
Date: Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 4:44 PM
Subject: NFB President’s Notebook - Week of 08/31/2020
To: State Presidents <StatePresidents at nfb.org>

President’s Notebook

National Federation of the Blind

Mark A. Riccobono

officeofthepresident at nfb.org

410-659-9314

Dear Fellow Federationists,

With Labor Day approaching, the unofficial close

of the summer is here. Many of you are getting ready to send your children
back to school (virtually or otherwise); a number of you have already done
so. The vast majority of you are working on conventions for the fall in
virtual formats and are wrestling

with all of the decisions to be made. A lot of you are working on securing
accessible voting in your state in time for this historic election. All of
us are dealing with continuing the programs to build our movement. All of
this is while we grapple with the

social justice issues receiving significant attention in our communities
and trying to make sense of the new normal during a pandemic. In other
words, take a deep breath and I thank you for your dedication to our
movement—you make a difference.

I want to let you know that I have heard from

Pam Allen in Louisiana. Assessment of the impact of hurricane Laura on our
members is still happening. You may have heard that much of Ruston
continues to be without power not to mention the damage in other cities
that is being highly covered by the media.

If we learn of unmet needs among our Louisiana family, we will definitely
put out the word.

Below is the usual list of interesting announcements,

reminders, and important things you should know about for this week. Stay
safe and enjoy a relaxing Labor Day as we move into a busy fall season
during the next couple weeks.

Critical Actions:

*Convention Voting Deadline:*

If your affiliate plans to

use the Swift voting platform for its fall convention, please remember that
we need a confirmation from you by noon tomorrow (Tuesday, September 1). If
you haven’t done so already, please email John Berggren (jberggren at nfb.org)

the answers to the following questions:

·

How many attendees do you anticipate (roughly)?

·

How many votes do you plan on conducting? This should include elections,
resolutions, test votes, and any other questions you might pose using the
system.

·

Will you use the phone number registration portal?

Those opting in will receive

Swift contact information, details about the phone number registration
portal, and a training schedule later this week.

News:

Presidential Release Tuesday Night:

The

September

Presidential Release <https://www.nfb.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=400>

of the National Federation of the Blind will be Tuesday, September 1, at
8:00 p.m. eastern for all members, and non-members are warmly welcomed. The
release will also be offered with Spanish translation and closed captions.
The is a free-form event, so a transcript

will be made available forty-eight hours afterwards. Note: the Spanish
translation has separate Zoom details. We look forward to your
participation!

DOT Announced Extension of the Quiet Car Rule:

The US Department of

Transportation announced a six-month extension for the quiet car rule, part
of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act that requires audible sounds be
equipped on electric and hybrid electric vehicles to help all pedestrians,
especially blind pedestrians, be

aware when a vehicle is nearby. This extension is needed in response to
COVID-19-related manufacturing delays. The National Federation of the Blind
recognizes the impact of COVID-19 on the automobile industry and believes
that the DOT’s action strikes an appropriate

balance while continuing to ensure implementation of the law. Learn more
about our advocacy for

the

Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act
<https://www.nfb.org/sites/www.nfb.org/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm17/bm1704/bm170403.htm>
.

*NFB-Branded Masks Available Soon—Preorder Yours Now:*

We have

ordered a limited number of branded, fabric masks with our logo prominently
displayed that will be carried in our Independence Market. The face masks
are medium blue with our logo centered in white. The face covering is
approximately seven and one-fourth inches

by four and three-fourths inches. The inside of the mask is white soft
fabric. There are loops that go over the ears. We are taking preorders for
masks, which will be available around the beginning of October. The cost
will be $4.00 per mask or $10.00 for

three masks, plus shipping and handling. Please note that these masks are
not eligible for Free Matter shipping so we will be shipping them by UPS
ground. To reserve your mask(s), call the Independence Market at
410-659-9314, extension 2216. We will contact

you for payment, once the masks arrive at NFB headquarters.

Zoom Security Change:

Please note that there

is a change to Zoom security coming at the end of next month. As of
September 27, all Zoom meetings will require either a passcode or a waiting
room. The passcode can be embedded in the Zoom meeting hyperlink but will
need to be keyed in along with the meeting

ID for those not using the hyperlink. Zoom meetings can be configured in a
way that phone participants are not required to enter a Zoom passcode. A
waiting room will require the meeting’s host or co-hosts to admit each
attendee into the main meeting. With

some work up front, it is possible to whitelist some attendees into the
meeting automatically. Please keep this in mind for your fall convention
sessions. More information can be found on the Zoom website at

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360045009111-FAQ-Meetings-Waiting-Room-and-Passcode-Requirements-September-27-2020
.

Meet the Blind Month:

The National Federation

of the Blind celebrates Meet the Blind Month every October, with members
conducting outreach activities across the country. If you are looking for
ideas, a recommendation is to focus on lived experiences with problem
solving, self-confidence, and intersectionality.

Plan a virtual event in your local community to talk about blindness and
the Federation philosophy. Invite schools, libraries, and other
establishments. The

Courtesy

Rules of Blindness resource
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/meet-blind-month/courtesy-rules-blindness>

or White

Cane Awareness Day resources
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/meet-blind-month/white-cane-awareness-day>

are great to share. If needed, there is still time to order materials from
the Independence Market such as Braille alphabet cards. Send the date of
your event and a brief description to

web at nfb.org.

Please use #MeetTheBlind in social media.

*Infrared Thermometers Available:*

During

the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we are all more conscious about
monitoring our health by checking our body temperature. The Independence
Market can help. We currently have a talking infrared thermometer available
for ordering. By the end of September, we

will also have a talking oral thermometer back in stock. To place an order,
please call the Independence Market at 410-659-9314, extension 2216.

Nonvisual Access Conference—Access

Technology and Structured Discovery:

The National Federation

of the Blind is hosting an all-virtual conference, September 24 and 25,
with sessions and panels discussing the intersection of access technology
and the structured discovery training model used in other areas of
blindness skills training. Especially with

the virtual school year beginning, this is great for teachers of blind
students and blindness professionals. Learn more about

the

Nonvisual Access Conference
<https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/center-excellence-nonvisual-access/trainings/nonvisual-access-conference>
.

*2020 Online Research Platform Study:*

This week, we are continuing our work with HathiTrust

to conduct a study on the accessibility and usability of an online research
platform. We are having our first orientation Tuesday, September 1 to
discuss what will be expected of the participants. We are still recruiting
participants, so if you are a college

student, higher-education faculty member, or other professional conducting
academic research, please

complete this survey <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C5KDN7G> in

order to be considered to participate in the study. All who complete the
survey will be entered into a drawing.

*STEM Update:*

For the past twenty

years we have worked to increase access for blind students in the fields of
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Though it will be
different than originally planned, our latest program, STEM2U, will
continue this mission. Earlier this spring,

fifteen affiliates were chosen to host STEM2U programs in their states.
These programs will now be virtual, meaning students will have the
opportunity to learn from a greater number of mentors and peers. STEM2U
programs will be held on Saturday, October 17,

and Saturday, November 14. If you or your STEM2U coordinator have any
questions, please reach out to Karen Anderson at

kanderson at nfb.org

or 410-659-9314, extension 2243.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

   - September 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
   - September 13: Open-House Gathering call, 4:00 p.m. eastern
   - October 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
   - October: Meet the Blind Month
   - November 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
   - December 1: Presidential Release LIVE, 8:00 p.m. eastern
   - December 9: Open-House Gathering call, 8:00 p.m. eastern
   - February 8, 2021: Washington Seminar Great Gathering-In

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.

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