For the People Act
The For the People Act (H.R. 1, S. 1) would eliminate accessible voting options & prevent innovation in election technology, barring accessibility gains in the future and silencing the voice of millions of Americans who are blind and visually impaired. The American Council of the Blind calls on Congress to protect the right to vote for Americans who are blind and visually impaired by removing threatening language in the For the People Act. Learn more by visiting: https://acb.org/press-release-for-the-people-act
ACB’s Next Donor Update Call Set for April 14th, 3pm EDT
Please join ACB leaders at 3pm EDT on April 14th for a live event as we share the amazing things underway, all possible due to the wonderful support of our donors like you. We'll share our past accomplishments and what is on the horizon, and most importantly give thanks to our wonderful supporters. We will schedule an alternative meeting as well to accommodate evening schedules. To get access to the call in information for this event, join our community call list by sending an email to [email protected].
DOJ Seeks to Intervene in APS Litigation
The Justice Department has filed papers to intervene on behalf of blind and visually impaired residents of Chicago to compel the City to install accessible pedestrian signals. The lawsuit was originally filed on behalf of ACB of Metropolitan Chicago, which is being represented by Disability Rights Advocates. A similar lawsuit, brought by ACB of NY, is pending against New York City and has resulted in a largely favorable court decision. To read the press release issued by the Department of Justice regarding its intervention in the Chicago APS case, visit: https://tinyurl.com/54ezefwc.
Cogswell Macy Act
On this week's episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, Clark moderates a panel discussion to mobilize advocates in support of the reintroduced Cogswell Macy Act! ACB is joined by: Mark Richert, Interim Executive Director, AER; Linda Alsop, Director, National Intervener and Advocate Association; Howard Rosenblum, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of the Deaf; Barbara Raimondo, Executive Director, Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf; & Amy Parker, Assistant Professor, Portland State University. Listen online by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/ye24pp7p. To learn how you may support the Cogswell Macy Act (H.R. 1959 & S. 813), visit: www.cogswellmacyact.org.
2021 AD Awards Call for Nominations
The Audio Description Project recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of audio description through the Audio Description Awards. The call for nominations ends on Sunday, May 9, 2021, with winners announced during a plenary general session of the American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention in July 2021. To learn more about the award categories and how to submit nominations, visit: https://acb.org/2021-adp-awards-nominations.
AAVL AAA Project
Seniors who are blind or have low vision are losing out on services and programs offered by Area Agencies on Aging. The Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss (AAVL), a special interest affiliate of ACB, plans to contact Area Agencies on Aging and ask them what programs and services they provide, and whether seniors who are blind or have low vision are being included. You can participate. Join our Community Event/Training Sunday, April 11, 7:30pm ET, 4:30pm PT, and 1:30pm HT to learn how. There’s a lot more information to help you get the most out of the Community Event at www.aavl-blind-seniors.org.
Now on Be My Eyes: Verizon & Jobs for Humanity
Do you need accessibility support on your mobile device? Customers of Verizon can now connect with their phone provider through Be My Eyes - just access the Specialized Help menu and find Verizon in the Technical category. Give them a call on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 5PM to 7PM ET to get an expert from Verizon to help with accessibility features and information about their services. Learn more by visiting: https://www.bemyeyes.com/blog/verizon-is-first-telecom-provider-to-join-be-my-eyes. To make things even more exciting, Be My Eyes has announced their first Careers partner, Jobs for Humanity. With the launch of their new job board, blind.jobs, they already have more than 1,000 positions available around the world, where employers have committed to interviewing the top visually impaired candidates. They're holding open office hours on Specialized Help a few hours per week to help people get familiar with the service they provide.
The Henry Ford Virtual Verbal Description Program
Join the Henry Ford Museum on April 14 at 3pm ET for a virtual verbal description program, highlighting the Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection exhibition, now on display at The Henry Ford. This exhibition features more than 60 objects, spanning over 30 years of Tiffany’s prolific career, and celebrates the artistry and craftsmanship of the Tiffany artworks from Chicago’s distinguished Richard H. Driehaus Collection. This experience will be led by The Henry Ford’s Curator of Decorative Arts, Charles Sable, and conducted remotely in verbal description and conversation. The program will be held via Zoom and will be accessible by web link and call-in phone number, depending on your preference. This program is free. Reservations are required and space is limited. Please email [email protected] with your name and email address to register and with any questions.