[NYABS] Empire Chapter Monthly Meeting | Casey Robertson on Braille + Section 504 Action | Mon. Apr. 20, 7 PM EDT

[Empire Chapter NFBNYS]

Dear Federation family,

We hope you'll be joining the Empire Chapter of the National Federation 
of the Blind of New York State for our monthly chapter meeting on 
Monday, April 20^th , 2026 at 7 PM EDT. We have an especially exciting 
program in store this month!

We are pleased to welcome Casey Robertson as our guest speaker. Ms. 
Robertson is a Braille instructor, the lead instructor at the 
Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness at 
Louisiana Tech University, and is First Vice President of the National 
Organization of Parents of Blind Children. She has earned numerous 
awards for her work, including the Federation’s Distinguished Educator 
of Blind Children and Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. She will also be joined 
by her current LA Tech students who will be attending as part of their 
coursework. Ms. Robertson will speak on the Natural Order of Braille 
Contractions, a system she has developed over the past two decades that 
teaches Braille contractions in the sequence that best matches how 
beginning readers naturally encounter and retain writing, greatly 
improving both the speed and effectiveness of Braille learning for blind 
students of all ages. Afterward, we'll host a discussion surrounding 
blindness philosophy and the importance of both learning and teaching 
Braille.

We will also take time to address one of the most urgent issues facing 
blind and disabled Americans today: the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit, which 
poses a direct threat to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 
For more than five decades, Section 504 has been a cornerstone of civil 
rights for blind and disabled people, prohibiting discrimination in 
programs and activities that receive federal funding. This lawsuit, 
brought by nine states led by Texas, challenges the federal government's 
authority to enforce Section 504 and puts at risk our access to 
education, employment, and public services. The National Federation of 
the Blind has issued an urgent advocacy alert calling on all members to 
take action. At our meeting, we will discuss what is at stake, what the 
National Office is asking us to do, and how each of us can make a 
difference. This is a moment that calls for all of us, and we hope to 
see as many of you there as possible.

Meeting Details

https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/9868886022

Meeting ID: 986 888 6022

One tap mobile:

+16468769923,,9868886022# <tel:+16468769923,,9868886022#> (US - New York)

+16469313860,,9868886022# (US)

We can’t wait to see you there! If you have any questions, please reach 
out to Noah Tobias Carver, President of the Empire Chapter, via email at 
empire at nfbny.org or via phone/text at 207-205-7303 <tel:+12072057303>.

Warmly,

Noah and the Empire Chapter Board

Noah Tobias Carver, President
Empire Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of New York State
empire at nfbny.org
(207) 205-7303 <tel:+12072057303>
www.nfbny.org <https://www.nfbny.org/>
Pronouns: he, him, his
Live the life you want.

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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