2023 National Convention Virtual Experience | National Federation of the Blind

Mark A. Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind
John Berggren, Chairman, Convention Organization and Activities
Norma Crosby, President, National Federation of the Blind of Texas

Welcome!

Welcome to the world’s largest gathering of the organized blind, the National Federation of the Blind’s annual convention, where expectations are raised and lives literally transformed. For many years, we have streamed several components of convention; this year we are enhancing the online space to include this virtual experience that will surely showcase the power and strength of our movement, to celebrate, to inspire, and to be inspired. The agenda contains information about the week including our community expectations of one another. Take every opportunity to explore, make new friends, and live the life you want at #NFB23.

Inclusivity, Diversity, and Code of Conduct

We are committed to providing a welcoming, safe, and healthy environment for everyone. Thank you for cultivating an atmosphere of mutual respect in which participants from diverse backgrounds can learn, network, and share with each other. We are committed to diversity, equity, and the free expression of ideas. These principles have been outlined in our Code of Conduct.

We recognize a shared responsibility to create and uphold that atmosphere for the benefit of all. Prohibited behaviors include harassment, retaliation, and sexual misconduct. Prohibited behavior will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the convention and/or other consequences. For assistance or to report an incident at the convention, please call 410-659-9314, extension 2475, or email [email protected]. Formal reports can be submitted at https://nfb.org/about-us/history-and-governance/code-conduct/report-form. All formal reports will be fully investigated according to the steps in our Code of Conduct. For support or guidance, connect with our Survivors Group at [email protected] or extension 2238. Thank you for your commitment to the safety and support of the blind community.

Convention Registration

Registration for the virtual experience is free and open through Thursday, July 6, 2023. Registering gives access to exclusive activities, door prizes, and more. Register for the 2023 Convention Virtual Experience!

Pre-Convention Activities & Social Media

Join us before convention in the following events and on social media.

Resolutions 101: Wednesday, June 21, 2023, 8:00 p.m. Zoom meeting ID 963 6181 5274
Sponsor Preview: Tuesday, June 27, 8:00 p.m. eastern Zoom meeting ID 973 2565 2029
Exhibitor Preview: Wednesday, June 28, 8:00 p.m. eastern Zoom meeting ID 922 2296 5861

Share your excitement by posting on social media using the hashtag #NFB23. Follow the conversation, ask questions, and share fun expectations.

Convention Zoom & Access Details

All times listed below are for central time and the following Zoom details are for events July 1 through July 7. For sessions on Zoom, there are multiple options for access.

Web

Zoom via web: https://zoom.us/j/91684968543

Phone

Zoom One Tap Mobile: US: +13017158592,,91684968543# or +13126266799,,91684968543#
Zoom via phone by location:
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Zoom Meeting ID: 916 8496 8543

1CapApp

Closed captions will be provided on the Zoom platform, and you may also access the closed captions/transcript through 1CapApp at https://ECS.1capapp.com/event/nfb.

Stream

All general sessions, board of directors meeting, resolutions committee meeting, and the banquet will be streamed on YouTube and on Amazon devices by asking your devices to play “Nation’s Blind”.

All times listed below are for central time:

July 1, 2023

12:00 p.m. Exclusive Welcome to NFB23 Virtual Experience

July 2, 2023

11:00 a.m. Exclusive Division Showcase
12:30 p.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
1:00 p.m. Resolutions Committee Meeting

July 3, 2023

8:30 a.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Board Meeting
12:00 p.m. Exclusive Meet & Greet with Dan O’Rourke

July 4, 2023

8:30 a.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. General Session I

Call to Order and Invocation
Presentation of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance
National Association of Blind Veterans, a Division of the National Federation of the Blind
Deep in the Heart of the Federation: Welcome from the NFB of Texas
2023 National Convention Host Committee: The National Federation of the Blind of Texas
Celebration of Freedom: Veterans Recognized
- Vernon Humphrey, President, National Association of Blind Veterans, a Division of the National Federation of the Blind; Mauk, Georgia
Roll Call of States and Appointment of Nominating Committee
Reports and Resolutions
Adjourn

1:30 p.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. General Session II

Call to Order
Presidential Report
Mark Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, Maryland
Showing Heart on Route 66: A Ride for Literacy; Dan O'Rourke, National Hockey League Referee; Atlanta, Georgia
Reflections on Four Decades and Growing Hope for the Future: Celebrating Parents of Blind Children within the Organized Blind Movement
- Barbara Cheadle, President Emeritus, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children; Catonsville, Maryland
- Carla Keirns, President, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children; Kansas City, Missouri
The Braille Flyway: Giving Wings to Literacy through Partnership with Monarch
- Craig Meador, President, American Printing House; Louisville, Kentucky
- Bruce Miles, Chief Executive Officer, HumanWare; Drummondville, Québec, Canada
Unlocking the Power of Our Stories: Imagining a Museum and Building Our Future
Reports and Resolutions
Adjourn

July 5, 2022

8:30 a.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. General Session III

Call to Order and Invocation
Financial Report, Including the Honor Roll Call
Elections
Building the Movement: Achieving Our Dreams through Strategic Investments
Members of the National Federation of the Blind Strategic Planning Steering Committee
Transforming Corporate America from the Inside: Leadership, Blindness, and a Journey of Opening Doors; Susan Mazrui, Director, Global Public Policy, AT&T Services, Inc.; Seattle, Washington
Shattering Injustice and Raising Expectations: Dedication to Equality by a Blind Attorney; Karla Gilbride, Civil Rights Attorney; Silver Spring, Maryland
Reports and Resolutions
Adjourn

1:30 p.m. Nations Blind Podcasters Pre-show
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. General Session IV

Call to Order
Securing Equal Protection under the Law: The Essential Role of the Organized Blind Movement; Eve Hill, General Counsel, National Federation of the Blind, and Partner, Brown, Goldstein, and Levy; Baltimore, Maryland
A One-Hundred-Year Legacy at the American Foundation for the Blind: What Will Be Different in the Decade Ahead? Eric Bridges, President and CEO, American Foundation for the Blind; Arlington, Virginia
Thousands of Voices Lift a Shared Agenda: A Report from the Federation’s Advocacy and Policy Department
- Moderator: John G. Paré Jr., Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, Maryland
- Jeff Kaloc, NFB Government Affairs Specialist; Baltimore, Maryland
- Jesse Shirek, NFB Government Affairs Specialist; Baltimore, Maryland
- Justin Young, NFB Government Affairs Specialist; Baltimore, Maryland
Reports, Resolutions, and Other Business
Adjourn

July 6, 2022

8:30 a.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. General Session V

Call to Order and Invocation
Leveraging Personal AI to Build the Organized Blind Movement; Suman Kanuganti, CEO, Personal.ai; San Diego, California
Artificial Intelligence Directed by the Blind: Progress and Possibilities with Be My Eyes; Mike Buckley, Chairman and CEO, Be My Eyes; San Francisco, California
Together Living Blindfully: Perspectives on the Wisdom of the Shared Blind Community; Jonathan Mosen, CEO, Workbridge, and Producer and Presenter, Living Blindfully; Wellington, New Zealand
Rebuilding What I Should Have Known: Reflections on My Journey to be Accountable to the Blind Community; Shir Ekerling, Co-CEO and Co-Founder, accessiBe; New York, New York
Defining Meaningful Access and Consumer Control: The Blind and the Evolution of Overlays; Curtis Chong, Nonvisual Access Technology Consultant; Aurora, Colorado
Tired of Waiting: Perspectives on Ride Denials from Uber; Liza Winship, Director of Driver Operations for the US and Canada, Uber; San Francisco, California
Full Participation of the Disabled in America: Nothing without Us; Andrés Gallegos, Chairman, National Council on Disability; Washington, District of Columbia
Expanding the Reach of the National Library Service: A Commitment to High Expectations for Blind Patrons; Jason Broughton, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled; Washington, District of Columbia
Reports and Resolutions
Adjourn

1:30 p.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. General Session VI

Call to Order
The Sixteenth Annual Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards; Everette Bacon, Chairperson, Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee, and Board Member, National Federation of the Blind; Salt Lake City, Utah
Transformation of Jobs in the AbilityOne Program: Disability Advocacy, Leadership, and the Power of Concentrated Action; Chai Feldblum, Vice Chairperson, United States AbilityOne Commission; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida
By Us for Us: A Report on the Federation’s Research, Training, and Partnership Programs; Anil Lewis, Executive Director for Blindness Initiatives, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, Maryland
We Have Work to Do: Reflections on Changing the Blind Employment Paradigm; Mary Fernandez, Lead Disability Inclusion Consultant, Cisco Systems; Silver Spring, Maryland
Working Together to Elevate the Blind in America: A Leader and Partner of the Organized Blind Movement; The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, United States House of Representatives, Eighteenth Congressional District; Houston, Texas
Digital Access for All: Leading the Way in Advancing the Right to Live in the Twenty-First Century; The Honorable Tony Coelho, Former Congressman, United States House of Representatives, and Author, Americans with Disabilities Act; Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Reports and Resolutions
Adjourn

6:30 p.m. Nation’s Blind Podcasters Pre-show
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Banquet

Invocation
Master of Ceremonies: Pam Allen
Introductions and Presentations
Banquet Address: Mark Riccobono

Continue the #NFB23 Experience: Virtual Seminars Presented by Our Sponsors

Help Test Accessible Mobile Voting Technology, Presented by Mobile Voting

Tusk Philanthropies is hosting a mock election on Tuesday, July 25th to test new mobile voting technology designed to make accessible absentee voting more secure. You can register at the link below to sign up and participate in this event. You'll receive instructions via email from our sponsor, Tusk Philanthropies, on how to participate.
Speakers(s): Jocelyn Bucaro

Date & Date: 07/25/2023 starting at 8:00 a.m. PT
How to Join: https://forms.gle/xwu3psq5EYZ7yJEt5

Uber Listening Session, Presented by Uber

Uber's service animal project leads will host a listening session specifically for NFB members. Uber will share an update with details about our work and commitments, and then answer questions and receive feedback.
Presenter(s): Briana Gilmore, Head of Accessibility Policy and Chris Yoon, Product Manager

Date & Time: 07/27/2023 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
How to Join: https://uber.zoom.us/j/99960753787?pwd=akwxTzBlQnNiak5FVmw2OHVQVytvdz09
Meeting ID: 999 6075 3787
Password: 743850

Non-24 Hour Disorder Educational Presentation, Presented by Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Vanda is dedicated to raising awareness of Non-24 Disorder and supporting the blindness community. People living with Non-24 experience excessive daytime sleepiness and nighttime sleeplessness, which leads to impaired social and occupational functioning. This is due to the misalignment between the internal master body clock and the 24-hr day.
Speaker(s): Maggie Felton RN clinical nurse educator
Shauna Jatho RN clinical nurse educator

Date & Time: the event date has passed; learn more at www.non-24.com.

How to make STEM accessible for blind students, Presented by Independence Science

We will discuss the use of the Tactile Adaptations Kit and the Lab Gear Kit and how they can make STEM more accessible. We will cover how to learn measurements of liquids and solids, mathematics, weight of materials, and more!

Date & Time: the event date has passed; learn more at http://www.independencescience.com.

Leader Dogs for the Blind: We’re more than guide dogs! Presented by Leader Dogs for the Blind

Leader Dogs for the Blind has more than guide dog programs! We offer orientation and mobility programs, a Teen Summer Camp and Youth O&M. Along, with these free programs Leader Dog has virtual learning opportunities, Collaboration Events and a podcast, Taking the Lead. Join us as we provide an update and answer your questions!

Date & Time: the event date has passed; learn more at http://www.leaderdog.org/.

Refreshable Tactile Graphics on the Cadence Tablet, Presented by Tactile Engineering

Learn about the capabilities of the Cadence tablet to display STEM content for education, graphics for the workplace, and books and video games for leisure activities. The Cadence tablet is a new refreshable graphics device being deployed in schools in the US.
Presenter(s): Wunji Lau, Greg Williams