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<div id="header"> <h1 class="title">The Braille Monitor, August/September 2021</h1>
</div> <div id="TOC"> <ul> <li><a href="#braille-monitor">BRAILLE MONITOR</a> <ul>
<li><a href="#contents">Contents</a></li> <li><a
href="#career-mentoring-takes-spot-for-first-event-at-jernigan-institute-since-the-doors-opened">Career
Mentoring Takes Spot for First Event at Jernigan Institute Since the Doors
Opened</a></li> <li><a href="#the-2021-convention-roundup">The 2021 Convention
Roundup</a></li> <li><a href="#presidential-report-2021">Presidential Report
2021</a></li> <li><a
href="#stronger-together-from-where-the-federation-flag-flies-highest-to-all-corners-of-our-movement">Stronger
Together: From Where the Federation Flag Flies Highest to All Corners of Our
Movement</a></li> <li><a href="#the-dr.-jacob-bolotin-awards">The Dr. Jacob Bolotin
Awards</a></li> <li><a href="#distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award">Distinguished
Educator of Blind Students Award</a></li> <li><a
href="#scholarship-comments-made-at-the-meeting-of-the-nfb-board-of-directors">Scholarship
Comments Made at the Meeting of the NFB Board of Directors</a></li> <li><a
href="#reflection-revolution-and-race-a-growing-understanding-within-the-organized-blind-movement">Reflection,
Revolution, and Race: A Growing Understanding within the Organized Blind
Movement</a></li> <li><a
href="#the-strength-of-a-champion-transforming-federation-spirit-into-personal-progress">The
Strength of a Champion: Transforming Federation Spirit into Personal Progress</a></li>
<li><a href="#you-can-make-a-difference">You Can Make a Difference </a> <ul> <li><a
href="#plan-to-leave-a-legacy">Plan to Leave a Legacy</a></li> <li><a
href="#fixed-sum-of-assets">Fixed Sum of Assets</a></li> <li><a
href="#percentage-of-assets">Percentage of Assets</a></li> <li><a
href="#payable-on-death-pod-account">Payable on Death (POD) Account</a></li> <li><a
href="#will-or-trust">Will or Trust</a></li> <li><a href="#vehicle-donation-program">Vehicle
Donation Program</a></li> <li><a href="#general-donation">General Donation</a></li>
<li><a href="#pre-authorized-contribution">Pre-Authorized Contribution</a></li>
</ul></li> <li><a
href="#federation-safe-healing-and-the-transformation-of-pain-into-progress">Federation
Safe: Healing and the Transformation of Pain into Progress</a></li> <li><a
href="#nfb-board-of-directors-statement-regarding-nfbs-constitution-and-code-of-conduct">NFB
Board of Directors Statement Regarding NFB’s Constitution and Code of
Conduct</a></li> <li><a
href="#transforming-advocacy-into-votes-the-impact-of-the-federation-on-voting-equality">Transforming
Advocacy into Votes: The Impact of the Federation on Voting Equality</a></li>
<li><a
href="#stronger-future-together-through-a-commitment-to-full-participation-building-the-tools-to-empower-all-to-vote">Stronger
Future Together through a Commitment to Full Participation: Building the Tools to
Empower All to Vote</a></li> <li><a href="#interview-with-senator-tammy-duckworth">Interview
with Senator Tammy Duckworth</a></li> <li><a
href="#innovating-mapping-technology-a-mission-built-on-the-experience-of-the-blind">Innovating
Mapping Technology: A Mission Built on the Experience of the Blind </a></li> <li><a
href="#the-transformative-power-of-the-2021-convention-resolutions">The Transformative
Power of the 2021 Convention Resolutions</a> <ul> <li><a
href="#transforming-the-lives-of-individuals">Transforming the Lives of
Individuals</a></li> <li><a href="#transforming-the-accessibility-landscape">Transforming
the Accessibility Landscape</a></li> <li><a href="#transforming-government-programs">Transforming
Government Programs</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="#resolutions">2021 Resolutions</a>
<ul> <li><a href="#resolution-2021-01">Resolution 2021-01</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-02">Resolution 2021-02</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-03">Resolution 2021-03</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-04">Resolution 2021-04</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-05">Resolution 2021-05</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-06">Resolution 2021-06</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-07">Resolution 2021-07</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-08">Resolution 2021-08</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-09">Resolution 2021-09</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-10">Resolution 2021-10</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-11">Resolution 2021-11</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-13">Resolution 2021-13</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-14">Resolution 2021-14</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-15-regarding-better-protection-for-pedestrians-when-crossing-bike-lanes-to-reach-floating-bus-stops-and-shared-cycle-track-stops">Resolution
2021-15<br /> Regarding Better Protection for Pedestrians when Crossing Bike Lanes
to Reach Floating Bus Stops and Shared Cycle Track Stops</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-16">Resolution 2021-16</a></li> <li><a
href="#resolution-2021-17">Resolution 2021-17</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a
href="#national-association-of-guide-dog-users-reports">National Association of
Guide Dog Users Reports</a></li> <li><a href="#independence-market-corner">Independence
Market Corner</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="#section"></a> <ul> <li><a
href="#monitor-miniatures"><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures </a> <ul> <li><a
href="#news-from-the-federation-family">News from the Federation Family</a></li>
<li><a href="#in-brief">In Brief</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="#nfb-pledge">NFB
Pledge</a></li> </ul></li> </ul> </div> <h1 id="braille-monitor">BRAILLE MONITOR</h1>
<p>Vol. 64, No. 8 August/September 2021</p> <p>Gary Wunder, Editor</p> <p>Distributed
by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the</p> <p>NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF THE BLIND</p> <p>Mark Riccobono, President</p> <p>telephone:
410-659-9314</p> <p>email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a></p>
<p>website address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a></p>
<p>NFBnet.org: <a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a></p>
<p>NFB-NEWSLINE® information: 866-504-7300</p> <p>Like us on Facebook: <a
href="http://www.Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind</a></p>
<p>Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice</p> <p>Watch and share our videos: <a
href="http://www.YouTube.com/NationsBlind">YouTube.com/NationsBlind</a></p>
<p>Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and orders
for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles for the
<em>Monitor</em> and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national office
or may be emailed to <a href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.</p>
<p><em>Monitor</em> subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per
year. Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the subscription
cost. Donations should be made payable to <strong>National Federation of the
Blind</strong> and sent to:</p> <p>National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>200
East Wells Street <em>at Jernigan Place</em><br /> Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998</p>
<p>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.
<strong>THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR
THE BLIND—IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.</strong></p> <p>ISSN
0006-8829</p> <p>© 2021 by the National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>Each
issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick or USB flash drive).
You can read this audio edition using a computer or a National Library Service
digital player. The NLS machine has two slots—the familiar book-cartridge
slot just above the retractable carrying handle and a second slot located on the
right side near the headphone jack. This smaller slot is used to play thumb drives.
Remove the protective rubber pad covering this slot and insert the thumb drive.
It will insert only in one position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive
over and try again. (Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the
thumb drive, the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive
is inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials.
If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, when you insert
it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.</p> <p>You can transfer
the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to your computer or preserve it
on the thumb drive. However, because thumb drives can be used hundreds of times,
we would appreciate their return in order to stretch our funding. Please use the
return envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device.</p> <p>Vol.
64, No. 8 August/September 2021</p> <h2 id="contents">Contents</h2> <p>Illustration:
Career Mentoring Takes Spot for First Event at Jernigan Institute Since the Doors
Opened</p> <p>The 2021 Convention Roundup</p> <p>by Gary Wunder</p> <p>Presidential
Report 2021</p> <p>by Mark A. Riccobono</p> <p>Stronger Together: From Where the
Federation Flag Flies Highest to All Corners of Our Movement</p> <p>by Ronza
Othman</p> <p>The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards</p> <p>by Everette Bacon</p> <p>Distinguished
Educator of Blind Students Award</p> <p>Scholarship Comments Made at the Meeting
of the NFB Board of Directors</p> <p>Reflection, Revolution, and Race: A Growing
Understanding within the Organized Blind Movement</p> <p>by Mark A. Riccobono</p>
<p>The Strength of a Champion: Transforming Federation Spirit into Personal
Progress</p> <p>by Randi Strunk</p> <p>Federation Safe: Healing and the Transformation
of Pain into Progress</p> <p>Introductory Remarks by Kathryn Webster</p> <p>NFB
Board of Directors Statement Regarding NFB’s Constitution and Code of
Conduct</p> <p>Transforming Advocacy into Votes: The Impact of the Federation on
Voting Equality</p> <p>by Eve Hill</p> <p>Stronger Future Together through a
Commitment to Full Participation: Building the Tools to Empower All to Vote</p>
<p>by Bradley Tusk</p> <p>Interview with Senator Tammy Duckworth</p> <p>Innovating
Mapping Technology: A Mission Built on the Experience of the Blind</p> <p>by Jose
Gaztambide</p> <p>The Transformative Power of the 2021 Convention Resolutions</p>
<p>by Sharon Maneki</p> <p>2021 Resolutions</p> <p>National Association of Guide
Dog Users Reports</p> <p>by Raul Gallegos</p> <p>Independence Market Corner<br />
by Terry Boone</p> <p><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: A group
of blind adults and students cross a street toward the Jernigan Institute, a brick
building.]</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Four blind students at a round table, touch
materials for a team building activity.]</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: A blind professional
in a blue suit with a white cane speaks to blind students.]</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION:
A blind professional speaks to a group of blind students who are seated at computer
desks.]</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Three blind students talk to two mentors in a small
group session.]</p> <h2
id="career-mentoring-takes-spot-for-first-event-at-jernigan-institute-since-the-doors-opened">Career
Mentoring Takes Spot for First Event at Jernigan Institute Since the Doors
Opened</h2> <p>The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, a four-story
brick building that stretches across a full Baltimore city block, was closed to
the public and did not host events for sixteen months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 26, 2021, the building officially opened back up. Safety protocols are
still in place, and we continue to recommend calling ahead to schedule a visit.
We held our first in-person event on August 14, a career mentoring seminar!</p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind career mentoring program connects blind
and low-vision students with successful blind role models who help them navigate
their path from education to career success. Hosted in conjunction with the Maryland
Association of Blind Students, a Federation division, the August seminar agenda
included working in teams, blind professional presentations on their careers,
resume writing, and group discussions on elevator pitches, assistive technology,
and professional attire. A group of ten blind students attended with several
mentors that helped make the day packed with guidance, fun, and connections.</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Gary Wunder]</p> <h2 id="the-2021-convention-roundup">The 2021
Convention Roundup</h2> <p>by Gary Wunder</p> <p>Annual gatherings are often a
time of celebration, and nowhere is this truer than at the convention of the
National Federation of the Blind. Normally our gatherings are celebrated with
meals, long talks, handshakes, and hugs. But for most of us at our 2021 Convention,
the meals, hugs, and handshakes would have to wait until 2022 will let us safely
convene in New Orleans.</p> <p>“Stronger Together” was our convention
theme, but stronger together was not always how it was for the blind. One hundred
years ago, togetherness was forced on many of us by institutions: schools that
would take the blind for twelve years but foresaw no positive outcome after a
modest education. For some there were the workshops that paid pennies per hour
and justified their activities as training or charitably giving the blind something
to do. We either had forced togetherness or forced isolation, the latter resulting
from overprotectiveness, a lack of transportation, and an egregious lack of
opportunity to do anything to advance ourselves. It was through self-organization
and problem-solving that we now find ourselves in the place where the organized
blind movement is understood to represent the best of self-advocacy and concerted
action.</p> <p>Many are to thank for this, among the most visible being our leaders
past and present. Of these our Presidents are most visible, from our founder, Dr.
Jacobus tenBroek, to the men who helped us through the Federation’s civil
war, to Kenneth Jernigan, the builder and the man who demonstrated that Federation
philosophy could indeed work in the real world of rehabilitation and changing
lives. Then there is our longest serving President, Dr. Marc Maurer, the leader
who transformed us from an organization with a philosophy, a skeleton staff, and
only a few programs to one in which that philosophy was complemented by ample
programs and a staff to help implement them. And now there is President Riccobono,
the man charged with leading us through the struggles of the third decade of the
twenty-first century with all of the technological, societal, and governmental
changes that shake our society, create friction, and cause all of us to work at
separating what we think we know from what we truly know. The job isn’t
and never has been easy, but we know about teamwork, about commitment, and about
loyalty to one another. This is what makes us the organization we are and one that
will continue to lead into the future.</p> <p>Like all of our conventions, the
celebration of our eighty-first year would be unique, but just how was to be
defined. It had the unenviable position of being like the middle child, having
something worthy and special to offer that threatened to be overshadowed by
conventions past and present. It could not lay claim to being our first virtual
convention, for we had already demonstrated that could be done. It could not be
the celebration of eight decades of the organized blind movement, for that had
happened the year before. It could not be the coming together in person that all
of us desire, but what it could and would be was the celebration of a year filled
with significant accomplishments, the taking on of difficult tasks, the managing
of difficult conversations and decisions, and the proof that we have emerged
stronger together.</p> <p>In 2021 Maryland was our convention host, and what
thought and work went into making this convention truly special. There is no doubt
it will loom large in our book of memories thanks to the thought, innovation, and
creativity of our hosts. Prior to the start of our convention was the LOL Comedy
Night contest in which nine Federationists competed before a live virtual audience
to see who would be crowned the LOL 2021 comedian. Congratulations to Yvonne
Neubert of Tennessee. For her comedic endeavor, she was awarded first prize in
the amount of $200.</p> <p>To replace tours that normally would consist of buses
and walking, our hosts came up with virtual ones. There were four in all, but more
numerous than the tours were the contests the affiliate sponsored.</p> <p>The
pre-convention activities started on Monday, July 5, with a rehabilitation conference
sponsored by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board. In keeping
with their long tradition of offering only the best to parents of blind children,
the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children held what could be viewed
as a convention within the convention. Its exciting program items fell under the
title “Empowering Our Children: Maximizing Skills, Opportunities, and
Dreams.” Several of the presentations will appear later in the fall, and
a fuller presentation may be found in <em>Future Reflections</em>, the
Federation’s magazine for parents of blind children.</p> <p>A number of
years ago the National Federation of the Blind confronted Target about its
inaccessible website, and its work as a result of our expressed concerns has made
it a model of accessibility for the retail market. It is no surprise that one of
the first preconvention sessions on Tuesday morning was hosted by them, its title
being “Target: An App for All Guests.” The National Federation of
the Blind Employment Committee hosted an orientation to the 2021 NFB Career Fair,
while Vispero, a loyal convention sponsor and longtime participant, presented the
first of several very popular convention activities, it being “What’s
New with JAWS, Fusion, and ZoomText.” Our host affiliate started its first
tour with the B&O (Baltimore and Ohio) railroad museum, while Black Leaders
Serving Advancement met to celebrate the numerous contributions of Black Federation
leaders. Blind people with intersecting disabilities met to learn about the lived
experiences of members who have multiple disabilities, and the Blind Muslims Group
held a meeting entitled “Diverse in Culture, United in Faith: Finding Our
Space in the Blindness Movement.” HumanWare came to showcase its significant
offerings that allow for the creation and rapid reading of Braille. The National
Federation of the Blind Membership Committee gathered its committee members,
affiliate chairpersons, chapter presidents, and all Federationists interested in
building our organization in what has been a virtual year of COVID. The National
Association of Guide Dog Users held a seminar celebrating the work of puppy raisers,
giving updates on guide dog training programs, and learning how we can improve
the rights of all guide dog users. The NFB Employment Committee conducted its
annual career fair, Vispero offered what it called the ideal solution for scanning
print, and Pearson discussed the disability mentoring program it has created to
target the dangerous combination of low expectations and the lack of knowledge
about exploring career goals. The host affiliate conducted a tour of the National
Goddard Space Flight Center while simultaneously an educational seminar focused
on addressing pronouns, pride, and more was conducted; and a meeting of the Blind
Federal Employment Committee discussed opportunities for employment with the
government by those in the federal workplace. The Blindness Initiatives Research
Advisory Council held a meeting for academic professionals working in the field
of research, and Amazon came to talk about “What’s New with Amazon
Accessibility.”</p> <p>The topic of safety and support figured prominently
in our convention discussions, and a meeting to provide training about boundaries
and consent discussed how we can build safe, stronger, and more connected communities.
The third tour from our host committee focused on Harriet Tubman and the Underground
Railroad she established, and the National Federation of the Blind Employment
Committee rounded out its day of activity by hosting the 2021 Job Seekers Seminar.</p>
<p>Events continued into the evening with the meeting of the Webmasters Group,
the opening meeting of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee was conducted,
the National Association of Blind Students held a networking session, and a
legislative meet-up to provide a rundown of our legislative priorities and
opportunities to advocate for the rights of the nation’s blind was hosted
by our Advocacy and Policy Department. A meeting to discuss the reopening of
synagogues and how this influences us as blind people was conducted, as was a
meeting to discuss Native American experiences by hearing from the voices of Native
Americans in the Federation. The Blind Parents Group gathered to meet the people
writing the pages of the book on how to be a blind parent by simply living and
not letting blindness hold us back. And while all of this was going on, a very
special concert was taking place entitled “One Voice: Stronger Together.”
Federationists were encouraged to enjoy a night of performance and support the
efforts of the Performing Arts Division whose goal is to change what it means to
be blind one stage at a time. The Technology Evaluation Committee Exhibitors
Showcase gave attendees a chance to hear about hardware, software, and services
designed to help the blind. We rounded out Tuesday evening by discussing the way
to Cultivate Asian Pacific Islanders’ identities and by highlighting the
topic “Blind and MENA, a Different Kind of Brown.”</p> <p>Wednesday
morning began at 10 a.m. Eastern with a session on “JAWS Power Tips”
presented by Vispero, a seminar on getting connected in your employment search by
the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, and yet another effort by the National
Federation of the Blind’s Employment Committee focusing on upward mobility
and employment. Many of us who work hard to build the Federation ask ourselves
what we can do to recruit members and leaders who are Spanish speakers and how
best to make them feel included. This topic was addressed by Mujeres of the
Federation. Journalism is sometimes advertised as the fourth institution of
government, so it is no surprise that blind people want to be involved in the
field and need “Tips for Building a Journalism Career” sponsored by
the Blind Professional Journalists Group. The fourth and final tour conducted by
the Maryland affiliate was of our National Federation of the Blind Jernigan
Institute, and it was led by our Current First Lady, Melissa Riccobono, and Former
First Lady Mary Ellen Jernigan. The National Organization of Parents of Blind
Children continued to offer valuable seminars, those being on technology.</p>
<p>These and many more gatherings were featured on the agenda, and only by reviewing
it can one get a true feel for the scope of the meetings held and the issues
discussed.</p> <p>The National Federation of the Blind's Board of Directors met
on Wednesday afternoon, and when President Riccobono gaveled the meeting to order,
all but two members were present. After being delayed by technical difficulties,
all were soon in attendance.</p> <p>We observed a moment of silence in memory of
those lost to us in the past year. Sixty-five Federationists were reverently
recognized in addition to others whose names might not have been sent to the
President. Joe Ruffalo was asked to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and
President Riccobono followed by reciting with us the Federation pledge.</p> <p>The
President talked about elections, those who would stand for election and those
whose terms would be up in 2022. Members whose terms ended at the conclusion of
the convention were Denise Avant, Illinois; Everette Bacon, Utah; Norma Crosby,
Texas; Ever Lee Hairston, California, Terri Rupp, Nevada; and Joe Ruffalo, New
Jersey. Holdovers were Mark Riccobono, Maryland; Pam Allen, Louisiana; Ron Brown,
Indiana; James Gashel, Hawaii; Jeannie Massey, Oklahoma; Amy Buresh, Nebraska;
Shawn Callaway, District of Columbia; John Fritz, Wisconsin; Carla McQuillan,
Oregon; Amy Ruell, Massachusetts; and Adelmo Vigil, New Mexico.</p> <p>Joe Ruffalo
asked for the floor and said that after twenty years of service he thought it was
time for him to resign and make way for new talent and energy. Serving on the
board has been one of the highest honors of his life, and he will continue to do
whatever he can to be of service to the organization that has meant so much to
him. President Riccobono thanked Joe for his two decades of service on the board
as well as his twenty-seven-year tenure as the president of the National Federation
of the Blind of New Jersey.</p> <p>James Gashel called for the floor and announced
that he wished to resign as the organization’s secretary. He said that he
has been a Federationist for fifty-six years, that he would try to avoid making
a speech knowing that this was his proclivity after spending so much time in
Washington, DC, and he hopes that anyone visiting Hawaii will drop by and say
hello. President Riccobono thanked Mr. Gashel for his many years as a rank-and-file
member, a staff member, a board member, and an officer. The position of secretary
was added to those to be elected this year.</p> <p>Ronza Othman is the president
of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. She was the next presenter
and discussed everything from virtual tours to the many contests held by the
affiliate. An article discussing the activities of the host affiliate will appear
elsewhere in this issue.</p> <p>John Berggren was introduced to talk about convention
details in his capacity as the chairperson of convention organization and activities.
Coordinating 185 separate convention sessions is no small task, but our chairperson
brings to the job just the right combination of gentleness, decisiveness, and
firmness. He said the agenda was made available on the web, as a Microsoft Word
Document, and on the Crowd Compass app that allowed the agenda to be customized
to show only the sessions one decided to attend and to set reminders for them.
Each agenda item had a Zoom link so one could move from meeting to meeting with
a simple click. Those wishing to listen to the convention had many options, the
most used being Zoom, but others included YouTube, the Amazon Alexa skill, Shoutcast,
and NFB-NEWSLINE<sup>®</sup>. All sessions, including breakout activities,
were captioned for the deafblind, and this captioning was available either through
the Zoom application or through the OneCap application that many found easier to
use with a Braille display.</p> <p>President Riccobono announced that our 2022
convention will be held in New Orleans from July 5 to 10. We have not been in New
Orleans since 1997, and though the rates have gone up since then, they are still
a bargain at $110 per night for singles and doubles and $115 for triples and quads.
There will also be a three dollar per night fee charged by the city.</p> <p>He
then addressed our publications including our electronic newsletter, <em>Imagineering
our Future</em>; our blog, <em>Voice of the Nation's Blind</em>; our magazine for
parents of blind children, <em>Future Reflections</em>; and, of course, our flagship
publication, the <em>Braille Monitor</em>. The President noted that the <em>Braille
Monitor</em> editor would consider him remiss if he did not mention that the
magazine is always in search of good articles, and he encouraged Federationists
to share their experiences, their observations, and to write them.</p> <p>Beth
Braun is the assistant to the President, and she was called upon to read the
proposed "2021 Principles of Engagement," a document explaining the way we would
function in the virtual environment if approved. A formal vote on those rules
would take place during the first convention session on Thursday evening.</p>
<p>To make sure that every eligible person could vote, we tried a sample, and the
matter of consequence to decide was one's favorite ice cream. Since there are only
two choices available in the system, we were limited to chocolate or vanilla. The
clear choice was chocolate by a vote of 234 to 118.</p> <p>The President reminded
everyone that our Code of Conduct dictates how we will treat one another, and the
rules we have established apply for our virtual gatherings as well as those
in-person meetings to which we are more accustomed. One can report a violation by
writing to code@nfb.org or by calling 410-659-9314, extension 2475. We intend,
through our Code of Conduct and other procedures, to be not only the leading
organization in matters dealing with the blind but the leading organization dealing
with providing safe and enriching environments in which to work and interact with
one another. The Board of Directors has recommended the establishment of a fund
to assist victims of abuse and recommended an initial appropriation of $250,000.
If approved later in the convention, it will be the Survivor's Assistance to
Facilitate Empowerment or SAFE Fund.</p> <p>Shawn Callaway was given the microphone
to talk about membership recruitment efforts and specifically our efforts in
diversity, equity, and inclusion. He began by expressing his appreciation for the
interest of the Federation in reaching out to groups who are not well represented
among our membership. The committee has conducted a number of meetings, and he is
encouraged not only by its participation but by other members who have welcomed
the information and encouragement put forward by it. People wanting to talk with
the committee should write to diversity@nfb.org.</p> <p>Tarik Williams cochairs
the Membership Committee along with Kathryn Webster. He took the floor and began
with the message that the key to membership recruitment is to provide a welcoming
environment, one where our friendliness is a predominant aspect of who we are and
what new people can expect. Every month the Membership Committee conducts a national
conference call inviting new people to come with their questions about who we are
in the National Federation of the Blind. When the new member signs up, he or she
receives several monthly newsletters to assist with general orientation and support.
As important as these tools are, they are no substitute for the personal relationships
that transform new members into valued, long-term colleagues and family members.</p>
<p>Carla McQuillan chairs the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award. She
came to the microphone to recognize the committee's 2021 recipient. A report of
her presentation and the remarks of the winner appear elsewhere in this issue.</p>
<p>President Riccobono talked about the way a good deal of work is done in the
Federation, that being through groups, committees, and divisions. He noted that
several years ago the Board of Directors established the requirement that each
division file an annual report. These are due to Beth Braun in the Office of the
President by August 15.</p> <p>The Board is working on the creation of standards
for divisions and has established a subcommittee that is currently working on
them. As most Federationists know, committees are appointed by the national
President, and he is changing the term of appointments from the calendar year to
September 1 through August 31. This will align with much of the work which often
occurs from convention to convention. Those interested in serving on a committee
should write to officeofthepresident@nfb.org or write to President Riccobono at
the Jernigan Institute. A form to indicate interest is also available and can be
found at <a href="https://nfb.org/committeeinterest">https://nfb.org/committeeinterest</a>.
Please submit one form for each committee in which you are interested.</p> <p>One
of the organizations the National Federation of the Blind partners with is the
American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults. In addition to the Braille
Books Program being managed by Melissa Riccobono, the Action Fund continues to
produce Braille calendars, and one will be available for 2022 starting in August.</p>
<p>The Fund has observed that there is a lack of Braille books in Spanish and is
making an active effort to address that need. It is working to identify Spanish
speakers who can recommend titles they would like to read. This organization
continues to distribute free canes as well as slates and styluses in partnership
with the Federation. Last but not least, it manages the Braille Readers are Leaders
Contest in which many of our affiliates participate, and this popular program
continues to grow. Those interested in knowing more about the Fund's programs can
go to its website at <a href="https://actionfund.org">https://actionfund.org</a>
or can email <a href="mailto:melissa@actionfund.org">melissa@actionfund.org</a>.</p>
<p>Patti Chang is the National Federation of the Blind's director of outreach,
and she was called on to talk about her work to expand relationships and opportunities
for the Federation. She began by talking about a film producer who has recently
created his second documentary about blind people. This documentary features a
blind teacher, and registrants at this convention will receive a link in August
providing access to this password-protected film so that we may enjoy an exclusive
screening.</p> <p>Patti introduced our convention sponsors for 2021. They are:</p>
<p><strong>Platinum:</strong> Facebook, Google, Microsoft, UPS, Vanda, and
Vispero.</p> <p><strong>Gold:</strong> Brown, Goldstein & Levy; LLP; Target;
Waymo.</p> <p><strong>Silver:</strong> Aira, Amazon, AT&T, Market Development
Group, McDonald's, Oracle, Pearson, and T-Mobile Accessibility.</p>
<p><strong>Bronze:</strong> American Printing House for the Blind, Democracy Live,
Educational Testing Service, HumanWare, Learning Ally's College Success Program,
Newsela, Spectrum, Tusk Philanthropies, VitalSource Technologies, and Wells
Fargo.</p> <p><strong>White Cane:</strong> Chris Park Design; Cruise; D2L Corporation;
Duxbury; Envision - Workforce Innovation Center; En-Vision America; IKE Smart
City; Independence Science; Law School Admission Council Inc.; Leader Dogs for
the Blind; McGraw Hill; National Industries for the Blind; Personal AI; Rosen,
Bien, Galvan & Grunfeld, LLP; and The Chicago Lighthouse.</p> <p>Last year we
conducted a matching fund campaign, and it went so well that we have now conducted
three of them. These are made possible by our generous sponsors: Vispero, Deque,
Cherish Life, The Baiardi Family, the Gibney Family Foundation, and our anonymous
donors.</p> <p>We plan to conduct a fundraising seminar for all of our affiliates,
chapters, and divisions. This will occur on September 15, so please mark your
calendars.</p> <p>Patti reminded the assembled about our vehicle donation program
and urged us to learn more about it by Googling National Federation of the Blind
Vehicle Donations or by calling 855-659-9314. She also mentioned our GreenDrop
program, which is available in seven states and can again be found by Googling
GreenDrop or by calling 888-944-drop.</p> <p>Patti concluded by talking about the
Dream Makers Circle, our legacy society whose members are ensuring the well-being
of the Federation when they leave this earth for a better place. Those interested
in helping, though none too soon we hope, can contact Patti by writing to <a
href="mailto:pattichang@nfb.org">pattichang@nfb.org</a> or by calling her at
extension 2422.</p> <p>President Riccobono next thanked HumanWare for their
long-term sponsorship of the organization and gave the company and the American
Printing House for the Blind a chance to talk about a collaborative effort that
will result in some tremendous technology for blind people. Bruce Miles was the
presenter from HumanWare, and he was joined by Anne Durham of the Printing House.
The new creation is officially named the Dynamic Tactile Device, which is really
a Braille tablet that will forever change the way blind students learn. It will
produce Refreshable Braille and graphics on a multiline display in real-time. The
hope for this device is that it will eventually replace the hardcopy Braille
textbook that is often hard to get and in too many cases arrives after the school
year has begun. Using this device, instead of waiting weeks or months, Braille
books will be available at the touch of a download button. Though it is still in
testing, this device is expected to be helpful not only in providing textbooks
but in making testing materials and job-related information available at one's
fingertips.</p> <p>The work that we do in the Federation requires money, and that
money comes through donations given through a number of funds we have created.
Everette Bacon chairs our White Cane Fund, and he was introduced to talk about
the Give Twenty Campaign. The Give Twenty Fund allowed donations to be made not
only to the White Cane Fund but to the Jernigan Fund, and the SUN Fund.</p> <p>Sandy
Halverson chairs the SUN Fund, a savings account maintained by the National
Federation of the Blind. We sometimes refer to it as the rainy-day fund, though
the personality of its chairperson is anything but rainy or gloomy. We give to
this fund with the expectation that it will be used only in times of financial
emergency, and many of us in the Federation remember what it was like when we
lived through just such a crisis in the 1970s. Currently our rainy day fund has
about $1.5 million, and although this is an impressive amount, it will not long
run the National Federation of the Blind when the uninvited rough times arrive.</p>
<p>Our most successful membership-driven fundraiser is undoubtedly the Preauthorized
Contribution Program or what we affectionately call the PAC Plan. Through PAC
contributors make an automatic monthly donation that is painless for them and
predictable for the organization's treasury. One does not have to be a member to
be on the plan; only the desire to contribute to the work of the National Federation
of the Blind is required. We came into the convention at just under $494,000, and
by the end of the convention—well, let's keep the reader waiting until the
banquet for that announcement.</p> <p>One can begin contributing to the PAC Plan
by calling 877-632-2722 or, as rolls so nicely off the tongue, 877 NFB 2 PAC. If
one wishes to sign up using the web, the address is <a
href="http://www.nfb.org/pac">www.nfb.org/pac</a>, or one can use email to write
to <a href="mailto:pac@nfb.org">pac@nfb.org</a>. In the case of phone or email,
leave a message, and someone will respond to your request.</p> <p>Anil Lewis was
introduced to talk about the Blind Driver Challenge. No, he wasn't on the program
to talk history but about the present and the near future. Our newest iteration
of the Blind Driver Challenge involves the attempt of Dan Parker to set a land
speed record for a vehicle driven by a blind person. Dan's record-breaking attempt
will take place in the fall of 2021, and one of our lucky participants in the Give
Twenty Campaign will have the opportunity to draw for the Golden Key to Cruise
ticket, admission to be there in person when Dan makes his historic run. More
information can be found at <a
href="https://blinddriverchallenge.org">https://blinddriverchallenge.org</a>. We
are joining with Cruise, the developers of self-driving vehicles to do this
project.</p> <p>Tracy Soforenko is the chairperson of the Kenneth Jernigan Fund,
the purpose of which is to help first-time convention attendees by providing
financial assistance and mentoring. Normally this fund helps around fifty people
each year, and the way it raises money is by selling Jernigan tickets. Anyone who
purchases tickets for the fund has their name placed in a drawing. The lucky winner
gets two round-trip tickets to the convention, their room at the hotel, tickets
for the banquet, and $1000 in walk-around spending money. During in-person
conventions tickets are normally sold for ten dollars each, but in 2021 a chance
to contribute to the fund was purchased through the Give Twenty web link.</p>
<p>The last fund to be discussed owns the Jernigan Institute, and it is the Jacobus
tenBroek Fund. The effort to raise money for the maintenance of our building is
headed by Kathryn Webster, and she vowed to keep her remarks short and sweet so
that we might proceed to the introduction of the scholarship class. She did discuss
a major renovation made about a year and half ago that involved new sleeping rooms,
a recreation area, and shared space for sitting and visiting. Maintaining the
property we have at 200 East Wells Street is definitely important, and the Jacobus
tenBroek Fund is the key.</p> <p>One of the highlights of every board meeting has
long been the introduction of the scholarship class, and 2021 presented thirty of
the finest scholars we have ever had the pleasure to assist on their journey of
success. A full report of this part of the board meeting will appear elsewhere in
this issue.</p> <p>Scott LaBarre made a presentation in his capacity as general
counsel for the National Federation of the Blind. His job is to assist the President
in managing a multimillion-dollar legal program that is actively asserting our
right to live in the world on terms of equality with the sighted. We have yet
another victory in our case against Domino's Pizza. Legally it is now perfectly
clear that the chain must operate a fully accessible website and cannot hide behind
the fiction that Internet sites are not covered. We have won a case against
Curative, the largest provider for scheduling vaccines and tests in California.
Its website was inaccessible, and now it will be because of the work of the National
Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>Section 508 has been the law of the land since
1986, but we know that the federal government does not abide by the requirement
that it procure only technology that is accessible. We are collecting stories from
people who are employees of the federal government or from others who simply try
to use its services and find that they are hampered by accessibility barriers. In
addition to collecting stories, we have sent a letter to the United States Congress
demanding that they conduct oversight hearings. Recently we approached McDonald's
with concerns that its kiosks were inaccessible to blind customers. By the end of
2021 McDonald's will distribute only kiosks that are accessible.</p> <p>Scott
concluded his presentation by thanking other lawyers with whom he works: Brown,
Goldstein & Levy; TRE Legal Practice; and Carlton Walker of Blindness
Education and Advocacy Resources.</p> <p>Having said this, Scott next introduced
Valerie Yingling. She said that since the last convention we have created a new
form for members wanting to discuss legal matters relating to blindness. It appears
on the NFB legal webpage at <a href="https://nfb.org/legal">https://nfb.org/legal</a>.
On this page are links to several important surveys, our newest concerning digital
library services. Those who have any experience with accessibility on these sites
are encouraged to fill it out.</p> <p>Since the expiration of our Uber and Lyft
agreements, we have updated our rideshare surveys to gather information regarding
ride denials. Not only do the surveys include service animals, but now encompass
any technology we may use including the long white cane. We are also interested
in the accessibility of the apps used to secure the assistance of the services.</p>
<p>We continue to gather information about accessible and inaccessible education
technology used in K-12 and higher education. This applies both to public and
private schools. All teachers and students are encouraged to complete the survey
every semester. The Federation is specifically gathering information about Seesaw
and Epic Books, so please report your experiences using the survey.</p> <p>To
close the board meeting, President Riccobono introduced the Chairperson of the
Board, Pam Allen, who made these remarks:</p> <p>Hello, my Federation family, and
thank you so much, President Riccobono. It is such a pleasure to welcome everyone,
especially our first-time attendees, to our convention.</p> <p>I am so grateful
to be a member of the National Federation of the Blind. Thanks to all from our
host affiliate in the great state of Maryland, our phenomenal team at our National
Center managing all of the logistics so that we can connect virtually, and most
importantly, all of you, our members, the most important part of all we are. Though
I have different roles and titles, the most important for me is member.</p> <p>Thank
you for your participation and your contributions this week and throughout the
year, and for the transformative work we are doing to ensure that everyone feels
valued, heard, safe, included, respected, and welcomed. This work would not be
possible without you, President Riccobono, and the loving example you and Melissa
are to all of us.</p> <p>I want to recognize the work of our Survivor-Led Task
Force, our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and of all our survivors
who are guiding us with strength, truth, and courage. I also want to remind everyone
of the safe spaces for survivors provided by our Survivor-Led Task Force for
confidential peer support and for anyone who would like to share concerns or ideas
you have about safety and support measures in the National Federation of the Blind.
... I know we're struggling with much pain and working to repair shattered trust.
This work is critical, and we are listening and acting.</p> <p>Brené Brown
said that “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage,
healing, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and
authenticity." If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more
meaningful lives, vulnerability is the path forward. Remember, we are stronger
together. In our diversity, vulnerability, and humanity, love is what holds us
together at the National Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>I'm wishing all of you
an incredible convention, and Roland and I and our whole Louisiana family cannot
wait to welcome you to New Orleans next year. Happy convention to all, and let's
go build the National Federation of the Blind!</p> <p>The first official day of
the convention began early if one considers that the convention day would extend
well beyond twelve hours. The American Printing House for the Blind discussed its
high-tech journey to develop products to increase the availability of Braille
while lowering its cost, Accessible Pharmacy and Be My Eyes discussed their
partnership to support blind and low vision people in the management of medication,
Text2Vote discussed its cutting edge technology with the same ease as everyone
else, and the Community Service Division continued its work to advocate for blind
people being of service not only to ourselves but to others. The National Association
of Blind Merchants held its annual meeting as did the Federation's DeafBlind
Division. Physical health is every bit as important for blind people as it is to
others, and our Sports and Recreation Division meeting is adamant about bringing
this message to us every year. The National Federation of the Blind in Computer
Science continues to encourage employment in the lucrative field of computing and
to work for nonvisual access to all aspects of the technology. Many other divisions
held meetings, and the only way to get the full flavor of these between session
gatherings is to look at the agenda and to continue looking in these pages for
division, committee, and group reports. If one you want doesn't appear here, write
to the person in charge, and ask them to write something for the <em>Braille
Monitor</em>.</p> <p>When the gavel fell on Thursday evening, July 8, it signified
the official opening of the National Federation of the Blind's 2021 Convention.
Our invocation was presented by Christopher Edris Crowley, a member of the National
Federation of the Blind of South Carolina's Columbia Chapter, who practices the
Muslim faith. In his moving invocation he quoted the Koran, and these words have
special meaning to us now as we embrace diversity not as a gift to others but as
a blessing to us all: "We have created you from one man and one woman, and we have
made you into peoples and nations so that you may know one another, not that you
may despise one another."</p> <p>The official welcoming ceremonies were presented
by our host affiliate. This is the third time in the history of the organization
that Maryland has been able to serve as host. Those introducing the welcome were
Maryland affiliate president Ronza Othman, and she was joined by secretary of the
Maryland Association of Blind Students, Juhi Narula. They characterized what was
to follow as Maryland's fifth and last virtual tour, the other four having been
mentioned earlier. In keeping with the hosting of the 2021 National Convention,
even this tour had to have a contest, and the winner would be the first person to
identify ten songs heard during the recorded presentation. An article appears
elsewhere in this issue describing all of the tours and the contests so ably
conducted by our friends in Maryland.</p> <p>This unique welcoming celebration
ended with a splendid quotation: "We know that we are stronger together. Through
love, hope, and determination, we will transform and unify our future."</p>
<p>Master Sergeant Dr. Vernon Humphrey was introduced to conduct our annual tribute
to the veterans who have given so much in the service of our country. He serves
as the president of the National Association of Blind Veterans, and he told
President Riccobono how long it had been and what a pleasure it was to be referred
to as Master Sergeant. For the 2021 Celebration of Freedom presentation, veterans
from around the nation were asked to make a recording, but because of his prolonged
illness, Joe Ruffalo was unable to do this. President Humphrey took this opportunity
to introduce him, rejoicing, as do we all, in Joe's miraculous recovery. Eighteen
veterans were introduced, and following their introduction, everyone participated
in pledging allegiance to our flag. Father John Sheehan is the chaplain for the
National Association of Blind Veterans, and he sang the National Anthem. President
Humphrey closed the ceremony by recognizing that none of the work that the veterans
have done could've been accomplished without the love and support of their
families.</p> <p>Following a fit break, we moved to the roll call of states, and
though all of them were outstanding in their own way, here are a few observations
that seem worthy of note: Alaska wanted to remind us that, in addition to having
a spectacular affiliate, it is two-thirds the size of the United States. One
wonders if Texas was supposed to take away a message from this? Hawaii wanted us
to know that it has passed five significant pieces of legislation that have been
indicated as important by our Federation. NFB-NEWSLINE<sup>®</sup> has returned
to Montana, special legislation has been passed for blind voters in Nevada, and
in Pennsylvania ten members of its eighteen-member congressional delegation have
signed onto H.R. 431, the Accessible Technology Affordability Act. Rhode Island
now has a parental rights law and also is able to use accessible electronic ballots.
Texas boasted nineteen BELL participants, three members of the Teachers of Tomorrow
cohort, and two scholarship finalists.</p> <p>At the conclusion of the roll call,
we were able to state with pride that all fifty-two affiliates were in attendance.
The nominating committee having been selected by the delegates, President Riccobono
appointed Pam Allen to be its chair, and the committee issued its report at the
time of elections covered later in this article.</p> <p>The proposed rules of
engagement were read to the convention, their approval was moved by the board and
seconded, and the vote was taken. While tabulation was underway, Julie Deden led
us in a fit break.</p> <p>The rules of engagement having been adopted, we moved
to one of our last items of business for the evening. It was an interview conducted
by President Riccobono with Congressman Kweisi Mfume who serves in the United
States House of Representatives from the Seventh District of Maryland. This was
a substantial interview with good questions and insightful answers. It will appear
in full in a following issue.</p> <p>Before closing with a door prize, President
Riccobono reflected on the sad reality that, for all of our love and optimism, we
sometimes have to function while in the presence of haters. Several people tried
to intrude on our meetings, offering inappropriate commentary in the chat area
and through the screen sharing of pictures and sounds. Although they were quickly
removed, the President reminded all of us that it is our obligation to identify,
callout, and shutdown such behavior when it is observed, whether during an in-person
meeting or one conducted virtually.</p> <p>The session was adjourned, and for
those hardy souls not intimidated by the lateness of the hour, there were sessions
on safety, support, and how to constructively intervene as a bystander. The Friends
of Recovery also took this opportunity to meet and exchange the strength and hope
that comes from the togetherness that helps to create and maintain a healthy
lifestyle and the happiness that can accompany it.</p> <p>On Friday leading up to
the main session, attendees could visit the Independence Market, the Exhibit Hall,
and attend sessions on constructing and implementing an individualized education
program (IEP). For the technology enthusiasts among us, using the Focus Braille
display with the operating systems provided by Windows and iOS presented a tremendous
learning environment. Later in the morning were caucuses by each of our affiliates
so that we could renew ties with our Federation friends and family, review this
year's resolutions, and learn more about the work of the Federation.</p> <p>President
Riccobono brought our second session to order noting that good afternoon or good
morning might be in order, depending on where one was while attending this virtual
convention. A seminary student studying to become a minister in the Unitarian
Universalist Church was introduced, and his name will be familiar to many. For a
time he was the editor of the <em>Braille Monitor</em>, has served in several
important capacities as a government official, and is just an all-around wonderful
Federationist. Dan Frye was introduced to give an invocation, and like others from
different faiths, he thanked the creator for the blessings bestowed on us and
asked that they continue.</p> <p>The highlight of the afternoon, as it always is
during the second session, was the Presidential Report. The coronavirus and the
social distancing it necessitated caused us to alter and even reimagine some of
our programs, and this we did. The hour-long report that the President gave was
a testament to the fact that we embrace challenge, feed on it, and use it as just
another way to show the resilience of people committed to a worthy cause. President
Riccobono's remarks will appear in full immediately following this article.</p>
<p>At the end of the president's report the virtual choir performed a beautiful
rendition of “You'll Never Walk Alone.” They were followed by the
Secretary of Transportation, The Honorable Pete Buttigieg. His topic was
“Transformative Innovations in Transportation: A Commitment to a Future
Informed by the Blind.” The secretary began by expressing regret that we
could not all meet in New Orleans but said he appreciated the opportunity to
address our Federation and welcomed the opportunity to participate in a conversation
like this. He noted that transportation can be a major engine of opportunity for
people with disabilities, or it can also be a major source of inequity. The goal
of the department and of course of the Federation must be to see that it is the
former rather than the latter. The remarks of Secretary Buttigieg will appear
later in the fall.</p> <p>At the conclusion of the secretary's presentation, the
chairperson of our National Association of Guide Dog Users was called on to ask
him a question. Raul Gallegos addressed the Federation's concern about the January
11 amendments to the National Air Carrier Access Act. Part of that effort was to
counteract the bringing of counterfeit service dogs on airplanes, but this has
unfortunately created burdensome side effects for blind travelers using guide
dogs. One of these is the requirement that we fill out forms before flying with
a guide dog. Another allows airline personnel to decide whether there is enough
space on the airplane for one's guide dog by making assumptions about whether they
can fit comfortably under the seat. This decision should be made by a guide dog
handler, whose past and current experience should decide the issue. The question
posed to the secretary was whether he would look into this regulation and see
about modifying some of the unacceptable requirements outlined in President
Gallegos’ questions. He said that he would. While he supports the public
policy goals that must be achieved, he certainly wants to alter the consequences
that were described. He said this is why our advocacy is so important, and he will
make sure that his team gets in touch with the Federation and other advocates to
see that these are addressed.</p> <p>"Stronger Together: How the Organized Blind
Movement Benefits from the Global Advancement of the United Nations CRPD”
was presented by Gerard Quinn, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities. Mr. Quinn is headquartered in Ireland, and it is
from there that he made his presentation. He expressed his high honor at being
able to address the convention of the National Federation of the Blind and began
by saying that he agrees that we are always stronger together. He was very moved
by Reverend Frye's invocation saying that we should reach out and try to affect
the rest of the world. Mr. Quinn encouraged us to continue working hard to see
that the CRPD (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) is implemented
in America because it will benefit us and the rest of the world. Our example
carries tremendous weight in the world and this, if for no other reason, should
motivate us. Mr. Quinn's remarks will appear in this magazine later in the fall.</p>
<p>After a fit break hosted by Jessica Beecham and Melissa Riccobono, President
Riccobono directed our attention to voting and introduced Eve Hill, a well-known
presenter on our stage who currently is a partner at Brown, Goldstein & Levy.
Her presentation was entitled "Transforming Advocacy into Votes: The Impact of
the Federation on Voting Equality." Eve talked about the inequities involved in
being a blind voter: elections that provide no accessible voting technology, poll
workers who are not trained in using what accessible devices are available, and
voting locations that pose transportation problems because of their distance from
a voter. Eve concluded her presentation with this stirring quotation from Susan
B. Anthony: "Someone struggled for your right to vote; use it." Eve's remarks will
appear in full elsewhere in this issue.</p> <p>The convention was pleased to hear
from the secretary of state from Colorado, the title of her presentation being
"Transformative Leadership in Partnership with the Blind: Colorado Raises Expectations
for all Blind Americans.” When Secretary of State Jena Griswold took the
microphone, she began her presentation by recognizing Scott LaBarre, Dan Burke,
and Curtis Chong. She said that Colorado is continually among the nation's leaders
in voter registration and turnout. The state's voter participation was an impressive
86.5 percent. She stressed that Coloradans are proud of the fact that they make
voting as easy as it can be. She concluded her remarks by saying,</p> <blockquote>
<p>If there's one thing we've learned during the past year, it is that one of the
greatest risks to democracy is complacency. As Colorado's chief election official,
I am committed to creating an election model for all the people. But to make sure
we are reaching for that more perfect union, we need each state to ensure that
all eligible people, regardless of zip code, color of skin, or ability have access
to free and fair elections.</p> </blockquote> <p>The secretary's remarks will
appear in full later in the fall.</p> <p>In introducing the next presentation,
President Riccobono remarked that we do not believe that access for the blind has
to come at the expense of security. "A Stronger Future Together through a Commitment
to Full Participation: Building the Tools to Empower All to Vote" was our next
agenda item, and it was presented by Bradley Tusk, the chief executive officer
and cofounder of Tusk Philanthropies. Mr. Tusk comes to his job after a lucrative
career in business, and his message is that if we want to solve any of the problems
that have long confronted our country, we have to have a voting system that works.
We cannot have a system that tolerates 13 percent of the electorate determining
who our candidates will be through their participation in the primary process. It
is too easy to villainize the people who serve us, but it is more important for
us to understand that our elected officials take the positions they do because
they, like us, want to keep their jobs. The question is how we can vote the way
most of us feel and give them the coverage they need to vote in a way that they
continue to stay in office. His remarks will appear in full later in this issue.</p>
<p>In introducing the first panel on Friday evening, President Riccobono made
these remarks:</p> <p>The panel you are about to hear, these six individuals, are
outstanding leaders who have been representing the interests of survivors of
misconduct, individuals who come into this organization and run into harmful
situations. These six individuals have given more in the last six months than many
Federationists give in a decade. They have poured their heart, their soul, and
their imagination into this work, and in case there is anyone out there who thinks
they've just been toeing the party line, let me say this: no way, I can tell you.
I have met with them weekly, and they have kicked me around about many, many
situations where it was well deserved. I'm glad that they did; they are part of
my learning and healing from the mistakes I have made in the past as a leader,
not knowing how to respond well to these difficult situations.</p> <p>You know I
have found love and support in this organization, and I've got to tell you that
it really makes me angry that anybody would come to this space and be harmed. The
work that we're doing is to eliminate that harm but also to try to heal what has
happened in the past. I know that love and support is what so many people have
found and that, even for these six individuals, it's been painful for them to
stay, but they have stayed despite that. There is simply no amount of gratitude
that we can give them that is fitting for the work that they've done, and I want
to say on behalf of this organization that we are going to continue to pursue
having the highest level of standards for our members and removing people from
the organization who make it unsafe. “Federation safe” is our goal,
and making it safe every day for more and more people is what we intend to do.</p>
<p>The agenda item President Riccobono was introducing was titled “Federation
Safe: Healing and the Transformation of Pain into Progress.” The presenters
were three members of the 2021 National Federation of the Blind Survivor Task
Force: Kathryn Webster, Briley O'Connor, and Daphne Mitchell. The first of these
to take the floor was Kathryn Webster. She began by saying that what would be
discussed might be hurtful and that people should avail themselves of the opportunity
to step away if they found it difficult. Speaking out can lead to relief, but
before that relief may come greater pain from the revelations that concentration
on this subject can bring about. Her remarks will appear in full later in this
issue. The recommendations outlined by her fellow presenters will be distributed
once adopted, and they can also be found at <a
href="https://www.nfb.org/survivors">https://www.nfb.org/survivors</a>.</p>
<p>"Learning from the Past and Building for Our Future: A Report from the
Federation’s 2021 Special Committee” was next on the agenda. Presenters
were Sharon Krevor Weisbaum, Tim Elder, Denise Avant, and Ronza Othman. These four
were appointed by the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors on
January 6, 2021, to oversee and direct an independent investigation looking at
allegations of sexual misconduct by NFB members, participants, and staff that may
have taken place at NFB affiliated events, the training centers, or within the
state affiliates. The committee was also given the task of looking at our
organization's response to those events. It was given complete independence to
carry out the jobs assigned to it by the board, and no one in the NFB interfered
with what the committee did.</p> <p>Thus far the committee has authorized seventy
interviews. They were conducted by the law firm the committee hired, Kramon &
Graham PA.</p> <p>All of the participants on the special committee began their
remarks by expressing their absolute belief in the importance of the Federation
and that all of their work in this endeavor has been motivated by the idea of
making the organization all that it can be. Many of those remarks were movingly
summarized by Ronza Othman when she said,</p> <p>To you, those who are survivors,
I want to say that I hope the work of the special committee is helpful on your
journey of healing, and my greatest hope for you is to find peace and to feel
safe. I'm so sorry for what you've experienced. I hear the pain of survivors, and
I also hear the pain and love for leaders who want to simultaneously support
survivors, shore up our organization so that we can proactively prevent trauma,
and work on our traditional initiatives to ensure independence and equal rights
for the blind. I do not believe these things are mutually exclusive or that one
undercuts the other. Instead, I believe that all are possible and in fact necessary
as we move forward. I love this organization and believe it should and will be
the best version of itself. Our greatest strength is our membership, and our
greatest struggle is that sometimes individuals among us, even those we love, do
harm.</p> <p>To fully appreciate the remarks that were made and the in-depth
comments suggesting the changes proposed, please go to <a
href="https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2021-07/08_federation_safe_healing_and_the_transformation_of_pain_into_progress.mp3">https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2021-07/08_federation_safe_healing_and_the_transformation_of_pain_into_progress.mp3</a>
as well as <a
href="https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2021-07/09_learning_from_the_past_and_building_for_our_future.mp3">https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2021-07/09_learning_from_the_past_and_building_for_our_future.mp3</a>
and listen to what was said.</p> <p>After these two intense panels, it was time
for a fit break, and this mindfulness exercise was conducted by Jessica Beecham
and Maureen Nietfeld. "The Strength of a Champion: Transforming Federation Spirit
into Personal Progress” was presented by Randi Strunk, a member of the
National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota and the National Federation of the
Blind Sports and Recreation Division. In introducing her President Riccobono
said:</p> <p>Our next speaker represents the best of what our movement is. She
contributes where she can, and she does so without drama or fanfare. She applies
the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind in her own life and tries
to stretch the understanding of that philosophy through the actions and the
leadership that she provides. I said in the Presidential Report that I share a
love for the courage, commitment, and strength that lives in the lives of each of
our members, and I think this woman exemplifies those characteristics extremely
well. She is outstanding because she's authentic and strong. I'm proud to welcome
her to our national convention stage this evening, a member of the National
Federation of the Blind of Minnesota; here is Randi Strunk.</p> <p>Randi humbly
and movingly talked about her innate love of sports and athletics but how, over
time, they began to occupy a lesser place in her life when the action got to be
too fast and her lack of vision interfered with her ability to compete. Her love
of physical activity, pushing herself, and embracing the idea of some discomfort
to achieve success pushed her into training for and participating in a triathlon.
So inspiring are her remarks that they will appear elsewhere in this issue.</p>
<p>Acknowledged by the Obama administration as a champion of change, our next
presenter is a former scholarship winner and lives our philosophy, one manifestation
of it being a business that he has built that is dedicated to accessibility.
"Transforming and Accelerating Accessibility: The Need for the Organized Blind
Movement to Innovate through Inclusive Design" was presented by Sina Bahram, the
founder and president of Prime Access Consulting. Sina makes the point that we
are very interested in accessibility for blind people, and rightly so. But technical
changes really require that the Federation work with society to embrace accessibility
as a core principle for everyone and in everything. Too many people will be left
out if we don't; too many of the things we need won't happen unless we incorporate
a larger community to ensure that accessibility is not just a feature for the
blind but a core concept that must be baked into every product and service that
is offered. His well-articulated and moving remarks will be found later in the
fall.</p> <p>Monique Coleman is a teacher of the blind and the president of VISTAS
Education Partners and the founder of the National Homework Hotline. She lives in
Highland Park, New Jersey, and spoke on the topic "Stronger Together: Raising
Cultural Competency, Engaging Diverse Blind Mentors, and Advancing the Education
of Blind Youth." She knows through personal experience and the research data that
is available just how significantly blind people and people with other disabilities
are being left behind by America's education system. Although technology is
important to the blind, many who are blind and are a part of other minority
populations never get it. We must work to ensure that more demographic data is
gathered so that we can target these people for better educational outcomes and
the life prospects that come with them. The insightful remarks made to the convention
will appear later in the fall.</p> <p>Most technology that blind people use for
navigation has been created to meet the situations we encounter when outdoors.
The Global Positioning System has almost no utility if one is not outside. But
there is a tremendous unmet need for navigational assistance when inside, and this
problem was addressed in the next presentation entitled "Innovating Mapping
Technology: A Mission Built on the Experience of the Blind," and its presenter
was Jose Gaztambide. He is the chief executive officer of GoodMaps, a project that
sprang from the pioneering work of the American Printing House for the Blind on
indoor navigation. The problem with indoor navigation isn't so much technology;
using multiple available techniques can give us one's location with precision.
The problem is that we lack the indoor maps to make use of that location information,
and GoodMaps is committed to making this available without charge and doing so to
a community that extends well beyond the blind. What GoodMaps intends to create
will be shareable with all navigation applications, so the blind and the sighted
can choose the one they prefer. This exciting presentation can be found elsewhere
in this issue.</p> <p>Chancey Fleet is a motivated, energetic, focused, and
intelligent woman who has chosen to give some of her time and energy to building
and strengthening the National Federation of the Blind. She may be best known for
her active role in technology, and in recognition she serves as the president of
the Assistive Technology Trainers Division. She was called on to moderate a panel
addressing the topic "Stronger Together: Transforming Accessibility from Inkling
to Innovation in the Technology Industry.” On the panel with Chancey were
Jeff Petty from Microsoft, Eve Andersson from Google, Sarah Herrlinger from Apple,
and Peter Korn from Amazon. They were each asked to address five questions ranging
from the importance of Braille to the significance of artificial intelligence and
its future. Many significant points were made, but only a few can be covered here.
The rest we will leave to a link at the bottom of this description.</p> <p>By way
of introductory remarks Chancey and the presenter observed that when a product is
designed, one should always start from the perspective of the user: What is it
that is really needed, and in what way should it be implemented? When a product
is developed, one should be cautious in deciding what it can and cannot do and in
clearly advertising both its benefits and limitations.</p> <p>Chancey's first
question addressed to each representative was how each of the representatives
engineered their development policies to ensure that what they put out is accessible.
As an extension, she asked how we can work with them and others to see that
accessibility is considered as essential as security in the development and
deployment of products. Her second question focused on Braille and what the
companies were doing to ensure that their products incorporated support for
Refreshable Braille displays. Her next was how our movement and the tech industry
can work together to make sure that automation for accessibility is used in measured
and ethical ways. The answers to this question were interesting and informative.
Artificial intelligence has to be trained not to have bias just as humans have to
work against it. Artificial intelligence has limitations, just as does human
intelligence. Consequently the interpretation it brings has limitations. Responsible
artificial intelligence gives the user the choice to use or not use it, and those
who create it must be deeply committed to frankness and honesty about what they
know the current state of their product can and cannot do. Chancey's last question
was splendid: What steps can leaders in our movement and in the industry take to
ensure that blind talent gets cultivated, hired, and retained? Each company
described what they have done in this regard, but the message that resonated with
every one of them was for blind people to work where they want in a company and
not to limit their ambitions to accessibility.</p> <p>Since this was an unscripted
question and answer session, those interested in this significantly important
topic should listen to the conversation directly. It is available at <a
href="https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2021-07/14_stronger_together_transforming_accessibilty_from_inkling_to_innovation.mp3">https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2021-07/14_stronger_together_transforming_accessibilty_from_inkling_to_innovation.mp3</a>.</p>
<p>The next presenter to the stage is familiar, but his company likely is not. It
is Personal AI, and Suman Kanuganti is its founder and chief executive officer.
This is his seventh national convention, having first come to us when he started
Aira in 2015. His continued presence is not just a tradition, not just a business
decision, but an indication of the importance of family to him. Suman talked about
the great potential of AI in bridging the gap between technology and assistive
technology. At the same time, he warned about the biases inherent in it, some of
the bias coming from the need for more sophisticated decision-making, but most
coming from the inherent biases that data aggregation creates. When it comes to
the issue of personal AI, something that is private to you, it won't matter what
biases, prejudices, or experiences you have. Your AI will remember what you want
it to remember in the way you want it remembered, so the user of the system will
determine to what degree they wish to engage in personal and societal biases or
perhaps more progressive societal change. Suman concluded with these thoughts:
"Your personal AI is a true reflection of who you are; after all, what we remember
is who we are, and what we can recall is who we will become." He encouraged
listeners to go to <a href="https://personal.AI">https://personal.AI</a> on the
web and participate in the program by following links to create your own personal
AI. To join a community discussion of this product as it evolves, go to <a
href="https://personal.AI/community">https://personal.AI/community</a>.</p>
<p>President Riccobono adjourned the Friday evening session with the request that
all of us join him at 1 p.m. eastern on Saturday.</p> <p>Early on Saturday afternoon
after the gavel fell and a door prize was drawn, President Riccobono presented us
with the financial report that covered all of 2020 as well as the first five months
of 2021. Revenue and total assets were slightly increased in both reports. Part
of the income for 2020 was a loan by the federal government which was erased
because we met the terms of the loan forgiveness program. Income was pretty much
what we budgeted, expenses were a bit less, but as in-person meetings become
possible again, travel will most certainly rise. Lest one feel too comfortable
about our financial position, the requests to which we must say no due to limited
resources should erase any of our complacency.</p> <p>The financial report of the
Federation having been accepted, we next moved to elections. Nominating Committee
Chairperson Pam Allen read the slate, and its report was accepted. The name of
Norma Crosby was placed in nomination to be the secretary of the National Federation
of the Blind. The nomination was seconded, and she was elected. Norma thanked the
convention and said that she will continue the work that has been a passion of
hers for forty years. In return she asks that we work hard to see that the board
continues to be informed by what blind people want and need. She urges that we
remember that not only are board members our leaders, but they are our friends.</p>
<p>The name of Denise Avant was placed in nomination, it was seconded, and she
was elected. Denise expressed her appreciation for the convention returning her
to the board; reaffirmed her commitment to strive for diversity, equity, and
inclusion; and told the assembled what a pleasure it was to work with Mark Riccobono,
a man dedicated to building and expanding the Federation for all blind people.</p>
<p>Everette Bacon was nominated by the committee, his nomination was seconded,
and he was elected. Everette thanked the convention for electing him to another
term of service. He said that the work is sometimes hard, but it is always worth
doing. In his acceptance remarks he paid tribute to Pam Allen by beginning with
a quotation from Harvey Milk: "It takes no compromise to give people their rights.
It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give
people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression. Here are the values that
I stand for: honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you
want to be treated, and helping those in need." Everette completed his remarks by
also remarking on what an honor it has been to serve with our President.</p>
<p>Marci Carpenter was nominated for board position three. After her election,
Marcy said:</p> <p>Thank you so much, Mr. President and my Federation Family. This
is an incredible honor, and I take it very seriously. I will serve with integrity
and compassion. I first joined the National Federation of the Blind as a
twenty-one-year-old college student. I was fortunate to have mentors like Gary
and Denise Mackenstadt, Bennett Prows, Kenneth Jernigan, and Hazel tenBroek. They
taught me how the organization worked and how to further our goals, but mostly
they taught me that that can only occur if we love and support one another. I've
had many roles inside the Federation; I've been a chapter leader, an affiliate
leader, and I've served on our Survivor-Led Task Force. I was honored to serve as
the treasurer of the founding board of the Colorado Center for the Blind. But the
most important role I have and have ever had is as member.</p> <p>I want to speak
for a moment to Federationists out there or those who may not be in the movement
or may have left. I left the Federation for ten years after a divorce when I lived
in Colorado, but when I moved back home to Washington state, I was welcomed with
open arms by my Federation family here and by everyone around the country. I so
appreciate that and want people to know that you too can come back. Some people
think that if they have other disabilities in addition to blindness, they won't
be welcomed or can't be a leader. I live with hearing loss, depression and anxiety,
and other medical conditions. I am standing here today, and so can you.</p> <p>Ever
Lee Hairston was nominated to return to her position on the board, and she was
elected. In her acceptance speech Everly said that this was one of the most
important chapters in her civil rights career and that the opportunity to serve
with such distinguished people on the Board of Directors was indeed a highlight
of her life. One of her personal goals is to inspire other women of color to become
leaders in our organization because we have much more to do, and now is not the
time to be silent. "Find your purpose, pursue it passionately and relentlessly."</p>
<p>Tracy Soforenko was nominated for board position number five. After his election
Tracy said that he joined the National Federation of the Blind so that he could
learn how to raise his two preschool children. He thanked his Federation family
for stepping up to give him the information he requested, but he learned that what
he really needed was to come to believe in himself and to find greater purpose in
life. The positive role models he met caused him to come to believe in himself
because they first believed in him.</p> <p>Terri Rupp was nominated to fill the
last position up for election in 2021. She said that when she first heard of the
National Federation of the Blind, she thought it was a by-invitation-only group,
but she has since learned that anyone is welcome to be a member and has felt the
love from coming to join in our family.</p> <p>Before Sharon Maneki took the floor
in her capacity as the chairperson of the Resolutions Committee, a resolution from
the Board of Directors was considered to establish the Survivor's Assistance to
Facilitate Empowerment (SAFE Fund). The motion of the board was seconded, voted
upon, and passed.</p> <p>The resolutions chairperson began the task of presenting
the sixteen resolutions that had been recommended for adoption by the committee.
A full report of this part of the meeting will be found elsewhere in this issue.</p>
<p>President Riccobono thanked everyone involved with the resolutions process and
expressed special appreciation to those who, in speaking for or against, managed
to keep their comments courteous and concise.</p> <p>Anil Lewis was next welcomed
to the microphone in his capacity as the executive director of blindness initiatives
for the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute. "Transforming and
Unifying Our Future: The Jernigan Institute Advances Our Mission through a Worldwide
Pandemic" was his topic, and though he abbreviated his remarks to move along the
agenda, his message was clear: it is not the national as in the national staff
that makes the National Federation of the Blind strong. It is the chapters,
affiliates, groups, committees, and divisions all working together that give us
depth, strength, and the ability to affect our present and change our future. More
important than the units of which the Federation is composed is the love and the
unity that focuses our energy. As talented and hard-working as our seventy-five
member staff may be, the transformative work we do can only be assisted by their
efforts. The direction and the resolve must come from each of us taking personal
responsibility. Anil's remarks will appear later in the fall.</p> <p>Our director
of Advocacy and Policy came to the microphone to speak on the topic "Transforming
Action in the Halls of Power: Advocacy and Policy Coordinated through All Levels
of the Movement." Whether we are talking about vehicles that can drive themselves
or blind people who can chart the course of their future through earnings derived
from the Randolph-Sheppard program, the National Federation of the Blind is actively
involved. Whether we are talking about medical devices that must be made accessible
or access technology the blind must be able to procure, our Advocacy and Policy
Team is on Capitol Hill to carry our message and bring ever closer the day when
blind people enjoy equal opportunity, security, and equality in society. The
remarks of John Paré will appear in a future issue.</p> <p>Tammy Duckworth
is the junior senator from the state of Illinois, and she was next on the agenda
to address the topic “Leading Alone and Marching Together: Transformative
Action from the United States Senate.” President Riccobono introduced her
in this way:</p> <p>The Senator is a veteran of the Iraq War, the recipient of a
Purple Heart, and a former assistant secretary for the United States Department
of Veterans Affairs. She was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions
in Iraq during Operation IRAQI Freedom. … As we know, when you're the only
one in a group, it is sometimes challenging to get your colleagues to see you as
a fully contributing member, and I think the senator has demonstrated that she
won't take anything from her colleagues. She continues to provide leadership on
many issues that are important to us, and more importantly, she will do so in the
future. Here is my interview with Tammy Duckworth.</p> <p>Senator Duckworth noted
that her disability poses problems that none of the other ninety-nine senators
have ever had reason to think about, and although these problems can sometimes
create uncomfortable barriers, the very fact that she has made it to the Senate
has bought her tremendous respect from her colleagues. Their realization that she
does not take shortcuts because of her disability also wins her great credit with
them. The message she delivered was very clear: Go forward, be courteous, but when
you need to, don't hesitate to make a scene. You are working not only for yourselves
but also for people who don't yet have disabilities.” The senator’s
remarks will appear in full along with President Riccobono's questions later in
this issue.</p> <p>Although we had plenty of wonderful fit breaks during the
convention, none was as good as the one hosted by Pam Allen at which Homer Simpson
was the guest. There is no way to do justice to the interplay in writing, so those
who listen to the audio will get a special treat. It can be found at <a
href="https://nfb.org/convention">nfb.org/convention</a>.</p> <p>“Strength
through a Diverse Organized Blind Movement: The Intersection of Characteristics
and the Common Bond of Raising Expectations” was the last order of business
before the banquet. The moderator of this panel was Colin Wong, who is the cochair
of the National Federation of the Blind's Committee on Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion. He was joined by panelists Tasnim Alshuli, chairperson of the National
Federation of the Blind's Muslim Group; Doula Jarboe, president of the Colorado
Association of the Blind Hard of Hearing and Deafblind; Sanho Steele-Louchart,
chairperson of the NFB's LGBTQ Group; and Priscilla Yeung, manager of senior
programs at the Society for the Blind in San Francisco.</p> <p>Colin began his
presentation by noting that in 1963 Dr. Jernigan asked the convention to consider
whether blindness was a handicap or characteristic and concluded that it was one
of many characteristics. Given this, we must revisit other conditions that people
have considered handicaps and try to incorporate those characteristics in addition
to blindness. Just as society fails to recognize blind people for more than the
blindness that we have, we too can fail to recognize people as more than their
additional characteristics. When we do this, we marginalize, alienate, and cause
everyone involved to pay the price of not being fully appreciated and not being
allowed to benefit from and help in our programs.</p> <p>The first panel member
Colin introduced was Tasnim Alshuli. She said that the formation of the Muslim
group she heads and the acceptance it signifies has made her feel much more unified
as a Federationist. Never again does she want to be in the place of having to
choose between an important religious event and participation in a Federation
meeting. She wants the new group to show the truth of the faith she and her brothers
and sisters share and not the one too often portrayed in popular media.</p> <p>Doula
Jarboe was the next presenter, and, in addition to blindness, she is a deafblind
person and a woman with Alström syndrome. With her multiple disabilities,
she is extremely interested in our efforts to make medical devices accessible;
not only is their current inaccessibility dangerous for her but can easily be
considered life threatening. Doula has both a service dog and a PTSD dog. She
notes that she is trained in the art of mediation but chooses not to be employed
because her medical conditions would not allow her to handle the rigors of the
job and do real justice to her clients.</p> <p>Sanho Steel-Louchart was our next
presenter. He is gay and described both his desire to approach the NFB and his
reluctance. He clearly remembers getting the idea from others that he would not
be welcomed and then finding that this was not the case. What he did find, however,
was that, as in American society, some people were not comfortable with the fact
that he is gay. This is certainly not true in the LGBTQ NFB group to which he
belongs, but outside this group he realizes that some people are perfectly willing
to accept his blindness but have trouble dealing with his sexual orientation. What
we need to express to people in the LGBTQ community is that they are indeed
welcome—not just part of them but all of them. Like all of us, members of
this group want to say, “We are here, we exist, we are proud of ourselves,
and we are so proud that you're proud of us too.” In addition to the listserv
and the Facebook group, the LGBTQ group meets on Thursday evenings at 9 o'clock
Eastern, and the meeting often goes as long as several hours. It is a place where
people can socialize in an informal way and allows people to stay connected and
do good work.</p> <p>Priscilla Yeung was the last panelist member to be introduced.
Her parents immigrated here from Hong Kong, and Priscilla was born in the US. She
discussed the difficulty in being Asian American and growing up with cultural
values that are so different from the ones that most of us experience. What she
said will appear in its entirety elsewhere in the fall.</p> <p>Tonight we've heard
from someone who identifies as a Muslim, someone with an intersecting disability
who is deafblind, and we've also heard from somebody who identifies as gay and
someone who identifies as Chinese. By no means is that the end of diversity within
our organization.</p> <p>The moderator concluded: I have one last parting message
for everybody. The leaders today have shared so many amazing stories. Stories and
vulnerability go hand in hand. The vulnerability of the storytellers needs to be
open enough to share their stories, but it's also necessary for the listener who
hears these stories to be vulnerable and let these stories sink in. The stories
that change us as people are those that inspire us by teaching us strength in how
to overcome adversity. The world treats the blind in a way where we have plenty
of opportunity to face adversity on a daily basis. The National Federation of the
Blind cannot be a place where our members face the adversity of discrimination.
It needs to be a place where members, regardless of what background they come in,
have a place of belonging. It's time that our diversity is celebrated, and it's
time for diversity to be recognized for the importance that it has in our movement.
It's time that diversity is interwoven into everything that we do. And it starts
with us—as members, as chapters, as affiliates, and as a national organization.
All of our stories are beautiful, and it's time that we talk to each one, to each
other, to say "I hear you. I believe you. And I want to understand you." It's time
to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive Federation. Thank you, Mr.
President.</p> <p>As President Riccobono concluded, "The challenge for us is not
our diversity; the challenge for us is finding the power in our diversity and
having our common bond as blind people be the reason that we find the power in
our diversity." With those words we were adjourned until the banquet.</p> <p>The
banquet celebrating the eighty-first anniversary of the National Federation of
the Blind was much like others; we came with anticipation for a wonderful speech,
the presentation of well-deserved awards, and the bittersweet knowledge that this
was not only the climax of the convention but its end. Ever Lee Hairston led us
in thanking God for our organization, its leaders, and the accomplishments we have
won together. The invocation was followed by our virtual choir. The performance
of the choir not only represents tremendous musical talent but a significant
engineering feat as well given each person recorded their part separately.</p>
<p>Anil Lewis was introduced and talked about our newest iteration of the Blind
Driver Challenge in which Dan Parker will attempt to break the speed record for
the fastest vehicle driven by a blind person. This is the second partnership in
which we have engaged with Dan, and we have every expectation that his name will
end up in the record book, yet another challenge for another blind person on
another day.</p> <p>Everyone who registered for the 2021 National Convention was
eligible to win the Blind Driver Challenge Golden Key, a ticket to watch Dan set
a record in the fall of this year. This was just one of many reasons to register.
Kimberly Evans of St. John's, Maryland was the winner. She can either take this
prize or $2,000 in cash.</p> <p>Tracy Soforenko stepped to the microphone to
announce the winner of the Give Twenty campaign. There were 720 people who
contributed to the 2020 give, and $46,569 was raised. Debbie McDonald from Albany,
Georgia, was the winner of two round-trip tickets to New Orleans for our 2022
convention, hotel accommodations, two banquet tickets, and a thousand dollars in
cash.</p> <p>Our PAC men, Scott LaBarre and Ryan Strunk, gave the PAC end-of-convention
report. We came into the convention with an annual giving rate of $493,000. As a
result of our efforts, giving stands at $507,000. If we're able to maintain this
for the next twelve months, the plan will generate $518,000 annually. This is a
significant increase, and we very much appreciate those who give to the plan,
those who have joined it, and those who have made increases.</p> <p>After our
mistress of ceremonies introduced the virtual head table, she called upon President
Mark Riccobono to deliver his annual banquet address entitled “Reflection,
Revolution, and Race: A Growing Understanding within the Organized Blind
Movement.” He described our initial challenge to address the civil rights
movement and the tension surrounding allowing Black members and leaders in some
of our affiliates. We were a part of a society that had not decided how it felt
about the concept of integration, and the Federation’s challenge was how
to welcome, benefit from, and represent Black people without tearing the organization
asunder. His remarks will appear in full later in this issue.</p> <p>One of the
pleasures of a National Federation of the Blind banquet is the appearance of Ray
Kurzweil, who is unquestionably one of the world’s leading inventors and
futurists, a man who has been called “the restless genius” by the
<em>Wall Street Journal</em> and “the ultimate thinking machine” by
<em>Forbes Magazine</em>. What really makes his presentations special to the
National Federation of the Blind is his ability to instantly critique and make
meaningful comments about the banquet speech we have all heard together. This has
been his role for most of the forty-six years he has attended, and as he remarked,
“Many days seem to go on forever, but the decades seem to slip by so
quickly.”</p> <p>Next came the presentation of our Dr. Jacob Bolotin awards,
and the chairperson of the committee was introduced for the honors. His presentation
and a list of awardees will appear elsewhere in this issue.</p> <p>A highlight of
every convention is the introduction of the scholarship class, learning about the
number and amounts of the awards to be presented, and then being told which winners
won those awards. The presentation of Chairperson Cayte Mendez and the remarks of
the $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Award winner appear elsewhere in this issue.</p>
<p>Prior to adjourning, a door prize was awarded in the amount of $2,021 to Lucy
Marr of New York.</p> <p>President Riccobono ended the convention by announcing
that we registered 6,061 people, demonstrating once again that we will continue
to do the work that needs to be done on behalf of blind people, even if it means
doing most of it virtually. He extended his thanks to all who had participated in
the accomplishments celebrated during the convention and expressed his unwavering
belief that we will all join together to meet the challenges of the coming year
and those beyond. With those remarks, the gavel dropped on the 2021 Convention,
and many of us returned to visit with the banquet parties we had organized throughout
the affiliates and chapters of the Federation.</p> <p>So if our eighty-first
convention was to bear the burden of the middle child, it did so with the class
and fame of Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Jennifer Lopez, and Michael Jordan.
It will not be the convention that was one too early or one too late. It will be
remembered as the convention that marked a turning point in our history: one that
was open to reflection, criticism, and dialogue that reflected the best of our
traditions, the worst of our fears, and the hopes and promises that have always
made us vibrant, committed, and stronger together.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Mark A. Riccobono]</p> <h2 id="presidential-report-2021">Presidential
Report 2021</h2> <p>An Address Delivered by</p> <p>Mark A. Riccobono, President</p>
<p>at the Annual Convention</p> <p>of the National Federation of the Blind</p>
<p>online (Baltimore, Maryland)</p> <p>July 9, 2021</p> <p>During the past year,
the depth of our determination and the power of our bond in the organized blind
movement has been tested. Going back to our founding in 1940, you will find no
year like the one through which we’ve persisted. Social distancing protocols
and considerable uncertainty forced us to suspend the hundreds of in-person
meetings, conventions, and community outreach events that typically represent our
annual effort to organize and strengthen our movement. But the blind of America
have not retreated from our mission, nor have we slowed the pace of our progress.
Instead, we have transformed our movement—creating new ways to organize
and discovering strength in the new dimensions of our march together. While the
COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant social and economic dynamics have tested our
movement, the record will show we remain stronger together as blind people. We
have encountered many unexpected challenges, but we have responded with love,
hope, and determination. We have fulfilled our pledge to stay together to transform
dreams into reality. We are the National Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>Throughout
the pandemic, the advocacy work of the Federation has been essential for connecting
blind people to resources and protecting them against unequal treatment. At the
beginning, the availability of public health information, accessibility of testing
sites, and adequacy of economic relief were our focus. Our efforts later expanded
into equal access to vaccinations. Many Federation members reported that the
websites used to register and schedule appointments for COVID-19 tests and
vaccinations were inaccessible. While access barriers on websites are something
that blind people must overcome daily, issues on these sites put blind people at
greater risk for transmitting and suffering the effects of this deadly virus. We
have raised this concern with the relevant federal officials and have kept it
front and center even through the transition of presidential administrations.
Additionally, we raised our concerns with three of the leading entities that
partnered with states and local jurisdictions to offer COVID vaccinations.
Albertsons, Zocdoc, and Curative have all responded positively, and we are now in
negotiations to get their vaccination and testing websites made fully accessible
on rapid timelines. We expect these relationships to cause positive transformations
in future healthcare sites established by these companies.</p> <p>This year, the
popular media has covered the importance of vaccine trials in proving the efficacy
of proposed cures. The media has not covered the fact that individuals are often
left out of these trials simply because they are blind. One example is Chris
Sabine, who is a member of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. Mr. Sabine
sought to participate in a COVID vaccination trial at Cincinnati Children’s
Hospital, but he was initially denied simply because of his blindness. The Federation
and Mr. Sabine jointly filed a complaint with the United States Department of
Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. As a part of the complaint’s
resolution, Mr. Sabine negotiated a training on blindness and best practices for
preventing discrimination, which took place at the hospital on Global Accessibility
Awareness Day. Together, we transformed denial into education to inoculate against
discrimination, and we hope that only one shot is required.</p> <p>Many schools
and testing entities have responded to COVID-19 by permitting participation using
remote technology. The inaccessibility of these technologies has been a significant
problem for blind students and blind parents. Consider a blind second-grader in
Berkeley, California, who we will call KW. He loves to dance, learn about astronomy,
build with Lego bricks, and read Braille. KW independently participates in classroom
activities using access technology and refreshable Braille. However, his equal
participation was significantly diminished by the accessibility barriers in the
technologies of his virtual classroom, including Seesaw (a learning management
system), Epic Books (an online library), Zearn and Prodigy (systems for math
instruction), and Loom (a video player). We will not tolerate second-class education
for our blind youth. On behalf of KW and his parents, the National Federation of
the Blind has begun negotiations with the technology providers to ensure that
digital K-12 learning technology is an enhancement to educational opportunity
rather than a barrier. Further, we are working closely with the school district
to achieve a model technology procurement policy that prioritizes accessibility.
As with all our efforts, the goal is for this policy to serve as a model for school
districts across the nation. We are transforming America’s educational
system to empower rather than exclude our blind youth.</p> <p>Many jobs in the
American economy have been transformed during the pandemic. However, blind
entrepreneurs operating under the Randolph-Sheppard Program in federal and state
government facilities have been especially disadvantaged. Beginning in March 2020,
our governmental affairs staff worked closely with our National Association of
Blind Merchants (NABM) to seek targeted relief for blind small business operators
across the country. Unlike other small businesses that were able to make
transformations in their business models to bring in some income, blind people in
this program had no access to their businesses, their inventories, or their
customers due to government facility closures. For blind business owners, the New
Year’s celebration came a few days early as on December 27, 2020, the
president signed an act authorizing a one-time, twenty-million-dollar emergency
relief and restoration grant program to offset losses of blind vendors resulting
from the COVID-19 pandemic. We aggressively followed through to ensure that the
United States Department of Education gave appropriate guidance to state licensing
agencies, and by the early spring of 2021, blind business owners were finally
receiving the financial support they needed. Once again, the National Federation
of the Blind has transformed difficult circumstances into greater hope and
opportunity for the blind.</p> <p>The American democracy places a high value on
the ability of individuals to cast an independent and private vote in elections.
Yet our nation has not come to a day when all blind people have equal access to
the full process of registering, independently marking a ballot, and privately
casting their final vote. Thanks to the National Federation of the Blind, we are
making steady progress toward that day, and we can count the last year as a
significant milestone in advancing toward our goal.</p> <p>In the run-up to the
2020 federal elections, as jurisdictions expanded absentee voting because of the
pandemic, we found that most states failed to make their absentee ballots accessible
despite the Federation’s prior legal victories and guidance. We engaged
election officials, wrote letters, published op-eds, or filed lawsuits—or
some combination of these—in at least nineteen states, including Alabama,
Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota,
Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. In most cases, the state, by settlement
or under pressure from the court, either contracted with a remote accessible
vote-by-mail system or made PDF absentee ballots accessible for the 2020 election.
Whenever possible, our national organization led a coordinated effort including
local affiliates, individual Federation members, and other interested organizations,
such as protection and advocacy groups. These collaborative efforts allowed us to
provide both the legal expertise and arguments and the real-world experiences of
blind people to help educate the judges and the state officials on the importance
of accessibility. As a direct result of the Federation’s efforts in these
cases alone, over eleven thousand blind people and people with print disabilities
were able to vote absentee in the 2020 presidential election—a vote they
would have otherwise been denied or had to risk exposure to the virus to cast.</p>
<p>Through our Help America Vote Act work, we continue to educate elections
officials, protection and advocacy personnel, and voting system manufacturers on
nonvisual access issues. Starting with the 2008 presidential elections, the National
Federation of the Blind has offered a survey to capture data on the experience of
blind voters every four years. Among those completing our 2020 blind voter survey,
64 percent voted in person at a local polling place while 36 percent voted absentee.
While the growing experience of blind voters using remote accessible voting systems
is improving privacy and independence, we cannot ignore the importance of equal
access at in-person polling places.</p> <p>One success from this past year is the
resolution of a lawsuit against the Maryland Board of Elections for their failure
to protect the right of blind people to a private and independent vote at the
polls. After defeating the Board’s motion to dismiss the case, we came to
a mutual agreement on a statewide plan to increase the use of accessible ballot
marking devices and poll workers’ familiarity with them. The Board also
agreed to pay our attorneys’ fees and costs. No matter how often the State
of Maryland, or any other state for that matter, puts barriers in our way, we will
transform them into equality for the blind.</p> <p>In 2020, we hosted our first-ever
virtual national convention, where ten thousand individuals engaged in the seminars,
workshops, exhibits, and business sessions of our organization. We were disappointed
that the uncertainty of the pandemic continued into the fall, but we knew without
doubt that the blind would show up to greet the 117<sup>th</sup> Congress in the
winter. On February 8, 2021, we gathered for our first virtual Washington Seminar.
With more than four hundred meetings engaging more blind people than ever before,
we have again made the priorities of the organized blind movement clear, and we
have laid the groundwork for years of work ahead. On March 1, 2021, we celebrated
the date after which all hybrid and electric vehicles must be manufactured to meet
the minimum sound standards established by the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act,
which had been a priority of our Washington Seminar more than a decade earlier.
When we come to the halls of power, we know that transforming our priorities into
reality takes time, energy, and lots of follow through—even after the heavy
lift of getting a bill signed into law. We do not give up until we have passed
the final milestone.</p> <p>The most persistent example of our tenacity is our
quest to eliminate Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which permits
unequal and substandard pay for people with disabilities—a quest that began
at our founding in November 1940. I am proud to report that we are getting closer
to this goal every day. While we continue to build support for the Transformation
to Competitive Integrated Employment Act in Congress, an increasing number of
states, agencies, and organizations are adding their support to the message we
have shared since 1940. In September 2020, the United States Commission on Civil
Rights released a strong report on the intersection of civil rights and employment
of people with disabilities. In October 2020, the National Council on Disability
released a similar report on the unintended consequences of the AbilityOne program
and Section 14(c). Both of these significant reports clearly call for the repeal
of Section 14(c). Most surprisingly, an April 2021 consensus letter to Congressional
leaders co-signed by National Industries for the Blind, the National Association
for the Employment of People Who Are Blind, and Source America marks a significant
milestone in our quest. For the first time ever, these entities acknowledged and
affirmed the long-standing demand of disability advocates to eliminate special
wage certificates. One simple sentence in the letter says it all: “We
agree.” I will let you decide for yourself why this 2021 declaration is
surprising. We are not done, and we will not take the pressure off until we
transform the laws of the nation to eliminate unequal treatment of people with
disabilities. A full report of the work of our Advocacy and Policy staff will be
given later in this convention.</p> <p>Similarly, the Amazon corporation has, once
again, learned that the organized blind movement does not quit. Last year I reported
that we filed several complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) on behalf of five blind people who were hired at Amazon fulfillment centers,
only to be placed on unpaid leave as early as their first day. This was not because
they failed a background check or drug test or due to their violation of company
policy. They were simply blind. It puts a smile on my face to report that we have
delivered a settlement with Amazon that will open new opportunities for the blind
in its growing number of fulfillment centers. Beginning this month, Amazon has
agreed to adopt technology and accommodation solutions to make many fulfillment-center
jobs accessible, to work with us to identify accessibility innovations, to provide
online training internally on accommodating blind employees, and to conduct outreach
to the blind community on these efforts. The company also reinstated and accommodated
the four individuals who still wanted to work in Amazon warehouses, including
backdating their benefits to their original start dates.</p> <p>Many blind people
know the pain of being rejected for a position before an application is even
submitted to an employer. The National Federation of the Blind is prepared to
fight against the discriminatory actions based on blindness that bar us from the
equal opportunity to compete for positions. One example is our filing of a complaint
with the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination on behalf of Roger Sullivan
regarding discriminatory hiring practices by National Telecommuting Institute
(NTI). Specifically, NTI tells applicants that it cannot accommodate individuals
who use tools such as JAWS, magnification greater than 2X, voice-recognition
software, or relay services. We will not allow employment opportunities to be
denied to individuals who request these accommodations, and we will continue to
transform the employment prospects for the blind.</p> <p>Some of the most damaging
discrimination comes when we have work that we are passionate about, but we are
forced to endure the stress of harassment and low expectations from our supervisors.
We have the security of knowing that the National Federation of the Blind continues
to use the force of law to raise expectations. In a proceeding before the EEOC,
we fought hard against the Department of the Army on behalf of a blind childcare
worker, Olivia Chamberlain, who had faced discrimination, harassment, denial of
accommodations, and retaliation because of her blindness. Despite her successful
record as a childcare worker for years, Ms. Chamberlain’s supervisor
repeatedly made offensive remarks about her disability, demanded a list of job
tasks that Ms. Chamberlain could not perform, and disciplined her when she defended
her rights. The agency intentionally delayed acting on her accommodation requests
for ten months and demanded unnecessary medical information. Finally, even after
agreeing to some accommodations, they failed to follow through. With the
transformational support of our movement, we reached a settlement agreement for
Ms. Chamberlain that secured the accommodations she was entitled to and that
promised the dignified treatment she deserved. The agreement also provided her
with the job transfer that she wanted—one more example of the power of our
movement and the strength of our togetherness.</p> <p>We continue our work to
ensure that support programs administered by federal, state, and local governments
provide meaningful access to blind people. Christopher Meyer is a Federation member
from Indiana. In 2017 he had his Indiana Medicaid terminated because he had not
responded to a print mailing telling him that he needed to submit additional
information to maintain his eligibility. The print letter was delivered despite
his prior request that all correspondence be sent in Braille. Even if he had known
about the request, Christopher would have needed to overcome the inaccessibility
of the online Indiana benefits portal. On behalf of Christopher, his sister Sarah,
and the National Federation of the Blind, we filed suit against the state to secure
equal access. The court issued an order finding that the state’s websites
are part of their programs and activities, and that the failure to offer accessible
programs violates federal disability rights law. In May, we finalized a comprehensive
settlement agreement in this case that will ensure that Christopher, Sarah, and
all other blind Hoosiers will be given their choice of alternative formats for
print communications from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration,
the Division of Family Resources, and their contractors. Those agencies will also
achieve and maintain the accessibility of their websites and benefits portal.</p>
<p>In North Carolina we found that UNC Health Care and its affiliate, Nash General
Hospital, failed to provide blind patients with accessible copies of critical
documents such as consent-to-treatment forms, after-visit care summaries, and
medical bills. We wrote to UNC Health and asked to work collaboratively on a
solution. UNC Health declined our offer, so we went to the courts. In November
2020, we reached a $150,000 settlement with Nash General Hospital, while continuing
our legal battle with UNC Health, which includes affiliated medical providers
across North Carolina. Both sides have now moved for summary judgment, and we are
awaiting a decision. We hope this case will send a message to healthcare providers
throughout the country that they must plan for the timely and consistent provision
of documents in accessible formats to blind patients.</p> <p>Jamal Mazrui is a
member of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington and a retired federal
employee who received health insurance benefits through Blue Cross Blue Shield’s
(BCBS) Federal Employee Program. For years, he has been unable to access information
about his benefits because the BCBS program’s website was inaccessible.
Thanks to a transformational lawsuit filed by the Federation, federal employees,
retirees, and their families will now be able to fully access all insurance benefit
information that is on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) health benefits
website. Significantly, under the settlement OPM will require all of its insurance
carriers to make their federal employee benefits websites and apps fully accessible.
BCBS will be bound by the OPM requirements. We will not tolerate being prevented
from accessing the benefits and services we are entitled to receive, and we
celebrate our Federation family members who have taken courageous steps to transform
their frustrations into effective communications for the blind.</p> <p>The National
Federation of the Blind continues to lead the way in ensuring equal access to
self-service kiosk technologies, which have grown in popularity during the pandemic.
Two recent examples come from California. When the California Department of Motor
Vehicles implemented new self-service kiosks in local communities, they apparently
assumed blind people had no need to pay their car registration and print registration
tags. However, we know that while blind people are not legally permitted to drive,
we often own vehicles for our family, employment, and even sometimes Federation
business. California Federation members who had a need to use these machines found
that the DMV kiosks, unlike ATMs and other machines they had encountered, were
not independently usable through nonvisual access. With the support of the National
Federation of the Blind, a group of Federation members entered into structured
negotiations with the California DMV and the kiosk manufacturer, Intellectual
Technology Inc., (ITI) to reach a resolution announced earlier this year. As a
result, ITI has now added Braille labels, tactile controls, speech output through
a headphone jack, and other accessibility features to its kiosks. ITI will continue
consulting with the National Federation of the Blind, and one of its machines can
be found at our International Braille and Technology Center in Baltimore. As a
national contractor with a presence in many states, ITI is now positioned to lead
the market on accessible government self-service technology.</p> <p>While visiting
McDonalds’ locations in California, Federation members Brian Buhrow, Juanita
Herrera, and Santiago Hernandez discovered new self-service kiosk technology was
being installed without features that would enable blind people to independently
use these machines. They reported their experience to our national office, we
reached out to McDonald’s, and the company has worked collaboratively with
us to develop a solution. McDonald’s USA’s company-owned restaurants
will implement enhancements to existing accessibility features by December 31,
2021. The enhancements include screen-reading software, tactile keypads, and the
ability for customers to connect their headphones to the kiosk. The enhancements
will be incorporated into 100 percent of existing kiosks in California and 25
percent of existing kiosks in each company-owned restaurant in other states.
McDonald’s will also incorporate these upgrades into all kiosks that are
installed in any of their US locations after July 1, 2021, including new kiosks
available to franchised locations. We commend McDonald’s for their
collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind to promote inclusivity
and access. While there are those who will say that McDonald’s French fries
are what is truly transformative, we are loving the transformation that comes from
discovering greater accessibility across the nation through partnership with the
organized blind movement.</p> <p>Let us not forget that, as with work, we are also
artificially kept out of play, solely due to our blindness. Despite numerous blind
contestants succeeding on the game show <em>Jeopardy!</em>, one of our members
recently discovered that the show’s updated online contestant application
test was inaccessible to those using screen-access software. And the answer to
this non-trivial discrimination: What is the National Federation of the Blind? We
reached a settlement with <em>Jeopardy!</em> to make its online application test
accessible immediately; to provide an immediate accommodation to allow our member,
James Fetter, to take the test; and to pay attorneys’ fees and damages.
<em>Jeopardy!</em> contestants beware, the organized blind movement is here to
play.</p> <p>A strong value in our movement as blind people is taking the
responsibility to build our own future together. One way we do that is through
the development of innovative programs that we coordinate from the National
Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute in Baltimore. Though the building has
only had a small core of our staff working onsite during the past year, the programs
have continued to grow throughout the nation.</p> <p>While schools across the
country were shuttered and moved to virtual learning platforms, our blind students
needed the support of blind mentors more than ever before. Our pre-employment
transition services, known as the National Federation of the Blind Career Mentoring
Program, pivoted from in-person retreats to high-quality, two-hour Zoom meetings
held three times a month. We developed twenty-eight virtual, interactive modules
delivering 165 student participant hours to more than fifty students from Illinois,
Maryland, Mississippi, and Nebraska. The virtual modules covered a broad range of
topics including college preparation, advocacy skills, employment readiness,
leadership development, goal setting, nonvisual techniques, and
learning-through-service—or what we refer to as giving back. We continued
to broaden the network of mentors available to our program mentees through the
Federation family. We will now begin resuming in-person gatherings for which there
is no true substitute. However, we expect the innovations of the past year to
positively transform our mentoring resources in the future.</p> <p>This summer we
are expanding upon the innovative efforts we made in 2020 to deliver our NFB
Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy directly to the homes
of families using the Zoom platform. In the NFB BELL In-Home Edition, we provide
our Braille learners with a variety of hands-on materials, daily online instruction
and support from skilled teachers of blind students, as well as mentoring from
local blind adult role models. In the summer of 2020, we worked with 265 blind
students. Each student received a Braille resource box weighing seven pounds. For
the summer of 2021, we have divided the curriculum into three separate
tracks—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—to facilitate more
effective instruction based upon individual skill level. In addition, we have
expanded the resources sent to blind students. Depending on which track a student
is assigned to, they will receive a resource kit weighing eleven, sixteen, or
nineteen pounds. The program also includes social opportunities to build relationships
with peers across the country. Additional supports were added to the 2021 program
to better serve blind students with a variety of additional disabilities, including
students who are deafblind. We have also enhanced our training for mentors and
instructors through a partnership with the Consent Academy. Eighty-six blind
students participated in our first academy last month, and we have additional
academies scheduled for July and August. Through our NFB BELL In-Home Edition, we
are transforming the possibilities for the future. Literacy, independence, and
the network of the National Federation of the Blind are gifts that will continue
to give opportunities to these students throughout their lifetime.</p> <p>Our
efforts to expand the possibilities for the blind in science, technology, engineering,
art, and math (STEAM) have continued despite the pandemic. Last fall we converted
our plans to host in-person seminars in state affiliates to a national virtual
format. In October and November 2020, the NFB STEM2U program engaged 102 blind
students from across the country in STEAM instructional sessions in which participants
were divided into tracks based on their age and experience. Prior to the program,
students were sent materials to facilitate the development of spatial understanding
including tangram puzzles, snap cubes, tactile graphics, and origami paper and
instructions. During the program, students developed the requisite language to
help each other understand unfamiliar spatial concepts and had the opportunity to
receive authentic instruction in nonvisual exploration, which is rarely experienced
in public school classrooms. After the program, students were sent additional
materials and continue to have access to the mentoring network within the National
Federation of the Blind. Our experience with this program helped to inform our
virtual implementation of our NFB Engineering Quotient (EQ) program, which began
this week and continues through July 30, 2021.</p> <p>This year's NFB EQ program
combines best practices from online learning and traditional correspondence courses
to facilitate accessible and equitable digital STEAM learning opportunities.
Through synchronous and asynchronous activities, our students will develop and
utilize their spatial thinking skills. Research has demonstrated that paper folding
and drawing are two types of activities that help build spatial thinking abilities.
So, NFB EQ activities will revolve around paper folding and technical drawing.
The most exciting transformation is that our blind students, as one of their final
learning outcomes, will be creating spatial thinking learning resources and
opportunities for our community.</p> <p>We remain committed to mentoring educators
and other professionals in the blindness field. Earlier this year we selected
twenty-two outstanding up-and-coming teachers of blind students for the 2021 NFB
Teachers of Tomorrow cohort. This program provides monthly enrichment and mentoring
from NFB members who have an educational background. Our goal is to build a
community of practice for these professionals through the National Federation of
the Blind. We expect these educators to be part of our transformational work to
raise expectations for the blind, and we hope that many of them will teach in
future NFB programs.</p> <p>Through our Center for Nonvisual Access to Education,
Public Information, and Commerce, we bring the authentic expertise of blind people
to the intersection of technological innovations. With support from the State of
Maryland, we offer intensive accessibility training seminars each month. In
addition, our technology staff hosted a number of larger events, such as our
Inclusive Publishing Conference, Smart Cities Summit, Educational Technology
Seminar for State Superintendents, and mobile-app-development seminars for iOS
and Android. As we begin to consider the next phase of our advocacy work within
the technology revolution, we will be considering what the future of our International
Braille and Technology Center for the Blind will be. Our physical space in Baltimore,
as well as the advocacy, technical assistance, and training we provide, will evolve
to support the broader priorities of our movement and to advance our leadership
in the field.</p> <p>Often the Federation’s partners bring us interesting
opportunities to make the capacity of blind people a meaningful conversation in
new places. For example, Pinna is a children’s app with podcasts, audio
books, and music. The company has invited our help to improve the accessibility
of their platform so that the content can benefit all families. Even more exciting
is our consultation on the Pinna podcast <em>Opal Watson Private Eye</em>. Opal
is a curious, brave, and persistent eleven-year-old with a thriving mystery-solving
business. Opal also happens to be blind. Fortunately, Pinna has gotten to know
the Federation and can raise Opal with a growing understanding of our philosophy.
Similarly, our friends at Mattel asked us to support their inclusion of Helen
Keller in their Barbie<sup>®</sup> Inspiring Women<sup>™</sup> Series.
In May the doll was publically released holding a miniature Braille book and the
packaging included readable Braille. We have much more we want to do related to
positive portrayals of blind people and with accessible packaging in the future.</p>
<p>We continue to investigate partnerships that pursue innovative ways of making
visual images and cultural institutions more available to the blind in authentically
nonvisual ways. 3DPhotoWorks is one of our longest-standing partners in this area.
In January, together our organizations launched a tactile images partnership that
leverages the tremendous resources and brand of Getty Images. The partnership
allows us to work collaboratively with museums and others to potentially make any
of the approximately twenty-five million Getty Images available in tactile form
in institutions and for traveling exhibits. Part of our interest in innovative
approaches for inclusion and accessibility is to spark our imagination for what
the experience could be at a future civil rights museum for the blind. Transformation
comes through thousands of partnership connections, whether they are monthly
contributions from non-blind donors who support our mission, the tireless efforts
of marchers in our movement, or the spirited amplification of our message around
the world. We are stronger together.</p> <p>The members of the National Federation
of the Blind are the heartbeat of our transformation. Despite the pandemic, after
our last convention we onboarded over eight hundred new members through our
welcoming process. Our Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion continues to
advise on the complexities of examining and expanding diversity and eliminating
barriers to full participation within our movement. This spring we held a training
for leaders on diversity, and six hundred members participated in our first
diversity and inclusion survey. We confirmed that we have more work to do and that
we need better strategies for planning and measuring that work. Later this year,
we will be building a strategic plan for our diversity and inclusion work to make
it more effective, more engaging, and more clearly aligned to our goal of increased
participation by a more diverse range of blind people in order to move our Federation
forward.</p> <p>During the past year, our online meetings helped us recognize we
are not adequately hearing from our members who do not have equal access to the
internet. This spring we piloted a new telephone information system for gathering
survey data that leverages technologies previously built to support our
NFB-NEWSLINE<sup>®</sup> program. Over 250 people completed survey responses
during the pilot phase, allowing us to prove the effectiveness of the system. We
will be adding enhancements to the system and expect that it will open new
partnership opportunities for us.</p> <p>In 2018, the Federation’s Board
of Directors established a consolidated Code of Conduct for members of the
organization. Since that time, our members have continued to engage in meaningful
conversations about the Code, how we implement it, and how our procedures for
addressing misconduct could be better. The members of this organization must be
the decision makers about where we go from here. I believe that the work we are
doing is transformative, healing, and will make all of us stronger. You should
judge for yourself and determine what our future will be.</p> <p>In January of
this year, we announced a partnership with RAINN, the nation’s largest
anti-sexual violence organization. We have worked with RAINN to better understand
the complexities of sexual misconduct within our community, including providing
level-setting training to 745 leaders across the organization. RAINN has also
performed a climate assessment to give us better data about the experiences and
perceptions of our membership around sexual misconduct, as well as to better
understand the existing barriers to reporting within the organization. The results
from the RAINN climate survey were posted to our website last week, and the data
will serve as a baseline to measure progress toward a safer Federation in the
future. Finally, RAINN has undertaken an extensive review of our Code and existing
procedures, conducted meetings with key leaders and workshops with a broad
cross-section of members, and has prepared detailed recommendations for future
response systems. The recommendations were delivered to our board of directors
just days before this convention and will be considered in the coming months.</p>
<p>In parallel with the RAINN partnership, I appointed six active members of the
Federation who are survivors of sexual misconduct or abuse to serve on a short-term
task force to steer improvements in our movement. They were charged with only one
task: to bring whatever recommendations they felt would improve our response to
misconduct, prioritize support of blind people, and build the organization. We
have already implemented a number of improvements in our organization as a result
of those recommendations. Our progress will be forever shaped by the work of Marci
Carpenter, Cheryl Fields, Sarah Meyer, Daphne Mitchell, Briley O’Connor,
and Kathryn Webster. We will receive a report from these leaders later in this
convention. We offer them our deepest gratitude for the transformational work they
have done to make the phrase “safe in the Federation” carry more
meaning than ever before.</p> <p>On January 6, 2021, the NFB Board of Directors
established a Special Committee to oversee and direct an internal investigation
of allegations of sexual misconduct by NFB members, participants, or staff at NFB
or NFB-affiliated events or facilities, including its affiliated training centers
and its state affiliates—as well as the adequacy of the response to such
allegations. Our goal was to give our elected leaders as much clear insight as
possible about our past to strongly inform improvements for our future. Days before
this convention, the board of directors made the full interim report of the special
committee publicly available on our website as part of our commitment to transparency
in this work. Reconciling the past with our expectations today and where we want
our movement to go tomorrow is painful, challenging, and emotional work. If we
continue to believe in each other, if we continue to work together, and if we stay
grounded in the truth that our movement is bigger than any one of us, we will
emerge from our uncertainty to a stronger and safer movement in the future. We
are doing what we must do to honor the bond of faith we share in our movement.
“Federation safe” means transforming our movement in ways that allow
all of us to move forward, together.</p> <p>There are more transformational
activities that we have undertaken during the past year that time does not permit
me to share. Those I have shared are representative of thousands of other individual
stories of blind people who have participated in and been impacted by our progress
together. It has been my deepest honor to be a part of this movement for twenty-five
years and to be elected to lead us for the past seven. Despite my best efforts to
always do what I felt was right for the people of this movement when confronted
with an issue, upon reflection I recognize that I have sometimes been imperfect.
I regret that I cannot promise you that my future leadership will be perfect.
However, I can promise you that I have and always will continue to listen to and
learn from the members of this movement. My compass is what I understand to be in
the best interest of blind people. I trust you to judge my actions as well as my
heart and commitment. This movement transformed my life from a past limited by
low expectations, to today where I have the joy and challenge of undertaking the
work detailed in this report with each of you. I am here because you call me to
serve. I will never ask of you to do anything that I am not prepared to do myself.
I stay here to contribute to our collective advancement because of the love I have
for the courage, commitment, and strength that lives in each of the members of
this movement. I trust the people of this movement, and I cherish the trust you
place in me. These accomplishments only happen because we work together. We are
stronger together. We are smarter together. We are safer together. We are unstoppable
together.</p> <p>My Federation family, this is my report for 2021. This is our
progress in an uncertain year. This is our bond as a movement. This is the commitment
we make together, with love, hope, and determination, to transform dreams into
reality.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Ronza Othman]</p> <h2
id="stronger-together-from-where-the-federation-flag-flies-highest-to-all-corners-of-our-movement">Stronger
Together: From Where the Federation Flag Flies Highest to All Corners of Our
Movement</h2> <p>by Ronza Othman</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Normally the
hosting of a national convention can be summarized in the convention roundup
because quite often there are some clever remarks, some interplay between members,
and perhaps a special band comes to play two or three songs. This is fitting,
welcoming, and always appreciated. But the Maryland affiliate went well beyond
the traditional in its hosting responsibilities, so a separate article was requested
and delivered.</strong></p> <p><strong>Now what do you do when a convention is
virtual, when we’ve already had one, and when what people are looking for
is getting together to share physical experiences? You do what we always do: you
do your best to make lemonade out of lemons, and you turn challenges into
opportunities. This is exactly what the Maryland affiliate did. Never in my memory
has any affiliate been so creative and enthusiastic in writing articles leading
up to the convention to promote it, making sure that something about it got on
the Presidential Release, and giving all of us something tangible to do to take
the place of buying airline tickets, packing suitcases, and worrying what it was
that we left out.</strong></p> <p><strong>Ronza Othman is the capable and hard-working
president of our Maryland affiliate. Holding that office means that she has plenty
of things to do, but she made time for the readers of the <em>Braille Monitor</em>
and let us in on what it was like to be the convention host, the activities that
were generated, and the fun that the Maryland affiliate had in carving out new
territory and raising the bar for future conventions. Here is what she says:</strong></p>
<p>On behalf of the Maryland affiliate, I’d like to extend gratitude and
appreciation to Federationists throughout the country and world who made the 2021
NFB National Convention the best one so far. Maryland had the privilege of being
the 2021 host affiliate, and we hope everyone enjoyed the myriad of activities we
planned. Our activities touched on aspects of our movement, our region, our history,
and our culture, and hopefully the members had fun and learned something they
hadn’t previously known. Below is a summary of many of our activities both
in the months leading up to the convention and during convention itself.</p> <p>We
only learned that we would host the convention in February. Usually, affiliates
get a year’s notice, and sometimes several years’ notice. But Maryland
Federationists rose to the challenge with joy and excitement. We had more than
fifty individuals volunteer to serve on the National Convention Host Planning
Committee, and we broke into eight different subcommittees. Everyone worked hard
to ensure that the programming leading up to the convention and during the convention
for which the host affiliate was responsible was robust and meaningful.</p>
<p>Marylanders are very competitive, so pretty quickly a theme of holding contests
as often as possible emerged. Each contest winner received twenty dollars and a
squeezable crab.</p> <p>We held contests as part of each Presidential Release from
April through June. The April contest featured some key aspects and dates related
to the convention, and contest participants needed to identify both the speakers
and the music in the vignette. No one won the April contest. The May contest
featured Maryland Jeopardy; congratulations to Marci Carpenter of Washington for
winning this contest. The June contest featured Federation music, and Ellen Ringlein
of Maryland was the contest winner.</p> <p>Our writers worked hard at including
articles in the April through June <em>Braille Monitor</em>, which highlighted
our plans for the convention, Maryland-themed recipes, and even an article on how
to crack codes. The code article had an imbedded contest. Congratulations to Brook
Sexton of Minnesota for deciphering the June <em>Braille Monitor</em> hidden
message.</p> <p>We launched a blog that was posted on <a
href="http://www.nfb.org/convention">nfb.org/convention</a> with various stories.
These ranged from Maryland dialect to how to prepare crab to how to eat crab. We
also posted a stoop story, which is a very Maryland concept wherein Marylanders
sit on their front stoops and swap stories with their neighbors and passersby.</p>
<p>The goal of the blog posts and contests was to get Federationists excited about
the convention. Given the hundreds of people who participated in the contests and
read the blog posts, we think it worked.</p> <p>Our innovative planners hosted
another contest, which was first revealed at the Rookie Round-Up and shared once
again at the NFB Board Meeting. This information scavenger hunt featured aspects
of the convention that participants would learn throughout the week, like overall
registration. Congratulations to Rose Warner of Maryland for winning this contest.</p>
<p>Hopefully you attended one of our four tours, the B&O Railroad Museum, the
NASA Goddard Space Center, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Museum, and
our NFB headquarters building tour. All of these can be heard by going to <a
href="https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/past-conventions/2021-national-convention">https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/past-conventions/2021-national-convention</a>
and selecting the desired link. It was our pleasure to share a bit of our
state’s culture and important sites with you.</p> <p>Our creative Federationists
also hosted LOL Comedy Night at which nine Federationists competed before a live
virtual audience to see who would be crowned the 2021 LOL Comedian. Congratulations
to Yvonne Neubert of Tennessee for making us all laugh out loud.</p> <p>Knowing
that the convention must be more than hard work, our committee organized some fun
Maryland-themed fit breaks this year. Afterwards, we took an informal poll on
whether people preferred the fit break where Sharon Maneki taught the students
the Whip & Nay or the fit break where Pam Allen argued with Homer Simpson and
ate Maryland and Louisiana themed food, which transitioned the convention host
duties from Maryland to Louisiana. It was a tie.</p> <p>The affiliate hosted a
daily Breakfast Club to walk through the agenda and share access information for
that day’s meetings. The Breakfast Club was intended to bridge the technology
gap for those less comfortable with technology, and attendance was tremendous. We
have been offering the Breakfast Club for members of the Maryland affiliate, and
we are delighted that the entire membership was able to benefit from it this
year.</p> <p>We also held a drawing for the banquet parties that registered by
June 30. Congratulations to Kay Spears and the West Valley Chapter of the NFB of
Arizona. They received a dozen crab cakes and they ate them at their banquet
party.</p> <p>A convention is not a convention without swag. Maryland sold convention
scrubs to commemorate the 2021 convention. They are navy blue with an image of a
red crab. Superimposed on the red crab is the NFB logo in white with the words
“It’s a Maryland thing” beneath the crab. Many Federationists
wore their convention scrubs to their in-person banquets, and I imagine many more
wore them as they attended the virtual aspects of the convention.</p> <p>Finally,
we brought the convention into Maryland during the opening ceremonies with our
Clockwise Tour of Maryland. And, because we are us, we included a contest.
Congratulations to Katelyn MacIntyre of Arizona on winning the opening ceremonies
contest by identifying ten unique sounds from the Clockwise Tour.</p> <p>We are
the Maryland affiliate, and we’re where the headquarters of our life-changing
organization resides. But though the Federation flag flies highest here, we are
so very similar to our fifty-one sister affiliates in many ways. We hope the
clockwise tour inspired you to think about and honor our differences while
celebrating the things that bring us together in our shared experience as members
of the National Federation of the Blind. We know that while we reflect on our
history, we must focus forward, and with love, hope, and determination, we are
Stronger Together.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Everette Bacon]</p>
<h2 id="the-dr.-jacob-bolotin-awards">The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards</h2> <p>by
Everette Bacon</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Brave, pioneering, and full of
perseverance would begin to draw the picture of Dr. Jacob Bolotin. Decisive,
hard-working, and thrilled with their task would describe the committee that
selects the winners of the annual awards that recognize Dr. Bolotin. Here is the
ceremony that took place to honor the pioneers and innovators of today who are
recognized for their work, Dr. Bolotin’s example, the generosity of Dr.
Bolotin’s family, and the hopes for blind people that all of this
represents:</strong></p> <p><strong>Everette Bacon</strong>: Hello, Madam Chair.
What a wonderful speech by President Riccobono, so relevant and needed. Thanks,
Mr. President for those outstanding remarks.</p> <p>I'm here to present the Dr.
Jacob Bolotin Awards. Now, for those of you who don't know who Dr. Jacob Bolotin
is, you're really missing out. It was an anonymous person that said that those
who create or build walls that create obstacles around others in turn create those
same obstacles around their own personal freedoms. Jacob Bolotin was a man who
faced many, many obstacles from his own family, his friends, religious leaders,
supervisors, and from medical professionals and teachers. Yet throughout all of
these obstacles, he was able to achieve his dream of becoming the first-ever blind
doctor in the great state of Illinois.</p> <p>There's a wonderful book called
<em>The Blind Doctor</em> that you can download on BARD or you can find in many
other places where books are available. I urge all of you to read it. If you're
a student out there, this is a man who faced so much adversity through accommodations
and through so many different levels. Yet he overcame all of those, and it's an
inspirational story to everyone out there who has dreams of achieving their goals.
I hope you go read it and learn about Dr. Jacob Bolotin. It's an honor to be able
to present these awards in his name.</p> <p>Now we're going to play a video. We
have six recipients tonight to whom we are going to be presenting these awards.
We had over fifty applications, so if you didn't make it this year, please apply
again, because we read through some outstanding applications, and it was a very
hard choice. Here is our video:</p> <p><strong>Narrator:</strong> Federationists
and guests: The National Federation of the Blind is proud to introduce the 2021
recipients of our Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards, made possible in part by the generous
support of the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust and the Santa Barbara Foundation.
These individuals and organizations have broken down barriers faced by blind people
in innovative ways, changed negative perceptions of blindness and blind people,
and pushed past existing boundaries to inspire blind people to achieve new heights.
The first of the three individual winners is Darnell Booker, coach and general
manager of the four-time World Champion beep baseball team, the Indianapolis
Thunder.</p> <p><strong>Darnell Booker:</strong> Baseball has been very good to
me, so I wanted to return the favor and be good to it and also make a difference
in my community and make sure blind youth and adults have the experience of playing
sports and also the socialization and camaraderie skills. It's about changing
lives and making a difference in someone's life. Myself! I am blind, visually
impaired in my right eye from an accident as a little kid. I also belong to the
National Federation of the Blind state of Indiana, and I also would like to just
thank you guys for this prestigious honor and award because I'm all about changing
lives and making it better for blind and visually impaired youth and adults in
the field of sports and recreation.</p> <p><strong>Narrator:</strong> Dr. Natalie
Shaheen, assistant professor of low-vision and blindness, Illinois State University</p>
<p><strong>Dr. Natalie Shaheen</strong>: I see my work as an academic, as a
professor, as really an extension of work that the Federation has been doing for
decades and that I did when I worked for the NFB. My work as an academic Federationist,
as I'll call myself, is to reimagine 21st century K-12 education as a place that's
equitable and accessible to blind youth and really fosters development of the
beliefs in the skills that our blind students need to live the lives that they
want. That's really what my work is focused on in all aspects of what I'm doing
as a professor.</p> <p>From the teaching perspective, my ultimate aim is to create
another teacher preparation program for teachers of blind students that's rooted
in a positive philosophy of blindness and kind of extending the work that the
Federation has already done at Louisiana Tech University, for example. On the
research side of things, my ultimate aim is to establish a blind-led research
center that's focused on digital accessibility in K-12 specifically.</p>
<p><strong>Narrator</strong>: Krishna Washburn, founder and artistic director of
Dark Room Ballet.</p> <p><strong>Krishna Washburn</strong>: The dance field is
ableist, and it was very, very difficult for me to find choreographers and
collaborators who were taking me seriously as an artist. In terms of my own
professional studies, it was very challenging to find teachers who were willing
to really work with me to help me develop because they had stereotypes that were
really not true about my learning capacities.</p> <p>With my own background in
education, I knew that a lot of the assumptions my teachers had about me were not
true, and it was really almost from the outset of my performance career that I
really wanted to start developing a curriculum specifically for blind and visually
impaired dancers. It took a very long time to get that class off the ground, mostly
because I was fighting against stereotypes of what a teacher was supposed to be
and what a dance class for blind and visually impaired people was supposed to be
like.</p> <p><strong>Narrator</strong>: The first of our three organizational
winners is: Davis Technical College of Kaysville, Utah, for its program to train
blind aerospace machinists. Here is college president Darin Brush:</p> <p><strong>Darin
Brush:</strong> What we did is we piloted a program with our schools for the deaf
and blind with our division of services for the blind and visually impaired and
had our first three students, all of whom were blind, complete that initial program,
and in the process of doing that, developed aerospace-grade machining skills. But
more than that, more than becoming skilled machinists and very employable as a
result, they showed their instructors what was possible. They overcame their own
predispositions about what someone who is blind can accomplish, and they'll tell
you that. They'll go on and on about the personal and professional impact that
had on our instructors. But it also inspired this entire college community because
what we could point to was, if we can teach students who are blind to become
aerospace-grade machinists, this campus, across all of its thirty-five technical
education programs, can do just about anything in terms of individuals who are
blind and individuals with other disabilities. That's what this award means to
us.</p> <p><strong>Narrator</strong>: Eye Learn, for providing technology and
blindness skills training to blind and low-vision people in the Detroit area. Here
is founder Sabrina Simmons:</p> <p><strong>Sabrina Simmons</strong>: I've been
doing this for about four years now, and I got started because, upon facing
blindness myself nine years ago, I tried to integrate myself back into corporate
America, and here in Michigan, I kept getting shut out after the first interview
or the second interview. I would get that far, and then I would get a face-to-face
interview and realize that the tone and the energy of the people that I was
interviewing with changed.</p> <p>So I thought, let me use my degree and let me
use my brain and come up with something that can not only help me but help other
blind individuals become adjusted so that they can go back to work. Hence, Eye
Learn was formed; I became a certified vendor with the state of Michigan and am
now in the process of putting together many different programs to supplement what
the agency in Michigan is already doing.</p> <p><strong>Narrator:</strong>
Independence Science, for innovative products that make the STEM fields accessible
to blind students and professionals. Here is spokesman Michael Hingson:</p>
<p><strong>Michael Hingson</strong>: Part of the problem with blind people being
in the science environment in the STEM world is that we don't get to do experiments
along with everyone else because most of the laboratory instruments and the
technologies are inaccessible. So some twelve years ago, Cary Supalo, who has a
PhD in chemistry, founded Independence Science with the idea of finding ways to
make laboratory equipment accessible. He partnered with another company, Vernier
Software and Technologies, and made its product, the LabQuest, available in a
talking version now called the Talking LabQuest. We're up to version two and
looking at where we go from here.</p> <p>The LabQuest is a box that can have a
number of different kinds of probes connect to it to make different kinds of
measurements, anything from temperature to current to voltage to wind speed to
gas pressure—literally any kind of test that you might imagine you would
do in a laboratory. Especially is that true in an educational environment, because
Independence Science has mostly been education oriented.</p> <p>In any case, the
Talking LabQuest has been a very popular product and has been the flagship of
Independence Science. Other products have been developed: a completely talking
periodic table which you can see at independencescience.com. But in the COVID era,
the question has arisen, how do we deal with taking those same laboratory measurements
for students in a remote environment? Using another of Vernier's products with
help from Independence Science, the Talking Logger Pro was developed that allows
a teacher and students to interact using a LabQuest to take measurements and allows
it to be remotely controlled from computers elsewhere. As a result, students are
able to participate in laboratory experiments and see the same kinds of things
that their sighted colleagues would see and interact in the same way that their
sighted colleagues could interact.</p> <p><strong>Narrator:</strong> These winners
will each receive a trophy and a monetary prize to advance their work to help
blind people live the lives we want. Now, the National Federation of the Blind
proudly presents them with their 2021 Dr. Jacob Bolotin awards.</p> <p><strong>Everette
Bacon</strong>: Wow! I don't know about all of you, but I am truly excited about
all of these winners. Now, before I get to their amounts, and I know all of them
are listening and waiting patiently to know them, I do want to thank the members
of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee. I want to thank Mr. Ron Brown, Mrs. Mary
Ellen Jernigan, Mr. James Gashel, and Dr. Marc Maurer. All of these individuals
have been outstanding members of this committee, and all of them are outstanding
mentors to me. And I am certainly extremely lucky and honored to follow in the
footsteps of great chairmen of this committee in Gary Wunder and Jim Gashel. So
thank you, and thank you to the members of the committee.</p> <p>Let's get to the
amounts. We are giving away a total of $60,000 this year. Three tiers. Five thousand
dollars will be going to Darnell Booker. Congratulations. Five thousand dollars
will be going to Miss Washburn of the Darkroom Ballet. Ten thousand dollars will
be going to Dr. Natalie Shaheen. Thank you, Natalie. Ten thousand dollars will go
to Davis Technical College of Utah. Ten thousand dollars goes to Independence
Science. And our top tier award this year of twenty thousand dollars goes to Eye
Learn. I believe Sabrina Simmons is with us tonight. Are you out there?</p>
<p><strong>Sabrina Simmons</strong>: Yes, I'm here!</p> <p><strong>Everette
Bacon</strong>: Congratulations, Sabrina. We are so excited and proud of the
innovations you are doing in Detroit, Michigan. One of the things that I wanted
to ask you about is during the pandemic I learned you did some outstanding
innovations to continue to help blind individuals in Detroit. Can you please talk
about that for a minute?</p> <p><strong>Sabrina Simmons</strong>: Yes. We stayed
in business and continued to do virtual training and in-person training through
the pandemic. There's a nonprofit organization which closed down, and there just
weren’t services available here in Detroit. So we committed to staying open
and meeting in small groups and continuing the training that is so much needed
here in the city.</p> <p><strong>Everette Bacon</strong>: I was really moved to
read on your application about how all of your members went out to different
homes—all of your employees—and worked with people in their homes
during the pandemic. They were able to maintain social distancing; they were able
to follow the guidelines of Michigan; and they were still able to create and
provide those services.</p> <p><strong>Sabrina Simmons:</strong> Yes. Thank you
so much.</p> <p><strong>Everette Bacon</strong>: Well, congratulations, Sabrina,
and Eye Learn. We are so proud of you and your staff.</p> <p>That's it, folks.
That's the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award ceremony for this year. Again, over fifty
applicants. We had some really tough times looking through all of these, so please
apply again. We will be giving this award out next year. Hopefully you'll get your
opportunity. Thank you so much to all of our award winners for the innovations
that they are doing to help build the hope, love, and determination of blind
individuals across our nation and helping us live the life we want. Thank you,
Pam.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Carla McQuillan]</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Jordana Maria Engebretsen]</p> <h2
id="distinguished-educator-of-blind-students-award">Distinguished Educator of
Blind Students Award</h2> <p>Editor’s Note: Now, at our convention we often
have the opportunity to give away awards, and one of the important ones we give
away is to those educators who are most distinguished in working with our blind
students. Carla McQuillan of Oregon is chair of the Distinguished Educator of
Blind Students Award Committee. So here is Carla for the presentation:</p>
<p><strong>Carla McQuillan:</strong> Thank you very much, sir. The National
Federation of the Blind has long known that high quality education and training
is absolutely essential for the success of blind people. Every year the National
Federation of the Blind recognizes an educator of blind students who goes above
and beyond the expectations of their profession to provide the highest possible
quality of education for their students. The Distinguished Educator of Blind
Students Award carries with it a plaque engraved with the name of the recipient;
the opportunity to network at our national convention with parents of blind
children, other educators, as well as leaders of the National Federation of the
Blind; the honor of speaking to the National Organization of Parents of Blind
Children at its business meeting; and a check for $1,000.</p> <p>I'd like first
to thank my fellow colleagues on the committee. This year Michelle Chacon of
Colorado, Emily Gibbs of Texas, and Eric Guillory of Louisiana all served with
me.</p> <p>So this year's distinguished educator of blind students lives in northern
Idaho, but her native country is Ecuador. Over the past year she has been teaching
blind and low-vision students all over the world Braille in both English and in
Spanish. She has coordinated efforts to get blind students from all across the
country together to understand each other's communities and lives a little bit
better. So there is a plaque, and Beth promised me that we'd all get a chance to
see the plaque. So engraved on that plaque is:</p> <p>The National Federation<br
/> of the Blind honors</p> <p>Jordana Maria Engebretsen<br /> Distinguished Educator
of Blind Students</p> <p>For your skills in teaching Braille and other<br />
alternative techniques of blindness,</p> <p>For graciously devoting extra time to
meet<br /> the needs of your students, and</p> <p>For empowering your students to
perform<br /> beyond their expectations.</p> <p>You champion our movement.<br />
You strengthen our hopes.<br /> You share our dreams.</p> <p>July 7, 2021</p>
<p>Congratulations, Jordana. If you'd like to take a few moments and address the
rest of the board, please do.</p> <p><strong>Jordana</strong>: Thank you. It's a
real honor for me to receive this award, but first I want to say thank you to my
family, my husband—they have been there for me to support me and help me
all the way. Thank you to many, many professionals in our field, TVIs, orientation
and mobility instructors, special education directors, case managers, supervisors,
janitors, librarians. The work with our students really is a team approach. I
couldn't do it alone; I need to have a team.</p> <p>Thank you to my students,
because without them, I couldn't be a teacher. I love each of them!</p> <p>Thank
you to my God; my faith in him has helped me to be where I am today.</p> <p>I was
diagnosed with lupus at an early age. I was only eighteen. At the age of twenty-one
I lost my sight; I became totally blind. I'm also mobility impaired at the same
time. However, blindness does not define me. Mobility impairment does not define
me.</p> <p>I would like to share with you an understanding and a motto that I live
by. Sometimes, often, my students didn't like it when I told them this, and
sometimes I became not a popular teacher when I told them this. But I knew that
they needed to hear it. I knew that they needed to hear it from me. This is what
it is: Whatever you go through, whatever circumstance you go through, 10 percent
is your circumstance and 90 percent is your attitude.</p> <p>They didn't like it!
However, I know by my own experience that a positive attitude will change your
outcome. That doesn't mean that a positive attitude will make it easier. What it
means is that you will be able to overcome the situation.</p> <p>Another known
secret that is not a secret, but that I live by, is that it's better to give than
to receive. I always share with my students that we are not always the ones who
receive help. I don't want them always to say, "I need help to do this." I want
them to be the givers. I want them to be the ones who give to other people. Because
as you know, and most of you probably know about this, the feeling of being able
to do things is better than to receive.</p> <p>This award means a lot to me because
really what it does is help me to believe that what I am doing makes a difference
in my students.</p> <p>Always my focus in teaching has been to provide my students
with the right tools. I don't just provide them the tools; I do my best to teach
them to use the right tools efficiently.</p> <p>I really, really appreciate this
award, and thank you for having me here today.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO
CAPTION: Cayte Mendez]</p> <h2
id="scholarship-comments-made-at-the-meeting-of-the-nfb-board-of-directors">Scholarship
Comments Made at the Meeting of the NFB Board of Directors</h2> <p><em>Cayte</em>:
Good afternoon. It's one of the great privileges of my membership to introduce
the scholarship finalists to the convention each year. The committee receives
hundreds of applications every spring, and we have the honor and great responsibility
to select our thirty finalists from this outstanding pool.</p> <p>This year's
class represents twenty-three states in all and the District of Columbia. They
represent a wide range of backgrounds and academic fields, but they all have two
attributes in common. First, they've demonstrated outstanding academic aptitude.
Second, they've served and continue to serve in various communities as leaders
and role models.</p> <p>Two of this year's class are tenBroek Fellows. They are
Lizzie Park and Syed Rizvi. I'll explain what it means to be a tenBroek Fellow in
more detail as I present the class. Now ordinarily these presentations would be
live. But due to the vagaries and quirks of Zoom and the challenges of muting and
unmuting thirty people, the decision was made to prerecord these remarks in advance
of the board meeting just as we did last year. As a result of this, I already know
what these folks are going to say, and I'm incredibly pleased to invite all of
you to be as impressed as I am by the scholarship class of 2021.</p> <p><strong>Maryam
Abdul Sattar, California, California, social work and advocacy</strong>: Hi,
everyone. I am a passionate social worker who has a strong desire for an equitable
society. My mission is to empower individuals to education, advocacy, and service.
I have engaged in community service since high school. From educating refugees on
available resources to serving as a student leader and mentor during the pandemic,
I have had the pleasure to make a positive impact on the lives of different
individuals. After getting my master's degree in social work, my plan is to pursue
a career in law and serve as an advocate to become a voice for the oppressed.
Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Christopher Abel, Georgia, Georgia, financial
planner:</strong> This year I was chosen as the most positive athlete in wrestling
in the state of Georgia and was described as "a high-character, team-oriented
leader who has experienced winning and losing and has shown a heart for their
school and their community." I have played with an elite jazz orchestra and was
selected to compete against the world's Blitz Chess champion. My county recognized
me for being a scholar athlete. I was a dual enrollment student at Kennesaw State
University, where I will attend in the fall to pursue a degree in finance. My goal
is to work for a Fortune 500 company and give back to my community. Thank you.</p>
<p><strong>Kaleigh Brendle, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, disability rights
attorney:</strong> I serve as the secretary-treasurer of the New Jersey Association
of Blind Students. I'm the founder and director of the Sing for Serenity Choir,
an international online choir for the blind composed of more than 120 members
hailing from fifteen countries; and, as of a few hours ago, I'm officially a high
school graduate headed to Villanova University. I discovered my desire to become
a disability rights attorney last May while fighting the college board alongside
the National Federation of the Blind to secure Braille for blind and deafblind AP
test takers worldwide. Thank you so much to the NFB and the scholarship committee
for this amazing honor.</p> <p><strong>Samantha Chase, Montana, Montana, behavioral
health</strong>: Hi, everyone; thank you. Currently I'm working on finishing my
degree after a very long ten-year break due to progressive vision loss and needing
to learn how to be blind and to be successful at being blind. In the meantime, I
had my two beautiful daughters, and after my little one went to kindergarten I
decided that it was time for me to go back to school. Ironically enough that
happened to be spring of 2020. We ended up all being back home, but we adapted,
and we made it work. Currently I work at an independent living center as a peer
advocate for individuals with disabilities. I mentor those who are blind and low
vision, and I also participate in transition groups. That's where my passion is
right now, and I'm pursuing my master's in this field. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Tashara
Cooper, Florida, Florida, modeling and simulation training and research:</strong>
Akin to a line in Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken"—I often take
the "path less traveled by," and at times such paths often choose me. Beyond the
academic and professional me, I believe it was my humanness heard through conversation
that led to me being a finalist. I lead and co-lead various projects in the
academic, professional, volunteer, and professional space. As a member directly
and indirectly of multiple communities, I support a variety of nonprofit organizations
and associations, secondary and postsecondary mentoring initiatives, and an
employer's STEM outreach program. Following the completion of my master's in
modeling and simulation, I plan to pursue an interdisciplinary doctoral degree.
Thank you, Federation, for this opportunity.</p> <p><strong>Shannon Donahue,
Washington, Washington, pediatric health counselor:</strong> Hello, my fellow
Federationists. Our society responds to difference by reacting negatively. As a
person with two visible disabilities, blindness and achondroplasia dwarfism, I'm
acutely aware of this. As a result I have chosen to help those voices who are
discounted so that they can reclaim their rightful place as equal members of
society. My first step was to take control of my own destiny at transforming my
disabilities from stumbling blocks into stepping stones. To do this, I gained
proficiency with the blindness skills necessary to succeed in college and my future
career. Now that I am a student at Seattle Central College studying in the bachelor's
program of applied behavioral science, I have the opportunity to pay it forward.
Using these hard won skills at school, my future work, and within the NFB, I
continue to advocate for accessibility. I plan to use this scholarship as a
springboard for the next step of my journey into pediatric mental health. My
professional goal is to guide and support young people with mental health issues
who are struggling to obtain the power, freedom, and opportunities to which they
are entitled. Today I want to thank my fellow Federationists for bestowing upon
me this scholarship, the ultimate expression of your trust and confidence. Thank
you very much.</p> <p><strong>Lizzie Dunn, Michigan, Michigan, social work:</strong>
I have been a member of the NFB for many years and have participated in many events
involving advocacy for people with disabilities, especially blind people. In 2012
I won the Braille Readers are Leaders Community Service Award and helped the NFB
of Michigan protest at the capital in Lansing to overturn the governor's decision
to abolish the Michigan Commission for the Blind. Since then, I've done many other
volunteer experiences, community service work advocating for the positive
representation of people with disabilities, and I plan to continue advocating for
all people in helping people work toward well-being in their individual lives and
in the world through my career as a social worker. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Christina
Ebersohl, Illinois, Colorado. Christina will be pursuing a career as a musician
and music education advocate:</strong> I'm a classical violist, not to be confused
with a violinist, and as I complete my master's in viola performance and begin
auditions for my doctoral program this fall, I will have been the first blind
music student at both my undergraduate and graduate institutions. Because of this
unique challenge and experience in educating my schools in modern accommodations
for musicians, I have developed an advocacy course for accessibility in music
education and regularly lecture and teach my course to schools and performance
institutions in the United States, Australia, and Canada so far. In addition to
my active performance schedule and advocacy work, I'm a teaching artist for El
Sistema of Colorado, which brings music lessons to underprivileged communities.
I'm the first-ever visually impaired ABME certified instructor, and I'm also the
editor for the <em>Journal of the American Viola Society</em>. Thank you so much
for this amazing honor.</p> <p>So our next finalist is one of five finalists—the
first alphabetically—who has a birthday in February. Apparently if you
wanted an NFB scholarship in 2021, having a birthday in February was a really good
place to start. She also would like me to include in her introduction that she
grew up in Kuwait and is currently living in New York.</p> <p>It's my privilege
to introduce <strong>Maya El Cheikh, New York, New York. She is going into law
and advocacy:</strong> I did not grow up in the United States. I grew up in a
society that believes someone like me, a legally blind albino woman, is incapable
of getting an education, a job, let alone going to law school. Despite graduating
from high school without any accommodations and getting a bachelor's degree in
psychology and a master's degree in special education, prospective employers
refused to see past my physical appearance. So I sought asylum in the United States
in 2014. During my short time here, I have done more than I ever thought I could.
I interned at the Dean's office as an advocate for the special victims crimes
unit. In 2015 I volunteered at Human Rights First, an organization that provides
pro bono legal assistance to asylum seekers like myself. Because of that, my
passion for the law grew. After a year I was hired and promoted within months.
Despite general hesitancy by my superiors that nonlawyers should not represent
clients, I became the first fully accredited representative amongst four of our
offices, and from there, I represented about forty indigent asylum seekers before
the United States Immigration Services office and immigration court. During the
pandemic I advocated for my clients who were being unlawfully denied access to
languages they understood, housing benefits, and employment. As an asylum seeker
myself in the United States, I learned that, unlike in my country where there is
no assistance to protect people like me who are oppressed, over here my goal is
to go to law school, where I can be fully equipped to advocate as a lawyer and be
an advocate for change. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Lucien Gandarias, Washington,
California, physics research:</strong> Growth is struggle. Growth is a willingness
to sacrifice comfort for that which you desire to achieve. This is what my ten
years being active in the Federation has taught me. It's impossible to reap the
fruits of which you do not sow, and thus each day I strive to sow more than I did
the last. I run cross-country to break down the artificial barriers set for me by
others and to grow my strength and fortitude. I study physics to deepen my
understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe. Growth is living the life
you want. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Joel Gomez, California, Indiana, industrial
engineer:</strong> Good afternoon, board members. I'm honored to be here today.
Throughout my life I've never let my visual impairment hold me back. In fact I've
always tried to be an inspiration to others with disabilities or to people who
are just having difficulty achieving their goals in general. Two days ago I'm
honored to say I was nominated to the US Paralympic Team, and I'll be representing
Team USA at the Tokyo Paralympics this summer. In the fall I'll be attending Purdue
University to achieve my other dream of becoming an industrial engineer.</p>
<p><strong>Maxine Gretchokoff, Mississippi, Mississippi, emergency services
dispatcher:</strong> I'm a totally blind United States Air Force auxiliary and
Civil Air Patrol officer and a suicide attempt survivor. Throughout my time at
Tines Community College, I made the dean's list, I've been inducted into the Phi
Beta Kappa Honor Society, and I do not let my lack of sight prevent me from serving
in uniform in some capacity to serve my local community, my state, and my nation.</p>
<p>The next finalist will actually be attending my alma mater in the fall, Cornell,
so I'm pleased to introduce <strong>Manahil Jafri, New York, New York. She is
going into public policy and disability rights advocacy:</strong> Hey, everyone.
Disability discrimination has been one of the biggest issues that I view in today's
society, and I really hope that I can help mitigate it through my work. Whether
that be through helping increase resources for blind individuals in Latin America
or helping amplify people with disability's voices through the New York City
participatory budgeting process, I really want to show that people with disabilities
are capable of doing more than what society holds for them. I want to say a huge
thank you to the NFB for offering me this opportunity, as it really helps me fund
my education at Cornell and helps me achieve my future goals.</p> <p>This next
applicant has a really fun birthday, and I always love to drop in tidbits about
the class. I'm going to share this one with all of you; <strong>Peter Jansen,
Michigan, Ohio, is going into bio medical engineering,</strong> and his birthday
is Pi day, March 14, 3-1-4. That's an awesome day: Hi, everyone. I received two
bachelor's degrees from Michigan State University and was the project leader for
3D Printing of Accessible Media Center for people with disabilities. I also
established the first blind soccer program at MSU. In the fall I will be attending
Ohio State University to get my PhD in bioengineering with a specific interest in
ocular tissues. Thank you very much for this opportunity.</p> <p><strong>Jeanette
Jones, California, California, child and family therapist:</strong> Hello. I
currently serve as the Parents of Blind Children president for the state of
California, as well as serving as vice president for my local chapter. I also have
a blind son, and I'm passionate about education and children getting the services
and supports they need through the IEP process. This is an area I spend a lot of
my time advocating for. I'm also pursuing a degree in child family therapy to
become a therapist working with children and adults with disabilities to overcome
trauma. Thank you so much for this opportunity.</p> <p><strong>Adi Lemmon,
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. Adi will be pursuing a career as an elementary
teacher:</strong> Hello. Throughout my high school career, I dedicated myself to
school work so I could keep my goal of graduating a year early. Even though I only
attended three years of high school, I participated in many leadership roles and
had many honors and awards such as being president of Aevidum, president of the
National Honor Society, and won a community service award as well as served in
many other organizations. I make sure I dedicate myself to volunteering within my
home community and my blind community. I've developed many big goals in my future,
such as changing the education system for all students. Bringing special education
students into the mainstream classroom can be done. Teachers need to learn to
accept all of their students. I hope to make a big difference in my classroom and
to educate future teachers about these overlooked problems. Thank you for this
opportunity.</p> <p><strong>Eric Mandell, California, California, physics
researcher:</strong> I first came across the NFB over a year ago. I had decided
to go back to school and get my degree in physics, so I was looking for other
blind STEM students like myself. Growing up I had loved math and science, but the
challenge of accessibility and just adapting to vision loss led me to get a degree
in business instead. That's why last summer when I attended the NFB Science and
Engineering Division meeting I was blown away by the number of other blind STEM
students and professionals. So now I'm thrilled to be doing exactly what I want
to be doing in joining my amazing cohort of fellow scholarship finalists. Thank
you.</p> <p><strong>Haylee Mota, Rhode Island, California, mechanical
engineering:</strong> Hello. I'd like to start by thanking the NFB for providing
me with this opportunity. I've known I wanted to be an engineer since sixth grade,
when I joined my first robotics team. Since then I have interned for an engineering
professor and led a team in designing Habitat for Humanity houses. My goal is to
someday work for an aerospace company while increasing access to STEM for blind
and visually impaired individuals. Thank you.</p> <p>So, <strong>Lizzy Muhammad-Park,
Maryland, District of Columbia. Lizzy will be pursuing a career as a Foreign
Service officer</strong>, and before she gives her introduction, I just want to
say that Lizzie is one of our two tenBroek Fellows this year. A tenBroek Fellow
is someone who has won a previous National Federation of the Blind scholarship.
The title of tenBroek comes from the name of the founding President of our movement,
Dr. Jacobus tenBroek. So being a tenBroek Fellow is an honor. It's my privilege
to introduce Lizzie to you now: I was discouraged from learning Chinese as a blind
student, but I took the classes anyway and then went to China as a blind teacher
to sighted students. Now I will use those language and culture skills not only in
my Johns Hopkins master's program but also with an internship with the United
States State Department. Thank you to the scholarship committee and the entire
Federation for giving me the tools, support, and opportunity to break barriers
around the world.</p> <p><strong>Demetria Ober, Texas, Texas, social work and
medical interpretation:</strong> I'm a social work major at Texas Women's University.
During these times of uncertainty caused by the seemingly never-ending pandemic,
I've had time to reflect on the goals and values that are most important to me.
During this time I have found a passion for diversity and inclusion, and I have
worked on advocacy work as the president of Pathways to Accessibility as well as
joining the NFB of Texas Diversity and Inclusion Committee. I am honored to be a
participant in this amazing opportunity, and I am looking forward to my future in
a fulfilling and successful career as a social worker. Thank you so much for the
opportunity.</p> <p><strong>Treasa Marie Praino, New York, New York, policy and
human rights advocacy:</strong> Hi, everyone. I'm a first year PhD student at
Syracuse University, where I'm focusing on critical disability studies in the
global context. I'm also a recent Fulbright grantee to South Africa, where I worked
in the capacity of disability unit access coordinator at Nelson Mandela University.
My ultimate goals include advising government officials, NGOs, and international
human rights organizations on implementing ability-based inclusion policies and
strategies that reify social-model ideologies. I plan to conduct my work in regions
experiencing unrest and economic hardships within the global south and more
specifically within sub-Saharan Africa. I also aim to research the intersectionality
between disability, poverty, violence, and war. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Stephen
Proski, Missouri, Massachusetts, artist and disability rights advocate:</strong>
As a visually disabled person, art allows me to create and understand a world I'm
unable to see. I am part of a normal, living framework that treats my disability
as an obstacle rather than an asset to my identity. I've worked the past five
years at a nonprofit art studio supporting artists with visual and mental
disabilities. Working alongside these artists has shown me just how underrepresented
disabled people are in the art world, and they are my motivation to reverse that
trend. I am determined to continue advocating and creating a platform for all
disabled artists throughout my career. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Tina Reisner,
Utah, Louisiana, cane travel instructor</strong>: We all know that building our
personal community is essential to growth, opportunity, and success. Through this
organization, I have been able to build my personal community through mentors who
have taught me the philosophy of independence, freedom, and the power that I can
live the life I want. Blindness is not what holds me back. Which is why I am
choosing to give back and help others build their personal community, by being an
orientation and mobility instructor. I have gained my independence, and I hope to
aid individuals in this empowering journey. Thank you for your belief in my future
and the future of our nation's blind. Let's go build the Federation.</p> <p>So
our scholarship class of 2021 has thirteen graduate students, and one is this next
finalist. <strong>Syed Rizvi, Massachusetts, Massachusetts. Syed is going into
civil rights law:</strong> What does it mean to be named a tenBroek Fellow? Jacobus
tenBroek, the founder of our movement, exemplified that education is the strongest
foundation on which to advance civil rights. A titan in academia, his writings on
the fourteenth amendment were used by Thurgood Marshall in Brown v Board of
Education. His work not only advanced disability rights but also race rights. This
past year I founded the American Muslim Bar Association, now including over one
hundred fearless minority leaders working to advance civil rights here in the
United States. I hope Harvard Law School can be my foundation on which I can pursue
and advance disability and civil rights with the support of the National Federation
of the Blind. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Megan Swanson, California, Utah, instructional
designer</strong>: My field of instructional psychology and technology occurs at
the intersection of education, psychology, and technology. I love this field so
much because I get to work with subject matter experts in various areas, and it
makes me feel a little bit less guilty about this "oo shiny" mentality when I get
to learn something new. Over the last year I've been able to do projects in various
areas like research, teaching, design, and development. It's been incredible, and
I've also been able to serve on a couple of boards for different organizations.
I just want to thank you for this opportunity and say that I will continue to do
those things as I learn and grow over the next year or three, until graduation
and beyond. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Kinshuk Tella, Ohio, Ohio, environmental
science:</strong> I have always been fascinated by the natural sciences from
creating micro ecosystems to regulating air pollutants for one of the largest
United States defense contractors. Those around me saw my blindness as a suppressor,
a disadvantage to my success in STEM. I take this assumption not as reality but
as a challenge, paving the path for future generations of diverse scientists. With
the earth sciences being the least diverse amongst all fields of science, it is
crucial that we have blind role models within it. This is why I dedicate my future
work to the environmental issues we face today for the betterment of tomorrow.
Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Sam Theoharis, New York, Rhode Island, civil rights
law:</strong> Hello. I'm a first year undergrad at Brown University, and I'm very
passionate about social justice and civil rights. In middle and high school I
founded and took part in many different clubs, working on local advocacy and
education around many different topics regarding civil rights. Over the past year
in the pandemic, I haven't yet been able to engage in my local community around
these issues, but luckily I've been able to be on the policy team as an intern at
the Cairo Center for Religious Rights and Social Justice. This organization is an
anchor organization for the Poor People's Campaign, a National Call for Moral
Revival. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Zachary Thibodeaux, Texas, Connecticut, public
policy</strong>: Thank you, Ms. Mendez, and thank you to the NFB for giving me
this opportunity. My accomplishments include speaking at Guide Dogs for the Blind
Fundraisers, being recognized as a national Hispanic scholar, and as the first
undergraduate at Yale to receive Braille textbooks, I helped pave the way for
future blind Yale undergraduates. I want to eventually hold a high-ranking position
in a national government because I want to show society that blind people can hold
elected positions. Thank you.</p> <p><strong>Mirranda Williams, Georgia, Maryland,
geriatric behavioral and mental health:</strong> 2004, 15, and 21 are years that
emphasized scholastic milestones for my life. These major accomplishments are my
cornerstones to what I consider to be my greatest success thus far. I am the first
to receive a high school diploma, as well as higher education degrees within my
family. This educational background has afforded me the opportunity, along with
other life experiences, to recognize that I am a humanitarian, thus the ideal
profession of social work. I enthusiastically took on the role as a change agent
for my family, my communities, and my culture, and I plan to help others do the
same who will reflect me after completing my master's in the advanced standing
program in gerontology at Morgan State University in 2022.</p> <p><strong>Chantale
Zuzi, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, diplomacy:</strong> I'm specifically attracted
to the area of human rights with an interest in international relations. My personal
experience led to my deep desire to become involved with human rights and justice.
I myself was denied basic human rights. I was born an albino, and in my community
albinos were viewed as outcasts and their bodies good only for sacrificial purposes.
The only reason I survived was because my parents believed that I had a right to
live. I would love to bring justice back in my country and around the world. I
wish to acquire the skills and knowledge and training that will enable me to make
a difference and a change in my home country and around the world. I was resettled
to the United States in 2018 and wouldn't believe that today I will be here. I
just completed high school and now am heading into college!</p> <p><strong>CAYTE:</strong>
Mr. President, this concludes the presentation of the 2021 scholarship finalists.</p>
<p><strong>MARK RICCOBONO:</strong> Thank you, Cayte, and what an outstanding
group of individuals. We appreciate the work of the committee, and congratulations
to our finalists.</p> <p>Following is a complete list of 2021 scholarship finalists
and the awards they received:</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Lizzy Muhammed-Park, winner
of the Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship]</p> <p>$3,000 NFB Scholarships (17): Maryam
Abdul Sattar, Samantha Chase, Lizzie Dunn, Shannon Donahue, Maya El Cheikh, Joel
Gomez, Manahil Jafri, Peter Jansen, Jeanette Jones, Adi Lemmon, Haylee Mota,
Stephen Proski, Megan Swanson, Sam Theoharis, Zachary Thibodeaux, Mirranda Williams,
Chantale Zuzi</p> <p>$3,000 E.U. and Gene Parker Scholarship: Christopher Abel</p>
<p>$3,000 Charles and Melba T. Owen Scholarship: Lucien Gandarias</p> <p>$3,000
Dr. Adrienne Asch Memorial Scholarship: Demetria Ober</p> <p>$3,000 Charles and
Betty Allen Scholarship: Tina Reisner</p> <p>$5,000 Edith R. and Alvin J. Domroe
Foundation Scholarship: Treasa Marie Praino</p> <p>$5,000 NFB STEM Scholarship:
Eric Mendell</p> <p>$5,000 Mimi and Marvin Sandler Scholarship: Maxine Gretchokoff</p>
<p>$5,000 Pearson Scholarship: Christina Ebersohl</p> <p>$7,000 JAWS for Windows
Scholarship: Kaleigh Brendle</p> <p>$8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in
a STEM Field: Kinshuk Tella</p> <p>$8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in
Computer Science: Tashara Cooper</p> <p>$10,000 Charles and Melba T. Owen Memorial
Scholarship: Syed Rizvi</p> <p>$12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship: Lizzy
Muhammed-Park</p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="reflection-revolution-and-race-a-growing-understanding-within-the-organized-blind-movement">Reflection,
Revolution, and Race: A Growing Understanding within the Organized Blind Movement</h2>
<p>by Mark A. Riccobono</p> <p>"When day comes, we ask ourselves where can we find
light in this never-ending shade?</p> <p>The loss we carry, a sea we must wade.</p>
<p>We’ve braved the belly of the beast.</p> <p>We’ve learned that
quiet isn’t always peace,</p> <p>and the norms and notions of what
“just” is isn’t always justice.</p> <p>And yet, the dawn is
ours before we knew it.</p> <p>Somehow we do it.</p> <p>Somehow we’ve
weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken,</p> <p>but simply
unfinished."</p> <p>These words, spoken by the young Black poet Amanda Gorman
earlier this year, framed a moment of reflection for our nation. Tonight, we, as
blind people organized in a civil rights movement, come to our own moment of
reflection. We cannot remove ourselves from the nation in which we live. We cannot
deny the influence of the pressures, perspectives, barriers, and inequities of
that nation—a nation that is not broken but simply unfinished.</p> <p>We
can find hope, opportunity, and safety in knowing that we have created something
meaningful within our nation. We have started by building a movement where we can,
as blind Americans, work together on an equal basis for change. Our movement, like
our nation, is not broken, but it is unfinished. Our movement, like our nation,
is diverse, complex, and not unlimited in resources. Our movement, like our nation,
has not always gotten it right. However, we choose to come together in this
organization to raise up all blind people in society. We choose this organization
because we believe that the blind have the right and the responsibility to speak
and act for ourselves. We stay with this organization because, although it may be
unfinished, we recognize that here we have the power to get more done together.
We are Americans; we are citizens of the world; we are striving to achieve our
hopes and dreams; we are committed to the process of learning and growing; we are
committed to independence and giving back; and we happen to be blind. We are the
National Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>“We know who we are, and we will
never go back.” This simple yet powerful line first appeared in a Federation
convention banquet speech delivered by Kenneth Jernigan in 1975. Dr. Jernigan had
been elected to the office of President after the death of Jacobus tenBroek in
1968. Dr. tenBroek was a brilliant scholar of the United States Constitution, a
strong organizer of blind people, and a tireless advocate. He founded our Federation;
served as its first long-term President; and gave it personality, direction, and
wise insight for more than a quarter century. In 1940 he brought blind people from
seven states together to form the beginnings of what would become the most powerful
vehicle for collective action by the blind. At that time, we did not know who we
were. Coming to understand ourselves as blind people and our collective power and
identity as a group was our first challenge.</p> <p>Centuries of myths and
misconceptions resulted in our nation institutionalizing low expectations into
schools and agencies for the blind. As our organized blind movement was built, we
discovered our potential, and we challenged the artificial limits placed on us by
the agencies. Those institutions pushed back on the right of the blind to organize
in an attempt to protect myth and tradition over independence and self-sufficiency.
Dr. Jernigan’s rally call in his 1975 speech, “Blindness: Is the
Public Against Us,” was a pivot point solidifying the truth that the
organized blind movement was here to stay and that blind people would forever
determine our own future. This truth grew in imaginative and powerful ways during
the next generation of the movement led by Marc Maurer—our leader and mentor
for nearly three decades. This truth fuels the lives we live and the march we
share today.</p> <p>Just as the 1975 Convention did for Dr. Jernigan, tonight
marks the end of my seventh year leading this movement—an honor and challenge
unlike any other in my life. This evening, in reflecting, I find myself asking
these questions: Do we still know who we are? Is it inevitable that we will never
go back? And what is most essential to our future?</p> <p>Let’s examine
who we are. We are first and foremost blind people. Our structure as an organization
requires the majority of our members and our elected leaders to be blind (including
100 percent of our national board). Upwards of 90 percent of our overall nationwide
membership is composed of blind people, and we have no expectation that this will
or should change. More than that, we come from every state, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Our members represent the full range of diverse
characteristics including race, creed, color, religion, gender identity and
expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, marital status, age,
genetic information, disability, and any other characteristics or intersectionality
of characteristics you might find in our nation. While we now have a clear and
well-established, open, national membership policy that applies throughout all
levels of our organization, it took real effort to get here. And we recognize that
where we are today is not where we strive to be tomorrow.</p> <p>While we celebrate
the tremendous achievements of our movement, we must also make honest reflections
about the costs and missed opportunities of progress. We must learn from our past
if we are truly to never go back. Today we are not prepared to submit to the low
expectations of the agencies for the blind, nor are we prepared to be led by the
outdated notions of the society around us. This space, our movement, must reflect
the high expectations we demand from society. This requires consistent progress
toward building a safe, supportive, empowering, and enriching vehicle for collective
action by all blind people. This progress is destined to remain unfinished if we
fail to understand our past in planning for our future. Thus, a more meaningful
charge for today may be: We know who we are, and we will never go back; together
we march forward and learn from our past.</p> <p>Although we say with truth and
conviction that our focus is the concerns of blind people, other challenging social
issues have always complicated our unity in this movement. One persistent concern
to consider is our nation’s conflicted struggle with inequality based upon
race. Our previous organizational responses to these issues are not well known
and, therefore, we should consider what we might learn from our past.</p> <p>From
our earliest days, our national leaders worked to promote the principle that the
Federation, as a democratic representative movement, should strive to welcome and
rely on the participation of all blind people irrespective of their other
characteristics. This expectation was dramatically different from what was found
elsewhere in our society. However, we, as a class of blind people, had not yet
defined who we were. Those who believed in their heart that blindness was not the
characteristic that defined them were few compared to those blind people who felt
safe and satisfied settling for the social outlets of clubs for the blind and the
limited work provided by workshops for the blind. Combine that with the complexity
of social issues experienced in our nation after the Great Depression, the impacts
of World War II, and a slowly growing consciousness of race inequality, and it is
a wonder that the Federation accomplished as much as it did in its first two
decades.</p> <p>Starting with only seven states, our early leaders attempted to
build relationships with local organizations of blind people in order to establish
affiliated groups in all corners of the nation. In 1951 the National Convention
changed the Federation’s constitution to prioritize having only one affiliate
in each state. Our leaders recognized that competing organizations at the local
level would divide the interests of the blind in ways that hurt all of us. In 1955
our National Convention, assembled in Omaha, Nebraska, went further by formalizing
critical membership principles into a mandatory Code of Affiliate Standards. The
establishment of these national standards proved much easier than implementing
them in local communities.</p> <p>During the same time, our nation was facing
shifting expectations regarding race inequality. Emotions ran high after the United
States Supreme Court ruling in the Brown vs. Board of Education case of 1954. Dr.
tenBroek’s constitutional expertise on the Fourteenth Amendment was sought
by the NAACP’s counsel, Thurgood Marshall, in August 1953, in preparation
for arguing that landmark case. It is hard to know how much Dr. tenBroek anticipated
the impact America’s racial tensions would have on the organized blind
movement, but establishing racial equality among the Federation’s membership
would take significant effort by the Federation’s leadership.</p> <p>In
1957 our convention was to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The convention had
been scheduled prior to the 1956 Louisiana legislative session, which had reacted
to the Supreme Court’s ruling in 1954 by placing new limits on the rights
of Louisiana’s Black citizens. One of the state’s new laws made it
impossible for Black and White Federationists to meet together in the planned
convention hotel. In early 1957 the affiliate informed the national leadership of
the new development and negotiations began immediately with the hotel. Dr. tenBroek
was prepared to move the convention to another state, even though six months was
not adequate time to reconfigure the convention arrangements. The convention stayed
in New Orleans, but in order to allow all Federation members to participate on an
equal basis, we rented a hall outside of the hotel for our meetings and banquet.</p>
<p>Shortly after that convention, a Federation member sent a letter describing a
call he received from the president of the Louisiana affiliate. The letter was
sent to Dr. Jernigan, who had already become a respected leader in the movement.
Please note the letter is written in the language of the time, and I have not
changed it. Judge this excerpt for yourself:</p> <p>[He] …called me Monday
afternoon and told me that a colored fellow had just phoned him regarding forming
an organization of the colored blind in the state. It seems that a group of colored
people attending the convention had spoken with Dr. tenBroek, and he (Dr. tenBroek)
had urged them to organize and join the NFB. Now, if this information comes to me
straight; I am very much surprised, in fact, amazed.</p> <p>Granted, it is most
unfortunate that the colored of the south–the colored blind–are not
organized. That is to say, we could use their support, but being familiar with
the feeling of the races in the south, you know there are very few people who feel
this way. Add to this our state law concerning the mixing of the races and you
come up with an impossible situation. However, if there were no such law, at the
present time it would be impossible to have colored and white in the same organization
because of the strong popular feeling. As I said, this is regrettable, but true.</p>
<p>The letter is a brutally honest reflection on the circumstances. Was that who
we were? Well, like our nation, the answer is complicated. Our national leadership
encouraged organizing and integrating throughout the nation under the principle
of wanting to represent all blind people; but in local communities, we reflected
the painful reality of the time. Our structure was fragile, and many local
organizations were not tightly bonded to the movement.</p> <p>Inspired by their
experience at the 1957 Convention, the Black blind people of New Orleans began
rallying around the Federation’s mission. In the fall they wrote to Dr.
tenBroek seeking recognition as a Federation chapter. Due to the Federation’s
one affiliate policy, their application was redirected to the existing Louisiana
affiliate for consideration. Throughout 1958 it became clear that our Louisiana
affiliate did not wish to allow these blind people to join, due only to the color
of their skin. Yet a Black blind movement arose in New Orleans.</p> <p>On May 31,
1958, Mr. Elliott Ralrine, president of the newly formed New Orleans Chapter of
the Adult Blind wrote to Dr. tenBroek. Mr. Ralrine noted that, despite the denial
of membership from the Louisiana affiliate, Black blind men and women had organized,
applied for recognition by the state of Louisiana as a nonprofit, and sought to
attend the 1958 National Convention in Boston with the goal of being accepted into
Federation membership. Dr. tenBroek responded with a warm welcome for their
participation in the convention and a tone of concern about the resistance they
had faced.</p> <p>Immediately following the 1958 Convention, the two exchanged
letters that crossed in the mail. Notably, Mr. Ralrine’s letter dated July
14 maintains a clear hopefulness, determined purpose, and complete trust in Dr.
tenBroek. He closed with this powerful statement:</p> <p>Mr. President, since it
is impossible at the present time to integrate with the State federation of the
blind, we are going to press forward and continually operate in the State
independently until some provisions of law are made in the constitution of the
national federation which would allow us to become a member of the national. We
have just as many blind in this State as the White and we can accumulate just as
much finance, if not more. And we will prove it to you at the next convention.
…We are thanking you in advance and are asking you and the national body
to work with us in attaining our goal.</p> <p>Dr. tenBroek’s letter of July
17, 1958, appears to have two equal purposes: preserve the history of the actions
taken at the convention and document the disappointment of all involved. The
Federation’s executive committee agonized over the membership application
of the New Orleans group but ultimately declined the application due to the
one-affiliate policy. Dr. tenBroek tried to share a glimmer of hope in a hard
situation by saying, “Perhaps when tensions diminish in Louisiana, as we
all hope they soon will, it will be possible for you to come into relationship
with our affiliate in that state and thus to become a full-fledged part of the
National Federation of the Blind.”</p> <p>Progress denied or progress made?
Was this outrageous discrimination or incremental advancement of equality within
a diverse nationwide movement? Our leaders at the time believed they were forging
a path forward, keeping us together, and hopefully raising expectations at the
local level. The challenge was, and continues to be, to unify and advance our
organization, one which includes blind people with many diverse perspectives and
characteristics. We know who we are, and we will never go back; together we march
forward and learn from our past.</p> <p>The work to integrate and unify blind
people across the Federation continued for many years to come. In November 1959,
the Federation’s executive committee met in St. Louis. The minutes from
the meeting indicate that the intersection of race and the organized blind movement
was a significant topic of conversation. The result was the adoption of a number
of important policy proposals for consideration by the 1960 National Convention
in Miami, Florida. This was an important pivot point in our effort to unify the
affiliates. The 1960 Convention suspended our affiliates in Georgia, Louisiana,
Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Dakota for activities destructive
to the character and objectives of the Federation. The lack of open membership
policies was a primary factor in the suspensions.</p> <p>The convention also
adopted an executive committee proposal to modify the Federation’s constitution
to include an “at-large membership” category. The <em>Braille
Monitor</em> preserves the history of this action as, “primarily to afford
membership in the NFB to persons denied membership in the affiliates of some
southern states on grounds of race.” The article notes that the voice vote
was supported by both northern and southern states. Open membership is now our
standard, so we do not often discuss at-large national membership. However, we
should not forget the significance of its development as a strategy to welcome
into the Federation family blind people previously barred from membership.</p>
<p>In October 1960, the suspended Louisiana affiliate proclaimed that it was
disassociating itself from the Federation rather than conforming to the standards.
This was just one story in the lead-up to the height of the internal struggles in
the Federation, culminating in the 1961 National Convention permanently suspending
four affiliates and the dramatic resignation of Dr. tenBroek. The historical record
shows that America’s struggle with race influenced the Federation’s
own struggle for an organizational identity. What were the lasting impacts of
these setbacks on our Black blind family members? It is hard to quantify, but in
Louisiana we would not have a functioning affiliate again until 1972. We know from
the nation we live in that the imbalance of equality takes time and real, thoughtful
work to overcome. We know who we are, and we will never go back; together we march
forward and learn from our past.</p> <p>The rebuilding and strengthening of the
Federation in the 1960s created opportunities for Black members to participate
more fully and to seek leadership in the movement. This is a credit to the commitment
of those Black blind individuals and their recognition of the value of the organized
blind movement. Much work remained to strengthen and unify our national movement
through the development of action-oriented affiliates that welcomed all blind
people—work that continues and remains unfinished today.</p> <p>Consider,
for example, the work done within our Maryland affiliate, which was restored to
good standing in the Federation in 1961. By 1965 the affiliate consisted of a
group of sixty-four White blind people from Baltimore known as the Maryland Council
of the Blind. Neither representative of the state of Maryland nor of the diversity
of blind people of the state, the organization did not reflect the open representative
membership principles we valued. In July 1965, a Black Federation chapter president
from Pennsylvania named Ned Graham moved to Baltimore to get married. This fateful
event helped spark a revolution in our local movement and resulted in the building
of one of our leading affiliates.</p> <p>When Mr. Graham sought membership in the
Maryland Council, he found a group that was disorganized, isolated, and impossible
to join. He noted that many existing members already supported some form of
reorganization. He also found ten other Black blind people in Maryland seeking
membership in the Federation, and he devised a plan for building an integrated
organization. Mr. Graham organized the Black blind people into the Greater Baltimore
Chapter—the chapter where I am an active member today. It is not lost on
me, a blind leader who happens to be White, that Ned Graham paved the way for my
own membership in the chapter; correspondence from the time shows that he
intentionally sought reverse integration as part of his strategy to build the
movement. At the same time, Albert M. Balducci, a blind person employed in the
shipping department at the National Brewing Company in Baltimore, served as
president of the Maryland Council. Mr. Balducci was clearly interested in welcoming
Black blind people to membership in the Council, but correspondence shows that he
was vastly out-voted by the other members. In the early months of 1966, Graham
and Balducci worked collaboratively and with the support of Federation leaders to
develop a new affiliate constitution for the Free State Federation of the Blind
that included both the Maryland Council and the Greater Baltimore organization as
equal chapters. Two highlights of our 1966 Convention banquet were the celebration
of Dr. tenBroek’s return to the Presidency and the powerful and symbolic
appearance of Mr. Graham and Mr. Balducci together to accept the charter for our
reorganized Maryland affiliate.</p> <p>The momentum continued, and the December
1967 issue of the <em>Braille Monitor</em> celebrated our progress in a report
from our Ohio affiliate, noting the first time a Black member was elected to the
office of affiliate president. Reflect on all that is communicated in this short
excerpt: “It is time that we recognize ability and dedication to cause,
without respect to color, Al Smith has proven his capacity for work; he has a
level head; he has an eternal desire to help his fellowmen. In addition to all
this, his wife Amanda and three daughters are 100% back of him.”</p> <p>Our
1968 Convention was notable for many reasons, but arguably the most significant
was the election of the first Black member to the national board. It will be no
surprise that the organizing and political skills of Mr. Ned Graham of Maryland
were celebrated in his election to the Federation’s executive committee,
where he continued to serve until he decided not to run in 1976. In 1968 Maryland
also elected Mr. John McCraw—a Black blind leader who had worked closely
with Graham in organizing the Greater Baltimore Chapter—to serve as president
of the affiliate, which he did until his untimely death in 1978. By no means is
this a complete dissertation of the influence of Black members on our movement,
for that would take much more time than I have tonight. These reflections on who
we have been speak to experiences within our movement today and who we want to be
in the future.</p> <p>Our past tells us that, as a movement of blind people, race
has influenced the development of our organization. This should not be a surprise;
in our nation race has mattered more than our consciousness has always accepted.
We are still learning how to have an intentional dialogue about blindness and
intersecting discriminations. Similarly, America’s current struggles
involving race add complexity to what we seek to achieve within our own membership.
It is not as simple as pointing to examples like Al Smith, Ned Graham, Ron Brown,
Denise Avant, Shawn Callaway, or Ever Lee Hairston to demonstrate that barriers
do not exist for our members with intersecting characteristics. But it is as simple
as committing to learn from the authentic experience of these tenacious leaders
who continue to build together with us. The opportunity and the challenge is to
learn from both the strength of our diversity and our common bonds as blind people.
We know who we are, and we will never go back; together we march forward and learn
from our past.</p> <p>Tonight, I have not shared with you the struggles with some
agencies for the blind, the public’s low expectations about us, the wasted
innovations of technology experts who do not know our real capacities, or our own
internalized misconceptions. All of those barriers are still real, still a concern,
and still at the center of the work we have yet to do. Tonight I am concerned
about the need for us to remain unified in a movement of blind people, to recognize
the strength that comes through our diversity, to understand the power that is
gained from learning from our past, and to embrace the faith that is reflected in
the bonds that bring us together.</p> <p>To those in our membership who have not
felt fully acknowledged in the past, we hear you. We are blind people, and we will
no longer ask you to stand together with us while also asking you to ignore your
intersecting characteristics. We are blind people who are strong enough to both
remain united in our common bond and seek understanding of the social barriers
that impact blind people because of their other characteristics. We regret that
we have not always fully understood how our drive to remain united as blind people
created less space for some to fully participate in our march to freedom. We lift
up in celebration your strength and your commitment to organize on our behalf even
if our space was not always as open as we wanted. We commit to learn from our past
with you, because we are not yet finished. Our progress is real, and our pledge
is “forward together.”</p> <p>To those who feel our recent actions
are taking away our effectiveness to advocate for the blind, we hear you. We will
never go back to a time when the blind do not speak and act for ourselves through
a unified movement. We will also not go back to a time when we do not adequately
represent all blind people. You have taught us to think critically about where we
have been and where we must go together. You have given us the strength and
determination to ensure that we never do go back, that we do not return to a time
when questions of difference divide us. To you, we say that our agenda continues
to be driven by the hopes and dreams of blind people. We have not yet made it all
the way up the hill, and we cannot go the rest of the way without you. We are not
yet finished, and your experience matters as we move forward together.</p> <p>To
those blind people who are quick to blame other blind people for the problems we
face, we challenge you to recognize the truth of our past. We choose to support
each other as blind people because we acknowledge that all of us face the low
expectations that stand between blind people and our dreams. We have supported
each other, taught each other, and lifted each other up. Meanwhile, our nation’s
education programs, rehabilitation system, government structures, and corporate
priorities create real barriers for all blind people. No particular segment of
blind people is at fault for the problems we face. However, a significant number
of overlapping social issues, especially the persistent low expectations society
holds for blind people, stand between us and our dreams. That is a product of the
unfinished America we live in, but we have committed to make it better through
this movement. It starts when we each make the individual pledge to participate
actively in working together to advance our collective purpose—a pledge
that requires us to learn and grow together. As in the past, forward together in
the organized blind movement is the answer.</p> <p>To all of us, united, I reflect
on the truth that has bonded us together since 1940: regardless of what is happening
in our nation or around the world, the strongest force in advancing the hopes and
dreams of blind people is the National Federation of the Blind. This is the
movement—a movement where individual blind people are determined to speak
and act for themselves—a movement where the commitment to join together is
easier than the work to stay together. We, the blind, have found ways to organize
even when we did not have all the tools to institutionalize the principles we
sought to meet. We, the blind, found ways to train ourselves to overcome the myths
and misconceptions and to develop the confidence to believe first and always in
each other. We, the blind, have shared the value of giving back to each other to
build upon what previous generations have gifted to us. We, the blind, have
sustained a nationwide march together with the goal of bringing blind people ever
closer to the top of the hill. Our movement remains unfinished, and our progress
is not yet done.</p> <p>The revolution that we continue to engineer as blind people
is driven by a personal commitment and love for each other in this movement. That
is the kindness that was shown to me when I first came to know the Federation in
1996, and it has impacted every day of my life since that time. We commit not just
our minds to the work but our hearts. The bond of faith that holds us together in
this movement is a recognition that all of us take a risk in coming together. We
risk letting each other down, failing to meet the commitment that is expressed in
our organizational values, and being vulnerable in the process of growing and
learning together in our march. The revolution comes in continuing to trust the
movement to change our hearts and minds by working collectively together. For me,
this has meant that every time I thought I understood blindness and the limits on
our future, the movement pushed me even further. It is because of this movement
of blind people that I have been able to get to know, love, and appreciate a truly
diverse set of people and perspectives. Thank goodness you sought to understand
my own limited viewpoints, granted me the grace of helping me understand the biases
that came from my own experiences, and challenged me to go beyond what society
had taught me about blindness and so many other aspects of humanity. All of us
marching in this movement must continue to do that for each other if we are to
make it to the top of the hill together. Our challenge is not each other nor is
it our diversity. Our challenge is continuing to keep our hearts open to working
together to overcome the common barriers that stand in our way. Yet no challenge
can stand against the strength of our commitment to understand and believe in the
hearts of our coequal marchers in this unfinished movement that is the National
Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>My Federation family, the struggles of society
and race are not new to us. However, we have more power to do something about it
than at any time in our history. We also have more to lose than at any time in
our history. We have known it would not be easy—our march to freedom for
the blind has never been easy. It has taken organization, struggle, compromise,
setbacks, sacrifice, and the limited resources we could gather. “And yet,
the dawn is ours before we knew it.” We have overcome all of the challenges
because we have bonded together in the organized blind movement. Since 1940, we
have not confronted any obstacle that has stopped our progress. We know who we
are, and we will never go back. Together as blind people, we march forward and
learn from our past: a past that is filled with successes and failures, both
informing our future. Our past taught us that we must speak and act for ourselves.
Our present demands that we do the hard work necessary to go beyond where we have
perceived our own limits to be. Our future requires a unified and authentic
blind-led revolution to fulfill the dream. This is the commitment we make to each
other. This is the love, hope, and determination felt in our march. This is the
bond of faith that gives us the strength to overcome the combined forces of social
instability, a pandemic, and persistent barriers preventing our full participation—a
faith that can move mountains and mount movements. Let us go together to find the
blind who have not yet felt our strength. Let us show the world that diversity is
unity. Let us never be divided. Let us go build the National Federation of the
Blind.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Randi Strunk]</p> <h2
id="the-strength-of-a-champion-transforming-federation-spirit-into-personal-progress">The
Strength of a Champion: Transforming Federation Spirit into Personal Progress</h2>
<p>by Randi Strunk</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Randi Strunk is a member of
the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota and is also active in the Sports
and Recreation Division. These things are important, but they only hint at the
depth, warmth, and inspiration she evokes when she speaks from the head and the
heart. Here is one of the most interesting and moving presentations I've ever had
the fortune to hear. I hope you share the same enjoyment from listening to the
refreshing honesty, self-reflection, and insight she puts into these remarks:</strong></p>
<p>Thank you, President Riccobono. I really appreciate the opportunity to address
the convention tonight and just tell a little bit of my story.</p> <p>I've always
loved sports. I may have been one of the few girls who asked for a football helmet
for Christmas; thanks, mom and dad! At six years old, I was lying on the living
room floor listening to Nebraska football games for three hours at a time. I grew
up on a farm in Nebraska, and we were always outside either riding bikes or playing
sports in the yard with my brother: football, baseball, basketball, whatever was
in season. I didn't ever think about not playing because of blindness. Sports was
just what you did.</p> <p>I did have some understanding that it was a bit more
difficult for me with limited vision and no depth perception, but there were
moments that stuck out. For example, I remember playing baseball with my brother.
You wouldn't believe what a good hitter I was, crushing homers off of a seven-year-old.
But one afternoon he hit a ball, and I reached up and to my left, and pop, the
perfect ball meets glove sound. It is so vivid in my mind, even today, and I
thought—that's what it's supposed to feel like!</p> <p>The first time I
played organized sports was in junior high. I went out for volleyball, basketball,
and I ran track. Now for perspective, my graduating class had thirty-six kids in
it, so everyone made the team. There were no tryouts, and there were no cuts.
Sports were one of the only extracurriculars that were offered, and I wanted to
play, and like most kids I wanted to fit in. But I always had an undertone of
anxiety that I would lose the white volleyball against the white gym ceiling or
walls or keeping track of the basketball along with the other nine players running
around the court. I practiced every day and put in the work, but there was a stark
difference from the front yard with my little brother.</p> <p>I ended up in
volleyball on the "C" team. That's right: not the "A" team or the "B" team but
the "C" team. And it was such a small school that we're not talking a lot of depth
here. I began to think that I just wasn't a good athlete.</p> <p>I then played
basketball my freshman year and quickly started to dread it. With each step up in
age and grades, the speed of the game gets so much faster, and as a result, I
increasingly had trouble and worried about keeping track of the ball and everyone
moving around really quickly. I remember a particular drill in practice one day
that really kind of did me in. It involved four lines of players lining up at each
corner of the square. You were to start running diagonally, and then you would
catch a ball coming at you from your right, and then turn and pass it to the person
at the front of the line in the direction you were running. It was very fast,
multiple balls being passed, super chaotic, and I remember walking up to my coach
and telling her that I just couldn't do the drill. I felt pretty defeated at that
point.</p> <p>I finished out the season: you know that whole "If you start something,
you can't quit it" situation, but I hated it. It wasn't all bad though. There was
one highlight. I was put in at the end of a couple of freshmen games, and I remember
dribbling down the court in one of them, pulling up at the top of the key on the
left-hand side, and sinking a shot—my one entry into the scoring column.
I thought to myself, "So that's what it's supposed to feel like."</p> <p>After
basketball I quit sports. I didn't feel like it was worth the work or the stress.
After all, I told myself, I just wasn't an athlete. The only sports that I played
for the next ten years were in video games. I could do those on my own terms.</p>
<p>But a chance conversation changed my view on sports forever. I was at a chapter
meeting in Minneapolis, the Shadow Metro Chapter. I was talking to Michelle Gittens,
and she mentioned to me that she was working out with a trainer who taught "learn
to run" classes. I had no idea how blind people could run, and she told me about
guides and tethers. I never thought about sports being adapted for blind people,
or maybe more accurately I never considered using alternative techniques for
sports.</p> <p>We contacted this trainer, and she agreed to do a learn to run
class for a few Federationists. For our first lesson we met at a park near BLIND,
Incorporated. After a few drills teaching us techniques and where your foot was
supposed to land when you run, we each took a turn to run around the park with
Jenny the trainer guiding us. As I finished my loop she looked toward Ryan and
Emily, and she said that I looked like a natural athlete.</p> <p>Now those are
not words that I expected to hear, and frankly, I didn't believe them. Nothing in
my experience with sports up to this point made me believe that I was athletic.
But I did enjoy running, we got a treadmill, and I started running a few times a
week. I even did a couple of races over the next few years.</p> <p>But one day I
was working out with Jenny, and she mentioned a sport called triathlon. I had no
idea what a triathlon was, let alone how a blind person could do one. So, like
you do, I Googled it, and I saw blind people doing triathlons with their guides.
This was going to be a giant experiment, with me a first-time triathlete and Jenny
a first-time guide.</p> <p>I signed up for my first triathlon in 2015. This was
an Olympic distance triathlon, which is a one-mile swim, a twenty-five-mile bike
ride, and a 6.2 mile run. First I had to learn how to swim—no big deal,
right? The only experience I really had was wading around the edge of a lake or
water skiing, but you wore a life jacket for that. So yeah, that was a big deal.
We also borrowed a tandem bike so we could start training.</p> <p>Race day came
around. We had trained for about six months, and I wasn't sure if I would be one
and done or if I would like the whole triathlon thing. After a good swim and bike,
we embarked on the run. It was a very hot day, so I took Gatorade at one of the
aid stations, and this didn't go well. There is a saying in triathlon; they say,
"Nothing new on race day." I didn't listen to those wise words, so we ended up
having to walk four of the 6.2 miles as I was dealing with terrible stomach cramps.
Despite that, I finished, and I was proud. I was exhausted. But I also thought,
I want to do this again. I can get more fit. I can get faster. I can do this on
my own terms with adaptive techniques like a guide or a tandem bike or a run
tether. I'm in control of this. I'm in control of what I put into it, and it has
nothing to do with blindness.</p> <p>The National Federation of the Blind taught
me never to be satisfied with the status quo. We in the Federation are always
striving for more, whether that be more access or more equality. And through my
involvement with the Federation, I also learned to embrace the idea of doing
something that scares you just a little. It could be running for a position on
your chapter board, organizing a fundraiser, giving a speech at general session
at a national convention maybe. It could mean signing up for a race that's a little
longer than you're used to or going for a swim in a lake instead of the pool. It
could be as simple as going somewhere new, cooking something new, or applying for
that job you're just a little bit nervous about.</p> <p>The Federation taught me
that I should reach a little farther than I thought possible and that I should
want to do that. And it's possible to achieve your goals even if you have to walk
instead of run, and there's a whole community here to support you in that.</p>
<p>Community is also a great part of triathlon. People come to volunteer at race
check-ins or aid stations, and people come out just to watch other people race.
They would come out and brave wind, rain, heat, and standing on their feet for
hours simply to encourage other people. But I see great parallels to the community
we have here in the National Federation of the Blind. We build each other up. We
volunteer to mentor new and prospective members, and we volunteer to do all of
the work that needs to be done for us to achieve our dreams.</p> <p>I'm up here
today because we believe it's important to highlight our own; because when one of
us succeeds, we all succeed. And it is important to share our stories.</p> <p>Let's
flash forward in my triathlon journey to April 28, 2018. As I zipped up my wetsuit
on a calm, clear morning overlooking the lake of the Woodlands in Houston, Texas,
I was nervous but confident. I was about to embark on an Ironman Triathlon. This
is a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run. And you have to do it
within seventeen hours. I knew it would be a long day. I knew I would have to be
flexible. But I knew also that I had a community behind me.</p> <p>We got into
the cool water, and I would be wishing for that for the rest of the day because
it's Texas, after all. Now in Ironman races, the disabled athletes get to start
with the professional women, which means we get a cannon start, which is pretty
awesome. When the cannon roared, we started swimming. Now you can't think of the
140.6 miles that are ahead of you, otherwise you'll get discouraged. I told myself
to stay calm, stay strong, and I repeated that mantra.</p> <p>Since we started
with the professionals, we had ten minutes of glorious clear water around us before
the rest of the racers started. Each time I turned my head to breathe, I heard
things like the singing of the National Anthem or the announcer getting the other
racers fired up to begin their day. With each stroke I felt the water, I listened
to the other swimmers come up around us, and, as Dorie said, I just kept swimming.
It's my guide's job, on the other hand, to make sure we're swimming straight and
to tell me when we need to turn around the buoys that mark the course. She also
makes sure that no one swims over the tether that connects us in the water. I'm
happy to report that my guide Caroline's foot only had to connect with one person's
face on purpose to encourage them to change their course.</p> <p>After the 2.4
miles were complete, we got on our tandem bike and headed out for two loops on
the Hardy Toll Road. Now the advantage of being a blind triathlete: you get someone
to talk to the whole time. The bike course was flat and fast. It was also straight
and kind of boring. But we affectionately called the bike ride a rolling buffet
because you just swam 2.4 miles, so you're starving, and it's easier to digest
food while you're riding than it is while you're running. You try to replace a
lot of calories on the ride and get ready for the run. Let me tell you that an
Uncrustable Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich has never tasted so good along with
the salt and vinegar chips I got half-way through the ride. They were a welcome
distraction from the chocolate energy bars and quickly warming Gatorade that I
had been consuming. Side note: I did actually practice with Gatorade before this
one, so I learned one lesson at least.</p> <p>We finished the bike in good time,
and we headed out on a three-loop run course. Now, we run holding a tether about
eighteen inches long, and my guide calls out turns and changes in the road surface.
The great part about a three-loop course is that each loop seems manageable. The
bad part is seeing the sign for mile twenty right next to the sign for mile three,
especially when you're on mile three.</p> <p>The first eight miles went pretty
well. After that, the eighty-five-degree heat, humidity, and lack of shade in
Texas caught up with me. After all, I had been training inside in the Minnesota
winter, and we had gotten snow a couple of weeks before, so my body was not loving
Texas so much.</p> <p>The run turned into a brisk walk, but that gave us a bit
more time to enjoy all the spectators, many of whom showed up in costume or holding
signs with encouraging phrases such as "You think you're tired? My arms are killing
me." Or "Worst parade ever!" One of my personal favorites: "This seems like a lot
of work for free Gatorade." Finally, "Don't worry, you won't feel your feet at
all tomorrow."</p> <p>As we looped around the final lap, we could hear the music
from the finish line, and we could hear Mike Riley, known as "The Voice of Ironman"
calling the finishers home across the line. Athletes on the course cheered each
other on and encouraged each other because we were all so close to accomplishing
our goal.</p> <p>Finally, after over fifteen hours of swimming, biking, and running,
we made the final turn on to the red carpet. We were under the lights, with the
music blaring and crowds on each side of the road screaming. Caroline and I raised
our arms as we crossed the finish line. And I heard the words that many triathletes
dream of hearing: "Randi Strunk, you are an Ironman!" I hugged my guide, and we
got our finisher medals; by the way, mine is hanging up behind my left shoulder
right now. I was really proud! And I thought: now this, this is what it's supposed
to feel like!</p> <p>----------</p> <h2 id="you-can-make-a-difference">You Can
Make a Difference </h2> <p>Blind children, students, and adults are making powerful
strides in education and leadership every day across the United States. For more
than eighty years, the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform
the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality. With support
from individuals like you, we continue to provide powerful programs and critical
resources for decades to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of
our enduring movement by including the National Federation of the Blind in your
charitable giving and in your estate planning. It is easier than you think.</p>
<p> </p> <p>With your help, the NFB will continue to:</p> <ul> <li><p>Give
blind children the gift of literacy through Braille.</p></li> <li><p>Promote
independent travel by providing free, long white canes to blind people in
need.</p></li> <li><p>Develop dynamic educational projects and programs to show
blind youth that science and math careers are within their reach.</p></li>
<li><p>Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide blind
people the essential information necessary to be actively involved in their
communities.</p></li> <li><p>Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing
vision maintain their independence.</p></li> </ul> <h3 id="plan-to-leave-a-legacy">Plan
to Leave a Legacy</h3> <p>The National Federation of the Blind legacy society,
our Dream Makers Circle, honors and recognizes the generosity and vision of members
and special friends of the National Federation of the Blind who have chosen to
leave a legacy through a will or other planned giving option. You can join the
Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.</p> <h3 id="fixed-sum-of-assets">Fixed
Sum of Assets</h3> <p>You can specify that a fixed sum of your assets or property
goes to the National Federation of the Blind in your will, trust, pension, IRA,
life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other accounts.</p> <h3
id="percentage-of-assets">Percentage of Assets</h3> <p>You can specify that a
percentage of your assets or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind
in your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or
other accounts.</p> <h3 id="payable-on-death-pod-account">Payable on Death (POD)
Account</h3> <p>You can name the National Federation of the Blind as the beneficiary
on a Payable on Death (POD) account through your bank. You can turn any checking
or savings account into a POD account. This is one of the simplest ways to leave
a legacy. The account is totally in your control during your lifetime, and you
can change the beneficiary or percentage at any time with ease.</p> <h3
id="will-or-trust">Will or Trust</h3> <p>If you do decide to create or revise your
will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.</p>
<p>Visit our <a href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving">Planned
Giving webpage</a> or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.</p>
<p>Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue to
transform dreams into reality.</p> <p>Ways to Contribute Now</p> <p>Since the
start of 2020, the NFB:</p> <ul> <li><p>Distributed over eight thousand canes to
blind people across the United States, empowering them to travel safely and
independently throughout their communities.</p></li> <li><p>Delivered audio
newspaper and magazine services to 124,022 subscribers, providing free access to
over five hundred local, national, and international publications.</p></li>
<li><p>Gave over 900 Braille-writing slates and styluses free of charge to blind
users.</p></li> <li><p>Transformed our Braille Enrichment for Literacy and
Learning® Academies into in-home editions offered to blind youth throughout
the United States.</p></li> </ul> <p>Just imagine what we’ll do next year,
and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years to come. Below are just
a few of the many diverse, tax-deductible ways you can lend your support to the
National Federation of the Blind.</p> <h3 id="vehicle-donation-program">Vehicle
Donation Program</h3> <p>The NFB accepts donated vehicles, including cars, trucks,
boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free,
and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation. We can also
answer any questions you have.</p> <h3 id="general-donation">General Donation</h3>
<p>General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to
help blind people live the lives they want. You can call 410-659-9314 and elect
option 4 to donate by phone. Donate online with a credit card or through the mail
with check or money order. Visit our <a href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give">Ways
to Give webpage</a> for more information. </p> <h3
id="pre-authorized-contribution">Pre-Authorized Contribution</h3> <p>Through the
Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the
National Federation of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct
withdrawal of funds from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To
enroll, call 410-659-9314, extension 2213, or fill out our <a href="https://www.nfb.org/pac">PAC
Donation Form</a> online.</p> <p>If you have questions about giving, please send
an email to <a href="mailto:outreach@nfb.org"><span class="underline">outreach@nfb.org</span></a>
or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION:
Kathryn Webster]</p> <h2
id="federation-safe-healing-and-the-transformation-of-pain-into-progress">Federation
Safe: Healing and the Transformation of Pain into Progress</h2> <p>Introductory
Remarks Presented by Kathryn Webster</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: On Friday
evening, July 9, 2021, a good bit of the convention agenda was dedicated to
survivors and our attempt to create a safe place for all people to flourish in
the Federation. The first panel of the evening was chaired by Kathryn Webster,
and these are the introductory remarks she made:</strong></p> <p>Trigger warning:
this presentation will be discussing sexual misconduct and abuse. Please take care
of yourself, step away as needed, and know that you are not alone.</p> <p>The
founder of the Me Too movement, Tarana Burke, asserts: “I don’t want
to miss this moment. It is not always going to be on TV. The media is not always
going to care about what I have to say about sexual violence. When that goes away,
I need you to still care about this. I need you to recognize this is an epidemic,
a pandemic that will not go away by just talking. Speeches and hashtags do not
make it go away.”</p> <p>So, we stand here today, vulnerable, authentic,
and honest, recognizing that this speech may not bring assurance and healing. It
may make you frustrated; it may cause pain because of how raw those feelings are
to you in this very moment. It may demonstrate the love and heart and dedication
so many are working toward within and out of our organization for the benefit of
the blind community. We are here today to be transparent about our work over the
past six months as NFB’s Survivor-Led Task Force and the ways in which we
recommend our organization proceed.</p> <p>My name is Kathryn Webster, and joining
me on this virtual stage is Daphne Mitchell of New Mexico and Briley O’Connor
of Minnesota. In the audience is Cheryl Fields, Marci Carpenter, and Sarah Meyer,
the second half of our hearts who have supported each of us during these difficult
months. We make up the Survivor-Led Task Force, bringing our diverse experiences,
backgrounds, and identities to the table and driving the voice of survivors to
center stage as we all are SURVIVORS.</p> <p>I want to start by sharing some of
the work we have done; then I will pass the mic to Briley and Daphne to present
our collective recommendations as the transition from this interim task force to
the soon established Survivor-Led Group is underway. I want to set the stage by
acknowledging important research that shows people with disabilities are three
times more likely to experience violent victimization than people without
disabilities, and the rates are even higher for women and those with intellectual,
psychiatric, or multiple disabilities. This means that this conversation is even
more relevant within our community. I also want to amplify the fact that only 13
percent of people with disabilities who have been harmed by sexual misconduct and
domestic abuse receive victim services, which further justifies the necessity of
the SAFE fund President Riccobono and our national board will be bringing to the
convention floor for a vote. I strongly urge support on this necessary and proactive
resolution that will only strengthen the trust and help decrease harm for our
survivors.</p> <p>Now to get into our work. On January 1 we were tasked with
advising our national leadership and President on survivorship efforts with the
sky as the limit. We chose to prioritize three efforts or branches: communications
and engagement, procedures and oversight, and training and culture. While these
branches each explored and dove into so many topics, I’m going to hit on
some of the top highlights.</p> <p>Communications and engagement is critical to
this work being successful and maintained—promoting transparency is the
core for building trust. This branch ensured that safety and support conversations
around survivors were brought to over fifty chapter meetings and over ten state
conventions during the spring months, as well as during chapter presidents’
calls, Washington Seminar, and nearly all open forums of Federation work. We helped
build the Code of Conduct FAQ document, created vignettes, which are nuggets of
information shared on our resource page at nfb.org/survivors from survivors
themselves. This branch also worked on ensuring Spanish translation was a priority;
making documents digestible and reader-friendly; pushing announcements and a
calendar of events out on the Presidential Releases, leadership notes, listservs,
and the list goes on. This group developed blog post entries from survivors, spoke
on the Nation’s Blind podcast, and maintained our website page with updates
and resources. Of course, we have been maintaining our email account and voicemail
box to provide consistent support to survivors, and that is still alive and well
for anyone who needs an ear or advice. This branch was the stick to ensuring the
work in progress was spread across our community.</p> <p>Procedures and oversight
was fast at work reviewing policies, working with RAINN, and working with the
Special Committee. We helped develop the obligation of responsible leaders document
that outlines clear expectations our leaders must follow in promoting a no-tolerance
environment against Code of Conduct violations. We also helped to improve the
notification of expulsion and suspension that allows leaders and select members
to be proactively aware of outcomes. We worked to improve the language for report
rulings that notify reporting parties. We advised on the expansion of the background
check process, youth policies, and other organizational policies. Most prominently,
we held three open meetings to gather feedback from the blindness community on
the Code of Conduct itself, as well as the procedures, policies, and communications.
We also hosted a call with our external investigator, Tonya Bana, to put a strong
and honest voice to a name that is working so hard on justice and accountability
for survivors. This branch also worked with RAINN on response protocols for leaders
and members, which will soon translate into training center response protocols
for Code of Conduct violations.</p> <p>Last but certainly not least, our training
and culture branch focused on immediate and long-term training, as well as various
ways to ensure our community promoted a culture of informed consent. This involved
developing a positive blindness philosophy embedded in our trainings around
trauma-informed communication, consent and boundaries, sexual misconduct prevention,
bystander intervention, and other difficult topics. We partnered and learned from
the Consent Academy and know that is a long-term relationship we are grateful for.
We also ensured BELL coordinators, mentors, and volunteers were trained on consent
and boundaries, as well as our youth track participants. We developed a post
level-set training plan to broaden the education opportunities for members and
leaders including topics of unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, consent and
boundaries, trauma-informed communications, and sexual misconduct prevention. The
initial level set training reached nearly eight hundred leaders who serve on
national division boards, affiliate boards, the national board of directors, the
2021 scholarship committee, the NBPCB Board, the national staff, the task force.
It also included training center staff, students, and boards. This is just the
beginning of a commitment to continuous and consistent training. We worked with
the DEI Committee on accountability processes: what that could look like on the
individual level and organizationally speaking. A piece of this was developing an
evaluation for leaders to take post-training that ensured attendance and digestion
of information. As we look ahead, our branch also developed the concept of the
survivor-led group that will be established in the coming weeks, created the
application, and will conduct interviews to recommend our next co-leads. During
national convention, we ensured training was offered nearly every day starting
Tuesday and covering topics of psychological first aid, bystander intervention
and allyship, consent and boundaries, and empowerment for survivors. We also
designated a Zoom room as a safe space for survivors to speak one on one with
trauma-informed individuals if they were feeling triggered or have concerns or
hesitations this week.</p> <p>A big piece of this branch work was behind the
scenes, working with individuals and state leadership on creating safe and welcoming
cultures. These conversations were often the most difficult and rewarding, seeing
pained individuals transforming from constant pain to glimpses of healing and
hope. It has been and will continue to be our hope for restoring trust and
accountability in our organization for all parts of the blindness community as we
represent all blind people.</p> <p>Before we move into our recommendations, I want
to voice so much appreciation for our branch volunteers. They spent many hours
with us brainstorming and problem-solving—both allies and survivors, members
and non-members. Thank you for sharing your perspectives and ideas every week with
us. Thank you to the Consent Academy for partnering with us on trainings; and we
know this is just the beginning of a long collaboration given your incredible
work. Thank you to Bobbi Pompey and Laura Millar for facilitating youth track
consent conversations with our little ones this week. For those who volunteered
your time to help out with our safe spaces, thank you from the bottom of our
hearts. There are so many other thank-yous, but I do want to acknowledge Danielle
Montour, George Stern, Tai Tomasi, and Bobbi Pompey for your truth, your stories,
and your work on this topic. Beyond the incredible panel we just had with your
voices, you each have been instrumental in shaping our vision and direction for
the benefit and safety of survivors within this organization. Your perspectives
and experiences are invaluable.</p> <p>I often get asked why I am doing this hard
work, particularly as a survivor myself. Shannon Cantan, one of our vocal allies
within our organization and a dear friend of mine, shared during a panel earlier
today that he had a difficult choice to make. As an ally, should he leave this
organization to stand with survivors or stay to be part of the transformational
change? When assaulted by a previous state leader in our movement, I had to make
a similar but different choice: Do I leave the organization because a leader
doubted my truth and instead told me to wear more clothes and stop being a baby,
or do I educate them on my own terms and my own time because a single leader or
handful of them are not necessarily indicative of an entire organization? I made
my choice. That choice isn’t for everyone; and no one should feel the
pressure of being involved or leaving. That is your choice, your experience, and
your feelings. They are all valid. Either way, there is work to be done, and those
leaders who diminish the voices of survivors should not and will not be welcomed
into our family, let alone in positions of power.</p> <p>These six months scratched
the surface and accomplished a lot of good, but there is a lifetime ahead of us.
We are here to support survivors in all angles coming from all walks of life. Our
fifty-four recommendations hopefully provide clarity on our perspectives and
thoughts as a task force and shed light on the collective ideas of folks across
the blindness community. We’ve broken these recommendations up into seven
categories. Keep in mind these will be posted on nfb.org/survivors in the next
few weeks so you can see the full breadth. For now, I will hand it over to Briley
to dive in.</p> <p>Editor’s Note: When the Board of Directors decides on
which recommendations will become policy, we will cover them. Until then, please
use the link Kathryn provided to hear this presentation it its entirety.</p>
<p>----------</p> <h2
id="nfb-board-of-directors-statement-regarding-nfbs-constitution-and-code-of-conduct">NFB
Board of Directors Statement Regarding NFB’s Constitution and Code of
Conduct</h2> <p>On July 22, 2021, the National Federation of the Blind Board of
Directors unanimously adopted the following statement:</p> <p>Recently there has
been some discussion in the NFB community regarding whether certain aspects of
the NFB Code of Conduct and actions taken related to the Code violate provisions
of the NFB Constitution. In short, the board believes that it and the President
have been acting fully within the authority granted them by the NFB Constitution.
We also believe our actions have been in the best interest of the organization
and increasingly more supportive of survivors of misconduct.</p> <p>With respect
to the Constitution, the two relevant provisions to this statement are Article V,
Section B, and Article III, Section E.</p> <p>Article V, Section B, says in part:
“The function of the board of directors as the governing body of the
Federation between Conventions is to make policies when necessary and not in
conflict with the policies adopted by the Convention.”</p> <p>Article III,
Section E says in part: “Any member, local chapter, state affiliate, or
division of this organization may be suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined
for misconduct or for activity unbecoming to a member or affiliate of this
organization by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors or by a simple majority
of the states present and voting at a National Convention.</p> <p>With respect to
the Code, the board first adopted it on January 26, 2018, and the Code has been
amended three times since then, at board meetings occurring on December 1, 2018;
April 4, 2019; and December 4 and 5, 2020. On each occasion, the board has
unanimously voted first to adopt the Code and then the subsequent amendments to
it. Additionally, since the Code’s original adoption, there have been four
national conventions. Pursuant to Article V, Section A, the convention is the
supreme authority of the Federation and can reverse any policy or action of the
board. Notably, the convention has not taken any action to reverse or alter the
board’s actions with respect to the Code.</p> <p>Very recently some have
argued that President Riccobono does not have the constitutional power to suspend,
expel, or otherwise discipline members in the Federation and that such power is
only reserved for the board and/or the Convention. The board believes that it and
President Riccobono have acted within their Constitutional authority by adopting
the Code of Conduct and its related processes to carry out their authority to
suspend, expel, or otherwise discipline members. The board has expressly not
relinquished its right to suspend, expel, or otherwise discipline members because
it retains the right to review and potentially reverse any actions taken by the
Office of the President under the Code. It must be noted that the President has
never unilaterally issued any ruling under the Code since its inception.</p> <p>A
concern has also been raised regarding the perception that the Federation’s
board has given decision-making authority to an external investigator. All members
should feel confident in the fact that the Federation has always and will continue
to direct its own efforts. While our organization is a deep source of authentic
expertise related to blind people, we often partner with those with expertise in
other areas in order to best inform our work. In January 2021, the board committed
to engaging an external investigator to conduct independent investigations into
reports of sexual harassment and abuse filed under the NFB Code of Conduct.
Specifically, the external investigator has been charged with determining whether
the conduct reported occurred and whether that conduct constitutes a violation of
the Federation’s Code. Additionally, we have asked the external investigator
to provide recommendations regarding sanctions that should be issued under the
Code based on the investigator’s factual findings in any given matter. The
report and recommendations are reviewed by two members of the board who make
recommendations to the President (or other officer if there is the potential of
a conflict of interest for the President) before a final ruling is issued. The
ruling can be appealed to a three-member panel of the board. At every step, we
take care to review for conflicts and protect the sensitivity of information. This
interim process has worked successfully since that time and is consistent with
the organization’s commitment to be survivor centered, trauma informed,
and fair and equitable. If a member demanded their appeal be considered by the
entire board, it will in fact be considered by the whole board. Regardless, this
board is not prepared to subject survivors to unnecessary steps that may further
the harm already experienced. Thus, the board retains the right to organize the
appeals process in ways that minimize further harm and protect confidentiality.
It must be stressed that this board reserves the right to review and revise any
of these procedures at any time as we receive advice from our experts such as
RAINN, the Special Committee, and our survivor-led taskforce.</p> <p>The board
acknowledges that the Federation’s Constitution does not specifically
contemplate a written Code of Conduct. However, the board’s broad authority
as the governing body of the Federation between Conventions gives it the power to
adopt policies such as the Code of Conduct. Regardless, the board intends to form
a committee to study whether the Constitution should be amended to address
specifically the Code of Conduct or to consider other amendments that better
reflect how the Federation should govern itself to meet current needs and present
day realities. The board has not taken this step yet because we are still in the
process of gathering advice from our internal and external experts. Those who wish
to comment on this topic and provide input to the board should, by September 1,
2021, send an email to <a href="mailto:boardofdirectors@nfb.org">boardofdirectors@nfb.org</a>
or leave a message at 410-659-9314, extension 2263.</p> <p>Additional Resources:</p>
<p>• Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind as Amended 2014</p>
<p>• NFB Code of Conduct</p> <p>• NFB Code of Conduct Frequently
Asked Questions</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Eve Hill]</p> <h2
id="transforming-advocacy-into-votes-the-impact-of-the-federation-on-voting-equality">Transforming
Advocacy into Votes: The Impact of the Federation on Voting Equality</h2> <p>by
Eve Hill</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Eve Hill is a partner at Brown, Goldstein
& Levy. She is a longtime ally of the National Federation of the Blind, and
she speaks with passion, perseverance, and perceptiveness. I always find her
remarks a high point of the convention, and here they are:</strong></p> <p>All
right, I love the walk-on music. Thank you so much, Mr. President, and thank you
all for inviting me to speak with you today. It's such an honor and a privilege
to be here. I'm a white woman with brownish red hair and freckles, and I'm wearing
glasses and a teal jacket and matching necklace. I finally got to get dressed up
today.</p> <p>So some thirty years ago Justin Dart, one of the leaders of the
movement to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, exhorted people with
disabilities to vote as if your lives depend on it, because they do. Now voting
is the cornerstone of our democracy. It's how we choose our leaders who represent
our values. It's how we hold them accountable, how we hold our leaders accountable.
It's how we make our voices heard on the issues that are important to us. It's
also the center of the major civil rights struggles in this country. As the news
shows us every day these days, those struggles are far from over.</p> <p>Blind
people are at the heart of the civil rights struggle for voting equality. Blind
people have faced and continue to face massive barriers to voting. Blind people
face inaccessible or burdensome registration requirements, and they face inaccessible
election websites that prevent them from getting information on elections and
candidates. Blind people face transportation and other barriers to even getting
to the polls. So the lack of convenient polling places keeps blind people from
voting. They face check-in processes that undermine their independence and expose
their addresses and party registrations to public scrutiny. They face the absence
of accessible voting machines in polling places and poll workers who don't know
how to use the accessible voting machines that are there.</p> <p>As a result,
blind people have routinely had to give up the secrecy of their vote and trust
that a third party doesn't intentionally or unintentionally spoil their vote or
cast their vote incorrectly. Over the years the National Federation of the Blind
has steadfastly stood up for the right of blind people to vote and to do so
privately and independently just like sighted voters do. The Federation has
advocated for requirements to provide accessible ballot-marking devices at polling
places, to provide enough ballot-marking devices so blind voter's privacy is
maintained, to train and supervise poll workers in their use, and to make election
websites accessible.</p> <p>A few years ago the NFB's legal team took on the
inaccessibility of absentee voting, which has traditionally relied upon mail paper
ballots that were completely inaccessible to blind people. But because the ADA
covers all state and local government programs including voting and requires those
programs to be equally accessible to blind people as people without disabilities,
the NFB succeeded in both the Fourth Circuit and the Sixth Circuit in establishing
that absentee voting is required to be accessible to the blind.</p> <p>Accessibility
requires an accessible, fillable ballot to be delivered electronically to the
voter so they can use their assistive technology to fill it out online. Numerous
options for accomplishing this are now widely available, including a variety of
professional commercial accessible vote-by-mail systems, some of which are appearing
in the exhibit hall even now. In 2019 the Federation even went forward and notified
every secretary of state in the country of their obligation to make absentee voting
accessible to blind people. Then the Federation, its affiliates, its members, and
its lawyers advocated for most of 2020 with nineteen states to implement accessible
absentee voting in time for the national primaries and November general election.
In a few states we didn't have to sue because we were welcomed, and the state
moved quickly to incorporate accessibility into their absentee ballot systems.
Colorado is one state that responded to NFB's advocacy to improve its voting
systems voluntarily, because elections do have consequences. But sadly, most states
did not listen.</p> <p>Then the pandemic hit, and states all across the country
limited in-person voting and shifted to absentee voting for everyone, leaving
blind people caught between the need to vote as if their lives depended on it,
and risking their lives to vote.</p> <p>As the year went on and the pandemic
continued to make people sick and kill over half a million people, the Federation
could not wait patiently. We kicked into high gear and engaged in legal advocacy
with about a dozen states, and we sued in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, New
Hampshire, Texas, Maine, and Virginia.</p> <p>Given the urgency of the upcoming
presidential election, we sought the extraordinary remedy of preliminary injunctions,
which required us to prove our cases at a hearing very quickly. Many of these
states actually fought us. They said it was too hard to make an accessible electronic
ballot. They argued they didn't have time to get it done in time for the primaries
or the November election. They argued they had to go through slow and complicated
procurement processes, even though emergency processes were available. I actually
said to one of them, "You just bought a bunch of hand sanitizer, and you didn't
have to go through a procurement process." They argued there were security concerns
with delivering electronic ballots, which is not true, and they even argued that
state law prohibited electronic ballots and that the federal law didn't overrule
state law, which is also not true. The ADA tells you to provide accessible ballots,
and it doesn't matter what your state law says.</p> <p>We also faced political
pushback, unfounded security hysteria, dirty tricks and falsehoods, and courts
unwilling to push states to do the right thing. But in each case except Texas the
Federation and its members forced the state to provide some form of accessible
electronic ballot for the November general election. As the president said, over
11,000 people used those ballots just in the states we sued. Even though many of
those states did not do a good job getting the word out about the accessible
ballots or even in some states didn't do a good job of making those ballots really
accessible.</p> <p>In fact, voters with disabilities last year across the board
turned out and voted in larger numbers than in previous years. So the Federation
has showed that if voting is accessible, blind people will turn out to vote, and
every one of those votes mattered. As Barack Obama said, "There's no such thing
as a vote that doesn't matter."</p> <p>So blind people are overcoming the barriers
and voting as if your lives depend on it, because they do! But what next? Well,
in Pennsylvania and Michigan and Virginia, the states have agreed to implement
professional remote accessible vote-by-mail systems. They did it in the November
elections, and they're going to do it in future elections. In New York the state
was required to provide accessible PDF ballots by email, even though that was not
the solution we preferred because of the difficulty of making PDFs accessible
across all platforms. Because of the difficulties both the state had and voters
had using those accessible PDFs in New York, we're negotiating with New York and
trying to get them to implement a professional accessible absentee ballot system
in future elections.</p> <p>In New Hampshire the state implemented a professional
system for November, and we're negotiating with them hopefully to make their
election website accessible and provide a professional remote accessible vote-by-mail
system in future elections. In Maine we sued the state and four major cities, and
they have all agreed now to implement an accessible HTML ballot in future elections
and to allow voters to return their ballots electronically.</p> <p>In Texas, the
unusual one, the court refused to decide our case at all. So we dismissed it, and
we've written a demand letter to a county because now the state says that it has
no control over what the counties do, so we have to sue the counties.</p> <p>But
there are still some remaining issues. Too many states continue to offer no method
of electronically delivering an accessible ballot to blind voters they can mark
on their own computers. Too many states are relying on inadequately accessible
PDF ballots, which make the process difficult both for the voter and the state.
We're preparing to file complaints with the Department of Justice about those
states. Most states don't allow blind voters to electronically return their
accessible ballots, so blind voters must purchase a printer, print their ballots,
get them in the right envelope, sign the envelope, and return the envelope by
mail, usually with the help of another person, which undermines the privacy of
their vote. This is not equal access, and mechanisms such as professional accessible
vote-by-mail systems as well as email and fax exist to accomplish electronic
return. States refusing to allow blind voters to electronically return their
ballots are relying on over-blown security concerns that they could overcome. In
some states they already have overcome those barriers and allow overseas voters
to return their ballots electronically, and the astronauts on the space station
returned their ballots electronically last year. But these states won't allow
blind people the same access.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the major voting bill introduced
in Congress right now doesn't provide for electronic return of ballots for blind
voters, and the NFB has taken this issue on. So instead of us moving forward as
voting rights move forward, blind voters are again at risk of being left out of
voting rights developments.</p> <p>Once again it's up to the Federation and all
of us to get accessible electronic voting offered on a state-by-state basis. So
here's my hope for us. I hope that we will advocate with all of our state and
local voting officials to implement professional, remote, accessible vote-by-mail
systems and methods of electronic return. I hope all of you will share the stories
of your voting experiences trying to use inaccessible voting systems. I hope you'll
contact Valerie Yingling if you're willing to take action to challenge your state's
inaccessible absentee voting system. Getting an equal right to vote has always
been a struggle. It shouldn't be, but it is. But the Federation is up for the
challenge, and as Susan B. Anthony once said, "Someone struggled for your right
to vote. Use it!"</p> <p>The Federation and each and every one of you have struggled
and continue to struggle for the right of blind people to vote equally, privately,
and independently. So above all, I hope you will use that precious right to vote
for the things you care about, the candidates you believe in, and the issues that
are important to your community and your country. Because when we vote, we are
stronger together. Thank you very much.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION:
Bradley Tusk]</p> <h2
id="stronger-future-together-through-a-commitment-to-full-participation-building-the-tools-to-empower-all-to-vote">Stronger
Future Together through a Commitment to Full Participation: Building the Tools to
Empower All to Vote</h2> <p>by Bradley Tusk</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Here
are the remarks President Riccobono used to introduce this innovative and committed
gentleman: "Mr. Tusk has a long history of ventures that he has spearheaded,
everything from capital ventures to political consulting. But what brings him to
our stage today is his work through his family's foundation to really lead the
national campaign to build mobile voting tools for United States elections that
are accessible and secure. And he's using his own private efforts to do this. I
had the opportunity to talk with him about some of his political experience and
how the idea of getting more people to vote is what really drives his interest in
making great policy for the nation." Here is what Mr. Tusk said:</strong></p>
<p>Thanks so much for the introduction and to all of you for giving me the chance
to be with you; it's a tremendous privilege.</p> <p>I spent the first fifteen
years of my career working directly in government and politics. I worked in New
York City at city hall for Mike Bloomberg, I was the deputy governor of Illinois,
worked in the United States Senate in Washington—city government, state
government, federal government, executive branch, legislative branch, ran
campaigns—so I really feel like I've seen government and politics from
pretty much every angle.</p> <p>The main takeaway I had after fifteen years is
that the input shaped the outputs. If you want certain policy outputs, certain
laws or outcomes, the political incentives have to be there and line up with them.
If not, it doesn't happen.</p> <p>Having worked with a lot of politicians over
the course of my career, the conclusion I've reached is they really need the
validation and affirmation that comes with holding office. This may not be true
for 100 percent of them, but generally speaking, being somebody matters so much
to them, it fills this hole in their psyche. They’re always going to put
staying in office ahead of everything else. It doesn't make them bad people. It
makes them human. My guess is that if you look back at the Greek Senate or the
Roman Senate or any other democracy in history, you'd find the same thing: the
people who run for office care about staying in office.</p> <p>About ten years
ago I ran a bunch of campaigns for Uber to legalize ridesharing all over the United
States. At the time, Uber was a small tech startup, and the taxi industry was very
powerful and politically connected. The way that we took them on and beat them
was that we mobilized our customers and said to them, "If you like this service
and want to be able to keep using it, please let your elected officials know,"
and through the app they were able to text or tweet or email or in some way tell
their city council member, their state senator, the governor, the mayor or whoever
it was that they wanted this thing to stick around. A couple million people ended
up doing that, and we won in every single market in the United States. I remember
thinking at the time, <em>Wow, it's not that people are totally apathetic or
disengaged. They just don't necessarily want to do what it takes to go vote in
person</em>.</p> <p>What if you could vote in the way that we just mobilized all
these people to argue for ridesharing? So it was an idea that was kind of in the
back of our heads. Over the succeeding years, blockchain technology really improved,
and it went from being a "Hey, wouldn't this be cool" to "We can do this."</p>
<p>I've been lucky in that in my work in venture capital and technology, I've made
some money, and I put it to good use by creating this mobile voting project. We
kicked off in West Virginia in 2018. Mac Warner, the secretary of state, gave us
our first chance at it. It worked. We've now held twenty elections across seven
different states, where it has been available either for people with disabilities
or for deployed military personnel or both. We've seen states like West Virginia
allow mobile voting to be available for all people with disabilities. We just
heard from Secretary Griswold about Colorado doing something similar, and so far
it has worked. Turnout on average has doubled in mobile voting elections, and the
national cyber security center has audited every single mobile voting election.
Every single one has come back clean.</p> <p>Now, we have to keep improving the
technology, we need to keep making it as secure as possible, but if you look at
all the problems you already see with voting machines and paper ballots, we know
that no system is perfect, and we know that mobile voting has the potential, as
Mark said, to both make it radically easier for people to cast their ballot and
be more secure than any other system.</p> <p>Now the use case for the blind is
obvious to everyone here, which is you should be able to vote with complete privacy
and enjoy the same rights that every American has when it comes to voting, and
you should be able to do that by using the same technology that helps you do so
many other things all day long. You should be able to vote on your phone. It's
really hard for anyone to argue that shouldn't be the case.</p> <p>Yet this is
still an uphill climb. That's why our work with the NFB has been so meaningful to
us, and we're so grateful for your partnership. To us, the use case for the blind
is obvious, but the use case for everyone is obvious, which is, we have a government
that simply doesn't work. It can't function because all the incentives to staying
in office are aligned toward dysfunction.</p> <p>Just take this as a random example:
say you're a Republican congressman from Florida, and by the way, this applies
equally to both parties. Turnout in your primary is 12 percent. Because of
gerrymandering, the only election that matters is the primary. The general election
is a foregone conclusion. Of that 12 percent who turnout in the primary, half in
this example are NRA members. You may know if you're this Congressman that people
shouldn't be able to walk in off the street and walk out with an AK-47. You may
look at shootings in schools, churches, and Walmarts across the country and say,
"I've got to do something about this." But, at the end of the day, you also know
that if you were to vote for an assault weapons ban that in the next primary you
would lose your seat, and your political career would be over, and you're not
willing to do that. This is true of people in both parties at every level of
government—municipal, county, state, federal.</p> <p>The problem isn't
them; the problem is us. We either expect there to be a transformational leader
who will just fix all of it—everyone who runs for president promises that,
and it never happens, or we expect our politicians to act outside their own
self-interest. They've never done that before; they're never going to do that
going forward.</p> <p>But take this same example in Florida, and imagine if the
turnout in the primary were forty or fifty percent simply because everyone could
vote on their phone. If you look at all the polling around assault weapons, you
would see that the majority of people don’t think it should be that easy
to obtain one. So, as a result, the same member of Congress who voted against the
assault weapons ban to stay in office with 12 percent turnout in the primary now
with fifty percent turnout in the primary is voting for it for the same reason,
to stay in office. We change their political self-interest, and by doing that we
change the outcome of the law itself.</p> <p>We don't have to have a government
that can't make decisions. We don't have to have a government that can't agree on
anything. We don't have to have a government that can't get things done. We don't
have to have a democracy that focuses only on the needs of a few—either
the ideologues who vote in every primary or the special interests who have been
able to move money and votes in primaries. We don't have to have a system where
no one can succeed, but it requires change, the kind of change that you guys are
thinking about here that requires thinking differently.</p> <p>Look, all the people
who like things the way they are aren't going to say "Yes, I prefer to keep my
power the way it is. I don't want anyone else to vote." They say, "It's not secure;
it's not safe. We'd love to make it easier to vote, but we just can't do it because
we just can't take the risk." You see that right now in the debates over new voting
laws in places like Georgia or Texas. That's what they're going to say with you
too; that's what they're already saying. "Sure, we would love mobile voting, but
we can't do it simply because it's too risky." That's just not true. We've already
seen that in seven states and twenty jurisdictions, and people with disabilities
can now tell you that firsthand in places all across the country.</p> <p>So we
need to keep working on the technology to make sure that it's secure, that it
works, and that it's as robust as anything out there. We've got to keep working
on legislators around the country to follow West Virginia's lead, follow Colorado's
lead, make mobile voting available for all people with disabilities. We've got to
build a movement that's willing to demand that it become easier to vote. This is
only going to happen if millions of Americans step up and say, "I ought to be able
to vote this way. It's secure, it's safe, and the only reason I'm not allowed to
is because the people in power don't want to lose power.” That is not an
acceptable reason to prevent progress and change.</p> <p>We've got to do it quickly
because right now we're living in a world in which every policy ends up being a
failure. Every kind of political cycle ends up imploding in some way, and every
time that we can't get something done—can't rebuild our bridges and roads
because we can't pass an infrastructure bill, we can't figure out who is and isn't
a legal American because we can't resolve immigration, we can't figure out how to
make health care affordable or education more accountable or have higher
standards—all of that is because the incentives in the system right now
are designed to prevent things from happening. That's because turnout is low, and
that's because it's simply too hard to vote, unquestionably for the blind, but in
reality, for everybody. We can't keep letting that happen.</p> <p>Yes, this is a
hard problem, and it's a tough project. Technology can be really hard. Building
movements, as you know better than anyone, is really hard, but you've done it
successfully, and hopefully we can do it together again here. This is really the
only way forward to a democracy that truly works, a government that truly functions,
to a country that can finally solve problems like climate change or guns or
education or health care, or immigration or so many others. The way we're going
as a country right now just isn't sustainable. You can't fail to get anything done
for decades on end and expect to stay together as a successful country.</p> <p>I
don't know that we can even last as one country if we don't find a way to change
things. I truly believe that mobile voting is the way to change it. That's why
I've put my money and my time and my connections and whatever else I have to offer
into this movement, because I believe that it's the only way to save our democracy,
the only way to make voting far easier and more accessible for people with
disabilities and people all across our country. So I'm really just here to say
thank you. You guys have been a tremendous partner to us. We've been working
together in lots of different states to try to make people listen and understand
why this is so important. And you guys have been among our best partners in the
whole country. So the main point was just to say thank you to all of you: thank
you for your partnership, thank you for listening, thank you for being part of
this movement. We're going to keep fighting for you, and we're really grateful to
be doing this with you.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Senator Tammy
Duckworth]</p> <h2 id="interview-with-senator-tammy-duckworth">Interview with
Senator Tammy Duckworth</h2> <p>by Mark Riccobono</p> <p><strong>From the Editor:
Senator Duckworth is from Illinois, a veteran who served in Afghanistan, and
sustained life altering injuries while there. She was unable to appear in the
timeslot provided on the agenda, so this interview was prerecorded. Here is the
question-and-answer session she and President Riccobono enjoyed:</strong></p>
<p><strong>President Riccobono</strong>: Well Senator Duckworth, thank you very
much for joining the National Federation of the Blind convention.</p> <p><strong>Senator
Duckworth</strong>: It's so good to be here; thank you.</p> <p><strong>President
Riccobono</strong>: I appreciate the opportunity to ask you some questions. I know
your time is limited, so I'm going to jump right in. You have many important
characteristics that you bring to the table in your capacity as a member of the
United States Senate. Yet you are the only United States Senator with a visible,
physical disability. Can you talk to us a little bit about how that informs your
work and how it impacts the way that your colleagues perceive you as a member of
the Senate?</p> <p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>: Well, thank you. Yes,
because I am a wheelchair user, it's very clear that there is one of these senators
who is not like the others. I'm the one senator that's visibly not like the other
ninety-nine. I don't think it has changed how my colleagues perceive me in the
Senate, but once you make it into the Senate, everybody knows the tough road it
took to get here.</p> <p>But it is interesting in that I've had to spend a lot of
time, ever since I was elected to the House of Representatives, educating my
colleagues because they do so many things here just because that's how we've always
done them. I remember the first day that I was in the House of Representatives,
and we had the freshmen members' orientation. They picked the restaurant, and they
picked a restaurant with a second floor, and they held it in the private room
because that's where they've always held the freshman orientation. But there's no
elevator to get there. So, once I got there, it's like, okay, how do I get in
there? Nobody had ever even thought about it, which is crazy because we spent a
lot of time educating everybody that, hey, I'm going to have these needs. They
would hold things in townhouses. Washington DC has lots of townhouses where you
have to walk up stairs to get to them. So a lot of it is just a process of educating
people and saying that, if you invite me to go someplace and I get there and it's
not accessible, I'm leaving; I'm not crawling upstairs for you, even though I
could do it. I have figured out that actually gives me a bigger voice on issues
of disability because I can demonstrate that I know the issues, and this isn't
just anecdotal. I think it actually gives me more weight in many ways in my
arguments and in my conversations with my colleagues. In some ways it's actually
an advantage.</p> <p>But I tell you that they're often astonished by the challenges
I face just to come to work every single day. One of the things that we do that
is an important part of our job is we senators represent the United States overseas.
Recently I was going on a trip to South Korea, and one of my Republican colleagues
was going with us. "Why don't we just go in mil-air? It's so much easier, Tammy;
you don't have to go through all of the other immigration and all of that. You
can just go from one military base to another."</p> <p>I looked at him and said,
"It's because mil-air is not wheelchair accessible," and it never occurred to him.
"I can't use the bathroom on the mil-air, so if you want to put me on a flight
for nine hours, and I can't use the bathroom, I'm not going."</p> <p><strong>President
Riccobono</strong>: Yeah, yeah, yeah.</p> <p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>:
People don't even understand the challenges that someone who has a disability
faces just to get up and get out the door of your house to go to work.</p>
<p><strong>President Riccobono</strong>: It's so powerful that you're there to do
that, and it's even more powerful that you have to do the same thing that, well,
all of us have to do on a daily basis as people with disabilities. So thank you
for being there to do that extra lift there in the Senate.</p> <p>Speaking to your
authenticity on issues, we noticed that on March 2nd you introduced a resolution
along with Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton to make the Prologue Room at the
FDR memorial accessible, including proper tactile Braille there. This is certainly
a work of yours that we very much appreciate. Can you tell us a little bit more
about your work to make sure that the memorial is fully accessible?</p>
<p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>: Oh, absolutely. Well, first of all, the
FDR Memorial is a good start, but we can't stop there, right? The national parks
belong to all of the American people. Whether or not you walk, use a wheelchair,
read Braille, or listen, or—you know it doesn't matter—they belong
to all of us, so they must be accessible to all of us. Our national parks need to
be accessible to everyone.</p> <p>But I did think it was important to acknowledge
the important role that the disability community played in ensuring that future
generations knew about FDR and that he led the United States during the Great
Depression and World War II while dealing with his own disability. There's still
a lot of issues with that memorial, including the lack of legible Braille, and I
will continue to press every administration, including the current one, on how
they are addressing this issue, because they know it's a problem. The National
Park Service knows this is a problem. I also plan on working with the National
Park Service on making all of its monuments and all of its parks accessible. This
includes its websites, for crying out loud. I mean this is 2021. It's not like we
just invented the web. By the way, it's thirty years since the passage of the ADA;
come on, people.</p> <p><strong>President Riccobono</strong>: Yeah, well we agree
with you 100 percent in the National Federation of the Blind and on websites and
mobile applications. Of course, they're needed in so many areas, not just national
parks, but education, employment, travel, healthcare, and in so many other areas
as you pointed out. We already know that the vast majority of these sites include
accessibility barriers, certainly for people who are blind. As you've already
demonstrated, this is an issue that you take seriously and that you've been working
on pushing improvements in. Can you talk to us a little bit about your interest
and work to promote increased web accessibility?</p> <p><strong>Senator
Duckworth</strong>: Oh, absolutely. Well part of this is because of my own
experience. When I was first wounded and recovering at Walter Reed, I couldn't
use my arms. I had to go through a lot of therapy in order to use my left hand,
and we weren't sure that I was going to get to save my right arm. Eventually we
did. I was in limb salvage for a number of years, and I'm always under threat of
losing my arm due to infection, persistent infection. I say that because early on
at Walter Reed I had to learn to use assistive devices to use web pages. I had to
learn to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and I just found that, even as someone with
sight but not able to type and use my hands at the time, I found webpages incredibly
difficult to navigate. You know it's been eleven years since the Advanced Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking came out regarding web accessibility under Title II and
Title III of the ADA, and there's still no regulation. I know government can move
slowly, but this is ridiculous. Given how much Americans rely on the internet and
on mobile apps, addressing this issue now is critical to ensuring equal access
under the law for people with disabilities. It's that simple!</p> <p>I will tell
you that before her confirmation I did meet with Kristen Clarke, who now heads up
the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, and at that meeting I asked
her for her commitment not only to hire a deputy assistant attorney general focused
on disability rights but also her commitment that DOJ will prioritize its efforts
to issue these very important regulations. We can legislate this as well; we can
write the laws and pass them here, but it also makes sense to lean on the
administration to do the right thing, because they can do it; they just have to
push to do it.</p> <p><strong>President Riccobono:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. We
agree with you completely. What can blind Americans do to help with this problem
and make this change move in government?</p> <p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>:
Well, several things: just making sure your voices are heard, talking to your
legislators, and you know even those who are friendly like myself—I would
love to get your letters, your phone calls on my answering machine—we still
even accept faxes, emails, all of that—we need to hear from you. Everyone
needs to hear from you so that your congress people, your senators know that, Oh
my Gosh, this is a really important issue. You can go to the White House and start
a White House petition. If you get enough signatures on that, they have to deal
with it; they have to respond to it. I'll have to check, but I think it's 100,000
signatures? But you need to make your voices heard, because then I can go onto
the floor and say "You know what? I've heard from five thousand people in this
last month alone on the fact that we still need to have a rulemaking on accessibility
for web pages." Keep exercising your rights as an American and holding those of
us who are elected accountable. Reach out to us, talk to us, even the ones who
are friendly, because then I can go and say, "Hey, I've got five thousand letters
on this, and I'm going to continue to push this because this is important to my
constituents.”</p> <p><strong>President Riccobono</strong>: I love the
contrast of getting five thousand faxes about web accessibility. So let's flood
the Duckworth fax machine on web accessibility, but, of course, all the other
members of Congress as well.</p> <p>Switching gears, both the National Council on
Disability and the United States Commission for Civil Rights have recommended that
subminimum wages for people with disabilities be phased out of law in the United
States. Obviously, we in the National Federation of the Blind believe that low
expectations are one of the biggest problems we face. You've already talked a
little bit about how you have been conquering low expectations in your political
career. Can you talk to us a little bit more about that, and then tell us if you
support the phase out and elimination of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards
Act?</p> <p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>: Yes, I do. In short, the subminimum
wage has got to go. Especially in 2021 it is outdated, and it is unjust, plain
and simple. There are lots of examples where people with disabilities, working in
competitive and integrated employment settings, are doing so in a successful way
and in a profitable way for those companies; so it can be done.</p> <p>I'll give
you an example. Chicago Lighthouse Industries, which is an associated agency of
the National Industries for the Blind—they pay fair wages. There are no
problems there. We must guarantee that people with disabilities can access employment
opportunities that will provide them full and fair compensation for their hard
work. We don't need to create a second class of citizens! That's why I did cosponsor
Senator Casey's Transformation to Competitive Employment Act last Congress, and
I am a proud cosponsor of the current Raise the Wage Act, which would increase
the federal minimum wage for individuals with disabilities in early phases and
help 14(c) participating employers and employees transition out of the subminimum
wage program. It's wrong, we need to get rid of it, and it's long past time that
we did so.</p> <p><strong>President Riccobono</strong>: Thank you very much. We
of course agree with you. I think your stance on this is one that sings with the
blind of America, and we appreciate your leadership in pushing these bills
forward.</p> <p>I know we have only a little bit of time left before you have to
go and do some of the other important work that you need to do. I just want to
ask you two more questions. Our convention is the largest gathering of blind people
anywhere in the world on an annual basis. If you have one thing to say to blind
Americans at our gathering here today, what would that be?</p> <p><strong>Senator
Duckworth</strong>: That you're equal to everyone! You were talking about low
expectations; don't accept those low expectations. Sometimes we get normalized
into how we are treated, and that is not the fault of the person with the visual
impairment; that is the fault of society, and we have to push back. I know it can
be tiring, but I will tell you that it is important to push back. Sometimes you
think that “I just don't want to cause a scene; I don't want to be a problem;
I just want to do my job and keep on going.” Sometimes you have to cause
a scene! That's how things happen; that's how we founded this country. We caused
a scene by throwing some tea into the harbor, so I think that, please, you know,
speak up and know that you have allies everywhere. You have an ally in me. You're
not doing it on your own, even if you are dealing with one very particular situation.
Know that there are allies all over this great nation that will stand with you.
Frankly, you are fighting not just for yourselves, but for others within the
disability community and even for people who have yet to develop a disability.
You know it was the disability community that fought for my rights as a person
with a disability when I was perfectly fit and flying helicopters. I did not know
that I was going to need the ADA's protection for most of my life, and yet, here
I am. Thank God there were members of the disability community, like Martha Bristow
and all those wonderful folks who fought for my rights before I even needed them.
There are a lot of Americans right now who may even be opposing the work that
you're doing who will develop a disability one day, and they will be thanking God
that you were there to fight for these rights even when they were opposing them.
So keep it up because you are doing incredibly important work that makes our nation
better. It moves us toward that more perfect union that we all strive for but have
yet to achieve. So thank you for doing the work.</p> <p><strong>President
Riccobono</strong>: And thank you. Cause some good trouble. We like to say that
you should hope you live long enough to be a blind person because if you live long
enough you will be a blind person.</p> <p>So last question: There's a lot of blind
people out there, and they may be inspired by you to help make it more than just
one out of one hundred members of Congress. What would you say to blind people
who are interested in serving in public office but maybe they're a little hesitant
about getting in the mix?</p> <p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>: Do it, do
it, jump in and do it. You don't have to start with running for the US Senate.
You can actually start off by running for smaller, local, more manageable offices.
There are things like your local library board of trustees: you know who decides
what books kids read? The local library board of trustees. So you could actually
effect the availability of Braille, the availability of audio books, the availability
of services in local public libraries for kids, for adults who have vision
impairment. You can run for your local town trusteeship; you can run for the PTA.
You don't have to run for US Congress or the US Senate, but if you do and you're
interested, call me, I'll help. But start somewhere, because the change has to
start not just from the top down but from the local up. You can make a difference
in the world even at your local level. Do it!</p> <p><strong>President
Riccobono</strong>: Great, thank you very much. Do it, do it and cause good trouble.
Yeah I like it. So Senator, I know that you have to get to the business of the
United States Senate. We appreciate you taking the time to be with us and the
organized blind movement here. I want to say on behalf of our Illinois affiliate
and really all of our affiliates across the nation that we appreciate your authentic
leadership in the United States Congress. I suggest you remind your staff to refill
the fax machine, because I think you're going to hear from our folks, and mostly
what you're going to hear is appreciation for your leadership on issues that impact
our lives as blind Americans. So thank you for your time.</p> <p><strong>Senator
Duckworth</strong>: Thank you. We have an answering machine too, so you can also
just leave a message on that as well.</p> <p><strong>President Riccobono</strong>:
We agree with you about web accessibility. Eleven years is a century in terms of
the internet, so thank you for that.</p> <p><strong>Senator Duckworth</strong>:
Thank you. Thank you, take care.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Jose
Gaztambide]</p> <h2
id="innovating-mapping-technology-a-mission-built-on-the-experience-of-the-blind">Innovating
Mapping Technology: A Mission Built on the Experience of the Blind </h2> <p>by
Jose Gaztambide</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Like all of the presenters, Jose
was introduced with music, and his song was “I'm the Map." Here is the
tremendous message he brings about real, life-changing technology, not just for
the blind but for everyone and with the added advantage that this is another
innovation created by and because of blind people. Here is what he says about the
mission of his company and the tremendous advances in travel and safety it
portends:</strong></p> <p>Thank you so much, President Riccobono. I had heard
stories of the intro music, but I had no idea what to expect. But oh, what an
entrance.</p> <p>Thank you so much for having me. This, as President Riccobono
mentioned, is my first time addressing the convention, and it's a real honor and
a real thrill to be here with you guys.</p> <p>This is likely your first time
hearing about GoodMaps and hearing my name. I'm going to start today off by giving
you a brief introduction about us and what we do in our work day-to-day. I then
want to tell you a little bit about our beliefs and the way that those beliefs
guide our work and the way that we're building our company and partnering with
companies throughout the world. Finally, I want to give you a sense of what to
expect over the next year between this convention and next convention. What can
you expect out of GoodMaps? I'm excited to let you know what the future holds.</p>
<p>A brief introduction to GoodMaps: We were born out of the American Printing
House for the Blind, and we are really the spiritual successor to the indoor
navigation work that APH pioneered for so many years. APH decided to carve that
work out of the technology product research team and make it a truly dedicated
effort as an external organization.</p> <p>One of the very first things we realized
both as part of APH's experience and the feedback that we heard from other friends
in the field was that the real bottleneck to accessible navigation and to making
it possible for you to navigate with confidence and independence any venue you
enter is not any particular application. It is actually the existence of indoor
mapping data. Your navigation journey ends when you get to the door of the building
that you're attempting to enter. The reason for that is because, even though we
have mapped the outdoor world many times over, we've barely begun the process of
mapping the indoor world. That's really where our mission statement begins: we
are out to map the indoors and to make that mapping data available to anybody who
needs it.</p> <p>So whether you're entering your local grocery store, your shopping
mall, your airport, or your place of work, we believe that everyone should have
the tools to navigate with independence and confidence. We are using today's
technology, which includes LiDAR [light detection and ranging], augmented reality,
artificial intelligence, and particle filtering to drastically increase the number
of mapped buildings in this country and throughout the world. But in addition to
that, we're doing so, providing an unmatched accuracy that does not burden the
building and does not burden the end user with any incremental hardware. There's
no beacons or no extra devices to purchase. This works on your smartphone, whether
you're an iOS user or an Android user. We think that's a critical component to
equity and to making sure that everybody has access to what we're building.</p>
<p>Let me get down to some of our beliefs because I think these are really important
in terms of what you can expect from us and the kind of company that we're trying
to build. The very first one is that this should be free to users. There's no
reason that you should be paying for data that everybody else gets free. Our
commitment to our users is that we will never charge the end user for access to
this technology. We don't think that's ethical or right.</p> <p>The second belief
that's really core to the way that we operate is that a rising tide lifts all
boats. So if you remember as I was talking about the genesis of GoodMaps and how
we started to focus on mapping the indoors, we came to the realization that the
indoors has effectively not been mapped, so we set about solving that issue; how
do we map the indoors?</p> <p>If we're successful in mapping the indoors, then it
is irresponsible and in fact immoral for us to not share that data with all of
the other accessible navigation apps and providers that are out there. We have
developed a particular experience that we are proud of and that is data driven,
but we know that there is a range of preferences among users and that you perhaps
would prefer to navigate with BlindSquare or prefer to navigate with Right Hear
instead of GoodMaps. We think that's okay.</p> <p>One of our commitments and one
of our priorities is to make our mapping data available to any accessible navigation
company free of charge. We think that's an important part of making sure that this
technology can find its way into your hands in whatever way it is that you choose
to engage in it.</p> <p>Finally, we think it is really important to offer services
beyond accessibility that embed accessibility. What does that mean? When we think
about the core technology that we offer, it is the mapping data, it is the ability
to identify where a person or an object is within that map and then to help navigate
them from A to B or make them aware of what's around them. That core technology
and those abilities that I just described can be used by a multitude of people in
a multitude of ways. What that does is allow us to get a yes from a venue who
might not have the accessibility budget to invest in making its space more accessible
but does have a safety budget or does have a facilities budget we can use. But to
make that really concrete, we're working with the University of Massachusetts
Boston, which is going to be the very first user of what we are calling GoodMaps
Response. GoodMaps Response is a mapping service that is specifically focused on
first responders and emergency personnel so that as they're entering emergency
situations, they can be made aware of all of the things that are around them that
can help inform the way that they respond to that situation.</p> <p>When we first
approached UMass Boston, there was no accessibility budget, despite the fact that
they really wanted to incorporate this kind of technology within its campus. But
by offering a value proposition that went beyond accessibility and allowed campus
safety and allowed facilities to partake in the project and to support the project,
we were able to bring accessibility along. That's really core to our belief in
the way that we are building this company. We think of ourselves as a universal
navigation provider in enabling safety within spaces.</p> <p>What can you expect
from GoodMaps in the year to come? We have more and more buildings coming online
every single week including the headquarters of the National Federation of the
Blind, which we're extremely proud of and which will be online in the coming weeks.
We also have a range of really exciting partnerships that we'll be able to announce
over the coming weeks and months with a range of companies, the large tech giants
that you know and tolerate and the small ones as well, a lot of the accessibility
companies that you probably use in your day-to-day life. As I mentioned before,
we are a rising tide lifts all boats kind of company, so we're eager to partner
and eager to pool resources to work on our collective missions.</p> <p>Finally,
our navigation app—GoodMaps Explorer—we continue to develop and roll
out new features every week and every month to make navigation easier, more
intuitive, and more accessible for everybody.</p> <p>Please give us a follow on
social media, join us at GoodMaps.com, and join our mailing list so you can stay
up to date. I want to thank all of you for your time, to NFB for the invitation
to address the convention, and President Riccobono for the invitation and all of
his support over the last couple of years. Thank you so much.</p> <p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Sharon Maneki]</p> <h2
id="the-transformative-power-of-the-2021-convention-resolutions">The Transformative
Power of the 2021 Convention Resolutions</h2> <p>by Sharon Maneki</p> <p><strong>From
the Editor: The convention is a wonderful experience for almost everyone who
participates in it, but that participation can be real work. No one knows this
better than our chair of the Resolutions Committee, but every year she seeks out
people wanting to help shape Federation policy, works with them to get their
thoughts into a form that will pass muster as a resolution, oversees the deliberations
of the committee, presides over the reading of the resolutions to the convention,
and then writes an article giving us both the 30,000 foot view and the specifics
of each resolution. Here is her offering that summarizes what we did in passing
resolutions in 2021:</strong></p> <p>In the Federation we are fond of saying that
we transform dreams into reality. The thousands of speeches and articles written
by our members attest to the truth of this mantra. Many members also view the
convention as a time of transformation. The theme of the convention was Stronger
Together: Transforming and Unifying Our Future. With the exception of general
session IV, the business session, all of the general sessions had several items
with some form of the word transform in the title. For instance, in general session
III, six of the eight agenda items use some form of the word in the title. One
example was the title of Randi Strunk's presentation "The Strength of a Champion:
Transforming Federation Spirit into Personal Progress." It is most appropriate to
think about the transformative power of our resolutions.</p> <p>Any member of the
Federation may submit a resolution for consideration by the National Federation
of the Blind Resolutions Committee. The National Board of Directors decided to
put up the resolutions on the NFB website before the committee meeting on July 7.
Consequently, the deadline for submitting resolutions was moved to thirty days
before the committee meeting instead of the two weeks that had for some time been
our tradition. These changes enhanced the resolutions process by increasing
transparency and by giving the membership more time to study the issues and lobby
the committee. I was honored to chair the committee and was ably assisted by
Patricia Miller, who has been part of our national staff for thirty-five years.</p>
<p>The Resolutions Committee considered eighteen resolutions and sent sixteen of
them to the convention for further consideration. Resolution 2021-18, concerning
remote voting at NFB virtual and in-person conventions, was withdrawn by the
author, Aaron Espinosa from California. Raul Gallegos, the newly elected president
of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, wanted the opportunity to work
directly with the International Guide Dog Federation, so his resolution was also
withdrawn. Some form of Resolution 2021-12, concerning the inadequacies of the
International Guide Dog Federation Standards, may be resurrected for consideration
at a future convention.</p> <p>On July 10, at session IV of the convention, the
membership voted to pass all sixteen resolutions. Having a virtual convention did
not dampen the spirit of debate. At least six resolutions were fully debated by
the membership. Registered Federationists used our telephone voting system to vote
for or against each resolution. The convention passed eight resolutions that may
transform the lives of individual blind people, three resolutions that may transform
the accessibility of websites and software, and five resolutions that may transform
government regulations and programs. Let us examine the transformative power of
these resolutions.</p> <h3 id="transforming-the-lives-of-individuals">Transforming
the Lives of Individuals</h3> <p>In his article "Changing the World One Ballot at
a Time" that appeared in <em>The Hill</em> on April 16, 2021, President Riccobono
stated: "In his 1988 children's novel <em>Matilda</em>, celebrated author Roald
Dahl penned the line 'Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.'
When applied to voting, this sentiment becomes doubly relevant. To have the power
to change the world, we must first have the power to make our voices heard through
a ballot." To make our voices heard, the convention passed two resolutions about
voting that will transform the voting experience for blind voters. Lou Ann Blake,
the director of research at the Jernigan Institute, who spends a great deal of
her time studying the elections process throughout the country, proposed Resolution
2021-02. In it we demand that state and local governments eliminate barriers that
make it difficult for blind and disabled voters to exercise their right to vote.
Such barriers include requiring medical documentation of a disability and denying
access to voters with disabilities by limiting the number or location of early
voting or election-day polling places.</p> <p>In Resolution 2021-09, "this
organization demand that all United States jurisdictions provide accessible
electronic ballot delivery and return for all federal, state, and local elections
starting with the 2022 election cycle." Marcus Soulsby, a longtime Federationist
who is the newly elected president of the NFB of West Virginia, sponsored this
resolution. Marcus explained that West Virginia has both electronic ballot delivery
and return, which is important since more people are choosing to vote by mail.
Electronic ballot delivery and return enables blind voters to cast their ballot
privately and independently, thus guaranteeing that their ballot remains secret.</p>
<p>Think about how much the lives of individual blind people may be transformed
when Resolution 2021-01 is fully implemented. This resolution states "home-use
medical devices are becoming more prevalent and less accessible to blind Americans."
We urge "the United States Congress swiftly to consider and pass the Medical Device
Nonvisual Accessibility Act, thereby ensuring and protecting the independence,
safety, and health of blind Americans." Jennifer Bazer, the newly elected president
of the South Carolina affiliate, who also directs youth transition programs,
introduced this resolution.</p> <p>Ruth Sager, president of both the national
Seniors Division and the NFB of Maryland Seniors Division, has a great deal of
knowledge about the frustration that newly blind people experience because they
do not know about the NFB or how they can learn the alternative techniques of
blindness. To solve this problem, Ruth sponsored Resolution 2021-08. In it we urge
the governing bodies of various medical professional organizations and the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to work with us "to ensure
that medical professionals know that they have an obligation to inform their
patients about adjustment to blindness resources and the benefits of the positive
philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind."</p> <p>Vernon Humphrey and
Justin Salisbury proposed two resolutions that will have a transformative effect
on blind veterans by exposing them to the influence of positive blind role models.
Master Sergeant Humphrey, United States Army Retired, is the president of the
National Association of Blind Veterans and an active member of the NFB of Georgia.
Justin Salisbury is the first vice president of the NFB of Vermont, second vice
president of the National Association of Blind Students, and won a national
scholarship in 2011. In Resolution 2021-03, "this organization urge the United
States military to amend its policies to allow blind people to enlist in military
service and to provide more opportunities for service members who become blind to
remain on active duty."</p> <p>Currently, the United States Department of Veteran
Affairs hires only rehabilitation personnel who have been certified by the Academy
for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
Obtaining orientation and mobility certification from ACVREP continues to be
problematic for blind applicants, thus marginalizing blind people. The National
Blindness Professional Certification Board, by contrast, treats blind and sighted
applicants equally. In Resolution 2021-13, "this organization strongly urge the
Department of Veterans Affairs immediately to amend its human resource policies
to accept certifications issued by the National Blindness Professional Certification
Board."</p> <p>The convention passed two resolutions that will enhance a blind
person's ability to travel independently and safely. Resolution 2021-06 will
benefit blind people who travel using a guide dog. The resolution reads in part:
"this organization condemn and deplore the seizure of any guide dog by any guide
dog training program without proper due process." The resolution provides various
examples of the meaning of due process such as what constitutes a real appeal.
Raul Gallegos, president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, and Mike
Hingson sponsored this resolution. Michael is a longtime Federationist who attended
his first convention in 1973.</p> <p>Deborah Brown, who is the first vice president
of the NFB of Maryland and president of its Sligo Creek Chapter, proposed Resolution
2021-15. Because of the increasing use of bicycle lanes, floating bus stops, and
shared cycle track stops, challenges for pedestrians abound. Frequently, pedestrians
can only reach a floating bus stop or shared cycle track stop by crossing in the
middle of the block, where there are no traffic lights or crosswalk markings.
Blind pedestrians face an additional danger because bicycles, electric low-speed
scooters, and other micromobility devices are silent. In this resolution, we urge
county governments and local municipalities to create pedestrian crossing zones
and to pass laws mandating that pedestrians in these crosswalks always have the
right of way.</p> <h3 id="transforming-the-accessibility-landscape">Transforming
the Accessibility Landscape</h3> <p>For decades the National Federation of the
Blind has been trying to eliminate access barriers created by information and
communication technology. The convention passed three resolutions that send
important messages to software companies and website developers that will transform
the accessibility landscape. Longtime Federationist currently active in the
Washington state affiliate and technology expert Jamal Mazrui proposed Resolution
2021-14. "Despite existing standards and solutions, blind people continue to
encounter unnecessary barriers to full participation in conferences, including
events within the field of accessibility …This organization strongly urge
that conferences in all fields make their digital content and procedures nonvisually
accessible to both attendees and presenters." We also call upon conferences in
the field of accessibility in particular to demonstrate leadership by modeling
and promoting best practices in digital accessibility.</p> <p>The convention passed
two resolutions that deal with the complicated subject of using overlays to make
websites accessible to the blind. The first resolution describes overlay problems
in general, while the second resolution concerns a particular overlay company.
Longtime Federationist Curtis Chong, who currently serves as the treasurer of the
NFB in Computer Science Division and treasurer of the Aurora Chapter of the NFB
of Colorado, sponsored Resolution 2021-04. The author laments that "the blind
continue to fall behind as the number of websites created and deployed far outpaces
the number of websites which we can confidently declare to be useable and accessible,
and thus, any solution which gives the blind true nonvisual access is welcome."
Overlays must be developed and implemented in ways that truly improve access to
websites. The resolution also contains several specific recommendations for overlay
companies to follow to ensure this accessibility. This organization also "insists
that current and potential overlay customers recognize that complete and long-lasting
accessibility requires more than a one-time installation of code; that accessibility
should be a priority throughout the entire lifecycle of any product from design
to full implementation."</p> <p>Longtime Federationists Anil Lewis, J.J. Meddaugh,
and Tai Tomasi sponsored Resolution 2021-17. Anil Lewis, executive director of
blindness initiatives at the Jernigan Institute, needs no introduction to
<em>Monitor</em> readers. J.J. Meddaugh is the owner of the innovative company
ATT Guys and is a leader in the Michigan affiliate. Tai Tomasi currently serves
on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the NFB and won national
scholarships in 2000 and in 2004. accessiBe is a company that develops a website
overlay product. In Resolution 2021-17, "this organization condemn and deplore
accessiBe's disrespectful and misleading marketing and business practices."</p>
<h3 id="transforming-government-programs">Transforming Government Programs</h3>
<p>As <em>Monitor</em> readers know, the National Library Service for the Blind
and Print Disabled and its network libraries depend on the United States Postal
Service to distribute its materials and equipment needed to listen to or read
books and magazines. In Resolution 2021-05, "this organization condemn and deplore
the failure of the United States Postal Service to deliver materials and equipment
to and from library patrons in a timely manner …This organization also
strongly urge the United States Congress to require the United States Postal
Service to report to the Congress on steps that the United States Postal Service
intends to take to improve timely delivery of library materials and equipment to
ensure that these items are truly treated as First-Class Mail." Dezman Jackson,
the second vice president of the NFB of Maryland and chairman of its membership
committee won a national scholarship in 2015, and it was he who sponsored this
resolution.</p> <p>The convention passed two resolutions that will increase
employment opportunities when we transform these government programs. Maura Loberg,
who is a sophomore in college and president of the Nebraska Association of Blind
Students, introduced Resolution 2021-07 concerning the AbilityOne Program. This
is a program in which "more than five hundred nonprofit agencies participate
…to employ individuals with disabilities through federal product and service
contracts." Unfortunately, many of these nonprofits deliberately screen out
applicants who require screen-reader technology. "This organization hereby condemn
and deplore all AbilityOne-approved nonprofits with discriminatory employment
practices that deny reasonable accommodations and screen out applications who use
screen reader software."</p> <p>For years the National Federation of the Blind
has engaged in litigation with many agencies of the federal government for
non-compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 requires
"that technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government
must be accessible to people with disabilities, including federal employees and
the general public." In Resolution 2021-11, "this organization call on the United
States Congress to convene a Section 508 oversight hearing to examine and evaluate
failures of federal agencies to comply with Section 508." Joe Orozco, who has been
a federal employee for the past nine years and is involved in the leadership
development program of the Virginia affiliate, introduced this resolution.</p>
<p>Albert Elia, who is a member of the board of directors of the National Association
of Blind Lawyers and first vice president of the Seattle Chapter of the NFB of
Washington, sponsored Resolution 2021-10. On January 11, 2021, the United States
Department of Transportation enacted Air Carrier Access Act regulations on the
transportation of service animals. Because of these regulations, blind travelers
who use guide dogs face many discriminatory and unnecessary obstacles. For example,
airline personnel who believe a service animal is too large to fit in a traveler's
personal floor space can order the traveler to either purchase an additional seat
for the service animal, allow the service animal to be transported in the cargo
hold, or wait for another flight with more room. This is an artificial problem
because guide dogs are trained to fit into small spaces. In the resolution, "this
organization urge the Secretary of Transportation to review and amend the Department
of Transportation Air Carrier Access Act regulations to ensure that guide dog
users do not continue to experience discrimination."</p> <p>The president of the
National Association of Blind Veterans, Master Sergeant Vernon Humphrey, U.S. Army
Retired, introduced Resolution 2021-16, the last resolution that I will discuss
in this article. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs uses inaccessible
kiosks in its medical facilities and outpatient clinics to input various types of
personal information. This practice is not only an act of discrimination against
blind veterans, but it also limits the privacy and independence of people who
sacrificed so much for their country. The Department of Veterans Affairs has no
excuse for this practice because accessible technology for kiosks already exists.
In Resolution 2021-16, "this organization demand that the Department of Veterans
Affairs purchase and use only kiosks that offer full and equal access for the
blind."</p> <p>As you can see, the National Federation of the Blind has the power
to transform the lives of individuals, transform the accessibility landscape, and
transform government programs and practices. This article is merely an introductory
discussion of the resolutions considered by the 2021 Convention. The complete text
of each resolution is reprinted below. Readers should analyze the text of each
resolution fully to understand our policies on these subjects. These resolutions
will affect our activities for the coming year and beyond. Let us use our resolutions
to continue to transform dreams into reality.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="resolutions">2021 Resolutions</h2> <h3 id="resolution-2021-01">Resolution
2021-01</h3> <p><strong>Regarding the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act,
H.R. 4853</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Jennifer Bazer</p> <p>WHEREAS, home-use
medical devices are becoming more prevalent and less accessible to blind Americans;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, most newer models of home-use medical devices such as glucose
and blood pressure monitors as well as emerging in-home devices that offer medical
care options such as chemotherapy treatments and dialysis require that consumers
interact with digital displays or other visual interfaces; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
the health, safety, and independence of blind Americans may be in imminent danger
unless developers integrate nonvisual accessibility in the design phase; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, accessibility is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement when it
is incorporated into the design of a product from the outset; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
the ability to operate all home-use medical devices nonvisually is essential to
a blind person’s wellbeing, independence, and overall quality of life: Now,
therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization urge
the United States Congress swiftly to consider and pass the Medical Device Nonvisual
Accessibility Act, thereby ensuring and protecting the independence, safety, and
health of blind Americans.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-02">Resolution 2021-02</h3>
<p><strong>Regarding Suppression of the Rights of Voters with Disabilities</strong></p>
<p>Proponent: Lou Ann Blake</p> <p>WHEREAS, being able to cast a ballot privately
and independently is the bedrock of our democracy; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the passage
of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) has enabled the majority of blind voters and
many others with disabilities to exercise their right to vote privately and
independently at polling places; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, Title II of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that voters with disabilities be provided
the opportunity to exercise their right to vote equal to the opportunity provided
voters without disabilities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, states that require voter
identification or medical documentation or are limiting polling locations are
restricting that right by creating barriers for individuals with disabilities;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the time and expense in obtaining state issued ID or other
forms of identification can be onerous and therefore create a barrier for voters
with disabilities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, legislation requiring voter identification
has been enacted or is currently before the legislature in Arizona, Alaska,
Arkansas, Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, medical certification forms are frequently not available in an accessible
format; require the signature of a medical or rehabilitation professional; and as
a result are excessive and unnecessary hurdles for voters with disabilities to
overcome, as well as a potential violation of privacy for disabled voters; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas have enacted or have bills currently
before their legislatures requiring medical documentation for voters with
disabilities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, limiting the number and/or location of early
voting and election day polling places may prevent some voters with disabilities
from accessing a polling place due to a lack of transportation; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
legislation limiting the number or location of early voting or election day polling
places has been enacted by or is currently before the legislatures in Arkansas,
Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana,
North Dakota, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington; Now,
therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization condemn
and deplore all acts of suppression that make it difficult for blind and disabled
voters to exercise their right to vote; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
this organization demand that state and local election officials protect the right
of voters with disabilities to cast a private and independent ballot, as required
by HAVA and Title II of the ADA, without having to provide difficult-to-obtain
state-issued identification and documentation; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that this organization demand that all state and local governments implement
legislation and election procedures necessary to expand the number of polling
locations so that they are accessible to public transit routes and so voters need
only travel a reasonable distance to cast their vote.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-03">Resolution
2021-03</h3> <p><strong>Regarding Advancing Employment of the Blind in Military
Service</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Justin Salisbury and Vernon Humphrey</p>
<p>WHEREAS, blind people demonstrate our capabilities by performing many civilian
jobs in the United States military, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of
Defense, and related federal agencies; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, participation in the
defense of our nation through service in the Armed Forces is as important to
qualified and capable blind individuals as it is to those who have sight, yet
blind people who wish to serve in the United States military are currently
disqualified based on blindness; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, blind people successfully
working in noncombat positions (e.g., cybersecurity, personnel, finance, supply)
can serve as positive role models for veterans and civilians who become blind;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, military service would teach blind people valuable skills that
could be translated to the private sector after their military service and would
provide the military with another pool of valuable talent; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
service members who become blind are frequently forced into medical retirement
instead of using their valuable experience and talent for the service’s
mission; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, The US Army has on occasion allowed service members,
for example Major Scott Smiley and Master Sergeant Vernon Humphrey, to remain on
active duty for a period of time after a diagnosis of blindness, but all military
services should regularly adopt this practice: Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED
by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this tenth day of
July, 2021, that this organization urge the United States military to amend its
policies to allow blind people to enlist in military service and to provide more
opportunities for service members who become blind to remain on active duty by
reclassifying their positions.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-04">Resolution 2021-04</h3>
<p><strong>Regarding the Use of Overlays to Make Websites Accessible to the Blind<br
/> </strong>Proponent: Curtis Chong</p> <p>WHEREAS, companies such as EqualWeb,
Max Access, UserWay, TruAbilities, AudioEye, and accessiBe are deploying overlays
as a strategy to automate the task of making websites accessible—i.e.,
compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA); and</p> <p>WHEREAS, to make websites nonvisually
accessible, overlays are intended among other things to identify unlabeled graphics
and automatically attach readable text descriptions to them; to enable keyboard
activation of links, buttons, expandable/collapsible menus, and other controls
which have been incorrectly coded to be triggered only with a mouse; and to insert
header tags (often used by the blind for quick and efficient navigation on web
pages) where the print is highlighted or enlarged and not already marked as a
heading; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, in achieving nonvisual access, overlays today have
their limitations; for example, they cannot determine when a picture that would
be described generically as “two people standing in front of a building”
should be described as “Sarah and George standing in front of Macy’s
department store”; they cannot automatically add audio description to a
video presentation; they can inappropriately apply headings to text that is not
intended to function as a heading; they can misinterpret the layout of a table
and improperly handle row or column headings; and they cannot accurately solve an
inaccessible visual CAPTCHA; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the current inability of overlays
to perform all of the tasks critical to nonvisual access means that, while they
may help to make certain parts of a website nonvisually accessible, they alone
cannot guarantee full nonvisual access to every website where they are deployed;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, companies deploying overlays have attracted hundreds of
thousands of customers by fostering the false idea that with one easy operation
(e.g., inserting a small amount of code) their websites will be accessible and
fully compliant with prevailing web content accessibility guidelines and, further,
that they will be protected from lawsuits; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the companies
deploying overlays have not, in any meaningful way, engaged with the accessibility
community, not to mention the organized blind, to learn from a broad base of
consumers whether or not overlays really improve the accessibility of websites;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, as the use of overlays has grown, blind people have encountered
an increasing number of websites where they have been prompted to turn on an
accessibility or screen reader mode by pressing ALT+1, ALT+0, or some other key
combination, but there is no readily-available information to tell them whose
overlay is operating, how to report problems with the use of the overlay, whether
or not the overlay is actually turned on, and how to disable the overlay if it
isn’t working as expected; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, some of the overlays which
are supposed to improve the accessibility of the websites where they are installed
present accessibility options (e.g., screen reader profile or anti-seizure profile)
which are themselves not accessible to screen-reader users; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
the lack of helpful information and the presence of inaccessible overlay controls
leave people with disabilities without the means to provide feedback and suggestions,
use the overlay effectively, or report problems related to the overlay; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, given the large customer base which some overlay providers enjoy, it
is certain that the blind will encounter more and more websites where overlays
are employed, ostensibly to improve accessibility; consequently, there is a
compelling need for us to obtain direct, hands-on experience with the various
overlays on the market today in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses
of each overlay product and to identify those overlay providers whose technology
might actually offer real and sustainable nonvisual access to websites and web-based
applications; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the blind continue to fall behind as the number
of websites created and deployed far outpaces the number of websites which we can
confidently declare to be usable and accessible, and thus any solution which gives
the blind true nonvisual access is welcome: Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED
by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this tenth day of
July, 2021, that this organization call upon overlay developers and their paying
customers to engage with the National Federation of the Blind and the broader
accessibility community to ensure that overlays are developed and implemented in
ways that truly improve access to websites; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
this organization insist that current and potential overlay customers recognize
that complete and long-lasting accessibility requires more than a one-time
installation of code; that accessibility should be a priority throughout the entire
lifecycle of any product from design to full implementation; and</p> <p>BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization condemn and deplore the unethical practices
of overlay providers which attempt to convince website owners that overlays are
the easiest and most affordable way to protect a website owner from lawsuits and
make their websites accessible and compliant with the WCAG; and we demand that
overlay providers stop making misleading, unproven, and unethical claims which
falsely inflate the value and effectiveness of their technology; and</p> <p>BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that companies which develop and
deploy overlays to improve accessibility design their overlays to enable users
to:</p> <ul> <li><p>know that an overlay is available,</p></li> <li><p>determine
when an overlay is operating and when it is not,</p></li> <li><p>activate or
deactivate an overlay as needed,</p></li> <li><p>configure the overlay to meet
specific disability requirements (e.g., screen-reader mode or contrast adjustment)
using fully accessible controls, and</p></li> <li><p>obtain information to contact
the overlay provider.</p></li> </ul> <h3 id="resolution-2021-05">Resolution
2021-05</h3> <p><strong>Regarding Mail Problems that Interfere with NLS
Services</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Dezman Jackson</p> <p>WHEREAS, the National
Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress, and
its cooperating network libraries provide books and magazines in specialized
formats to blind and print-disabled children, working-age adults, and seniors
losing vision; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, this valuable service not only provides the
major source of reading material for these people, but also fosters literacy skills
for children, interaction in community life for adults, and hope and encouragement
for the newly blind; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, NLS and its network libraries depend on
the United States Postal Service (USPS) to distribute its materials and the digital
players, Braille displays, and other equipment needed to listen to or read these
books; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, these libraries are permitted to use the Free Reading
Matter provisions of the postal regulation and the USPS claims on its website that
Free Reading Matter is “treated as First-Class Mail for purposes of
processing, delivery and forwarding, and return if undeliverable”; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, from June 2020 to the present, far too many library customers across
the nation have experienced long delays or total absence in receiving their books
and equipment, even though the libraries have sent them to the individual patron
using the USPS; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, this failure by the USPS not only has a
detrimental effect on the lives of blind and print-disabled Americans, but is also
creating a loss of taxpayer dollars since digital players, Braille displays, and
other valuable equipment are stuck in the post office, never reaching the people
who need it; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, blind and print-disabled citizens cannot use the
USPS Informed Delivery service for residential customers to see if they will be
receiving library materials or equipment because it is inaccessible; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, in Resolution 2018-19, the National Federation of the Blind urged USPS
to make this service accessible and informed the agency that it was violating
federal law, but the result was no action; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, although Congress
created and funded the Books for the Blind program under the Pratt-Smoot Act of
1931, neither the Library of Congress nor Congress itself demands any accountability
from the USPS, which plays a vital role in the success or failure of the program:
Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization condemn
and deplore the failure of the United States Postal Service to deliver materials
and equipment to and from library patrons in a timely manner; and</p> <p>BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization insist that the Librarian of Congress
annually issue a report card to USPS based on data from NLS and its cooperating
network libraries on the timely delivery of materials and equipment; and</p> <p>BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge the United States Congress
to require the USPS to report to the Congress on steps that the USPS intends to
take to improve timely delivery of library materials and equipment to ensure that
these items are truly treated as First-Class Mail; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that this organization demand that the USPS immediately end its discriminatory
practices by making its Informed Delivery service accessible to blind and
print-disabled citizens.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-06">Resolution 2021-06</h3>
<p><strong>Regarding Due Process for Potential Applicants and Consumers of Guide
Dog School Services</strong></p> <p>Proponents: Michael Hingson and Raul Gallegos</p>
<p>WHEREAS, a guide dog is not only an important vehicle for independence and
freedom but also offers emotional support and companionship to its handler; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) has been contacted
by guide dog users on a number of occasions concerning unwarranted and inappropriate
repossession of their guide dogs by the guide dog training organization that
provided the users with their guide dogs; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, training schools
often remove the guide dog without even bothering to consult the user in advance
to identify whether the school’s information about problems is accurate,
and even sometimes refuse to provide any justification at all; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
if guide dog handlers ask to appeal the training program’s decision, they
are frequently told that the supposed appeal was conducted internally, although
there was never an opportunity for input from the handlers; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
for example, in March 2021, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc. in Florida took a dog
that the handler had possessed for eight years without prior notice to the handler
that there might be a problem and also refused to allow the handler to participate
in the appeals process, leaving the handler distraught over the loss of the dog
and coping with reduced travel independence; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, guide dog schools
further disregard consumer rights by refusing to provide accessible training
materials, contracts, policies and procedures, and other information to consumers
and potential applicants, even though knowledge about how to provide materials in
specialized formats is readily available; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, many guide dog
training schools have engaged in this unlawful and paternalistic disregard of the
handler’s rights for many years: Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by
the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this tenth day of
July, 2021, that this organization condemn and deplore the seizure of any guide
dog by any guide dog training program without proper due process; and</p> <p>BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that all United-States-based
guide dog training programs immediately revise their processes for repossessing
guide dogs to incorporate a third party arbiter outside of the program’s
influence to investigate whether a guide dog should be removed or returned to the
handler or dog owner; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization
insist that training schools’ policies and procedures for removing guide
dogs must include an unbiased appeals process that is decided by a third party
who is approved both by the guide dog handler and the guide dog training program
and with the equal participation of all parties in this appeals process; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge guide dog training
programs to work with the National Federation of the Blind and NAGDU to ensure
that prospective students and consumers of their services are provided with timely,
accessible information about all policies, procedures, and practices.</p> <h3
id="resolution-2021-07">Resolution 2021-07</h3> <p><strong>Regarding AbilityOne-Approved
Nonprofits That Deny Employment to Individuals Who Use Screen Reader Software</strong></p>
<p>WHEREAS, more than five hundred nonprofit agencies participate in the AbilityOne
Program to employ individuals with disabilities through federal product and service
contracts; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, these nonprofit agencies purport to provide employment
opportunities and training, including work-from-home opportunities, to individuals
with disabilities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, some of these nonprofits use inaccessible
pre-employment assessment games, restrictive statements on their websites, or
targeted interview questions to screen out applicants who require screen reader
technology; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, some of these same nonprofits refuse to provide
reasonable accommodations to employees who use screen reader software; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) obligates covered
entities to provide reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with
disabilities unless the accommodation would qualify as an undue hardship; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, Title I of the ADA prohibits covered employers from denying employment
opportunities to applicants or employees with disabilities based on their need
for reasonable accommodations: Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National
Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this tenth day of July 2021, that
this organization hereby condemn and deplore all AbilityOne-approved nonprofits
with discriminatory employment practices that deny reasonable accommodations and
screen out applicants who use screen reader software; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that this organization demand that these nonprofits comply with the
regulations implementing Title I of the ADA; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that this organization urge the AbilityOne Commission promptly to sanction or ban
from participation in the AbilityOne Program any nonprofit that demonstrates
discriminatory hiring and employment practices against blind individuals who use
screen reader software.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-08">Resolution 2021-08</h3>
<p><strong>Regarding the Unwillingness of Ophthalmologists and Other Medical
Professionals to Inform Newly Blind People of the Benefits of Rehabilitation
Services</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Ruth Sager</p> <p>WHEREAS, the National
Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines
you or your future, but many members of the general public do not believe or
understand this principle; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, too many medical professionals,
such as ophthalmologists, hold the same misconceptions about the capabilities of
blind people as the rest of society; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, newly blind people
frequently become frustrated because they cannot find information about how to
adjust to blindness and have not been exposed to the positive philosophy of the
National Federation of the Blind; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, since ophthalmologists are
already treating newly blind people, they could provide such information but rarely
do because they view blindness as a failure of their practice; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
states such as Minnesota have addressed this problem by requiring ophthalmologists
and optometrists to inform legally blind patients that services exist and, pending
the consent of the blind patient, to report the names of legally blind adults to
the rehabilitation agency, State Services for the Blind; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults, and diabetes requires medical
care from endocrinologists and other medical professionals, who could also improve
the quality of life and independence of their patients by giving them information
about rehabilitation services but frequently fail to do so; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
the best way to change the attitudes of medical professionals towards blindness
is to influence their training programs at a high level, such as reaching out to
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which evaluates
medical residency and internship programs, and other similar organizations: Now,
therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization strongly
urge the CEOs or governing bodies of medical professional organizations such as
the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association of Clinical
Endocrinology, and the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists
to work with the National Federation of the Blind to develop a resource list of
rehabilitation services for blind patients and to encourage their membership to
distribute this information so that newly blind people learn that they can live
the lives they want; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge
the ACGME to work with the National Federation of the Blind to ensure that medical
professionals know that they have an obligation to inform their patients about
adjustment to blindness resources and the benefits of the positive philosophy of
the National Federation of the Blind; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
organization call upon state legislatures to require that ophthalmologists,
optometrists, and medical professionals concerned with diabetes inform legally
blind patients of the availability of rehabilitation services and report the
patient’s name to the appropriate state rehabilitation agency, pending
consent.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-09">Resolution 2021-09</h3> <p><strong>Regarding
Accessible Electronic Ballot Return</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Marcus Soulsby</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the ability to cast a secret ballot independently is a cornerstone of
our democracy that enables citizens to vote their conscience without fear; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that voters
with disabilities be afforded an opportunity to exercise the right to vote that
is equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters without disabilities; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that public entities that
receive federal financial assistance may not discriminate against people with
disabilities in their programs, services, or activities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the
percentage of voters who vote by mail has steadily increased since 1996, and,
according to the MIT Election Data Science Lab report, about half of all voters
voted by mail in the 2020 election;</p> <p>WHEREAS, while accessible electronic
ballot delivery was available to voters with disabilities in approximately
twenty-five states, only five of these states permitted the marked ballot to be
returned electronically, and the remaining states required that the ballot be
printed, signed, and returned by mail or placed in a dropbox; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
many blind voters do not own or have easy access to printers and as a result must
rely on a friend, family member, or copy center to print their ballot and need
sighted assistance to sign the ballot, which jeopardizes the secrecy of their
ballot, or sign the return envelope, which jeopardizes their independence; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, accessible electronic ballot return enables blind and low-vision voters
to return an absentee or by mail ballot privately and independently using their
own access technology without needing to print or sign the ballot; Now, therefore,</p>
<p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled
this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization demand that all United States
jurisdictions provide accessible electronic ballot delivery and return for all
federal, state, and local elections starting with the 2022 election cycle so that
all blind and low-vision voters who vote absentee or by mail can mark and return
their ballot privately and independently as required by Title II of the Americans
with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.</p> <h3
id="resolution-2021-10">Resolution 2021-10</h3> <p><strong>Regarding the Department
of Transportation’s Updated Air Carrier Access Act Regulations for Service
Animals</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Albert Elia</p> <p>WHEREAS, the United States
Department of Transportation (DOT) released new Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA)
regulations on the transportation of service animals, which went into effect on
January 11, 2021; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, pursuant to the new regulations, airlines
now require travelers with service animals to fill out a DOT form to travel;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the new DOT regulations and guidance allow airlines to require
that this form be completed in a PDF or HTML format, but some airlines are requiring
both, creating a time-consuming process of entering substantially duplicative
information in two different formats; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, even though large guide
dogs are trained to fit into small spaces, the new regulations state that, if
airline personnel believe a service animal is too large to fit in a traveler's
personal floor space, the traveler with the service animal must either purchase
an additional seat for the service animal or allow the service animal to be
transported in the cargo hold or wait for another flight with more room; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, DOT presented no evidence that actual service animals were the cause
of any problems in air travel; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, other businesses, including
entertainment venues and rental property management companies, have begun requiring
similar forms for service animal users in contravention of the laws governing
those businesses; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, guide dog users are being burdened with
these new regulations because of emotional support animals and pets that are
fraudulently claimed as service animals: Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by
the National Federation of the Blind in convention assembled this tenth day of
July, 2021, that this organization condemn and deplore the Department of Transportation
for permitting airlines to require guide dog users to complete and submit burdensome,
onerous, and duplicative forms, despite presenting no evidence that guide dogs
are a direct threat to anyone; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
organization condemn and deplore the Department of Transportation for ruling that
airlines may require blind guide dog users with large service animals to purchase
an extra seat or risk being given the choice of having their guide dog placed in
the cargo hold or their flight rescheduled; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
this organization demand that the Department of Justice find landlords, businesses,
and other non-airline entities that require any pre-approval or completion of any
forms for blind people to be accompanied by a guide dog to be in violation of the
Americans with Disabilities Act; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
organization urge the Secretary of Transportation to review and amend the DOT ACAA
regulations to ensure that guide dog users do not continue to experience
discrimination, including discrimination based on guide dog size; and</p> <p>BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge the airlines, as well as the
Department of Transportation, to work with the National Federation of the Blind
to ensure that the amended ACAA regulations require no more than an oral attestation
by a blind person that their guide dog is a service animal and that any
misrepresentation of a pet as a service animal is a violation of federal law.</p>
<h3 id="resolution-2021-11">Resolution 2021-11</h3> <p><strong>Regarding Accessible
Technology for Federal Employees and Applicants</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Joe
Orozco</p> <p>WHEREAS, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that technology
developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government must be accessible
to people with disabilities, including federal employees and the general public;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, Section 508 requirements apply to all federal workplace
technology, including time and attendance, issue tracking, training, and all other
software, virtual meeting spaces, and other technologies; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits federal agencies from discriminating
against employees and applicants based on disability and requires agencies to
comply with diversity and inclusion processes designed to improve the recruitment,
hiring, advancement, and retention of federal employees and applicants with
disabilities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, many blind federal employees cannot perform
essential functions of their jobs, are prohibited from advancing in their careers,
or are not hired because of agencies’ use of inaccessible technology;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has engaged in litigation
with the United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Justice, Office
of Management and Budget, General Services Administration, and other federal
agencies or offices to remedy Section 508 and 501 violations; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
federal agencies continue to use technology that is inaccessible to employees with
disabilities regardless of federal law and legal precedence: Now, therefore,</p>
<p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled
this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization call on the United States
Congress to convene a Section 508 Oversight Hearing to examine and evaluate failures
of federal agencies to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all federal agencies promptly
to investigate and resolve Section 508 and 501 violations and revise agency
procedures to prohibit the purchase or use of any technologies that do not comply
with Section 508 requirements.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-13">Resolution 2021-13</h3>
<p><strong>Regarding Urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to Accept Certifications
Issued by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board</strong></p>
<p>WHEREAS, veterans who have served their country in the military deserve
high-quality rehabilitation that empowers and inspires them to live the lives they
want; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, in 2001 the National Blindness Professional Certification
Board (NBPCB) was created and now offers certifications in orientation and mobility,
rehabilitation teaching, literary Braille, and Unified English Braille and emphasizes
a positive philosophy of blindness and the importance of blind role models; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs does not accept certifications
issued by the NBPCB and recognizes certifications only by the Academy for
Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) when
hiring rehabilitation personnel; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the pathway to obtain the
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist certifications issued by ACVREP
continue to be problematic for blind applicants, thus marginalizing blind people
within the professional community affiliated with ACVREP; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the
NBPCB was established to administer certifications for blindness rehabilitation
professionals in a way that does not discriminate against blind instructors and
thus treats blind and sighted instructors equally; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, blind people
holding certifications from the NBPCB have been successfully providing vocational
rehabilitation services to blind adults through vocational rehabilitation programs
funded by the United States Department of Education since 2001, demonstrating
their capabilities for the last twenty years: Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED
by the National Federation of the Blind in convention assembled this tenth day of
July, 2021, that this organization strongly urge the Department of Veterans Affairs
immediately to amend its human resource policies to accept certifications issued
by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board so that they are
recognized as valid and treated equally to certifications from the Academy for
Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals.</p> <h3
id="resolution-2021-14">Resolution 2021-14</h3> <p><strong>Regarding the Digital
Accessibility of Conferences</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Jamal Mazrui</p> <p>WHEREAS,
in almost every professional field, conferences regularly occur in which presenters
analyze or teach topics related to a subject of shared interest; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
conferences are, in fact, so common as to be organized in furtherance of nearly
any field of human endeavor, addressing academic, civic, recreational, or personal
subjects; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, over the many years that conferences have been
organized around the world, solutions have been developed to implement principles
of universal design, inclusive participation, and accessible use; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
international standards for the accessibility of information and communication
technology (ICT) have been established by broad consensus, following decades of
experience with accessibility problems across government, corporate, and consumer
sectors of society; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, central to these standards are the Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, WCAG has been extended to be technology neutral, covering
domains such as video presentations, online chats, and mobile apps, in addition
to websites; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, despite existing standards and solutions, blind
people continue to encounter unnecessary barriers to full participation in
conferences, including events within the field of accessibility; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
problems frequently arise from a common practice in conferences where speakers
show slides during their presentations, whether live or recorded; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
slides enrich a presentation in multiple ways, such as giving an outline summary
of the content that helps learners understand its hierarchy and highlights; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, slides also share precise written information, including names, URLs,
and email addresses, that would be tedious, time-consuming, or error-prone for
presenters to speak and spell; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, multiple techniques exist for
making this content accessible to blind conference participants; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
one technique requires presenters to submit an advanced electronic copy of their
slides, conformant with accessibility guidelines; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, such slide
decks—in formats like PPTX, PDF, or HTML—are then made available
for conference attendees to read in ways that work best for them, either with or
without access technology; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, it is equally important that
presenters who are blind, not only attendees, are afforded a fully accessible
process, from submitting a proposal to delivering a presentation, thereby enabling
audiences to benefit from their expertise; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, conferences about
accessibility itself should serve as role models, but often they are not: Now,
therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization strongly
urge that conferences in all fields make their digital content and procedures
nonvisually accessible based on international standards, applicable to experiences
of both attendees and presenters; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
organization call upon conferences in the field of accessibility in particular to
model and promote best practices in digital accessibility, including among others,
the following annual events: CSUN Assistive Technology Conference, Accessing Higher
Ground, AccessU, and M-Enabling Summit.</p> <h3
id="resolution-2021-15-regarding-better-protection-for-pedestrians-when-crossing-bike-lanes-to-reach-floating-bus-stops-and-shared-cycle-track-stops">Resolution
2021-15<br /> Regarding Better Protection for Pedestrians when Crossing Bike Lanes
to Reach Floating Bus Stops and Shared Cycle Track Stops</h3> <p>Proponent: Debbie
Brown</p> <p>WHEREAS, floating bus stops, protected bike lanes, and shared cycle
track stops are becoming common in many urban and suburban areas; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
a floating bus stop is a stop on an island in the middle of the street that allows
the bus to stay in its travel lane rather than pulling up to the curb while allowing
cyclists to continue their use of a bike lane situated along the curb; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, a shared cycle track stop is a stop where a protected bike lane rises
and runs along the boarding area, along the extended curb, rather than wrapping
behind the boarding area, and bicyclists can ride through the boarding area when
no transit vehicles are present but should yield the space to boarding passengers
when a bus stops; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, pedestrians are in danger because they must
cross these bike lanes to get to a floating bus stop or shared cycle track stop,
which could involve crossing in the middle of the block, where there are no traffic
lights and in many cases no crosswalk markings; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, traffic control
devices would offer some protection to pedestrians by reducing the speed of
bicycles, electric and low speed scooters, and other micro-mobility devices;
and</p> <p>WHEREAS, blind pedestrians face an additional danger because bicycles,
electric and low-speed scooters, and similar micro-mobility devices are usually
silent and therefore cannot be heard by blind pedestrians: Now, therefore,</p>
<p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled
this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization urge county governments and
local municipalities to make greater efforts to consider the needs of and gather
input from pedestrians, including the blind, when designing bicycle lanes, floating
bus stops, and shared cycle track stops to ensure that traffic-controlling devices
are effective; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge cities
and municipalities across the United States to mark crosswalks and provide other
signage between curbs and floating bus or shared cycle track stops to warn bicyclists
and users of electric and low-speed scooters and other micro-mobility devices
about a pedestrian crossing zone; and</p> <p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
organization urge cities and municipalities across the United States to pass laws
or ordinances mandating that pedestrians in these crosswalks always have the right
of way.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-16">Resolution 2021-16</h3> <p><strong>Regarding
the Accessibility of Kiosks in US Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Facilities</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Vernon Humphrey</p> <p>WHEREAS, kiosks are
increasingly used in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and community-based
outpatient facilities nationwide as a means to improve veterans’ access to
their health information; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, VA kiosks are used to conduct patient
intake, update personal and insurance information, and complete other administrative
tasks, with additional functions slated to be added; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, these
kiosks lack the necessary audio navigation prompts and are almost universally
inaccessible to blind veterans; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, blind veterans deserve the
same privacy, respect, and independence afforded to sighted veterans, but blind
veterans are often forced to rely on assistance from sighted patients or others
and as a result risk sharing private health information simply to check in for
appointments; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, this can be a humiliating and degrading experience
that compromises the privacy each veteran should be able to expect; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the VA facilities using these kiosks are covered by Sections 504 and
508 of the Rehabilitation Act and are prohibited from discriminating against
individuals with disabilities and using inaccessible technology; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
existing technology allows accessibility features, including audio output, to be
built into the operating systems used in kiosks; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, the hardware
of these kiosks is often already configured for audio output and keyboard or
touch-screen input, and therefore there are no technological reasons why these
kiosks cannot be made accessible to the blind, offering full equality of access:
Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in
Convention assembled this tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization condemn
and deplore the United States Department of Veterans Affairs use of inaccessible
kiosks in VA medical facilities in violation of federal law and in disregard of
the needs of many of the veterans who sacrificed so much for their country; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the Department of
Veterans Affairs stop using inaccessible kiosks immediately; and</p> <p>BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that the Department of Veterans
Affairs purchase and use only kiosks that offer full and equal access for the
blind.</p> <h3 id="resolution-2021-17">Resolution 2021-17</h3> <p><strong>Regarding
accessiBe’s D</strong>isrespectful and Misleading <strong>Business
Practices</strong></p> <p>Proponent: Anil Lewis, Jason Meddaugh, and Tai Tomasi</p>
<p>WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind, the transformative membership
and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and
divisions in the fifty states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico, is the leader in
advocating for nonvisual accessibility; and</p> <p>WHEREAS, through the active
participation of our network of members across the country, we engage in the
development, testing, and implementation of a host of nonvisual access solutions,
offering the lived experience and expertise of the blind; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
a<strong>s</strong> America’s civil rights organization of blind people,
the National Federation of the Blind carries out the will of blind Americans as
expressed through our National Convention and, between conventions, through the
decisions of our elected officers and directors<strong>;</strong> and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
our movement values empowering individual members to influence organizations
positively regarding concerns using the Federation’s philosophy and policy
platform and to coordinate with our national leadership; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
National Federation of the Blind members engaged with accessiBe, a company that
develops a website overlay product, and after researching and interacting with
the company representatives, determined that the marketing and business practices
of accessiBe were disrespectful, misleading, and fallacious; and</p> <p>WHEREAS,
<strong>o</strong>ur members brought these actions to the attention of our national
President and board of directors, who reviewed available information related to
accessiBe’s business practices and came to agree that they currently engage
in behavior that is harmful to the advancement of blind people in society; and</p>
<p>WHEREAS, in particular, it is the opinion of the board of directors that
AccessiBe:</p> <ul> <li><p>peremptorily and scornfully dismisses the concerns
blind people have about its products and its approach to accessibility;</p></li>
<li><p>treats blind access technology experts shabbily and disrespectfully in
private meetings and disparages the blind in the press and their other
communications;</p></li> <li><p>fails to acknowledge that blind experts and regular
screen reader users know what is accessible and what is not;</p></li> <li><p>overstates
the effectiveness of automated testing by diminishing the importance of having
actual humans participate in the user testing process;</p></li> <li><p>promotes
the false claims of attaining Web Content Accessibility Guidelines compliance
through the integration of one line of code<strong>;</strong> and</p></li> </ul>
<p>WHEREAS, a<strong>s</strong> a result of this review, the board revoked
accessiBe’s sponsorship of our national convention on June 22, 2021, stating:
“We hope that the company will ultimately recognize and appreciate the
experience and expertise that blind people can bring to improving its products
and services and align its mission with the expressed will and true interests of
the blind. Unless and until that happens, we decline to accept accessiBe’s
participation in the 2021 National Convention or to allow it to use our convention
platform to promote itself.”<strong>:</strong> Now, therefore,</p> <p>BE
IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention assembled this
tenth day of July, 2021, that this organization support and affirm the actions
taken by our national board of directors to protect the interests of blind Americans
by holding accessiBe accountable to the will of the nation’s blind; and</p>
<p>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization condemn and deplore accessiBe’s
disrespectful and misleading marketing and business practices.</p> <p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO CAPTION: Raul Gallegos]</p> <h2
id="national-association-of-guide-dog-users-reports">National Association of Guide
Dog Users Reports</h2> <p>by Raul Gallegos</p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Raul
is the president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, a division of
the National Federation of the Blind. Here is his report after convention:</strong></p>
<p>1. NAGDU continues to promote informed choice when it comes to guide dog users
choosing a guide dog training program. What may be a deal-breaker for one might
be the best thing ever for someone else.</p> <p>2. NAGDU submitted three resolutions
for this year's convention. The first one was concerning asking the guide dog
training programs to make all materials accessible and available prior to a handler
committing to their program, to establish transparent due process when executing
the contract, and to allow for third-party arbitration in case of appeals. The
second one was concerning asking the International Guide Dog Federation to include
blind people in its accreditation process, to make the accreditation rules public,
and to allow the blind guide dog handler to have a say in how a training program
gets its accreditation. The third one is concerning the Department of Transportation
and the new ruling of the Air Carrier Access Act where we want it to retract the
filling out of travel forms. We want it to change the law so that a guide dog user
isn't faced with the choice of rescheduling their flight if someone, not qualified
to make the decision regarding the size of the dog, says the dog will not fit. We
want to ensure that other businesses don't start asking guide dog handlers to fill
out forms just to enter into their businesses.</p> <p>3. NAGDU is promoting the
use of its public events calendar. This is a subscription calendar of events that
will give you updates about all NAGDU and guide dog user state affiliate division
events taking place across the country. The calendar subscription has gotten enough
notice that several other affiliates, not all of them related to guide dog users,
have reached out to NAGDU to find out how to setup their own calendar for their
own chapter or division.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2 id="independence-market-corner">Independence
Market Corner</h2> <p>by Terry Boone</p> <p>As a service to our members and the
general public, the National Federation of the Blind operates a blindness products
store known as the Independence Market, which sells mostly low-tech items, designed
to enhance the every-day independence of blind people. We will be highlighting a
different product every month and listing sale products from time to time.</p>
<h1 id="section"></h1> <p>PRODUCT OF THE MONTH</p> <p>Braille Alphabet Blocks:
Introduce your young child to Braille with these twenty-eight wooden ABC blocks.
Each individual 1-3/4 inch square block features two lowercase engraved print
letters with corresponding Braille signs, as well as pictures of the sign language
alphabet. Ages two and up. AIG40B $28.00</p> <p>Braille/Print Raised Shapes Counting
Cards: Teach shape and number recognition as well as pre-reading and pre-math
skills through various activities and games with these cards. This kit features
four sets of eleven white plastic 4-1/2 × 5-1/2 inch cards. Each set focuses
on a shape (circles, squares, stars, and triangles) and includes a card for the
numbers zero through ten in Braille and raised print together with the corresponding
number of raised shapes. Includes an activity guide in print and Braille. AIG84B
$25.00</p> <p>SALE PRODUCTS</p> <p>Modular Instruction for Individual Cane Travel:
LSA01P $5.00</p> <p>Cube Clock: AIC01T $5.00</p> <p>Egg Separator: AIK04E $2.00</p>
<p>Atomic Talking Travel Clock: AIC42T $15.00</p> <p>For more information about
the products available from the Independence Market, contact us by email at <a
href="mailto:independencemarket@nfb.org">independencemarket@nfb.org</a> or by
phone at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. eastern time. Our staff will be happy to assist.</p> <p>----------</p>
<h2 id="monitor-miniatures"><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures </h2> <h3
id="news-from-the-federation-family">News from the Federation Family</h3>
<p><strong>The NFB in Communities of Faith Annual Meeting:</strong></p> <p>The
NFB in Communities of Faith held its annual meeting virtually on July 8, 2021.
The theme for our meeting this year was Prevailing Faith.</p> <p>First of all, we
had a panel discussion of producers and libraries which make faith-based literature
available to the blind.</p> <p>Craig Leeds, executive director of Braille Bibles
International spoke about the work of this organization. Since 1957, this organization
has made Braille Bibles and other literature available to blind people. It provides
free the King James Bible, the New King James Bible<em>,</em> and has a book of
scripture promises on varying topics. It also has versions of the Bible on NLS
cartridges and has a Bible player available as well. Malachy Fallan from the Xavier
Society for the Blind described in detail the excellent work that this organization
is doing to make Catholic literature available to blind people. Diane Thurber,
president of Christian Record Services described in detail the work of this
organization. Yvonne Pilot, executive director of the Lutheran Braille Evangelism
Association described its work. This organization was founded by John Erickson in
1952. It produces a Braille magazine entitled <em>The Tract Messenger</em> and
another entitled <em>The Christian Magnifier</em>. It has a Bible Courier available
in numerous translations for $99 each. Darrel Templeton, the president of MegaVoice
spoke about the excellent work of this organization.</p> <p>Following this panel,
Marilyn Baldwin, cochair of the NFB of Florida in Communities of Faith Committee,
spoke about the work that it is doing. Marilyn is also a leader in the Diversity
and Inclusion Committee in the state.</p> <p>Faith-based divisions educate the
public about the capabilities of blind people and work to persuade leaders of
places of worship and other faith-based organizations that blind people can
participate fully in their respective endeavors. Rehnee Aikens, vice president of
the division, spoke about the history of the National Church Conference for the
Blind and its Texas affiliate.</p> <p>We next had a panel discussion on the subject
of prevailing faith, overcoming adversity. Luke Seibert, a seminary student at
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, spoke about his faith and his learning
to adjust to blindness as a result of an auto accident. Mr. Seibert came to realize
that there was an eternal purpose in his losing his vision. Lillyia Asudilina, a
graduate of the Colorado Center for the Blind, spoke about her struggles in
overcoming cancer when she was a little child and about when it came back again
when she was a teenager. The Lord showed her that life is well worth the living.</p>
<p>At our business meeting, the following officers were elected by acclamation:
Tom Anderson, president, Kansas; Rehnee Aikens, vice president, Texas; Linda
Mentink, secretary, Nebraska; and Rev. Dr. Carolyn Peters, treasurer, Ohio. We
wish to reach out to members of the NFB who speak primarily in Spanish and also
wish to have more youth in our division. This division welcomes people of all
faiths.</p> <p><strong>Seniors Division Elects New Officers:</strong></p>
<p>Congratulations to our new slate of officers who were elected at the NFB Seniors
Division meeting at convention. President, Ruth Sager, MD; first vice president,
Judy Sanders, MN; second vice president, Diane McGeorge, CO; secretary, Shelley
Koppel, SC; treasurer, Duncan Larsen, CO; board position one, Jane Degenshein,
NJ; board position two, Glenn Crosby, TX.</p> <h3 id="in-brief">In Brief</h3>
<p><strong>Notices and information in this section may be of interest to
<em>Monitor</em> readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information;
we have edited only for space and clarity.</strong></p> <p><strong>Ski For Light
Returns To The Snow:</strong></p> <p>The 47<sup>th</sup> annual Ski for Light
International Week will be held Sunday, January 30, through February 6, 2022 in
Granby, Colorado. After a very successful virtual Ski for Light event in 2021
enjoyed by more than 400 registered participants, Ski for Light is looking forward
to again gliding on the snow at Snow Mountain Ranch.</p> <p>Ski for Light is an
all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that hosts an annual, weeklong event where
blind and mobility-impaired adults are taught the basics of cross-country skiing.
The event attracts more than 250 skiers, guides, and volunteers from throughout
the United States and the world. During the Ski for Light International Week, each
skier with a disability is paired with an experienced, sighted cross-country skier
who acts as ski instructor and on-snow guide. New participants will learn the
thrill of gliding on the snow while veteran skiers hone their skills, and both
will experience a new level of inner confidence and make new friends that could
last a lifetime.</p> <p>Instructor/guides should be intermediate level classic
cross-country skiers capable of safely managing their own speed and direction
while, at the same time, communicating skiing basics and describing the beauty of
the area around the trails to their skiing partner. Ski for Light provides a
training session for first-time guides taught by experienced skiers and guides
prior to the start of the week.</p> <p>If you have never attended what many have
called “the experience of a lifetime,” please consider participating
in the Ski for Light 2022 International Week as a skier, a guide, or a volunteer.
View a brief narrated video introduction to Ski for Light at <a
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjC96E7cyzg"><span
class="underline">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjC96E7cyzg</span></a>. If you
have specific questions, contact Melinda Hollands at <a href="mailto:mlhollandstc@gmail.com"><span
class="underline">mlhollandstc@gmail.com</span></a> or call at 231-590-0986.
Applications for skiers, guides, and volunteers will be available in August at <a
href="http://www.sfl.org"><span class="underline">www.sfl.org</span></a>.</p>
<p>Hope to ski with you in Colorado!</p> <p>----------</p> <h2 id="nfb-pledge">NFB
Pledge</h2> <p>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 policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by
its constitution.</p> </body> </html>