_______________________________________________________________________________
Vol. 69, No. 2 February 2026
Chris Danielsen, Editor
Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the
National Federation of the Blind
Mark Riccobono, President
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THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND ADVANCES THE LIVES OF ITS MEMBERS AND ALL BLIND PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. WE KNOW THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. OUR COLLECTIVE POWER, DETERMINATION, AND DIVERSITY ACHIEVE THE ASPIRATIONS OF ALL BLIND PEOPLE. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND—IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.
ISSN 0006-8829
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Vol. 69, No. 2 February 2026
Correction and Apology
Convention Bulletin 2026
National Federation of the Blind Responds to Attack on Randolph-Sheppard Priority for Army Dining Facility Contracts
by Chris Danielsen
Position Statement on Structured Discovery Training
by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB)
Case Closed: The Story of Technology, a Blind Woman, and an Eyewitness Account to Solve a Mystery
by Kristen Dockendorff
Becoming a Federationist: The Lesson I Didn't Ask For
by Gary Wunder
Plan for the Future
Sexual Health Education and Research: A Community-Centered Approach Driven by the Blind
by Mika Baugh, PhD
The 2026 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
by Everette Bacon
A $10,000 Investment
by Anil Lewis
The 2026 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award
by Carla McQuillan
The 2026 Blind Educator of the Year Award
by Robin House
Monitor Miniatures
Copyright 2026 by the National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind’s National Convention brings together blind people from across the country and around the globe. We come from all walks of life. Some of us have been blind all our lives, while others may be new to blindness. Some are young, some have been around the sun more than a few times. Some are convention first-timers, while others have been attending for decades. Our patchwork of individual experiences makes us stronger together, and it means that our national conventions are a celebration of our diversity.
Over the course of eighty-five annual conventions, nearly three dozen cities reflecting similar diversity have played host to the NFB’s biggest event of the year. Yet, among this broad list of destinations, our convention has never come to the capital city of Texas to gather and celebrate. This will change next July when we head to the JW Marriot Austin for our annual National Convention!
Austin is widely known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” having been home to the PBS program Austin City Limits for more than fifty years and host to the annual South by Southwest music and media festival. Austin also boasts a vibrant arts scene with many public art displays throughout the city. But Austin isn’t just fueled by creative energy. A strong technology sector thrives here, with many tech companies establishing headquarters in the city. Waymo and Tesla are two notable names, as both companies offer autonomous vehicle rides within Austin. The University of Texas at Austin, with over 50,000 students, sits just north of downtown. Visitors will notice an emphasis on local retailers over national chains. This broad and eclectic diversity perpetuates the popular “Keep Austin Weird” vibe and makes for a truly unique destination.
The upscale JW Marriott Austin will serve as our headquarters hotel, while the recently opened Austin Mariott Downtown, just a short walk away, will provide overflow space. All convention events will take place in the headquarters hotel this year. Both hotels offer a number of dining options, 24/7 fitness centers, and rooftop pools with cabana rentals. The hotels are in the heart of downtown Austin, surrounded by local restaurants and shops. A few blocks south, walking trails line the section of the Colorado River known as Lady Bird Lake.
Our 2026 convention hotel rate is $139 per night for singles and doubles. Triples and quads are available for $155 per night. Sales tax and a tourism fee total a combined 19 percent.
Beginning on January 1, you may call 800-627-7468 to book a room at either hotel. Specify our room block code, BL1, to ensure you receive our convention room rate. For each room you book, the hotel requires a deposit of the first night’s room rate, taxes, and fees, payable by credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Sunday, June 1, 2026, half of the deposit will be returned. Refunds will not be issued after that date.
The 2026 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be an exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and renewed dedication to the goals and work of our movement.
Make plans to be a part of it. To ensure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, you should make reservations early. The hotels are ready to take your call.
Remember that we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Prizes should be small in size but significant in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule, we ask that prizes have a value of at least $25 and do not include alcohol. Drawings take place throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet.
Important note for attendees: You must be registered to win a door prize! Registration opens in March.
If you or members of your chapter are first-time attendees, please learn about convention through the First-Timer’s Guide available at nfb.org/convention.
The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and thought-provoking program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships within our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions are made—all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2026 National Convention. To secure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, make your reservations early. We look forward to seeing you in Austin in July!
by Chris Danielsen
The National Federation of the Blind issued a statement on December 23, 2025, in response to a notice published in the Federal Register the same day that effectively eliminates the Randolph-Sheppard Act priority for blind vendors competing for Department of the Army dining facility contracts (DFACs). In the notice, the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, stated that she had determined that, based solely on representations from the Department of the Army, the application of the Randolph-Sheppard priority “adversely affects the interests of the United States.” The purported justifications for this action cited in the notice included higher costs, prolonged arbitration delays, and performance issues related to Army DFAC operations. This “determination” came on the heels of concerning media statements from the Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, inaccurately characterizing the operation and requirements of the Randolph-Sheppard program. Here is the Federation’s statement:
December 23, 2025 - Baltimore, MD: The National Federation of the Blind condemns the Department of Education’s decision to “limit” (effectively eliminating) the Randolph-Sheppard priority in dining facility contracts (DFACs) on Department of the Army installations. Published today, December 23, 2025, in the Federal Register, the notice marks a devastating setback for blind entrepreneurs and undermines Congress’s commitment to expanding employment opportunities.
The Randolph-Sheppard Act, passed in 1936, was established with a fundamental purpose: to create meaningful employment opportunities for trained, licensed blind people in competitive integrated settings. Right now, approximately 1,400 blind entrepreneurs across the country participate in this program.
For the Department of the Army alone, twenty-four DFAC contracts across twenty-two installations represent real livelihoods and real businesses operated by blind vendors.
“This notice is a blatant betrayal of nearly ninety years of congressional commitment and discards the expertise and livelihoods of blind entrepreneurs who have proudly supported our armed forces for decades. The Department of the Army’s decision to eliminate the priority for blind vendors competing for DFAC contracts based on false information and their refusal to reconcile what is true about the Randolph-Sheppard Program abandons hundreds of trained, licensed blind workers who have proven their capability and dedication,” said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind.
“To the blind vendors affected by this decision: the National Federation of the Blind stands with you, and we will fight relentlessly for our rights, even if it means standing up to those who are typically tasked with defending those rights. This is exactly the kind of challenge that requires our collective action—thousands of blind people speaking with one voice about what we know we can accomplish.”
The Randolph-Sheppard program is a congressional recognition that blind people often face discrimination that prevents us from competing fairly for government contracts. It leverages the expertise and professionalism of blind entrepreneurs—not as a charitable gesture or DEI checkbox.
The National Federation of the Blind urgently calls on Secretary of Education McMahon and the Department of the Army to immediately reconsider this decision, work directly with blind merchants to truly understand the program, and honor the promise that blind Americans deserve the opportunity to work, build businesses, and contribute meaningfully to our country.
President Riccobono followed up our statement on January 14, 2026, with a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and others. Here is the text of the letter:
Dear Chairmen Wicker and Rogers, and Ranking Members Reed and Smith:
The National Federation of the Blind is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans. As the President of the National Federation of the Blind, I serve our tens of thousands of members from all fifty states, including numerous blind entrepreneurs and Randolph-Sheppard business owners. Today, I am writing to bring to the attention of the Armed Service Committees an important matter that will devastate business opportunities for blind entrepreneurs who participate in the Randolph-Sheppard Program. The Randolph-Sheppard Act, originally signed into law nearly one hundred years ago, affords a priority for blind business owners to operate food services on federal properties, including military bases. Lately, this priority has come under significant attack. If nothing is done, thirty-seven blind business owners will soon lose their statutory priority to operate on Army bases and will likely lose their contracts, finding themselves unemployed, and twice that number of other blind entrepreneurs could potentially be in jeopardy. In addition to the blind business owners directly affected, the loss of income from these contracts will severely affect state licensing agencies, which operate the blind vending program at the state level and thus will indirectly harm hundreds of other blind entrepreneurs across the country.
By way of background, the Randolph-Sheppard program is administered by the Department of Education. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon recently granted a blanket waiver to the Department of the Army at the request of Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, which exempts all Army dining facilities from the Randolph-Sheppard Act. The official notification of the waiver was published in the Federal Register on December 23, 2025. The impetus for this waiver request comes from Secretary Driscoll’s misunderstanding of the program. This misunderstanding is evident based on numerous inaccurate comments and false claims regarding the Randolph-Sheppard Program in the media, including the Ruthless Podcast. Additionally, a blanket waiver such as this violates the law and will likely be overturned by the courts if challenged, given that the waiver is based on misinformation and misunderstandings that can easily be rebutted.
When we learned of Secretary Driscoll’s efforts and inaccurate statements about the program, I and Nicky Gacos, President of our National Association of Blind Merchants Division, reached out to the secretary in an effort to establish dialogue. To date, Secretary Driscoll has not acknowledged our request. To that end we are urging you, as the chairs and ranking members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, to demand that the Department of the Army adhere to the requirements of the Randolph-Sheppard Act and that the Department of the Army withdraw this request for a waiver immediately. The Randolph-Sheppard vendors who operate on military bases all across the country have earned numerous awards for quality and are fully committed to our military. We welcome the opportunity to address any concerns that Secretary Driscoll has.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we are available to answer any questions that you may have.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
cc: The Honorable Bill Cassidy, Chairman, US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
The Honorable Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member, US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
The Honorable Tim Walberg, Chairman, US House Committee on Education and the Workforce
The Honorable Robert Scott, Ranking Member, US House Committee on Education and the Workforce
by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB)
From the Editor: Structured Discovery (SD) is a term often used throughout the National Federation of the Blind and the blindness field, but many readers may have never encountered a full statement of its principles. The National Blindness Professional Certification Board is the entity that officially certifies Structured Discovery Training Centers (SDTCs). This is important because, while many agencies claim to adhere to SD principles, not all of them are certified, and their implementation of the method may be incomplete at best. For example, recently the Iowa Department for the Blind, under new leadership, has announced that it will encourage, but not require, the use of learning shades, purporting to justify this policy by reference to the principle of informed choice. The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa has protested this new policy. We therefore felt it was a good time to publish this recently articulated position statement so that our readers throughout our movement and beyond will have a basis for informed discussion. Here is the statement:
The National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) holds the trademark Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) and any associated use of the phrase Structured Discovery Training. No individual or blindness adjustment training program can legally state that they are using Structured Discovery (SD) training unless they are certified or recognized by NBPCB.
The term “qualified” will be used throughout this document to designate those individuals and training centers who have been certified or otherwise recognized by NBPCB as legitimately employing SD methods and principles in the rehabilitation adjustment training of their consumers.
In keeping with our long-held use of the term blind or blindness, this document uses these phrases to refer to individuals who must devise alternative techniques to do efficiently those things which they would do if they had normal vision. In addition, although the word blindfold or blindfolds is used here, we recognize that they are also sometimes referred to as sleep shades, learning shades, or simply shades.
This white paper articulates the core beliefs on which SD training is based, its foundational tenets and methodology, and summarizes empirical research demonstrating that SD training produces superior outcomes in self-confidence, skill mastery, and employment. This document is intended as a guiding framework for practitioners, rehabilitation administrators, and other policymakers.
The National Blindness Professional Certification Board advocates Structured Discovery as the most effective, evidence-based model for blindness rehabilitation adjustment training, including for the development of skills in orientation and mobility, Braille, access technology, independent home management, and other vocational-focused skills.
NBPCB maintains that Structured Discovery is a comprehensive approach to providing meaningful and life-altering training to those who seek effective alternative skills in their ability to function with insufficient sight in meeting everyday requirements. The SD model is firmly rooted in the following twelve essential core tenets:
NBPCB requires that all Structured Discovery training must be rooted in, and retain ALL of these core elements along with high expectations to remain effective and to fulfill its mission.
The Blind and Visually Impaired Adult Rehabilitation and Employment Survey (Bell & Mino, 2013) and Rehabilitation and Employment Outcomes for Adults Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: An Updated Report (Bell, Silverman 2018) demonstrated that individuals trained in Structured Discovery programs were significantly more likely to be employed and earned higher wages than peers who were not. The study also found that regular Braille use and white cane travel—central SD skills—correlated strongly with competitive employment.
Bell and Mino’s research specifically demonstrated that:
In addition, Merry-Noel Chamberlain’s (2019) study compared forty adults trained in either the more traditional Sequential Learning (SL) or SD models and found that SD graduates scored 32 percent higher in self-confidence, traveled more often and over greater distances, and required less retraining.
Sleep shade use is one of the most distinctive and essential practices of SD. Salisbury (2017) documents that six to nine months of sleep shade-based training is typically required to make nonvisual skills automatic and dependable, freeing cognitive resources for problem-solving and fostering emotional adjustment to blindness. NBPCB-certified Structured Discovery centers require sleep shades eight hours a day, five days a week, because experience has demonstrated that this practice produces higher levels of independence and success. The efficacy of sustained sleep shade use has been documented for decades (Altman, 2012; Omvig, 2002; Mettler, 1995; Lauren, 1988; Olson, 1982). It has also been demonstrated that inconsistent or temporary use of blindfolds can have a detrimental effect on both skill development and attitudes about blindness (Silverman, 2015).
NBPCB recognizes that the concept of informed choice under the Rehabilitation Act is often misapplied as Schroeder (2004) explains, informed choice operates at the program level, not the component level. All rehabilitation clients and consumers must receive the benefit of comprehensive and continual in-service training including the autonomy to determine the best type of training program for them and an opportunity to learn about each of them (Omvig, 2002). Only in this way can consumers make a truly informed choice regarding their options for adjustment training. Therefore, the choice of alternative options is among whole programs with differing philosophies, practices, and outcomes, and not between the specific individual elements which comprise the training programs (Schroeder, 2004; Omvig, 2002). This means that informed choice provides consumers with the ability, opportunity, and responsibility to determine the program that meets their needs as it respects the consumer’s interests in the Vocational Rehabilitation process. However, once an informed choice has been made regarding the type of training that the consumer is interested in, it is the responsibility of the training center and the consumer to uphold and abide by the curriculum, best practices, and standards within which the training program operates.
Informed choice provides consumers with the opportunity to select the program that they believe is right for them in their rehabilitation training. This means that consumers deciding to participate in any training center or program have made an informed choice to follow the curriculum, principles, and requirements of that individual training program. Those who have determined that a certified SDTC would best meet their needs, have knowingly made the commitment to pursue the Structured Discovery-related training that these centers offer in both their approach and practice that reflect the tenets and values that comprise Structured Discovery-based rehabilitation training.
No individual or program may credibly state that they are using Structured Discovery training unless they are certified or recognized by the NBPCB. Structured Discovery is more than merely a training method: it is a paradigm of high expectations, self-efficacy, and full citizenship. The NBPCB’s tenets provide the foundation for its practice, and empirical research confirms its superiority in building confidence, independence, and employment outcomes. As the certifying body for Structured Discovery professionals and training centers, NBPCB strongly advocates that all of the tenets enumerated in this document should serve as the guiding framework for all blindness rehabilitation and SD professionals seeking to produce confident, independent, and fully participating blind adults. Disaggregating or separating any aspect of the core SD tenets is counterintuitive and counterproductive to comprehensive adjustment to blindness rehabilitation training. We stand ready to assist any individual or blindness rehabilitation adjustment program to better understand Structured Discovery methods and principles and to develop training programs for qualified professionals.
For current information on NBPCB Certified Centers, visit our website https://www.nbpcb.org.
Altman, J. T. (2012). When the Sleep Shades Aren’t On. Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research, 2(1).
Bell, E. C., & Mino, N. M. (2013). Blind and Visually Impaired Adult Rehabilitation and Employment Survey: Final Results. Louisiana Tech University.
Bell, E. C., & Silverman, A. M. (2018). Rehabilitation and Employment Outcomes for Adults Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: An Updated Report. Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research, 8(1). https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/jbir/jbir18/jbir080101.html
Chamberlain, M. N. (2019). Self-Confidence Levels in Sequential Learning Versus Structured Discovery Cane Travel, Post Orientation and Mobility Instruction: A Comparison Study (Doctoral dissertation, Concordia University—Portland).
Lauren, H. (1988). To Blindfold or Not to Blindfold? Is That the Question for O&M Instructors? Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 82(4), 150.
Mettler, R. (1995). Cognitive Learning Theory and Cane Travel Instruction: A New Paradigm. State of Nebraska, Department of Public Institutions, Division.
National Blindness Professional Certification Board. (2025). Tenets of Structured Discovery Methodology.
Olson, C. W. (1982). On the Use of the Blindfold. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 76(7), 281-285.
Omvig, J. H. (2002). Freedom for the Blind: The Secret is Empowerment. National Federation of the Blind.
Salisbury, J. M. (2017). On the Duration of Sleep Shade Training in the Adjustment to Blindness. Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.5241/7-122
Schroeder, F. K. (2004). The Truth About Choice. Braille Monitor. National Federation of the Blind.
Silverman, A. M. (2015). The Perils of Playing Blind: Problems with Blindness Simulation and a Better Way to Teach About Blindness. Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research, 5(2).by Kristen Dockendorff
From the Editor: Kristen Dockendorff is a retired art teacher and has been blind for twenty-five years. She resides in Manchester, Connecticut, with Winny, her Golden Retriever guide dog from The Seeing Eye. She collaborates with UR Community Tech Center and works to increase technology knowledge within her Federation chapter and affiliate. Here is what she says about a recent experience where she used her blindness and technology skills not only to help a person starting their blindness journey but a sighted colleague as well:
I have been working with a community group that helps blind and low-vision people, and this experience is proving to be some of the most rewarding of my life. Together, Michelle Puzzo and I run a support group at UR Community Tech Center, and thanks to her tireless efforts securing grants, the center now offers more than thirty-five different devices for people to test. We strive to ensure that those with blindness and low vision can access and try a wide range of equipment, from electronic magnifiers to high-tech smart glasses.
Michelle often recruits high school and college interns, introducing them to both the challenges and the rewards of working alongside people with disabilities. She views this as an opportunity not only for career exploration, but also for promoting greater inclusion.
Recently, during one of our support sessions, we met a young man with unique eye issues. My connections in the low-vision tech world seemed especially relevant for him, so I scheduled time at the center to show him available resources and demo devices. When I arrived, Michelle introduced me to a new teenage intern. Keeping with our support group custom, as a low-vision person I reached out my hand first, a small gesture that avoids the awkwardness of trying to find someone else’s when you cannot see it. She shook my hand, and I realized I was wearing my smart glasses, which I quickly removed, thinking perhaps they were distracting.
A moment later, the intern’s gaze lingered on my Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Suddenly, she gasped, “Oh my God, it’s Mrs. D!” To my astonishment, I recognized her as Morgan, a former student from my years as a public school art teacher, before retinitis pigmentosa prompted my retirement from the classroom. She had been in second grade when we’d last met; now, after ten years, she was a high school senior seeking her future career path. The reunion was deeply moving, and the day became even more meaningful as we helped our young guest explore technology options, connect with resources, and learn about the latest advancements.
Morgan was especially curious about my Meta smart glasses. I demonstrated the hands-free camera and video features, showing how easy it was to take pictures, read signs, and send images to contacts, a boost for someone who lives with low vision. Sharing these innovations, along with the many other devices available at the center, filled our visit with excitement and community spirit.
Toward evening, I received a text from Michelle. “You’re not going to believe this,” she wrote, “but the police from a neighboring town just called. They say my car was involved in a motor vehicle accident!” We both knew this was impossible, as Michelle had been at the center all day, with her car parked outside. She named me as a witness, but soon after, she texted again: “Is there any way to prove I was at the center?”
Thinking it through, I realized that, with ParaTransit services unavailable, I had arrived by Uber instead. Thankfully, the Uber app’s activity tab clearly logged the date, time, and location. I took a screenshot of the trip details and sent it to Michelle, who forwarded it to the police. Soon another message came: “That proves you were here, but it doesn’t prove that I was.”
Michelle wondered if any further evidence existed. I remembered that, while demonstrating my Meta smart glasses, I had snapped a photo showing Morgan, Michelle, and the young man together. Because the picture was a candid, with no attempt at formal composition, I had deleted it from the gallery. On a hunch, I asked my glasses how to recover deleted photos. Following the instructions, I checked my phone, and there it was: the photo from that precise date. I promptly sent it to Michelle.
The image clearly showed Michelle at the center, yet there was another obstacle, the police insisted on a timestamp. Thankfully, my phone’s information button provided both the location and timestamp. I took a screenshot of this data and sent it on. Minutes later, the police called to confirm: “Did you take the picture with your glasses?” Yes, I replied. “Thank you,” the officer said, and hung up.
Half an hour later, Michelle texted again. Two words: “Case closed.”
This day stands out not simply for having solved a puzzle, but for the sense of empowerment and camaraderie that permeated my every interaction. Sharing knowledge with others who have just begun their journey of vision loss is deeply rewarding. Seeing a former student again, I realized teaching creativity doesn’t require paint or clay, it’s the gift of new tools and possibilities. Connecting all the technological threads to support Michelle meant putting my blindness and technology skills to the test.
I will continue to encourage people to take the step to jump into technology and share their new knowledge with others. And you never know, it might keep a friend out of jail. As someone who cherishes mysteries, I find it a delightful irony that the person who acquired all the eyewitness evidence to resolve the case was, despite low vision, me.
by Gary Wunder
Anyone who has served as a National Federation of the Blind representative has perfected the story of how they came to join. Every banquet speech is constrained by time; people want a succinct biography in addition to a message. In my own case, I talk about guide dogs, donuts, and coming to love the people who took an interest in me—my desire to see approval in their eyes for who I was and who I might become. I would say that that is how I was pulled into the Federation, but how I was pushed into it is a different story, one I will try to tell here as I wrestle with irritation, the use of power, and an unintended, yet profoundly positive result.
The National Federation of the Blind has long championed the idea that blindness should not be defined by pity, dependence, or low expectations. We fight for self-determination and the belief that, with the right training and opportunity, a blind person can compete equally in society.
This philosophy necessarily places us in opposition to the outdated and often paternalistic attitudes found within parts of the state/federal rehabilitation system. We deplore the arrogance that certain officials assume when they gain control over the destinies of blind people. We do not mind strong advocates for fostering good attitudes and skill-building, but when rudeness and condescension replace respect, a critical line is crossed.
I experienced this arrogance firsthand during a pivotal moment in my life—an encounter in the early 1970s that could have been a roadblock but ended up being the unexpected catalyst for my independence and my lifelong commitment to the Federation.
The summer of 1973 was supposed to be the beginning of my great journey toward independence. I had diligently planned my post-high school life: I would attend the renowned Seeing Eye training school in New Jersey to get a guide dog, then return home to start college locally while living with my grandmother. Everything was set; my approval and date to attend The Seeing Eye had been clear for at least a year.
Then, in February, those plans dissolved with the arrival of a sterile, bureaucratic letter. It informed me that my summer had just been planned by the Missouri Bureau for the Blind. Since I wanted to receive college assistance from the agency, I would be attending an eight-week summer orientation program sponsored by the Bureau and held in Columbia, Missouri. The path I had chosen, the path of self-determination, was instantly voided.
I was having none of it. I sought to appeal, but my counselor timidly denied me. I decided to go up the chain. My mother and I secured a meeting with the district supervisor of the Kansas City office, a man named Dan Cordell.
The memory of that meeting remains strikingly clear five decades later. When my mother and I were ushered into his office, Mr. Cordell was already settled into a posture of ultimate authority. He leaned far back in his chair, crossed his feet, and placed them squarely on his desk, his shoes pointed directly at my face.
“Tell me why you are here, young sir,” he drawled, the utterance dripping with a patronizing tone that suggested our visit was a colossal waste of his time.
I laid out my case: I had secured a spot at The Seeing Eye, I was ready for a guide dog, and I wanted to follow my original plan.
His response, though necessarily paraphrased after fifty years, was a masterclass in paternalistic dismissal. He ticked off his points: “First, you have no hearing problems, so you do not need a dog. A dog will only make your life more complicated. Dogs shed; dogs drool. They make others uncomfortable, and some people will not want you to come to their homes or ride in their cars.”
I pushed back, defending my choice and arguing that I did not view a dog as the catalogue of disadvantages he presented. His final ruling, however, was blunt and unappealable, delivered with the same feet-on-the-desk arrogance:
“You can believe as you want about the dog. If your parents can afford to send you to school, then do what you please. But if you are going to attend college under the auspices of the Bureau for the Blind, you will attend the summer orientation in Columbia.” I had never heard that word before, but the meaning of “auspices” was perfectly clear in context.
The conversation ended there, but its implications were immediate and chilling. It convinced me instantly that the power of the agency, specifically the power held by this single man, was immense, final, and absolute. It was control over my immediate future. My mother, who had sat quietly beside me with tears in her eyes, was visibly shaken on the drive home.
When I recounted the dialogue and the demeaning manner in which it was delivered to my father, I expected thunder. My father was a strong man, a steadfast defender of his family. Yet, as I explained the insult that had driven my mother to tears, he was strangely, devastatingly quiet.
A couple of hours later, he sought me out for a private conversation. The wisdom and pain in his words remain the most powerful lesson in pragmatism I have ever received.
“I know you want me to go to this man and set things straight,” he said quietly. “Son, I can’t do that. He has more money to help you than we can ever hope to give you. I can’t send you to college, but he can.”
His conclusion was a bitter pill: “Here is what you do. You follow his rules. And if, after you are done with school and no longer under his thumb, you are still mad about what he said and how he acted, then you do something about it.”
I was deeply disappointed. My protector had been forced to bow before the bureaucracy. It was a profound lesson in the real-world limits of personal strength against institutional power. But in that moment of disappointment, I began to see the Federation in a different light. The NFB’s fight was not merely theoretical; it was an existential battle against officials like Cordell who wielded the state’s purse to enforce their own low expectations and dismissive attitudes. Though it was likely the furthest thing from what he intended, Dan Cordell helped forge me into a committed Federationist.
That supervisor’s arrogant decree, which robbed me of my carefully laid plans, may well have been the most significant turning point in my life.
My original plan—get my dog, go to college near home, live with my grandmother, and pursue an undefined, comfortable degree path—turned out to be insufficient. Instead, I arrived in Columbia, Missouri, to attend the summer orientation program and the University of Missouri.
The mandatory eight-week program was a crucible of transformation. It was a rigorous, challenging immersion into independent living. It taught me things I never knew I needed: how to hire, supervise, and fire human readers; how to order books on tape and in Braille; and how to strengthen and refine my cane travel skills.
But the real change happened outside the classroom. The program required us to live away from home, pushing us out of our comfort zones. I liked being able to travel on my own to businesses—the bank, local restaurants, and even the bars. I met a woman and had my first romantic relationship. It took little time to realize that I wanted more than to just go to school and come home to Grandma’s.
I met other people—people who used to be the “other” to me and my family. If you were black and we were white, you were different. If you were not heterosexual, you were a deviant. If you were a woman in a man’s world, you were to be admired and protected, but certainly not an equal. If you didn’t have much money, you lacked a work ethic. None of these people were to be treated badly, but they were not to be confused with normal.
The program forced me to see beyond characteristics that were once very important to me and to regard these people as friends, colleagues, loved ones, and equals. The change took time and effort, but ultimately, learning to understand other people and removing them from the box of inferiority has nothing to do with conservative or liberal politics. It has to do with weighing the evidence one sees against the prejudices that came so easily—the belief in “a place for everyone, and everyone in their place.”
This brings me to the paradox I have wrestled with for fifty years. While I do not, and never will, condone the feet-on-the-desk attitude and the rude dismissal given to my mother and me, I feel the need to acknowledge that the accompanying advice was, in effect, good. I have lived in Columbia now for nearly fifty years. I love the place, and I am profoundly glad for the doors that were opened.
My original plan, while comfortable, was insufficient. It would not have prepared me for the rigors of a truly independent life. Too many times since that summer, I have seen young blind people granted rehabilitation funds for college when their fundamental lack of travel skills, orientation know-how, and self-advocacy attitudes set them up for failure.
The Federation rightly champions our right to choose, but we must also acknowledge that sometimes, the state agency is correct in demanding a minimum foundation of nonvisual skills before investing in a college career. It is okay to try and fail; it is not okay to send someone on a journey you know they are destined not to complete when, with a few resources and a minor delay, they can attend school or any other activity with a real chance to succeed.
The easy yes from the rehabilitation system for persons who are lacking skills is not an opportunity but a recipe for failure. The unconditional yes that does not consider skills, attitudes, and sometimes even emotional maturity gives blind people the shovel we unintentionally use to dig a hole that is difficult to climb out of. Poor grades resulting from the inability to travel to class or a lack of study skills are hard to turn around.
Cordell was wrong in his diagnosis (I didn’t need a hearing problem to justify a dog), and he was absolutely wrong in his demeaning delivery. He violated the very principles of respect and partnership that define true rehabilitation. But by forcing me into that summer program, he put me on the path to independence, community, and my life in Columbia.
I want to thank Dan Cordell for my experience at the University of Missouri and for seeing, even if by coercion, that I got those essential skills. At the same time, I do not want to endorse the arrogant behavior that upset my mother and me.
That tension—between the undeniable good of comprehensive training and the inexcusable bad of bureaucratic arrogance—is precisely what fuels the work of the National Federation of the Blind. We demand skills, independence, and opportunity, but we also demand respect, dignity, and partnership. My life proves that independence can be forged even in the fires of frustration, but we should never stop fighting for a system that treats blind people as the equal, competent adults we know ourselves to be.“What if I was never blind? In April 2013 I received a diagnosis of Stargardt Disease. I often felt adrift, uncertain of how to chart a course towards a fulfilling life. At that time, I was employed at McDonald’s and had temporarily paused my undergraduate studies. If I hadn’t received that diagnosis, my life might have followed a completely different trajectory. I would have continued working at McDonald’s, feeling stuck and uncertain about my future, but without the guidance and support that I found through the National Federation of the Blind, I might have struggled to navigate the challenges of vision loss. Instead, that diagnosis became a turning point for me by forcing me to confront my circumstances and seek out resources and communities that could help me thrive despite my blindness. The NFB helped me realize that my vision loss didn’t have to define me or limit my aspirations. By believing in my abilities, by entrusting me with leadership positions, and through intensive mentorship, the Federation changed my life. My community helped me excel beyond where I would be if I were sighted.
Mentorship is what has brought me to this point in life thus far. Without my mentors I am not sure where I would be right now. I just hope I can pay it forward someday.” - Dustin
Blind children and adults are making powerful strides to live the lives we want every day across the United States, but we need to continue helping blind people like Dustin. For more than eighty years, the National Federation of the Blind has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people into reality. With support from individuals like you, we can continue to provide powerful programs and critical resources now and for decades to come. We hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring movement by including the National Federation of the Blind in your charitable giving and in your estate planning. It is easier than you think.
With your help, the NFB will continue to:
Below are just a few of the many tax-deductible ways you can show your support of the National Federation of the Blind.
We accept donated vehicles, including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles. Just call 855-659-9314 toll-free, and a representative can make arrangements to pick up your donation. We can also answer any questions you have.
General donations help support the ongoing programs of the NFB and the work to help blind people live the lives they want. You can call 410-659-9314, extension 2430, to give by phone. Give online with a credit card or through the mail with check or money order. Visit our online contribution page at: https://nfb.org/donate.
Through the Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program, supporters sustain the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind by making recurring monthly donations by direct withdrawal of funds from a checking account or a charge to a credit card. To enroll, call 877-NFB-2PAC, or fill out our PAC Donation Form https://www.nfb.org/pac.
The National Federation of the Blind legacy society, our Dream Makers Circle, honors and recognizes the generosity and imagination of members and special friends who have chosen to leave a legacy through a will or other planned giving option. You can join the Dream Makers Circle in a myriad of ways.
You can specify that a percentage or a fixed sum of your assets or property goes to the National Federation of the Blind in your will, trust, pension, IRA, life insurance policy, brokerage account, or other accounts.
You can name the National Federation of the Blind as the beneficiary on a Payable on Death (POD) account through your bank. You can turn any checking or savings account into a POD account. This is one of the simplest ways to leave a legacy. The account is totally in your control during your lifetime and you can change the beneficiary or percentage at any time with ease.
If you do decide to create or revise your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.
Visit our Planned Giving webpage (https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving) or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.
by Mika Baugh, PhD
CW: The following article contains content about sex, sexual anatomy, and sexuality.
From the Editor: Sunday morning, July 8, at the 2025 National Convention included perhaps the most uncomfortable but necessary discussion that has ever been had on the convention floor. The fact that the speaker, Dr. Mika Baugh, was willing to take on the topic and the Federation’s efforts around it speaks to the reason that, later that day, she received one of the 2025 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. Here is what she shared, beginning with President Riccobono’s introduction:
Mark Riccobono: Okay, this next presentation is Sexual Health Education and Research: A Community-Centered Approach Driven by the Blind. I learned many years ago through the Federation that the best way to be a teacher or a leader is to continue to learn things from the perspectives and lived experience of those that you are honored to teach or lead, and I try to do that on a daily basis in this movement.
The first time I remember getting to know our next presenter, was during our 2006 Rocket On Program, which I was in charge of. That was not her first experience with the Federation. I looked back and noticed that she was published in Future Reflections in 2004. I told her that recently. I’m not sure she looked it up, because she might be not so happy with what she said twenty years ago, but then most of us aren’t, right? When she was in the program, she was only a sophomore in high school, but I can point out very significantly that in the Rocket On Program, she was selected to be the mission director for our Rocket Project, which says something about her leadership and how early she started showing leadership potential. My experience has been she always has keen insight to offer and does not fail to share with you her perspectives, which always are informative. She was educated in schools including the School for the Blind, and so she knows well the failures of the education system for blind children, and I particularly love her dedication to doing something about it. She works often in our Texas Federation youth programs, and she and I have often shared thoughts. She shared thoughts with me about how the blindness field and the materials produced around sexual health education are greatly lacking. So last year I appointed a committee, a subcommittee of the board, to work with her on our first sexual health education program here at the National Convention, and I know many of you went to participate in that because I dropped by and I noticed that it was a great success. So, I asked if she would come talk about it here. I was really honored to be in our Betsy Zaborowski conference room in April when this young lady defended her dissertation, calling out many times the work of the National Federation of the Blind and adding further academic credibility to the lived experience that we share combined with real research methodology. I’m certain that this won’t be her last time with us. She will be making many, many more contributions to our movement, but I’m really honored to be introducing her for the first time and this stage as Dr. Mika Baugh [Applause and music].
Dr. Mika Baugh: Thank you. This is my eighteenth convention and in all those years, this is one of the first times we’re discussing sex education on the convention floor, but something I learned at my very first convention: this is the National Federation of the Blind, and we’re not scared to tackle difficult things together. We’re not afraid to get comfortable with uncomfortable topics.
We don’t shy away from tough conversations with others or among ourselves, and we certainly don’t sit idly when we recognize injustice or inequity. I’m going to talk a lot about what other people say to us and about us, but I’m also going to invite you to consider what we blind people say to ourselves and each other collectively as a movement. Are we amplifying messages of hope and courage and inherent human value? Or to what extent—and I know it’s hard to think about our faults—but to what extent have we amplified the messages of cruelty, neglect, and injustice foisted upon us by others’ erroneous assumptions and misconceptions that we could never be sexual beings? But most importantly, what are we doing about it?
You might have some feelings here in the next twenty minutes. They might even be some unpleasant feelings. You probably weren’t expecting deep emotions on your Sunday morning. I wasn’t expecting deep ones when I wrote this, but here we are, so at least we’re in it together.
Let’s start with what other people say to us. The good news is these are not our people, in case you were wondering. These people—often well-meaning experts in the vision field—send us messages about our needs, our desires, our hopes, our values in the world. Sometimes these messages are edifying, but usually they’re just not. They said that blind kids don’t need to learn Braille because it’s too outdated. So, we said, “If they won’t teach them, we will.” And now we have the NFB BELL® Academy. Then they said, “Blind kids can’t learn science, technology, engineering, and math because it’s too visual.” We said, “If they won’t teach them, we will.” And now we have a whole generation of science nerds and tech geeks. And then they said, “Teachers of students with visual impairments know everything they need to know.” We said, “First, let’s try teachers of blind students. Secondly, no, they really don’t. And yet again, if they won’t teach them, we will.” Say hi to a Teacher of Tomorrow cohort member if you see one today. There’s twenty of them here at this convention. They’re learning how to be our people. Let’s make sure we’re their people too.
One of my favorite things about our movement is the spunk and feistiness with which we attack injustice. Usually when the messages we’re hearing are as mired in misconceptions as those I’ve just highlighted, we spring into action. In other words, challenge accepted. But messages about reading and careers aren’t steeped in the same social stigma and taboo as other messages. They don’t wound us to the core of our worth as humanity like other messages. Do you know what else they’ve been saying for all these years? Do you know what they say when it comes time for the talk in fifth grade or middle school? What they say when it comes time for health class in high school? If you think for a second, you know what they say because somebody said it to you or a blind person that you care about. The things that hurt most are the most difficult to forget. And as the kids say, these messages hit different still. I’ll state it plainly and just so we’re clear, everything I’m sharing here is backed by real-life research conducted by real-life disabled scholars, which as a researcher myself, quells my ever-present anxiety about whether the statement I’m about to make is valid or not. Luckily, I did the entire literature review for you. You’re welcome. So, I can say with total confidence that everything I’m sharing is legit.
So, here’s what they say. They say, in summary, “Blind kids don’t need sex education. It’s too awkward, it’s uncomfortable. How would we even teach them that? We could just let them skip that class, and if we can’t get them out of the class, maybe we’ll just forget to make the materials accessible so that way no one will feel awkward about them touching a picture of a vagina. Blind kids don’t even need this information anyway. They’re all so weird, and nobody’s going to want to have sex with them. Let’s just discreetly encourage the parents to put her on the pill so that we can avoid periods and, God forbid, pregnancy.”
I hope we know how untrue and wildly misguided these statements are, but false or not, they sink in. What others say to us too often becomes what we say to ourselves, the underlying squeamishness here. It’s not just about sex education. It’s about whether we blind people deserve the information and opportunity to live full and enriching lives, lives full of love, intimacy, and yes, good sex, if that’s what we desire, as everyone else. [Applause] But you know what the worst part of this is? And here’s where my raging feelings entered the chat, and I hope yours do too. The worst part of this is that in my fifteen years of working with blind kids, I hear these messages from them. They tell me how “I’m just not relationship material and nobody’s going to date me anyway, so I don’t need to learn that stuff, and my family says they’ll take my baby if I ever have one, so I’ll just never have sex.” If young blind people tell me these things in today’s modern, enlightened, hip world, I know the things our elders could share would be even harder to hear.
These messages are insidious. They hurt, sometimes so profoundly that we’d rather pretend that they don’t apply to us or they don’t affect us than engage in meaningful efforts to address the hidden kernels of truth behind them. But whether we address them or not, we carry the things that people say to us within us. They grow and they flourish, and we risk projecting them onto others in our movement, sometimes the most vulnerable folks around us. What do we say to the survivor who’s trying to heal? What can we offer the blind parents who are trying to support their queer teenager? What answers do we have for a young blind woman who finds herself pregnant and doesn’t know how she got that way because she didn’t understand how menstrual cycles work? Do we respond in scoffing tones, that sex has nothing to do with blindness or blind parents can figure this out on their own? It’s not our job? Or my personal favorite, “Well, I didn’t need sex education to figure out how things worked.”
These started as things that others have said to us, but they’ve become things that we’ve said to ourselves and each other because it’s really difficult to confront the systems that perpetuate these norms. But is this who we are? Do we cede the right to write our own narrative in all aspects of life, even those that usually occur in the dark behind closed doors?
I think not. I think—in fact, I know—that we’re better than that. So, they said blind kids don’t need sex education. So even though it’s hard, even though it’s uncomfortable, even though we are tired, and even though we don’t all agree on the specifics of how and when and what to teach with sex education, we already know what solves this. It’s the same refrain from the Braille, science, and teacher crises: “If they won’t teach us, we’ll teach us.” They wouldn’t teach us. So, we taught us. We, the blind, developed the Sexual Health, Education, Research, and Training (SHERT) project, which to my knowledge is the first research-based, blind-led, blind-centered sexual health education effort for blind adults. It was designed by blind people for blind people.
Lest anyone think we approached this haphazardly, I’m going to throw out some fancy research lingo to assuage your worries. This is for all those science nerds who appreciate a long, over-complicated description, but it’s also for those skeptics who aren’t sure if we ought to be venturing into research or sex education or research on sex education.
The SHERT project employed a community-based participatory research (CBPR) model, which is a social-justice-oriented approach that was adapted for public health in the late twentieth century. It’s only about twenty-five years ago. In case you were wondering, this approach follows nine key principles, which you can find in the peer-reviewed literature if you’re so inclined. But suffice it to say that in this kind of research, it’s the researched, not the researcher, that holds decision-making power in leadership. It’s not academic experts telling blind people what we need. It’s people with academic expertise and people with community-based expertise working together to solve agreed-upon problems using agreed-upon methods.
We also used a critical disability theory (CDT) lens. CDT scrutinizes the systems within which disabled people live, as opposed to scrutinizing the disabilities or the people themselves. Here’s how I like to think of CDT: instead of the traditional breakup line of, “It’s not you, it’s me,” CDT says to ableist systems and the people that perpetuate them, “Actually, it is you who are the problem.” And that’s a view that I would venture to guess resonates with many of us here today. So, with the CBPR approach and CDT lens in mind, we developed a sexual health education intervention, which is just what public health folks call a program, for blind adults, because we know from previous research from Drs. Wild, Kapperman, Kelly, and others that blind adults did not get adequate sexual health education in high school.
And because we do obviously have standards, we use the National Sex Education Standards (NSES) as the basis for what content to include in the intervention. The NSES details all the skills and knowledge that one should have after leaving high school, so it was a logical place to start when trying to fill those gaps. SHERT also combined thirteen constructs from three conceptual frameworks during intervention, design, implementation, and evaluation. Conceptual frameworks are just roadmaps for researchers, and they tell us what elements to think about and how those elements relate. During the research process, we chose the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance, or REAIM framework, and its companion, the practical robust implementation sustainability model, or PRISM, because these are widely used, robust evidence-based frameworks in the field of public health.
They’ve been tested, retested, critiqued, and critiqued some more. So, in short, these frameworks work. While REAIM and PRISM contemplate every aspect of the intervention design process, including the target audience, they lack the detailed consideration of the specific and unique attributes of each target audience, like blind people. And that’s where our third framework, the five principles for disrupting compulsory sightedness comes in. This framework was developed by blind scholar Natalie Shaheen and it maps [applause], yep, it maps in hierarchical order the necessary infrastructure for a given educational endeavor to cultivate success for blind learners. Now, these things might seem obvious to us, like embracing nonvisual techniques, creating an empowering environment, ensuring that all equipment and materials are accessible, but they’re sadly novel concepts to some of those experts in the vision field. The combination of interdisciplinary frameworks addresses a key problem with much of the programming, sexual health or otherwise, developed for blind people. In my experience, well-meaning content-specific experts like sex educators want to be inclusive, but they develop programs that do not meet the needs of blind individuals.
Conversely, professionals in the blindness field want to address identified knowledge and information gaps, but they lack the content-specific expertise—like credentialing and sexual health education—to do that effectively. It’s the combination of blindness-specific and content-specific expertise that’s critical here. And though it took us three frameworks and thirteen constructs from them, we achieved that goal with SHERT.
So, at this point, I’ve introduced to you lots of acronyms; SHERT, CBPR, CDT, NSES, REAIM, PRISM, framework, five principles, we’ve got a whole alphabet soup. Since we all know that the quality of your work directly correlates to the number of fancy acronyms you have, I posit that I have thus adequately convinced you of the validity of this endeavor. Sarcasm aside, the fact that our work is grounded in science is profoundly important, but it’s also a bit of a drag if research isn’t your thing. So let me turn now to some of the things we learned from our years long meticulous effort to bring the SHERT project to fruition. I’ll spare you the research specifics this time and just say that we learned these things because we asked blind people, both the fourteen facilitators that helped run the event and the 178 participants that attended it, what they thought. So, this information comes from us. It doesn’t come from somebody else who thought they might know what blind people need.
It’s clear from our data that there’s a resounding need for continued sexual health education work in our community. Both participants and facilitators emphasized that they were excited and relieved that our organization was engaging in this critical work. Here’s what two participants said. One said, “The positive blindness philosophy and complete openness of the facilitators was amazing. Every table I visited was patient, kind, and happy to answer questions. The fact that this was happening at all changed my life, and I cannot name just one thing that was great about this particular activity. I’ve been saying for a long time that we needed a way to learn about sexual and relationship health that would be inclusive to blind people, and this was it.”
Our data also highlights that for sensitive information like sexual health, it is imperative that blind people have autonomy over what and how they learn. So rather than creating a seminar where folks would be exposed to prescribed content, we developed a self-directed open house where participants could decide what and how they learned. Some folks were just interested in anatomy. Others were there for the contraception. Many were interested in gender and identity, but most folks wanted to visit every table to learn all that they could. It sounds so simple to let people choose what and how they learn, but for many attendees, this was the very first time—these are adult attendees, and this was the very first time that they could one, choose what topics they wanted to know about; two, have time to explore those topics without fifty-seven people asking if they needed help; three, have access to somebody who knew non-visual techniques and could answer their questions; four, decide that they didn’t want to talk to that person who was there to answer questions because they wanted to explore on their own; and five, have everything—not just one thing or two things, but everything—available in accessible, high quality formats.
Here’s what this meant for just one participant. It’s a story that was shared by one of our facilitators: “I had an asexual, aromantic person come to my table and she was in tears, and she said, ‘I never thought I’d be welcome at an event like this.’ And then she said, ‘I can just leave the tables where I’m uncomfortable, and I never thought I’d be able to do that.’” This person was asexual, meaning they don’t experience sexual attraction to anyone at all. They’re also aromantic, which means they don’t have romantic feelings either. Essentially, this is perhaps the last person we might expect to attend an event about sex, but she showed up because—well, I don’t know why she showed up, we’ll have to do more research to know why people came to these things—but I would hypothesize that it’s because she got all the wrong messages growing up. But regardless, this person had a transformative experience because her autonomy was respected, because we made space for all of us, and because we had the courage to tackle these difficult things together [applause].
We learned plenty of other things about what makes sexual health education effective, what we did well, and what we could do better. But with my remaining time today, I want to share with you a few more glimpses of what happened at the SHERT Project. We didn’t shy away from tough conversations, and these stories, these are our collective reward. At the end of the evening, a blind woman, probably in her early twenties, who didn’t know how to use a tampon, was learning how to use a tampon, asking questions about “Why is this here, and how does it stay in?” and having all these questions answered for her that nobody’s ever answered before. This is incredibly important information that somebody should have shared with this person, and it didn’t happen until this event. And we had someone come up who wanted to be a blind parent. She had never met a blind mom before, and she didn’t really think it was possible. She burst into tears hearing our stories about how we were parenting positively in the community and how it really was possible. Then she starts being all apologetic about crying, and I was like, “No, no, it’s fine. Please keep crying.” And at that point, that’s when I knew that this is where I’m supposed to be. [Applause] And finally we had a family who lost a baby at thirteen weeks, and seeing the 3D printed thirteen-week ultrasound, they connected with it so emotionally and so hard. It was such an important moment for them to see what their baby might’ve looked like. They finally got some closure.
We don’t have to continue to simply absorb the messages of others. We’re not empty vessels just waiting to be filled with whatever they decide we should hear. We don’t have to wait and hang on and hold tight while someone else determines what crumbs of knowledge we are allowed to have. If we ask nicely, maybe someone will explain how to use a condom. If we don’t make a fuss, perhaps they’ll describe labor and delivery or lactation. Maybe we’ll get enough to get by and maybe we won’t. But make no mistake, unless and until blind people are at the center and at the helm of this sex education ship, we will never experience the freedom to live the sexual, asexual, or anywhere-in-between lives that we want. [Applause] We decide what messages, ideas, and values and priorities flow freely within our movement. And when we do that, by extension, we also decide what flows freely from our movement into the hearts and minds of those vision experts and anyone else who hasn’t yet realized that when we say blind people live the lives we want, it applies to every aspect of our existence. Whether you are a blind, black, queer, or a kinky retired pastor from rural America, or you’re a young, blind, deeply devout Catholic from the inner city who’s just trying to conceive a child, you belong here. And if none of these struggles resonate inside you because you did get adequate sexual health education or because you did figure it out all on your own, pick up a brick and help us build something, because you especially belong here. Maybe you don’t need blind-led, blind-centered sex education or research, but I assure you that blind-led, blind-centered research needs you. It’s not about your personal views on sex. It’s about our collective right to have equal, if not superior, access to all educational opportunities, including sexual health. We didn’t stay silent when they wanted to do away with Braille. We didn’t sit still when they said that STEM careers just aren’t for you. We’re moving to make sure that teachers have the tools and philosophy they need to nurture our next round of blind leaders. Wherever there’s educational injustice, wherever blind people are getting the short end of the stick, and whenever they tell us that you are not eligible for all that life has to offer, we’ll be there. We’ll step into weird, awkward, uncomfortable spaces together. We’ll do the work to generate the data that will tell us how to make it better, and we’ll use that data, along with courage and commitment and a solemn promise forged from shared pain and shared resolve, that we will not let their messages win.
We’ll do research on Braille and science and sex and whatever comes next. We’ll craft our own messages to share with others. And most importantly, those messages, our messages, are the ones we’ll amplify back to ourselves. Thank you.by Everette Bacon
From the Editor: Everette Bacon is the second vice president of the National Federation of the Blind and the affiliate president in Utah. He also chairs the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee. Here is his announcement about the 2026 Bolotin Awards program:
The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. These prestigious awards, granted each year as funds permit, seek to honor initiatives, innovations, and individuals that are an exemplary positive force in the lives of blind people and advance the ultimate goal of helping them to live the lives they want. Award winners will be publicly recognized during the 2026 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Austin, Texas. Each recipient will receive a cash award determined by the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee and will also be honored with an engraved medallion and plaque.
Dr. Jacob W. Bolotin (1888-1924) was a pioneering blind physician, the first blind-from-birth person in history who achieved that goal despite the tremendous challenges faced by blind people in his time. Not only did he realize his own dream; he went on to support and inspire many others in making their own dreams a reality. The awards which bear his name are supported in part by the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust, left as a bequest by Dr. Bolotin’s late nephew and niece-in-law to the Santa Barbara Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind to present the annual cash awards.
As chronicled in his biography, The Blind Doctor by Rosalind Perlman, Dr. Bolotin fought ignorance and prejudice to gain entrance to medical school and the medical profession. He became one of the most respected physicians in Chicago during his career, which spanned the period from 1912 until his death in 1924. He was particularly known for his expertise in diseases of the heart and lungs. During his successful career, Dr. Bolotin used his many public speaking engagements to advocate for employment of the blind and the full integration of the blind into society. Interested in young people in general and blind youth in particular, Dr. Bolotin established the first Boy Scout troop consisting entirely of blind boys and served as its leader.
Jacob Bolotin’s wife Helen had a sister whose husband died suddenly, leaving her to raise a son, Alfred Perlman. The Perlmans moved in with the Bolotins when Alfred was eleven, and for four years (until Jacob Bolotin’s untimely death at age thirty-six), “Uncle Jake” became Alfred’s surrogate father. Alfred later married Rosalind, and the couple worked on a book about Dr. Bolotin’s life. After Alfred’s death in 2001, Rosalind dedicated the rest of her life to completing and publishing the book, The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story, published by Blue Point Books. The book is available in digital audio format from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) program.
Past award winners have included entrepreneurs, volunteers, filmmakers, authors, mathematicians, technology developers, artists, teachers, nonprofit organizations, programs, partnerships, and more. These people, organizations, and projects have:
In 2026, the National Federation of the Blind will again recognize individuals and organizations that have distinguished themselves in accordance with the criteria established to receive a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award. The committee will determine both the number of awards and the value of each cash award presented. The Federation determines the total amount to be distributed each year based on income received from the trust supporting the award program. The award categories for each year are blind individuals; sighted individuals; and organizations, corporations, or other entities. Individuals may apply on their own behalf or may submit a third-party nomination, or the committee may also consider other individual or organizational candidates.
Individuals: Only individuals over eighteen years of age may be considered for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award. Applicants must demonstrate that they have shown substantial initiative and leadership in improving the lives of the blind. Examples of such initiative include but are not limited to developing products, technologies, or techniques that increase the independence of the blind; directing quality programs or agencies for the blind; or mentoring other blind people. All individual applicants or third-party applicants nominating other individuals must demonstrate that the work to be recognized has been conducted within the twelve months preceding the application and/or that the work is continuing. Applications by or on behalf of individuals must include at least one letter of recommendation from a person familiar with or directly affected by the work to be recognized.
Organizations: Organizations may apply for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in order to further programs, services, technology, or techniques of unique and outstanding merit that have assisted and will continue to assist the blind. Applications from third parties nominating an organization will also be considered. The organization category includes for-profit or nonprofit corporations or organizations or other entities, such as a specific division within an organization. Organizations or third-party applicants must demonstrate that the programs or services to be recognized include substantial participation by blind people as developers, mentors, administrators, or executives and not merely as clients, consumers, or beneficiaries. For example, an organization operating a program for blind youth might demonstrate that a substantial number of the counselors, teachers, or mentors involved in the program are blind. The organization or third-party applicant must demonstrate that it has substantially aided blind people within the twelve months prior to application and that an award would support efforts to build on previous successes. The application must also include at least one testimonial from a blind person who has benefited substantially from the programs or services.
To qualify for an award, both individuals and organizations must provide programs, services, or benefits to blind people in the United States of America.
More information, including an online application, can be found on the National Federation of the Blind website at https://nfb.org/bolotin.
Online submission of nominations, letters of support, and other relevant materials is strongly encouraged, but applications sent by mail and postmarked by the deadline will also be accepted. The 2026 deadline for application submission is April 15, and recipients chosen by the committee will be individually notified of their selection no later than May 15. Receipt of all complete applications will be acknowledged, but only those applicants chosen to receive an award will be notified of their selection. All decisions of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee are final.
The awards will be presented in July during the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Individuals selected to receive an award must appear in person, not send a representative. Organizations may send an individual representative, preferably their chief executive officer. Recipient candidates must confirm that they will appear in person to accept the award at the National Federation of the Blind Convention. Failure to confirm attendance for the award presentation by June 1 will result in forfeiture of the award.
Those employed full-time by the National Federation of the Blind may not apply for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award for work performed within the scope of their employment. Students may not apply for both a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award and a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship in the same year.
by Anil Lewis
As a blind college student, I had to think constantly about how to position myself for success—how to fund my education, expand my network, and build a future grounded in opportunity rather than limitation. When I reflect on pivotal moments in my own journey, one experience stands out above all others: being awarded the Dr. Kenneth Jernigan Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $10,000 in 2002. That scholarship was far more than a financial award; it was an investment. It was an investment in my education, in my confidence, and in my belief that I could build the life I envisioned.
This same investment has been made in hundreds of blind students over the years, and every year the National Federation of the Blind selects thirty more outstanding blind scholars to join this legacy. If you are a blind student pursuing postsecondary education, I strongly encourage you to apply. This is an opportunity that can change the direction of your academic and professional career, just as it did mine.
One of the things I appreciated most when I first applied was that membership in the National Federation of the Blind is not required. Many students who apply do not initially know much about the organization. What matters is a recognition of the capacity of blind people and a commitment to living that belief. Scholarship winners are expected to embrace the understanding that blind people can compete on terms of equality with our sighted peers and contribute meaningfully to society. If you embody that belief—or are ready to grow into it—you belong in this applicant pool.
Our scholarships are merit-based and highly competitive. Each year, hundreds of students apply, and thirty are selected as finalists. While that may seem daunting, do not let the competitive nature discourage you. There is substantial value in the application process itself. By applying, you will engage with leaders and members of your state affiliate who have the potential to become mentors, allies, and sources of support throughout your college career. Some applicants apply multiple times before becoming finalists; persistence is recognized and rewarded. Additionally, many state affiliates of the National Federation of the Blind offer their own scholarships, which may provide you with additional opportunities to further your academic goals.
And now, more than ever, the opportunity is worth pursuing. College is expensive, and the Federation is committed to helping blind students meet that challenge. For years, the top national scholarship was $10,000, with others ranging from $3,000 to $8,000. Recently, our National Board of Directors voted to raise all thirty scholarships to $10,000 beginning in 2026. That means every finalist receives the same significant financial award, along with additional support and gifts.
Yet the money is only part of what makes this program so transformative. The scholarship committee—comprised of thirty successful blind adults—does more than select winners. They mentor finalists throughout the national convention, a required and unforgettable part of the experience. These mentors introduce you to leading members of the Federation and connect you with blind professionals across nearly every discipline imaginable. Many of those relationships continue long after the convention ends.
The convention itself is a powerful environment for a blind student. You will engage with your cohort, exchange perspectives and strategies, and meet hundreds of blind people thriving in careers you may never have realized were accessible. It is the kind of immersion that resets expectations and expands your sense of what is possible. Through discussions with these successful blind mentors, scholarship winners have an unequaled opportunity to get to know our organization’s leaders. Furthermore, by asking questions and discussing their own ideas and opinions, they also have the chance to make all our Federation experiences richer. They share their own diverse experiences and perspectives during the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors meeting and at student division events.
Past NFB scholarship recipients represent a broad range of academic fields, backgrounds, ages, and experiences. What they share is strong academic performance, leadership potential, and a commitment to contributing to their communities. Does this sound like you? You could be one of our 2026 scholarship finalists.
To be eligible for an NFB scholarship, you must:
Take the next step and apply! Visit www.nfb.org/scholarships, read the eligibility FAQs and submission checklist, complete the 2026 application, gather your documents, and schedule your interview with your NFB affiliate president. You can save your progress and return to the application as needed prior to the March 31, 2026 deadline. Just be sure to hit the submit button when your application is complete!
As someone who has been through this process, my advice is simple:
When I stood before the Board of Directors as a 2002 scholarship finalist, I said, “This is very humbling. I want to take this opportunity to express to all of you that I consider this scholarship an investment as well as an award.” I explained that I would use my graduate degree to help build opportunities for blind people, fight for equality, and ensure economic security for others. I meant every word.
That scholarship helped me complete my Master of Public Administration. I later realized that the nonprofit center I envisioned building already existed. It was the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, where I now serve as Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives. I continue this work because of the investment the Federation made in me. Thousands of blind people have benefited from that investment, and thousands more will.
Apply for an NFB national scholarship today. I look forward to the return on the investment we will make in you.
Information, applications, and resources are available at www.nfb.org/scholarships, including links to information about previous winners, student tools, and additional guidance. This is your moment—take it.
by Carla McQuillan
From the Editor: Carla McQuillan served as president of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon for twenty-six years and as a member of the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors for sixteen years. She is the chairperson of the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award Committee, and she has written this announcement seeking applications for the 2026 award:
The National Federation of the Blind will recognize an outstanding teacher of blind students at our 2026 National Convention, taking place in Austin, Texas, from July 3 through July 8, 2026. The winner of this award will receive the following:
The education of blind children is one of the National Federation of the Blind’s highest priorities. We are committed to offering and supporting programs that enhance educational opportunities for this group. Please help us recognize dedicated and innovative teachers who provide quality education and meaningful experiences and opportunities for their blind students.
Q: Who is eligible for this award?
A: Anyone who is currently a teacher, counselor, or the administrator of programs for blind students.
Q: Does an applicant have to be a member of the National Federation of the Blind?
A: No, but attending the 2026 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Austin, Texas, is required.
Q: Can I nominate someone else for this award?
A: Yes. Applicants can be nominated by colleagues, parents, supervisors, or friends who have first-hand knowledge of the individual’s work with blind students.
Q: How would I apply?
A: You can fill out the application at the end of this article or find it on our website at https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/distinguished-educator-blind-students-award/application
Q: What is the deadline to submit an application or make a nomination?
A: All applications must be received no later than May 1, 2026.
Please complete the application and attach the required documents specified in the application. If you are submitting a nomination for someone other than yourself, please answer the questions to the best of your ability. Your experience and observations of the nominee will assist the selection committee in their decision. Direct questions to Carla McQuillan at 541-915-0896, or by email at [email protected].
Deadline: May 1, 2026
Name: ______________________________________________________________
Home Address: _______________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _______________________________________________________
Phone: (H) ___________________________ (W) ____________________________
Email: _______________________________________________________________
School/Program: ______________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: ________________________________________________________
Please list any awards or commendations the applicant has received.
How long and in what programs have you worked with blind children?
In what setting do you currently work?
Briefly describe your current job and teaching responsibilities.
How would you describe your philosophy of blindness as it relates to the education of blind students?
What are your thoughts on teaching Braille and cane travel? When and at what age would you begin? How do you determine whether to teach print or Braille?
What was your most memorable experience working with blind students?
Why should you be selected to receive this award?
Email is strongly encouraged for transmitting nominations; letters of support and other relevant materials should be included as attachments. Applications sent by mail and postmarked by the deadline will also be accepted. Send all material by May 1, 2026, to:
Carla McQuillan, Chairperson
Teacher Award Committee
2378 11th Street
Florence, OR 97439
Phone: 541-915-0896
Email: [email protected]
by Robin House
From the Editor: Robin House has many initials after her name for her educational credentials: MEd, LPC, RPT. In other words, she holds a Master of Education, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Registered Play Therapist. Selected as our Blind Educator of the Year in 2018, Robin now chairs the NFB’s 2026 Blind Educator of the Year Award Selection Committee. Here is her annual announcement soliciting nominations for this award:
Many years ago, the Blind Educator of the Year Award was established by the National Organization of Blind Educators (the educators’ division of the National Federation of the Blind) to pay tribute to a blind teacher whose exceptional classroom performance, notable community service, and uncommon commitment to the NFB merit national recognition. Beginning with the 1991 presentation, this award became an honor bestowed by our entire movement. This change reflects our recognition of the importance of good teaching and the effect an outstanding blind teacher has on students, faculty, community, and all blind Americans.
This award is presented in the spirit of the outstanding educators who founded and have continued to nurture the National Federation of the Blind and who, by example, have imparted knowledge of our strengths to us and raised our expectations. We have learned from Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, Dr. Marc Maurer, and our current President, Mark Riccobono, that a teacher not only provides a student with information but also provides guidance, advocacy, and love. The recipient of the Blind Educator of the Year Award must exhibit all these traits and must advance the cause of blind people in the spirit and philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind.
The Blind Educator of the Year Award is presented at the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Honorees must be present to receive an appropriately inscribed plaque and a check for $1,000.
Nominations should be sent to Ms. Robin House by email to [email protected] or by mail to Stix ECC, 647 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. Letters of nomination must be accompanied by a copy of the nominee’s current résumé and supporting documentation of community and Federation activity. All nomination materials must be in the hands of the committee chairperson by May 1, 2026, to be considered for this year’s award. For further information, contact Robin House at 314-265-6852, or [email protected].Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space and clarity.
National Braille Press is STILL accepting applications for the 2026 Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation. The award, which can be worth up to $10,000, recognizes creative products that advance tactile literacy for blind people and promote Braille or access to information. Eligible projects include professional or educational software, apps that foster Braille or tactile learning, and Braille- or tactile-related hardware.
The application deadline has been extended until March 6, 2026. Details and application materials are available at www.touchofgeniusprize.org or by email at [email protected].
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.
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