January 2025

Letter from the President

Dear Friends,

January 4 is recognized as World Braille Day but we in the National Federation of the Blind celebrate all month and really all year long. But a focus on Braille in January is a great way to kick off the new year because it signifies our core belief in the full capacity of blind people. Even in this day and age where technology is available to assist everyone in everyday life, Braille literacy is an important skill that helps level the playing field between blind people and their sighted peers.

Braille is one tool that enables blind people to be independent and contributing members of our communities. It is useful at work, when visiting unfamiliar places like government buildings and hotels, or in volunteer roles like the important jobs that our members do for this organization. The work of this organization happens because of the members, not because some else is doing it for us. For example, our members do things like lead meetings, keep accurate financial records for their chapters and divisions, organize training programs, and thousands of other important tasks each year that are made easier through the use of Braille. I use Braille to take notes during meetings, to read my prepared remarks when I am making speeches, and to label items around my home and office. 

Braille opens up so many areas of innovation and imagination and is a source of power for blind people. You will find that our building, as an example, is full of Braille in all sorts of places that you might not think about. My daughter Oriana recently made a video of a tour she gave a friend to show all of the places that Braille is found in the NFB headquarters. 

I am excited about the prospect of new collaborations and innovative ways that Federationists and our partners will use Braille this year. Being part of a community with a positive and forward-thinking philosophy gives me great hope, and I hope each of you will find something in the Federation that feeds your optimism for the future. We believe that blind people should feel empowered to dream big, and we’ll work together with determination so those dreams can be realized.

Sincerely,
Mark A. Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind

NFB Events Showcase our Belief in Blind People 

The National Federation of the Blind is the only organization directed by blind people that believes in our full capacity and has the power, diversity, determination, and love to turn our dreams into reality. Core values guide us. One of which is a belief in blind people that permeates our organization.

This value is emphasized in our publications, events, and at every membership meeting of the NFB state affiliates and local chapters.

“When I attend a convention or chapter meeting, I enjoy the deep belief in blind people that is exhibited when blind people take charge of all aspects of our meetings. Seeing a blind mic runner, chapter president, sound engineer, treasurer, etc. reenforces that the blind have capacity. Non-blind people are intricately involved in the Federation, but the blind fully participate and lead all aspects of what we do.”  - Debbie

While many agencies and foundations purport to represent us, their leadership lacks authentic representation, and their events put non-blind people in the forefront. The NFB is truly different. For more on our core values and beliefs, visit our brand page. To experience our belief in blind people during the largest gathering of blind people, join us for our 2025 National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana this July.

Latest News at the NFB

Federation Celebrates World Braille Day and Louis Braille

January 4 marked World Braille Day in celebration of its creator, Louis Braille. Braille, a code that enables us to read with our fingertips using a system of six raised dots, was created in 1824 by a French boy named Louis Braille who was born on January 4, 1809. Today, Braille is used all over the world in many languages and blind people use Braille for everything from shopping lists and labels around their house, to reading novels and solving math and scientific equations. The increasing availability of Braille signs makes it easier for blind people to get around hotels, office buildings, university campuses, and more. Braille is as flexible as print, can be learned in roughly the same amount of time, and can be read just as fluidly. 

The Federation works to get Braille into the hands of more blind people because it offers independence, confidence, and flexibility in our daily lives. Learn more about our Braille literacy work at Braille.Day. 

Legislative Priorities for Washington Seminar Announced

Each year since 1973 Federation members convene in Washington, DC to learn about and advocate for legislative initiatives that will improve the lives of blind Americans. 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 by 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, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs, and other timely topics.

Learn about this year’s legislative priorities and more on our Washington Seminar page. 

FTC Order Requires Online Marketer to Pay Fine for Deceptive Claims that its AI Product Could Make Websites Compliant with Accessibility Guidelines

The Federal Trade Commission will require a software provider to pay $1 million to settle allegations that it misrepresented the ability of its AI-powered web accessibility tool to make any website compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for people with disabilities. "Companies looking for help making their websites WCAG compliant must be able to trust that products do what they are advertised to do," said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Overstating a product's AI or other capabilities without adequate evidence is deceptive, and the FTC will act to stop it."

The National Federation of the Blind has been engaged in advocacy for years regarding overlays and other automated tools that purport to make websites accessible but fall short. Learn more by reading our resolution from 2021 and read more about the FTC’s order.

Take Action This Month

Here’s what you can do this month to get involved and support the National Federation of the Blind:

Important Dates

Throughout our local chapters and national divisions, we certainly are a busy organization. Here are some seminar, training, and conference dates to keep in mind.