August 2024

Letter from the President

Dear Friends,

Summertime is a great time to explore our passions and interests, and for me that includes spending some time playing music. I break all the stereotypes about blind people being inherently musical even though I come from a family of nonblind people with lots of musical talents. Trust me, there are times I think it would be nice to have perfect pitch. When we internalize stereotypes or work hard to rebel against them, we may miss the opportunities. I do not continue my journey of playing guitar because I think it is something I should be able to do as a blind person, it comes from truly enjoying it. Living the lives we want means exploring the world on our own terms and in our own self-directed way, not because someone else believes it is good for us.

As I pursue my hobby of playing guitar, I value my blind friends who are talented musicians. The power of music to create emotion and spark understanding is real and I love experiencing how blind people bring their lived experience into their art. I also love how Federation members are bringing the philosophy of the organized blind movement into their stage presence. Sometimes by owning their blindness on stage and at other times using it as a subtle reveal after they have impressed with their talents. I am grateful for the NFB Performing Arts Division, which has fostered and developed the creative spirit of the Federation and works to promote equal treatment and equality of opportunity for the blind as we pursue careers in the performing arts. There are so many talented Federationists—both professional and amateur artists—and I am proud of how they demonstrate that blindness need not hold you back from living the life you want. Many of these folks appear on my Spotify playlist of blind artists.

The National Federation of the Blind does not stop our work, even in the dog days of summer. We recently celebrated the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and I had the honor of representing the Federation at a White House event. It's very clear that our collective action is making great progress on our priorities, and we are getting our message heard. But it's also clear that we're not done yet, and we continue to give a consistent message to our elected officials across the country that there is more to do. We are continuing to advocate for enforcement of web access standards, voting rights, the Blind Americans Return to Work Act, and much, much more.

Although it may seem like highlighting performing artists and advocacy for important issues such as accessible technology and voting rights are very separate topics, I understand them to be integrated features of our mission. The National Federation of the Blind transforms how blind people perceive themselves and what they can accomplish. Our members are leading the fight to break down barriers and raise expectations in pursuit of richer, fuller lives for all blind people.

Thank you for contributing to our work and for being part of a community that encourages and shares in the challenges and triumphs of blind people.

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

Hear Our Performers

The National Federation of the Blind facilitates networking, mentoring, and sharing of information around many commonalities and shared interests. Some of those also involve career choices. This month, we focus on our blind musicians and performers represented by our Performing Arts Division. The Performing Arts Division exemplifies the benefits of joining the National Federation of the Blind. This proud national division connects blind performers of any genre to share tips and strategies and to learn from one another.

Julie shared:

“As a young person entering the professional world of music through conservatory education, I have encountered a variety of barriers that were difficult to overcome on my own. Through the Performing Arts Division, I have found friends and mentors to guide me, and have been able to access a broad array of resources to find new ways of approaching the arts, such as the division's podcast, Scene Change.”

Get to know the Performing Arts Division (PAD) and check out Scene Change, a podcast produced by the division. 

Latest News at the NFB

Thirty Blind Scholars Awarded National Scholarships

The National Federation of the Blind presented more than 250,000 dollars to blind scholars at the National Convention last month in recognition of their achievements and professional aspirations. This annual scholarship program is the largest of its kind in the nation and winners are selected from hundreds of applicants from across the country. You can read about all of the winners and the 2024 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship winner, Thelma González Santana, in the upcoming August-September issue of the Braille Monitor.

Thank you to our generous partners for providing support for many of our named scholarships. 

NFB Expands Nemeth Braille Training and Certification Program

The Braille Certification Training Program operates under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress. In 2024, as of July 31, the NFB has forwarded the names of 145 individuals to the Library of Congress for certification in literary transcribing, literary proofreading, and music transcribing. These transcribers and proofreaders hail from 28 states. Additionally, we are administering a new version of the Nemeth (mathematics) Braille transcribing course, which has been updated to align with the new rules for using Nemeth within unified English Braille. We expect to forward the first individuals to be certified under the new Nemeth rules very soon.

For more information about the Braille Certification Training Program, visit https://nfb.org/programs-services/braille-certification.

NFB Comments on Problems with EAC’s Voter Registration Process

We recently submitted comments to the Election Assistance Commission regarding its national voter registration form. We reported problems with the accessibility of the associated PDF  along with the handwritten signature requirement. The Federation has a long-standing program for providing resources for accessible voting, collecting information, and advocating for the rights of blind Americans to vote. Learn more about our work on our Voting Resources page.

Advocacy for Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act Moves Forward

On July 24, we sent a letter to Senators Bernie Sanders (Vermont) and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, to urge them to include the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act in the upcoming Apprentice and Workforce Package. The full letter can be read on our Policy Statements page. 

Take Action This Month

Throughout our local chapters and state affiliates to our national headquarters and diverse committees, the National Federation of the Blind is an organization of collective action. Here’s what you can do to get involved this month.

Important Dates