Future Reflections
Volume 45, Number 1 Winter 2026
A magazine for parents and teachers of blind children published by
the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in partnership
with the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.
Deborah Kent Stein, Editor
ISSN-0883-3419
Copyright © 2026 American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
For more information
about blindness and children contact:
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230 • 410-659-9314
https://nfb.org/nopbc • [email protected] • [email protected]
Convention Bulletin 2026
The National Federation of the Blind’s National Convention brings together blind people from across the country and around the globe. We come from all walks of life. Some of us have been blind all our lives, while others may be new to blindness. Some are young, some have been around the sun more than a few times. Some are convention first-timers, while others have been attending for decades. Our patchwork of individual experiences makes us stronger together, and it means that our National Conventions are a celebration of our diversity.
Over the course of eighty-five annual conventions, nearly three dozen cities reflecting similar diversity have played host to the NFB’s biggest event of the year. Yet, among this broad list of destinations, our convention has never come to the capital city of Texas to gather and celebrate. This will change next July when we head to the JW Marriot Austin for our annual National Convention July 3 through July 8!
Austin is widely known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” having been home to the PBS program Austin City Limits for more than fifty years and host to the annual South by Southwest music and media festival. Austin also boasts a vibrant arts scene with many public art displays throughout the city. But Austin isn’t just fueled by creative energy. A strong technology sector thrives here, with many tech companies establishing headquarters in the city. Waymo and Tesla are two notable names, as both companies offer autonomous vehicle rides within Austin. The University of Texas at Austin, with over 50,000 students, sits just north of downtown. Visitors will notice an emphasis on local retailers over national chains. This broad and eclectic diversity perpetuates the popular “Keep Austin Weird” vibe and makes for a truly unique destination.
Our Convention Hotels
The upscale JW Marriott Austin will serve as our headquarters hotel, while the recently opened Austin Marriott Downtown, just a short walk away, will provide overflow space. All convention events will take place in the headquarters hotel this year. Both hotels offer a number of dining options, 24/7 fitness centers, and rooftop pools with cabana rentals. The hotels are in the heart of downtown Austin, surrounded by local restaurants and shops. A few blocks south, walking trails line the section of the Colorado River known as Lady Bird Lake.
Our 2026 convention hotel rate is $139 per night for singles and doubles. Triples and quads are available for $155 per night. Sales tax and a tourism fee total a combined 19 percent.
Beginning on January 1, you may call 800-627-7468 to book a room at either hotel. Specify our room block code, BL1, to ensure you receive our convention room rate. For each room you book, the hotel requires a deposit of the first night’s room rate, taxes, and fees, payable by credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Sunday, June 1, 2026, half of the deposit will be returned. Refunds will not be issued after that date.
Convention Schedule
The 2026 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be an exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and renewed dedication to the goals and work of our movement.
- A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick the week off on Friday, July 3. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up will also open on Friday.
- Breakout sessions continue Saturday, July 4, along with committee meetings.
- Sunday, July 5, begins with the annual meeting, open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind. National division meetings will follow that afternoon and evening.
- General convention sessions will begin on Monday, July 6, and continue through the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8.
- Convention ends on a high note with the banquet Wednesday evening, so be sure to pack your fancy clothes. The fall of the gavel at the close of banquet will signal convention’s adjournment.
Make plans to be a part of it. To ensure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, you should make reservations early. The hotels will be ready to take your call beginning January 1.
Request for Door Prizes
Remember that we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Prizes should be small in size but significant in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule, we ask that prizes have a value of at least $25 and do not include alcohol. Drawings take place throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet.
Important note for attendees: You must be registered to win a door prize! Registration opens in March.
First-Time Attendees
If you or members of your chapter are first-time attendees, please learn about convention through the First-Timer’s Guide available at nfb.org/convention.
Countdown to Austin
The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and thought-provoking program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships within our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions are made—all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2026 National Convention. To secure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, make your reservations early. We look forward to seeing you in Austin in July!
Contents
FEATURE
Connecting the Dots: A Late Lesson in Why School Matters
by Gary Wunder
BEGINNINGS
The Day I Lost My Daughter
by Penny Duffy
How to Raise a Blind Child: One Mother's Perspective
by Susan Tucic and Peter Tucic
PROGRAMS
Teachers of Tomorrow: Preparing the Next Generation of Educators Who Believe in Blind Children
by Mya Taylor
Baltimore Reflections
by Rachel Bodek
TECHNOLOGY
Update on the Monarch, An Interview with Greg Stilson
by Jonathan Mosen
CAREERS
Making It in the Media
A Podcast Presented by Nikki Jackson
ADVOCACY
Protecting Key Programs under the Department of Education
by Justin Young
Broadening Perspective and Narrowing Focus: What Blind Students Need to Know about Changes in the Department of Education
An Interview with NFB President Mark Riccobono, NABS Now Podcast
My First Adventure with Advocacy
by Willow Townsend
PERSPECTIVES
Sea Glass
by Lydia Schuck
WHAT'S NEW
Update on ABLE Accounts for People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
Why Join the NOPBC?
Are you the parent of a blind/low-vision child? Don’t know where to turn? Have you ever wondered what your child will be capable of when he or she grows up? Are you concerned that your child’s future will be limited by blindness or low vision? Do you have questions about how to parent a blind child? We are here for you.
What is the NOPBC?
Founded in 1983, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), is a membership organization of families, friends, and educators of blind children. We have thousands of members in all fifty states plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.
Who is the NOPBC for?
We have a very inclusive definition of blindness which includes children who have some usable vision. Instead of focusing on what the child can or cannot see, we focus on the child and what she or he wants to be.
NOPBC is for families, educators, and friends of blind children, including those who have some usable vision. We welcome all families of blind children, and many of our children have both blindness and other disabilities.
We help families and blind children themselves maximize the child’s abilities and opportunities; we hold high expectations for all of our children, regardless of any additional disabilities they may have.
Why is the NOPBC a part of the National Federation of the Blind?
As a division of the NFB, the largest and most influential organization of blind people in the world, the NOPBC is well informed about the societal, legislative, and technological issues that affect blind people. We enjoy the resources, support, and expertise of fifty thousand blind people who can serve as mentors and role models for us and our children. When we as parents join the NOPBC, our children belong to the Federation family.
What is our mission?
The NOPBC:
- creates a climate of opportunity for blind children in home and society.
- provides information and support to parents of blind children.
- facilitates the sharing of experience and concerns among parents of blind children.
- develops and expands resources available to parents and their children.
- helps parents of blind children gain understanding and perspective through partnership and contact with blind adults.
- functions as an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind in its ongoing effort to achieve equality and opportunity for all blind persons.
Most states have an NOPBC affiliate chapter. You can find your state chapter at http://www.nopbc.org. If your state does not have a chapter and you would like to start one, please contact us. We may be able to offer training and other assistance to start a state NOPBC chapter.
Why Join the NOPBC?
We have been where you are, and we want to support you and your blind child. We know that blindness does not define your child's future. We can connect you with other families and blind adults who can serve as positive mentors and role models. They can teach you the attitudes and techniques that will enable your child to become independent and to succeed in life.
The NOPBC offers hope, encouragement, information, and resources for parents, families, and educators of blind children. NOPBC provides:
- emotional support and a network of other families dealing with challenges similar to those you face;
- information, training, and resources to empower you to take an active role in guiding your child’s development and education; and
- information on your child’s rights and on the laws and legislative issues that will enable you and your child to become strong and effective advocates.
We offer a wide variety of programs, activities, and training to families, children, and youth. One of our most exciting activities is our annual conference. Every year since it was established, the NOPBC has conducted an annual conference for parents and teachers of blind children as part of the national convention of the NFB. This conference has grown to include five exciting days of workshops, training sessions, activities for all family members, including sighted siblings, and countless opportunities to meet blind adults and other families and children from around the country.
Programs, activities, publications, and resources of the NFB and NOPBC
- National and State Parent Seminars and Conferences
- Future Reflections magazine
- NOPBC website
- Books and videos
- Social Media
- NOPBC Facebook group
- NOPBC Facebook page
- NOPBC on X
- BlindKid & other listservs
- Parent Leadership Program (PLP)
- NFB Early Childhood Initiatives
- Early Explorers
- Braille Reading Pals
- Early childhood conferences
- Braille Letters from Santa & Winter letters (seasonal)
- Youth
- NFB National Scholarship program
- National Center for Blind Youth in Science website
- NFB EQ for Teachers: A Nonvisual & Accessible Engineering Curriculum
- NFB EQ for Parents: A STEM Learning Toolkit for Parents of Blind Children
- NFB STEM2U
- Youth Track at national convention
- Transition workshops
- Slate Pals pen pal program
- American Action Fund
- Free Braille Books program
- Braille Readers Are Leaders contest
- ShareBraille book exchange
- Writing contests
- NFB-NEWSLINE® newspaper service
- National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
- NFB BELL® Academy (Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning)
- NFB Radio Network
- Free White Cane program
- Free Slate and Stylus program
- NFB National Scholarship program
- Straight Talk about Blindness video series
- Where the Blind Work website
Contact Us:
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
[email protected]
www.nopbc.org