As we move through this season of celebration to welcome a new year, we want to reach out to share a moment of reflection and gratitude. It is because of each of you that ACB remains strong. The very bedrock of our existence stands firm through the investments of your time, talent, and treasure. You contributed over 37,000 volunteer hours to support a multitude of programs, services, and critical advocacy efforts, offered wise counsel as board and committee members, and gave generously through individual donations totaling over $280,000 in 2022.
At the heart of the ACB experience is community—it’s all about people joining together to improve the quality of life for each other and all people who are blind and low vision. There’s a sense of trust, belonging, safety, caring, and renewal. That priceless feeling of community comes from shared experiences and a sense of shared history. Your collective support and efforts ensured the success of these key ACB events in 2022:
July 2022 marked the much-anticipated return of ACB’s Annual Conference and Convention in Omaha, Nebraska, where members and leaders of the blindness community gathered in person for the first time since the pandemic began, along with virtual attendees from around the globe. The sense of elation and camaraderie was palpable as in-person and virtual convention-goers attended plenary sessions, workshops, elected board members, and browsed the exhibit hall. Social events ranged from the welcome party with a Beatles tribute band, to the walk across the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, (who could forget OMAR the troll?) to a minor league game on July 4 that broke the Omaha Storm Chaser’s single game home run record, and a myriad of tours and community events capped by the annual banquet that featured Judy Heumann, a legendary pioneer activist in the Disability Rights movement.
In contrast, we held more meetings and social activities via Zoom and through the expanding ACB Media Network than ever before. On March 17, 2020, the virtual ACB Community was born out of the need to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two and a half years and over 10,000 events later, the ACB Community is thriving. Exercise, languages, peer support, technology, crafting, cooking, sports, music, serious discussions, fun with games, and so much more have helped bring many new people to ACB and build a community which continues to grow. Members have lifted each other up through divorce, death of a spouse, and job loss. They have also shared their joy at births, weddings, and personal triumphs.
We were proud to host the second annual Audio Description Awards Gala in November over YouTube, ACB Media, and Pluto TV to recognize excellence in audio described content and celebrate the growing commitment to accessible media for people who are blind and low vision. Host Thomas Reid and Audio Description Voice Talent Nefertiti Matos Olivares as well as our special guests lent their talent to the event and support for accessible media for all, including Stevie Wonder, Ewan McGregor, Nesta Cooper, Camryn Manheim, Shayla Brown, and the cast of iCarly!
As we give thanks and celebrate during this holiday season, we invite you to consider renewing your commitment to ACB. There are many ways that your generosity keeps us strong. It could be through participation in a Community activity, serving on a committee, registering for the Leadership Conference this coming March, or attending ACB’s annual conference and convention in Schaumburg, IL in July, 2023. Perhaps you could become a sustaining member of the Monthly Monetary Support program. You might make a donation in support of the Audio Description Project or contribute to the annual Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk. And who could resist bidding on at least one of the many tempting items found in the Summer Convention Auction, the Holiday Auction — or both. This year, you raised over $65,000 with your enthusiastic bids!
Finally, we hope you’ll join the fun on Saturday, December 31 from 3 PM to 3 AM ET for the third annual New Year’s Eve Community-a-Thon, ACB’s final friend-raising and fundraising activity for 2022. Enjoy 12 hours of laughter, entertainment, conversation, and prizes. Share your story, make a memory and make an investment in the work of ACB. Let’s ring out the old year, step into 2023 as a community, and continue the journey together!
All twelve hours of this community celebration will be streamed live on ACB Media 5 and Zoom. To receive the Zoom information for this event and other community events, please subscribe to our ACB Community Events email list by sending an email to: [email protected].
If you have a question about our programs, or have a suggestion for us to consider, please do not hesitate to reach out to ACB’s Alexandria office by calling 202-467-5081 or emailing [email protected].
To make a donation, please visit: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/ACBAppeal.
Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year. We look forward to being with you both now and in the future.
Yours truly,
Dan Spoone, President
Eric Bridges, Executive Director