[Nfbf-l] {Disarmed} Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Newsletter - Share the Love

Tue Feb 3 18:31:07 UTC 2015

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind " <IOF at nfb.org>
> Date: February 3, 2015 at 1:10:29 PM EST
> To: <carlos.montas at gmail.com>
> Subject: National Federation of the Blind Newsletter - Share the Love
> Reply-To: "Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind " <IOF at nfb.org>
> 
> 
> 
> Imagineering Our Future
> 
>   Issue 72
> 
> February 2015   
> 
> In this issue:
> 
> Message from the President
> What's News at the NFB
> Access Technology
> From the tenBroek Library
> Independence Market
> NFB Calendar
> Citation
> 
> 
> Message from the President
> 
> Dear Friends:
> 
> 
> Nothing is sweeter than the sound of hundreds of canes tapping at a national meeting of the National Federation of the Blind. Five hundred members of the Federation recently gathered in Washington, DC to discuss the enforcement of existing laws and changes needed in the policies impacting blind people. In the process of those discussions, we are reminded of the critical role our organization plays as a unified voice on behalf of blind people across the country—thousands of individual efforts, collectively focused.
> 
> In our seventy-fifth year, I am reminded that our organization came together in 1940 partly because of the adoption of new federal programs that impacted the blind. The need for a strong nationwide organization with local roots has certainly not gone away. Every day in communities across this nation we work to raise expectations for the blind because we recognize that low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams.
> 
> As we work on national issues, the individual victories are most often the ones that bind us together. Whether it is a dad fighting for custody of his daughter, a blind student struggling to get equal access to materials in college, a newly blind person attempting to get access to the best adjustment to blindness training from the rehabilitation agency, or a blind couple denied access to a bus because there were no more “designated” seats for the disabled available, our nationwide network continues to be the driving force for raising the status of the blind in this great nation. During this past month, I was proud to have members of Congress, as well as the legislature in the state of Maryland, recognize the Federation for our work to protect the rights of blind individuals as the voice of the nation’s blind.
> 
> With Valentine’s Day approaching, please take this opportunity to share the love with others. Let them know about the important work of the National Federation of the Blind and invite them to be part of this large family we call our organization.
> 
> Warmest regards,
> 
> 
> 
> Mark A. Riccobono, President
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> 
> 
> What's News at the NFB
> 
> National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of TIME Act
> 
> On January 7, the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act of 2015 (H.R. 188) was introduced by Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS). Congressman Harper introduced this legislation to responsibly phase out the use of Special Wage Certificates under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), thereby facilitating the transitioning of people with disabilities now working in sheltered, segregated employment, sometimes for pennies per hour, to integrated employment positions paying competitive wages. For information about this critically important legislation, please read the official press release.
> 
> Donate Unwanted Items to Help the Blind
> 
> Did you know that you can help blind people live the lives they want by donating gently used household goods and clothing through our GreenDrop program? Learn more about this program in a new video featuring NFB President Mark Riccobono: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YV0Y3DO7B0. For even more information, including a list of acceptable donation items or pickup scheduling, visit http://www.nfbpickup.org or call (888) 610-4632.
> 
> National Federation of the Blind on Social Media
> 
> Want to stay up to date with the latest news and information from the National Federation of the Blind? You can get all of our most recent photos, videos, and breaking Federation news by following us on our social media feeds. The National Federation of the Blind is on Twitter, Facebook, and most recently, Instagram and Google+! Join our social media movement and you won’t miss a thing!
> 
> National Federation of the Blind to Host 2015 Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium
> 
> Join leading disability rights advocates from throughout the United States for the 2015 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, to be held at the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in Baltimore on March 26-27. This year's symposium will consist of plenary sessions and workshops facilitated by distinguished law professors, practitioners, and advocates who will discuss topics such as: the future of disability; how to enable the participation of people with disabilities in court proceedings; the unique challenges faced by criminal suspects and offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and a vision for the next twenty-five years to improve and augment the ADA, Rehabilitation Act, and IDEA. For more information or to register online now, please visit https://nfb.org/law-symposium.
> 
> 
> 
> Access Technology
> 
> The new year is a good time for new projects and there are some exciting things in store for 2015. First, however, we should acknowledge one of last year’s big undertakings come to fruition:  the new technology resource list is now available in all of its freshly updated glory at https://nfb.org/technology-resource-list. For those of you wanting to know what’s new, and for anyone getting their feet in blindness technology, the list is really quite a comprehensive resource, and unlike anything else out there. It groups technology by topic and details features and pricing.
> 
> In February, Director of Access Technology Anne Taylor will be co-presenting with Towson University Professor and erstwhile Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University Jonathan Lazar, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eve Hill, and disability rights lawyer Dan Goldstein on “Frontiers in US Law: Equal Access to Info Tech for People with Disabilities” at the Radcliffe Institute. Specifically, the topics will be captioning and legal ownership, accessible instructional materials in higher education, technology access for people with cognitive impairments, ebook access for people with print disabilities, access to courtroom documents and technology, and accessibility and open government.
> 
> In March, the 30th Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference (CSUN) brings the access technology team to San Diego with a series of presentations. This year’s topics are Race to Accessibility, about assessment accessibility; Access Technologies for Blind and Low-Vision Seniors; iWork accessibility in Mac OSX; and Wearables for Blind Users. More than just a conference for the team to share its knowledge at, CSUN is a terrific opportunity to meet anyone in the access technology industry. It is at CSUN that we find out who is doing what, and where we forge new relationships and maintain the existing ones.
> 
> 
> 
> From the tenBroek Library
> 
> The tenBroek Library welcomes all researchers interested in the non-medical aspects of blindness. Our collections cover areas including the education of blind children, disability law and policy, the history of attitudes toward the blind, and literary works by blind authors. We strive to preserve the history of blind people in a variety of ways, including collecting NFB literature, maintaining the Federation's archives, and building our collections of archival papers and published works. We also work to document the life experiences of blind people in the United States in interviews collected through our oral history program.
> 
> Our collections are open for use by all and there are three ways that you access the holdings of the tenBroek Library:
> 
> The Cane Tip: Our online finding aid database describes the manuscript and archival collections held by the library, including the personal and professional papers of NFB founder Jacobus tenBroek, the papers of past NFB President Kenneth Jernigan, and the NFB Institutional Archives, as well as several smaller collections.
> 
> The Blind Cat: Our online public access catalog (OPAC) where researchers can search our collection of published materials. The scope of our published materials extends to all facets of blindness, except the medical treatment or prevention of blindness, and includes print, talking-book, Braille, and digital formats.
> 
> Email: Send your reference questions to jtblibrary at nfb.org and we’ll contact you to discuss your project!
> 
> To learn more about the holdings of the Jacobus tenBroek Library, please visit the Cane Tip, the Blind Cat, or send us an email at jtblibrary at nfb.org. 
> 
> 
> 
> Independence Market
> 
> The NFB Independence Market features blindness-related literature, resources, and products helpful to those who are blind or experiencing vision loss and to their friends and families. The blindness-related products that we carry (such as canes, talking watches and clocks, print and Braille writing aids, magnifiers, and medical devices) enable the user to perform everyday tasks more independently. Greater independence empowers blind people to live more productive and fulfilling lives. You may review products and make purchases online at our ecommerce site.
> 
> Our extensive free literature collection includes how-to materials, inspirational and thoughtful speeches and articles, and stories on all aspects of blindness—all from the perspective of the blind person. Parents of blind children, blind students, blind job seekers, blind parents, and seniors new to severe vision loss will find materials that address their specific needs. Taken separately, each piece of literature or story may reveal one person's experience or thoughts as a blind person. Collectively, our literature tells the story of blind people working together—with love, hope, and determination—to promote equality and to transform our dreams into reality. Our materials are available in alternative formats including Braille, print, audio, and electronically (through our website). You may review most of our literature offerings online.
> 
> We are releasing our 2015-2016 catalog in early February. The catalog will be available in print, Braille, and full (audio and text) DAISY on CD. The catalog will also be available for purchase in audio on an NLS cartridge. Moreover, we will have the catalog available for download from our Independence Market main page as a Microsoft Word file, as a Braille BRF file, and as a zip file for the full DAISY version.
> 
> Items may be ordered via standard mail, via email at IndependenceMarket at nfb.org, or online. Orders may also be placed by telephone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Visitors to the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute may also obtain these items in person.
> 
>  
> 
> NFB Calendar
> 
> Upcoming Events
> 
> March 12-15, 2015: NFB STEM2U Boston (MA), Museum of Science
> 
> March 26-27, 2015: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
> 
> May 14-16, 2015: NFB STEM2U Columbus (OH), COSI
> 
> July 5-10, 2015: 75th Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind
> 
> August 2-8, 2015: NFB STEM2U EQ 
> 
> State Conventions
> 
> February 27-March 1: NFB of Massachusetts
> 
> March 6-8: NFB of Alabama
> 
> March 13-15: NFB of Tennessee
> 
> March 27-29: NFB of Mississippi
> 
> March 27-29: NFB of Missouri
> 
> April 10-12: NFB of Oklahoma
> 
> April 10-12: NFB of New Hampshire
> 
> April 10-12: NFB of New Mexico
> 
> April 10-12: NFB of Wisconsin
> 
> April 17-19: NFB of Louisiana
> 
> April 30- May 3: NFB of Utah 
> 
>   
> 
> Citation
> 
> We stand at the edge of another day, and we probe the possibilities that may exist. We have come together to forge a mighty movement of the blind, united and with one voice—a movement with ideals, a determined purpose, a bedrock philosophical foundation, and a membership committed to mutual support. What makes our movement unstoppable is the dedication of our members, the people of the movement. When I come to the Federation hall and I observe the great multitude of our membership, I am uplifted. For I know with all that is in me that we will never lose the faith that we have in one another—never lose our bond of shared love and trust. When I think of the past, what comes to mind is the great family of the Federation—the people of the movement. When I think of the future, the image before me is the people of the movement—always the people of the movement.
> 
> We stand on the edge of another day, and we know that tomorrow is bright with promise. Nobody else can create the future that must and will be ours; we must do that for ourselves. And do it we will. We have the imagination, the courage, the spirit, and the will. We have the unity that makes us one, and nothing on earth can change our course or turn us back. We dare to have perspective, and we reach for tomorrow with joy. Come, and we will make it come true!
> 
> -- Marc Maurer. "The Edge of Tomorrow.”   2005 NFB National Convention, Louisville, Kentucky, July 7, 2005.
> 
>   
> 
> Thank you for reading the NFB’s Imagineering Our Future.
> 
> Help make a significant difference in the lives of blind people across the country.
> 
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> If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, please email JerniganInstitute at nfb.org.
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> Interesting links:
> 
> Archive of Straight Talk About Vision Loss videos
> 
> National Center for Blind Youth in Science
> 
> Access Technology Tips
> 
> TeachBlindStudents.org
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> Blogs:
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> Access Technology
> 
> Voice of the Nation's Blind
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> Baltimore, MD 21230
> United States
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