[Ohio-Talk] Quick note.

Fri Sep 11 01:25:25 UTC 2026

 Yes, I am going. My mom lives in West Chester and she offered to drive me. David Riemer
    On Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 08:31:32 PM EDT, Richard Payne via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:  

Good evening! Have you registered and reserved your room yet? I am getting very excited about the convention, and I hope you are too. It is shaping up to be a wonderful time together.

Please visit www.nfbohio.org/convention for convention information, registration details, and room reservations.

This year, we are excited to offer Zoom access for the state convention. The general sessions and banquet will be streamed, giving everyone another way to be part of this special event. We are especially honored to have our national president serving as our representative this year. This is a tremendous benefit and will make the convention even more meaningful.

I have included a few pieces of information for your information. Hear you very soon.

Staff Leadership Transition:

We recently announced that Anil Lewis, executive director of Blindness Initiatives, will be retiring from his staff position to accept an executive leadership role with an agency serving blind people. We support this transition as an important opportunity for Anil to bring his experience, expertise, and Federation philosophy to this new professional chapter. Read the full announcement: National  Federation of the Blind Announces Staff Leadership Transition.

Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act, H.R. 8884:

The Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act, H.R. 8884, was passed by the House on Thursday, July 23. This bill authorizes the Social Security Administration to conduct demonstration projects within the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. One of those demonstration projects could be a version of the Blind Americans Return to Work Act. H.R. 8884 has been transmitted to the Senate, where it must also be passed before it is able to be signed into law by the president. Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri, the sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, is hoping to move the already-passed House bill through the Senate via unanimous consent. In order for the bill to pass the Senate via unanimous consent, we need to get every senator on board with this legislation. For that, we need your help. Please contact the offices for both of your US senators and ask them to support the Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act, H.R. 8884.

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Relocated:

In August, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) was officially relocated to the Department of Health and Human Services. This restructuring comes as a result of the executive order to eliminate the Department of Education. From what we have learned, we believe that OSERS is being moved in its entirety. This means that there should be no reduction in programs or services offered by OSERS. While this is not the outcome we would have liked, it is also not the worst thing that could have happened in the restructuring of the Department of Education. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed of any changes. 

Letters to AI Companies Regarding the Accessibility of the Products Produced by their Platforms:

Over the past two weeks, we have been sending letters to the top AI companies in the country (Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and xAI), urging them to ensure that their AI-assisted coding tools are nonvisually accessible. We further have insisted that these companies train their AI models to produce only accessible content. These letters were sent as part of our execution strategy for Resolution 2026-16; the letter to Anthropic can be read in full on our Policy Statements page.

Join Team NFB for Philadelphia Race Weekend:

Make your miles matter by running with Team NFB during Philadelphia Race Weekend and help create a world of opportunity for blind people. Whether you are an experienced runner or taking on a new challenge, your participation will help support programs and advocacy that expand access, independence, and opportunity.

Philadelphia Race Weekend Events:

• Philadelphia Marathon – Sunday, November 22

• Philadelphia Half Marathon – Saturday, November 21

• Rothman Orthopaedics 8K – Saturday, November 21

Team members will receive fundraising support such as toolkits and contribution pages, race-day camaraderie, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while achieving their personal running goals.

To learn more or register, please contact Rachel Held at rheld at nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2423.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

   - October 27: Virtual Career Fair; nfb.org/employment

   - November 3: Election Day; Blind Voter Survey for mid-term elections, plan to submit your experience at nfb.org/vote

   - November 18-20: Dare to Be Remarkable
   - July 2-7, 2027: National Convention; Austin, Texas
   - July 3-8, 2028: National Convention; Chicago, Illinois
   - July 2-7, 2029: National Convention; Chicago, Illinois

Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement Calls

   - Wednesday, November 4

Chapter Presidents Calls

   - Thursday, September 10 and Sunday, September 13 
   - Thursday, December 10 and Sunday, December 13

Richard Payne, President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368

Rchpay7 at gmail.com

www.nfbohio.org

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States. We know 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. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

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