[Ohio-Talk] You may wish to drop in.

Wed Oct 21 11:58:20 UTC 2020

Hello Colleagues,

Please find our convention agenda below. We are closing registration
tomorrow at 5:00.  

The National Federation of the Blind of Alaska

2020 State Convention

Friday & Saturday,

October 23 & 24, 2020

Calling all blind and visually impaired Alaskans from cities, towns, and
villages in the great State of Alaska to come, join, and learn to...

"Live the Life You Want. Blindness is not what holds you back!"

THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND PLEDGE

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 programs and policies of the Federation and to abide by its
constitution.

CONVENTION INFORMATION

*        Click here to attend all convention events using Zoom Conference
<https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 

*        Meeting ID: 225 140 8820

*        All times are Alaska time, four hours earlier than Eastern time.

*        We will have our even year number election as required by our State
Affiliate Constitution, to be conducted using the raising of hands on Zoom.
You must be a dues-paying member to vote. Unsure about your membership
status? Call 907-301-6808. 

*        You do not have to be a member to win a door prize, but you must be
registered.

*        Contact information for exhibitors may be found immediately
following program agenda.

Special thanks to our exhibitors and sponsors:

*        Vanda Pharmaceuticals: $500 to begin our scholarship fund

*        Way Around: Door prizes

*        Elegant Insights: Door prizes

*        AIRA: Door prizes

*        Guiding Eyes: Door Prize - Michael Goehring 

*        Our Technology Team: Michael Lauf, web master (and owner of
Laufware), Abby Fleenor, Brian Blair, Nate Kile, Candy Powell, Tony Gebhard

*        Most importantly, you -- our attendees and program presenters, for
joining us as we come together to grow and learn how to "live the life we
want."

AGENDA

Friday, October 23:

9:00   Welcome <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> , NFB Pledge, What is
the NFB?

9:10   Anil Lewis <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> , Executive
Director for Blindness Initiative, National Federation of the Blind

9:40   Update on State of Alaska Website
<https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 's Accessibility
David Newman, Alaska State ADA Coordinator

10:00: National Library Service <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> ,
Talking Book Library, continually evolving to meet the needs of the print
disabled
Freya Anderson, Alaska State Librarian 

10:20 Update from Alaska <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 's Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation
Duane Mayes, Director, DVR of Alaska

10:40 Words from Alaska <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 's blind DVR
counselor
Megan Schiele, Director of Blind Services, Alaska DVR

11:10 NFB NEWS-LINE  <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> R, What is it
and how does it work? Demonstration, Q&A, personal experiences with the
service.  
Scott White, Director of NFB NEWS-LINE

12:00 Lunch Break, Enjoy!

EXHIBITOR's FORUM

1:00:  Vanda Pharmaceuticals <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  -
Information about non-24 condition
Shauna Jatho, Nurse Educator 

1:30   Way Around <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - Learn how to tag
anything so you "won't be in the dark"
Jessica Hipp, 

1:50   AIRA <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - Use your phone and an
agent to do more
Ryan Bishop, AIRA Customer Care Manager 

2:10   Elegant Insights <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - Braille
Jewelry for Everyone
Laura Legendary, Blind Entrepreneur for 10 years 

2:30   Guiding Eyes <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - Serving
several Alaskan Guide Dog teams
Michael Goehring

2:50   Break

3:10   Technology <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  tips, tricks,
questions answered and more
Panel to be announced

Saturday, October 24

9:00   Parents of Blind Children <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  in
Alaska, information for Alaska Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), Q&A
Carlton Walker, President NOPBC, Division of the National Federation of the
Blind

MAIN SESSION

10:00 Welcome <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - Bonnie Lucas 
Invocation - Brian Blair; 
Musical number "Beautiful Soul" - Tony Gebhard

10:10 National Presidential Report <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 
Anil Lewis, National Representative, Baltimore, Maryland 

10:45 Annual Affiliate Report <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 
Bonnie Lucas, President, NFB of Alaska

11:15 Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
<https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - latest operations during a
Pandemic, latest staff changes
Nate Kile, Program Director, Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually
Impaired

12:00 Lunch break

1:00   Making Voting Accessible <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 
Lou Ann Blake, Director of Research Programs, National Federation of the
Blind

1:20   National Association of Blind Students
<https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 
Robert Parsons

1:40   NFB Centers <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  and how they work
Jennifer Wenzel, Director of Admissions, Blind Inc. 

2:00   Treasurer <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 's report - Carmen
Jameson

2:05   Elections <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820> 

3:00   Banquet Address <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  by National
Representative, Anil Lewis

3:45   Wrap-up <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2251408820>  - Bonnie Lucas

Meet Anil Lewis, NFB National Representative: 

Anil is currently employed as the executive director for Blindness
Initiatives for the National Federation of the Blind, located in Baltimore,
Maryland. He coordinates outreach, marketing, and fundraising activities for
a national nonprofit organization. He leads a dynamic team of individuals
responsible for the creation, development, implementation, and replication
of innovative projects and programs throughout a nationwide network of
affiliates that work to positively affect the education, employment, and
quality of life of all blind people.

Lewis has dedicated his leadership skills to the development and growth of
disability rights organizations that promote independence and improve
quality of life. Lewis additionally volunteers as a teacher and mentor for
blind kids, working with promising blind students who, because of limited
resources and lack of trained professionals to teach them, are
inappropriately encouraged to pursue special education diplomas. He wants
blind students to set higher goals for themselves and to receive the
training and tools they need to acquire the skills to reach their full
potential.

Speaking of his personal life, Anil Lewis says that his proudest
accomplishment is his bright, ambitious son Amari, born in 1997. Balancing
his many civic responsibilities with his personal life as a father is
undoubtedly his greatest challenge. His greatest success, he thinks, has
been overcoming the temptation to subside into becoming an unmotivated,
self-pitying person with a disability. He thinks his greatest contribution
so far has been to encourage other people with disabilities to believe in
themselves and to understand that they can make a difference.

Bonnie Lucas

President

National Federation of the Blind of Alaska

907-301-6808

 <mailto:nfbofalaska at gmail.com> nfbofalaska at gmail.com

 <mailto:nfbofalaska at gmail.com> nfbalaska.org

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.

Richard Payne,  President

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368

 <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> Rchpay7 at gmail.com

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.