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News from the Federation Family

NFB in Judaism Group Meeting

by Stewart Prost

The NFB in Judaism Group met on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, starting at 7 p.m., CDT. The meeting was held in Studio 3 at the Marriott in New Orleans, Louisiana, and on Zoom. There were thirty-four people in attendance, half in person and half using Zoom. This was the largest gathering of this group in recent history. The meeting was international since we had one participant from Israel attend virtually.

After everyone had a chance to introduce themselves, several participants talked about their involvement in their local Jewish community. Next, there was a discussion of future programs and activities that the group could engage in during the coming year. Here are some of the ideas discussed:

• Contacting the Jewish Braille Institute (JBI) and having them join us in a Zoom Meeting.
• Reaching out to various Jewish organizations and getting ourselves on their convention agendas.
• Having the Conservative and Reform Jewish movements pass resolutions regarding people who are blind and have other disabilities.
• Getting information about this group on NFB-NEWSLINE.
• Increased interaction between Jews who are blind or have low vision in the US and those English-speaking Jews in Israel who are blind and have low vision.

Finally, there was a discussion of having a Shabbat (Sabbath) celebration Friday, July 9 after the afternoon General Session. This did not work out for this year. However, this will be something we can work on for next year’s convention.

This group not only will meet during convention, but will plan to meet several times this year through Zoom.

Announcing the 2022-2023 NOPBC Board:

Our 2022 Annual Business Meeting was held on Thursday, July 7, 2022. We had two- to three-dozen NOPBC members in attendance, but we did not take the time to verify accurate numbers because all of our votes [voice] were unanimous.

This year, we had several members going off the board and we want to recognize them for all the work they contributed over the years. Departing board members include Carlton Anne Cook Walker, Sarah Erb, Donna Genelin, and Melissa Riccobono. We thanked each of them and are grateful for their years of dedicated service to the NOPBC. We reminded them that we are a family, and no one ever REALLY leaves.

At the NOPBC’s Annual Meeting, held July 7, 2022, The following individuals were elected to serve two-year terms on the Executive Board of the NOPBC: President, Carla Keirns; first vice president, Penny Duffy; second vice president, Casey West Robertson; secretary, Carol Castellano; treasurer, Sandra Oliver; and those filling one-year terms are Jackie Anderson; Amira Assad-Lucas; Cindy Champagne; Emily Gindlesperger; Jeanette Jones; Sarah Kassim; Maura Kutnyak; Cassie McKinney; Tabby Mitchell; and Ashleigh Moon. Congratulations to all of you; we send our best wishes and know you will move our division forward.

NABV Social Hour and Division Meeting at the NFB 2022 Convention:

Our National Association of Blind Veterans had twenty-eight people present in person and eight connected in using ZOOM. The social hour was lively with meeting people and conversation, and the old guard greeted new members with enthusiasm. There was quite a bit of energy in the room both from the long separation and the excitement of meeting new people.

The business meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance as we always do—once a service member, always a service member. Next, we enjoyed the national anthem sung by Angelina Angelcyk, followed by a moment of silence for Joe Ruffalo. We had a vacant board member position, and Jack Rupert, our secretary, asked to step down from his position into the vacant board slot. The membership approved this lateral move. We had nominations for a new secretary, and Suzette Casillas was nominated and approved by the membership.   

We had guest presentations by:
Natasha’s tribute to Joe Ruffalo
Lesa Kretschmer—Florida Vision Technology
Curtis from Patriot
A Lady from NLS

The meeting concluded with gratitude for our country, our Federation, and our veterans group.

A Report from the Senior Division

by Judy Sanders

From the Editor: Judy Sanders needs little in the way of an introduction. Her initial meetup with the Federation more than four decades ago caused many of us to sit-up and take notice when a person we clearly determined to be a qualified teacher was summarily rejected. We gave Judy our help, she took it, and she has returned it tenfold. For this reason she was given the Dr. Jacobus tenBroek Award at the 2022 Convention. Here is the report she presents as the outgoing president of the National Federation of the Blind’s Senior Division:

We began by hearing a statement affirming our safety protocol with COVID-19. Then a moment of silence was observed in memory of our former president, Ruth Sager, and all of our other seniors we will miss.

Our next task was introducing all the first-timers at our meeting. Some of them were attending our meeting for the first time, and some were also attending their first NFB convention.
On a healthy note, Jessica Beecham, who leads our Sports and Recreation Division, gave us helpful hints about exercises fit for seniors. Candice Chapman, president of our Human Services Division, inspired us to go out into a world after living through a pandemic.

One of the most important accomplishments of our division involves activities that teach blind seniors to continue to live the lives they want. We heard from a panel led by Shelley Coppel introducing us to the in-person and virtual retreats that teach the newly blind and those who have been blind for a long time about accomplishing things they never thought possible. Darryl Rice and Katie Pinkney are two retreat graduates who shared their experiences and insights.
Along with our retreats, some of our state affiliates’ seniors are running their "Silver Bells" programs. Glenn Crosby of Texas and Sandy Halverson of Virginia introduced us to these new events. They are much like our retreats, but they are smaller. All these programs bolster the confidence of our seniors.

After a short business meeting, we held elections with the following results: president, Glenn Crosby of Texas; first vice president, Judy Sanders of Minnesota; second vice president, Suzanne Turner of Ohio; secretary, Shelley Coppel of South Carolina; and Treasurer, Duncan Larsen of Colorado. We have two board positions; neither of these positions were up for election this year. Therefore, Jane Degenshein of New Jersey will serve one more year. Glenn Crosby's board position became open when he was elected president. We welcome Sandy Halverson of Virginia to our board for a one-year term.

During our convention, there is a competition to see which division can raise the most money through our PAC (preauthorized contribution plan). Each individual who signs up to donate using this option can vote for their favorite division. Congratulations to us! The seniors did it! We are the proud owners of the PAC mule, which sits on my living room coffee table. The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children came in second, so we offer our congratulations to them on their effort.

It was our hope to stream our division meeting; we ran into difficulties. Hopefully, everyone can come in person next year, or we will have worked out our technical troubles.

Our Senior Division is alive and thriving. We urge everyone to join us for our conference calls in 2023; we look forward to many people joining us for our winter virtual retreat, and please pay attention to announcements on our listserv. If you are reading this on the listserv, tell your friends to subscribe to this website: http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors_nfbnet.org or email [email protected]. The subject and the body do not have specific verbiage required, but a message will be sent back to you to confirm your interest. Reply to it, leaving everything else as it comes. We need and look forward to your participation.

A Showcase of Technology

by Mark Jones

From the Editor: Mark is one of our most reliable reporters about the work he oversees at the national convention. He invites each technology representative in the exhibit hall to come to a presentation in which they will be given no more than three minutes to talk about their new and existing products. The goal of the showcase is to give just enough information to get folks to the exhibit hall to visit their booths or to get our readers to inquire if they have questions about products or services. Here is what the showcase featured this year:

A standing-room-only crowd enjoyed numerous presentations at our July 5 meeting in New Orleans. I invited each of our presenters an opportunity to talk for about five minutes.

Independent Science began our meeting explaining their new multiline Braille display that displays both Braille and tactile graphics. I saw it in the exhibit hall, but I am not sure if it is still in development or is actively being sold.

Aira next talked about their new ARX Vision Glasses that will now enable an Aira user to keep their phone in their pockets and make it easier to keep focus on what you want Aira to know. In addition, because a great number of Aira calls concern things on the computer screen, the company has now created Aira for Desktop so you can share your screen and documents with agents.

Envision-USA was next talking about their new College Success Program for access to mentoring and navigation in the college environment. They are also doing cybersecurity training to help one get a job in the cybersecurity industry, a field that is currently in demand.

HumanWare is now collaborating with the American Printing House for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind on a digital dynamic tactile Braille display that shows texts and images on the same surface. They also have the twenty- and forty-cell intelligent Braille displays, and coming soon to the market, they will have the Stellar Trek, a new GPS product.
Vispero next told us about what's new in JAWS and with their Focus Braille displays. HIMS then discussed their products, which include the BrailleSense 6, which they claim is the fastest notetaker in the world. They also mentioned the Braille 6 mini, QBraille, a Braille keyboard with many added function keys.

The National Library Service for the Blind and Disabled talked about the new beta test for the new Alexa and Google skill for BARB. The Library is also signing people up for Braille on Demand so you can get a Braille book and keep it. They also have a new Braille EReader available for distribution in many states.

WayAround spoke about their new home and office product for labeling almost anything. They can now label public signs with their new app.

Folks at AT Guys now has a new speaker that can float, aftershock headphones, Orbit Writers, noise-canceling headphones, WayAround tags and much more. They stress they have low cost and accessible products to help anyone.

National Braille Press has hard copy Braille books related to technology including iPhone tutorials, books on Android, and books on how to use Windows. Coming soon will be Computer Basics for the Newly Blind User. Also new are books with emoji tactile graphics.

Computers for the Blind is a growing nonprofit that takes refurbished computers and adds accessibility programs like JAWS and sells them for $200 or less. This makes quality computers affordable to many for whom they would be out or reach.

Finally, Orbit Research told us about its graphical multiline Braille displays and their new Orbit speech. They also have the Graphiti, which can show pictures in different formats and allows one to make their own graphs through touch.

Please remember that we have tried here to present only brief summaries that will let you know if you want more information. The point of the showcase was to get people to the hall and not to explain each and every feature, so call or write these companies if you think you want to do some business with them. They’ll be glad for your interest and just as glad for your money.

2022 As the Twig Is Bent Award Presentations
2020 Twig Medals

CARLTON ANN COOK WALKER: My friends, isn’t President Riccobono wonderful? President Riccobono is one of the first blind people I ever met. Back in 2005, before him and his wife, Melissa, had any children of their own, his warmth, generosity, and wisdom comforted and strengthened my family’s resolve to make certain that my child’s opportunities would never be limited by what my child could or could not see.

Alexander Pope wrote, “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined.” These words of Alexander Pope are the inspiration behind the title of the “Twig Award.” The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children initiated the Twig Awards on our twenty-fifth anniversary in 2008. This is not an annual award; we bestow it to honor those whose work has influenced the direction in which our children grow.

The award itself is a medallion engraved with a tree and the words “As the Twig is Bent Award” and “NOPBC since 1983,” with the word NOPBC in Braille and print. On the back of the medallion is the recipient’s name and the year.

In 2020, we presented two Twig Awards. One was to NFB President Mark Riccobono and one to his wife, NOPBC Board Member and Conference Director Melissa Riccobono. Each of these individuals has worked tirelessly and supported blind children and their families and educators steadfastly for more than two decades. Each has shared insight, knowledge, and compassion with families struggling to ensure that their children receive a meaningful education that would prepare their children for the future. In other words, both Mark and Melissa have bent countless twigs to incline many, many trees toward the upward trajectory of achieving their dreams.

Even with all of the technological advances we have made, I still have not figured out how to present medals via Zoom. So I had to wait until we were back in person again. I take this opportunity to give Mark his Twig medal. We miss Melissa today, so Mark, would you take Melissa’s medal to her? Thank you! Mark and Melissa, please know how much your work has enriched everyone in this virtual conference and so many more. Thank you.

But there’s more!

At my first NFB Convention, in 2006, I had the opportunity to meet an author of some incredible books: The Bridge to Braille: Reading and School Success for the Young Blind Child; Because Books Matter; Making It Work Educating the Blind/Visually Impaired Student in the Regular School; and Getting Ready for College Begins in Third Grade: Working Toward an Independent Future for Your Young Blind Child. This person was my hero, and I assumed that she’d never know—or even be interested in knowing about my child and my family. I was so wrong! I found out that this parent-leader willingly and selflessly shared her experience and knowledge regarding the parenting of a blind child and truly wanted to know, understand, and support my blind child and my family. Over time, this person became my colleague and, to my great honor, a trusted and devoted friend—Carol Castellano. For more than three decades, she has epitomized the love, care, and concern you will find here in our organization.

Carol was one of twenty-six individuals who received our first Twig Awards at our twenty-fifth anniversary in 2008. Sadly, Carol’s family suffered a frightening and destructive house fire. That fire consumed the Twig medal she received in 2008. I am honored and privileged to give Carol this Twig medal, engraved with her name and with the year 2008.

NFB Pledge

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.