As most members of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) know, our organization has been working on a lawsuit against the Department of the Treasury for 18 years now seeking a requirement that the federal government make paper currency accessible for blind and visually impaired people. Most recently, the government successfully argued that it could not fulfill a 2026 requirement to make a fraction of paper denominations accessible. The attorney representing ACB, Jeffrey Lovitky, in an appeal argued against that decision in front of an appellate court on Friday, September 18, 2020. The opposing counsel on behalf of the Treasury continued to argue that it is too difficult, if not impossible, for the Treasury to produce “raised tactile features” on paper currency, the accommodation required by the 2008 ruling in favor of ACB. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the law which was used to argue the government must make paper currency accessible, a party may argue that they cannot provide an accommodation if it is an undue burden. In this circumstance, legal counsel on behalf of the Treasury continues to argue that providing raised tactile features by 2026 is an undue burden. One of these burdens that they continue to insinuate is that an undue burden of security exists. The government continues to insist that they cannot decouple security improvements with accessibility improvements, and thus, more time and resources are needed to make paper currency accessible. This argument was made again before the appeals court; ACB will wait to see the appellate court’s decision on the matter. To listen to the hearing, visit: https://youtu.be/si53DEOrffk?t=3406. 

ALEXANDRIA, VA – September 15, 2020 – The search for films or videos with audio description is now easier than ever. The American Council of the Blind and its Audio Description Project has made a new search function available where a title or part of a title can be entered, resulting in matches in a Master Audio Description (AD) List. This search may be initiated on the main website page (https://adp.acb.org/), the Master AD List (https://adp.acb.org/masterad.html) or on its own page (https://adp.acb.org/findavideo.html).  Audio description provides a verbal version of key visual events added to audio tracks of video and film; the added descriptions occur during pauses in dialogue or between critical sound elements. Audio description is designed to aid in the fuller appreciation of a movie or TV series by a person who is blind or has low vision. People with other disabilities such as autism also benefit, as do individuals with attention deficit disorder and others—even sighted people who are in another room.  The American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project tracks all media titles available with audio description (AD) tracks for people who are blind or have low vision or who otherwise find this additional audio track helpful. While titles are tracked by media – Current Cinema, DVDs, Television Series, and six major media streaming services – the “Master AD List” consolidates all titles into one listing identifying where you can find the title with AD. Currently there are over 4,300 titles on the list. Sample output: >>> Found 2 titles searching for 'neighborhood': A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood:  DVD, ITUNES, SPECTRUM-ACCESS The Neighborhood [Series]:  CBS Additional information about the ACB’s Audio Description Project is available at:  https://adp.acb.org/.  Contact Joel Snyder, Director, Audio Description Project (202) 467-5083 About the American Council of the Blind The American Council of the Blind is a national grassroots consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 70 affiliates, ACB strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Learn more by visiting www.acb.org. To download this press release, visit this link. 

We are pleased to announce the addition of Natalia Ratcliffe to our ACB staff. Nat will be interning with us for the next few months as a Membership Administrative Assistant reporting directly to Cindy Hollis, Membership Services Coordinator, assisting directly with our growing community and other membership-related programs. You can contact Nat at [email protected]. It is fitting to have Nat work in this role considering she came to ACB through our community events five months ago and quickly engaged herself as a volunteer, hosting and facilitating Zoom calls and joining ACB as a member at large. She was also one of our first contributors to our blog at www.acbvoices.org, and we are appreciative of the support of the state of California’s Department of Rehabilitation who is funding this opportunity for Nat. Nat lives in Carson, California and is a junior at Cal State University Dominguez Hills majoring in Communications and Public Relations. She is partnered with a four-year-old Golden Retriever guide dog, Dodson, from Guide Dogs for the Blind. She is a huge fan of Hamilton, and the content creator of her own blog and podcast. Please join us in welcoming her to our team!

The Commonwealth Agrees to Consent Decree for November 3rd Election that will Include Electronic Ballot Marking August 31, 2020 – Alexandria, VA – The Commonwealth of Virginia committed to making the November 2020 election accessible and safe for voters who cannot mark a paper ballot privately and independently due to disabilities such as blindness. As a result of the lawsuit and preliminary injunction filed by several voters with disabilities, the American Council of the Blind of Virginia, and the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, Virginia has agreed to provide an absentee ballot option that is accessible and can be marked electronically in time for the November election. Without Friday’s consent decree, these voters would be forced to either vote absentee with assistance, revealing their choices to another person and hoping that person correctly records their vote, or risk COVID-19 infection by travelling to the polls to vote in person. No voter should be faced with this untenable choice in order to exercise their right to vote. On July 27, 2020, several voters with disabilities, the American Council of the Blind of Virginia, and the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia against the Commonwealth for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Virginia Disabilities Act. Today, Judge Hilton of the Eastern District of Virginia accepted the consent decree agreed upon by the parties, which requires that the Commonwealth provide a remote access vote by mail tool that will allow voters with print disabilities to receive and mark their ballot electronically for the election on November 3rd. The consent decree also includes measures that the Commonwealth will take to ensure that the electronic ballot option is implemented across the state and that voters receive information about how to receive an accessible ballot. Lori Scharff, a plaintiff in this case who was not able to vote privately and independently with Virginia’s current ballot options, stated “I am so thrilled with this outcome. There are so many hurdles to voting that people don’t realize exist. I am hopeful that this agreement will demonstrate to other states that all of your citizens should be able to participate privately and independently in our elections.” Sam Joehl, President of the American Council of the Blind of Virginia stated: “We applaud the Commonwealth for quickly recognizing that the right to vote privately and independently is essential for voters with disabilities, especially in such a consequential election during a global pandemic. We hope the state will work with the local jurisdictions to make the option for remote electronic ballot marking available to all voters with print disabilities who require this option, and promote the availability of the system to these communities. ACB stands ready to work with the state to help blind voters in Virginia exercise their right to a private and independent vote.” “As we continue our national fight for accessible absentee and mail-in ballots, we are pleased that Virginia will now be among the growing list of states where the right of blind voters to mark our absentee ballots safely, privately and independently is secure,” said Tracy Soforenko, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia. “We urge all blind Virginians to exercise this fundamental right.”  “Now people with disabilities in Virginia will be able to vote as if their lives depend on it – without risking their lives to do so,” said Eve Hill of Brown Goldstein & Levy. Colleen Miller, the Executive Director of the disAbility Law Center of Virginia, stated: “"All Virginians have the right to vote privately and safely. We look forward to working with the board of elections to make that right a reality." “My clients are courageous individuals with print disabilities who should be able to engage in activities many of us take for granted.” said Steven Hollman, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP. “That’s why it is especially gratifying to help ensure that they will be able to exercise the most cherished right offered in a democracy – the right to vote privately and independently -- on equal terms with other voters.” “The Washington Lawyers’ Committee is proud to represent a coalition of such strong advocates. We applaud the Commonwealth of Virginia for their efforts to work with our coalition,” said Maggie Hart, Counsel at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee “Access to a private ballot is the foundation of our democracy and this consent decree reaffirms that our Constitution applies to everyone.” The lawsuit was filed by the American Council of the Blind of Virginia and the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, and individual plaintiffs including Carshena Gary, Lori Scharff, Regina Root, Ph.D., Naim Muawia Abu-El Hawa, and John Halverson, Ph.D. Link to the press release here. Link to the Joint Motion & Proposed Order for Consent Judgment & Decree (Final Order Pending) here. Link to filed complaint here. Counsel for this case include Eve L. Hill of Brown Goldstein & Levy, the disAbility Law Center of Virginia, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP, and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs.   About About American Council of the Blind (ACB) The American Council of the Blind is a national grassroots consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 70 affiliates, ACB strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Learn more by visiting www.acb.org. About Brown Goldstein and Levy BGL provides the highest quality legal services to a broad range of clients, without sacrificing our sense of community and social responsibility. By elevating our clients’ voices and fighting for their rights, we seek to bring about a more just world – sometimes one dispute at a time, sometimes through systemic change. About the disAbility Law Center of Virginia disAbility Law Center of Virginia is the protection and advocacy agency charged by the state and federal governments, on behalf of people with disabilities, to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation. About National Federation of the Blind (NFB) The National Federation of the Blind, headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at www.nfb.org. About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP Sheppard Mullin is a full-service Global 100 firm with more than 900 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 1927, industry-leading companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high-stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include almost half of the Fortune 100. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com. About the Washington Lawyers’ Committee Founded in 1968, The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs works to create legal, economic and social equity through litigation, client and public education and public policy advocacy. While we fight discrimination against all people, we recognize the central role that current and historic race discrimination plays in sustaining inequity and recognize the critical importance of identifying, exposing, combatting and dismantling the systems that sustain racial oppression. For more information, please visit http://www.washlaw.org or call 202.319.1000. Follow us on Twitter at @WashLaw4CR.   Media Contacts American Council of the Blind: Clark Rachfal, [email protected], 202-467-5081 disAbility Law Center of Virginia: Colleen Miller, [email protected], (804) 225-2042 National Federation of the Blind: Chris Danielsen, [email protected], 410-262-1281 Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP: Steven Hollman, [email protected], 202-747-1941 Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs: Gregg Kelley, [email protected], 202-319-1070

The American Council of the Blind’s financial office in Minnesota recently moved. The new address is 6200 Shingle Creek Parkway, Suite 155, Brooklyn Center MN 55430. You can still reach the office by phone at 800-866-3242 or 612-332-3242. 

­Contact: Cindy Van Winkle (612) 345-9036 [email protected] ALEXANDRIA, Va. (August 27, 2020) – The American Council of the Blind is expanding its partnership hours with Be My Eyes, an innovative app that provides real-time video assistance for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. Now, ACB’s support staff and volunteers will be able to field calls from the Specialized Help Providers section of the app from noon to 5 p.m. Eastern on weekdays. “We appreciate the partnership ACB has with Be My Eyes and believe through this opportunity, we are able to leverage more resources to assist those who are blind or who have low vision,” said ACB executive director Eric Bridges. “This is an amazing extension of the work we are doing for ACB members and the greater blind community.” At a time of such uncertainty and isolation, ACB has been expanding its reach not only to its membership but to others outside of the ACB community by providing a host of calls via Zoom as part of our community events, utilizing ACB Radio and podcasts, an active and engaging Facebook group, and now 25 hours per week on the Be My Eyes platform. While many Americans struggle with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, ACB is now able to provide remote guidance and consultation on key areas impacting the rights of Americans who are blind, and offer critical information on resources and supports available. Under the Specialized Help offerings with Be My Eyes, ACB is alongside companies such as Google, Microsoft, and P&G providing support and resources to the blindness community. ACB is proud to be maximizing the use of technology coupled with the personal touch to connect with their members and deliver services in a whole new way.  Now with almost 4 million users and a growing family of company partners, Be My Eyes is one of the largest “micro-volunteering” platforms in the world, with more than 3.5 million volunteers on call at all times to assist those who need an extra pair of eyes at short notice. The American Council of the Blind is a national grassroots consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 70 affiliates, ACB strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Learn more by visiting www.acb.org. To inquire about Be My Eyes, contact [email protected].

Will auction off two custom, one-of-a-kind Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Masks following live “Meet the Makers” Instagram virtual event  Contact: Anthony Stephens, [email protected] ALEXANDRIA, Va. (August 26, 2020) — Leading textile and fashion designers will auction one-of-a-kind masks during a special virtual event this evening, with proceeds directly supporting work to overcome the barriers social distancing has placed on the millions of Americans who are blind and visually impaired. “The mask has become a modern-day symbol of moving safely and responsibly through our society,” said American Council of the Blind president Dan Spoone. “It’s a fitting icon that will become part of these historic times, at the same time raising money and awareness for the work ACB undertakes each day to foster social inclusion at a time when social distancing has created many barriers for people who are blind and visually impaired.” When demand for Adult Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Masks went through the roof, Accel Lifestyle’s founder and CEO Megan Eddings had to find a way to meet it. Answering the call for help – none other than world-famous fashion designer Mark Zunino, who stepped in to help sew the masks for the public and medical professionals. Now, in celebration of their special collaboration, Zunino – who started his fashion label 20 years ago and has designed for Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Olivia Newton-John, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendez, and Julia Roberts – and Eddings are hosting “Meet the Makers: Fashion’s Finest.”  During the virtual event, which will be held live on Instagram this evening, Eddings and Zunino will sit down together for an intimate chat covering topics from what it’s like designing for A-list celebrities to what it took to successfully pivot a business during the pandemic. Following the event, Eddings and Zunino will open an online auction for two one-of-a-kind Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Masks that Eddings designed and Zunino himself customized. The proceeds from each mask will go to a charity of each designer’s choice. Zunino, who lost his father to pancreatic cancer, said the proceeds from the black Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Mask with crystal-encrusted cherries will benefit the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. Eddings, who was deeply inspired by a friend in Houston who was blind and active with ACB of Texas, said the proceeds from the white Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Mask with red, white and blue stars will go to the American Council of the Blind. You can access the live event via the following link: https://tinyurl.com/yxwlvwhb. ACB thanks Eddings and Zunino for their support. To learn more about Accel Lifestyles, visit www.accellifestyle.com. You can learn more about Mark Zunino’s work at www.markzunino.com. The American Council of the Blind is a 501(c)(3) national grassroots consumer organization expanding opportunity and independence for Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 67 state and special-interest affiliates, ACB seeks to create a fully inclusive world for people who are blind and visually impaired. To learn more, visit www.acb.org.

The AppleTV+ show, SEE, is looking for talented instrumentalists and vocalists who are blind or low vision to be included in the musical score of Season 2 of SEE. The performers should be good collaborators with self-recording skills, be able to pick up on melodies and/or improvise. The performers should be creative when given a suggested structure, and allow their own voice or sound to be apparent. If selected, the individuals will be asked to create their own professional recordings during the process. The performers will be aware of the tonal vision of the score used for season 1 for a better understanding of the work and sound prior.  If you would like to be considered for this opportunity, please submit a YouTube video with a sample of one track that demonstrates your skill and personal sound. In the video, please provide the name of the piece, demonstration of you performing it and followed by a brief bit about yourself, location, musical performance experience and training, and your blindness. Submit the video link in an email with your contact information, name of the song and the link to your unlisted YouTube video. The submissions will be reviewed, and the team will reach out to you in the future, if we want more information or you are chosen to be a performer. Please send the email to [email protected] all specified information for consideration.  

Connecting to ACB Community Calls At a time when our country is in a state of social distancing, your ACB family has opportunities for you to connect with others from the comfort of your home. To receive up-to-date information on how to join our community calls, please subscribe to our ACB Community Events email list by filling out the subscription form at http://acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-community-events, or by sending an email to [email protected]. To access community call information over the phone, please call 1-800-424-8666 and press 1017. Claire Stanley on Accessible Technology TechCrunch asked leaders in the accessibility world how technology has improved the lives of people with disabilities since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act 30 years ago. ACB Advocacy & Outreach Specialist Claire Stanley was featured in this article and shares her thoughts on accessible tech. Progress and What Lies Ahead Perkins School for the Blind interviewed two long-time disability advocates, ACB Immediate Past President Kim Charlson and retired U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa. In this article, they discuss their thoughts on the Americans with Disabilities Act. New Lego Braille Bricks The LEGO Foundation designed and created a line of bricks molded with studs that correspond to numbers and letters in the braille alphabet. The foundation is partnering with the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) to send the blocks, free of charge, to school districts across the United States. Learn more by reading this article. Starting August 17th, APH is bringing together great minds from the LEGO Foundation, braille professionals, and a TVI to host a series of webinars all about learning through play with the new LEGO Braille Bricks. Check out all the cool sessions available and register today! The State of Accessible Voting in the States On this episode of the Advocacy Update, Claire and Clark speak with multiple guests about the advocacy work and government initiatives to ensure in-person and remote absentee voting options are accessible. We are joined by Commissioner Donald Palmer, Vice Chair of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), as well as Carrie Chapman, president of the Iowa Council of the United Blind, and Barbara Salisbury, president of the ACB of Indiana. Commissioner Palmer shared the resources available for election officials and voters from the EAC, and Carrie and Barbara share the ongoing advocacy work in Iowa and Indiana. To listen to the podcast, go to http://acbradio.org/content/state-accessible-voting-states. To learn more about accessible voting, visit the ACB accessible voting toolkit at www.acb.org/voting. To learn more about the upcoming EAC roundtable on election accessibility on Aug. 19, visit https://www.eac.gov/events/2020/08/19/roundtable-discussion-uocava-and-accessibility-issues-during-covid-19-pandemic.

Earlier this year, ACB decided to cancel our 2020 in-person convention in Schaumburg, IL in consideration of the health and safety of our members, volunteers, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place we decided to host our first virtual convention, allowing our members and others outside of our organization to participate at home while socially distancing. This year was a huge success, with over 200 hours of content that spanned across eight days. If you missed out, or would like to revisit our convention events, you can find links to featured convention videos and directions on how to subscribe to our convention podcast below.   Convention Video You can find all of our videos on our YouTube page. Below are links to our general session videos, diamond sponsor presentations, and other convention events. General Session: Sunday, July 5, 2020 Monday, July 6, 2020 Tuesday, July 7, 2020 Wednesday, July 8, 2020 Thursday, July 9, 2020 Friday, July 10, 2020 Diamond Sponsor Presentations: Google JPMorgan Chase & Co. Microsoft Vanda Pharmaceuticals Other Convention Events: Audio Description Industry Panel President and Executive Director Reports Roy Samuelson Banquet Presentation Message from Senator Markey Message from Senator Feinstein ACB Staff Convention Recap Convention Podcasts Many of our virtual convention sessions are available as podcasts with more to come. To download podcasts, visit http://www.acbradio.org/acb-convention. To subscribe to our convention podcasts, visit http://www.acbradio.org/acb-convention.xml.