“Dots and Dashes” is a short newsletter featuring a variety of topics and ACB stories. This issue features information about ACB’s open forum on the annual legislative seminar, the Audio Description Institute, ACB’s agreement with OrCam, the latest Advocacy Update podcasts, and Disability:IN’s leadership program.
The ACB national office will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 28-29. Staff will resume normal office hours on Monday, December 2nd. We wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
ACB Hosts Open Forum on Legislative Seminar
In order to assist those interested in attending the upcoming Legislative Seminar at ACB’s 2020 D.C. Leadership Meetings, we will be hosting an Open Discussion Forum to help you prepare for it. Clark Rachfal, ACB’s Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, will be on hand to share about the event, the benefits of attending, and to answer your questions.
Mark your calendar for December 2, 2019 at 8 p.m. EST, and together we’ll work through how to register and prepare for the Legislative Seminar, what to expect at the event (including the day on Capitol Hill), and what may be expected of you once you return home.
To ensure your questions or concerns are addressed on the call, please send them to Cindy Van Winkle at [email protected] by December 1.
The 2020 D.C. Leadership Meetings schedule of events is as follows:
- Saturday, February 22: Board Meeting
- Sunday, February 23: Affiliate Presidents’ Meeting
- Monday, February 24: Legislative Seminar
- Tuesday, February 25: Meeting with Legislators on Capitol Hill
Now for the call information:
Topic: preparing for the upcoming legislative seminar
Time: Dec. 2, 2019, 8 p.m. Eastern
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/264325512?pwd=Mk1wb3JzZ09oSDhtMkRIVzlQbzBqdz09
Meeting ID: 264 325 512
Password: 044996
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,264325512# US (New York)
+17207072699,,264325512# US (Denver)
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 720 707 2699 US (Denver)
Meeting ID: 264 325 512
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aeoEcmZn3J
Hope to talk with you on the call Monday night!
Audio Description Institute Registration Opens Soon
The American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project will hold its 16th Audio Description Institute Feb. 22-24, 2020, in conjunction with ACB’s 2020 leadership meetings. Come join us!
Registration opens Monday, December 2nd; you can register online at
http://weblink.donorperfect.com/Feb_2020_ADP_Registration. You'll be asked to create a login for the ACB database and continue to register for the Institute. Registration closes February 21, 2020.
For more information, contact Dr. Joel Snyder via email, [email protected], or by phone, (202) 467-5083.
ACB, OrCam Sign Cooperative Agreement
To read this announcement online, visit https://acb.org/OrCam-ACB-member-discount.
The American Council of the Blind and OrCam Technologies have committed to a cooperative agreement that will help empower blind and low vision Americans to achieve increased independence.
OrCam’s devices can instantly read text, recognize faces, identify products and much more. The device is activated by a pointing gesture or by following the wearer’s gaze, allowing for hands-free use, and resulting in real-time audio communication while ensuring data privacy. OrCam products are available in over 20 languages and in 48 countries.
OrCam devices will be available for sale to ACB members for a 10% discount off the purchase price by using a unique code that will be provided to each ACB member. ACB members will receive their unique discount code by email, or they can call ACB’s finance office in Minneapolis at (612) 332-3242 to receive their code.
The additional 10% discount is not applicable when OrCam products are already significantly discounted.
Advocacy Updates
Are you traveling for the holidays, or need some personal time away from the family? The Thanksgiving Day Advocacy Update has you covered! On this podcast, Claire and Clark discuss all things audio description with Dr. Joel Snyder and Carl Richardson. We highlight the great work of the Audio Description Project, including the Benefits of Audio Description in Education Contest, as well as the 16th Audio Description Institute, and the rapidly evolving landscape of streaming services providing accessible user interfaces and audio-described programming. Register for the 2020 BADIE Contest and submit an audio description review before Dec. 6, 2019, by visiting https://www.acb.org/adp/articles/badie2020.html. For more information about the Audio Description Institute, visit https://acb.org/2020-audio-description-institute.
On the November 21st episode of the Advocacy Update, Clark spoke with starlet of the stage and screen, Marilee Talkington. Through personal and professional advocacy, Marilee has developed and launched the Access Acting Academy and will host the first of its kind Professional Actor Training Program specifically for blind and visually impaired artists. This free flagship program will take place in Los Angeles, Jan. 6-Feb. 7, 2020. Applications are being accepted through Nov. 30, 2019. Listen via your favorite podcast player or online at http://acbradio.org/ACB-Advocacy-Update-11-21-19.
More information about the Access Acting Academy, including how to apply for the Professional Actor Training Program, is available at www.accessacting.com. For more information about Marilee Talkington, visit www.marileetalkington.com. To view a transcript of this podcast, visit https://acb.org/ACB-advocacy-update-11-21-19-transcript.
If you have feedback on these podcasts, the written transcripts, or ideas for future podcasts, please share them with us at [email protected].
Disability:IN Seeks Leaders
To read this announcement online, visit https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/nextgen-leaders-initiatives/apply-faq/#f584418e4ef2a071d.
The NextGen Initiatives empower college students and recent grads with disabilities, including veterans, to be successful in the workplace. Students are matched one-on-one with mentors from Disability:IN corporate partners and experience an all-expense paid trip to the Disability:IN annual conference, where they will network and interview with companies like Boeing, Facebook, JPMorgan Chase, and Microsoft. Check out which companies are IN.
NextGen Leader Commitment:
- Meet virtually twice a month for six months with a corporate mentor
- Participate in monthly professional development webinars
- Attend the Disability:IN 2020 Conference on July 11–16 at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, FL. NextGen Leaders are expected to actively participate in all conference events. If accepted to the program, all travel costs will be covered.
Applications are now open! Submit Application or download & share the NextGen Initiatives accessible flyer.
Application deadline: December 6, 2019