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. You can still view their profile pages on the virtual event platform.
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)