Court Decision will Dramatically Remake NYC’s Streetscape by Making Pedestrian Safety Accessible to People with Disabilities New York, NY – In a decision that will remake the streetscape of New York City and improve safety and accessibility for all New Yorkers, a federal court ruled today that New York City’s failure  to provide accessible pedestrian signals (APS) at 96.6 % of its signalized intersections violates the civil rights of people with disabilities. APS are push-button devices attached to crosswalks that convey visual crossing information in audible and vibro-tactile formats accessible to blind, low vision, and Deafblind pedestrians. New York City has over 13,200 signalized intersections with signals for sighted pedestrians that convey critical safety information: WALK or DON’T WALK. Yet only 443 of those 13,200 intersections—less than 4%—have APS that convey this information to blind people. Blind and low vision pedestrians are put in danger every time they must cross a street without APS, because they may cross against the light, in the path of cars. Additionally, the lack of APS denies them their independence and dignity. Plaintiffs have been grabbed by well-meaning strangers attempting to help them across the street, and forced to cross only in crowds and wait several lights—sometimes as long as twenty minutes—to make sure they are crossing with others. Some have avoided walking altogether by taking buses and getting out a stop early or a stop late in order to avoid particularly unsafe intersections, or taking longer routes. Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) filed this class action lawsuit, American Council of the Blind of New York, et al. v. New York City, in June 2018 because this unlawful system denies blind and low vision pedestrians their independence to navigate city streets safely: to visit friends and family; go to work, school, or home; or shop or do business. On July 22, 2019, the Court certified a class of blind and low vision pedestrians harmed by these practices. “For decades New York City has ignored the needs of blind and low vision pedestrians, while simultaneously touting its Vision Zero commitments to pedestrian safety,” said Torie Atkinson, Staff Attorney at Disability Rights Advocates. “The city has spent millions on pedestrian safety improvements, and now for the first time those improvements will be accessible to all New Yorkers. With accessible pedestrian signals, blind and low vision pedestrians can cross the street confidently, and we are thrilled with the dramatic changes that this victory will mean not only for those who are blind or low vision, but for all New Yorkers who want safer streets.” “ACBNY has tirelessly advocated for decades to fix New York City’s widespread inaccessibility to blind and Deafblind pedestrians,” said Lori Scharff of the American Council of the Blind of New York, plaintiff in this case. “We are pleased that the Court’s ruling will help ensure that our blind and Deafblind constituents have equal access to the same information available to sighted pedestrians.” “As someone who is Deafblind and requires tactile information to cross streets safely, I am thrilled by the Court’s ruling,” said plaintiff Christina Curry. “Up until now, at least once a day I almost get hit by a car because there is no APS telling me when it is safe to cross. This victory means that finally the city will have to install APS so that I and tens of thousands of Deafblind New Yorkers will have access to street crossing information and be able to travel safely, freely, and independently throughout the city.” Plaintiffs do not seek money damages. They seek only that New York City’s street crossings be accessible to and safer for blind and low vision pedestrians. About Disability Rights Advocates: With offices in New York and California, Disability Rights Advocates is the leading nonprofit disability rights legal center in the nation. Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all types of disabilities nationwide. DRA represents people with all types of disabilities in complex, system-changing, class action cases. DRA is proud to have upheld the promise of the ADA since our inception. Thanks to DRA’s precedent-setting work, people with disabilities across the country have dramatically improved access to education, health care, employment, transportation, disaster preparedness planning, voting, and housing. For more information, visit dralegal.org. Download a PDF of the decision here.

October 19, 2020 - In a landmark agreement, advocates for people who are blind have obtained WarnerMedia’s pledge to increase the accessibility of HBO Max—the much-anticipated online streaming platform that was launched earlier this year. Among other commitments, the agreement provides that WarnerMedia will provide audio description on at least 1,500 hours of new and existing programming on HBO Max by the end of March 2021, increasing to 3,000 hours by the end of March 2022, and doubling again to at least 6,000 hours in total by the end of March 2023.  The agreement was reached between WarnerMedia Direct, LLC on the one hand and the American Council of the Blind (ACB); the Massachusetts-based Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB); Kim Charlson; and Brian Charlson on the other. These blind individuals and advocacy organizations were represented by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a national non-profit legal center, and Disability Law Center, the Protection & Advocacy agency for Massachusetts. HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from WarnerMedia’s rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Under the agreement, WarnerMedia will ensure that audio description—a separate audio track that, when activated, provides a verbal description of visual elements on screen—is created on a going forward basis for all HBO original programming as well as all Max Originals that have entered post-production since the platform launched in May 2020. For more on audio description, visit ACB’s Audio Description Project. In addition, over the next year, accessibility of the HBO Max website, mobile applications, and applications for Internet-connected TVs will be improved for individuals who are blind and use screen-reading software to navigate and interact with digital content. Screen-reading software enables blind individuals to access and interact with online services by rendering the text displayed visually on the screen as large print, synthetic speech, or onto a digital braille display. For screen magnification and screen-reading software to work, website and app developers must program for compatibility. HBO Max will release accessibility improvements incrementally as they are ready for distribution and, by the end of September 2021, the HBO Max website, mobile applications, and available internet-connected TV applications will substantially comply with standard international web accessibility guidelines. Kim Charlson, Immediate Past President of the American Council of the Blind, commented, “This agreement opens doors for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to both enjoy what HBO Max provides in terms of entertainment and education, while also allowing blind and low vision people to share equally with family and friends in this truly universal pastime. By working together to bring thousands of additional hours of audio description content to HBO Max, along with the improved accessibility of the website, mobile apps, and smart TV interfaces, WarnerMedia and blind advocates are providing meaningful access to a significant aspect of our modern-day world.” Staff Attorney Meredith Weaver of Disability Rights Advocates explains, “We are very pleased at the commitment HBO Max has made to ensure that customers who are blind or have low vision have access to its award-winning and expansive library.” Tatum A. Pritchard of Disability Law Center, said, “With this year marking the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this agreement with WarnerMedia signals welcome and notable progress towards greater accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired to streaming content that serves as an important source of both entertainment and information for our society. Contacts: Meredith Weaver: Staff Attorney, Disability Rights Advocates: 510-665-8644, [email protected] Tatum A. Pritchard: Director of Litigation, Disability Law Center: 617-723-8455, [email protected] Kim Charlson: ACB Immediate Past President: 617-501-5752, [email protected] About Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) DRA is one of the leading non-profit disability rights legal centers in the nation. With offices in Berkeley and New York City, DRA’s mission is to advance equal rights and opportunities for people with all types of disabilities nationwide. To advance that mission, DRA regularly advocates for greater access to modern technology. DRA has negotiated access improvements to several types of popular technologies including Redbox self-service video rental kiosks. For more information, visit www.dralegal.org. About Disability Law Center (DLC) DLC is the federally designated Protection and Advocacy agency for Massachusetts responsible for providing legal advocacy to protect and promote the rights and interests of Commonwealth residents with disabilities. DLC has worked with Bay State Council of the Blind to address accessibility barriers in important spheres of community life, including matters concerning banking services and voting processes. For more information, visit www.dlc-ma.org. About American Council of the Blind (ACB) ACB works to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life, for all people who are blind or visually impaired. ACB advocates for policies that provide services, opportunities, infrastructure, and equipment that are necessary for an inclusive society, in federal, state, and local governments, and among service providers and industry. For more information, visit www.acb.org. About Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB) BSCB is a membership organization of blind, visually impaired, and sighted individuals committed to an enhanced quality of life for Massachusetts’ residents who are blind or visually impaired. BSCB convenes meetings and conferences, organizes recreation activities, provides publications, radio programs, and information, and advocates for services and legislation that improve access for people who are blind. For more information, visit www.acbofma.org. Documents: Link to Settlement Agreement and Release  Link to PDF of Press Release

2021 ACB Convention The ACB Board of Directors met on Tuesday, October 13 to discuss several important items. One such agenda item concerned the 2021 conference and convention. Following discussion from all board members, a unanimous decision was made to hold the 2021 conference and convention as a virtual event. Holding an in-person gathering, given all the uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, is not in the best interest of the members and friends of the American Council of the Blind. Stay tuned as the plans take shape for the 2021 virtual conference. We hope you can join us! Procter & Gamble Care Packages As the COVID-19 pandemic and sheltering in-place requirements spread across the United States, ACB heard from our members and the broader community about the hardships being created and endured by people who are blind and low vision. Many individuals found it more difficult to conduct everyday activities and chores, including shopping for essential household and personal care items to maintain cleanliness and protect themselves from the virus. ACB shared these experiences with Procter & Gamble, and together, we developed a distribution network to deliver 2,000 care packages of personal and household cleaning supplies to people who are blind in six geographic areas significantly impacted by the novel coronavirus: Cincinnati, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, and Seattle. To learn more about P&G’s passion and involvement with this project, please visit: https://us.pg.com/blogs/world-sight-day-2020. White Cane Safety Day On the 56th commemoration of White Cane Safety Day, ACB applauds all those who have advocated for independence through their work to promote the public visibility and equality of people who are blind and visually impaired by lifting up awareness to the meaning and purpose of the white cane. Read our press release by visiting: https://acb.org/white-cane-day-2020. On this week’s episode of the ACB Advocacy Update, we celebrated White Cane Safety Day with three ACB members who discussed their life experiences as white cane and/or guide dog users and the independence they afford. To listen to the episode, visit: https://tinyurl.com/y6mv24fo. New ACB Technology Infrastructure ACB is driven to support and advocate for all people who are blind or visually impaired. Yet our past technology infrastructure held us back. As part of our strategic plan, we invested in Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Office 365. This more reliable and secure technology advances our mission and we are able to serve more people. Learn more by visiting: https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/847847-american-council-of-the-blind-nonprofit-azure. Audio Description Project Updates This week's newly added audio-described content includes additions to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, iTunes, Hulu, and our lists of TV series and DVDs with audio description. New additions on Netflix include Deaf U, the Haunting of Bly Manor, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, Dream Home Makeover, and many more. To learn more about ACB's Audio Description Project, visit www.acb.org/adp.

WASHINGTON (October 15, 2020) — On the 56th commemoration of White Cane Safety Day, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) applauds all those who have advocated for independence through their work to promote the public visibility and equality of people who are blind and visually impaired by lifting up awareness to the meaning and purpose of the white cane. “It’s important we remind everyone on this day to the continued need to break down barriers of inclusion,” said ACB executive director Eric Bridges. “It’s particularly important at a time in our history when the impact of social distancing has placed a significant burden on the independence of people who are blind and visually impaired.” The white cane is not only a mobility aid for people who are blind and visually impaired, but it serves as an icon that we are part of society, focusing on our ability rather than our disability. Since Congress first passed the White Cane Safety Day resolution in 1964, advocates have heralded the day as a day of recognition to the power of independence, raising awareness to the power of independence at the same time raising awareness to the need for assuring people who are blind can move freely and safely through our society. The unique constraints the COVID-19 pandemic has created, such as social distancing, amplifies the need to remember there are those in our community who rely on alternative means of mobility, and we have an obligation to assure that such needs and concerns are included as our country works to restore social inclusion for all Americans. “The coronavirus pandemic has created many new obstacles for those who rely on the sense of touch in order to move independently,” said Clark Rachfal, ACB’s director of advocacy and governmental affairs. “Social distancing has created a whole new set of anxieties the cane traveler must now contend with, making it more important than ever that we assure the voices of people who are blind or visually impaired are not shut out of the conversations as to how we must regain our national independence.” The American Council of the Blind is a national grassroots consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 68 state and special-interest affiliates, ACB works to increase the independence, security, equal opportunity and quality of life for Americans who are blind and visually impaired. Learn more at www.acb.org. Contact: Anthony Stephens, [email protected]

Yesterday, October 8th, 2020, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA). The CVAA, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 8, 2010, remains one of the greatest legislative achievements for Americans who are blind and visually impaired in the digital age. On Facebook live, we welcomed leaders from our community, congress and the private sector who were instrumental in the passage of this landmark legislation. Our special guests included Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), his former Chief of Staff and President of Bayer Strategic Consulting Mark Bayer, Apple’s Director of Federal Government Affairs Tim Powderly, AERBVI’s acting Executive Director and ACB First Vice President Mark Richert, Executive Director of Perkins Library and ACB Past President Kim Charlson, Bay State Council of the Blind President Brian Charlson, and ACB’s Executive Director Eric Bridges. Acclaimed musician Stevie Wonder created an exclusive video for our event, which you can access by visiting https://youtu.be/DiaoBxu-FrA. We shared this video over Twitter, which was then retweeted by Apple CEO Tim Cook. To view his tweet, visit: https://tinyurl.com/y442vjyb. During the Facebook live event, our guests reflected on the power of collaboration, the progress made over the past ten years, and what opportunities rest just over the horizon. To access the full video of our CVAA celebration, visit: https://youtu.be/ZH7wQ_yn6mY.   On this week’s episode of ACB Advocacy Update, ACB member Jesse Acosta shared his personal story and advocacy which helped lead to the passage of the CVAA, and Carl Richardson, co-Chair of the ACB Audio Description Project, shared where accessibility and digital inclusion needs to go in the future. Listen to the episode online by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/y5njvhqf. To read our press release in honor of the CVAA and those who collaborated to facilitate its passage, visit: https://acb.org/cvaa-celebrating-10-years. Senator Ed Markey, who authored the CVAA, also released a press release celebrating the anniversary of this legislation, which you can access by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/y2y658hy. The CVAA stands as a testament to the power that comes when industry and advocates join together in a collaborative spirit. ACB looks forward to working with industry over the next decade to identify additional ways we can enhance the quality of life and inclusion for Americans with disabilities in this digital age.

For Immediate Release Contact: Clark Rachfal, [email protected] WASHINGTON (Oct. 7, 2020) — The American Council of the Blind celebrates on this day the advocates, industry, and congressional leaders who participated in the passage and signing of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. The CVAA, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 8, 2010, remains one of the greatest legislative achievements for Americans who are blind and visually impaired in the digital age. “Over the past decade, virtually every aspect of life has been impacted by the explosion of smart mobile communications,” said ACB President Dan Spoone. “Thanks to the CVAA, access to this smartphone revolution has been guaranteed for millions of Americans with disabilities.” In addition to requiring smartphones be made accessible to consumers who are blind and visually impaired, the CVAA also created, for the first time, regulations that provide audio-described content on major broadcast and cable networks. As a further result of the law, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established a Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), which continues to advise the FCC on measures intended to secure greater access across our nation’s telecommunications infrastructure. “We commend ACB leaders such as our executive director Eric Bridges, Audio Description Project director Joel Snyder, project co-chairs Kim Charlson and Carl Richardson, and the countless number of advocates who collectively helped garner major support from industry and Congress in order to create a truly bipartisan legislative victory,” President Spoone added. “Together, they embraced ACB’s core value of collaboration, which has resulted in some of ACB’s strongest relationships over the past decade.” The CVAA stands as a testament to the power that comes when industry and advocates join together in a collaborative spirit. ACB looks forward to working with industry over the next decade to identify additional ways we can enhance the quality of life and inclusion for Americans with disabilities in this digital age. The American Council of the Blind is a national grassroots consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 68 state and special-interest affiliates, ACB works to increase the independence, security, equal opportunity and quality of life for Americans who are blind and visually impaired. Learn more at www.acb.org.

This Notice has been approved by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Be advised of the preliminary approval of the settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by Valerie Brooks (the “Named Plaintiff”) against Pressed Juicery, Inc., and Does 1-10 (“Pressed Juicery”). The Named Plaintiff, individually and on behalf of all members of the Settlement Classes, as defined below, alleges that, as individuals with visual impairments, they were denied equal access to or enjoyment of the Pressed Juicery’s website, https://www.pressedjuicery.com/, and Defendant’s corporate sponsored blog, https://thechalkboardmag.com (collectively the “Website”). Pressed Juicery denies the Named Plaintiff’s allegations and denies any fault or wrongdoing whatsoever. Under the proposed settlement, Pressed Juicery will make certain changes to the Website and Mobile Applications (as set forth in the Class Action Settlement Agreement and Release) in exchange for the Settlement Classes releasing claims regarding the accessibility of the Website and Mobile Applications as it exists at the time of this settlement, or as it may be modified in accordance with the Settlement Agreement. A Final Approval and Fairness Hearing on the proposed settlement is scheduled for Friday, December 11, 2020, at 10 a.m., in the courtroom of the Honorable Kimberly J. Mueller, Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse, 501 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Please read this notice carefully. It contains important information about your legal rights concerning the proposed settlement of this lawsuit. 1. Who are members of the Settlement Classes? The Court has preliminarily approved the following two Settlement Classes. The Nationwide Class: All individuals who (a) have a disability, as that term is defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the “ADA” 42 U.S.C. §12102 and similar state and local disability laws, and (b) have accessed the Website and Mobile Applications and (c) have been denied equal access as a result of their disability. The California Class: All individuals who (a) have a disability, as that term is defined under the ADA, 42 U.S.C. §12102 and similar state and local disability laws, and (b) have accessed the Website and Mobile Applications, and (c) have been denied equal access as a result of their disability. 2. What are the benefits of the proposed settlement? Under the Settlement Agreement, Pressed Juicery has agreed to make certain accessibility modifications to the Website and Mobile Applications. Those changes include: Modifying the Website and Mobile Applications to improve accessibility and to provide individuals with disabilities full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations offered through the Website and Mobile Applications by having the Website and Mobile Applications substantially usable by screen reader software for website and mobile applications users in the future. Pressed Juicery shall use WCAG 2.0 Level AA as a guideline in making such improvements. Pressed Juicery can link to third-party websites and/or include third-party content on the Website and Mobile Applications (e.g., any web content that is dictated or generated by a third party and is not owned, coded, managed, and/or operated by the Released Parties (including, but not limited to, plug-ins, forms, PDF files, social media and YouTube© videos), without being required to undertake, to complete remediation for, or to be responsible or liable for any form of third-party content that is incorporated into the Website and Mobile Applications. 3. How could the settlement affect your legal rights? If Judge Mueller approves the proposed settlement, members of the classes will release all claims for discrimination and denial of equal access on the basis of disability arising from Defendant’s practices or procedures in connection with, or the condition of, the websites and mobile applications owned or operated by Pressed Juicery at the time of the Court’s final approval of the settlement, or as the websites and/or mobile applications may be modified under the terms of the settlement. More specifically, the Settlement Agreement provides as follows: In consideration for the mutual promises and covenants set forth or referred to in this Settlement Agreement, the Settlement Classes and each of their respective members, executors, successors, heirs, assigns, administrators, agents and representatives (collectively referred to as the “Releasing Parties”), releases the Released Parties from any and all claims, counter-claims, liabilities, obligations, demands, and actions of any and every kind or nature whatsoever, known or unknown, that the Releasing Parties may have against the Released Parties for discrimination and/or denial of equal access to or enjoyment of any goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations based upon a disability under the common law or any state, local or federal statute, rule or regulation, arising from Defendant’s practices or procedures in connection with, or the condition of, the Websites and Mobile Applications owned or operated by Defendant. This release includes but is not limited to any and all claims that have arisen or might have arisen that could have been asserted in the Action, including claims in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.), the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Cal. Civil Code §§ 51 et seq.), the Disabled Persons Act (Cal. Civil Code §§ 54 et seq.), any other state, local or federal statute, rule, or regulation, or common law that governs, addresses or affects the rights of individuals with disabilities to gain equal or full access to or enjoyment of places of public accommodation or places open to the public. This release includes, but is not limited to, claims for class-wide injunctive or declaratory relief alleging a class-wide pattern and practice of disability-based discrimination in connection with, or an unlawful disparate impact associated with, access to or enjoyment of the Defendant’s Website and Mobile Applications. This release includes any claims for damages, fines or penalties in amounts statutorily authorized (including as determined by reference to minimum or other prescribed amounts) for violations of the State Disability Statutes, but does not include claims for monetary damages (including as they may be multiplied) in individualized amounts recoverable by a Settlement Class Member that, under the State Disability Statutes or common law, are determined, not by reference to a minimum or other statutorily prescribed amount, but by the actual harm, loss, bodily injury, injury to property, emotional distress, or economic damage allegedly suffered by a Class Member. By way of example, this release includes claims for the $4,000 and $1,000 minimum damages authorized in California Civil Code Section 52(a) and Section 54.3, respectively. This release is intended to bind all Settlement Classes and its members and to preclude such Settlement Classes and its members from asserting or initiating, either individually or through any third party, future claims with respect to the issues in this Action or the subject matter of this Settlement Agreement. 4. What service payment is the Named Plaintiff seeking for the work she performed for the Class? In recognition of the Named Plaintiff’s role in prosecuting this Action, Class Counsel has filed a motion for an award of a service enhancement payment of no more than $2,500.00 to be paid by Pressed Juicery, which motion shall be heard at the time of the Final Approval and Fairness Hearing. Class Counsel shall file this motion within fourteen (14) days after the Court enters the Preliminary Approval Order. 5. What attorneys’ fees and what reimbursement of out of pocket costs are Class Counsel seeking? Class Counsel is applying to the Court to be paid attorneys’ fees and costs in the aggregate amount of no more than $35,000.00. 6. Requests for Exclusion from the Settlement Any Class Member may opt out of the Class by submitting a written Request for Exclusion with the Settlement Administrator at the address provided in response to Paragraph 8 below. To be timely, a Request for Exclusion must be postmarked no later than Monday, October 26, 2020. Requests for Exclusion must state at least the member of the Settlement Classes’ full name, address, and telephone number; a statement that the member of the Settlement Classes wishes to be excluded from the settlement; and the case name and case number. Every member of the Settlement Classes who does not timely and properly submit a Request for Exclusion from the Settlement Classes shall be bound by all proceedings, orders, and judgments in the Class Action. All members of the Settlement Classes agree that the satisfaction of all the Released Claims against the Defendant, as well as entry of the Final Approval Order, shall be binding upon all member of the Settlement Classes. 7. When and where will the Final Approval and Fairness Hearing take place? On September 16, 2020, Judge Mueller granted preliminary approval to the proposed settlement. After considering the comments and/or objections received from members of the Settlement Class, if any, Judge Mueller will next decide whether or not to: (1) grant final approval of the settlement; (2) grant Class Counsel’s application for fees and costs; and (3) award a service enhancement payment to the Named Plaintiff. A hearing will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., in the courtroom of the Honorable Kimberly J. Mueller, Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse, 501 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. You may attend this hearing at your own expense but are not obligated to do so. If you choose to attend, you may request an opportunity to speak or be heard, but the Court is not required to allow it. You may retain an attorney at your own expense to represent you but are not required to do so. If you intend to attend the fairness hearing, you must send a written notice of intent to appear to Wilshire Law Firm, 3055 Wilshire Blvd., 12th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90010, Telephone: (213) 381-9988. Your notice of intent to appear must include at least your name, address, and telephone number, a reference to the lawsuit, a statement that you intend to appear at the hearing and must be postmarked no later than Monday, October 26, 2020. If you wish to speak or be heard at the hearing, you also must include this request in your notice of intent to appear. 8. How can you get more information? You can obtain a copy of the complete Settlement Agreement from Class Counsel using the contact information listed below. You may also inspect the non-confidential parts of the case file in this lawsuit by going to the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (www.pacer.gov). Dated: September 22, 2020 Attorneys for defendant, Pressed Juicery, Inc.: Arlene Kline, Esq. Damien DeLaney, Esq. Zoe Bekas, Esq. Akerman LLP Attorneys for named plaintiff Valerie Brooks: Bobby Saadian, Esq. Thiago Coelho, Esq. Wilshire Law Firm

We’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) this Thursday, October 8th. Tune in to our Facebook Live feed by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yxhzlkvt at 10:30am ET as we welcome leaders from our community, congress and the private sector who were instrumental in passage of this landmark legislation. Our special guests will reflect on the power of collaboration, the progress made over the past ten years, and what opportunities rest just over the horizon. The CVAA continues to make significant advancements in equal access to broadcast, cable, and telecommunications in the digital age. The Facebook Live event is part of a series of conversations ACB will host that day marking the anniversary of this legislative victory. On hand for this special event will be Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), his former Chief-of-Staff Mark Bayer, Apple’s Tim Powderly, AERBVI’s acting Executive Director Mark Richert, ACB Past-President Kim Charlson, Bay State council of the Blind President Brian Charlson, and ACB’s Executive Director Eric Bridges. Make sure you’re keyed into our Facebook Community group to learn more about upcoming events and check-out our ACBVoices.org blog for further conversations on the opportunities we’ve gained as a result of the CVAA.

ACB is pleased to share its annual report for 2019. The report highlights our key successes and provides an overall snapshot of ACB’s financial position at the end of 2019. The theme for the design is “Building Our Future,” highlighting the work undertaken in 2019, which has significantly helped in preparing ACB to weather the economic impact of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to Kelly Gasque for her work on the design of the document. Visit this link to view our 2019 annual report.

On Tuesday, September 22, 2020, the National Coalition for Accessible Voting (NCAV) launched a “Plan Your Vote” guide to assist voters in developing a plan to assist them vote in November and future election cycles. This how-to work sheet guides voters through the various stages of voting, as well as the different options voters have when determining how they will vote. The guide was written in an easy-to-follow manner and structure to assist all persons in the planning process. More than ever before, voters must have a voting plan, and this guide offers several resources to equip voters with the tools they need.  September 22, National Voter Registration Day, is an exciting day to empower voters to obtain the tools they need to vote during this presidential election. The national, civic holiday seemed like a perfect backdrop to promote a tool that will help many people in taking the steps necessary to vote in this general election. The guide, as well as more information about NCAV can be found on the coalition’s website at www.ncavoting.org. Download the guide by clicking your preferred link below: Plan Your Vote 2020 - Word Doc Plan Your Vote 2020 - PDF Plan Your Vote 2020 - Plain Text