Convention Revisited

Convention Revisited

American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
Future Reflections Convention 2017 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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Convention Revisited
by Deborah Kent Stein
"What in the world is happening here? Where did all these people come from?" a startled guest asked me in the lobby of the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel. Around us were hundreds of blind people of all ages, some with guide dogs, and others with long white canes.

"What's happening is the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind," I explained. "We come from all over the United States and from a lot of other countries, too."
Every year thousands of blind people, along with our families and friends, gather for the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The NFB convention is an event unlike any other. It is an extravaganza of information and communication, a festival of connection and renewal for the blind community. People come to share ideas and strategies. They leave with fresh energy, exciting plans, and new friendships.

The 2017 convention of the National Federation of the Blind took place from July 10 to July 15 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The annual conference of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) was held on the opening day, with a wide assortment of presentations and workshops related to the needs and abilities of blind children. Additional presentations were given during the annual NOPBC board meeting on July 12, and other sessions of particular interest to parents were scheduled throughout the week. While the parents were busy in these sessions, children played in NFB Childcare and teens enjoyed a variety of Youth Track activities.

Convention general sessions were held from July 13 through July 15. Speakers provided information about groundbreaking new technologies, shared powerful stories of personal growth and achievement, and pondered philosophical issues around blindness. Convention week culminated with the annual banquet and a stirring address by NFB President Mark Riccobono. You can listen to the general sessions and President Riccobono's banquet speech by visiting https://nfb.org/national-convention-highlights.

This issue of Future Reflections can only capture a few of the highlights from the 2017 convention. If you were able to attend, the articles and photos gathered here may remind you of people you met and things that you and your children experienced for the first time. If you were not able to go to convention last summer, we hope you will be inspired to join us in 2018. Let's go build the Federation!

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