[Ohio-talk] FW: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 08/21/2017 - Sent Early!

Sat Aug 19 10:46:57 UTC 2017

From: President, National Federation of the Blind [mailto:OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org] 
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2017 11:33 AM
To: President, National Federation of the Blind <OfficeOfThePresident at nfb.org>
Subject: NFB President’s Notebook - week of 08/21/2017 - Sent Early!

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 have been thinking a lot about how we carry out the activities of the National Federation of the Blind and what broader impact the Federation philosophy might have on society. We value equality, and we work to eliminate discrimination based on the characteristic of blindness. Although I would argue that our philosophy about the impact of emphasizing certain characteristics over others applies to many other aspects of our society. It is certainly relevant this week as the subject of race has again become a dividing factor in our society.

This week we put two messages on the rooftop sign at the National Federation of the Blind. The first is “Reject Racism,” and the second is “Stand Against Hate.” Both of these are consistent with the spirit and values we attempt to live in the Federation. The National Federation of the Blind has helped me to better relate to those whose backgrounds and experiences were different than mine. I have had the opportunity to spend time with blind people who have had no opportunities and are struggling to get by. I have spent time with blind people who have faced significant discrimination that continues to hold them back. I have spent time with blind people who think they have never experienced discrimination and they wonder what it feels like. And I have spent time with blind people who believed that they made it on their own and that the work of our movement gave them no advantage. It is the Federation that taught me to find the common bond we have in our experiences as blind people and to use that as a tool for advancing opportunities for all blind people, including myself. By seeking first to relate to others, the Federation has opened up opportunities for me to engage with outstanding people that I might have otherwise never had the chance to learn from.

As we seek to carry out the work of the Federation within our great nation, I encourage us to use the learning we have gained from the Federation to teach others how they might approach building our communities in better ways. Equality is a value we hold and it is something that we understand well based on our shared experience as blind people. This week I have been asking myself how we might use that knowledge to help others recognize that same value in the space they occupy on a daily basis. As we struggle to figure out that tricky question, I would suggest that one of the best things we can do is continue to live the Federation philosophy in everything we do. 

We are sending the notebook on Friday so we can share with you the information about how to observe the eclipse on Monday in unique ways. Please share your accounts of experiences with the eclipse as it would make interesting content for our publications. 

News:

Solar Eclipse:
Next Monday, a total solar eclipse will pass across the United States. The eclipse soundscape project <http://eclipsesoundscapes.org./>  is providing a unique opportunity to experience the eclipse nonvisually through haptic feedback using a rumble map, and through audio descriptions unlocked in real time as the eclipse moves overhead. Due to the change in light, nocturnal animals stir into action, while diurnal animals settle. As the sun’s light re-emerges, it often triggers a “false dawn chorus,” recordings of which will be gathered from across the country and shared in the wake of the eclipses passing. An accessible iPhone app is already available, and an Android app is coming soon. For those without a smartphone, MP3 files will be available from the eclipse soundscape project’s website.

Eclipse Booklets:
We were very pleased to be able to circulate 321 copies of Getting a Feel for Eclipses, a tactile-graphic guide to the solar eclipse, to members in over a dozen states. These tactile graphics are nonvisual representations of how eclipses occur, what they look like, and the path that the great American eclipse will take across the United States on Monday. The guides were designed by the College of Charleston and NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, and produced by Hapticallyspeaking.com <http://www.Hapticallyspeaking.com> .

Origins of the NFB Pledge:
A recent request was made to the tenBroek Library staff to research how the National Federation of the Blind pledge was created. Federationists recite our pledge at every chapter meeting, state convention, and national convention. The pledge that we all know and use today came about during the 1974 NFB National convention. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan first spoke about the idea of a formal pledge to show one’s support for the organization during that year’s Presidential Report. He also hosted a special reception during that convention, complete with a receiving line including the entire NFB Executive Committee, now known as the NFB Board of Directors. Every member who walked through that receiving line received an official NFB membership card with these words printed on the back:

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.

Reminders:

Affiliate Cardtronics Testing: 
We have a number of states that have not replied regarding Cardtronics testing. If we do not hear from you by close of business on Monday, we will assume that you intended to opt out and will seek to reassign testing in your state.

National Divisions: 
Annual reports from national divisions were due to me on August 15. A number of divisions have not submitted reports. Please plan to do so before the end of this week as the report is already past due.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

*	Fall Conventions <https://nfb.org/state-conventions> 
*	September 12-17, 2017: BLAST <http://blindmerchants.org/blast-2017/> , Nashville, Tennessee 
*	November 1, 2017: 2018 scholarship application <http://nfb.org/scholarships>  period begins
*	November 6-8, 2017: Dare to Be Remarkable Conference <https://nfb.org/dare-be-remarkable-call-presentations> , Baltimore, Maryland
*	January 29, 2018: Great Gathering-In, Washington, District of Columbia

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>  

 <https://nfb.org/> 

                          <http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind>      <https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice>      <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. 

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