Upcoming Events
April 24-25, 2014: Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium
The 2014 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, held at the NFB Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, will consist of plenary sessions and workshops facilitated by distinguished law professors, practitioners, and advocates who will discuss topics such as: disability discrimination in the criminal and juvenile justice systems, next steps in Olmstead litigation, rights of parents with disabilities, supported decision making as an alternative to guardianship, and how to work with the media to get the disability rights message across. Register online now and/or visit www.nfb.org/law-symposium for more information, including the agenda and the full list of presenters.
Summer 2014: NFB BELL
In the summer of 2014, there will be thirty-seven NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) programs in twenty-four states. To learn more about how you can participate in a summer of Braille fun across the country as a student or a volunteer, please visit www.nfb.org/BELL.
June 8, 2014: 6 Dot Dash
Join us on June 8 for the 6 Dot Dash, a race to advance Braille literacy! This 6K race kicks off at 8 a.m. at the NFB Jernigan Institute, and winds through the Baltimore Inner Harbor before finishing back at the NFB. Registration is now open, and if you register before race day you will get an early bird discount! To register online or learn more, please visit www.nfb.org/dot-dash.
July 1-6, 2014: NFB National Convention
The 2014 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Orlando, Florida, July 1-6, at the Rosen Centre Hotel. Mark your calendar now - you won't want to miss the largest gathering of blind people in the country! The hotel is now accepting reservations; call (800) 204-7234. Preregistration is also now open at www.nfb.org/registration. Visit www.nfb.org/national-convention for more details as they develop.
What's New
NFB Members Protest
Atlantic Cape Community College
Members of the National Federation of the Blind and its New Jersey affiliate held a protest at the Mays Landing campus of Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC) on Thursday, April 17. Blind people from New Jersey and surrounding areas gathered to protest discrimination by ACCC against Anthony Lanzilotti, a blind student studying criminal justice and cyber-security there. Mr. Lanzilotti has been denied even the most basic accommodations and at times has not been allowed on campus or to use campus facilities unless he is accompanied by a sighted person. He has also been prohibited from using campus laboratories because ACCC claims that this violates the fire code. For more information about the protest, please read the official press release, or the media coverage of the event from NBC 40 and FOX Philly.
NFB and Four Blind People File Suit
Against RideCharge and Three Other
Taxi Companies in California
The National Federation of the Blind and four blind people residing in California have filed suit against RideCharge, Inc. and three entities that manage taxicab fleets in Southern California: Administrative Services Cooperative, Inc., LA Taxi Cooperative, Inc., and South Bay Yellow Cab Cooperative, Inc. The taxicab cooperatives have deployed RideCharge’s self-service, touchscreen payment terminals, which are inaccessible to blind taxicab riders, in taxicabs throughout Southern California. The self-service terminals utilize an entirely visual, touchscreen interface mounted on the back of the front passenger seat that allows sighted taxicab riders to access information and services privately and independently. The exclusively visual interface lacks common accessibility features for blind riders. For more information about this suit, please read the official press release.
April 2014 Braille Monitor Now Available
The April edition of the National Federation of the Blind's flagship publication, the Braille Monitor, is now available! In this month's issue: a look back at the past decade of the NFB Jernigan Institute, a firsthand account of a newly blinded person coming to terms with her blindness, and a blind student's story of how her parents guided her toward an independent, full life, and much more.