[Ohio-Talk] National Convention First Timer's Guide

[Suzanne Turner]

First Timer's Guide

article

Welcome to your first convention of the National Federation of the Blind. We
hope that you find the convention fast-paced, fascinating, and fun, and that

it won't be your last.

 

Throughout the week, you will have amazing opportunities to network with
thousands of competent, blind role models employed in exciting careers,
attend

presentations on a wide variety of empowering topics, view the latest in
technology, and network with dynamic leaders in the field of blindness.

 

A lot happens at each convention, so this guide is intended to give you an
overview of what you will experience at your first convention. It is
available

in Braille, in large print, and on our website at www.nfb.org.

 

For many, attendance at that very first convention has become a
life-changing experience. Many hear for the very first time that it is
respectable to be

blind, that carrying a cane is useful and is nothing to be ashamed of, that
Braille is a valuable tool after all, and that much progress is being made

in adaptive technology. Attendees also learn that they are not alone, that
there are others who are facing the same problems they are, and that an
active

and normal life is possible and within their reach.

 

For more specific details about this year's convention, consult the
convention agenda, the 

Braille Monitor,

and the NFB's convention webpage.

 

For a more personal introduction to your first convention, plan to attend
the Rookie Roundup, usually held in the evening of the very first day of the

gathering. There you will meet your fellow rookies, be welcomed by
Federation leaders (including the President), and get some advice on what to
do and

when to do it from convention veterans. The convention is full of
opportunities to learn, work, play, and network (both formally and
informally). The only

thing you won't get much of at a National Federation of the Blind convention
is sleep!

 

>From the President

block quote

I am delighted to welcome you to your very first national convention of the
National Federation of the Blind. These pages are a brief overview of our
conventions

and the unique role that they play in the life of our movement. Your
presence at convention is important! Being here means that you are a part of
the largest

gathering of blind people held anywhere in the world. I believe that you can
and will benefit from the strength and knowledge that you will gain from the

many blind people you will meet at the convention, and the National
Federation of the Blind certainly needs your ideas and your voice. I hope
you come

to feel the love, the power, and the unity of purpose this convention brings
to blind people and their families who choose to attend. - NFB President
Mark

A. Riccobono

block quote end

 

Community and Conduct at Convention

 

To allow all attendees the chance to benefit from all aspects of the
convention, the National Federation of the Blind is committed to providing a
harassment-free

environment for everyone. We appreciate your assistance in cultivating an
atmosphere in which participants from diverse backgrounds may learn,
network,

and share with each other in an environment of mutual respect. Our
organization is deeply committed to diversity as well as 

integrity and respect.

Please contact the Information Desk or notify your state affiliate president
if you need assistance or have questions/concerns. Thank you for doing your

part to contribute to our community and the high expectations we strive to
maintain.

 

Some Notes about the National Federation of the Blind

A Brief Organizational History

 

The National Federation of the Blind was established in 1940.
Representatives from seven states gathered in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania,
for the founding

convention. Those seven states were: California, Illinois, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

 

The founder and first President of the NFB was Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, a blind
lawyer born in Canada but raised primarily in California. While attending

the California School for the Blind, Dr. tenBroek was taught and mentored by
Dr. Newel Perry. Dr. Perry believed that the only way that the blind would

improve their situation, which back then was usually one of poverty and
misery, was to come together in organizations and engage in collective
action.

In the early part of the twentieth century, Dr. Perry himself had organized
the alumni of the California School for the Blind in order to-as he put
it-"escape

defeatism and to achieve normal membership in society."

 

Dr. tenBroek spent most of his working life in Berkeley teaching at the
University of California. However, in his early career, during a short
teaching

stint at the University of Chicago School of Law, he founded the National
Federation of the Blind.

 

Today, the National Federation of the Blind has fifty-two affiliates: one in
each of the fifty states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

 

Federation Philosophy

 

You will probably hear conventioneers discussing what they call "Federation
Philosophy." What they are talking about is the Federation's positive belief

system about blindness. Members of the Federation realized the simple truth
many years ago that blind people are just people who cannot see-we are not

broken sighted people. Blind people are as different as sighted people are;
that is, we are a cross-section of the broader society and, therefore, are

not all alike as some assume. Blindness is a physical characteristic, but it
is not the characteristic that defines us or our future. It is low
expectations

and misconceptions, not blindness itself, that stand between blind people
and our dreams.

 

Given proper training and opportunity, blind people can and do live the
lives we want. It is respectable to be blind, and, with the right tools and
techniques,

blindness may be reduced to the level of a nuisance or inconvenience. To
combat the low expectations, misconceptions, and stereotypes that are the
true

barriers to achieving our dreams, the blind have organized for the same
reasons other minorities have-to make positive social change through
collective

action. The Federation philosophy provides an overall framework for thinking
about blindness, what it means, and what it doesn't mean. However, it is not

intended to be rigid or dogmatic. As we just said, blind people are
individuals, and we may disagree on any number of things, including how to
handle a

given situation as blind people. What our philosophy does do is give us a
positive way of thinking about our blindness, rather than the negative ways
in

which we have often been conditioned to think about it by society. Rather
than saying that we as blind people can't do something, we try to find ways
that

we can, and to challenge each other, in a loving way, to always push the
envelope and expand the limits of our independence. As you read further,
you'll

discover that, to the extent we need to formulate specific positions about
blindness and the policies related to it, we use a democratic process to
arrive

at these positions.

 

The National Federation of the Blind also provides encouragement and support
to families with blind children and to people who are losing vision or have

become blind later in life, by bringing them into a network of tens of
thousands of blind people who are living full lives and who can serve as
mentors

and role models. Together, with love, hope, and determination, the members
of the National Federation of the Blind transform dreams into reality.

 

What is the Function of the National Convention?

 

The national convention is held once each year in a location chosen by the
President based upon successful negotiations for the needed space. We are
able

to negotiate outstanding room and meeting space rates at hotels with many
dining options, comprehensive room amenities, and first-rate facilities.
While

a lot happens at the convention, it's important to remember that its primary
function is to serve as the governing body for the National Federation of

the Blind. So, while some of the details in the following pages may seem
very technical, it's important for you to understand how the convention
works

as a governing body so that you can fully participate in selecting the
leadership and setting the policy of the organization. At the convention,
national

officers and board members are elected by the general membership, decisions
concerning the organization are made, and policies are set for the following

year or years.

 

To quote briefly from the NFB Constitution (last revised in 2014):

 

"The Convention is the supreme authority of the Federation. It is the
legislature of the Federation. As such, it has final authority with respect
to all

issues of policy. Its decisions shall be made after opportunity has been
afforded for full and fair discussion. Delegates and members in attendance
may

participate in all convention discussions as a matter of right. Any member
of the Federation may make or second motions, propose nominations, and serve

on committees; and is eligible for election to office except that only blind
members may be elected to the National Board."

 

The national convention also has some very practical benefits for attendees.
Those who are new to blindness and parents and teachers of blind children

can meet and learn from successful role models and have their expectations
raised. Friendships are made and renewed, the latest adaptive technology for

the blind is on display, tours of interesting places can be taken in your
spare time (if you have any), and hope for the future is kindled. The
convention

is, in a sense, a large family gathering, and has been described by one
observer as being analogous to an annual meeting of the Scottish clans. This
means,

of course, in addition to the serious business of the convention, there are
lots of opportunities to just have fun.

 

How Big is the Convention?

 

NFB national conventions have experienced enormous growth through the years.
There were sixteen representatives from the seven founding states at the
1940

meeting. Just two years later-at a 1942 Des Moines, Iowa, meeting-one
hundred fifty representatives from fifteen state affiliates were on hand.
The convention

first recorded more than one thousand attendees in 1971 in Houston, Texas.
Attendance went over the two thousand mark for the first time in 1988 in
Chicago.

By the convention held in New Orleans in 1997, registration topped more than
three thousand for the first time. Currently, between two thousand eight
hundred

and three thousand three hundred attendees will be present.

 

The Facilities

 

As mentioned earlier, the National Federation of the Blind is usually able
to negotiate space and outstanding room rates at top-notch convention hotels

and facilities. This means that you'll have access to a comfortable room
(which you won't spend much time in), plenty of dining options, and
amenities

like fitness centers, swimming pools, and the like. Because we have a big
convention, we need a lot of space, and sometimes navigating it can be
intimidating

at first. That's why your agenda will include a comprehensive description of
the convention facilities and where they're located. In addition, both blind

and sighted volunteers will be present throughout the convention to provide
direction and help you get where you're going, if needed. So grab your cane

or harness up your guide dog, and go out there and enjoy all the convention
has to offer.

 

The Schedule

 

The NFB national convention packs an unbelievable number of activities into
six days. Day one includes the parents' seminar, a national orientation and

mobility conference, several technology seminars, and other special meetings
and events as well as the Rookie Roundup. On day two, registration begins

in the morning and the Resolutions Committee convenes in the afternoon. The
agenda also lists other special meetings. On day three, the national board

of directors meeting, which is open to all, occurs in the morning and
various committees, groups, and divisions gather in the afternoon and
evening. Day

four brings the opening of the formal convention, with the roll call of
states in the morning and the Presidential Report and other program items in
the

afternoon. There are more committee and divisional meetings on the evening
of day four. On day five, general convention sessions are held in both the
morning

and the afternoon. Elections are scheduled on this day, as well. Day six is
the last day of convention; the morning and afternoon general sessions are

followed by the annual evening banquet, a convention highlight.

 

Convention Agenda

 

The convention agenda is available at registration and can also be obtained
at a number of other locations at the convention site. Moreover, it can be

found on the NFB website at www.nfb.org as soon as it is final, which is
usually about a month before the convention begins. The agenda gives general
information

about the convention, hotel rates, and other hotel information, and it shows
the times and locations of the various meetings and general sessions.

 

The Presidential Report

 

One of the major presentations each year is a report delivered by the
national President to the entire convention on the Federation's activities
and progress

during the previous year. All attendees are urged to be present for this
major event, which is usually the first item on the afternoon agenda on day
four.

The President will tell you and your fellow conventioneers about the legal
victories we have won when blind people faced discrimination, the new
programs

and initiatives we've started to help blind people achieve success in all
aspects of life, the ways in which we're making technology more accessible
to

the blind, and more. You'll also hear the stories of individual members who
are living the lives they want.

 

The Banquet

 

The annual banquet is the highlight of each convention. It is held on the
final night of the convention.

 

The banquet features several national award presentations, the scholarship
winners, and a major address by the national President, focusing on our
philosophy

of blindness and designed to inspire us to continue to build the Federation.

 

Committees, Groups, and Divisions

 

In addition to the three days of general convention sessions, many smaller
groups affiliated with the NFB hold their annual meetings during the
national

convention. These are groups such as blind students, blind lawyers, parents
and teachers of blind children, blind secretaries, blind businessmen and
women,

blind teachers, blind guide-dog users, blind computer users, blind
rehabilitation professionals, blind seniors, and blind diabetics. These
meetings are

open to all, and you will want to look at the agenda to select those which
might be of interest to you. Attendees are encouraged to attend more than
one

division meeting if they have interest in more than one area. Some of these
committees or divisions collect dues, and some do not.

 

Registration and Banquet Ticket Purchase 

 

For those who have not pre-registered online, registration starts on day
two. All attendees are requested to register and the outstanding hotel group
rates

are not available to those who do not. In addition, to be eligible for door
prizes you must be registered. An official badge is issued to each
registrant

and should be worn throughout convention week. Banquet tickets for the
banquet held on the final night of convention week are available for
purchase when

you register. Banquet tickets should be purchased as early in the convention
as possible and are not available for purchase after the lunch break on day

four.

 

The Banquet Ticket Exchange

 

All convention attendees are encouraged to attend the banquet. When the
convention and banquets were smaller, attendees simply went to the banquet
hall,

waited in line to enter, and found a seat once inside. Now, because more
than two thousand people will be present, a system for reserved seating has
been

developed. Purchase your banquet ticket at the time of registration. Then
you can turn in that ticket to whoever is assigned to get reserved seats for

your affiliate or you can pool your ticket with a group of friends so that
you can all sit together. Your group designee will hand in the tickets at
banquet

exchange, and in return will get the same number of tickets, but now with an
assigned table number. You should get your new ticket from the banquet
exchange

designee and present it at the banquet. If needed, volunteers will help you
find your table, and you can then enjoy the banquet with your Federation
family.

 

State Delegations in the General Sessions 

 

During the three days of general convention sessions, the meeting hall will
be set up with flags indicating the location of each of the state
affiliates.

The number of seats per delegation is based upon the registration figures.
It's a good idea to sit with your affiliate's delegation. In this way,
people

can be located easily if they are needed. Moreover, official voting
delegates have the membership at hand if they wish to poll the delegation on
voting

issues or if they wish to determine the consensus of their affiliate's
representatives.

 

How is the Convention Run?

 

As mentioned earlier, the national convention is the supreme governing
authority of the National Federation of the Blind. Consequently, important
business

must be done at the convention in an orderly and democratic manner. The
following information describes how the convention is run, including how
votes

are taken, how resolutions are considered, and more.

 

General Sessions

 

The general sessions consist of program items, reports, panel discussions,
elections, and official votes on policy issues. General convention sessions

customarily are chaired by the Federation President. Floor microphones are
available for comments and questions from the audience when time permits.

 

Official Voting

 

Usually, on votes for elections, motions, or for the adoption of resolutions
(see below), the President will call for voice votes. In such cases, it is

usually clear that a vast majority has voted one way or another. However, if
the outcome of a particular vote is not absolutely clear, then the President

will ask for a roll call vote. In the event of a roll call vote, only
official delegates of the affiliates may vote.

In order to be as democratic as it can be in its decision making, the
Federation has decided that each state affiliate will have one vote during a
roll

call vote. At the opening general session, each affiliate names its official
voting delegate and an alternate or alternates in the event that the
official

delegate is absent at the time of a given vote. Then, when a roll call vote
is taken, only the official voting delegates may cast votes. Therefore, a
maximum

of fifty-two official votes may be cast. The secretary keeps the official
tally and announces votes once decisions have been made. The official
delegate

may poll his or her delegation on the question or motion being considered,
which is one reason why it's a good idea to sit with your affiliate's
delegation.

Some have asked why the Federation has not adopted a "one person, one vote"
policy. The concern with this method is that a very few large state
affiliates

could control the outcome on every issue. Therefore, the Federation has
opted to give each state equal representation, as the United States
Constitution

does with respect to the US Senate.

 

Elections

 

The Federation has a national board consisting of President, First
Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and twelve
additional board

members, each of whom serve for terms of two years. The five constitutional
officers and six of the twelve board members are elected during national
conventions

in even-numbered years, and the remaining six board members are elected at
conventions during odd-numbered years.

 

At the roll call of states held on the morning of the first general session,
each affiliate announces its appointee to the Nominating Committee. The
President

then designates one of these nominees to be Chairperson of the Nominating
Committee. This committee then develops its slate of candidates during a
private

meeting, which is closed to the general membership so that free and frank
discussions may be held. Note: This is the only closed Federation meeting at

the national convention.

 

The actual elections are then held during a designated general session,
usually on the morning of day five. The candidate offered for each position
by

the Nominating Committee is first placed in nomination. The chairperson then
calls for other nominations from the floor. In order to be completely open

and democratic, the Federation has a long-standing policy of calling for
other nominations three times before a motion to close nominations will be
accepted

by the chairperson. In this way, it can never be alleged that a quick vote
has been pushed through without time for other nominations. If no other
nominations

are made, then typically a motion to close nominations and elect the
nominating committee's candidate by acclamation is offered. If other
nominations are

made, then an election is held among the candidates nominated. The
chairperson will usually try to conduct the election by voice vote of the
entire convention,

but in the event that no candidate has a clear majority, then the
chairperson will conduct a roll call vote, in which only the official
delegate for each

affiliate will participate.

 

It is also long-standing policy that an individual will not stand for
election unless he or she has agreed to run. This policy avoids the problem
of electing

unwilling candidates.

 

Resolutions

 

Resolutions are the official policy statements of the organization. Anyone
may offer a resolution. The customary method is to submit a proposed
resolution

to the Chairman of the Resolutions Committee at least two weeks before the
convention. The Resolutions Committee-appointed by the President-holds a
public

meeting on the afternoon of day two of the convention. The resolutions that
have been submitted to the committee chairperson are then considered one at

a time. Typically the committee will allow the proponent of a resolution to
speak in support of it; otherwise, although the meeting is public in order

to maintain full transparency, only members of the committee speak during
deliberations.

 

After full discussion of each resolution in turn, the committee votes either
to pass or not pass. If the committee passes a particular resolution, then

it comes before the full convention in general session for final action.
This means that there will be several days in which to debate contentious
issues

and to try to politic for favorable votes before final convention action is
taken.

 

If a resolution is not passed by the committee, it can still be considered
by the convention if its proponent can gather support according to the
following

procedure: if he or she is able to enlist five state affiliates to request
that the resolution be heard, then it will be considered by the entire
convention

on the final meeting day.

 

Although it is somewhat rare, a resolution may also be brought to the full
convention through the national board of directors. A majority of the
directors

must support the resolution in order to bring it to the floor in this
manner.

 

Other Things to Know

National Scholarships

 

The Federation has an outstanding college scholarship program; it awards
thirty national scholarships at each national convention, ranging in value
from

 

 

X

 

12,000. Applications close on March 31 of each year.

 

As many as five hundred to seven hundred individuals apply for these
scholarships annually. Each spring, the Scholarship Committee meets in
Baltimore,

evaluates the applicants, and offers scholarships to the top thirty
candidates. These thirty scholars attend the national convention, with
assistance from

the NFB. They spend each day with designated mentors.

 

When the students arrive, they know that they are one of the select thirty.
It is not decided until a meeting of the Scholarship Committee the night
before

the banquet who will receive which of the scholarships.

 

Generally the students will all receive a scholarship; the only question is
who will receive which scholarship. The winner of the top scholarship is
offered

the opportunity to speak briefly at the banquet.

 

All blind students residing and attending school in the fifty states, the
District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico are invited to apply for National
Federation

of the Blind scholarships, even if they have previously won. Those who win a
second or subsequent scholarship are called tenBroek Fellows, in honor of

NFB founder Jacobus tenBroek.

 

Exhibits

 

There is a major exhibit area at each national convention. This gives
convention goers the opportunity to look over all of the latest adaptive
technology,

to talk with officials from such agencies as the National Library Service
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped or the American Printing House for
the

Blind, and to buy items from exhibitors. Convention attendees are also
invited to browse the NFB's extensive free literature collection on display
as well

as to examine and purchase items from the NFB store, known as the
Independence Market. Because the NFB convention is the largest gathering of
blind people

anywhere in the world, many technology companies and others who provide
products and services to the blind launch new products at our convention, so
you

will probably want to visit the exhibit space and find out what's new and
noteworthy. Near the entrance of the exhibit area, you'll find an
information

table where you can get a print or Braille map of the exhibit hall and a
list of all the exhibitors and their locations.

 

Exhibits are open during various times throughout much of the convention,
but they are closed for the general convention sessions because all
conventioneers

are encouraged to attend these meetings.

 

As with other areas of the convention, the growth in the number of
exhibitors through the years has been gratifying. In Atlanta in 2004, the
number of

exhibitors topped one hundred for the first time.

 

Door Prizes

 

Significant door prizes are drawn throughout general convention sessions and
at the banquet. To be eligible to win, you must be registered and present

at the meeting where the prize is drawn. Each morning session begins on time
with a drawing for a $100 bill. Similar drawings occur periodically
throughout

general sessions and at the banquet. The grand prize drawn at the banquet is
much larger than the others.

 

Convention Fundraising

 

Six different types of fundraising will be discussed during the convention.
These are:

 

list of 5 items

. The White Cane Fund: A time will be set aside during the Convention when
buckets will be passed through the audience to receive cash donations for
the

White Cane Fund. Affiliates will also make gifts or pledges to this fund.
These dollars go directly to the general treasury of the Federation.

. The Jacobus tenBroek Fund: Donations will also be made to this fund for
the maintenance and upkeep of the NFB Jernigan Institute property. This
property

houses the operations of the NFB and other entities.

. The Kenneth Jernigan Fund: The proceeds from this fund are used to bring a
number of attendees to their first national convention. It is named for Dr.

Jernigan who planned our conventions for more than forty years and who did
so much to make them what they are today.

. The Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) Plan: This giving opportunity
enables individuals to make regular financial contributions to support the
programs

and activities of the Federation. The PAC Plan has insured a consistent flow
of monthly income to fund some of the Federation's work. By signing up for

the PAC Plan, a donor agrees to make an automatic monthly contribution to
the Federation; the donation is withdrawn directly from a checking account
or

charged to a credit card. The individual designates how much he or she wants
to contribute each month and specifies a day of the month on which the money

should be withdrawn from the account. To participate in the PAC Plan, the
donor must have a checking account or credit card, complete a PAC Plan card,

sign and turn over a voided check (if the contribution is to be withdrawn
from a checking account), and begin with a monthly donation of at least 

X

 

350,000 and $400,000 each year through this giving opportunity.

. SUN (Shares Unlimited in NFB) Shares: Supporters of the Federation are
also able to make either monthly or annual donations for SUN Shares. These
funds

are being set aside in the event that they are needed to support the
Federation during difficult times.

list end

 

Guide Dog Relief Area

 

In order to accommodate blind guide-dog users at the national convention,
arrangements are made each year to construct a special facility where the
dogs

may be taken to relieve themselves. This special area is refreshed several
times each day.

 

Representatives of the Guide Dog Committee are available to show first-time
convention goers where to take their animals and to assist in learning
individual

clean-up practices. Dog users are expected to use these special facilities
rather than to permit their animals to relieve themselves in the streets or

on other hotel property.

 

Services for Spanish Speaking Individuals

 

All the general sessions and the banquet proceedings are translated by
volunteers for attendees who speak Spanish. Small receivers may be borrowed
to listen

to the audio transmission. A Hispanic Seminar and a Spanish Translation
Committee meeting also take place during convention.

 

Requests for Accommodations Based on Disability

 

The convention of the National Federation of the Blind is designed and
implemented to be accessible especially to blind people in that materials
are offered

in accessible formats and other nonvisual aids are provided (therefore
special requests for these items are not required). If you require specific
accommodations

based on your disability other than the blindness-related accommodations
mentioned above in order to participate fully and equally in the Convention,
we

urge you to let us know as soon as possible. Specific accommodations for
which requests are required include requests for deaf or deaf-blind
interpreters.

Due to the size and complexity of this convention, as well as the need to
appropriately plan for additional human and other resources, requests for
specific

accommodations must be submitted to jerniganinstitute at nfb.org no later than
May 31, of the convention year.

 

Small receivers are available for the hearing impaired to receive direct
transmissions from the public address system. For those who may be totally
deaf

and use a deaf-blind communication device for interpreting, volunteers are
present to translate the general session and the banquet proceedings. The
Deaf-Blind

Division also holds a seminar and a business meeting during convention.

 

Who Attends the Convention?

 

Attendees may be long-time convention goers, the newly blinded, parents and
teachers of blind children, blindness professionals who are interested in
becoming

more knowledgeable about blindness, adaptive-technology providers, and
family members of people who are blind. Most attendees are from the United
States,

although each year there are foreign visitors from as many as twenty other
countries.

 

A Life-Changing Experience

 

For many, attendance at that very first convention has become a
life-changing experience. Many hear for the very first time that it is
respectable to be

blind, that carrying a cane is useful and is nothing to be ashamed of, that
Braille is a valuable tool after all, and that much progress is being made

in adaptive technology. Attendees also learn that they are not alone, that
there are others who are facing the same problems they are, and that an
active

and normal life is possible and within their reach. Some learn for the first
time that there are orientation and adjustment centers where blind people

can be sent by their rehabilitation counselors to learn the skills of
blindness and the positive attitudes which lead to personal empowerment. 

 

We hope that by attending our convention your expectations of yourself are
raised, so that blindness is no longer the characteristic that defines you
or

your future, and that low expectations no longer stand between you and your
dreams. We want you to become empowered to live the life you want.

 

The President's Wrap-Up

block quote

I hope this information has been helpful to you and that it has given you a
sense of the significant role the national convention plays in the life of

the NFB. I also hope your interest has been piqued and that you will
continue to be an active member of our movement via your local chapter and
state affiliate.

Let this convention experience mark the first of many others in your life.
We need your voice and your talents. Working together, with love, hope, and

determination, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of blind
people everywhere and transform our dreams into reality. - NFB President
Mark

A. Riccobono

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