Celebrating our Work throughout the Movement

On September 8, 2023, the last of several “pit stop parties” along Dan O’Rourke’s Route 66 Ride for Literacy took place in Chicago, the city where the historic highway he had just traversed reaches its end. A preview of the celebration took place the night before as President Riccobono broadcast the Presidential Release Live from the Exchequer Pub in downtown Chicago, and the pictures here come from that event. In addition to celebrating Dan’s accomplishment, the release highlighted the work of the Chicago Chapter through presentations by Chapter President Denise Avant and Debbie Kent Stein, who spoke of both the chapter’s history and its current initiatives. You can access their remarks and the rest of the Presidential Release Live at https://nfb.org/presidential-releases. The event was a fitting culmination of Dan’s journey, which had featured visits with several other chapters and affiliates along the way, and an opportunity to once again highlight the work that takes place in communities across the nation every day in order to amplify the impact of the organized blind movement. Similarly, this issue of the Braille Monitor contains several articles that highlight efforts by chapters, affiliates, and individuals to advance our goals and spread our message. October is Blind Equality Achievement Month, when chapters focus specifically on community events to celebrate achievement and advance equality. We hope these articles serve as revealing snapshots of the inspiring, innovative, and powerful accomplishments that occur throughout the Federation every day and the unsung heroes that make them possible.