The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of information that exist. If a blind person has proper training and opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a physical nuisance. |
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Upcoming Events
October 2008: Meet the Blind Month
Meet the Blind Month is a nationwide campaign to increase awareness of and support for the National Federation of the Blind. During the month of October, chapters throughout the country will conduct activities that spread our message to their local communities.
Fall 2008: State Conventions
Affiliate conventions are an important part of our nationwide movement and generally feature information about issues, programs, and services affecting the blind at the state level; the election of state officers; deliberations on state and local policy matters; special exhibits of interest to members; opportunities to develop friendships and mentoring relationships; and more. Fall convention season is approaching, so here is a list of some of the upcoming scheduled conventions. For more information about state conventions, contact your affiliate.
Date(s) Affiliate City
September 5-7: West Virginia, Morgantown
September 12-14: Montana, Bozeman
September 12-14: Arizona, Phoenix
September 19-21: Iowa, Des Moines
September 19-21: North Carolina, Charlotte
September 26-28: Kentucky, Louisville
September 26-27: Arkansas, Jonesboro
September 27: New Hampshire, Concord
September 27-28: Alaska, Anchorage
What's New
NFB and Target Agree to
Class Action Settlement
On August 27, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and Target announced that they have settled a class action lawsuit regarding access to the Target.com Web site by blind people. As part of the settlement, Target will establish a $6 million fund from which members of the California settlement class can make claims. In addition, the NFB will certify the Target Web site through its Nonvisual Accessibility Web Certification program once agreed upon improvements are completed in early 2009. For more information about the terms of the settlement, please visit http://www.nfbtargetlawsuit.com, read the official press release, or read the Associated Press article.
NFB Launches Largest-ever
White Cane Initiative
On August 19, the NFB announced an initiative to ensure that any blind person in the United States and Puerto Rico who needs a long white cane will have one, regardless of ability to pay. The NFB will provide a free cane to anyone in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico who is blind or has low vision and who uses or desires to use a white cane in order to travel independently. For more information, please read the official press release about this landmark program. To order a free cane, visit the Free Cane Program page.
Watch Straight Talk, Episode 18!
(Video 67 MB)
In the latest episode, Mark Riccobono talks with Carrie Gilmer, the new president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. For more audio and video files, please visit the NFB Audio-Video Center. To watch audio and video highlights from the convention, visit the 2008 National Convention Highlights page.
