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</style> </head> <body> <div id="header"> <h1 class="title">The Braille Monitor,
May 2023</h1> </div> <h1 id="braille-monitor">BRAILLE MONITOR</h1> <p>Vol. 66,
No. 5 May 2023</p> <p><em>Gary Wunder, Editor</em></p> <p>Distributed by email,
in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by the</p> <p>NATIONAL FEDERATION
OF THE BLIND</p> <p>Mark Riccobono, President</p> <p>telephone: 410-659-9314</p>
<p>email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a></p> <p>website
address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a></p> <p>NFBnet.org:
<a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a></p> <p>NFB-NEWSLINE®
information: 866-504-7300</p> <p>Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind</p>
<p>Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice</p> <p>Watch and share our videos:
YouTube.com/NationsBlind</p> <p>Letters to the President, address changes,
subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national
office. Articles for the <em>Monitor</em> and letters to the editor may also be
sent to the national office or may be emailed to <a
href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.</p> <p><em>Monitor</em>
subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year. Members are invited,
and nonmembers are requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be
made payable to <strong>National Federation of the Blind</strong> and sent to:</p>
<p>National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>200 East Wells Street <em>at Jernigan
Place</em><br /> Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998</p> <p><strong>THE NATIONAL
FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS 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. YOU CAN
LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT; BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION
OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND—IT IS THE BLIND
SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.</strong></p> <p><em>ISSN 0006-8829</em></p> <p>© 2023
by the National Federation of the Blind</p> <p>Each issue is recorded on a thumb
drive (also called a memory stick or USB flash drive). You can read this audio
edition using a computer or a National Library Service digital player. The NLS
machine has two slots—the familiar book-cartridge slot just above the
retractable carrying handle and a second slot located on the right side near the
headphone jack. This smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective
rubber pad covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in
one position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again.
(Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive, the
digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is inserted,
the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital materials. If you
remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges, when you insert it again,
reading should resume at the point you stopped.</p> <p>You can transfer the
recording of each issue from the thumb drive to your computer or preserve it on
the thumb drive. However, because thumb drives can be used hundreds of times, we
would appreciate their return in order to stretch our funding. Please use the
return envelope enclosed with the drive when you return the device.</p>
<p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Hilton Americas-Houston Convention Center Hotel]</p> <h2
id="convention-bulletin-2023">Convention Bulletin 2023</h2> <p>There are plenty
of reasons one might travel to Houston, Texas, the fourth most populous city in
the United States. One might visit for the nearly three-week-long Houston Livestock
Show and Rodeo. The city’s vibrant arts scene boasts the largest concentration
of theater seats outside of New York City. And no Houston resident would let a
visitor forget that the city is home to the 2022 World Series Champion Houston
Astros. There is little question that Houston has a great deal going for it. The
city’s real draw, however, is that it will play host to the National
Federation of the Blind’s 2023 National Convention.</p> <p>It has now been
more than fifty years since the largest gathering of the organized blind last
convened in Houston, Texas, and our return in 2023 will be an event not to be
missed. The Hilton Americas-Houston hotel (1600 Lamar Street, Houston, TX 77010)
will serve as our convention headquarters hotel. Situated in the heart of downtown
Houston across the street from the beautiful twelve-acre Discovery Green Park,
the Hilton Americas is an ideal location for our annual event. Ballrooms, breakout
space, and sleeping rooms are all stacked in the same tower housed on a single
city block, simplifying navigation and minimizing travel distances. In-room internet
is complimentary to all attendees as is access to the health club and swimming
pool on the 22nd floor. There are several dining options on the hotel’s
lobby level (including a Starbucks for those of you requiring a caffeine fix) and
many more choices within easy walking distance from the Hilton’s front
door.</p> <p>The nightly rate at the Hilton Americas-Houston is $119 for singles,
doubles, triples, and quads. In addition, the sales tax rate is 8.25 percent, and
the hotel occupancy tax rate is 17 percent. To book your room for the 2023
convention, call 1-800-236-2905 after January 1 and ask for the “NFB
Convention” block. For each room, the hotel will take a deposit of the
first night’s room rate and taxes and will require a credit card or a
personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your
card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Thursday, June 1, 2023,
half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.</p>
<p>We have also secured overflow space at the wonderful Marriott Marquis Houston.
The Marriott is only a three-block walk directly across Discovery Green, or
attendees can walk entirely indoors through the George R. Brown convention center,
connecting both hotels on the second level. You will find many of the same amenities
at the Marriott as well as a Texas-shaped lazy river pool. The room rate at the
Marriott Marquis is also $119 per night for singles, doubles, triples, and quads.
To book a room, call 1-877-622-3056 after January 1. Again, ask for the “NFB
Convention” block. Similarly, the same deposit and cancellation policies
apply.</p> <p>The 2023 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be
a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication
to the goals and work of our movement. A wide range of seminars for parents of
blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will kick
the week off on Saturday, July 1. Convention registration and registration packet
pick-up will also open on Saturday. Breakout sessions continue on Sunday along
with committee meetings. Monday, July 3, will kick off with the annual meeting,
open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind.
National division meetings will follow the board meeting that afternoon and evening.
General convention sessions will begin on Tuesday, July 4, and continue through
the afternoon of Thursday, July 6. Convention ends on a high note with the banquet
Thursday evening so be sure to pack your fancy clothes. The fall of the gavel at
the close of banquet will signal convention’s adjournment.</p> <p>Remember
that as usual we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and
individuals. Once again prizes should be small in size but large in value. Cash,
of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a rule, we ask that prizes of
all kinds have a value of at least $25 and not include alcohol. Drawings will
occur steadily throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a
Texas-sized grand prize to be drawn at the banquet. You may bring door prizes with
you to convention or send them in advance to the National Federation of the Blind
of Texas at 1600 E Highway 6, Suite 215, Alvin, TX 77511.</p> <p>The best collection
of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups,
committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and provocative program items of
any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships in our
Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action
is and where decisions are being made—all of these mean you will not want
to miss being a part of the 2023 National Convention. To assure yourself a room
in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, make your reservations early. We
plan to see you in Houston in July.</p> <p>Vol. 66, No. 5 May 2023</p> <h2
id="contents">Contents</h2> <p>Illustration: From a Dream to Really Riding in an
Autonomous Vehicle</p> <p>A Welcome to Nebraska and Some Inspiration for Us All</p>
<p>by Shane Buresh, Amy Buresh, and Jeremy Fifield</p> <p>A Heart-felt Apology
and a Chance to Start Again</p> <p>by Shir Ekerling</p> <p><em>After the Miracle:
The Political Crusades of Helen Keller</em> by Max Wallace</p> <p>Reviewed by Gary
Wunder</p> <p>Pedaling for Those Who May Think They Are Alone</p> <p>by Gary
Wunder</p> <p>Going My Way: Driving Accessibility through Innovative Autonomous
Transportation</p> <p>by Michelle Peacock</p> <p>More about the Dynamic 2023
Convention</p> <p>by Norma Crosby</p> <p>#NFB23 Give $20 Drawing—Aira
Provides Challenge Grant</p> <p>Resolution Reminders</p> <p>by Donald Porterfield</p>
<p>How the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act Has Turned Me into an
Impassioned Advocate</p> <p>by Debbie Wunder</p> <p>Back to Notre Dame</p> <p>An
Address Delivered by Marc Maurer</p> <p><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures</p>
<p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: In this close-up photo, Mark and Anil smile joyfully as they
lean toward the Waymo One vehicle. The Waymo One is a four-door, white, all-electric
Jaguar I-PACE SUV that is equipped with cameras and sensors.]</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION:
In this photo, Mark and Anil stand smiling in front of the front passenger door
of the four-door, white Waymo One vehicle. Their long white canes are crossed and
President Riccobono is holding the National Federation of the Blind membership
coin.]</p> <h2 id="from-a-dream-to-really-riding-in-an-autonomous-vehicle">From
a Dream to Really Riding in an Autonomous Vehicle </h2> <p>President Mark Riccobono
and Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives Anil Lewis visited our partners
at Waymo in San Francisco in March 2023. On the bright sunny day, their visit
included a ride across town in an autonomous car, the Waymo One. Anil shared,
"This is my first real autonomous experience, no one but Mark and I in the
car…When it picked us up, it was like within a foot of the curb. It parked
better than most people I know that drive. I think that this is really going to
be a game changer.”</p> <p>Through our partnership, blind people not only
have something to gain from new technologies like Waymo’s, we also offer
valuable perspectives to contribute. Including us from the beginning helps make
the experience better for everyone. The National Federation of the Blind and Waymo
are partnering to include the feedback and suggestions of people who are blind in
the development of Waymo’s autonomous driving technology. Through its
collaboration with us, Waymo has added accessibility features that let people
receive added navigation details about their trip via audio, find their vehicle
by sound, and more. President Riccobono shared, "Waymo, in particular, understands
and values the fact that we have something to contribute and Waymo has something
to contribute, and that makes it a true partnership.”</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION:
Jeremy Fifield, Amy and Shane Buresh holding their long white canes outside the
International Quilt Museum.]</p> <h2 id="a-welcome-to-nebraska-and-some-inspiration-for-us-all">A
Welcome to Nebraska and Some Inspiration for Us All</h2> <p><strong>by Shane
Buresh, Amy Buresh, and Jeremy Fifield</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor:
Since 2006, Shane Buresh has been constructing audio openers for the NFB of Nebraska
state conventions. These offerings leverage historical events, figures or places,
or highlight individuals or corporations which were begun in the various Nebraska
host cities. These presentations use their stories to parallel the tremendous
success the NFB has achieved both on the state and national level. This year the
opener was a collaborative effort by Shane, who wrote and voice recorded the text,
his wife Amy Buresh, who researched and edited the script, and Jeremy Fifield,
who edited and audio engineered the audio version. These individuals are all active
members of the Lincoln Chapter of the NFB of Nebraska.</strong></p> <p><strong>Not
only is the presentation stellar, but it is a reminder that much happens in our
state affiliates that just never makes it to the <em>Braille Monitor</em> so it
can be appreciated by a nationwide readership and serve as an inspiration to all
of us.</strong></p> <p>Welcome to the fifty-second annual convention of the National
Federation of the Blind of Nebraska. We assemble this weekend in fellowship to
plan for the equality, security, and opportunity we need, and to inspire one
another and demonstrate that in everything we do this weekend and throughout the
year ahead, we are living the lives we want!</p> <p>Each of us in this room brings
unique and valuable material to this convention. We are stitched together through
the common thread of blindness. Though we represent a patchwork of unique and
colorful histories, we join together because we realize that the Federation family
tradition offers us a strength and comfort that we would not find with such warmth
on our own. The largest gathering of the blind in the state this year is in this
room, and rest assured that the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska has
you covered.</p> <p>Speaking of covered, the subject of this year's opener could
do an excellent job of that too! It's a warm bedcovering made of padding enclosed
between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching, typically applied
in a decorative design. You guessed it, the quilt—so steeped in tradition,
so often assembled with love and support, that when you stop and think about its
similarity to our beloved organization, the comparison is undeniable.</p> <p>Both
the NFB and quilts were originally conceived to bring function and security to
the members of the family. Both have lengthy histories and traditions. Both involve
a high degree of specialized skills handed down through the generations with
love.</p> <p>Like the work of the Federation, the making of quilts often evolved
into social gatherings called quilting bees, which are still prevalent today. Such
gatherings were mutually supportive and were largely attended by women and their
daughters. They served to help break the isolation experienced by many and provided
a supportive outlet for mentorship, strength, and encouragement. Many issues were
discussed and advocacy campaigns launched. Within the environment of the quilting
bees, everyone had a role to play. Working together, everyone came away with a
treasured product. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?</p> <p>Whether designed by artists
reflecting the social commentaries of the day or assembled from uneven, rough-edged
pieces, a good quilt held the common thread of pride for all. As we know, when
function meets style, the result is a product worthy of unending legacy. Constructed
with a common goal, strengthened by the richness and unique aspects of its individual
pieces, the quilt offers a vibrant, personal piece of one's story. Encompassing
all these aspects and more, the quilt has been commemorated in a place here in
our very own capital city, the International Quilt Museum. Located on the University
of Nebraska's East Campus, the museum boasts the largest publicly held collection
of quilts in the world. Since its founding in 1997, they have assembled more than
9,000 quilts and 2,500 quilt-related objects, and they welcome more than 20,000
guests each year. Visitors are treated to a diverse and inclusive environment.
Many stories are told there, and it's often said that the quilts speak for
themselves.</p> <p>Like quilting, we the blind have a story to tell which illuminates
the power of our collective action, a story that uses our past to shape our future.
We in the NFB are making plans for the Museum of the Blind Peoples Movement at
our headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. We'll enhance our standing in society by
demonstrating our capacity and demystifying the misconceptions of blindness. We'll
speak for ourselves, and our patchwork history will be immortalized for the treasure
that it is.</p> <p>As we work this weekend and on into the future, let us remember
that each of us brings our own unique traits to a collective quilt that can warm
and protect those who seek the truth about blindness. The successes and failures;
triumphs and tragedies; stitch us together across the common fabric of blindness.
Whether you've gathered with us many times before or it's your first time lending
your talents to the work, we thank you for being here. This convention would not
be the same without you. Action by action, stitch by stitch, we will build a
creation worthy of function, sturdy enough for protection, rich enough to include
us all, and worthy of our showcase within society as a whole. Like a quilt passed
down for generations, we the members of the National Federation of the Blind of
Nebraska stand together this weekend to say to one another, "Have no fear, my
friend. I've got you covered."</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Shir
Eckerling]</p> <h2 id="a-heart-felt-apology-and-a-chance-to-start-again">A Heart-felt
Apology and a Chance to Start Again</h2> <p><strong>by Shir Ekerling</strong></p>
<p><strong>From the Editor: There isn't much I need to say because this letter
says it all. I admire people who can say they are sorry and want to start again.
I hope and believe this is a real step forward.</strong></p> <p>Dear Members of
the Federation,</p> <p>My name is Shir, and I am the founder of accessiBe. I am
writing to address our past actions and to offer our deepest apologies for the
way we previously communicated and reacted. I also want to outline what we are
doing and have done to change and improve in response to feedback from Federation
members and individuals in the broader disability space.</p> <p>Before I go further,
I want to share with you that I have a deep personal understanding of what it
feels like to be dependent on assistive technology. I am a person who relies daily
on multiple assistive medical technologies due to my Type 1/juvenile diabetes. My
medical journey has been challenging at times, and thus I am driven by a singular
conviction when it comes to my work and accessiBe. I can personally relate to
struggling with assistive technology, and this is one of the reasons it is essential
for me to be the best ally that I can be to you.</p> <p>When I founded accessiBe,
other than in the very technical aspects, I was a newcomer to the accessibility
and disability communities. As software engineers, we incorrectly believed that
the technicalities were all that we needed to know. When some community members
voiced their concerns, my colleagues and I became defensive and resistant, and we
mistakenly treated it with dismissal or, at times, even anger. As the founder of
accessiBe, I want to take full responsibility for these reactions, and I wish to
outline how, in the past two years, feedback from Federation members and many
individuals and disability rights activists has guided me and accessiBe through
a meaningful transformative process.</p> <p>After several years of learning, and
as I reflect on our choices during that time, I recognize that the way we reacted
to concerns did not demonstrate my commitment to my conviction. Even though we
failed to respond appropriately, we did hear you. We have been learning a lot from
your feedback and have been changing our approach and how we do things because of
it. For our improper reactions and responses, we want to express our deepest
apologies to everyone who has been affected, and we are committed to responding
with openness, gratitude, and accountability going forward. I also want to apologize
for emphasizing our marketing on avoiding legal action, when it should have been
on making one's website usable to users who would otherwise be left out. We have
many things to do until we get there, but I hope that soon, you will trust us
enough to call us your ally and bestow that honor and responsibility on us. I am
committed to that goal and to receiving all available guidance and learning to
support that work.</p> <p>At the core of what we do is our belief that creating
an inclusive environment for all individuals requires work from each of us
individually and from us as a collective. As a company handling digital accessibility,
it is our responsibility to work alongside you, to demonstrate why it is so crucial
for businesses to provide online access at all times, especially in a rapidly
changing digital space. This is why we strive to provide solutions that make it
easier for businesses, from the smallest family business to the biggest enterprise,
to provide equal access and opportunities to all their users and customers, with
or without a disability. We want to provide businesses with tools that help them
recognize that accessibility and usability are possible for them, and that even
if they lack resources, providing accessibility will be a positive decision that
drives their business forward. I'm not writing this to advertise accessiBe, but
to provide background on what we are trying to do.</p> <p>I'm writing this letter
to ask you, Federation members, for a second chance to build a relationship with
you. I am aware of your concerns about overlays, privacy and security, advertising,
and more. Some of these concerns are addressed here; others are too complex for
a short letter, and I wish to remain focused on the communication and people
aspect, and on our commitment. I am, however, going to address these and any other
concerns you bring to my attention as we move forward in our communication,
conversation, and the work we put out to the world.</p> <p>Over the past two years,
we focused on seeking guidance and training from disabled leaders, activists,
individuals, and disability-led organizations willing to teach us where we fell
short and what we needed to do to revise our approach. This work is ongoing.</p>
<p>We took the time for a deep review and are making significant changes that
include complete employee training, disability history, civil rights activism,
disability justice workshops, and guidance on accessibility and disability
communication. We are committed to building an inclusive culture from the core
and to being directed by the disability community in the work that we do. We want
disability to be present in all aspects of accessiBe.</p> <p>Making significant
changes takes time, and we understand that building trust is a lengthy process.
We strive to continue learning and making further improvements that demonstrate
our commitment as we move forward. The experience of every individual is unique.
We cannot capture every perspective or understand every situation. Therefore, we
will continue to learn and improve.</p> <p>Accessibility is not only about technology
but mostly about people, culture, and education. We are committed to inclusion
both internally and externally.</p> <p>We are also committed to being transparent
about our journey, and I want to begin by sharing our "Purpose statement" (<a
href="https://accessibe.com/purpose-statement">https://accessibe.com/purpose-statement</a>).
This twenty-page document details the journey we have been on, delving deep into
the changes we have made, and our focus for the future. We encourage you to read
it to learn more about our efforts. Here are some highlights:</p> <p>Our marketing
department has undergone a significant overhaul that encompasses communication,
activities, and team structure. We have replaced our chief marketing officer and
discarded previous campaigns. We have shifted our focus toward education, and our
goal is to provide a platform for the disability community to reach our customer
network and directly educate the business community without us speaking for or
representing the community in any way, yet providing it an opportunity to educate
millions of people and businesses directly. We are committed to supporting,
elevating, and amplifying your voice and advocacy efforts. We strongly believe
that educating people and businesses about disabilities, accessibility, and
inclusion is crucial to creating an inclusive society.</p> <p>By offering individuals
and businesses education, in cooperation with the disability community, we can
collectively take steps toward bringing the digital world closer to where we all
want it to be.</p> <p>We recognize that web accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all
process. Therefore, today, our approach is to provide a variety of accessibility
tools and solutions to help businesses address accessibility comprehensively. We
are creating an ecosystem of tools, services, products, and educational platforms
for businesses of all sizes to develop and implement inclusive business practices
and successfully incorporate web accessibility in their projects. We also provide
comprehensive accessibility services, including human audits, accessibility
consulting, technical accessibility training, user testing, and ongoing support
to ensure that accessibility is maintained over time.</p> <p>We are incorporating
talented professionals from the disability community and their expertise into
every aspect of our company. Everything we do is made with, and often by, a person
with a disability in the process. This is true from research and development to
the way we deliver services, build products and solutions, and come up with
campaigns and communications for businesses and customers. Every layer of accessiBe
relies on leadership and talent from people with disabilities, including input,
education, guidance, and review.</p> <p>As the founder of accessiBe, I have a
responsibility to lead by example. I am committed to listening to your feedback
and concerns and to taking actions that reflect that. I am also committed to being
accountable for our reactions and to being a part of the solution. For that reason,
I want to offer a direct line of communication with me for your concerns or
questions. Please do not hesitate to email me directly at <a
href="mailto:ekshir@accessibe.com">ekshir@accessibe.com</a>.</p> <p>We have a long
way to go, but we are committed to making the necessary changes and doing better.
We believe that accessibility and inclusion are critical foundational components
of society and should therefore be essential and achievable for businesses of any
size. We must create resources, solutions, and services that support this goal
while providing the best user experience to each person. We look forward to working
with you on creating a more accessible and inclusive future for everyone.</p>
<p>Sincerely, Shir</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Gary Wunder]</p> <h2
id="after-the-miracle-the-political-crusades-of-helen-keller-by-max-wallace"><em>After
the Miracle: The Political Crusades of Helen Keller</em> by Max Wallace</h2>
<p><strong>Reviewed by Gary Wunder</strong></p> <p>Grand Central Publishing,
hardcover, 416 pages.</p> <p>ISBN: 9781538707685</p> <p>Available on Kindle and
audible.com</p> <p>In June of 2018, readers of the <em>Braille Monitor</em> were
treated to an excellent article by Kane Brolin. He wrote on the fiftieth anniversary
of the death of Helen Keller, and his message was the first that many of us had
seen suggesting that she was more than the result of a miracle worker. She was a
highly articulate human being who managed to be present on the world stage, though
she had no memory of hearing or vision. Recently I was asked if the <em>Braille
Monitor</em> would be interested in reviewing a new book, <em>After the Miracle</em>
by Max Wallace. I recommend the book for anyone who believes that blind people
should live the lives we want.</p> <p>Mr. Wallace emphasizes that too many people
have been happy to view Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller as the miracle worker and
the recipient of the miracle. This is not a book one reads to be comforted by the
oft-repeated portrayals of Helen Keller's miraculous achievements. The author
reveals that some of her expressed beliefs were, and still are, controversial. At
various points in her life she embraced communism, eugenics, woman suffrage, and
socialism.</p> <p>Helen Keller was highly critical of the way black people were
treated both here and abroad. She was an outspoken critic of the beliefs, held in
her native south and in the north as well, that black people were inherently
inferior and unequal. Today most of us see what she had to say as a basic truth.
We might assume that this truth has always been obvious, though many chose to
ignore it. But the south, and particularly her home state of Alabama, soon became
a place Keller seldom dared to visit. This was something of a good thing for
Keller's relatives, who felt it necessary to separate themselves from her views,
whether that separation was based on conscience and observation or simply on not
wanting to spoil the nests in which they lived.</p> <p>One of Keller's more
controversial views was that war was usually motivated and fought based on economic
interests rather than moral values. She admired those who fought and even appreciated
the need to fight if the issue demanded it, but she did not support our entry into
any war that happened in her lifetime.</p> <p>Keller's livelihood depended on
being gracious to rich people and soliciting their donations. However, the reality
she saw made her believe there was too great a distance between rich and poor and
too little opportunity for real education for the deaf and the blind. She concluded
that poverty might be a more important factor in life than any specific disability.</p>
<p>The American Foundation for the Blind often uses Helen Keller in its advertising.
It celebrates her fame and takes credit for many of her worldwide travels. This
book argues that, for all the compensation Helen received from the Foundation,
the Foundation was by far the greater beneficiary of funding and publicity as a
result of that association. It also argues strongly that the AFB sought to downplay
and even suppress the publication of Helen's views on war, the economy, civil
rights, apartheid, and a number of other issues that the Foundation feared would
interfere with its fundraising and its work on behalf of the blind. Wallace refers
to conversations in which the Foundation discussed severing its relationship with
Ms. Keller and parts of letters in which they went to great pains to assure prized
donors that their donations would not go to the causes to which the donors
objected.</p> <p>Wallace sadly observes that one of the distressing aspects of
coverage frequently given to Keller is that some of her controversial views were
dismissed by friends and foes as the consequence of her disabilities. People
assumed that, no matter how respected she was or accomplished she seemed, she
could never fully grasp the complexity of the world. People often assumed she had
been duped into her controversial opinions by those who should have served her
better. Many were convinced that a certain innocence and naïveté are
intrinsic to the lives of disabled people and especially to a woman with multiple
disabilities. I find this explaining away of Keller's views particularly deplorable,
considering similar experiences I have had with my own parents and siblings. At
times they have argued I cannot have a balanced view of issues around race because
I cannot "see the way they behave." If I could, they assume that my views would
be far closer to their own. Blindness is the issue, not the breadth of my life
experience and reflection.</p> <p>Whether you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing
with Keller's views, this is a fascinating and enlightening book. The quotations
that appear portray Keller as someone who was observant and introspective. She
was not afraid to challenge the views of those around her, even when she and Annie
Sullivan suffered financial consequences. Certainly there is some wisdom in the
quotation, "Whose bread I eat, his song I sing." Helen Keller did her best to live
beyond the miracle and to show that she was more than the walking, talking embodiment
of innocence, seeking light for the blind and sound for the deaf.</p> <p>The book
is available on Audible and at the following link: <a
href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/7fcsCgJQvRsAnQ14s3iTEA?domain=grandcentralpublishing.com/">https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/max-wallace/after-the-miracle/9781668620915/</a>.</p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Dan O’Rourke and Mark Riccobono smile
and hold their NFB member coins.]</p> <h2
id="pedaling-for-those-who-may-think-they-are-alone">Pedaling for Those Who May
Think They Are Alone</h2> <p><strong>by Gary Wunder</strong></p> <p>Dan O’Rourke
is a man on a mission. As a veteran NHL hockey referee, he's used to skating on
thin ice, making tough calls, and taking a few hits along the way. His latest
challenge, Route 66 Ride for Literacy, is a bit different. Instead of donning his
skates and whistle, he's hopping on a bicycle and setting out on a cross-country
journey to support a cause that's near and dear to his heart.</p> <p>Dan is riding
down Route 66 to raise money for our organization. His father Tom is blind from
RP (retinitis pigmentosa) and has been the inspiration for the ride. Dan wants
blind children to know that they are not growing up alone and that they have adult
role models who have faced challenges similar to theirs. As someone who has grown
up with a blind parent, he knows firsthand the struggles and obstacles that blind
people face, and he wants to do his part to make a difference.</p> <p>Dan's father
always thought that denying blindness was a sign of strength and the best way to
cope with blindness. The positive side of this is that he did everything a father
and provider was expected to do, never letting blindness define him. Dan has taken
a slightly different tack on how to deal with blindness. He is convinced that
working with other blind people can add strength to one’s character. By
accepting a shared characteristic with others, he believes we can jointly develop
and live out coping strategies that can determine whether blindness is an
inconvenience or a tragedy. His reasons for choosing the National Federation of
the Blind are clear. He believes that our goals are closely aligned with his own.
They aim to help people live the lives they want, support those who may feel alone,
and look for ways to avoid reinventing the wheel. All these goals are close to
his heart, and he hopes that his ride will inspire others to follow in his
footsteps.</p> <p>Dan has been athletic all his life, and cycling has been a part
of that. He's completed numerous charity events over the years, but this one is
different. This time, he's cycling, and now for a cause that's personal. He's
willing to push himself further than ever before to make a difference.</p> <p>Dan
met his wife and life partner, April, when he was just twenty years old, and
they've been together ever since. She's his biggest supporter and is traveling
with him on the journey. Their love story is one of mutual support, understanding,
and acceptance, and they use their own experiences to help others who may be going
through struggles.</p> <p>Dan's parents, Tom and Janice, are both seventy-five
years old, and they're incredibly proud of their son's efforts. They've been
supportive of his career in his personal life, and they're thrilled that he's
using his platform to make a difference in the lives of others.</p> <p>His journey
down Route 66 will begin around the 26th of July and is expected to end around
September 7. These dates are deliberately vague because no one can predict the
weather or the mechanical difficulties he may encounter. This 2,400-mile ride will
take him through towns where we have chapters, and the hope is to let folks meet
him, let the communities through which he passes know about his work, and to remind
them that their city has a branch of the premier organization of blind people in
the world.</p> <p>What Dan is doing will be more than just a 2,400-mile bike ride.
It's a testament to the power of hope, passion, and determination. By sharing his
own story and raising money for a worthy cause, Dan is proving that even the
smallest actions can make a big impact. He hopes his ride will inspire others to
support causes that are important to them and to encourage them never to give up
on their dreams and aspirations. As he pedals down the road, he expects to be
reminded of the beauty of life, the importance of family, and the power of love.
These are values he sees in the National Federation of the Blind, and together we
will write another important page in the history of the blind as we continue the
journey to living fulfilling lives in which blindness is but one of many
characteristics.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2 id="we-need-your-help">We Need Your
Help</h2> <p><em>Very soon after I went blind, I went to my first convention of
the National Federation of the Blind. Though as a six-year-old I was not scared
about my future as a blind person, learning about the NFB and going to conventions
showed me tons of independent blind people who I could look up to. Real life
superheroes that I could aspire to be like.</em> - Abigail</p> <p>Blind children,
students, and adults are making powerful strides in education and leadership every
day across the United States, but we need to continue helping kids like Abigail.
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.</p> <p> </p> <p>With your help, the NFB will continue to:</p> <ul>
<li><p>Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille.</p></li>
<li><p>Mentor young people like Abigail.</p></li> <li><p>Promote independent travel
by providing free, long white canes to blind people in need.</p></li> <li><p>Develop
dynamic educational projects and programs to show blind youth that science and
math careers are within their reach.</p></li> <li><p>Deliver hundreds of accessible
newspapers and magazines to provide blind people the essential information necessary
to be actively involved in their communities.</p></li> <li><p>Offer aids and
appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain their independence.</p></li>
</ul> <p>Below are just a few of the many tax-deductible ways you can show your
support of the National Federation of the Blind.</p> <h3 id="lyft-round-up">LYFT
Round Up</h3> <p>By visiting the menu, choosing donate, and selecting the National
Federation of the Blind, you commit to giving to the National Federation of the
Blind with each ride.</p> <h3 id="vehicle-donation-program">Vehicle Donation
Program</h3> <p>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.</p> <h3 id="general-donation">General Donation</h3>
<p>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 Ways to Give Page at: <a
href="https://nfb.org/give">https://nfb.org/give</a>.</p> <h3
id="pre-authorized-contributions">Pre-Authorized Contributions</h3> <p>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 <a
href="https://www.nfb.org/pac">https://www.nfb.org/pac</a>.</p> <h3
id="plan-to-leave-a-legacy">Plan to Leave a Legacy</h3> <p>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.</p> <h4 id="percentage-or-fixed-sum-of-assets">Percentage
or Fixed Sum of Assets</h4> <p>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.</p> <h4 id="payable-on-death-pod-account">Payable on Death (POD)
Account</h4> <p>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.</p> <h4
id="will-or-trust">Will or Trust</h4> <p>If you do decide to create or revise your
will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial beneficiary.</p>
<p>Visit our Planned Giving webpage (<a
href="https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving"><u>https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/ways-give/planned-giving</u></a>)
or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422, for more information.</p> <p>In 2022 our
supporters helped the NFB:</p> <ul> <li><p>Send 371 Braille Santa and Winter
Celebration letters to blind children, encouraging excitement for Braille
literacy.</p></li> <li><p>Distribute over 3,000 canes to blind people across the
United States, empowering them to travel safely and independently throughout their
communities.</p></li> <li><p>Deliver more than 500 newspapers and magazines to
more than 100,000 subscribers with print disabilities free of charge</p></li>
<li><p>Give over 700 Braille-writing slates and styluses free of charge to blind
users.</p></li> <li><p>Mentor 207 blind youth during our Braille Enrichment
for Literacy and Learning® Academy.</p></li> <li><p>Award thirty scholarships
each in the amount of $8,000 to blind students.</p></li> </ul> <p>Just imagine
what we will do this year, and, with your help, what can be accomplished for years
to come. Together with love, hope, determination, and your support, we will continue
to transform dreams into reality.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Michelle
Peacock]</p> <h2
id="going-my-way-driving-accessibility-through-innovative-autonomous-transportation">Going
My Way: Driving Accessibility through Innovative Autonomous Transportation</h2>
<p><strong>by Michelle Peacock</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: Here are
the remarks President Riccobono made in introducing a wonderful presentation on
the future of self-driving cars, something that got a big cheer from everyone in
the hall when introduced. It appeared on the afternoon of July 10 at our national
convention in New Orleans.</strong></p> <p><strong>Mark Riccobono:</strong> From
the beginning of the work on our Blind Driver Challenge, we've used it as a platform
to talk about access to all stages of the work done in this country—well,
really, around the world—on autonomous vehicle technology. The Federation
has participated with autonomous vehicle companies all over the world. More and
more of the leaders that are working in the autonomous vehicle industry have come
to understand and prioritize our message of equal access. Waymo is one of the key
companies in this emerging industry, and our next speaker is its global head of
public policy. Her career has centered on building and growing government relation
programs for large, small, established, and startup companies in fields like
financial services, high tech, and transportation. We're proud to have her company
as a partner in our work to transform accessible transportation options for blind
people. Here's Michelle Peacock:</p> <p>Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle Peacock. It's
great to be here today. What an amazing time this has been. This whole convention
has been spectacular. I've met so many great people. I want to give a shoutout to
my new best friend, Saylor Cooper, from Houston. [Applause] It's just been amazing
to meet so many people like Saylor earlier today.</p> <p>So let's talk about
Waymo—the words stand for new way forward. We strive to make it safer and
easier for people and things to move around. Fully autonomous technology promises
to offer more road safety and transportation options for millions and millions of
people. Waymo is building the Waymo Driver, which is our proprietary, fully
autonomous driving system. We are doing this across two lines of business: Waymo
One, our fully autonomous ride-hailing service that's now operating in the metro
Phoenix area; and Waymo Via, which is focused on all forms of commercial goods
delivery, including heavy-duty trucking and local delivery.</p> <p>Now, I was
asked this question earlier today, which is, “When can I buy one of these
Waymo cars?” [Cheering] Well, the answer is that you're not. [Laughter]
Awww. We don't manufacture cars to sell to the public. The cars that we are
operating in San Francisco are beautiful Jaguar Land Rover I-PACES. So what we're
doing is operating a fleet of AV cars and heavy-duty trucks with an autonomous
driver, and we think this will help improve road safety. We are promoting the
availability of options without the need to buy this car.</p> <p>We're the most
experienced AV company, with eleven years of experience in autonomous vehicles.
In 2009 we started as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, and in 2011, we began
to develop our own hardware and sensors in-house. There's nothing on the market
that could deliver this full autonomous capability. In 2015 we completed the
world's first fully autonomous ride on public roads. This was in Austin, Texas,
with our friend, Steve Mann, who was blind. And in 2020, we launched to the world
the first fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Phoenix. We're now completing
testing of Waymo One in San Francisco.</p> <p>Like I said, we believe the Waymo
driver has the ability to dramatically improve road safety because it's always
paying attention. It doesn't get tired or distracted; it doesn't have to yell at
kids in the back seat; it doesn’t have to contend with spilling food; or;
neither does it, like I do, try to find Dua Lipa on the radio.</p> <p>Let me talk
about our accessibility vision because we think AVs promise so much for accessibility.
I'll focus on Waymo One, our ride-hail service.</p> <p>As I said before, because
we own our fleet, we're uniquely positioned to add accessibility features to our
product in a way that the manually operated ride-hailing companies just can't do.
That's significant because we believe that the benefits of AVs will be brought to
the public, consumers, and the market through shared-ride hailing before they
reach customers via car ownership. Waymo One's service means more riders will
benefit sooner than they otherwise would, and our efforts are fully in line with
the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind. Our efforts at the user
experience are exactly what we're trying to accomplish here this weekend.
Collaborations with the community help raise the bar for user experience for
everyone. We're proud of this work, but in addition to that, I'm really excited
to share that we've recently expanded our partnership and are collaborating with
NFB on accessible infrastructure legislation in Congress that will advance our
joint missions.</p> <p>Waymo's had a longstanding relationship with the blind
community. Our "Let's Talk Autonomous Driving" campaign highlights the benefits
of autonomous driving technology for people who cannot drive, including organizations
like Foundation for Blind Children, LightHouse for the Blind SF, and World Blind
Union. In a minute, I'll talk you through the different ways we've designed our
app for accessibility. But before I do, I want to stress two things. First, we
know that we're not done. We understand that our service is a work in progress,
and there's more that we can do to meet our riders' needs over time. We've heard
from the community that “nothing about us without us,” and we've
definitely put that into practice. So we want to make sure that we're engaging
with all of you on this process, collecting feedback, and using it to constantly
improve our service.</p> <p>Then the second thing I wanted to point out is that
this spirit of inclusive design actually benefits all of our customers. On several
occasions we've built inclusive design features and have found that those that
were ostensibly built for the disabled community have been things that improved
user experience for the entire business. Let's talk about these inclusive design
features in Waymo One. These include the option to minimize walking time when
ordering a trip; turn-by-turn walking navigation; the ability to honk the car's
horn remotely; and the option to contact rider support.</p> <p>To ensure our
service is accessible for riders with various needs, we have taken two broad
approaches to developing these features. First, we've conducted user research with
these riders. We've had them use our app, take rides in the car, talk to the
support team, and inevitably this identifies opportunities for improvement which
are then added to the product development.</p> <p>Second, we've gathered feedback
from internal riders that have disabilities. These are people at our sister company,
Google, who have disabilities, and we get them in the car and get really valuable
direct feedback from them as well.</p> <p>It is also important to highlight the
role that NFB played in helping us develop this technology. When we first started
autonomous driving in Chandler, Arizona, in 2017, NFB was invited to be part of
our trusted tester program, in which blind people have been able to take test
rides and give us detailed feedback. That's been a treasure trove of data for us
to have.</p> <p>Let me talk about Waymo One and these features. Once a user has
onboarded with us, the user can navigate to the accessibility settings, so I want
to talk you through this experience. First, the user orders a car using the Waymo
One app. The app is usable with a screen reader, which allows blind users to
navigate by hearing labels and buttons read out loud. Then, what happens after
that is the pickup process. And, you know, this also creates some challenges. From
time to time, a rider might experience some competing factors at pickup or drop-off.
This would often involve balancing two things: A safe area to meet the car for a
pickup, and that place requiring a longer walk to get there.</p> <p>So Waymo makes
sure the rider is alerted to this situation as it happens and gives them the tools
to help locate the vehicle. For example, we provide pickup and drop-off warnings
for long walks before a trip is even ordered. So if a rider decides that's too
long a walk, they can decline the ride if that doesn't work. And we can provide
information for more specific scenarios, like if the drop-off is in a parking
lot.</p> <p>But limiting the walking is big for us. To do that, under the
accessibility settings, users will find a feature called minimize walking time.
Here's how it works. As I mentioned before, cars sometimes give these tradeoffs
to give the user a shorter overall journey but more walking time. For example, if
a car needs to circle a block in order to pick up a passenger, it may decide to
stop across the street for passenger pickup. But this feature would have a
disproportionate impact on blind users. So the blind user could instead request
that the vehicle go ahead and circle the block and come right to where I'm standing,
so that person doesn't have to cross the street. This feature allows them to do
that. Another feature is rider-only matching. So when we talk about these fully
autonomous cars, our shorthand is rider only, there's no driver in the car. So
when users hail a ride, we alert them to the fact that this ride may be rider only
with no driver present before it arrives, and provides additional information,
like a list of ten things you need to know about this ride. If the user isn't
comfortable with rider only or actually needs a person to help them, we give them
a tool so they can notify us or cancel the ride.</p> <p>We have also added some
new tools to help the rider locate the vehicle. First is the vehicle ID. So this
helps people with lower vision who could see color or a few bright letters from
far away rather than the license plate. With this, we highlight a two-digit ID
number at the top of the car with LED, and it can be customized by color. Right
now in San Francisco you often see it flashed up as the initials of the person
taking the ride. So when I do this, I look for the initials MP, because it's coming
for me. So I use this all the time; it’s not just for people with disabilities
but to help people find their car.</p> <p>Another tool is honking the horn. I have
used this tool also, where you can, from the app, press a button and it will honk
the horn. This was again made for blind individuals to make it easier to find the
car when there wasn't a person behind the wheel to call. But again, this is a
great benefit. I use this all the time and not because it's funny, but I actually
use it to find the car too. In San Francisco there's a lot of these cars on the
street, so it's really helpful to find them when you need to.</p> <p>Once the
rider is in the car, we've added other settings that help provide assistive audio.
These are tools that help visually impaired riders get context about what's
happening in the car. So for example, the vehicle will tell riders when it's
yielding for a pedestrian or stopping at a traffic light, just to give riders
comfort to know that the car is on track and their ride is continuing as expected.
[Cheering and applause]. I like the cheers, but I will say, this is a tool we
built for inclusivity, but actually everybody likes this! My husband and I were
in a car recently, and we were like, this is so cool, I know exactly what's going
on. It's a tremendous benefit for everyone too.</p> <p>Once in a while, things
don't go as planned on these rides, and that's where our rider support team can
step in and help us be prepared for the unexpected. Once in the vehicle, we have
the live rider support team just one tap away. They're available in the car and
also from the app. For example, rarely the Waymo vehicle may need to come to a
full stop when it doesn't know how to proceed. There may be debris in the road
that it can't identify or get around. In those scenarios, a member of the Waymo
roadside assistance team will join the ride, take over control, and complete the
trip. And we want to make sure we're effectively communicating about this for
everyone who is taking the ride.</p> <p>In addition to the internal screen on the
car where we show what's happening, we also provide audio announcements, as well
as talk riders through the event. Our rider support team will also call and provide
a high-touch experience that explains to the rider what is happening and answers
questions and will describe what happens next.</p> <p>We're very proud of these
features that are available in the car and in the app today. But there is even
more ahead of us. For Waymo is a participant in the United States Department of
Transportation Inclusive Design Challenge. This is a very exciting project that
we've been involved in, too. It's sort of taking what we've done, the OG features,
and boosting them up even more. So as I shared with you today, we have come a long
way since 2011 in developing this technology, and this is really just the beginning.
We are so excited to have been selected as a semifinalist in the US DOT Inclusive
Design Challenge! [Cheering and applause] Thank you. This challenge seeks to help
us develop new solutions for people with needs to make use of autonomous vehicles
to access jobs and health care and other critical decisions. Through our user
research and feedback from riders—are you hearing a theme—in developing
this fully autonomous technology, we've learned one of the largest challenges for
low-vision riders is finding the car at pickup. This research has formed the heart
of our challenge submission, and after being selected as a semifinalist in January
2021, we've moved to stage two, which is where we are now, so fingers crossed. In
stage two, our team prototyped additional accessibility features beyond those that
we've just talked about, and they will include adaptive app navigation, visual,
audio, and haptic cues to navigate to a vehicle, purpose-built car sounds for
wayfinding, locating with headlights, and hands-free car communication. And also
video chat support.</p> <p>So in total, we've developed features that fell into
eleven different categories, all aimed at improving accessibility. [Cheering and
applause] I love all the whoos! That is great.</p> <p>So, one area of focus, as
we talked about, is wayfinding. And our proposal included using creative speech,
such as explaining the position of the Waymo vehicle by noting verbally things
like "the car is fifteen feet away from you as the crow flies," using everyday
language to help people navigate to where the car is. We also include purpose-built
sounds that help people engage more effectively with the app and haptic vibrations,
where we use like a hot and cold approach that can alert users when they're getting
closer to the car. Some of you may use Apple watch, and it will vibrate when you're
making turns for navigation. This will use something similar to tell you you're
getting warmer, you're getting colder.</p> <p>Earlier, as you remember, I mentioned
my fondness for the horn honking because it is really fun. But one of the challenges
you might imagine is that the horn honking on the Waymo cars sounds a lot like
other cars' horns honking. So through this challenge we designed a custom horn
sound different than the standard honk. I've listened to a couple versions of it.
One has this distinctive trill sound, and another one is a lovely melody that
plays, just a very lovely, bright, and cheerful melody. You'll know when you hear
that sound that that's the Waymo car and not a different car with a similar sound
honking. We think that might also help people who are not customers of Waymo cars,
but are bystanders who don't like the sound of more horns in urban environments.</p>
<p>If you can imagine a scenario where a blind user of Waymo is trying to find a
car but they have things in their hands, like groceries, a cane, or a child, it
might not be easy for them to pull out the phone and engage with the phone to
press the button to have this noise made. So we're working on finding a way to
have the car recognize that the user is just close, and then send the signal itself
so that the person would be able to find the car. We're very excited about this
challenge. We should have the outcome with the winners announced any day now, and
we're really hopeful to win. So all of you, send your good vibes out there to the
US DOT!</p> <p>This has been an amazing opportunity for us. We love the partnership
with the organization, and I just want to say thank you to all of you and to the
Federation. I am really proud of Waymo's focus on accessibility, and we're so
grateful to be constantly learning from our riders and local and national disability
groups. I think together we'll just continue to be dedicated to bringing more
accessible autonomous driving to the world! So thank you. [Applause]</p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Norma Crosby]</p> <h2
id="more-about-the-dynamic-2023-convention">More about the Dynamic 2023 Convention</h2>
<p><strong>by Norma Crosby</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: This is the
second article from our Texas affiliate president talking about the wonderful
things we will find in Houston. Reacting to what folks asked about her last article,
she addresses the issue of how to cut costs and gives us information about tempting
tours:</strong></p> <p>Since my last article, I have gotten several calls from
people who want to attend the convention but have concerns about cost. I won’t
sugarcoat it. Travel to conventions can cost a chunk of change. So I wanted to
use my time with you this month to talk about some ways of saving money. These
suggestions won’t make the convention experience free, but I hope they will
help as you try to find ways of attending on a budget.</p> <p>Accessing reasonably
priced food is one of the best ways to save money when traveling, and you are
lucky this year because our downtown area boasts a number of nearby restaurants.
Our affiliate is developing a free restaurant guide that will give you some options
for inexpensive food. It will also offer options that cost a little more if you
want to go out for a special meal or get tired of cheap eats and have a little
extra cash in your pocket. You’ll find copies of our guide at the Texas
information table that will be open during the early days of the convention. Come
by and grab a copy.</p> <p>Of course, restaurants outside our hotels aren’t
the only option for saving money. Many seasoned convention goers do some grocery
shopping to save dollars during their stay. Randalls is a local grocery chain,
and one of its stores is less than a mile and a half from the Hilton and a similar
distance from the Marriott. The address is 2225 Louisiana Street. The chain does
offer delivery. So, you might be able to save a rideshare fare or a walk in the
Texas sun by using that option. I haven’t found an app for this store, but
you can order at randalls.com.</p> <p>Every red-blooded Texan will tell you that
the best grocery store in the world is H-E-B. Featuring all national brands and
some of the best store-brand products anywhere, H-E-B is the go-to place for
groceries, bakery and deli items, fresh tortillas, and lots of other stuff. There
isn’t a store downtown, but one is a little more than three miles away.
The address is 3663 Washington Avenue. H-E-B offers delivery service and curbside
pickup through their iOS and Android apps. Having said that, I recommend you
consider making an in-person trip. I promise you’ll find some things you
didn’t know you needed.</p> <p>With the development of delivery apps,
shopping for convention snacks or all the items you forgot to bring is easier than
ever. You likely already know about DoorDash, GrubHub, and Uber Eats, but I’ll
add one more to your list. Favor is owned by H-E-B, but they deliver from restaurants
and pharmacies just like some of the other apps do. You can find the app in both
app stores by searching for Favor.</p> <p>Another way to save money when ordering
through delivery apps is to get together with friends to do one order instead of
two or three. Delivery apps are convenient, and they can save travel costs, but
they do stack on fees and request tips for the runners. So, working with friends
can help to save even more money.</p> <p>If you need to pick up something from
the pharmacy, you can find two nearby CVS Pharmacy locations. They are located at
2410 Polk Street and 300 Milam Street. There is also a Walgreens at 2612 Smith
Street. These stores all offer in-store or delivery options. In some cases, the
delivery may be offered through third-party apps.</p> <p>Do you occasionally run
out of food for your guide dog during the convention? Of course, most of the
grocery stores I mentioned above can help with that, but I thought it would be
good to share a pet store location as well. The nearest store is the PetSmart at
1907 Taylor Street, about two and a half miles from our headquarters hotel.</p>
<p>About a third of a mile from both the Hilton and the Marriott, you’ll
find The Highlight at Houston Center. This venue doesn’t include much in
the way of shopping, but it does have some food options that should be pretty
affordable, and even though getting there might be a little hot, I know you can
make it because you are strong-willed Federationists with a desire to save money
and a big appetite. Chick-Fil-A, Otto’s BBQ, Leaf & Grain, Doozo’s
Dumplings & Noodles, Simon’s Café, Salata, Bullritos (burritos),
Potbelly Sandwich, and a couple of other options can be found here. The address
is 1200 McKinney Street.</p> <p>Under the streets of Houston is a seven-mile tunnel
system. This underground includes shopping and personal service options, and it
also includes restaurants and fast food. The tunnels are only open from 6:00 a.m.
to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, but once you learn how to find an entrance, you should
be able to find a few lunch options. Our restaurant list will include some
information about how to find these underground gems because trying to explain
the tunnels here would be a lot.</p> <p>Hotel food can be expensive, but it
doesn’t have to be. If you look carefully at hotel menus, you can usually
find some small entrées or lighter fare that is more affordable. Another
money saving tip I have learned is to find an entrée or sandwich that is
pretty big and split it with someone who is also trying to save some bucks.</p>
<p>I’ve tried to offer you some ways of cutting food in this article, but
one of the other big expenses associated with attending the convention is your
hotel room. President Riccobono and John Berggren always look out for us when
negotiating hotel rates, but we know that even $119 a night plus tax can be a lot
for many of our members. So I’ll offer one more tip. It isn’t one
you haven’t thought about, I’m sure. Find one or more roommates.
Maybe you aren’t used to sharing a room. So the thought of including a
roommate in your plans may seem scary. Don’t think of it that way. Think
of it as an adventure and a way to make new friends.</p> <p>I was once able to
attend a convention by rooming with three women that I didn’t know. I
wasn’t sure how it would work, but we managed. After all, it was only one
week. It was a great experiment in cooperation, I made new friends, and best of
all, making the sacrifice allowed me to attend a convention that I wouldn’t
have been able to attend without their generous help. Was it worth the inconvenience?
It most certainly was.</p> <p>We are in the process of wrapping up plans for our
tours. The plan is to tour Space Center Houston and the Houston Museum of Natural
Science and to take in a ballgame at Minute Maid Park, known in these parts as
the Juice Box. You can register for any of these starting May 1 at <a
href="https://nfbtx.org/tours"><u>https://nfbtx.org/tours</u></a>. This link will
not go live until that date. The deadline for registration and payment will be
June 15 unless tour tickets are sold out before that date. The Houston Museum of
Natural Science tour will happen on July 1. We are still negotiating the best date
for the Space Center Houston tour, but it should be June 30 or July 1. The game
between the Astros and the Seattle Mariners will occur on July 7. That means those
wishing to attend should plan their departure after that date.</p> <p>I hope these
suggestions make a difference to you because I want to have the opportunity to
welcome you into the heart of Texas. Remember to call us if you need us. You can
reach our affiliate by calling 281-968-7733.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="nfb23-give-20-drawing-aira-provides-challenge-grant">#NFB23 Give $20 Drawing
– Aira Provides Challenge Grant</h2> <p>Each year, thousands of Federation
members contribute before and during national convention to various funds that
support blind people. In 2023, your generosity is still needed to fund our great
programs. When you give $20 or more between May 1 and July 6, 3:00 p.m. Central
Time, you will be entered into the Give $20 Convention Drawing. Each $20 increment
is a chance to win.</p> <p>Even better, Aira, the leading provider of visual
interpreting, has generously offered to double your dollars by matching up to
$25,000.</p> <p>“My mom sent me an application to speak at my high
school’s upcoming graduation. Since the application was not accessible, I
placed a free call to Aira and had the information I needed to fill it out in
minutes. I appreciate that AIRA provides information access when other methods
are inefficient for me, and I appreciate AIRA’s support of the National
Federation of the Blind”</p> <h3
id="when-you-contribute-to-give-20-youll-be-entered-to-win">When you contribute
to Give $20, you’ll be entered to win:</h3> <ul> <li><p>Roundtrip transportation
for two for the 2024 NFB National Convention</p></li> <li><p>Hotel at the
convention</p></li> <li><p>Registration and banquet tickets for two</p></li>
<li><p>$1,000 in walking-around cash</p></li> </ul> <blockquote> <p>Or</p>
</blockquote> <ul> <li><p>$2,000 cash.</p></li> </ul> <h3
id="the-campaign-supports-several-funds">The campaign supports several funds:</h3>
<p><strong>Kenneth Jernigan Fund:</strong> The proceeds from this fund are
used to bring attendees to their first national convention. It is named for Dr.
Jernigan who planned our conventions for more than forty years and who did so much
to make them what they are today.</p> <p><strong>SUN Fund:</strong> These
funds are being set aside for a rainy day.</p> <p><strong>White Cane
Fund: </strong>These dollars go directly to the general treasury of the
Federation.</p> <p><strong>tenBroek Fund:</strong> These dollars go to the
tenBroek Memorial Fund which owns the property at 200 East Wells <em>at
Jernigan Place</em> in Baltimore for the benefit of blind people.</p> <h3
id="how-to-contribute-and-qualify">How to contribute and qualify</h3> <p>You must
specify a fund to enter the drawing. You can do this by using our <a
href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=45"><u>Give
$20 online donation form</u></a> (https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=45)
or in the memo if giving by check. Choose one of the funds outlined above. Your
donation will be counted for the drawing regardless of which fund you designate.
If you are not sure which fund to elect, please select our White Cane Fund as it
allows the most flexibility to meet changing organizational needs.</p> <ul>
<li><p>Give to the #NFB23 <u><a
href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=45">Give $20</a>
(https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=45)</u> campaign
online by using our Give $20 contribution form</p></li> <li><p>Give via phone by
calling our donation line at 410-659-9314, extension 2430</p></li> <li><p>Send a
check to National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, 200 East Wells
Street, Baltimore, MD 21230. Be sure to have #Give20 and the fund you are donating
to in the memo.</p></li> </ul> <p><em>Note: The drawing is for individuals and is
not intended for contributions by divisions, state affiliates, or chapters.</em></p>
<p>Help us share the Federation with others. Thank you for your generosity!</p>
<p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Donald Porterfield]</p> <h2
id="resolution-reminders">Resolution Reminders</h2> <p><strong>by Donald
Porterfield</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor: One of the toughest jobs one
can have at our national convention is to chair the National Federation of the
Blind’s Resolutions Committee. Our longtime chair Sharon Maneki did a
wonderful job, one performed with such distinction that many Federationists have
never known another person to occupy this job. Work starts before the convention
with advertising the process, where to send resolutions, and the deadline for
receiving them. Then the chair must detail the exceptions—oh yes, we must
have exceptions when we have rules. Then comes seeing that each resolution’s
meaning is clear, that the grammar is correct, and then getting the resolutions
to the committee for its consideration and possible changes prior to the convention.
Next comes chairing the committee meeting, seeing that all of the resolutions are
read and voted on, and then getting them to the staff who will be responsible for
moving them forward so they become the reality we want.</strong></p> <p><strong>Donald
Porterfield is the new chair of this committee. Like many new folks, he has large
shoes to fill, but he is smart, enthusiastic, and very accustomed to doing a lot
of work. Here is what he has to say about the resolutions process:</strong></p>
<p>Do you want to make a difference in the lives of blind people today and in the
future? Do you think we should change a government policy, take a stand concerning
an agency for the blind, or create new regulations? If you do, consider writing
a resolution. Here are a few reminders to help you, as well as some questions to
think about when writing a resolution.</p> <ul> <li><p>Has a resolution already
been written on your subject? If so, are you really adding something new?</p></li>
</ul> <ul> <li><p>Is the resolution necessary, or would a letter from the National
President accomplish your goal? For example, a letter from the National President
commending an organization might be a better alternative than a resolution.</p></li>
</ul> <ul> <li><p>Did you do your research to ensure the accuracy of the
resolution?</p></li> <li><p>If the subject of the resolution would be of interest
to a division, did you discuss your resolution with the division president?</p></li>
</ul> <p>If you need some pointers on the format or construction of a resolution,
consult the article “Time to Write Resolutions” in the May 2021
edition of the <em>Braille Monitor</em>.</p> <p>Please be mindful of our deadlines.
To ensure that your resolution will be considered by the committee, please send
it to President Riccobono or to me by June 1, 2023, one month before the committee
meeting. Since things are always busy leading up to the convention, we appreciate
you sending them earlier. If you send a resolution to me by email and do not
receive a response acknowledging your email in two or three days, please call me
at 520-850-2180 or send it again. If you miss the deadline, you must get three
members of the committee to sponsor your resolution and then get it to the chairman
before the meeting begins. I will be pleased to accept resolutions by email at <a
href="mailto:resolutions@nfb.org">resolutions@nfb.org</a> or by mail at 7360 E.
Vactor Ranch Trl, Tucson, AZ 85715.</p> <p>All resolutions will be placed on the
NFB website shortly before the committee meets at convention on July 1. This
procedure will give the membership a chance to look over the resolutions before
the meeting and lobby the committee members to support or defeat the resolutions.</p>
<p>The job of the membership is to make sure the committee has resolutions to
consider. I look forward to receiving your resolution.</p> <p>----------</p>
<p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Debbie Wunder]</p> <h2
id="how-the-medical-device-nonvisual-accessibility-act-has-turned-me-into-an-impassioned-advocate">How
the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act Has Turned Me into an Impassioned
Advocate</h2> <p><strong>by Debbie Wunder</strong></p> <p><strong>From the Editor:
Debbie is the president of the Diabetes Action Network, and her commitment to
helping diabetics realize they can manage their diabetes is second to none. Her
confidence in pressuring the Congress of the United States is a work in progress,
but she has it on her radar as she clearly says here. We need the Medical Device
Nonvisual Accessibility Act, and she’s going to give her all to see we get
it:</strong></p> <p>Talking about laws and the Congress is intimidating, but the
Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act forced me to move into the uncomfortable
and what (for me) was once the unthinkable area of public policy.</p> <p>I am an
insulin-dependent diabetic. I know lots of us because I serve as the president of
the Diabetes Action Network (DAN). I have been pushed out of my comfort zone in
this position, to which I was elected by my peers. Others began trusting me to
advocate on their behalf. Drugs with inaccessible labels, medications that are
difficult (or impossible) to measure, and blood-sugar-monitoring equipment all
conspire to make blind people dependent on others. Some of these things are
changing. We can now measure our insulin and other medications, and many of those
medications are now labeled accessibly.</p> <p>Far too often, getting the technology
we need is still difficult and sometimes impossible. Monitoring blood sugar used
to take a needle stick, putting blood on a strip, and then inserting that strip
into a machine. A blind person would hope all the while that they got enough blood
to be measured, because doing so was difficult. If not, they would have to resign
themselves to the pain of going back to step one. Now, there are at least two
continuous glucose-monitoring devices that require a stick only once every ten or
fourteen days. The catch is that the readers sold for these sensors aren't usable
without vision. Thankfully, those of us with smartphones can read the sensors to
measure our blood sugar and be alerted when our levels are dangerously low or
unhealthily high. We determine how much insulin to take (usually through shots)
based on these readings.</p> <p>The better way to regulate blood sugar is through
the use of insulin pumps—devices that quickly give insulin before blood
sugar varies enough to require much medication. A person must wait until blood
sugar goes above 180 before injecting a shot to drop it to 120 or less. The insulin
pump begins the flow of insulin when the sugar starts rising and stops when it
starts returning to the desired level. This does a far better job of keeping blood
sugar within an acceptable range, resulting in less damage and a longer life.</p>
<p>This is great technology, but not so much for blind people. No unit on the
market talks. Not one reliably beeps to indicate the increment of the level being
adjusted. Few are easy to load with insulin or to monitor when additional insulin
is required. Of the few blind people I know who use insulin pumps, even fewer can
do so independently. For many of us, the challenges and dangers are just too
great.</p> <p>The problem is more than caring for ourselves. I was my mother’s
caretaker for a time. She needed me to administer oxygen and many medications.
Neither of the machines she used gave a single clue as to the way a blind person
should regulate their output. Often she was unable to make these adjustments for
herself, so I gambled. Having to guess and to hope that I was right was nerve-wracking.
A single wrong guess would have put her in danger.</p> <p>The Medical Device
Nonvisual Accessibility Act can change all of this. When the law mandates that
devices must talk, beep, and have accessible controls, every blind person will
have more independence. But this law will change more than just technology. It
will help change the perception that blind patients cannot take care of themselves
and must consequently be taken care of. It will change the idea that blindness
equals dependence, and that dependence means reliance on others for important
medical care. The passage of this act will attack both the visible problem of
inaccessibility and the attitudinal problem that causes inaccessibility to not
only exist, but to persist. We must take charge of our technology, rather than be
subjected to continual dependence because of it. We must do it for ourselves and
for those we love who need us. Therefore, I will take on the law, participate in
its introduction, push for its progression through the Congress, and press as it
moves from a statute to an implemented law complete with regulations and adherence.
Then I will stop talking about the need. I will start talking about the way we
use the law. We will put technology to work for us, rather than making us victims
in the beautiful age of digital machines that should bring access to all of us
the world over.</p> <p>----------</p> <p>[PHOTO/CAPTION: Marc Maurer]</p> <h2
id="back-to-notre-dame">Back to Notre Dame</h2> <p><strong>An Address Delivered
by President Marc Maurer, National Federation of the Blind at the Banquet of the
Annual Convention Phoenix, Arizona, July 2, 1987</strong></p> <p><strong>From the
Editor: One of the things we do in the <em>Braille Monitor</em> is tell our readers
what is happening in the present. Another is to dream together about what we will
do our best to make happen in the future. But an equally important function of
this publication is to remind us of our past, to rejoice in our victories, and to
understand just how much we still have to do in order to have equity or equality
of opportunity.</strong></p> <p><strong>For many of us, living each day not only
means dealing with what is said and done, but reacting for better or worse to what
has in the past been said and done. Not a week goes by without me remembering my
grandmother telling me that, when I was an adult, the welfare would have to visit
me each day to make sure my teeth were brushed and my face was clean. I was
dismissive until one day she stopped me before I went out the door, put a rag on
my face, and told me about the toothpaste that she was removing. I was haunted
until I realized that the sequence should not be to wash the face and then brush
the teeth but should be reversed. So there are times in my life when that memory
still haunts me, when I secretly wonder if I can really be as independent as I
think. Though I have never been to Notre Dame, I share the experience of going
back; in my case it is back to grandmother’s house, the toothbrush and the
washcloth. I hope readers enjoy the first of the banquet speeches presented by
Former President Maurer:</strong></p> <p>Once in a great while there comes a
dramatic change—an event so striking in its effect that forever after a
new direction is inevitable. But more often, change does not have the appearance
of drama. Instead, there is a slight shift in emphasis—an alteration of
mood. Often the change that tips the scale is so slight that (at the time it
occurs) it is completely unrecognized. Only later, with the long view of history,
can it be seen that this was the particular moment, the watershed, the critical
juncture.</p> <p>Today, the world (whether Christian or non-Christian) counts time
from the birth of Christ; but twenty centuries ago, at the time the event occurred,
the vast majority of Roman citizens were totally unaware of it. Even if they had
known, it would have seemed of no significance.</p> <p>Fire is generally regarded
as the essence of drama. Flames shoot dozens (even hundreds) of feet into the air,
but fire is merely oxidation at a rapid rate. Although it is momentarily spectacular,
its consequences are far less significant than those of other forms of oxidation.
In the total range of rust, rot, leaf mold, and metabolism, fire is (so to speak)
only a flash in the pan, a momentary aberration. Of vastly more importance to the
people of the world are the slow, unspectacular chemical changes which take place
every day—the oxidation of millions of tons of matter, occurring so slowly
as to pass without comment.</p> <p>This does not mean that drama is unimportant,
that fire can be dismissed with a shrug and a yawn. Nor does it mean that the
actions of everyday life have no effect or drama. The events which cause hope and
despair, joy and depression, are of tremendous significance even when they pass
unnoticed and without remark. The process of quiet but dramatic change is an
integral part of being human. It is also the very essence of the National Federation
of the Blind. The cumulative effect of the drama without fanfare which is reflected
in the growth of our movement and the lives of its members is perhaps more
spectacular than any other single event which the decades have brought, regardless
of how pivotal and far-reaching that event may have seemed at the moment.</p>
<p>In 1940 Dr. Jacobus tenBroek and a handful of others formed the National
Federation of the Blind. Only later was it fully recognized that these pioneers
had done something so dramatic that the lives of the blind throughout the world
would never again be the same. The spirit which came into being at our founding
in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, took root quietly. There was no roll of drums, no
clap of thunder, no blazing fire to celebrate the event—only Dr. tenBroek
and the small group who gathered with him to dream and plan for the future and
take the first steps toward making it happen. They did not—indeed, could
not—know what the final outcome would be. They were people of discernment
and tremendous insight, but they could not have imagined that from that humble
beginning would spring the organized blind movement of today—the powerful
fifty thousand-member National Federation of the Blind which we have become and
now are. Still, they believed—that a future could be created, that the
years would not slip away with only emptiness for the blind, that it was possible
for the blind to build and grow and come together in one great family. That dream,
that faith, has partly been realized—but the road stretches far ahead, and
the rest is for us to do. And we will do it. We will do it by education and
unspectacular change if we can. We will do it by more dramatic means if we
must—but we will do it. As Dr. Jernigan has so often said: We are simply
no longer willing to be second-class citizens.</p> <p>For forty-seven years we
have been working quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) to win our way to
first-class status in society. There have, of course, been public demonstrations,
dramatic confrontations, and historic documents; but these have not been the
primary vehicles of change and accomplishment. Instead, the individual hopes and
dreams of blind people—the cumulative effect of their unspectacular daily
decisions and actions—have come together to create the positive and powerful
force which is represented here tonight. No one who is in this room or who is in
any way connected with affairs of the blind needs to be told what that force is.
It is the National Federation of the Blind.</p> <p>When I joined the Federation
in 1969, there had already been twenty-nine years of hard, dedicated work; and
the results were plain. The Federation had built a solid record of accomplishment.
There was a body of literature about blindness which undergirded and gave direction
to our efforts. The ideas and basic assumptions contained in the writings of Dr.
tenBroek and Dr. Jernigan had been put to the test. There was no doubt that blind
people could compete successfully in business or the professions. The programs of
the Federation had demonstrated that this was not speculation but fact. The theories
worked. Blind people got jobs. The question was not if or whether but how and
when. The problem of 1969 was to expand the scope of our activities. We needed
more than a demonstration. We needed opportunity, and not just for a few.</p>
<p>In 1969, as I came to be part of the movement, I did not know that these things
were true. Only in retrospect did I know it. In one sense I did not (when I joined
this movement) understand the organization at all, but even in my ignorance, the
Federation spoke to me with quiet force. For the first time in my life what I
thought made a difference. It was absolutely astonishing to me that this was
so—that anyone would do something because I, a blind person, wanted it
done. I did not understand the reason for such unusual behavior, or appreciate
its significance; and although I was fascinated with the Federation, I must confess
that I did not think it would change my life—at least, not very much.</p>
<p>As I was growing up, I (like all others, blind and sighted alike) was conditioned
by my culture and society. I hoped that there would be something interesting or
important for me to do, but I was afraid that blindness might keep me from it.
When I came to the Federation, I found blind people working and making substantive
contributions. I was told that blindness need not be a terrible limitation. I
hoped that the Federation was right, but I had doubts. Nevertheless, I said that
I believed, and I tried to act as though I did. It was only later that I realized
(with something of a shock) that the belief had come to be a reality in my
life—and a good while before I recognized it.</p> <p>Dr. Jernigan taught
me about blindness and the organized blind movement—and there were others.
I talked with blind people who were lawyers, teachers, factory workers, and farmers.
At Federation meetings blind leaders spoke of the power of collective action. Soon
I began to repeat what those around me were saying: that blindness could be reduced
to the level of a physical nuisance, that with proper training and opportunity
the average blind person could do the average job in the average place of
business—in short that it was respectable to be blind.</p> <p>Then, I went
to college at Notre Dame—and it was a sudden plunge into ice water. On a
campus with six thousand other students, I found myself completely isolated and
alone. I could not find a single other person who understood what I thought I
understood or believed what I said I believed, the simple truth that blind people
had capacity and could compete. I met no one else who thought it was respectable
to be blind. The coach in the athletic department told me that I should not take
any gym classes because I might get hurt. When signing up for an accounting course,
I was praised by the professor for my great courage. Then (without even changing
gears) the professor promised me a good grade. I got the idea that I did not have
to earn it, that just being there and being courageous would be enough. I worked
hard to deserve that grade, and I worked hard for the other grades I got, too. It
was an unforgettable experience; and although I have physically returned to that
campus only once since graduation, I have (sociologically speaking) been back to
Notre Dame many times through the years.</p> <p>That first semester I learned with
real force (I might say with dramatic force) that blindness could not stop me,
but I also learned that prejudice and misunderstanding might. Something had to be
done. The situation was intolerable. All of those professors and students had to
be told. I needed help. I needed the National Federation of the Blind. As the
years at the university passed, I became increasingly active in our movement. My
priorities crystallized and became clear.</p> <p>After college I did graduate
work, and in 1977 I finished law school. In 1978, with the help of Federation
members, I got a job in the office of the General Counsel at the Civil Aeronautics
Board. With my philosophy and idealism in hand, I went to that job willing and
anxious to work. I wanted to give of my time, my effort, and my energy. I wanted
to advance myself and the cause of the blind. The Civil Aeronautics Board made
United States civil aviation policy. Here, I thought, is an opportunity for me to
do something really useful. However, I soon discovered that a pattern existed—a
pattern which reminded me of the professor who told me that I was courageous, and
promised me a good grade. I felt right at home. It was just like being back at
Notre Dame.</p> <p>My assignments were almost always routine. If there was a trip
to London for an international negotiation, somebody else was asked to go. If a
hearing officer needed to take testimony in a small town to determine the feasibility
of air service, I was never sent. These assignments (calculated to vary the routine)
were highly prized and much sought after. Others went while I stayed home—and
was courageous. Sometimes there was not enough routine work to fill my day. So I
was left to occupy my time as I chose. My superiors would have been content if I
had spent my time listening to the radio or reading. They would have been
content—but I would not have been content. I did not want the rest of my
life to be a sham and a deception, a guaranteed succession of endless raises and
lack of meaningful work. Discrimination is not necessarily confined to the job
interview or the entry level. It can also happen after employment is permanent
and safe.</p> <p>My job with the federal government was absolutely secure. It
would have lasted until retirement through a long and restful life. There was
something else: we all tend to be conditioned by our environment. I knew that if
I stayed long enough and my salary became high enough, I might begin to succumb
to temptation and rationalize. I might become accustomed to the lack of useful
activity and gradually lose my initiative, my sense of values, my perspective, my
willingness to leave, and my soul.</p> <p>Not only had the Federation taught me
about blindness but also about self-examination, objectivity, and perspective. In
1981 I left the Civil Aeronautics Board to start my own law practice. I knew that
I might starve, but I also knew that if I starved, it would be a starvation of
the body and not of the soul. I knew that I would be free, and not a token or a
cipher. Slavery does not have to be a matter of chains and whips. It can also be
a captivity of the mind and a shackling of the spirit. Every person in this room
can give testimony to that. We in the Federation have cut our teeth on it, and we
never stop learning it. On a daily basis we continue to teach it to ourselves and
each other, and we give it in strong doses to new recruits. This is why some, who
do not understand our philosophy, call us militant.</p> <p>In the practice of law
my dream that I might do something worthwhile and useful came true. Again, Federation
members and leaders helped and encouraged me. As part of my practice I frequently
found myself representing blind persons. The textbooks tell us that American law
is based on fairness and justice regardless of who is involved or what the
circumstances may be. My job was to help make this principle applicable to the
blind as well as the sighted.</p> <p>When I represented blind people, my opponents
were often major employers, airlines, departments of government, or agencies doing
work with the blind. Although the approaches of these different entities might
vary, their opinions about blindness usually did not. Whether it was an airline,
an employer, a department of government, or a service agency for the blind, what
they said about blindness was always just about the same. I felt right at home.
It was exactly like being back at Notre Dame. The blind are courageous; they will
get a good grade; no need to work; and plenty of meaningless assignments. Of
course, when I insisted on equal treatment for my clients, attitudes hardened.
Those across the table now thought the blind (and that included me) were ungrateful,
unreasonable, and unrealistic—not courageous at all but just plain radical
and militant.</p> <p>If (after my experiences at Notre Dame and the Civil Aeronautics
Board) anything else was needed to confirm me in my opinion that the National
Federation of the Blind was not only needed but necessary, I found it in the
practice of law. It is not that people mean to be unreasonable or that they are
deliberately cruel. Rather, it is that they have the ancient fear of the dark and
that they equate blindness with darkness, and darkness with evil and lack of
ability to perform. Despite the progress we have made (and we have made a great
deal of it), regressive attitudes about blindness are unfortunately still the
norm.</p> <p>The director of sales for Elsafe Hawaii, Incorporated (a company that
markets safes), writes to say that he is selling a special safe for the blind. He
says:</p> <p>I would like to take this opportunity to acquaint you with this
product, as it seems to be particularly well suited to the needs of the blind.
This safe is operated by means of a combination that is entered via a keypad
identical to a standard telephone keypad. There are no keys required for normal
operation—and, therefore, nothing to lose. I would like to make the members
of your organization aware of this product.</p> <p>The conclusion is inevitable.
This man believes that the blind, incompetent as we are, cannot keep track of the
simplest objects—including keys. To help the unfortunate blind he wants to
sell us special safes, but one wonders if he understands the implications of his
own letter. If blind people cannot manage keys, how can we collect anything of
sufficient value to put into his safe?</p> <p>A radio commercial from the Corning
Glass Company for CORLON lenses opens with a man speaking to a coat rack. He does
not possess CORLON lenses, so he mistakes the coat rack for an assistant in the
eye doctor's office. As the commercial proceeds, the man causes a stir by almost
sitting (inadvertently) on the lap of a lady in the waiting room. Without the
lenses he cannot see her. Finally, this poor unfortunate (blinded by the absence
of CORLON lenses) attempts to leave the office through a closet and becomes
completely befuddled. Sight, according to this advertisement, is required to
prevent a person from mistaking a coat rack for a human, from becoming lost in a
closet, and from social blunders such as sitting in other people's laps. The
inescapable conclusion is that blindness means almost total helplessness with a
dash of buffoonery thrown in for good measure. I cannot recall having spoken
recently to a coat rack, and I doubt that you can; nor do I think the reason why
blind people sit in laps is usually that they do not know what they are doing. We
are frequently exploited by companies which take advantage of the stereotypes
about us to sell products, regardless of the truth of their claims or the harm
they do.</p> <p>The Konica Medical Corporation of Wayne, New Jersey, provides
darkroom equipment to hospitals. Not long ago, Konica became aware of two blind
people working as darkroom technicians in a Florida medical center. As a gesture
of good will, Konica issued a press release about the valuable work of these two
blind employees. The release said in part, "Visually Impaired Technicians Find
Rewarding Careers at Medical Center." The article went on to say, "Imagine, if
you can, what it would be like to live without the ability to see the world around
you. Simple tasks like walking, eating, and reading would take on a whole new
complexity."</p> <p>As I studied this press release, I felt conflicting emotions.
The headline tells us that blind people are at work in rewarding careers at a
hospital; and even though I think blind people are often pushed toward the darkroom
in the mistaken belief that the absence of ordinary light makes this job especially
suitable for them, I recognize that darkroom work is a useful activity in a
competitive occupation. But the body of the release ruins the headline and takes
it all away. It declares that the blind have trouble with the most mundane tasks.
Is it really so hard for us to walk? And how about eating? We don't seem to have
had much trouble at this banquet. Of course, reading requires the use of alternative
techniques such as Braille, recordings, sighted readers, and the like; but even
here the situation is more a matter of coping than crying.</p> <p>The message of
the companies in private industry is based on a common theme. They say that blind
people are different and less able than others. Even when these companies attempt
to be positive and offer commendation, they say that we cannot do anything as well
as the sighted and that we are very limited, very special, very deprived, very
brave, and very subnormal. People with this kind of attitude refer to the blind
and other groups as "handicapable" and "physically challenged," and they use other
such cutesy euphemisms—euphemisms which are uncalled for, unhealthy,
unhelpful, unconvincing, and unbecoming.</p> <p>But if private industry is
uninformed, having relatively little exposure to the blind and facts about blindness,
surely the agencies doing work with the blind are more enlightened. One would
think so, but as we have learned to our cost, the exact opposite is often the
case. Consider, for instance, the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. That
agency was brought into being in the mid-1960s through the efforts of Don Capps
and the other leaders of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.
There was also assistance from beyond the borders of the state. Dr. Jernigan went
to South Carolina to testify before the committee which the legislature had
established to study the matter, and a leading South Carolina legislator came to
Iowa to examine the programs which Dr. Jernigan was operating at the State Commission
for the Blind. Justifiably the blind of South Carolina regard the Commission for
the Blind as theirs.</p> <p>Imagine, then, how they feel (and how responsible
staff members at the South Carolina Commission feel) when an official publication
of the Commission embodies the worst of the harmful stereotypes about blindness
and is massively circulated throughout the state. They are understandably outraged.
But let the brochure speak for itself. It consists of fifty-eight so-called "helpful
suggestions for families and friends of blind persons," grouped under six headings
as follows: "General," "With People," "In the House," "Traveling," "Guiding," and
"At the Table." You may have thought that the proposition in the Konica news
release (that eating for a blind person takes on special complexity) was simply
to be dismissed as the chatter of a well-intentioned kook.</p> <p>Listen, then,
to the experts. Here is what the South Carolina brochure says about eating. Twelve
"helpful suggestions" are listed under the heading "At the Table." I can do no
better than give them to you as they come, word for word from the brochure. Here
they are:</p> <p>1. Maintain usual standards. 2. Tell him what is in the dish or
on the plate which is being passed. 3. Don't pass things across in front of the
blind person. Expect him to share in the passing of food. 4. Address the blind
person directly so that he will know that he is being asked to pass something. 5.
Mention what is on his plate so that he will know how to handle the food. 6. At
first, if he wishes it, cut meat, and butter the bread. 7. Get in the habit of
placing the meat to the front of his plate. It is easier to cut there. 8. Use
good-sized napkins. 9. Don't make unnecessary comments when food is spilled. 10.
If food is spilled on clothing, mention it casually so that it can be removed at
once. 11. Ask the individual if he wants sugar or cream as these are difficult
for him to serve himself unless the sugar is in lump form and the cream in individual
pitchers. 12. When serving food, mention where it has been placed so the individual
will not accidentally knock over a glass, paper cup, sherbet (sic), cup and saucer,
etc.</p> <p>Although these "helpful suggestions for family and friends" cannot,
by any stretch of the imagination, be called subtle, the pamphlet does not say
precisely what it means. Let me offer the writers at the South Carolina Commission
for the Blind some "helpful suggestions" of my own. Let me say in clear statements
what their pamphlet necessarily implies, and what (though they might deny it) I
think they really mean. Keep in mind that they are talking about you and me. Here,
then, is the truthful rewrite:</p> <p>"Maintain usual standards." You do not need
to be sloppy just because a blind person (who will undoubtedly be sloppy) is at
the table.</p> <p>"Don't pass things across in front of the blind person. Expect
him to share in the passing of food." The blind person, just like a three-year-old,
will be flattered if you let him help. If he isn't motivated by the flattery, you
may have to prod him a little.</p> <p>"Mention what is on his plate so that he
will know how to handle the food." The blind person is probably not accustomed to
eating in polite society and will likely not be able to identify food without your
help. In any case, it is your responsibility, not the blind person's.</p> <p>"Use
good-sized napkins." Of course, the blind person will be messy and spill things,
and you must look out for him or her. After all, it is your responsibility.
Certainly the blind person is not in charge. You are.</p> <p>"Ask the individual
if he wants sugar or cream as these are difficult for him to serve himself unless
the sugar is in lump form and the cream in individual pitchers." After all, the
blind person can't ask for what he wants. You must take the initiative and take
care of him.</p> <p>When I first came across this brochure, I felt that I had gone
back to Notre Dame, for it deals with something much more far-reaching than table
talk. It embodies a whole way of life, an entire philosophy, and a complete cultural
tradition. Through every line is the implicit assumption that somebody else is in
charge and that even if the home and the table belong to the blind person, he or
she is no longer in control, no longer the host, no longer an equal among equals.
If you are still not convinced after all you have heard, consider these other
samples from the pamphlet. Here they are exactly as they appear:</p> <p>Talk and
act naturally when with a blind person. Be frank. If he needs to shine his shoes,
tell him so. Do not needlessly hurry a blind person. He will appreciate a calm
approach to the matter in hand. Let him do everything possible for himself. In
helping a blind person, do not make him conspicuous by the way you do things. Read
his mail promptly and refrain from commenting on the content of the letter unless
requested to do so. A second reading is often appreciated. Refrain from uncouthness
in the presence of a blind person; he can hear you picking your teeth. Be alert
but restrained; do not startle a blind person needlessly. Don't let a blind person's
hand dangle in the air. If obviously it is his purpose to shake hands, grasp his
hand and greet him. Don't limit your knowledge and interest in the blind generally
to the blind mendicant who is sometimes a social parasite from choice. Do not
patronize blind persons; they're 'just regular people' more than you realize. In
conversation, address the blind person by name if he is the one expected to reply.
Otherwise, he may not know the remark is being directed to him. Leave the possessions
of a blind person where they have placed them unless you indicate specifically
where they may find them. When traveling, describe interesting and beautiful
scenes. Comment casually on sensations which blind persons can enjoy such as
pleasant odors, a cooling breeze, the tinkle of a brook, etc. When taking an
individual into a restroom indicate position of toilet, paper, washbowl, soap,
and towels. When walking with a blind person, mention familiar landmarks so that
he can get his bearings. Don't push a blind person ahead of you. Walk straight
across the street. To do so diagonally may cause the blind person to trip when
reaching the curb.</p> <p>There you have in summation the philosophy of the South
Carolina Commission for the Blind, and I believe that I have never in all of my
life seen such a concentrated dose of distortion and false notions. Is it any
wonder that the blind of the state are at war with the agency? How could it be
otherwise?</p> <p>I have no doubt that Don Capps and the other Federationists in
South Carolina will teach the Commission a new way of looking at blindness. Our
role may not be as limited or our temperament as passive as the South Carolina
custodians think.</p> <p>And, of course, it is not just South Carolina. There are
other agencies in other states. Consider, for instance, the Mary Bryant Home for
Blind Men and Women, located in Springfield, Illinois. Keep in mind, as I describe
this facility to you, that it is not a place exclusively designed for the elderly.
It is meant for the young as well. I feel it necessary to make this point since
otherwise you might have difficulty believing what you are about to hear.</p>
<p>Therefore, I offer in evidence a letter dated March 23rd, 1987, to directors
of rehabilitation agencies in a number of Midwestern states. The letter is signed
by the Administrator of the Mary Bryant Home, who has the rather intriguing name
of Frances Trees.</p> <p>The letter says:</p> <p>Dear Director:</p> <p>As you are
aware, there comes a time in the lives of many visually impaired persons when they
are unable to live independently. Some younger persons return to their homes
following their education from a school for the visually impaired. In many cases,
these young men and women are returning to homes where both parents are employed
outside the home, and find themselves staying alone all day with nothing to do.</p>
<p>Some older persons no longer have a support system to aid and assist them to
live independently. Many are sent inappropriately to nursing homes, where they
are often endangered by not being able to protect themselves.</p> <p>The Mary
Bryant Home is a resource I wish you would consider when it comes to assisting
individuals or families to deal with the issue of placement.... Currently our
residents range in age from 24 to 96 years of age....</p> <p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Frances J. Trees</p> <p>Administrator</p> <p>As we examine what the Mary Bryant
Home says about itself, remember that some of the residents are as young as
twenty-four and that they are at the Mary Bryant facility because, as Administrator
Trees says, "these young men and women are returning to homes where both parents
are employed outside the home, and find themselves staying alone all day with
nothing to do." Here are direct quotes from the packet of literature sent by
Administrator Trees to the rehabilitation directors:</p> <p>The building is
rectangular in shape, which allows the residents to walk in a circular pattern
for exercise—especially during inclement weather.... The home is arranged
for convenience, on one level—no stairs.... Handrails are installed throughout
the home.... Our full and part-time staff provide round-the-clock service to the
residents seeing to their health, safety, nutritional, recreational and emotional
needs....</p> <p>Leave of absence may be taken by residents for a short period of
time providing the person taking the resident out sign a release of responsibility
for injuries, accidents, or illnesses which might occur during the time they are
away from the Mary Bryant Home.... Personal property, other than clothing, may be
brought to the home only with the prior approval of the Administrator....</p>
<p>Food is prohibited in the resident rooms. BEER, WINE, AND OTHER INTOXICATING
LIQUORS: Only when approved by the resident's physician please, and all items of
this nature are to be kept at the Medicine Room, not in resident's room.... Incoming
calls for residents may be received on the house phones, but it would cause less
confusion and less interruption if these calls were to be made between the hours
of 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.... Visiting hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Visits will be restricted when adversely indicated in the opinion of the resident's
physician and so documented in the resident's clinical record....</p> <p>Smoking
in resident rooms is prohibited for both residents and visitors. Residents who
are capable of handling smoking supplies with safety may smoke in the activity
room, and we request visitors to smoke only in these areas also....</p> <p>There
is more, much more—but I think I have given you enough to make the point.
Any self-respecting blind person faced with such an outrageous conglomeration of
insulting rules, directives, requirements, and restrictions would walk out the
door three minutes after arriving. Of course, most blind people that I know would
resist going to such a facility in the first place. With all of the work we have
done to change public attitudes, many people still feel that the blind should live
in segregated homes, or sometimes nursing homes. In this connection I recently
received the following letter:</p> <p>Dear Sir:</p> <p>My mother has been legally
blind for about twenty years. During all that time she has been in a nursing home
in Rochester, Indiana, and she is only forty-three years old. She has not in all
that time had any training that the blind need, such as how to read Braille. The
nursing home has been her only world because of her inability to get around. I
feel my mother desperately needs help. She needs to be taught the things the blind
need to function in society. She is much too young to be in a nursing home.</p>
<p>I wonder if the National Federation of the Blind can help in this matter. I
don't have money or the know-how to assist her, and I was told maybe you could
help. She's wanting to get out of the nursing home.</p> <p>Sincerely yours,</p>
<p>Twenty years of a person's life is a long time—and for this woman (and
many others like her) those twenty years are a bleak memory of twisted hell—of
desolation, pain, and lack of opportunity. We in the National Federation of the
Blind are organized to make it absolutely certain that brochures like the one
issued by the South Carolina Commission for the Blind stop being written, that
facilities like the Mary Bryant Home either change their philosophy or go out of
business, and that blind men and women have something better to do with their
lives than go into nursing homes in their twenties. We are committed to changing
public attitudes so that manufacturers will not believe that we cannot keep track
of our keys, so that companies can no longer get away with picturing us as helpless
and pathetic unless we have eyeglasses, and so that the public will no longer
tolerate advertisements which exploit the concept that we are especially suited
to work in the dark. We are determined to educate not merely the public at large
but also our fellow blind and ourselves—and, of course, we are doing it.</p>
<p>On Saturday, May 23rd, of this year I did not physically leave Baltimore—but
on that day (as I have so often done) I went back to Notre Dame. I was in a clothing
store, trying on the very suit I am wearing tonight. At a critical juncture in
the fitting, the salesman said to the sighted person who was with me: "Can you
take off his shoes?" I suppose I don't need to tell you that I did not walk
barefooted to Notre Dame. I removed my own shoes.</p> <p>The changes we are making
in public attitudes often seem slow and long in coming, but (like oxidation) they
remove more trash and debris than the flames of spectacular conflagration. Since
our founding in 1940 we have removed a tremendous amount of garbage—some
by conflagration, and a great deal more by steady oxidation. We also (even those
of us who have never been to Indiana) continue to return to Notre Dame—but
(thankfully) the visits are becoming fewer and farther between.</p> <p>For those
of us who are blind, the world holds more promise today than ever before in history.
It is not that incidents of the kind I have described are more numerous now than
they formerly were. Rather, it is that we are more aware of them and more prepared
to take appropriate action. Once they were universal. Now, they are only usual.
But since 1940 there has been a new element, a new force which has changed the
balances. You know what it is as well as I do. It is the National Federation of
the Blind. As everyone in this room knows, we are thoroughly organized, fully
aware of where we have been and where we are going, and absolutely unstoppable.</p>
<p>No power on earth can now send us back or keep us from going the rest of the
way to freedom and first-class citizenship. We know it; our opponents know it;
and the public at large is beginning to learn it. As we approach the end of the
twentieth century, our mood is optimistic, and our hearts are joyous. My brothers
and my sisters, let us march to the future together!</p> <p>----------</p> <h2
id="monitor-miniatures"><em>Monitor</em> Miniatures </h2> <h3
id="news-from-the-federation-family">News from the Federation Family</h3>
<p><strong>How to Pay for Your Convention Hotel Stay</strong></p> <p><strong>This
helpful information comes from Tony Cobb, who for many years served as a fixture
in the lobby of our convention hotels. Here is an important warning for those who
may be considering how to pay for their stay:</strong></p> <p>Every year at our
national convention we have serious trouble with use of debit cards or cash payments
at hotel check-in, and, having worked to solve these problems for years, I can
tell you they can nearly ruin the convention week for those experiencing them.
Planning to attend our national convention should therefore include thinking
seriously about how to pay the hotel, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to
avoid using cash or a debit card as your payment method. Doing so may seem
convenient, but you should not do so. If you do not have a credit card of your
own to use instead, prevail upon a close friend or family member to let you use
one just for convention. Here’s why:</p> <p>If you are paying in actual
currency, most hotels will want enough cash up front at check-in to cover your
room and tax charges for the entire stay, plus a one-time advance incidentals
deposit to cover meals, telephone calls, internet service, and other things you
may charge to your room. The unused portion of the incidentals deposit may be
returned at check-out or by mail after departure. Understand, however, that if
your incidentals charges exceed the incidentals deposit credited, you are responsible
for payment of the full balance at check-out. The total can end up being a very
large sum indeed.</p> <p>If you use a debit card, however, you are really at a
potentially painful disadvantage. The hotel will put a hold on money in your bank
account linked to the debit card to cover the estimated balance of your stay—that
is, for the entire week’s room and tax charges plus a one-time incidentals
deposit to cover meals, movies, and so on charged to your room. You should be
aware that the hold can therefore be a considerable amount of money and that you
will not have access to that amount for any other purchases or payments with your
card. Hotels sometimes also put authorizations on credit cards, by the way, but
those are not often a problem unless they exceed your card’s credit limit.</p>
<p>Holds can remain in effect for three to five days or even a week after you
check out. If you have pre-authorized payments from your bank account, for example
your monthly mortgage payment, or if you try to make a purchase with your debit
card and it's refused, the hold from the hotel can cause you trouble or result in
very large overdraft fees for payments you thought you had money in your account
to cover. I have seen this hit some of our members in the form of hundreds of
dollars in overdraft fees.</p> <p>This means that, if you use a debit card, you
would have to be certain you have a high enough balance in your checking account
when you come to convention to cover any debit card holds. This is a perilous
practice since charges may exceed your estimate by a considerable amount. Some
frequent travelers even open a separate checking account used only for debits like
these. Remember, a hold is going to be placed on your debit card regardless of
how you end up paying the bill, and the hold is not necessarily released right
away, even if you pay with a credit card or cash when you check out of the hotel.</p>
<p>Planning ahead in this area can ensure an untroubled week at convention, leaving
you free to enjoy fully the world’s largest and most exciting meeting of
the blind.</p> <p>----------</p> <h2 id="nfb-pledge">NFB Pledge</h2> <p>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.</p> </body>
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