Washington Seminar

At our Washington Seminar, members of the National Federation of the Blind convene to learn about and advocate for legislative initiatives that will improve the lives of blind Americans.

President Riccobono stands and smiles with Diane McGeorge and Buna Dahal during 2019 Washington Seminar reception Approximately three legislative initiatives are chosen for priority attention each year. These initiatives, which form the Washington Seminar priorities, are based on the official positions of the NFB adopted at the national convention and can address concerns related to civil rights, educational programs and services, rehabilitation of the blind for competitive employment, the operation of vending facilities by blind persons on public property, specialized library services for the blind, the organization and funding of federal programs, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs, and other timely topics.

The first Washington Seminar took place in 1973. Today, more than five hundred people from the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico typically attend.

Dates and Location

Monday, January 30 through Thursday, February 2, 2023
Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall
550 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024

Schedule

2023 Washington Seminar Agenda

Great Gathering-In—Monday, January 30, 2023

The Great Gathering-In is the very exciting opening session of the Washington Seminar. It will take place Monday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. ET and adjourning promptly at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Listen to the Great Gathering-In (MP3) (Coming after the event)
Great Gathering-In Transcript (Coming after the event)

National Federation of the Blind Career Fair-Monday, January 30, 2023

Are you attending the Washington Seminar and looking for employment? Or are you an employer looking to hire a highly qualified individual to fill a job in your organization? If so, the National Federation of the Blind is hosting a Career Fair at the 2023 Washington Seminar. The Washington Seminar Career Fair will take place Monday, January 30, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will be held in-person at the Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall, 550 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. 

The 2023 Washington Seminar will bring together job seekers and employers for one-on-one discussions regarding possible employment opportunities. The Career Fair will feature a wide variety of employment opportunities across many fields. Employers must and job seekers should register in advance to participate. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. ET, Tuesday, January 24, 2023.

Job seekers who pre-register for the Washington Seminar Career Fair by the January 24, 2022 5:00 p.m. ET deadline will receive information about the employers participating in the event in advance. However, job seekers who miss the deadline can register for the career fair on site January 30, 2023. On site event day registrants will be sent the employer information after the career fair.

Job seekers or employment professionals assisting job seekers wishing to attend the Career Fair should fill out the Job Seeker Registration Form. Employer registration for the 2023 Washington Seminar Career Fair has closed.

Congressional Appointments—Tuesday, January 31, 2023 through Thursday, February 2, 2023

Congressional appointments should be made for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives we want.

Legislative Priorities & Fact Sheets

Issue Review and Training

2023 Washington Seminar Mock Meeting #1

2023 Washington Seminar Mock Meeting #2

United States Capitol Complex

The United States Capitol Complex is a large grouping of multiple buildings. If you are attending the Washington Seminar, knowing how to navigate these buildings in advance will make finding your meetings easier and quicker. For a brief description of the United States Capitol Complex, including all six of the Congressional Office Buildings, please see the United States Capitol Complex Description HTML page or Word document below:

More Information

For more information, please contact Kyle Walls at 410-659-9314, extension 2223, or [email protected].