[Tall-Corn] Urgent Washington Seminar updates and more!

Wed Dec 20 04:01:28 UTC 2023

Good Evening Federation Family:

Please see the below information regarding the hotel for Washington Seminar.
If you still need to book a room, time is running out!

Late yesterday afternoon we learned that the Holiday Inn Washington Capitol
- National Mall, the host hotel for our Washington Seminar, was fully booked
on Monday, January 29. As a result, President Riccobono included this
information in his President's Notebook that was sent out earlier today.
Since then, we have been in contact with the hotel and they have generously
made some room adjustments to add a few rooms to our block on Monday,
January 29. Due to this development, the room block is once again open to
make reservations. However, this will not last long so we urge you to make
your reservations as soon as possible. In the event that we need more rooms
than the hotel can accommodate, we will continue investigating the
possibility an overflow hotel.

Speaking of the President's notebook, there are a couple of other things to
share.

Independence Market Holiday Hours:

The Independence Market will be closed from Friday, December 22 through
Monday, December 25, 2023, and then again from Friday, December 29, 2023
through Monday, January 1, 2024.

January Presidential Release:

The National Federation of the Blind
<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases>
Presidential Release #534 is scheduled for January 4, 2024, at 8:00 p.m.,
eastern. Zoom ID 943 1629 4822. Each presidential release live includes a
question and answer session. Please submit questions early to
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> cdanielsen at nfb.org. 

Mark Your Calendar: 2024 Washington Seminar Legislative Priorities Training:

Be sure to mark your calendars and distribute the information to your
affiliates regarding the first Washington Seminar training session of the
new year on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 8:00 p.m., eastern. This first
session will be an in-depth review of our three legislative priorities for
the 2024 Washington Seminar: the Websites and Software Applications
Accessibility Act, the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act, and the
Blind Americans Return to Work Act. The Zoom information to log in to the
meeting is: 

 <https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/92935463825>
https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/92935463825 
Meeting ID: 929 3546 3825 
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Access Technology Affordability Act:

The cold winter weather has brought with it a flurry of cosponsor activity
on the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 3702/S. 1467). In the
House, H.R. 3702 has gained twenty-eight new cosponsors since the beginning
of December to bring the total number of cosponsors up to seventy-two. In
the Senate, Senators Booker (NJ), Ernst (IA), and Tillis (NC), all added
their names to the cosponsors of S. 1467 to bring the total number of
cosponsors on the Senate bill up to seventeen. This is fantastic progress to
finish out the year. Even though the ATAA was not included in the National
Defense Authorization Act, we have to keep working in order to make sure we
give it the best possible chance of being included in a larger tax package
now scheduled for debate in January or February. Be sure to call or email
your representatives and senators to urge them to cosponsor the Access
Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 3702/S. 1467).

As a side note to this one, we need to contact Senator Grassley's office and
all of our representatives to get them on board! We will definitely be
thanking Senator Ernst for signing on!

One final piece of news deals with BLIND Inc.

The board of directors at Blindness Learning in New Dimensions,
Incorporated, (our affiliated training center in Minnesota) announced
yesterday its intention to suspend operations in order to reimagine and
rebuild the programming in Minnesota.

I know President Riccobono has sat with the board of directors of that great
organization, and this is a very difficult decision indeed. I have attached
the release about this and also pasted it below.

Announcement: BLIND, Inc. Pauses Services 

Minneapolis, Minnesota (December 18, 2023): The Board of Directors of
Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions, Inc. (BLIND, Inc.) regrets to
announce that we will temporarily suspend all of our programs and services
as of January 1, 2024. 

We take this action with heavy hearts. After extensive deliberation over our
current financial and organizational obligations, we believe suspending
operations at this time in order to make future plans is the best and most
responsible available course of action. This decision comes after a review
of compounded circumstances that have developed over a period of years,
leaving our organization with inadequate resources to advance our mission at
this time. One factor of this evaluation is that our current building, the
Pillsbury Mansion, which is on the national historic registry, needs
millions of dollars in renovations that must be done in a manner that
preserves its historic character. Unfortunately, we have determined that we
are not in a position to undertake the necessary building renovations while
still providing quality adjustment-to-blindness training.

We recognize that this decision will be painful to our students, our
dedicated staff, and to all of our supporters in the community. We
acknowledge that it comes at a particularly difficult time, with the holiday
season and new year upon us. We were not able to find a viable way to alter
the timing of this decision. Our leadership is working with the National
Federation of the Blind, Louisiana Center for the Blind, and Colorado Center
for the Blind to help during this transition. 

We deeply appreciate all of the work everyone affiliated with BLIND, Inc.
has done over the past three decades to help blind people build the skills
and confidence to live the lives they want. Our high-quality training has
impacted thousands of people, not only the many students that have walked
with us, but also the blind community who connect with the positive
philosophy and high expectations demonstrated from our alumni and friends.
With the continued support of our board, partners, and community, our goal
in the coming months is to re-imagine what adjustment to blindness training
can be, and to reopen our doors with fresh approaches and insights and on a
sound financial footing.

BLIND, Inc, established in 1986, is a training center and community of blind
and low-vision people, proudly affiliated with the National Federation of
the Blind. We believe blind people can do anything. Every day, we encourage
and challenge each student. When you believe in yourself and experience a
thriving community of positive blind people, nothing can hold you back from
pursuing your dreams. Our mission and values will continue to guide us to
dream without limits, be bold, and work with love. Thank you for your
support.

###

Please direct all media inquiries to Chris Danielsen, Director of Public
Relations, National Federation of the Blind, 410-659-9314, extension 2330,
410-262-1281 (cell),  <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> cdanielsen at nfb.org

That's all I have for this message. Let's enjoy this holiday season, and
let's continue to build the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa and the
National Federation of the Blind!   

Scott Van Gorp, President
National Federation of the Blind of Iowa
Phone: 515-720-5282
 <mailto:svangorp at nfbi.org> Email

 <http://www.nfbi.org/> Website 

<https://www.facebook.com/National-Federation-Of-the-Blind-Of-Iowa-372681823
082570/posts> Facebook 
 <https://twitter.com/nfb_iowa> Twitter 
Live the life you want.

The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa 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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