2023 National Convention

The 2023 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind was held Saturday, July 1, 2023 through Thursday, July 7, 2023 at the Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston, Texas.

Key Reports

Sponsors

  • Platinum: Google, Horizon Therapeutics, Microsoft, UPS Foundation, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Vispero, Wells Fargo
  • Gold: Amazon, HumanWare, Oracle, Target, Waymo
  • Silver: American Printing House, AT&T, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Lyft, Market Development Group, Pearson, Tusk Philanthropies, Uber
  • Bronze: Centene Corporation, Charter Communications (Spectrum), Cruise, Ellume, Kellogg, United Airlines, UserWay, VitalSource Technologies
  • White Cane: Aira, C&P-Chris Park Technology, Central Intelligence Agency, Computers for the Blind, CVS Health, Democracy Live, En-Vision America, Envision, Inc., GoodMaps, HIMS, IKE Smart City, Independence Science, Jackson Walker LLP, Leader Dogs for the Blind, McGraw Hill, National Industries for the Blind, National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress, Personal.ai, Rosen, Bien, Galvan & Grunfeld, LLP, Saavi Services for the Blind, Tactile Engineering,  The Chicago Lighthouse, VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention’s (OMHSP) Suicide Prevention Program (SPP)

Agenda

Convention Highlights

General Session Transcripts

The following General Session transcripts are available in Word documents.

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

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 

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 

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

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

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