The 2020 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind was held virtually Tuesday, July 14 through Saturday, July 18, 2020.
Key Reports
- 2020 Presidential Report
- 2020 Resolutions
- 2020 Banquet Speech ("Language, Action, and Destiny: The Lived Experience of the Organized Blind Movement")
Sponsors
Thank you to the sponsor organizations of the 2020 National Convention.
- Platinum: Google, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Microsoft Corporation, Oracle, UPS, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Vispero
- Gold: Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, Target, Waymo
- Silver: Adobe, Amazon, AT&T, Facebook, Lyft, Market Development Group, Inc., Pearson, Sprint Accessibility
- Bronze: ACT Inc., Aira, American Printing House, Charter Communications, Democracy Live, HumanWare, Learning Ally, Verizon Media, VitalSource Technologies, Wells Fargo
- White Cane: Duxbury Systems, Inc., En-Vision America, Envision, Inc., LCI, McGraw-Hill Education, Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP, C&P - Chris Park Design, Five Cedars Group, Inc., VotingWorks
Agenda
The agenda of the 2020 National Convention was available in several formats.
- 2020 National Convention Agenda (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Welcome (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Tuesday (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Wednesday (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Thursday (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Friday (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Saturday (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda: Convention Notes (HTML)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda (EPUB)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda (Word)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda (Spanish) (Word)
- 2020 National Convention Agenda (BRF)
Audio Highlights
2020 Rookie Roundup
Welcoming Ceremonies: From Houston to Everywhere
- Welcoming Ceremonies: From Houston to Everywhere (MP3)
- Welcoming Ceremonies: From Houston to Everywhere (Transcript)
2020 Presidential Report
- 2020 Presidential Report (MP3)
- 2020 Presidential Report (YouTube)
- 2020 Presidential Report (Transcript)
A Commitment to Progress through Accessibility: Answering the Call of the Nation’s Blind to Provide Educational Products and Services (Tim Bozik, President, Global Product & North America Courseware, Pearson; Hoboken, New Jersey)
- A Commitment to Progress through Accessibility: Answering the Call of the Nation’s Blind to Provide Educational Products and Services (MP3)
- A Commitment to Progress through Accessibility: Answering the Call of the Nation’s Blind to Provide Educational Products and Services (YouTube)
- A Commitment to Progress through Accessibility: Answering the Call of the Nation’s Blind to Provide Educational Products and Services (Transcript)
A Test of Strength and Equality: Blind Students Organize against the College Board (Kaleigh Brendle, Student; Freehold, New Jersey)
- A Test of Strength and Equality: Blind Students Organize against the College Board (MP3)
- A Test of Strength and Equality: Blind Students Organize against the College Board (YouTube)
- A Test of Strength and Equality: Blind Students Organize against the College Board (Transcript)
From Chameleon to Mantis and Beyond: A Partnership of Shared Value with the Organized Blind Movement (Craig Meador, President, American Printing House for the Blind; Louisville, Kentucky)
- From Chameleon to Mantis and Beyond: A Partnership of Shared Value with the Organized Blind Movement (MP3)
- From Chameleon to Mantis and Beyond: A Partnership of Shared Value with the Organized Blind Movement (YouTube)
- From Chameleon to Mantis and Beyond: A Partnership of Shared Value with the Organized Blind Movement (Transcript)
Authentic Intelligence: A Blind Researcher Bringing Wisdom to the Future of Technology Innovations (Cynthia Bennett, Postdoctoral Researcher, Carnegie Mellon; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- Authentic Intelligence: A Blind Researcher Bringing Wisdom to the Future of Technology Innovations (MP3)
- Authentic Intelligence: A Blind Researcher Bringing Wisdom to the Future of Technology Innovations (YouTube)
- Authentic Intelligence: A Blind Researcher Bringing Wisdom to the Future of Technology Innovations (Transcript)
Advancing Technology Inspired by the Blind: The Vispero Journey Leads to Independence (Tom Tiernan, President and CEO, Vispero; Clearwater, Florida)
- Advancing Technology Inspired by the Blind: The Vispero Journey Leads to Independence (MP3)
- Advancing Technology Inspired by the Blind: The Vispero Journey Leads to Independence (YouTube)
- Advancing Technology Inspired by the Blind: The Vispero Journey Leads to Independence (Transcript)
Starting Up with the Blind: Remarks from a Partner and Introduction to Luther Primes (Suman Kanuganti, CEO, Luther.ai; San Diego, California)
- Starting Up with the Blind: Remarks from a Partner and Introduction to Luther Primes (MP3)
- Starting Up with the Blind: Remarks from a Partner and Introduction to Luther Primes (YouTube)
- Starting Up with the Blind: Remarks from a Partner and Introduction to Luther Primes (Transcript)
Making Gains for Blind Americans: Leadership in the United States Senate (The Honorable Dick Durbin, United States Senator; Illinois)
- Making Gains for Blind Americans: Leadership in the United States Senate (MP3)
- Making Gains for Blind Americans: Leadership in the United States Senate (YouTube)
- Making Gains for Blind Americans: Leadership in the United States Senate (Transcript)
Our Roots: Advancing Human Rights and the Tradition of Serving Our Nation (Mariyam Cementwala, US Diplomat; Washington, DC)
- Our Roots: Advancing Human Rights and the Tradition of Serving Our Nation (MP3)
- Our Roots: Advancing Human Rights and the Tradition of Serving Our Nation (YouTube)
- Our Roots: Advancing Human Rights and the Tradition of Serving Our Nation (Transcript)
Using Knowledge to Inform, Inspire, and Engage: Perspectives on Equal Access from the Largest Library in the World (Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, US Library of Congress; Washington, DC)
- Using Knowledge to Inform, Inspire, and Engage: Perspectives on Equal Access from the Largest Library in the World (MP3)
- Using Knowledge to Inform, Inspire, and Engage: Perspectives on Equal Access from the Largest Library in the World (YouTube)
- Using Knowledge to Inform, Inspire, and Engage: Perspectives on Equal Access from the Largest Library in the World (Transcript)
Equal Justice Under Law: A Blind Clerk Blazes a Trail Behind the Scenes at the Supreme Court (Laura Wolk, Law Clerk to the Honorable Clarence Thomas, October Term 2019; Washington, DC)
- Equal Justice Under Law: A Blind Clerk Blazes a Trail Behind the Scenes at the Supreme Court (MP3)
- Equal Justice Under Law: A Blind Clerk Blazes a Trail Behind the Scenes at the Supreme Court (YouTube)
- Equal Justice Under Law: A Blind Clerk Blazes a Trail Behind the Scenes at the Supreme Court (Transcript)
Leveraging the Power of the ADA to Secure Our Right to Live in the World for Thirty Years: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going, from the Federation’s Perspective (Moderator: Scott Labarre, President, National Association of Blind Lawyers; President, National Federation of the Blind of Colorado; Denver, Colorado)
- Leveraging the Power of the ADA to Secure Our Right to Live in the World for Thirty Years: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going, from the Federation’s Perspective (MP3)
- Leveraging the Power of the ADA to Secure Our Right to Live in the World for Thirty Years: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going, from the Federation’s Perspective (YouTube)
- Leveraging the Power of the ADA to Secure Our Right to Live in the World for Thirty Years: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going, from the Federation’s Perspective (Transcript)
From the Heart to the Hand: A Blind Artist Advancing Touch for Over Forty Years (Michael Naranjo, Sculptor; Albuquerque, New Mexico)
- From the Heart to the Hand: A Blind Artist Advancing Touch for Over Forty Years (MP3)
- From the Heart to the Hand: A Blind Artist Advancing Touch for Over Forty Years (YouTube)
- From the Heart to the Hand: A Blind Artist Advancing Touch for Over Forty Years (Transcript)
Broadcasting the Authentic Perspective of Blindness: A Conversation with a Blind YouTuber Who Is Advancing a Positive Image (Molly Burke, YouTuber; Los Angeles, California; Mary Fernandez, People and Communities Consultant, Cisco Systems; Woodbridge, New Jersey)
- Broadcasting the Authentic Perspective of Blindness: A Conversation with a Blind YouTuber Who Is Advancing a Positive Image (MP3)
- Broadcasting the Authentic Perspective of Blindness: A Conversation with a Blind YouTuber Who Is Advancing a Positive Image (YouTube)
- Broadcasting the Authentic Perspective of Blindness: A Conversation with a Blind YouTuber Who Is Advancing a Positive Image (Transcript)
Movie Enjoyment Made Easy: Innovations to Include All Subscribers at Netflix (Greg Peters, Chief Product Officer, Netflix; Los Gatos, California)
- Movie Enjoyment Made Easy: Innovations to Include All Subscribers at Netflix (MP3)
- Movie Enjoyment Made Easy: Innovations to Include All Subscribers at Netflix (YouTube)
- Movie Enjoyment Made Easy: Innovations to Include All Subscribers at Netflix (Transcript)
Protecting and Expanding the Right of the Blind to Live in the World: A Report from the Advocacy and Policy Department
- Protecting and Expanding the Right of the Blind to Live in the World: A Report from the Advocacy and Policy Department (MP3)
- Protecting and Expanding the Right of the Blind to Live in the World: A Report from the Advocacy and Policy Department (YouTube)
- Protecting and Expanding the Right of the Blind to Live in the World: A Report from the Advocacy and Policy Department (Transcript)
Not Blind to Color in the Federation: A Panel on the Experience of Black and Blind in America (Moderator: Ever Lee Hairston, Board Member, National Federation of the Blind; Los Angeles, California)
- Not Blind to Color in the Federation: A Panel on the Experience of Black and Blind in America (MP3)
- Not Blind to Color in the Federation: A Panel on the Experience of Black and Blind in America (YouTube)
- Not Blind to Color in the Federation: A Panel on the Experience of Black and Blind in America (Transcript)
Connecting with the Heartbeat of the Federation: A Report from the Jernigan Institute (Anil Lewis, Executive Director for Blindness Initiatives, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, Maryland)
- Connecting with the Heartbeat of the Federation: A Report from the Jernigan Institute (MP3)
- Connecting with the Heartbeat of the Federation: A Report from the Jernigan Institute (YouTube)
2020 Banquet Speech ("Language, Action, and Destiny: The Lived Experience of the Organized Blind Movement")
- 2020 Banquet Speech ("Language, Action, and Destiny: The Lived Experience of the Organized Blind Movement") (MP3)
- 2020 Banquet Speech ("Language, Action, and Destiny: The Lived Experience of the Organized Blind Movement") (YouTube)
- 2020 Banquet Speech ("Language, Action, and Destiny: The Lived Experience of the Organized Blind Movement") (Transcript)